23 weeks 3 days

Happy belated Thanksgiving! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with family and friends and got plenty of turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy! We had a WONDERFUL time at the coast! Our house was a little (and I mean LITTLE!) cottage with ocean views. Jensen loved it - especially because she got to sleep with Mommy while Daddy was sent to the couch - and the dogs were in heaven with so many walks and all the fresh air. It took us a bit to get there - the roads are very icy when it's 17 degrees. But we made it and had a great time.

Jensen had a great time and was able to make sand castles on the beach on Thanksgiving day. She says it was her favorite part :) We did some shopping and went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory but mostly we just hung out as a family. Jensen and Marc enjoyed the hot tub a number of times (and Mommy enjoyed quiet reading time) and we all watched movies, ate too much, and rested. Yay for holidays!

Harper is getting bigger every day (now and ear of corn and 1.5 lbs). Thank goodness I can calculate that into my total weight gain. This holiday week sure did sneak up on me. I guess it's back to soups and salads until Christmas! Ha ha! Oh well - it was worth it. Bruce's candy shop is amazing! If I can't have wine -chocolate will have to do. So she's moving and grooving all over the place. Jensen has started talking to her and I think within the next couple of weeks Marc and Jensen should be able to feel her. We'll see but right now I've felt her a couple of times from the outside. She's a strong little one - just like her big sister.

As you can guess Christmas has exploded here at the Goodell house. We got our two (yes TWO!) Christmas trees on Saturday when we got home. A word to the wise...when you see a tree growing in the tree farm and say "It's kind of full but I'm sure it will be fine" do NOT believe yourself. It is FULL and FULL and FULLER! OMG! The tree in our bonus room is HUGE...I put on the EIGHT strands of lights I used last year on our tree up there and it only got the first third. There are close to 1400 freaking lights on the damn thing. I blew fuses, had a few breakdowns, and multiple trips to Target but it now looks great. Good thing we're having a house full of people this Christmas or else I think I would have given up! Jensen loves it - she got to help decorate it and since it's the family tree she got to do what she wanted. We have some very overloaded branches and interesting ornament placement so it's very unique! We also put lights up outside for the first time and that was the coolest thing ever to a 2.5 year old. Plus she can see them from her bedroom window which is the cat's meow apparently.

Needless to say, with our very busy schedules for December I will do my best to keep you all updated. I have an OB appointment on Friday to see how Harper is doing and will update after that. We're going on the Polar Express on Saturday night in Hood River and cannot wait! It's going to be so fun...we watched the movie as a family last Friday and Jensen loved it. She was very worried about the choo choo the entire time. She's LOVING Christmas and is going to be so fun this year. I can't wait!

Until next time...here's what I am starting to look like. I can't believe I'm going to get bigger! LOL

22 weeks 1 day

Harper has grown to the size of a papaya and 1.2 pounds. She has been a moving machine - especially when she gets some sweets. I guess she's following in her mommy's footsteps (and her sisters too!). We got her furniture yesterday - it will be ready on February 1. We have a lot to do after Christmas that's for sure. But we're excited...after the holidays it will be baby central around here! Yay!

Yesterday we went to see Addison - our friends new baby girl. She's gorgeous and so tiny. Jensen was very interested in her and very gentle too. I can't wait to see her with Harper. We're so happy for Curt and April - she's such a doll.

Now we're gearing up for Thanksgiving vacation. We're heading to Cannon Beach for a few nights - just the three of us and the dogs. This will be our first real family vacation and we can't wait. I think we're all looking forward to getting away for a few days and just relaxing. I of course got a turkey - for three - so we'll probably eat enough for 20! Oh well - at least all my pants have elastic waist bands!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving! I'll try to post from the beach with beautiful photos of the ocean.

20 weeks 5 days

As promised...PICTURES!

Here is Miss Harper last Friday:



She's doing great. Weighing about 12 oz. which is a little bigger than the average 11 oz. for this "age".

And now...here are pictures of Jensen's new room! I can't believe she sleeps in this big bed! ha ha!



Eventually the rocking chair will move to Harper's room and that area will be filled with gifts from Santa. She LOVES her room and has already started playing in there more.

Harper is moving more and more every day. She was a dancing machine last night around 10:00. I felt her for about 15 minutes straight. She must have been doing her Jazzercise or something ;)

It's a GIRL!

