Raisins after dinner and Exersaucer

Funny story about Brooke...it's not going to be nearly as good typing it out, because you have to hear the singy voice that Brooke and I both used. So please, feel free to ask me about it - and I would love to tell you the story in person! The other day, Brooke asked if she could have Raisins. I was cooking dinner, so I told her "Raisins after Dinner, Raisins after Dinner"...now this is the singy voice I was using. She then asked if she could have fruit snacks...so I said "Fruit snacks after dinner, fruit snacks after dinner" (again, in my singy voice). A little bit later, I opened the freezer to get something out for dinner and Brooke saw the ice cream. She looks at me and sings: "Ice Cream for Dinner, Ice Cream for Dinner". I laughed hysterically and gave Brooke the biggest hug and kiss. It was one of the most adorable things she had ever done!

I put Taylor in the Exersaucer for the first time the other day, and she did great! She held her head up, she played, she smiled. Brooke was very good with her too - she was showing Taylor how to play with things. It amazes me how Taylor played in the Exersaucer compared to how Brooke did at this age. Brooke just sat there while I pressed things. Taylor actually presses the buttons - and she really means to. Brooke didn't mean to press the buttons until she was like 5 months old or something.

I got out the baby book the other day to see when Brooke started laughing. She first giggled at 15 weeks. Curious to see when Taylor will laugh the first time - she's 13 weeks now. I can't wait for that day.

Brooke's first tooth came in when she was 23 weeks. Taylor has a little white spot in the bottom gum line - Melanie and Jeremy both swear a tooth will pop through very soon. I am a little skeptical and don't think she's quite ready for that to happen yet. Time will tell who's right.

I can't wait until Christmas and see Brooke's face as she opens up her presents on Christmas morning. I hope Santa Claus brings her all that she wants this Christmas.

Update from the last few weeks

Little Miss Taylor was baptized on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We were blessed to have Chris, Jenn, Abby, and Lizzie in town to see the event. Chris is Taylor's Godfather and Melanie is her Godmother/Christian Witness since she is not Catholic. I was also very privileged to be Elizabeth's Godmother and witnessed her being baptized. It was a very nice ceremony.

Taylor is getting better at sleeping longer periods of time and her in bed or bassinet. Hopefully we will continue on this track as I go back to work soon. She has also been playing with her hands much more and kicking her legs for fun. It's very cute to watch her play. She is such a happy baby.

Brooke is also getting so much bigger and smarter. She amazes me the things she learns and how fast she learns them. We have been singing songs and she already knows all the words to Rudolph and Frosty. We were doing a shape puzzle the other day, and I thought it would take her a while to get it - but she got it right away. Pretty amazing to watch.

Taylor is 2 months!!

Taylor had her two month doctor appointment earlier this week and everything went great! She weighed 10 pounds and 10 ounces and was 22 3/4 inches long. That's the 24th percentile for weight and 44th percentile for height.

It's funny because Brooke was 6lbs at birth and weighed in at a whopping almost 12lbs - nearly doubling her weight in two months. Taylor was just 7lbs 5 ounces at birth, gaining only 3 pounds 5 ounces in two months. It's amazing the difference in the two girls and their growth in two months.

Taylor got two shots, and cried with each one. It broke my heart that she was in pain, but she did really well the rest of the day - she was very sleepy.

The doctor finally told me to stop co-sleeping with her - so I am going to try to put her in her bed and see if she will sleep in there. It's just so hard...she's just a good little cuddle bug!!

Long time no post...

It seems like I have a hard time finding any time at all to post a new blog entry, but I am trying! Now, if only I can remember the 1,000 things I wanted to share with my readers.

First of all - some cute things Brooke has done recently. Today, her new thing is saying "Seriously, Mom?". I will tell her some fact - like I would like the "B" sticker and she will say "Seriously, Mom?". She gets that from me - I tend to say that a lot.

When I dropped Brooke off the other day at school, her teacher told me that Brooke has some of the best manners out of the whole class. She uses her pleases and thank yous most of the time, and when someone tried to get her attention by using "Hey!", she turns around and says "Hay is for horses". This, she gets, from her Daddy. Jeremy tends to say that a lot!

She is still doing wonderfully with her baby sister. She doesn't give her a ton of attention, but she is not acting out because Taylor is here. Brooke's bedtime routine is also getting a lot better at night. She doesn't call downstairs as much as she used to. Hopefully she is starting to break that habit.

Taylor is doing great as well. She is growing and her cheeks are getting chubbier! Very cute. She is a very happy baby and still, the only time she cries is when she is hungry. She has a few fussy moments here and there, but for the most part - a very happy baby when she is awake. She still sleeps a lot - which is just fine by momma! She is starting to use her voice a little more, but it's still very inconsistent. You can tell she is gaining strength in her legs and her neck and is really doing a good job at tummy time.

Taylor will be baptized on November 27th when Chris and Jenn are in town. We have asked Chris to be the Godfather and Melanie to be the Godmother/Christian Witness. Chris will also be baptising Lizzie Leigh and I am very priviledged to be her Godmother.

I will be going back to work on December 12th and will probably work a total of 3 days during the month of December. It's almost pointless, but I figured it would be a good transition to get out a few days that month. Taylor still has a hard time taking a bottle - she doesn't like it. I am contemplating buying a few different bottles to see if she likes any of those better than the Doctor Brown's bottles.

I guess that's all for now! See you next blog...

Brooke's Bday, 3 year old room, and Taylor updates

Brooke's birthday has came and went. She's officially three years old. My oh my where has the time gone? We had a lovely party with family and friends on the 15th. The theme was owls and I made an owl cake out of cupcakes and then individual owl cupcakes. They were fairly easy to make - just time consuming. She thought they were the coolest things! I thought the party was very fun. Weather was nice, so the kids got to play outside. It was nice to see her interact with boys and girls of all ages and personalities and how she would deal with each person. She got about 1,000 presents too many. The hit of the party was a Jessie costume from Toy Story. It was the pants, the shirt, the hat, and the boots. She stopped opening presents and had to put the costume on immediately. Watching her face and her reaction brought tears to my eyes! We are truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends.

Brooke has finally moved up to the 3 year old room. Unfortunately, she's not in Ben's room, but she is at least with kids closer to her own age. She has a computer in her new classroom, and I think she will come to love it and probably be able to teach me a thing or two next week! Hopefully she will enjoy school a little more again.

Taylor had her one month appointment on the 12th. She weighed 8lbs, 13.5 ounces and was 21 1/4 inches long. She is doing great! Doc said she was gaining an ounce a day, which is perfect. I went back and looked at Brooke's baby book and saw that she went from 6 pounds at birth to 8lbs 12 oz at one month old. Taylor went from 7 pounds 5 oz at birth to 8lbs 13.5oz at one month old. Brooke gained a whole extra pound during that time. I am curious to see the comparison at two months old.

