'lil monkey 20 weeks

20 week profile picture

It's a boy!!

Baby's foot

I delayed my 20 week post a bit because I was waiting to share our news that our 'lil monkey is a BOY!! This is just what I wanted, Carson to have a partner-in-crime and life long friend. Reid was a little bummed it wasn't a girl because he said he thought one of each would have been nice and I think after it sunk in it was a boy, I got a little bummed too that this is our last one and we wouldn't get to see what a little girl of ours would look like. We also had trouble thinking of another name for a boy because we wanted it to have meaning like Carson did. We had plenty of girl names ready, so I didn't feel "connected" to our new boy until we finally got the perfect name! But sorry, you'll have to wait 'til he's born to find out!! I can tell you it has a special meaning to us just the same way Carson's name came about. So start Googling "Colorado" names all you want and take a guess :) I'm so excited for Carson to have a brother and best friend for life!

To share the gender with our parents this go around, I wanted to make things simple. If you don't remember what went down last time, here's a reminder (sorry for some pictures not showing up). I had pre-purchased some scratch-off cards in both genders, and planned to mail them out the same day we found out the gender. Well it's a good thing I tested them before sending them out because they were horrible! They didn't scratch at all and I decided to not send them at all. So we scrambled to come up with plan B which turned out to be cupcakes! Reid called up a local bakery where are parents lived and they made some blue-filled cupcakes which my brother picked up and delivered. After that we Facetimed our parents while they took a bite to reveal the gender. I made sure to video the reveal, but I should have had them turn the cupcakes around. Still fun to see their reaction in person (Reid's family / Tara's family)

Horrible scratch-off cards. They ripped when using a penny

A fingernail barely worked

I have been feeling pretty good this past month. Workouts are going good, I can eat just about anything, energy level is good, but I can't seem to get a good night's rest anymore. So aside from feeling not well rested, I have no complaints about my second trimester thus far.

How Far Along: 20 weeks
Best Moment This Week: Finding out the gender
Have You Told Family and Friends: My parents finally got the big news!
Miss Anything: Sleeping on my back. Let the restless nights begin
Movement: All the time! He kicked during the ultrasound and even the tech was shocked she could feel it so early
Food Cravings: I pretty much just want to eat all the time
Anything Make You Sick/Queasy: Still just a few things that sound completely unappetizing
Gender Prediction: Well I was totally wrong and IT'S A BOY!
Looking Forward To: All the excitement is gone for a while because baby's name will be a secret!
Fun Fact of the Month: Teaching Carson to say brother and his brother's name
Comparison to Carson: http://reidntara.blogspot.com/2013/01/baby-j-20-weeks.html

To wrap this post up, we took Carson to Build-A-Bear to make something for his little brother. Even though it was more of mommy making the animal and daddy chasing him around the store, we had fun and now the brothers will each have a Build-A-Bear with matching overalls!

Picking out the doggie's personality traits

Pushing the pedal to help stuff

Daddy and Carson washing the doggie

All done making a dog for his little brother

Big Bro Teddy and Lil Bro Doggy

'lil monkey 16 weeks

Time for another update of our lil monkey! I think I have a bit more of a belly this time around, which isn't anything unusual. At least in this house I have lots of mirrors to watch it grow over the next few months. Not much is new or exciting for this update. Our 16 week appointment isn't until next week, and I think I went through another sinus infection :( I'm definitely ready for this winter to be over. Well I guess there is one exciting thing to report...we got our announcement pictures back! Still can't "share with the world yet" but they are fun for me to look at over and over until then!! Here's a few for you to enjoy...

How Far Along: 16 weeks
Best Moment This Week: Getting our announcement pictures
Have You Told Family and Friends: We broke down and told Reid's mom and sisters. So all that's left is my family (coming mid February) and Facebook, lol
Miss Anything: A cold cut sandwich
Movement: Too soon, although I could have sworn I felt something about a week ago in the middle of the night
Food Cravings: Still on the lemon/lime and smoothies
Anything Make You Sick/Queasy: Better with the queasiness but salmon and chili are still the two things that sound completely unappetizing
Gender Prediction: Since this is labeled "prediction" I guess I better admit I think this one is a girl
Looking Forward To: My trip to Texas to surprise my parents with the news, and shortly after that the gender reveal!
Fun Fact of the Month: Trying to teach Carson to say "baby" and show him where baby is
Comparison to Carson:http://reidntara.blogspot.com/2012/12/baby-j-16-weeks.html

'lil monkey 13 weeks

Well, here we go again! Last time we kept our pregnancy a secret for 7 weeks and we have topped that for sure this time (to some extent). On November 2, 2014 I took the all important test and here we are! This time around I knew for sure I was pregnant, and even had a negative test 2 days prior but my gut told me it was wrong. With this news in mind, we opted to change up our insurance plan, and delay our first visit 'til after the first of the year. With Carson, my "dates" did not align so I knew this kid would be the same, so I went in to my appointment with absolutely no idea how far along I was. I thought the least amount would be was 10 weeks, and most 12 and I was still off! 13 weeks and one day was my first appointment. Unfortunately this poor child eerily resembled a monkey on our sonogram images, so we have named him/her "monkey" til we find out the gender (plus we got crap from friends about Baby J being too close of a name to that stupid blue and red bird that drives all us purple cat fans crazy!?)

