Baby Girl Devereaux #2's Ultrasound

Here is a picture of #2's ultrasound at 17 weeks, 5 days on August 10, 2011 (yes, it took me one month to get this picture up here-don't judge me).

The baby is kicking like CRAZY. I know for certain she's been kicking so hard that you can feel it from the outside for at least 2 maybe 3 weeks. I first felt this little pony kick me at around 16 weeks. What's also great is that I've been having contractions for 2 weeks now - maybe they are Braxton Hicks, maybe not. Who knows? I did tell the doctor when she called to tell me I missed my appointment (who misses their baby doctor appointments? This girl.) so we've got an appointment this week. I probably had the same thing with Stella, but just didn't realize it. I realize EVERYTHING with this pregnancy:)

This week (week 22) baby girl is about the size of a papaya, or 8 inches long, weighing in at 1.2 pounds. I've got either 16 or 17 weeks left, depending on whether or not we have gestational diabetes again. If we do, we will have a scheduled c-section 2 weeks prior to my January 13 due date. We are still working on names and will probably not announce it until she is born, like with Stella. We like to keep people on their toes:)

Stella 15 Months

Stella is already 15 months old as of September 1. I really enjoy the changing of the seasons to go along with her growth. Yesterday was an amazing 60 degrees in the morning and we pulled out our first long sleeve/pants outfit of the season. While I know I'm a bit ahead of myself, seeing as how we'll probably go back to 90 degree weather until at least mid-November, it was fun to wear a cardigan and dress Stella in one of her big girl outfits. Up until now she's been in a 12-18 month and yesterday she wore an 18 month outfit. Grant it, the sleeves with the cute tri-ruffles near the cuff were almost cutting off the circulation to her fat little hands, she still looked cute. This outfit will last all winter, so maybe her arms and wrists will slim down so it's more comfortable. She's got plenty of room to grow into the length.

Here she is playing at Gym Rompers, a new weekly class she's enrolled in for the fall semester. That's her friend, Owen, who just turned 12 months. He's a tiny little fella...Stella's not that huge:) He was a preemie.

I really thing this weekly exercise (along with play dates with other babies her age) has helped develop her gross motor skills. After we stopped physical therapy and started doing the exercises at home, she began crawling like a champ, pulling up on furniture, squatting to get an object off the floor, getting down from standing, and cruising around furniture in a standing position...all things she should have been doing, but hadn't. Since she turned 15 months and still has not taken one or two unassisted steps, our pediatrician recommended Early Steps, which is an early intervention/pediatric physical therapy program funded by the state. We have an interview here at the house today at 9:30 to see if we qualify, so here's hoping that if we need it, they will provide it.

 Stella is doing great and luckily didn't get a repeat episode with the stomach bug that's been going around, which I got Friday morning...the day we were supposed to go to Ole Miss for the first game of the season. Oops. Unfortunately we missed a fun weekend in the Grove, which would have been Stella's first visit, but after feeling better we made a quick trip to Natchez for Labor Day and got to see Mae Mae and the rest of the family at the lake house, though with Tropical Storm Lee we didn't enjoy any water activities at the lake except for trudging to and from the car in the rain. I did get to visit with one of my old friends, Stephanie, and her husband, Andy, and their sweet little man John Preston, 2 months old.

 Stella getting some Mae Mae lovin'

 Stella with Mae Mae and Uncle Michael

 Hotty Toddy - we were there in spirit!

 Stella and Daddy

with Stephanie and John Preston

Friends with babies

Stella waving hi to JP

Stella rocking John Preston

Pregnancy #2 - 20 Weeks (plus Stella Updates)

It is beyond comprehension how we have reached 20 weeks along in this pregnancy. I honestly feel like we just found out we were expecting #2 last week! But, alas, this past Friday we reached the big half way marker - 20 weeks, which makes me 20 weeks, 3 days today. Here's a belly shot from one week ago:)