Taylor still will not sleep in her bassinet. If I lay her down in there, she fusses and whines and moves around until I cuddle with her. From that point on, she sleeps very soundly. I know I am creating awful sleep habits for her and for myself, but I just can't help sleeping with her. She is so sweet and so cozy - I can't put her down.

Three out of the four family members are battling sinus issues. I am not sure how I am the only one who does not have any snot dripping out of my nose. Everyone else is green and yucky...even Taylor. Taylor can produce more boogers and bigger boogers than her mom! It's quite shocking. I feel sorry for the little girl.

Brooke's new thing is asking "Where are we going next?". If I get her dressed, she will ask where she's going. I tell her school, for example. She will then ask where we are going next. I will say home. She will protest and ask if we can go somewhere else - like Grandma and Grandpa's house. I guess she got so used to running around right before Taylor was born, she expects to go somewhere new every day. Whether it be grandma's, aunt patti's, target, or the playground - that girl doesn't want to stay home!

Oh, and terrible twos? Oh no...not at all. Twos are angelic compared to the glimpse I have seen of the threes. Brooke is defiant, she is bossy, and she is very demanding. I feel like I am always saying no and answering the question of "Why". This is the time where she is certainly questioning authority and I just have to make sure that she knows mommy and daddy are boss and that we stick to our guns when we say something. It's just hard sometimes!

Well, that was a very long post...I will try to not make the amount of time between posts so long - but life has been pretty crazy recently.

A few updates

Well, the big news this week - is Taylor smiled a real smile for the first time on Thursday. That means she was just 3 weeks, 4 days old. Brooke was 5 weeks when she first smiled. Taylor has been smiling about once or twice a day since Thursday. The first time she did it, I got really teary eyed. Everytime she smiles, it melts my heart. I absolutely love it! I can't wait until she really smiles at her big sister...I think that will just make me keel over :)

Brooke wanted a special treat after dinner the other night, so I told her that I would give her broccoli. She looked at me and said "Broccoli is not a special treat". So I asked her what broccoli was - and she said that it was dinner. I got a little chuckle out of that. Her facial expressions made this story even better!

Brooke has had some issues going to bed recently. She keeps making excuses to get out of bed...she has to pee...then she has to poop...then she has to blow her nose..then she needs to be covered up. It goes on and on. Not really sure what's going on with her. She also has been waking up in the middle of the night with some sort of problem. Last night, she said that ants were crawling on her. I have no idea where this has come from. Don't know if she dreamt about ants that were crawling all over her or what. Either way, I hope that this stops!

Taylor has been a great baby. She eats, sleeps, and poops. She stays up for about an hour or two a few times a day, but mainly will just sleep! She has been eating pretty well, although she likes to "snack" and then eat again in an hour. Luckily, she doesn't do this as much during the night, but it does continue throughout the day. Oh the joys of a newborn ;)

Very Observant

I put Taylor in the swing earlier today, and she just sat there and watched the mobile go round and round. It's so funny because Brooke never really did that. Not exactly sure what that means about personality differences and such, but I just think it will be cute to watch and see how different the two girls are.

Mommy's First Night Out and Sleeping Patterns

Mommy had her first night out without children last night. I went to Stoney River with work for an end of busy season celebration. It was a nice evening out for a few hours, but I was glad to get back home to my girls.

Taylor slept last night from 9:30 until 3:30 in the morning. It was lovely! But, there is still no ryhme or reason to her sleeping patterns. She sleeps and eats when she wants to. Anywhere from every hour and a half to every 4-5 hours. She is definitely ruling the roost around here right now! But, I don't mind. I love being with that little girl. Actually, I love being with both of my girls!

Tummy time and rolling over

We have been doing Tummy Time every day since we brought Taylor home from the hospital. As soon as Taylor starts to fuss, I end up picking her up. Jeremy, on the other hand, will let her fuss/cry for a bit. This evening, I went to Dairy Queen and Jeremy stayed home with Taylor and put her on her playmat for some good tummy time.

Well, during tummy time this evening - Taylor rolled over from her tummy to her back. Not once. Not twice. But three times!

We are going to be in some serious trouble with this little girl! She is going to be a strong one!

Umbilical Cord

Forgot to mention this in yesterday's post...Taylor's umblical cord came off the day before yesterday when she was just nine days old. It was very sad! I kinda wanted to keep it, but Jeremy said it was gross and made me throw it away!

When it fell off, Jeremy cleaned her belly button, and asked if Brooke's was that much of an outie when it fell off. My answer was yes - I remember being concerned about her belly button becoming an outie - but it turned out to be just fine! I am sure that Taylor's will too. It's funny how much you forget in just three years, but how easily it all comes back.

10 days old

Well, baby Taylor is officially 10 days old today. It's hard to believe that she is already over a week old...time flies! I have to say that she is a very good baby. Sleeping patterns are still very erratic - but that's to be expected, I guess. She only cries when she is hungry or getting her diaper changed. She is starting to stay awake for longer periods during the day, so I am hoping that she is going to be more tired at night and sleep longer than two hours at a time!

Brooke is doing much better with the adjustment than I ever imagined she would. She is a great big sister. She is genuinely concerned with where Taylor is, what she is doing, and why she is crying. She wants to help out in everything we do with Taylor. When Brooke is in her room at bedtime, and she hears Taylor cry, Brooke will call downstairs and say, "Mommy, my baby sister is crying"!. It really is cute.

Mom and Dad are adjusting as well. Since I am exclusively breastfeeding right now, there has been some long nights, but luckily Jeremy is there to help out with Brooke during the day so I can rest when I need to. It's harder to get out of the house with two kids and one husband who takes an hour to get ready! So far, it's been an adventure - but an adventure worth taking!

She's HERE!!

Announcing Taylor McKinley Eadens to the world...

Date of Birth: Monday, September 12th
Time of Birth: 10:39am
Weight: 7 pounds, 5 ounces
Height: 20 inches
Apgar Scores: 8, 9
And a full head of hair

The C-section was scheduled, and although I have always wanted to go into labor on my own, with me being such a planner - the scheduled C-section works out better for me. I was nervous about the spinal block this time, but even that went smoothly. In fact, it seemed like almost everything went a little more smoothly then it did with Brooke.

We went back into the operating room at 10:12, got my spinal block, they prepped me for surgery and then started the surgery. Taylor was born at 10:39am. She swallowed quite a bit of amniotic fluid on the way into this world, and had a hard time getting it all out. Everything should be fine now.

We went into recovery for a little while, and this is where the grandparents saw Taylor for the first time. They thought that Taylor looked like me when I was first born. We pulled up pictures of Brooke when she was first born - and Brooke and Taylor look a lot alike. It's really quite amusing!

