a little on pregnancy

So Avery has arrived but I will get to that in my next post - first I should mention something about being pregnant since I have neglected to do that over the last 9 months!! Being pregnant and having a 2 year old is tough! There were a few months in the middle there that weren't that bad but between being exhausted in the beginning and being huge and swollen at the end- it was a challenge to say the least although one that was beyond worth it of course!

Throughout the pregnancy we talked with Taylor a lot about having a sister and what it would be like. She gets very jealous when Mike or I show anyone or thing attention so we thought for sure having a baby would be tough on her. We told her how much time Mommy would need to spend holding Avery and most times she responded with an emphatic "NO". I worried constantly about when Avery would arrive and what we would do with Taylor and how she would handle it. Mike just kept telling me to stop worrying because everything would work out but still it kept me up at night. Taylor is my baby and I didn't want anything to upset her life.

Needless to say I was praying for a healthy and early arrive... thankfully Avery agreed.

The Waiting Game

No news here... still no Baby Krepps!

Mike helped Aunt Jen and Uncle Dave move in to their new house today. I tried to help thinking that a few trips up the stairs while carrying moderately heavy boxes would jar something but instead after two trips I was out of breath and tired. I started to get nervous that I would use all my energy and then go in to labor and be spent. I decided to come home and rest although after I caught a glimpse of our dirty windows I couldn't relax until they were clean! This nesting thing has done wonders for all those annoying things that never get done around the house.

38 weeks and no birthday present

While I had a wonderful birthday I was hoping for the early arrival of Baby Krepps... as you can probably assume this was not the case. My due date is not until the 28th but I went to the doctor on Tuesday and she told me that things were progressing... I was 2 centimeters dialated and 70% effaced. I was hoping that this meant an early birth but so far this hasn't been the case! She also told me that Baby Krepps won't be "that big, " her prediction is between 7.5 - 8 lbs. Sounds big to me!

Mike and I completed our classes this Saturday. We went to an all day breast feeding/caring for baby class. There was some very useful information but it probably could have been a half day class rather then a whole day deal. I thought Mike's head would explode if he heard one more thing about breast feeding... but he was a trooper!

I hope that Baby Krepps decides that my belly is not as appealing as the outside world will be soon. We are ready to meet her, hold her, and start this new chapter! For now I have taken up knitting wash clothes to help pass the time!

I think we are (almost) ready

• Room done- Check
• Baby clothing washed and ready to go- Check
• Baby Supplies-Check
• Bag for the hospital packed- Check
• Video Camera purchased (thanks Grammy and Grandpop) and fully charged- Check
• Birthing class complete- Check

I think we are ready for Baby Krepps to make her debute! One important thing not marked off of our list yet is taking the "Caring for Baby Class"... seems pretty important! We will complete this on March 15th, hopefully we will make it! I do have a feeling that I will go a little early but we still have about 4 weeks to go so we still have some time!


According to my last doctor visit I am one centimeter dialated and Baby Krepps is in the right position. I am starting to think that she is running out of room in there by the way her movements feel. At times I am sure that if I look down I will see an outline of her foot about to pop through my skin!


Here is a 36 week picture and what is going on in there...
How your baby's growing:Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement

Her room is waiting...

It has been months that I have been waiting for our furniture to arrive and it is finally here! It arrived on Wednesday afternoon and it is beautiful! Ever since Mike finished painting the room and we had the baby shower, it was making me crazy that I couldn't get in there and start organizing it! All I wanted to do was organize her clothes, blankets, towels, toys, sheets and all the other baby supplies. My nesting instinct has kicked in in full force... I know that this is part of the "nesting" syndrome because typically I have zero interest in doing laundry, organizing, or cleaning but I guess things are much more exciting when you are talking about the cutest, tiniest little baby clothing ever! I could go through her drawers over and over again just imagining what she will look like in all this adorable pink clothing. Here are some pictures of her room.

Work Shower

My wonderful co-workers threw me a baby shower on Thursday at work. It was very nice and thoughtful. Despite their best efforts to surprise me I knew about it shortly after the date was picked. They blame me for being a snoop and we all know that I can be a snoop but I was completely innocent in this situation! We were given our pack n play and activity mat as well as three beautiful hand made blankets and quilts!

Thanks Guys!

