22 WEEKS!!!!

Courtesy of Baby Center:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

I just have to say that I am feeling really good and back to my old self! No cravings and my appetite has not increased.  Ever since we found out we are having a little boy I have been walking around on cloud nine :) I've been told at work that I have a glow and that makes me feel good. I have never been so excited about anything in my life. I've obviously been excited about things but this experience and knowing what's coming is on a whole new level and I cannot wait to meet Landon :) I must confess that he already has things hanging in his closet thanks to Mom, Jenn and friends :) I got an awesome deal on a picture to hang up in the nursery that I love!! THANK YOU ROSS! I remember walking through the store with it and showing it to mom and jenn at which mom replied - "Only you and Chad." Curious now huh??? I'm not going to show it now or tell you what it is but I will post it once we get the nursery all done :) Just know that it is just screams boy :)

Tonight I am planning to get all of my Fall Decor out and the weather here in Georgia has been fantastic! I have to do a massive cleaning tonight to get ready for Saturday :) I have a Wedding shower at my house this Saturday and a Baby shower at my house next weekend - Am I crazy??? Yes. But I am not doing them by myself and if I was than I would give you permission to smack me ;) 

On another note I will be attending my very first Falcons Game on Sunday!! I am super pumped! Always been a fan but never been to a game. After last weeks game - WOW - I cannot wait!  It's been two weeks since I have seen my family so I am thoroughly looking forward to it!!!

Pictures and Details to come from the weekend :)

Jennifer Grey has my vote :)

I have to admit that I usually do not vote on Dancing with the Stars but I was really intrigued to see Jennifer Grey dance and yes I cried last night.  I cannot really blame it on being pregnant. I absolutely loved Dirty Dancing and I have probably watched it atleast 1000 times already in my life span so far. I teared up when Derek Hough was choreographing the dance for them and it was a song from Dirty Dancing.  She was really excited at first and then she got very emotional. Watching Derek took her back and reminded her so much of Patrick. Yes, I sat in the bed next to Chad and cried. Watching her dance again was amazing :) I loved how one of the judges said somethings just get better with age and she truly is an amazing dancer :)

Half Way There!!!

Courtesy of Baby Center:

Update on Landon :)

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion.

From our Doctor on Tuesday: Our baby is developing beautifully and I at this point have gained 6 pounds. Landon weighed in on Tuesday at 8 ounces and very healthy :)

Such a PRAISE!

Thank you all for your love and support - You have no idea how much it means to Chad and I :)

Landon Thomas Reichert

Chad and I are proud to announce that we will be welcoming a beautiful baby boy to the world on February 3, 2011!! We are beyond thrilled and haven't stopped smiling since last night!! Pregnancy thus far has been such an amazing experience but yesterday made it so real.


My appointment was at 10:15 yesterday where I would experience my first ultrasound. I have been counting down the days till this appointment :) When I went into the room I explained to the ultrasound tech what we would be doing later on that evening (The Gender Cake with our families) and she was more than happy to help. Since I had already talked with Publix I had the number and name in hand ready to go. I watched all of the ultra sound except for the gender shot and when she measured the femurs. She turned the screen away from me when she did the gender shot and I was watching her face. I then asked, "Is it obvious?" To which she replied, "I can't tell you, but I will say this that your baby is spread eagle so I am very confident!!" I laughed at the the thought of that because me and Little bit had a talk that morning to make sure he/she understood how important this appointment was and it worked ;) So after the ultrasound she called the number I gave her and told the bakery what we were having but I asked to write it down and place it in an envelope as well just to be on the safe side :) I finished the rest of my appointment and we got a great report on our little one. She said our baby is developing beautifully which is all I needed to hear!! It took a great deal of discipline not to open that envelope all afternoon but I figured a few more hours wouldn't kill me. My stomach was in knots all afternoon!! I couldn't wait to get on the road and head to the restaurant and that time finally came!! Chad and I both had butterflies in our stomachs on the way there. We picked up the cake and when we go to LaParilla (the only place we ever eat) our families were there with balloons for both a little boy and a little girl with booties tied to both:) My patience was wearing off so YES, we cut the cake before dinner and everything!! I was totally confident the inside is going to pink at this point I was seeking the validation for the dreams I was having with a little girl. So we got all set up and Chad and I cut the cake. There was no hiding the smurf BLUE that appeared :) I was thrilled and shocked all at the same time. I was soooo convinced it was a little girl! Chad and I are beyond ecstatic and we just know we are going to have so much fun with our little boy!! We will be naming our little one Landon Thomas Reichert :) Love this name and I am so glad now I can say he and not other nicknames!! I was non-stop smiling at work today and thanks to Ms. Christen from work our little Landon received his first little outfit! It is precious and so cute with the little monkey on the front!! Thanks Christen!! Today was so special at work because I can now announce the gender and the name!! Below you will find the video from the cake cutting and pictures of our little Landon from his appointment!!