Taylor did great her first night into the world as well as her first full day. It is last night that is a different story. Taylor wanted to nurse every 45 minutes for just 5 minutes. It was miserable, but the lactation consultant said that this is completely normal. I am hoping that today and tonight are much better!

Taylor is a little jaundice, but not very much at all. They ran her numbers yesterday and at one point it was high, but all of her other readings have been within the normal range. So we dont need to do anything with that. Her hip is clicking a little bit, according to the pediatrician. This means that she COULD have hip dysplasia - but they are not thinking that's the case. They think it was just the way she was cramped in the womb and her hip hasnt adjusted back to the right place. We will have to get an ultrasound of her hip after we have been discharged. So - I am hoping that everything is okay and we don't need to do anything at all.

I keep wanting to call Taylor by Brooke's name. For three years, the only little girl that I talk about constantly is Brooke - and now that we have another beautiful little girl, it's hard to keep the two separate.

Wanted to say thanks to everyone who came out and visited us in the hospital or even took the time out to make a phone call to congratulate us. It really means a lot that we have the support of our family and friends.

Now, I am going to get off here and wake up my little Taylor so that we can try to get her to distinguish between day and night!

One week from today and....

I will be a nervous wreck! Not sure if I will be able to sleep, eat, talk, or anything! I am already starting to get really nervous about the impending arrival of baby #2. It was different with Brooke. Before my C-Section with her, there was no one else to worry about. Now, in every decision I make, I have to wonder how it will affect Brooke. I don't want this baby to change her, but I know that in some way it will. I just have to make sure that Jeremy and I do a really good job of making sure she feels special and loved! I know that people have done this all the time, and we will get through it. It's just tough to think about in the meantime.

A cute story on Brooke...we were playing upstairs in the playroom today, and she got into her toy car, and say Goodbye Mommy, I love you. I told her I love you too, and to be careful. She said you be careful too Mommy...and then she stops, turns around and says: I need a million dollars! She got this from me. Recently, she has been asking what I need or she has been telling me that she WANTS something. So my response is that I need or want a million dollars. I have only told her this twice - but she thought it was time to give me a taste of my own medicine. She lights up my life!

It's almost time

Well, pretty soon baby girl will be here. 18 days and only 11 working days and we will be able to meet our new little bundle of joy. We had an ultrasound done earlier this week (36 weeks, 5 days) and she was in the 17th percentile at 5 pounds and 12 ounces. She looked very healthy, but was just a tad small. Doctor said he wasn't concerned because she measures equally small and that I am small too. Since everything looks good, we are still on schedule for the 12th!

We have everything just about ready. It's amazing the difference between the first child and the second child. I had my hospital bag packed at like 32 weeks with Brooke - I still don't have it packed with this one. Her room is ready, bottles are clean, and all the love she will need is there. But, I still don't feel as prepared with this one...I feel like I am missing something. My brain, maybe. I feel like I can't remember anything at all...not good when you are working on a 1,000 page tax return :)

Last week, our power went out due to a pretty bad storm. Brooke didn't like that we couldn't watch tv or turn on the lights. She asked if her Daddy could fix it, and I said that he couldn't. So, Brooke turned around and said "Well, my Poppop can fix it. He's big and strong". I had to tell Poppop about that story - and he found it just as amusing. Every once and a while she will bring up her Poppop and GG. Everytime we spell names, she always asks to spell Poppop and GG.

Tonight after dinner, Brooke gets behind Jeremy and tells me to line up. I get behind her, and then move a few seconds later. She tells me to get back in line and I ask her why. She uses Daddy's famous line and says "Because I said so". I looked at Jeremy and just laughed. He doesn't realize that what he tells Brooke, she uses on us as well. Every little thing we say - she picks up on.

Getting ready for baby and Brooke updates

Well, we have taken everything out of the attic for the new baby's arrival. Everything is washed - just not put away yet. We still need to clean toys and get out other essentials like the swing and bassinet, etc. I am hoping to get a lot of that done this week - considering there are only 5 weeks left until she gets here...that is, if she decides she is not going to come early.

All of her bottles are washed and put away - so that's one less thing to do. I still need to shop for a few things - the most important being a coming home outfit for her.

As I am typing this post, baby girl is kicking me - HARD! I love feeling her move, and it's crazy that in five short weeks, we get to meet this precious little girl who makes it hard for mommy to breathe, who has to run to the potty every three minutes, and who can't get comfortable to sleep!

We are still arguing on names...I still am in love with McKinley, but Jeremy is a fan of Taylor. I sent out a vote via email - and McKinley won 11 to 6, but I don't think that matters to Jeremy. Sounds like this little girl may be named Taylor McKinley. We shall see.

As for Brooke, she is doing absolutely wonderful. She is getting bigger and smarter and more coordinated (thank goodness) by the day! Some of the things she says just cracks me up...
Like yesterday, she told Aunt Wendy that she had to clean up the toys or else Grandma would spank her! Grandma has never laid a hand on that child!! Not sure where she came up with that one!
The other day, she had major attitude, and Jeremy said something to her and Brooke turns around and in the most little girl attitude voice you can think of, she said: "What, Dad?". Jeremy was a little flabbergasted and wasn't sure what to say...Brooke walked away - and Jeremy and I looked at each other and I started to crack up. He didn't think it was so funny...but I did!

When we were swimming at Grandma's house yesterday, Brooke decided that it was time for her to jump in all by herself. She stood at the edge of the pool, and jumped right in. She loved it - and kept doing it - over and over and over again. She is my little water rat for sure! She could live in the pool if I would let her!

It's not a Toy!!

Just a short update here to share a funny story.

The other night, Jeremy and I were tickling Brooke. I started to tickle her butt, and then she turned around and said "No, Mommy...my butt is not a toy". Jeremy and I just stopped dead in our tracks and started to laugh.

Not really sure where she got that from - but either way, we thought it was adorable...and hysterical!!

All things Baby....

Well, we scheduled the day Baby Girl Eadens will make her entrance into the world. She will be here no later than September 12th, 2011. That's 9 weeks from today. GULP! Right now, she's the size of a head of lettuce and is 15 inches and 3 pounds. Hard to believe there's almost a full sized baby in there!

I love this part of pregnancy where the baby moves all the time, and I can feel the rolling around, kicking, and hiccups. It's quite amazing.

I have not been as swollen this pregnancy - thank Goodness because with Brooke, my ankles were so big they ran into my thighs! Plus, it's always a good thing to be able to wear your wedding ring while pregnant! One thing I have been getting more of this pregnancy? Braxton Hicks Contractions - especially at night. I feel them at least once an hour or so - and some of them can catch me off guard. Makes me wonder if this one will come early! Oh how work would just love that ;)

We are in the name discussion/argument stage of pregnancy, and we think we have a first name. We just need to come up with a middle name for her. It's the same problem we had with Brooke. I am sure something will seem just right.