So who knows? Only a few good friends, some moms from my moms group and all of Reid's office knows about our pregnancy. I'm planning a trip to see my family mid February and I got Carson a big brother T-Shirt to surprise them! If we don't see Reid's mom prior to that, we will probably Skype her with Carson wearing his new shirt. I've also got a picture session lined up later this month with a fellow mom who is starting up her own photography business!

I've already gone back and read my 12 week post with Carson and boy has this pregnancy been different. I feel like I've gained so much weight (even though according to the doc it's only been 2 lbs) and I am showing a bit already, especially in the evenings. It was so hard hiding my belly from my parents when they were here for Christmas. I just hope they thought I gained a few pounds from all the holiday treats. I have been non-stop nauseous and to top it off Carson is bringing home lots of germs from daycare. I think I was sick-free for one week in December :( I've had the flu, a bad sinus infection, and numerous colds. But one of the worst was a horrible few days of nausea that started Christmas Eve and lasted for 3 days. That meant I did not enjoy any of the delicious foods we had for the holidays! I was lucky to even take bites of it all.

So I'll end with my first update questionnaire...

How Far Along: 13 weeks
Best Moment This Week: Finally making it to the doctor for our first appointment and getting pictures of our 'lil monkey
Have You Told Family and Friends: Only one family member (a cousin in Ft Collins) knows and a few friends. We are waiting to tell our parents in person
Miss Anything: Feeling well! Sickness has been the story of this pregnancy for the first trimester
Movement: Too soon
Food Cravings: Anything lemon/lime
Anything Make You Sick/Queasy: Just about everything, but if I could force a few bites it got better
Have You Started To Show Yet: Baby likes to pop out a little in the evening after a full day of meals
Gender Prediction: I strongly prefer a boy, but would be happy with whatever God gives us
Looking Forward To: Our pregnancy announcement pictures later this month
Fun Fact of the Month: I'm shocked I made it through both Thanksgiving and Christmas without spilling the beans to our parents
Comparison With Carson: http://reidntara.blogspot.com/2012/11/baby-j-12-weeks.html

Carson: 21 Months

A little delayed in getting this wrote, but better late than never! This past Sunday Mr C turned 21 months! He spent his final week of 20 months visiting family in Texas and he did so great! I couldn't believe how fast he warmed up to everyone. This was also the first time he had his own seat on the airplane and boy am I glad we decided to do that. Here's some pictures of our trip...

Arrived at the airport with some big news for Grammy and Grandpa

Playing in Mawmaw and Pawpaw's big backyard

All boys love rocks, sticks and dirt!

Fun with bubbles

Holding a Dallas Cowboys game ball

In the suites at AT&T Stadium

Walking through the tunnel the same way the Cowboy's players do before games

Touring AT&T Stadium with mommy

Working on his golf skills

Visiting the donkey and horse with Grammy, Grandpa and Pawpaw

Playing the piano for Aunt Jackie

Helping Mawmaw push her walker

"Ride a little horsey" with Grandpa

Snuggles for Mawmaw and Pawpaw

Now what has Mr C been up to. He is getting much closer to talking and he babbles all the time. You can tell he thinks he is carrying on a conversation and that everyone understands him. But on the opposite end of that, he does know what he wants and he's getting very frustrated when you don't give him the right thing. It's annoying to us because he just points and makes an "eh" sound, so it takes a few tries to finally get it right. And speaking of not getting what he wants, we learned how to throw temper tantrums recently. So much fun for mommy and daddy. But I'm slowly getting to where I understand his "eh" and we are also figuring out how to "reason with a toddler" to help him calm down. We started working on colors recently and he will repeat blue and yellow pretty clearly. In Texas I swear I heard him say grandpa a few times. Still not much of a meat lover but is a pretty well-rounded eater beyond that. He's a growing boy and is wearing 2T or 3T shirts and just now getting a good fit in 2T pants. He wears a 7 shoe and I found a scale where he topped out at 29lbs.

Carson is a wild, crazy boy who is non-stop all day long but he is a sweetheart. He loves to share and happily claps and smiles when he passes a toy along. He LOVES the outdoors and I be he wishes he could sleep in a tent so he's outside all the time. He is getting much more comfortable with Snyder, but Snyder still likes to keep his distance when he can. Mommy and daddy love you Mr C, even though we need to work on our patience when you push our buttons!!