 



This was such an important night for Chad and I with our families! I will remember last night for the rest of my life for many reasons!! Our parents are beyond excited and I am sure Landon was all they thought about today!! I know I did!

Drum Roll Please...We have a Bellpepper!

Courtesy of Baby Center: 18 weeks!!!!

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he/she weighs almost 7 ounces. He/She's busy flexing his/her arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His/Her blood vessels are visible through his/her thin skin, and his/her ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his/her head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his/her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he/she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

I have two very exciting things to share!!! First, we will be finding out what we are having in 12 days!!! AHHH!!! I'm so excited!!!  September 14th is the date and we will find out that morning but we are taking a nonconventional way to tell our families - We are going to do a gender cake. We will ask the doctor to right down the gender of the baby and place it in an envelope - We will then take it to a bakery and ask them to make a cake and make the inside of the cake either pink or blue depending on what is in the envelope :) So basically we will be finding out at the same time as our families which I love! My mom's birthday is on the 13th so this will be a great present for her! We are going to meet at La Parilla and have dinner and find out the good news!!!  (if you like please make your predictions on my blog and I have a poll at work going and I will mark your vote for you) :) I love hearing all of the guesses!
On another note - Im pretty confident that I either skipped the flutter experience all together or didn't know I was having them because starting last Thursday Little Bit has been poking me :) I felt it Thursday, Saturday and again yesterday at work. I love it when it happens especially when it happens 3 times like on Thursday :) I just sit there and smile - such an amazing feeling.

*On another note I ask all of you to continue to keep Joey, Chad's father in your prayers. He was in a motorcycle accident Tuesday afternoon. He has 7 fractured ribs and the top bone in his sternum is fractured and he has a chest tube in. He is still in ICU as of this morning but is completely alert, talking and standing when he needs to. He is just in a lot of pain so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.*

Next time you hear from me it will be to announce the gender of our baby!! :) Hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend and you have no idea how ready I am for some College Football!!! GOOOO DAWGS!!!!! You can always watch the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game as well!!!

16 Week Update and Happy Birthday Honey!

Courtesy of Baby Center:

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

*I smile every week when I read the updates about the baby*

In other news I would like to wish my wonderful grandmother, whom we call Honey, a Happy Birthday today.  She is turning 85 today and we will celebrate with her this Saturday! I could write a book, literally, on how much she means to me but if you know me you already know how much I love my Honey. I talk about her just about everyday and she is just hands down - Amazing and I love her to pieces! Happy Birthday Honey! Cannot wait to you Saturday!!!!