I go back to the doctor later this month for my last monthly appointment. It's getting all too real! And I am hoping that we file a tax return before she gets here. Starting to worry about that!

The next thing on the agenda? To unpack all of Brooke's baby stuff - rewash it, sort it, and organize toys, bottles, blankets, etc. Hard to believe that in just nine short weeks, we will be welcoming a new addition to our family.

Getting so big

We went to Aunt Paula's house for Alex's graduation party and birthday party this past weekend, and the comments that I heard about Brooke were how big she is getting. She's getting so tall, she's getting so big, she's getting so smart, she's like a little girl and not a baby now. It's really amazing how much Brooke has grown - mentally and physically over the past few months. Her memory still amazes me. I don't know what is really normal with a child her age, but her memory just seems outstanding. For example: Grandma bought her a Snow White Barbie doll last summer. Because she was only 20 months old, I didn't think that the shoes were a good idea - so I took them off the Barbie and put them on top of my dresser to get them away from Brooke for the immediate time being. They stayed there a few days while I debated on storing them for later, or just throwing them away. Brooke would comment on them and say something about Snow White's shoes being off and that they were on top of Mommy's dresser. Well, she hadn't played with Snow White in a long time, and she wanted to play with her the other day. So, Brooke plays with Snow White and then talks about her shoes. She goes into my bedroom and looks on top of my dresser to see if they are still there. How in the world could this child remember something to trivial for a whole year!?!?! I have no clue.

Brooke is also learning how to run like a little girl - and not like a baby. She still runs like a girl - but at least she's running faster than she was before. She is doing great in her big girl bed as well. She has gotten to be so tall and just so darn beautiful. I can't wait to see what she is going to do as a big sister. I think she will be great. And I guess we will find out in three months!!

While we were at Aunt Paula's house, Brooke had to go potty. So Jeremy took her into the bathroom, and I thought I heard crying a few mins later. Well, it stopped - but then I heard it again and saw Jeremy walk out of the bathroom holding Brooke and blood is just gushing down her face. Apparently, she fell on the marble floor and hit her nose square on the floor. I swear, the child has a magnet on her nose that is attracted to any hard surface. This is like her 4th bloody nose. After some TLC, ice, and a few minutes, Brooke was just fine and you would never know that she had just hit her nose. She is such a strong little girl!

A friend came to visit

Last night, we were sitting at the kitchen table eating dinner, and there was a knock at the door. Jeremy went to go answer it, but I all could hear was a little bitty voice at the other end. I heard Jeremy say something to the effect of we were eating dinner and she couldn't come outside right now. I only assumed that it was the little girl from down the street. When Jeremy sat back down at the table, I asked him if it were Mary. He said yes and that Mary wanted to know if Brooke could come out and play. Brooke immediately said she was done with dinner, and she started to get up. She wanted to play with Mary at that moment. It was very cute! So, last night was a first. She had her first friend come knock on the door.

After dinner, Brooke and I walked down to Mary's house and they played for a little while before we had to start the bedtime routine. I wonder if this will become a routine with the two of them.

I remember my best friend who lived right next door to me growing up. We were always together. I guess we shall see what happens with Brooke and Mary.

Long Time No Post

Well, it's been quite some time since I have posted an entry - and I truly apologize for that. It's one of those things that I have been meaning to do, but have been too busy, too tired, too overwhelmed, etc. to do it. So, tonight I am biting the bullet and posting. I am hoping that this entry is not going to be terribly long, but wanted to update everyone on what has happened over the last month and a half.

First of all, we found out what little peanut is! And I was wrong...surprise, surprise! We are having another precious little girl. Everything looked great on the ultrasound - she was absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to meet her. We don't have a name picked out for her, but my favorite name right now is McKinley. I am not dead set on it by any means, but there is nothing I like better at this moment.

Update on my Pregnancy
This pregnancy has been going pretty well so far. It's causing me a little more problems compared to the pregnancy with Brooke, but still easy in comparison. Not really going to go into detail about what's different - just know that it's not pleasant ;)!! The baby is very active. She moves a lot and kicks pretty hard! I think she is much more active than what Brooke was - which really worries me!

So far, three people have felt the baby move besides me - Jeremy, Brooke, and Paige. I asked Brooke if she wanted to feel her baby sister kick, and she said yes. I placed her hand on my stomach and when she felt the baby kick, Brooke immediately moved her hand! I have been asking her if she wants to feel it again - and she keeps turning me down! I think it freaked her out a little. Heck, sometimes it freaks me out a little!! Feels as if someone has taken over my body! I just don't understand how some people don't know they are pregnant.

Brooke is very sweet towards her baby sister already. She asks to give her hugs and kisses. We make sure to talk about her baby sister all the time. I want Brooke to be a part of the pregnancy experience as well as a part of the baby's life once she gets here. I think Brooke is going to be a wonderful big sister. This baby is going to be very lucky to have such a sweet and caring big sister.

Brooke's big girl room
Brooke is now officially in her big girl room! She has been sleeping there for about a month now. For the most part, she does really well. There are a few nights where she gets up a few times telling us that she has to potty or that her friends dont have a blanket. When she gets up in the morning, she walks downstairs and opens the door to our bedroom and has the cutest little smile on her face. It's a great way for me to wake up!

Vacation
We had the privilege of going on vacation earlier this month to St. Augustine and Orlando. Brooke was wonderful in the car - she watched a movie, colored, sang songs, and slept. I couldn't have asked for a better car ride with her. She never complained...not one time. She's amazing.

I was not sure how Brooke was going to do with the sand and with the ocean - but she loved both! She would swim in the ocean until her lips were blue and she was shivering. We built sand castles and searched for sea shells. It was very relaxing - and can't believe that the next time we go on vacation we will have two kids! Whoa.

We also had the opportunity to watch the Space Shuttle Endeavor launch while we were down there. It was certainly a great experience. I am glad that I can say I have seen it!

We also made a day trip to Disney World. A very very long day trip. We opened and closed the park - but it was well worth it. Brooke absolutely loved everything we did. We first saw the Disney Princesses - she was pretty shy around Belle, Aurora, and Cinderella. We then saw Mickey and Minnie - and Brooke flipped out. She LOVED LOVED LOVED them. She kept giving them hugs and kisses. It really melted my heart. There is nothing like watching something that makes your child so happy. I got teary eyed a few times during that day - just knowing that Brooke was so happy. We rode rides, which she loved - my little girl is quite a daredevil...except when it comes to Pirates and the Haunted Mansion. But, we did the Dumbo ride, It's a Small World, Snow White, Winnie the Pooh, and a few others. She really liked it - and so did I!!