Baby Shower- Bark Park

For the last three years Mike has been taking Emma to the dog park every Saturday and Sunday at 8:00am. He and Emma have become two of the regulars there. Emma is not always the best at socializing with new dogs but she has stolen everyone's heart and apparently so has Mike! All the women there love him. I don't frequent the dog park because as I said earlier, Emma isn't always the best at meeting new playmates and I don't enjoy the fear of what she might do. I did however take her there once on my own and all I heard was, "Hi Emma, where is Mike?" I don't think this was anything against me I just think they all really enjoy him!


Well this morning they had a baby shower for Mike at the dog park. I just thought this was the niciest thing and he was excited to show me the little outfits. I will definetly have to wake up early next weekend (yes, I normally don't even budge while Mike gets up and goes... I have an excuse!) and go with Mike and Emma to thank the fellow dog lovers.



I don't have any pictures of the Bark Park Party but here is a picture of Emma making herself comfortable in the baby's room.

Baby Shower

This Sunday was not only the Super Bowl but it was also our Baby Shower... and it was wonderful! Mike, Baby Krepps, and I have the best family and friends we could ask for. There were lots of well wishes and bits of advice given as well as tons of gifts. I was lucky to be able to sit in between Baby Krepps' two GREAT grandmothers while I opened the presents...

I can't wait for her to meet them!

Thank you to everyone who put time and effort in to making this day memorable and perfect.

Even though I was exhausted last night after the shower and the later Superbowl festivities I could hardly sleep. All I wanted to do was get up and start going through everything and getting the baby's room organzied! I spent much of today doing just this. Maddie also came over to help with some of the organizing and gave me some Grandmotherly advice like, "you need more crib sheets" and "you need more long sleeve onesies". We then promtly went to the store to get these necessary items! Now all we need is for the furniture to be delivered... oh yeah, and the baby!

Maternity Pictures

Mike and I had maternity pictures taken today by our friend Danielle at Storytellers Studios. http://www.storytellerslhs.com/ We had a great time and even got a few compliments on our modeling abilities! Danielle took over 200 pictures which we will have to pick from (I am sure I will elicit help from some of you) but I have a few of our favorites to post here. She did a great job and as exciting as today was I am sure that once the baby arrives the pictures will be a million times better!

Swollen and Tired! (29 weeks)

This week was a sleepy one for me... it is almost like when I was first pregnant and had to nap after work, eat dinner, and go back to sleep. "They" say this is normal for the third trimester so we will see if it continues. It really puts a damper on getting much done around the house! My little ankles are no longer little either! I had to buy a bigger pair of shoes today... which was a chore in itself because bending over to put on shoes is nearly impossible! I didn't really realize it until I was out in public trying to put on shoes and there was just no way of doing it without a little grunt and groan. Thank god slip on shoes are fashionable because if not, I would be sporting them anyway!

We have been feeling the baby move for awhile now and each day her kicks and flips get stronger and stronger. This weekend Mike and the baby seemed to be "playing". For about 10 minutes wherever he would push on my belly she would push back. He loved it and it was nice to see him experience what I get to enjoy everyday. My favorite time is when I am falling asleep at night (as opposed to the three other times each day!) because she seems to get a burst of energy and moves like crazy. It is a really comforting feeling!



We babysat Tyler this weekend- it was a nice preview of what our lives will be like in two years except with a little girl! I have no doubt that Mike is a natural... except I did change the diapers.


Here is what is going on in my belly:

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. To meet her increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron (Don't worry everyone- I have read this and am working on it!). And because her bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Happy New Year

I have entered in to the third trimester. It seems like overnight I have started to really feel pregnant. I have noticed feeling and looking plumper and I am starting to retain water... all super pleasant things! I am still feeling great though and I have been able to work out and sleep fairly well. All in all I think this has been a good pregnancy, not much to compare it to, but it has been very enjoyable!

We celebrated New Years Eve with some friends and I actually toasted and had a sip of Champagne. It was nice just holding something other then a water bottle. I am not a huge fan of champagne but let me tell you, it was a wonderful sip!

Here is what is going on this week with the baby...

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

27 weeks

Oh my gosh, we are in the double digits, only 92 days left! Time has really flown by so far but I am thinking January, February, and March won't be so quick. We are making a significant dent in the "things to do before the baby arrives" list. We are partially done our kitchen and we have rearranged the bedrooms making room for the nursery by combining the office and spare room. We have a lot of painting to do which we hope to tackle this weekend.