P.S. Honey and I both think I am having a girl :)

Our home

Please don't take this post the wrong way - I love my home and everything about it (could use a pantry - Just saying). However, recently with the onset of pregnancy exhaustion I feel like I am trying to keep my head above water with the house. This exhaustion is like nothing I have ever experienced and honestly I am not a fan. I am used to being active and getting things done and now I do good to get dinner on the table. Once dinner is fixed I plop down on the couch, put my feet up and try to muster up energy to move to take a shower (Usually takes about two hours for me to move). I'm honestly just that wore out. I just feel like there is always something to do and poor Chad has been busting his tail to keep the outside of the house looking good (our grass typically needs to be cut about twice a week) and I can't even muster up the energy to load the diswasher. I'm ready to have my energy back. The more I have thought about this lately the more nervous it is making me. I hope and pray my energy levels go back to normal after the baby. What on earth am I going to do if they don't? I want to be the Supermom that is able to do everything and right now because I am so stinking tired all the time it just has me a little worried. My thought this morning was that it may help to make a list of things that need to be done to the house and put it on the fridge. This way atleast when we get something done we can cross it off and feel as though we are making headway. For example; we really need to clean on the gutters and there is no way Chad can do that on his own. There is certainly no way I can help him - the ladder is massive and I struggled last year to help when we were putting up our christmas lights. Just things like that are on my mind - Not stressing but I want to be able to help but can't.




Any moms out there with any advice on how they dealth with this aspect of pregnancy???

What's up Sippy Cup

I wanted to get the word out about a new website that has been added to "My Favorites," in my Internet Explorer. This website has a fun and catchy name and easy to remember. This website is called; What's up Sippy Cup. My cousin and a friend of her's who currently reside in Texas have started this fun and a little bit of everything website. Both stay at home mommies were looking to give something back including everything from crafts to do with your kids, books of choice, movie reviews and recipes for the week. The great thing about this website is that yes, while it has information for Mommies to be and those that are moms but it doesn't stop there. It has things for you aside from your child. It will give you tips on movies for you and it can be used as your online book club. It give you time to be you :) They have a Locals section for those that live in Texas which if I lived in Texas I would love to have. Everything from Deals at Restaurants, a Calendar for local events - events for you and your kids and events for adults, as well as many other events related ideas. I'm hoping to spread the word about this extensive new website and ask you to share it amongst your friends and family. If you are worried about sharing it with some die to lack of computer/internet skills - have no worries - this is a very user friendly website and simple to navigate. If you check it out please give some feedback. They are constantly striving to keep their readers happy and would love to hear what you think.

Let me know what you think!

We have a Lemon :) 14 Week Update

Courtesy of Baby Center:

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.


In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Current cravings:

• Spicy Nacho Doritos
• Kung Pao Chicken

The shirt in the picture fit perfectly fine two weeks ago so you tell me - Am I getting bigger? I think yes!
The nausea at the moment has subsided and I'm getting my energy back - Thank goodness! The one major thing I am looking forward to besides the birth of our baby is being able to feel his/her movement :)

My mom got this beautiful frame for us right after she found out the good news and I couldn't wait to get Little Bit's first picture in the frame and on the dresser :) I love it! Thanks mom!

Little Bit's Photo Shoot

I wrote this post last Monday right after our first sonogram even though it is being posted today. I was waiting on our Little Bit's pictures and I finally got them today:)

Today Chad and I were able to experience something that was like nothing either of us have ever experienced.  We had our first sonogram today and it was nothing shy of amazing!  Instantly we were able to see our baby and make out what everything was. From the heart beating away, to the little feet, to the little hands, to the brain, spine and full on view of he/she's face. I didn't cry but I felt the most overwhelming sense of joy like nothing I have ever felt before. Little bit is such a wiggle worm. He/She was moving all over the place and in all different directions.  Which is so hard for me to fathom because I don't feel that movement yet. I know that it is coming and I cannot wait for that moment when I feel he/she's movement for the first time. Looking at the screen I was in complete awe of how amazing God is and how everyone is created in His image. It is an absolute miracle - what is taking place in my body is overwhelming and I am so thankful that it is His hands shaping and molding our baby into His vision.  Today will be a day that I remember for the rest of my life. My doctor was very pleased with the growth of the baby and how things are progressing. I will go back in 4 weeks for another check-up and then when I am 20 weeks we will go for my ultra sound to find out what we are having.  That will take place in September and September is right around the corner.  Everything is going beautifully and again I am so thankful to God for allowing me to experience all that I am.