Pregnancy Update!

(No, this is not a picture of my belly. Some of you may have even seen this online somewhere before, but I think it is an interesting picture so I decided to use it)

Well, let's see, I will be 28 weeks along tomorrow. Wow! The time really flies. I often forget that we are going to have a baby. I have not bought clothes or prepared at all for little Ashley's arrival, besides moving Everett to a toddler bed.



[as an aside, Everett is doing fabulously in his bed. I think he really likes being free to get in and out by himself. When it is naptime all I have to say is "are you ready to go take a nap?" and he will nod, and toddle into his room, grab his kitty, climb into bed and lay down. What a good boy!]



So, what is going on with Ashley? Well, not a whole lot besides moving around. I feel like Everett moved a little more often, but she is moving more powerfully. I have been very surprised by her strength. The doctor thinks she has turned head down already, which is good, but it wasn't something I was worried about.



I get a weekly email newsletter telling me about Ashley's development for the week. I'll share some of it with you in case you're curious about what a baby is like at 28 weeks gestation.



How your baby's growing:By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a chinese cabbage--see above picture) 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.



The best thing to me about her reaching this age is that if something crazy were to happen and I delivered her now, she would be very premature but the doctors would most likely be able to save her. It is a relief to know that, though there is no question that I want her to go full term (and I really am not worried about it). 12 more weeks until she will really be ready!


I have been more tired with this pregnancy. I was very tired during the first trimester (of course), and afterwards I kept waiting to become less tired, but it hasn't happened yet. Thank goodness for Everett's naptimes--my absolute sanity-preserver. I just went a period of a couple of weeks where I didn't even really do my hair (I didn't blow-dry it, anyway), because if I had down time I wanted to use it for something else. On Saturday I took a nice long shower, blow dried my hair, and put make-up on, and when I went out to the living room where Joel and Everett were, Joel took one look at me and said, "Now there's a pretty lady!".


Hah. I guess he must have noticed the extra effort. It is just too bad that actually doing my hair is something out of the ordinary nowadays.

Pictures and Updates

HAPPY EASTER (late)!

I got Everett a new Sunday outfit for Easter, and I think it ended up being pretty cute, but I also think he ended up looking a little like a high school math teacher. Oh well. At least he happily posed for us. And I do like sweater vests.

We didn't do a whole lot for Easter, and I wasn't even going to do baskets (horrible, I know), but when Joel asked me a few days prior to the holiday what I was getting for his basket, I decided I'd better give in or I might find myself having to comfort a disappointed boy Sunday morning. And I don't mean Everett.

However, we did not boil or dye eggs, we did not have an official easter egg hunt (or easter basket hunt, like my family), and we did not get up early Sunday morning to discover what the Easter Bunny--oh, forget it, what I--left. We didn't even have real easter baskets.

I thought (briefly) about getting them real Easter baskets, but then I realized two things: one, I didn't want to buy something I would only use one time each year, at least until I have more kids, and two, we live in a tiny apartment and I really didn't want to have to find a place to store them. So, as it was, Joel had himself a black shoebox (complete with lid) and Everett had a regular cardboard box with the flaps cut off. They looked very manly, or at the very least, decidedly un-feminine (a plus for most of the members of my house). But, in case you think I am the ultimate Easter scrooge, I did get Easter grass. I also got each of them some fruit snacks and starbursts, smarties, and sweet tart jelly beans. I thought about getting some candy I was excited about, but then I realized that I am home all day and that means I will be the one who ends up eating it. I did get myself a tin of pirouettes, because they are my favorite and I figured the holiday justified it. That served as my "Easter Basket", and I was fine with that! I am especially fine with the fact that they are not yet gone and I can still enjoy them for a few more days.

The one activity we did as a family was to hide some empty plastic eggs around the living room (and by "hide" I mean set out in plain view) for Everett to gather. He has been very into putting things away lately, so this was a fun game for him. He would scan the room, his right arm outstretched and his pointer finger extended, and when he found an egg his face would light up and he would run for it, bring it back, and deposit it in a container I was holding. It was fun to see him get so excited about it.

We have played with the eggs all week and he has been especially happy to discover that he can open them, even though there is nothing inside. Everett has also learned how to pick up and carry multiple objects at one time. He used to try to grab everything with just his hands, but now he knows he can collect and carry them in a heaping mound by holding the top portion with his chin and cradling the bottom portion with his arms.

That's about all that is new out here. Some of you have asked to see pictures of my pregnant belly, so maybe next time I'll address that. It is probably time for a pregnancy update, anyway!

Studies

So, last night I was watching the news and the anchor was sharing a study that had just been published about teenagers getting high off of medications, particularly cold medications. The verdict? Surprise! "There is no safe way to get high", she said.

I heard that and thought ".....And.....?"

It just made me laugh because who needs a study to learn that? The feeling of getting high is a result of less oxygen to the brain, so it makes sense that (oh, wow!) it would not be good for you. Huh.

It kind of reminded me of those studies that say something to the effect of, "Guess what? Fruits and Vegetables are good for you!". Or, "News Flash! Fast food is not healthy!".

So, here is a shout-out to all of our mothers, who knew all of this long before there were any published studies on the matters. Maybe those scientists are in the wrong profession, and they should get some bonafide mothers in on some of these studies (or at least to determine which ones are worth funding).

Be-ribboned and Be-bowed

(sorry; the angle of the camera has made some of these bows look lopsided and funny)

I thought I would share my latest project with all of you. I love ribbons and bows and all sorts of things like that, so I am very excited to have a girl to dress up. A friend of mine noticed that I have made baby headbands and bows for people in the ward and asked me to make some for her to give to a friend. I had a lot of fun doing it and it made me get some good ideas for the ones I am going to make for our own little Ashley to wear when she gets here. They are fun because they all snap onto the two headbands (brown and white) you see pictured so they are interchangable.