Funny Stories
I am going to end this post with a few funnies, courtesy of Brooke:

When we were on vacation, Jeremy and I ordered a fried fish sandwich for lunch. The waitress brought a container of tarter sauce for us, and curious Brooke asked what it was. Jeremy told her that it was tarter sauce for the fish. Well, when our fried fish sandwich came and Jeremy started to put the tarter sauce on the fish - she yelled "Noooooo Daddy! That's for the fishies". She thought that we were supposed to feed the fish the tarter sauce - not put it on our food. She took it so literal - but it was adorable.

One morning before school, Brooke and I were upstairs getting ready. We started to walk downstairs and she was taking her time and goofing off. I told her to "Pick up the pace". She stopped dead in her tracks, looked down, looked behind her, and then said "Where's the pace?". It was cute - and I laughed for a little while about that!

Christmas Eve Eve

So, it's two days before the BIG day - we get to see our baby! I can't wait to see hands and feet and arms and legs and a beautiful beating heart! Oh, and yes - find out whether we are going to be buying blue or pink!

It's like Christmas Eve Eve here! Not sure that I am going to be able to sleep over the next two nights! Nah, I take that back. I can always sleep!

On a different topic, the other night Carson laid halfway on my stomach and apparently squished the baby because it moved to the other side of my stomach. I swear, it must have been its head that I could feel because it was hard and round and pretty big - so it must have been the head! And as soon as I started to press on it, I called Jeremy over to feel it, and he did. Immediately after, the baby decided to move yet again.

I am feeling the baby move every single day - and am thinking that we could occasionally feel it from the outside, but have not felt it yet. I can't wait until Wednesday so that I can stop calling the baby "it" and call it "he" or "she" - but hoping "he"!

The painter is also coming tomorrow and painting our bedroom, our bathroom, and Brooke's new big girl bedroom! I can't wait to get the house in order again. I think it's going to look great! I might even post pictures ;) Brooke's furniture is being delivered on the 28th. We also ordered a wall decal for her room, and I can't wait to put it up - but it says that you can't put it up on freshly painted walls and recommends to wait 3 weeks until you put it on. 3 weeks? Seriously? I am not that patient at all.

I guess my next post probably wont' be until Wednesday...and then it will be officially known whether we are having a boy or girl!!

Soccer Mom and Dramatic Boo-Boo

Soccer Mom

If you have read previous posts in my blog, you know that we need a new car for a growing family. After many discussions, and a long heart to heart with myself, I decided a mini van was the way to go. But, I told Jeremy that if I were to get a minivan - I wanted one that would make me happy. So, I asked for a 2008 Grey Honda Odyssey with leather and a DVD player that had under 50K miles on it. So, we found one and he went and got it.

I still don't like the idea that I drive a minivan, but am already falling in love with the practicality of the vehicle. I love that Brooke has her own little seat and sits up higher so she can see out of it, and that she feels like she is on top of the world when she's riding in it. She can climb in and out of it herself, which I know that she likes as well.

We got in the car yesterday and she said "Are we taking the new car, Mommy?". I told her that we were. She then stated "We are not taking the red car". I told her no. Then she said "Did Daddy buy this car for you, Mommy?". I laughed and told her that he did. She asked me if I like my new car and I told her that I didn't like it very much, so she then said "You like driving the red car better". I told her that I did. I laughed at that little conversation we had. I thought it was very cute.

So, after driving my van for two whole days, I can see how I will eventually love it. Once I get over the idea that I drive a minivan.

Dramatic Boo-Boo

Before bedtime tonight, Brooke and I went out and visited with the neighbors. She was in one driveway playing with all the kiddos, and I was in the driveway next door talking with the adults. She would sit and play with the kids for about five minutes and then come over to me just to say hi or something else silly, and then would go back and play with the girls. I think she just wanted to make sure I was still there. It was very adorable!

On her fourth trip running next door, I saw her take a fall. I ran over to her and picked her up. She was crying, crocodile tears included. I asked her where she hurt, and she said "right here" pointing to her knee. It was all skinned up, as I figured it would be. I asked her if she wanted to go home and get it cleaned up, and I was really surprised when she said yes. I thought that she would have wanted to play a little more.

So, we went home, and I cleaned it out with a wet washcloth. Per her request, I put some "medicine" AKA neosporin on it, and then a band-aid on each knee. She got up, and then started to walk into her room to put on her pajamas. She was walking like an 80 year old woman who just had a double knee replacement. It was very pathetic looking! Then, her band-aid started to come off, and she told me that "It hurt, it hurt" and requested that the band-aids be taken off. So, I took them off. She talked to her Daddy before bed and she started crying all over again because she was telling him about how she was running and then she fell and get some boo-boos.

Through this whole event, I tried to hold back the laughter as the little girl was hurting from a slight fall. She was being very dramatic about the whole thing, and I didn't want to make it a big deal, but I also wanted her to know that I was there for her.

Boy or Girl?

Well...it's overwhelming. Practically everyone says boy. Here's the "official" list (to be updated as more people submit their guess)

BOY
Mommy
Grandma (Danielle's Mom)
Grandpa (Danielle's Dad)
Aunt Paige
Aunt Patti
Aunt Sharon
Aunt Wendy
Aunt Linda
Nana (Jeremy's Mom)
Karina
Travis
Aunt Jenn
Michelle
Pop (Jeremy's Dad)
Nanny
Poppop
Great Grandpa

GIRL
Daddy
Big Sister Brooke
Dana
Jake
Uncle Chris
G.G.
Aunt Mimi
Great Grandma Ann

New things since last post

I had another doctor's appoinment for baby #2. Everything was great - doctor found the heartbeat using the doppler, and the rate was around 150bpm. I always love hearing my baby's strong heartbeat. The doctor keeps telling me that I am making his job easy - I go in there, rarely have any questions for him, we listen to the heartbeat, and then leave. Pretty easy! Next appointment is April 20th when we find out the sex of the baby! Really looking forward to that!

I do, however, need to talk to the doctor next time I go in. I have been experience heart palpatations. I assume that they are the same ones that my mother and sister and Aunt Patti get - benign MVP's. I have felt these occasionally in the past, but not often. However, over the last few weeks of pregnancy, I have felt this palpatations much more often. Last Saturday, they were really bad. I don't think there is anything to be concerned with - I just think that I need to mention it to my doctor.

I dropped Brooke off at Grandma and Grandpa's house the other weekend so Jeremy and I could go out and look at furniture for a few hours. When we got there, she was talking about going swimming in their pool - but we told her that it was too cold, and that the pool wasn't open and that she needed a bathing suit. As I was walking out the door, she told me she wanted a pink bathing suit. Apparently, she thought I was leaving to go and get her one! When I came back from furniture shopping, Dad kept telling me that Brooke was saying something all afternoon, but they couldn't understand her. They said it sounded like Blue Cheese. I had no clue what he was talking about until Brooke looked at me and said something about going swimming and her "boot seat". Apparently, she couldn't remember the words bathing suit, so she said boot seat instead. I thought this was really cute.