Woo hoo! We are so excited to welcome a new baby girl to the family soon! I knew it! Walking into the ultrasound I told Marc that I would be absolutely shocked if we were having a boy. We got to take Jensen with us and the u/s tech asked her what she thought it was. The tech said that kids under the age of 5 tend to be the best guessers...and she was right. Jensen has been talking about a baby sister ever since we told her we were having a baby.

Jensen loved seeing the "baby" on tv :) She also liked hearing the heartbeat. Then she was over it! ha ha! For the rest of the day though she wouldn't call the baby by her name...just "sister" or "baby". But by the end of the weekend she was talking all about Baby Harper. Oh yeah - her name will be Harper Leslie. We love the name Harper (To Kill a Mockingbird anyone?)and Leslie is Marc's middle name. We think it goes great with Jensen too. I like it!

Here's a picture taken on Saturday at 20 weeks 1 day. I think I'm doing pretty well. I've only gained about 9 lbs. so far...and that is a FAR cry from where I was with Jensen. Then again, I don't think I sat down for more than 10 minutes yesterday before 5:00 pm! So there you go!




We spent Saturday shopping for baby furniture. We got Harper's bedding (I'll post a photo later! sorry!) and picked out her furniture - although we have to go back to actually buy it. We're happy with her bedding - purple bedding is hard to find but we like what we got and I think it will look pretty in her room. Jensen meanwhile is being upgraded to her BIG BIG girl bed. Of course we spent most of Sunday trying to get everything set up and when we were about to actually put the bed together - the slats were too small. Ughhh! So we put the mattresses on the floor and she was happy. We'll get it all together tonight and I'll post photos too. Lots of promises I know!

19 weeks 6 days

We are almost half way there! Yippee! I cannot believe how fast this pregnancy has gone. I think I say that each week...but it's true!

We had a fun filled week with Halloween and such. It was a lot of fun and Jensen was the most beautiful Belle ever.



Tomorrow is the big day...we have our ultrasound to find out about Bean! I am in the girl camp - but you never know. I'll be sure to post as soon as I can...but I'm sure you'll all hear through other means such as facebook or email or text or every other type of communication that is available to us these days!

18 weeks 3 days

Well it's official: Heartburn is back and I felt Bean kick! So I'll call the week a wash :)

The heartburn has started to kick in although not nearly as bad as last time. However, that could be due to the fact that I just remember the end...and it was terrible at the end. But alas, it's here and the Tums are on the desk, the counter, and any where within reach. It does seem to flare up more at work these days since that's kind of a disaster - but I won't bore you with those details. Tums are just now a staple of the diet - that nice chalky dessert to accompany the most delicious meal.

But more importantly, BEAN is a movin' and a groovin'! After a busy day of errands and finally getting Jensen down for her nap I sat on the couch for a much needed sample of some Halloween candy. And Bean couldn't have been happier. I felt the tap, tap, tap of thanks on my upper belly. Ah the sweet feeling of satisfaction. Nothing can top it - unless it's another Milky Way and hopes of more. But that is about all I've felt so far. There seem to be more and more flutters and "is that what I think it is?" moments but nothing as concrete as the sugar high. (Trust me - I keep ingesting said Halloween candy in hopes of more evidence of a highly trained dancer in my belly but nothing. That doesn't mean I won't keep trying!)

We are now only 11 days away from determining if we're on Team Pink or Team Blue. I'm still siding with Team Pink. I just have that feeling...but surprises do happen. (Then again, you do know my family history right??) So we'll see...I just can't believe that I will be half way there soon. Half way to a bottle of wine! I mean, half way to a sweet loving little baby!! Wow, that just slipped in there!

This weekend we got Jensen her full size mattress for her big BIG girl bed. I also ordered her bedding so it should all be here in the next few weeks. I'm hoping to have it all put together by Thanksgiving. She's very excited to have a big bed...but I think she thinks that means she can eat breakfast in there and watch tv like she did at Mimi and Granddad's house. I think she'll be a little disappointed when that doesn't come true. But she'll survive. Santa will make sure she behaves...these next two months are going to be great using that one! We won't start working on Bean's nursery until after Christmas. My family is coming up this year so we are keeping the guest room around until after the holidays.

I think I'm rambling because I don't want to go back to work. Maybe I'll get some candy and see what I can make Bean do next! Until next week...Happy Halloween!

17 weeks 4 days!