Joel came over to where I was working on them when I had finished and said, "Do you want me to tell you which one I like the best?" I told him to go ahead. After he looked the bows over for a couple of seconds, he said:

"Well, I like this one and this one (pointing to the top two), and I hate all of the others".

I laughed because that was the reaction I thought he would give, considering that he has a general distaste for girly things. I informed him that our daughter would be wearing bows and he hastily let me know that from now on I would have to "run all the bow ideas past [him] first".

Yeah, right! If it were up to him, she would wear basketball shorts, sneakers, and hooded sweatshirts like her brother (not that there is anything wrong with that, and I'm sure she will sometimes). Therefore, I am taking it upon myself to bring a little femininity into this house, and Joel full well knows he can not do anything to stop it from happening.

Hah.

P.S. If any of you want to know how to make these, I'd be happy to show you. They are very very easy and pretty fast once you get the hang of it.

A Call for Names

All you people out there who have ever heard a name, read a name, or thought of a name, listen up! This post is for you!

ASHLEY ________ JOHNSON

is the name we have settled on (sans blank). Yes, I know, we're introducing another Ashley into the world, which was my main reservation with the name in the first place. Joel has been pushing for this name for a long time, and I have finally cracked, with one caveat: we must find an interesting middle name. She may never use it, and I don't care if she does, but it would make me feel better about having two such common names as the first and last.

This is where you come in, dear friends and family. We need middle name ideas, very very badly! If you have any ideas (and even if you don't think you do) please let us know what they are. Even if we don't use the exact names you listed, you might give us an idea for one we wouldn't otherwise have thought of. Don't be shy! Even if you don't normally comment, well, this is your time to shine.

So, feeling heroic? Inspired? Helpful? No? Well I sure hope so, because Everett here has not given us any input.

Something of Interest, Maybe?

I keep waiting for something "interesting" or "exciting" or "funny" to have happened so I could put it on here for all of you who check regularly, but try as I might, I haven't been able to think of anything.

Therefore, I am resorting to writing another post all about Everett (you would think I have absolutely nothing else going on in my life, which is almost, maybe, sorta, kinda true).

These are some of the cute or funny things Everett does on a daily basis.

Everett loves to help with the laundry. It is so funny to see him get excited about it. Whenever I open the doors to the washer and dryer and turn on the water, Everett will giggle and run around the house gathering every little scrap of clothing he can find. At times his little arms will be overflowing with clothes (his or ours) and he will hurriedly bring them to me at the washer and say "this?" He doesn't even really care if he gets to be the one to put them in, although he loves doing that. He is just happy to be helping and will giggle the whole time. It almost, almost makes me look forward to doing laundry. But I don't think even my child being adorable can entice me to do my least-favorite chore.

Let's see, over the past few days I have decided I am going to try to listen to see how many words Everett really does know how to say, whether they sound like the real word or not. It has been tougher than I thought, and I am with him all the time! Turns out, he knows more than I thought, and I think there are more but I haven't pinpointed them yet. Here are some of them (I know this isn't very interesting but it is more for my reference than yours):

• Kitty: "idd" or "iddy" or a similar version
• This: "is" or "zis"
• Woof: "fffffffff"
• Mama: "Mah"
• Milk: "Mih"
• Please: "eas"
• Yes: "es"
• Banana: "na na"
• Chair: "deh"
• Ball: "ah" or "awh"
• Nose: "es"

You notice there is no "papa" or "dada" in there. I don't know why. Joel certainly plays with him all the time, but I think Everett just doesn't feel that he needs to refer to him by any other way than just yelling to get his attention. You see, I am so tuned-out sometimes that he yells a variety of things to get my attention, and sometimes yelling "ma!" does the trick.

Let's see, what else is new with Everett? Well, the other day I was trying to show him how to creep along to scare Joel, and I was making the "shhhh" sound with my finger at my lips. Everett started mimicking it and thought he was something else. He can't exactly "shhh" but he does blow air, so that is a good start!

I've started teaching him the song "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes". I don't know why I haven't thought to do that before because it teaches so many body parts. He really likes the song but won't do anything besides putting his finger on his nose at the end and sometimes putting his hand on his head at the beginning. We'll keep working on it.

Random Thoughts

Firstly, go ahead and take a look at the link I'm going to give you. This has got to be one of the coolest ideas for a cupcake, ever. At least if you're willing to spend the time. I'm thinking Valentine's Day pity party, but it could also work for those of you who are enthused about all things anatomical.

Secondly, well, I just wanted to say that Everett has hit another major milestone (besides learning how to type). Now when he is angry, he doesn't bite me--major "no-no"--but he will smack himself repeatedly in the head and face. It's a little unfortunate, but he never really hurts himself, and really he does it because this is the only way he knows how to get rid of all that emotion. As he gets more verbal I can work with him some more, but right now I think all I can really do is hold him and focus his attention on something else without reacting too much to the hitting. I know that anger management is one of the main things I will have to work with him on as he gets older, but right now he is definitely too little to understand if I tell him to go scream in a pillow or run around outside the house.

Thirdly, Everett now knows how to nod to say "yes". He actually picked it up a few days ago after I worked with him on it for a day or two. What can I say, sometimes I think I need a little positive affirmation that I am giving him what he wanted. Now if he wants something he will come up to me, do the sign language for it, and nod very enthusiastically with a huge grin on his face and his eyebrows raised. It makes me smile every time. I can tell how much he wants something by the height and the speed of his nod.

I am a little tired so I can't think of anything particularly clever to say next, so I think I will consider this the end of the post. I have written more than I thought I would anyway. Check back later to see if I have thought of anything insightful, witty, or entertaining. But don't hold your breath!