Our little Liam has hit all of his milestones with flying colors, and quickly. Sometimes, it feels all to fast for this mommy. While I'm trying to extract every part of his sweet babyhood, in first-born fashion, he's racing ahead before I'm ready for it.
There's one milestone, though, that I wouldn't give up for the world: his personality.
We keep a bib on him most times because he drools rivers down his chin,
especially when he's trying to tell us something.
He doesn't like staying put, and I'm pretty sure he's super jealous of all of his crawler friends.
Liam's feet are a main attraction at the Rogers household these days.
And not just for Baby. I (not-so-secretly) love them, too.
I'm not sure how often he closes his mouth. He's pretty much talking non-stop.
This is exactly the face he makes when I go into his room in the morning.
Grumpiness no longer exists in my world.
Real food... another milestone that makes me slightly weepy.
What a childhood we have ahead of us. I would say I can't wait, but really, I'm pretty happy with right where he is. I can wait. Today is exactly what I want to spend kissing little cheeks, wiping away little tears (among other things), and smiling back at the little boy who has a tight grip on our heart.
I'm well aware that becoming a housewife and a mother has made me much cooler than I was before. I even recently offered to go to my little brother's junior prom with him, but he refused. I don't think he thought his friends could handle this much coolness. (He still happened to look adorable without me as his date, don't you think?)
Anyway, for any of you wondering just how I do it, I thought I'd let you in on my secrets on being very cool:
1. Ditch the perfume.
Spit-up and baby poop have such sweet aromas that people seem to love. Nobody has told me this, but I just know it has to be true. I smell like these things all of the time, and people still come talk to me in Target, just because I smell so wonderful (I'm sure it has nothing to do with the cute little boy I tote around).
2. Consistently talk about how much you adored giving birth.
Liam's birth story is super wonderful, and all of my non-mom friends love hearing about it. Especially the part about the tub and the pushing. It's a crowd pleaser. Make sure to tell them to look out tomorrow for your birth story on your blog. It's coming, people. To give them a teaser, show them a picture like this:
They're sure to come back for more.
3. Whenever you burp, utter to yourself, "Mmm. Good burp, Sarah."
This needs little explanation. You have to be proud of the little things. When you realize how special burps are, you become very excited. You get extra cool points if you encourage other people whenever they burp by getting very close to their face and cooing.
4. Leave baby paraphernalia all over your house for your guests to explore.
This is a great conversation starter. Diapers and wipes on the table beside the couch leads to, "Oh, yes, I changed Liam's diaper right where you are sitting. It was yellow, which is always encouraging. He's had 4 dirty diapers today." If you weren't already cool, people will now know just how exciting your life is.
So, I've been gone for a little while. I've been a little preoccupied.
First, the end of pregnancy was completely mentally and physically exhausting for me. We moved into a new house when I was 36 weeks pregnant (pictures to come!), and that took up lots of my time and energy.
Also, on February 18th, we welcomed our sweet little Liam into the world!
We're SO in love with him, and he's consumed pretty much all of my time since (which I've happily given, of course)!
I know you are dying to see him, so I've been taking lots of pictures:
This was the night he was born!
Already, my iPhone is telling me I'm low on storage... I'm a little obsessed with snapping pictures of his sweet face!
I may remain a bit preoccupied, but I'll be back so very soon! I just couldn't wait any longer to share our wonderful news!
Baby size: A loaf of bread! ...Over 13 inches and 2 pounds! Sleep:Sleep is going relatively well. It's not bad, but it's not the most amazing sleep I've ever gotten in my life.
Movement: I watch my stomach move daily. I have an app on my phone that allows me to count kicks (you're supposed to get 10 in at least 2 hours). This morning, this baby moved 10 times in 47 seconds. This is pretty much how it is all of the time. I think he's supposed to sleep sometime, but I don't know? I wonder if this means anything about how he'll be as a little boy... Food cravings/aversions: I haven't had many cravings. I am super happy that Starbucks has reintroduced the Peppermint Mocha, though. Don't tell my midwife that I have had three this week. Pregnancy Symptoms: I cried the other day sending one of my best friends a sweet, sappy message on Facebook the other day. Like, cried. And it was embarrassing. What was worse, somehow, the message never got sent. So my emotional efforts were not super effective. Like many other things I do these days. I was talking to my mom about the shower at the birthing center, you know, that it has a seat. And it came out like this: "In the shower, mom, there's a hotel. It's awesome." What I miss: My brain. I like the usual clarity. What I'm looking forward to: The holidays! I'm so excited to have our little man inside of me for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Milestones: I keep nesting. I don't think that's a milestone, but I fully understand now. And I hope I don't take it too the extreme, which shouldn't be a problem, because I'm never extreme with anything. Best moment this week: Taking the time to fix my hair. It's something small, but it made me feel relaxed and put together.
Moments with Billy: Baby Liam adores his dad. If he stops kicking for any amount of time, and Billy starts talking or touching my stomach, the baby gets incredibly excited. I love that Billy has this influence already.