Holy cow...I thought I was 16 weeks 4 days :) Ooops! Time flies I guess. I can't believe that in 2 1/2 weeks I'll be half way there. That just doesn't even seem possible!

I spent last week in California with Jensen and the family. Dad had his prostate removed to get rid of that icky cancer and is now CANCER FREE!!!! YIPPEE! We are all so relieved and it's so great to see him doing so well. He's been doing amazing and recovery is going well. I thought I'd be playing nurse for at least a few days - but no. He's doing just fine on his own :)

So while in California it was hotter than blazes. I mean upper 90's hot. Who does that in October when you're pregnant and have very few choices in clothing? We survived but are very happy to be home and back in jeans, boots, and sweaters.

Bean is doing well - not much going on there. I'm getting bigger every day but still haven't felt the little one. I know it's right around the corner but I can't wait. That's when it all feels so real. I helped my friend Jen navigate through Babies R Us while in Pleasanton and it was so fun! It's so exciting to see all the little things you are going to need again. Of course it also scares the pants off me thinking about 2:00 am feedings and bottles, and diaper bags, and diapers, and did I mention 2:00 am feedings??? I don't think I will sleep any more between Jensen waking up to go potty and the new baby I'll be lucky to get in a few hours in a row! Eeek! But like my friend said - at least this time we actually KNOW it's temporary! And at some point we get some of our life back.

That's all for now...off to work and Marc's 37th birthday! We're in for a day of celebration - pumpkin patch, Chinese food, and homemade chocolate caramel truffle cake. Yum!

15 weeks

Hello!

So - my week of rest is officially over! Woo hoo! I do not do well "resting" and I can't imagine what bed rest would be like. I would go insane! So here's to making sure Bean stays nice and healthy in there and doesn't make Mommy sit on her butt all day!

I went to the doctor today - Bean is doing well and was rather active while we were listening to his/her heart beat. Jensen was there and wasn't too sure what to make of the heart beat. She kept asking if the baby was going to come out now. Poor kid has a LOOOOONG wait!

I made all my appointments from now until my due date...which is so weird. November 5th is our BIG ultrasound! Yippee! It will be here before we know it! I can't believe how fast things are going this time around. I keep forgetting how far along I am too...geez. But now that I can start working out again maybe I'll regain a little more energy (and brain power?? NO??) as I will need it now that it's October.

We're happy Bean is doing well and growing right on schedule. Until next time - Happy Fall!

13 weeks 6 days

It's been the Baby Show this week...and what a week it has been. Monday I was scheduled for my genetic screen ultrasound. I went in that morning and little baby was doing great. He/she (no shots of potential gender unfortunately) was moving a bit and we got some great measurements. All was well...until I got home. Once I started to show the pictures to Marc I realized that the wrong name as at the top. Hmmm...I know they were my pictures - I was there but still, I don't want these images in some other person's record. So I called the doctor's office.

They were on the spot and apologizing all over the place. And wanted me to come back in for another u/s at their perinatal clinic in Portland. Luckily this week at work is very slow due to our big conference so I took a sick afternoon and went downtown. Again, I got to see baby in all his/her glory. He/she was much more active after lunch - showing off with a lot of yoga like poses (standing on his/her head with it's legs crossed at the same time - that's talent!). And for 30 minutes I got to see baby hanging out and looking perfect. All the measurements looked good and baby was right on schedule. The heart rate is 154 (which according to the old wives tale = girl...Jensen's was 150) and strong.

Then on Wednesday I started to spot a bit so I went BACK to the doctor and got yet another ultrasound. (Are you keeping track?? That's three in three days!) Baby again looks great and they aren't too worried. They figure it's just a clot from my placenta and no big deal. I took yet another sick day yesterday to rest and they want me to take it easy for the next week...just normal activity but nothing strenuous. Of course it's going to be BEAUTIFUL this weekend and we were going to hike or bike ride but that's out of the question. Oh well, I'll just try to get Marc to wait on me hand and foot! HA! I did manage to get Mexican food out of him last night so there you go!

Needless to say it's been a crazy week. At least we know that baby is doing well and is growing like he/she should. I see the doctor again next week for a check up. After that my next appointment will most likely be...you guessed it AN ULTRASOUND! Woot woot! And there we'll finally be able to put the him/her to rest and have an answer. I'm still feeling girl - but who knows. Maybe it's because I ran across even more bags of Jensen's clothes in another closet the other day...sigh. She was quite the fashion plate!