We went to see Disney Princesses on Ice at Rupp Arena this past weekend. Brooke loved seeing all the princesses come out and sing and dance on the ice. Her favorite was snow white. She was very well behaved - sat in her seat the entire time, and watched the show. I was really amazed at how well she behaved...especially for a two year old. But, I have to say - she really does listen and behave quite well. She's going to have a busy upcoming few weeks - the circus is next weekend, and then Sesame Street Live is the weekend after that. I hope she behaves at the next events as well as she did this past one!

Jeremy and I have been out shopping for new cars....and boy oh boy has it been a task. For whatever reason, I don't want a minivan. I am not sure if I am trying to hold onto my youth, if I don't want to be a "soccer mom", or what. I know there is no logic behind my reasoning - because me reason for not getting a minivan is just because I DONT WANT ONE. My logical side of me (which prevails most of the time) says that a minivan is the way to go. I know this. I should listen to Logical Danielle. So why can't I? Not sure. Maybe I need to seek professional help? Not sure. Maybe I just need to suck it up and get a stupid minivan and call it a day. Not sure.

All's I know - I don't want a minivan. I swore to myself up until three months ago that I would NEVER drive a minivan. Now, logical danielle is shining through, and the thought is being disgustingly considered.

When Jeremy and I went out this past weekend and looked at cars, my pregnancy emotions got the best of me. We looked at a Honda Pilot, and when I realized that it was not a vehicle that I really wanted, I cried. I cried because I saw a minivan in my future. I cried because I didn't want a minivan. After a few minutes, Jeremy calmed me down, and we decided to look at a few other places. He looks at me again, sees me crying. He asked why I was crying....it was because I saw a stupid minivan. Then, my crying became laughter. Wow, thank you pregnancy hormones!! But, logical, realistic, practical Danielle knows that I am being ridiculous. And maybe, for some reason, this is my last stand to be irrational, unrealistic, and impractical? I don't know.

Peanuts

I was getting Brooke ready for bed this evening, and changing her clothes. She still sleeps in a pull up, even though she stays dry at night about 90% of the time, but I am just not ready to clean up a mess in the middle of the night! So, I was putting her pull up on, and she had her hands all over her private parts. I told her to get her hand out of her vagina. We talk about her private parts and what all girls have. I turn around and ask her what Daddy has. She immediately said "I don't know", and then holds up her little pointer finger, says "I know! Peanuts!!". I really have no idea where she got that from - I assume that she picked that up from school, because we have only told her one time (a long time ago) what Daddy's private parts were called.

When she said Peanuts, I died laughing. I thought it was absolutely hilarious that she said that. I knew that it had to go on the blog. I love that little girl.

Oh Sh!t and Butterflies??

Jeremy and I really need to watch our mouth! I was driving home today from Randy and Pam's for Jacob's 14th birthday, and Brooke was taking off her shoes and socks in the back seat of the car. She took her socks and put one of them on her hands. She tried to put the other one on her other hand, but couldn't...so she said "Oh, Sh&t!". I turned around and asked her what she just said - and she repeated exactly what I thought I had heard. I told her that we don't say that word and how it was not nice....but we shall see if/when it happens again.

Every once and a while, I will get these little butterfly feelings...and I wonder if it's the baby. I am only 13 weeks and two days, but I swear I am feeling the baby! It has only happened about once a day for the last two or three days, and I don't remember quite feeling these types of flutters with Brooke. Feeling her move for the first time was more like popcorn popping. This is more like butterflies. Not sure if I just missed this stage of pregnancy with Brooke because I wasn't looking for this type of feeling...or I could be totally making this feeling up right now. I have no idea. I would like to think that what I am feeling is truly coming from the baby...but I am just not sure yet.

Boy or Girl???

So from the very beginning, I have asked Brooke whether or not she was going to have a baby brother or a baby sister. At first, she would say whatever you said last. From there, it went to baby brother all the time, and now it's at baby sister all the time. Jeremy is convinced that his little swimmer was another X, and this baby will be a girl. I am not quite convinced that this is his "gut" feeling, but rather a feeling so that when the ultrasound tech says "girl", he won't be disappointed. I have that same problem. I want a boy so badly, that I am picturing myself with a little boy in the future. I see us playing with dump trucks and making mud pies together....but again, I don't know if this is my gut - or if this is just my sub conscious thinking about the boy I want so badly.

I think that Jeremy and I both want a boy so badly because this will be our last baby (at least according to Jeremy). Of course, as this goes without saying, we want the baby to be healthy, happy, have 10 fingers and 10 toes, etc...but if he can have the right "male" parts, we would be thrilled!

Another reason I think boy, is because this pregnancy is so different from the last in a lot of ways. When I was pregnant with Brooke, I craved sweet things...now I really could care less about them. With this pregnancy, I want sour or spicy stuff...the more vinegar it has in it, the more I want it!! First pregnancy: wanted mexican all the time. Second pregnancy: yuck to mexican food! First pregnancy: not really nauseaous Second pregnancy: more nauseaous, but tolerable

So, now comes the fun part. I want to know what everyone thinks we are having. So, either leave a comment....post something to my FB wall, send me a text, or next time you see me, just let me know what you think! I am curious as to what everyone else's "gut" says!

Alligator, Book Reading, and Starting to Show

The other day, I had a terrible headache. Jeremy thought it might be from dehydration, so I pounded a Gatorade right before bed. I left the Gatorade bottle in the den on the table. The next morning when Jeremy came home, Brooke had her sippy cup of water right next to my empty Gatorado bottle. She looked at Jeremy and said "There's my water, Daddy. There's Mommy's Alligator". I cracked up laughing, but Jeremy was completely lost. Apparently, Brooke didn't remember the word Gatorade. But, the word "Gator" stuck. So she called my Gatorade - Alligator. I told my mom this story, and she told me that I should send it to Gatorade for them to use as a commercial. It was so cute.

Brooke is going through another phase where she loves reading books. She will pick up a book and read it to herself. The other day, she picked up a Dora book, looked at the first page and said "Hi, I'm Dora, and this is my friend, Boots". It was really cute. I love listening to her read to herself.

Well, it's official. I am starting to show. It's crazy how it happens all of a sudden, but it's certainly happening. There is much more roundness going on in the tummy area! Overall, I am starting to feel much better and not as sick as I was. I still have to keep food in my stomach, but it's not nearly as bad as it was before. I am officially 12 weeks today - almost out of the first trimester! It's so hard to believe that I have known I was pregnant for 8 weeks already. Time is flying!!