Baby size:About 11 inches from head to toe & over a full pound! Sleep:Sleep was getting better. I was almost getting through the night without getting up. But the past week or so, I have found myself getting up again with an urgent need to use the restroom. Last night I told Billy (who sadly awoke because of my getting out of bed) that I feel like Baby Liam is clapping his hands around my bladder. Lovely, right?
Movement: This child moves ALL of the time. My uterus is higher on my waist than it would normally be at this point because I'm so very short waisted. The midwife said this along with, "This baby's going to have nowhere to go but out!" This means that I'm feeling movement well up past my belly button and farther into my sides than I even thought possible. Not that I'm complaining. No matter how early or how late he is active, I'm loving it. Food cravings/aversions: I craved chili the other night, so I made it. And cheese... my goodness. I want lots and lots of cheddar cheese. Pregnancy Symptoms: I get breathless when I try to read out loud. My hips are pretty sore, and I think I can literally feel my bones spreading. Oh, and I have this odd thing around my waist that keeps growing... What I miss: The ability to be a bit more active. We were moving things around in our house the other night (thanks to the nesting instinct of yours truly), and I couldn't do as much as I wanted. And when I did try to do something, I found that I was off-center and off-balance. What I'm looking forward to: Everything! Though I am uncomfortable already, I am really enjoying this time of pregnancy. I finally look pregnant, and I only get nauseated in the mornings or when I am starving. I feel very blessed. Milestones: I'm over halfway pregnant now! That feels like a huge hurdle! Best moment this week:Waking up to Liam moving. This happens often, but it always makes me smile.
Moments with Billy:Yesterday was our 2 year anniversary, and Billy was incredible (as always). We got to spend the entire day together, which was such a blessing. He even wrote and recorded a song for me (swoon)! I have the best husband in the whole world. He is incredibly understanding about every pregnancy symptom, even the weird ones. I can't wait to see him with our son!
So far, I have two things purchased for the nursery decor (from Etsy, of course).
The theme will be a non-theme. I like vintage, but not too much pastel baby. I want our little boy to have a boy room. The colors will be beige, navy, red, and perhaps some browns. I'm not limiting those colors, but those will be the main ones.
Ok, so the two things:
Vintage 70's Children's Poetry Book (Recyclarama) (I plan to take some of the pages and frame them in a series... I adore the bright colors and the precious illustrations!)
There are more, but I'll show them when we actually get them framed and on the wall.
What do you think? Any more advice on things for vintage decor? I'm thinking some wire or wicker baskets on shelves and/or cubbies... I am going for something fairly eclectic.
We couldn't be more thrilled! Remember this naming post? Well, we stuck with William Judah, but we are going to call him Liam! I love it, and I'm already used to thinking of him as a little growing boy now! I can't wait to share some nursery ideas with you all. We can't wait!
By the way, the poll actually said girl! But it was close in the end... those of you who chose correctly, you win smiles and hugs and fun stuff!
Eeek! It's fun and crazy to think this growth is normal!
How far along: 16 weeks
Baby size: Avocado
Total weight gain/loss: Um, I'm a little freaked out by the rapid weight gain... I don't even want to talk about it.
Sleep: One of my best friends let me borrow her boppy body pillow, and sleep is much better. I am still getting up a couple of times a night, but falling back asleep is much easier.
Ah-maz-ing.
Movement: I'm almost 100% sure I'm feeling some movement now. It only really happens when I'm sitting or lying down later in the evening. And it's not very consistent, but it is very different than gas. I can't wait until it is even more common!
Food cravings/aversions: I've craved sushi this week, but that's pretty much it. I don't have any definite aversions that are new, but I need to mix up my snack routine. I've eaten way too many mini-bags of almonds and pretzels and pita chips.
Pregnancy Symptoms: Almost the exact same as last week, except I've added some sharper pains across my middle. I tried to do this pregnancy fitness video this week, and every time I tried to stretch out my abdomen, I felt like my muscles were being pulled... so I stopped in the middle of the workout. I'll stick to the elliptical and some yoga.
What I miss: I went shopping yesterday and got a little discouraged. Here in Charleston we have some outlet stores, and none of them carried anything maternity. I just kept thinking that even if the cute things I saw might fit right now, they probably wouldn't in the next couple of weeks. So, I guess I miss knowing my body. Right now, I'm a little cloudy as to what to expect.
What I'm looking forward to: This Saturday, we are getting a 3D ultrasound, and if Baby decides to show us, we'll find out the gender! Also, though figuring out my changing shape is somewhat of a challenge, I do look forward to continual growth. I do love my growing belly, despite the awkwardness.
Milestones: Not being nauseated or throwing up for a whole week. I know I have Zofran to thank for that partly, but I also really do think things are slowly improving. Also, I woke up one morning this week not feeling tired, and that was incredible. I'm hoping that becomes more common very soon.
Best moment this week: Thinking I had gained a ton of weight and then stepping on the scale the next day to realize I'd dropped back down to where I should be. I forgot that weight could fluxuate within a couple of days, and I thought I'd been doing well. I had, but that one day really threw me off.