Mike and I had a wonderful Christmas. It was a busy few days traveling from house to house spending time with family but it was well worth it. The hecticness of the few days was evident in my ankles. For the first time in my life I had "cankles". When we got home on Christmas I took off my shoes and socks, looked down, and promptly screamed. My ankles were approximately the size of my calves. There was no evidence of an ankle bone and my feet looked like sausages. The next morning the swelling hadn't really gone down too much so I called the doctor who had me come in to check my blood pressure. All was fine and I learned that this is another "normal" thing that happens in pregnancy. As of today I have ankles bones again and they are very much appreciated! I wish I would have taken a picture just to show the craziness of these "normal" things but I am sure that the opportunity will present itself again. I think the days of swelling have just begun!


We are thinking the Emma may be noticing that I am pregnant. I didn't think it would ever happen but she has had a major change in preference lately. She used to be obsessed with Mike and wouldn't leave his side but over the last several days I have become her clear favorite. She follows me around the house and wants to be sitting on top of me at all times. I wonder if she is kissing up so I don't forget about her...




The baby is moving more then ever. I love it because it is like having a little buddy with me all the time. It is an awesome feeling to constantly know that she is in there, even when the reminder is a kick to the ribs! Here is what else is going on in there...


This week your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14.4 inches long with her legs extended. She can now open and close her eyes, and she sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. She may suck her fingers, and although her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if she were to be born prematurely. Chalk up any rhythmic movement you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and isn't bothersome to her, so enjoy the tickle. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. Wonder what she's thinking?

25 weeks... a bit rough

25 weeks brought with it some major back pain. It seems as though the baby has made her self comfortable smashed up against my spinal cord on the right side. I am also starting to think that she is having fun pushing and tugging on a nerve here and there. This little game of hers has made walking, sitting, standing, sleeping, and pretty much any other activity tough however I am happy to report that after three nights of sleeping on the floor ( the bed seemed to make it worse) and a few trips to the chiropractor I am starting to have relief. Mike, of course has been a trooper throughout and is sleeping right along next to me on the floor. It is been a bit like a slumber party the last few nights in our house.



According to Baby Center here is what is going on in my belly... Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. Her hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after she's born.

Last Christmas Alone!

I would imagine that this is the last tree that Mike and I will decorate that won't have "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments strewn throughout! I have always been picky with the ornaments that get put on the tree because I like it to match and be "pretty" but I can say that after 7 years of this type of tree I am ready for a kid friendly, gaudy ornament filled Christmas tree!



We got our tree on Saturday with Mike's family. We picked a nice plump tree as opposed to our usual tall, skinny one ... I thought that this was more appropriate based on how I am feeling this holiday season! Once we got it home I decorated it while Mike studied for finals. When I was done he posed with our current Baby, Emma. Boy is her life about to dramatically change!

24 weeks...

Wow-These last 6 months have flown by...I hope that the next several go just as quickly. Almost daily for the last few weeks any time we see her growing stack of adorable clothing, talk about getting her room ready, or feel my belly Mike says, "don't you just want her to come now?" I know that soon our little baby will be here and we can't wait to meet her!



We have made some more progress in our preparations for her... our bedding has arrived...

and our furniture will be ordered this weekend (thanks Maddie and PopPop!) We have picked out paint for the room and Mike has started to empty out the room which has been our guest bedroom/Mike's closet for the last 4 years. I will be sure to post before and after pictures of the finished product... but most likely not for a few months... but definitely before March 28th!

Here is what is happening in my belly this 24th week according to babycenter.com-

How your baby's growing:Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when she was just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), that makes a pretty lean figure, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon put on more baby fat. Your baby's skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, her brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds are developing. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance **that helps the air sacs inflate easily.

23 Weeks (Almost)

Baby Krepps seems to be getting more active as the days go by. Mike and anyone else that keeps their hand on my belly long enough can feel her kicking. The other night I could actually see my stomach moving everytime she kicked or punched.



Mike and I have made some progress over the last couple of weeks in the road to get ready for this little girl... we have a long way to go. We have finished up registering - this was fun and exciting, although it was a little overwhelming. Babies R Us is a huge store with millions of choices for millions of things that we don't even know how to use. I think we should be set since we registered for everything possible!



Here is what is going on in my belly and with the baby this week according to Babycenter.com



Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango). His skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing. He can swallow, but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth. Loud noises heard often in utero — such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze your baby when he hears them outside the womb.

Welcome to our baby Blog!

So it will be several more months until Baby Krepps arrives but since I am new to this I am hoping to get a head start in blogging and be an expert by the time she makes her debut! Mike and I have so many family and friends that we don't get to see or talk to nearly enough so we are hoping that this is a great way for everyone to experience all of the excitement with us. Stay tuned for updates and pictures.

Here is her picture from our last ultrasound

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