From Hmmmm? to Cuz!

Whenever someone asked Brooke a question that she either A) Didn't understand or B) Didn't know the answer to she would say "Hmmmmmmmm?". During the last few weeks, she has not said HMMMMM as much, but instead would say "Cuz". So if I asked her "Why did you do that", she would answer, "Cuz". I guess I don't realize what I say and how much I say it until my daughter starts to repeat it.

At least I don't have a mouth of a sailor like Jeremy! I am just waiting for Brooke to drop the F Bomb one day! I know it's going to happen. She's already said "Jesus Christ" (thanks Jeremy!). When she said that - I told her very sternly that she couldn't say that. She put her head down and got all pouty with me. That child really knows how to lay it on thick. She makes me feel bad sometimes! But, the letter of the law must be learned and obeyed - so Mommy and Daddy discipline! I started to write more about discipline, but decided not to go down that route. Everyone reading this blog knows that Brooke is very well behaved. She listens. She respects what we say. And I firmly believe that is because we have rules and expect them to be followed at all times. I will leave it at that....

Belly Butt

So Brooke calls anything that is a "button", a "butt". She says "Press the Butt" or "Touch my Belly Butt". I think it's the cutest thing ever because it reminds me of the part in Finding Nemo when Nemo touches the butt instead of the boat.

Jeremy always wants me to correct her and say that it's a belly button, but I just can't help not correcting her. I love when she says it!!

Funny things

I have posted some of these things on my facebook page, so if you read both - sorry for the duplication.

The other day I got Brooke out of the bathtub and went into her room to put lotion on her. I got her all lotioned up, and then she started to run around and play in her room. I told her to hurry and come here because it's so cold, and she looked at me and said "Chill....have patience". I use the line "have patience" all the time. Jeremy uses "chill". So smartie pants Brooke puts them both together and tells me to chill and have patience. It was really cute. So, since this point, she has told me to have patience several times.

A few days after the Chill...have patience episode, Brooke, Jeremy, and I were in the kitchen. Jeremy and I were cooking dinner, and Brooke was just playing in there. I was chopping hamburger meat, so my back was to Brooke. I heard her say "Carson, sit. Carson, SIT". I didn't pay any attention to this because it is not unusual for her to play with Carson. Then Brooke proceeds to tell me that "Mommy, Carson ate it." I asked her what Carson ate. She told me that Carson just ate her booger! Apparently, she thought it would be a "treat" for Carson. I really don't understand her reasoning behind making Carson sit to eat her booger and then tattle on him!

Speaking of tattling - OH BOY! We are certainly in the stage of tattling. Mommy, Carson did this. Mommy, Daddy did this. She is constantly tattling on someone for something. I keep telling her to worry about her, and not worry about what everyone else is doing. But, this is a hard thing to teach. I don't want her to tattle over little things, but I do want her to tell me when BIG things happen or when really BAD things happen. It's a tough one to balance.

This past Saturday, I took Brooke to Grandma's house so that I could clean the house for the superbowl party. I pretty much dropped her off and left. I came back a few hours later, and told Brooke we needed to go home. She really didnt want to go home. I told her that we had pink cookies at home. She turned around to me and said "WHAT?!?!" and then immediately jumped in my lap and wanted to go home. You know it's really bad when I have to bribe my daughter with pink cookies in order to go home from Grandma's house.

Now speaking of superbowl...we had a superbowl party on Sunday. I told Brooke earlier that day that we were having a party today. She was very excited for the party. Everytime Carson barked that day, she would jump up and yell "The party is here!". She was really excited to have a party....but I think she just thought party equals cake. Fun times!

Now speaking of cake.....since Jeremy had to work on my birthday, we celebrated last night. He and Brooke made me a cake. Brooke got to pick the color of the icing and guess what they chose? PINK!! Big surprise, right? So I walk in the door yesterday from work, and Brooke meets me at the door. I couldn't even get out of the laundry room. She told me that it was my birthday and that that Daddy hid it. Daddy hid what - that's what I am thinking. She then tells me that Daddy hid the cake!

We went out to dinner last night for my birthday, and I asked Brooke what she wanted to eat. I asked her if she wanted Mac and Cheese. She turned around and said "And Roni". So, for dinner last night, she had "Mac and Cheese and Roni". I am just thankful that this place served the Roni with the Mac and Cheese. Some places don't!

Last few days

I was meaning to write on the blog a few days ago regarding something adorably cute Brooke said or did....and now, I have forgotten what it was .  Hoping that by writing this, my memory will be jogged. 

Brooke has been climbing out of her crib recently....and she knows that she is in trouble after she does it!  She can't climb in, but she can certainly climb out.  I guess it might be time for her big girl bed afterall.

We went to church this morning with Grandma, and sat in the cry room. We probably didn't need to sit in the cry room, but I thought it would be smart just in case. She behaved very well in Church, but it was hard to hear over all of the other children crying/screaming/playing.

Her personality is expanding everyday....what she says, what she does, and who she is becoming. She is a girly girl - loves to paint her nails, wear lipstick, and wear skirts/dresses. Everytime she puts a skirt or dress on, she twirls around and says "I'm a beautiful princess". She doesn't mind getting her hands dirty - so I am hoping that the girly girl does not go through and through...I still hope that she can have a little Tom Boy in her, play sports, and be able to rough house with the boys!

I put Brooke to bed tonight a little early since she did not nap today. She was whining/crying for me a few times, and I had already been up there to take care of whatever she wanted twice. By the third time, I was getting a little irritated by her whining, and when I went upstairs, I opened her door and said "What do you need, Brooke", she looks at me with the sweetest eyes, and says "One more hug and one more kiss". That girl really knows how to lay it on thick. She melted my heart....yet again. So I gave her another kiss and another hug, and now she is quietly laying in her crib while I type this.

I guess I can't remember what I wanted to say on here the other day....but I am hoping that I remember soon...I just remember that it was 100% worth posting. So frustrating!

Pledge of Allegiance and Go Cards/Cats

We went over to my parents house last night for dinner, and we were watching the NFL games. Before the start of the second game, the Star Spangled Banner came on. Brooke just watched Martina McBride sing the song, and tried to sing along with her. I couldn't really tell if she knew the words or was just trying to sing along. So, I decided to say the Pledge of Allegiance after the song was over. Brooke joined in, saying the Pledge of Allegiance with me. It absolutely amazed me that my two year old daughter knows the Plegde. It seriously brought tears to my eyes. She's so so so smart.