Moments with Billy: He's been amazing! Lately, he's been talking to the baby, which makes me laugh. I want so badly for him to feel involved and connected. Also, I caught him looking at baby clothes, which was absolutely adorable!
Sleep: I usually wake up an average of 3 times a night. Also, I get anxious if I feel like I won't get enough sleep that night. On the flip side, since I'm still really tired, I sleep like a rock when I am sleeping!
Movement: I think I may have felt one movement yesterday, but I wasn't one hundred percent sure. I guess when I feel them more regularly, I will know whether or not it was one. I am usually over-aware of what is going on with my body, so I hope I'm not wrong.
Food cravings/aversions: I have craved green-bean casserole, and finally got up the nerve to make it. The smell of cold cream of mushroom soup makes me gag, so I held a rag soaked in lemon juice up to my nose, and that did the trick. As far as aversions go, I have recently thrown up frosted mini-wheats on more than one occasion, so I guess we could say that one is an aversion.
Pregnancy Symptoms: Achy sides and lower abdomen, as well as some random tightening across my belly. I am pretty forgetful, as in last week I tried to put a dirty dish in the fridge. I'm also intensely emotional, which has it's ups and downs. I love being in touch with how I'm feeling, well, when it's a good day...
What I miss: Feeling like myself, period. I feel like something has taken me over, and I don't know quite who I am.
What I'm looking forward to: Some more movement, and our next appointment in one week. Also, we're finding out the gender pretty soon. I found your comments to be helpful, and I can't wait to share what we find out!
Milestones: Well, when I looked at the picture Billy took for me this week, I thought I looked huge-ish, which is a milestone I'm pretty happy about (so, maybe I shouldn't use the word huge, but I don't know what other word to use)...
Best moment this week: I got to run up to the birthing center and hear the baby's heartbeat again last Monday, and that will never fail to make me feel incredibly blessed.
Moments with Billy: Sunday, I got sick and had to miss church (yes, even into the second trimester...). Right after Billy finished leading worship he came home to sit with me until he had to go back. Just his presence and touch made me want to cry. Though it doesn't take much to push me to tears these days, I was super grateful.
Has it really been two whole weeks since I've last blogged? I can't believe it! I have been pretty forgetful and a little out of it lately, and time has just flown by. I have missed blogging, but I think because I was so sick and exhausted, I was nervous that every post was going to sound like a venting session.
Did you get that? "Was" sick! I am not one hundred percent yet, but I'm getting closer! I'm still completely tired all of the time, but that is so doable in comparison to around-the-clock nausea! Now, it just comes over me once or twice a day, so I'm assuming that within the week, things will be even better!
On Monday, I will be 13 weeks pregnant, and you can expect an update! I saw a friend yesterday, and he said, "Oh, it looks like you're showing some!" ...So, I guess I'm showing a bit more! I think I'm excited about that, but it's something different to wrap your mind around!
Speaking of pregnancy and such, I have a question, and I want your opinion. At the Birthing Center we are going to, they only offer one ultrasound at 20 weeks. However, here in town we have a place that does 3D ultrasounds, and they say that they can determine the gender at 16 weeks. The 20 week one is covered by our insurance, and the 16 week one is not. I am going back and forth about what we should do!! I so desperately want to see our little one, but I don't want to be too impatient! Have any of you run into anything like this? Is it worth the money to find out a whole month earlier?!
With all that is going on in my life (ok, just the pregnancy, but it feels like a lot), my normal over-analytical self has been kicked into overdrive. I have a truckload of emotions and they crowd in on each other. My prayer right now is that God would grant me wisdom on how to balance these thoughts and feelings and when to express them (or not).
I'm dealing with a profound mixture of:
sickness,
thankfulness,
exhaustion,
excitement,
anxiousness, &
peace.
I was boo-hoo-ing all of this confusion to my sweet mom, and she brought up the clip in Disney's "Tangled" (if you knew my parents, you'd know that this has swiftly become one of their favorite movies) where Rapunzel is SO conflicted from one moment to the next. It made me laugh, because the extremity matches exactly how I've been feeling (minus the whole mother-daughter issue).
Yes! It's true! I am one pregnant lady!
I haven't blogged much in the past few weeks because all I wanted to do is let you guys know our secret. It's been so incredibly hard to keep our secret, but it was nice to have something between the two of us.
This is about the third pregnancy test I took (out of about... seven or eight!). I was so shocked that I felt it was desperately important to make sure.
We just decided to tell our friends a few days ago. We are about seven weeks pregnant, and were going to wait until next week, but we got to go into the doctor early and heard the heartbeat, meaning the risks went way down. Because everything looked so good, the doctor rescheduled our 8 week appointment for a few weeks later.
I even contemplated waiting longer, but I've been so under the weather that we were starting to get questions. I'm so glad we have shared now, because people are much more understanding of my exhaustion and constant nausea! Though I wouldn't wish the nausea on anyone, I'm so thankful for these signs that mean our little one is growing on schedule.
I've never known as much nervousness and cautiousness as I do now. It's a whole new level of faith, but God has provided wonderful little signs along the way, and I can't wait to share them with you!