It's very true what they say...you start to show MUCH sooner the second time around. I was showing at 10 weeks and I couldn't suck it in. I've slowly grown day by day and week by week to this size. I have stayed much more active then my pregnancy with Stella, even though I was pretty active with her. This time, since becoming certified as a Pilates instructor, I've just been more conscious of needing to work out at least every other day and eat much "cleaner" than before. I've halfway ready "Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven" but must admit I don't follow their philosophy wholeheartedly, though I wish I did. I skipped the "why you'll never want to eat meat again" chapter, too:)

Also, we've already started on Baby Devereaux #2's nursery - Stella will keep her nursery and it will eventually turn into her big girl room, but once the baby comes, she'll more than likely still be in her crib, so we decided to set up a new room for the new baby. Here is our first purchase:

...and old chandelier that Matt (translation=Matt's dad) will wire for the ceiling. I am in love with this and got a great deal on it! We've also chosen the wall color - Limelight by Valspar. So where Stella's nursery was crisp grey blue with black furniture and cream/pink accents, baby #2's nursery will be a verdant green with cream/champagne and natural wood furniture with accents of pink and black...or at least that's where I am today:) I'm pregnant...let me change my mind if I want to:)

So baby #2 is growing like a weed - I've been feeling her wiggle inside me for a few weeks now and Matt recently felt her move from the outside, which is always exciting. Stella is so smart she pats my big belly and say "baby" clearly and concisely. Genius, I tell you. Here is a video of her developed language as a 14 (almost 15) month old:

...hot dog is her newest word and she's only said it a handful of times, but Matt and I roll on the floor laughing when she does. It's priceless. She may not walk for months, but at least she has a very accelerated vocabulary!

Stella's Baby Sissy

It's official...we are having another GIRL! Stella will become a big sister sometime around my due date of January 13. If my scanner/printer were cooperating, I would be able to upload an image of our ultrasound, but, alas...that is not the case.

Either way, with or without an image, our butter bean #2 is growing fast and strong week by week. When we got our gender-revealing ultrasound I was 17 weeks, 5 days (today I'm 19 weeks, 3 days) and the ultrasound tech said she was measuring almost a week ahead, which was good. She checked her out for any physical abnormalities and said she looked perfect - A+, big girl! She was also moving around ALOT and since the ultrasound I've been feeling her move a few times each day, which is one of my favorite things about pregnancy.

We've been practicing saying "Sissy" with Stella, and she's getting the hang of it. Genius that she is, Stella has learned to pat my belly when I ask "where's the baby?" and will even pat my belly on her own and say "baby". I think I almost tear up each time she does it. It never gets old. I'll have to get Matt to take a video. In other Stella news, she is a crawling machine and can pull up and squat back down like a pro - it may seem like not a huge issue, but to us, this is big. We've been practicing daily standing up on our own and squatting down to reach an item/toy so she can build up muscle tone in her legs and abdomen and she's come a long way. I'm very proud of her! She's climbing stairs left and right and soon we'll have to get permanent baby gates on the top and bottom of the stairs.

I'm already hard at work on Stella's sister's nursery and I think Matt and I have decided to paint her room a shade of green. Stella's is a pretty grey/blue so we thought we'd go a different route for her sister. We are on the lookout for a new old light fixture - hopefully a chandelier - and possibly a rug, but we've got the rocker and changing table already. The rocker is from Stella's nursery, because she won't need it once the baby gets here, and the changing table will be my old childhood dresser. And then, of course, there are the details...my favorite part:) I'll be sure to post pictures of our progress!

And just because she's cute, here is a pic of Stella playing with her good friend Charlotte, and Charlotte's pupy, Bailey.

 ...and this one shot of Stella at physical therapy is just precious, that's why.

Why Don't Friends with Kids Have Time?

I stole this from a friend and couldn't help but completely agree...wish I had come across this answer myself! Friends, don't take offense if you read this - those of you who qualify yourselves as my friends DON'T fall under the type of "friend" who wrote the original question in this article!

To end on a positive note, Stella turned 14 months old today and I'm 16 weeks, 3 days pregnant. We find out if little Dev #2 is a boy or a girl in 10 days!