We got the book we made out of Jensen's blog last night. It's so neat and I think Jensen will love it so much as she gets older and when she's having her own children. It made me feel a lot better about not having a baby book!

Oh - and I'm feeling a bit better! YEAH! I am not nearly as nauseous as before BUT I am not suffering from pregnancy insomnia and very restless legs at night. It's fun...especially with the stars my daughter requests every few hours and the peeing all night. Lovely. But I'm hoping it's a transition phase because I'm in the second trimester now damn it and it's supposed to be the best one. Not many symptoms, energy, happy mommy = happy baby. RIGHT??? Maybe I am having a boy and he's already running me ragged! ha ha!

12 weeks 6 days

Hello everyone!

Fall has arrived here in Portland and I LOVE it! It's cool and rainy and the leaves are beginning to change. This is my favorite time of year here...the smells and the pumpkin patch, the apples and the comfort food. Yummy! Speaking of - Jensen and I made homemade chocolate chip cookies last night. So good! Jensen is quite the cookie monster...I had to rip the beater from her little clutched hand! ha ha!

I'm still feeling sick (the cookies do help!) but am hoping the light is near and I'm running to it! With Jensen I started feeling better in the middle of my 13th week so I'm hoping we can continue the trend and next week will be a whole new world! I just want some energy so I can get up and work out before work. And not have to take a nap almost every day. Is that so much to ask? Oh and have the energy to keep up on the laundry (there's still a load in the dryer from last Friday...oops!) and the house work. (You don't want to see my bathrooms!) So for the health of my family here's to hoping that the 13th week is a good one.

Now, they say that you get bigger sooner after you've already had a baby. I guess you're already "primed" and ready to go. And, alas this is true. I am in mostly maternity clothes and have already started to hate everything in my closet. Good times to come that's for sure. But my belly gets bigger every day. I could have SWORN I felt a flutter last night too - I'm sure it was just the chocolate chip cookies - but you never know! It's so strange how it's different but the same. So here's a picture from this morning of my burgeoning belly...I'm going to be HUGE again! I can feel it!



I'll update you all on Monday after our ultrasound. I'm sure everything will look great. I'm excited to see Bean again! I can't believe I am almost in the second trimester.

Congratulations to my wonderful friend Aly who welcomed a baby boy, Jack Murphy, on Saturday. Aly, Chris, big sister McKenzie, and baby Jack are all home and doing well. I can't wait to meet the little guy!

Happy Thursday :)

11 weeks 6 days

So - we're off to a slower start here this time around. I'm sorry baby! I guess he/she should get used to it huh? Poor kid!

Anyway, we're excited! Baby #2 (aka Bean) is due on March 25, 2011. So far this pregnancy (once I referred back to Jensen's blog!) is about the same. I had blocked out the terrible morning sickness from my memory and yet here it is again. I've been feeling horrible for weeks - starting at about 5 weeks and still going strong. I'm hoping that we start to see a decline here in the next week and I wake up one morning full of energy! It's going to happen - I just know it. This pregnancy will be a crazy one - it's amazing how it's already different. Last time I was able to nap during the day and work later, sit on the couch all evening without a care in the world and sleep whenever I felt like it. With a two year old NONE of this is possible! It's a whole different ball game but I know it will be worth it. The good news about all of the activity is that I haven't gained any weight yet! Yippee! There is NO WAY I can gain as much as I did the last time...I have a wedding next July and I'll be damned if I don't fit into my normal size. Yes I said it and I'm going to do it. Even if it kills me ;)

So here I am...waiting to feel better. We had our first ultrasound at 9 weeks. Bean looks great and is measuring right on schedule. We got to see and hear the heartbeat which is always the most wonderful sound in the world. We also saw the blood flowing in the umbilical cord...it was pretty cool.



Jensen is excited to have a baby brother or sister - although she keeps saying she wants a sister to sit next to her. She really wants the baby to come out to play - she is going to be very disappointed when the baby is born and can't play dress up with her!

My next appointment is on September 20th. We decided to have genetic screening done this time around to be prepared for anything. I'm sure all is well but let's face it - I'm not getting any younger! Plus I get another ultrasound which is always nice! The screen involves an ultrasound and blood test to look for defects. If anything is unusual I will go for more testing. We're not expecting anything but it's nice to be sure.

Until next time - enjoy the football season! GO BRONCOS!