Stella Says "Bye Bye" to Her First Stroller

Of course I didn't get a picture of Stella actually saying "bye bye" to it as we shipped the thing to the lucky Ebay winners in NY, but we did get it packaged and shipped for a whopping $86. Nice. Not to mention I forgot the bleeping car seat adapter, which had to be shipped separately. Double nice. So even after all the hassle of selling and shipping it, I felt a bit nostalgic riding away from the FedEx store as Stella screamed in the back seat due to being past her nap time and having an ear infection. Yes, even through that, I was sad and sentimental:) Here are some pictures of Stella in her stroller over the past year...insert sappy "Through the Years" by Kenny Rogers.

Matt getting the stroller set up pre-Stella, March 2010

Right after we bought the stroller - I was like 2 seconds pregnant:)

Stella, 6 weeks old in her car seat adapter on the stroller, 4th of July 2010, on the bluff in Natchez, MS

 Stella strolling to her first day of daycare, 3 months old, September 2010 - go Saints!

Stella loved strolling in her bassinet to daycare!

Little Stella strolling to daycare, September 2010

Daddy strolling Stella, Uncle Dave strolling Cuz Millie, downtown NOLA after a trip to the WWII Museum, Stella's Baptism Wknd August or September 2010

Our nanny, Dawn, took this picture before an afternoon stroll around the block, August 2010

Hanging out at St. John's Coffeehouse in downtown Covington, October 2010

Winter 2010, bundled up for a stroll on the lakefront

My future's so bright...

6 months, Christmas playtime in City Park, NOLA, December 2010

Christmas Play Time at Algiers Point with Pops, Uncle Dave and Aunt MCat

Hanging with Aunt MCat at City Park, Christmas 2010

At our friend McKenzie's baptism at Our Lady of the Lake, February 2011

Mardi Gras 2011, Thoth parade, Stella cut her first tooth at Thoth!

 Mardi Gras, downtown Covington, 2011

Mardi Gras 2011, Thoth parade, St. Charles Ave. Stella 8 months old 

With buddy Griffin on MS Gulf Coast, spring 2011 - Griffin and Stella are 2 months apart - both Daddies were room mates at Ole Miss

With Cousin Millie - 9 months, Easter 2011, Algiers Point, one of the last outings with "the stroller"

It was a great ride, Mutsy, but we are on to bigger and double strollers from here on out - making way for baby Devereaux #2! Baby Jogger City Select stroller, here we come!

Stella is On the Move-Crawling at 13 months!!!

If you know me, you know I've been worried about my girl not being as mobile as she should be (in my opinion). She didn't really roll over until 7 months and has been a pretty laid back baby and content to stay in one place. She never really squirmed much out of swings or chairs as an infant and just a few months ago realized she can roll over and sleep on her stomach in comfort in her crib (I NEVER put her to sleep or even lay her on her tummy unsupervised for fear of having a SIDS episode - Mom had a SIDS scare with me as an infant and has instilled the same treacherous fear in me). It's true, she hated tummy time but I was persistent in practicing with her...but maybe I didn't let her cry long enough on her tummy to really strengthen the erector spinae/multifidi and abdominal muscle groups - excuse the verbiage...I'm eyeball-deep studying for my written Pilates instructor certification exam which is Wednesday!

So as Stella's physical therapy appointment loomed near, she thought she'd outsmart us all and begin crawling before we made it to the PT! Here's my girl, crawling for her Daddy, of course this happened while I was teaching a Pilates class, but sweet Matt caught it on video and sent it to me immediately. Success, Stella!!!!

In baby #2 news, I am almost into my 2nd trimester...woohoo!!! This Friday marks 14 weeks, which I think officially begins the 2nd trimester. I am definitely showing and have been for weeks now. There is no hiding this baby any longer! This little one is about the size of a lemon now, weighing 1.5 ounces. I felt Stella first move at 16 weeks and if this baby keeps up with tradition, I'll feel him or her jumping around in just 2 or 3 short weeks! I cannot believe we'll find out what we are having in about 5 weeks! This is still so crazy!!! Keep little bean in your thoughts and prayers as he/she continues to grow nice and strong. And just for kicks, give Stella a round of applause for crawling...she's worked so hard and we are so very proud of this little monkey!