She has also learned how to get under my skin, too. She knows that we say "Go Cards" and not "Go Cats". Well, my dad likes to mess with Brooke and tell her to say "Go Cats". So, when Brooke says this, I act like it's a huge deal and that she's not allowed to say that. Jeremy tells her that she's going to go in the thinking spot! Poor child. So, she now tries to get attention from us by saying "Go Cats". She just wants a reaction - and I give it to her! She knows that we don't want her to say that - but she says it anyway, and she thinks she's hilarious doing it.

Snow Day and somewhere over the rainbow!!!

It snowed here yesterday, and when I got home from work, all Brooke wanted to do was play in the snow! She wouldn't stop talking about it. So, we dressed her up, to the point of where she couldn't really move!), and took her outside. Jeremy stayed out there most of the time, while I went back inside and cooked dinner. I got a little bit of video on the video camera of Brooke playing in the snow. I think that she could stay out there for hours if we let her. She can build a snowball, throw it, and also do snow angels. It's really cute to watch her enjoy the snow. The older that I get, the more I HATE the snow. I love to look at it, but I don't want to be out in it.

Brooke, out of nowhere, started to sing "Somewhere over the rainbow". Because I love, love, love the movie Wizard of Oz, I have started her on it. We have seen it quite a few times, and she sings to the movie. I don't know why she starts singing this song out of the blue - we haven't see any part of the wizard of oz in at least a week. She is really cute though. Her little girl voice trying to sing such a big song. I wonder if I am going to have a little singer on my hands, or a dancer. Anytime she sees dancing on the tv, she has to put her skirt on and dance too. It's funny and cute too.

Dancing to Beauty and the Beast

Last night, Brooke and I were watching Beauty and the Beast. Towards the end of the movie, Belle and Beast dance to "Beauty and the Beast". Brooke makes me sing this song all the time - Tale as Old as Time, Song as Old as Rhyme, Beauty and the Beast. So, when the song comes on last night, she grabs my hands and pulls me off the couch and then danced with me. It was ALL her idea. We just danced in circles together singing the Beauty and the Beast song. It certainly brought tears to my eyes. She is the sweetest little girl in the world, and she makes me realize it every single day. She is my life, my world, my joy....my little girl.

Time to Annouce our New Addition to the Eadens Family

I started writing this post a few days after I found out that I was pregnant with baby #2 because Dana gave me the bright idea that I could just save as a draft, and finally post all my details at once. It was such a great idea. So, here it goes. I am announcing the pregnancy of baby #2. I found out the morning of January 6th because the day before I was feeling very nauseaous. I couldn't eat anything, and even the thought of food made me feel queesy.

January 6, 2011
Woke up that morning and peed on the stick. This version of the pregnancy test made a plus sign if positive. It looked like the vertical line was starting to appear. My stomach sank. I turned around as to not "watch the paint dry". When I turned around again, it was definitely positive. No doubt about it, positive. I got the same feeling that I did when I found out I was pregnant with Brooke. Nervousness, excitement, and so many other emotions wrapped up in one. I called Jeremy (I really should wait to tell him this kind of news in person, but I have no patience). I told him that I was pregnant again. His response was just about what I had expected. "Oh wow".

Later that evening, I took Brooke over to my parents house. I dressed her in a shirt that Karina's cousin gave us as a hand-me-down. It said "I'm the Big Sister". So, we went to my parents house and my Dad was taking off Brooke's jacket as I was taking off mine. Brooke commented on the color of my shirt, the color of Grandma's shirt, and the color of Grandpa's shirt, so I thought it would be a perfect time to comment on her shirt. They started looking at all the colors of her shirt, not noticing the letters down at the bottom. So, I said "and what does her shirt say"? Mom started reading..."I'm....A....Big....Danielle!?!?!, you are!?!?!?" It took my Dad a second to figure out what was happening. They all congratulated me and were very happy for us.

January 9th
Well, at this point I am about 4wks and 3 or 5 days. I think it will depend on whether the doctor will calculate based on the date of my last period or the date of conception. Last Period - 4wks and 5 days. Conception - 4 wks and 3 days.

During my last pregnancy, I was a nervous nelly. I thought my second pregnancy would be better. WRONG. Still a very nervous nelly. Every little twinge or pain, I get worried that something is going wrong. I will try to remain as positive as I can, but it's hard for me. I always think the worst to prepare myself for it. If the worst doesn't happen, then I am always surprised and happy. Right now, I am not feeling any major pregnancy symptoms. Sore BB's and restlessness at night. That's about it.

I was taking a nap with Brooke today in my bed. I woke up before she did, and was just looking at her sleeping. I got really emotional (okay, another pregnancy symptom). I was emotional about the fact that Brooke is not going to be my baby anymore. She's going to be my big girl. I know that she will be a great big sister, but I want her to stay as my baby. I love that little girl so much, and by bringing another baby into this world (her world) - what I am doing? I hope that I am just making it better. Giving her a companion, a friend, someone to play with, someone to grow up with, someone who will be her best friend when it seems no one else is there, someone to get into trouble with, and someone else to love her. When I was pregnant with Brooke, only my life and Jeremy's life were affected drastically by the new addition. Now, Brooke's life is going to change. She's going to have to go to a big girl bed, change rooms, and I am not going to be able to hold her and carry her the way I do now. She's going to have to be the big sister and walk while Mommy carries the baby around. Brooke is a loving and caring child, and I know that she will adjust to this just fine. She's going to be a big sister....and what a darn good one she'll be.

January 12
One pregnancy symptom has crept up....the weepy hormone. Last night, Brooke and I were watching Beauty and the Beast before bedtime, and towards the end of the movie, Belle and the Beast dance to the Beauty and the Beast theme song. Brooke makes me sing it all the time - it goes like this: Tale as Old as Time, Song as Old as Rhyme, Beauty and the Beast. Anyway, when this song came on last night, she grabs my hands, pulls me off the couch, and wanted to dance with me. It was the SWEESTEST thing in the entire world. I started to cry...well, almost sob, really. I kept thinking about how she's not going to be my little baby anymore.

Later that evening, Jeremy and I were watching Desperate Housewives, and for some odd reason I started crying to that show. I mean seriously. Crying to desperate housewives? Wow. Jeremy and I had a good laugh about it later.

January 18
So I went to see my endocrinologist today. Since I was able to get pregnant this time without meds, I wanted to make sure that she didn't want to put me on anything while I was pregnant. During my pregnancy with Brooke, the doctor kept me on Metformin because people with PCOS have a much higher chance of miscarriage, and Metformin helps reduce the chance of miscarriage in people with PCOS. The endo said that I am good to go, and don't need additional meds. Yaaay! One less worry, right?

Last night Brooke was sitting on my lap and wanted to do "giddy up horsey". The way we do it, is that I lay on the floor, and she gets on my lower stomach and I bounce her up and down. I told her last night that I wasn't able to do giddy up horsey because I had a baby in my belly. She looks at me and says "Where?". I said, "In my belly", and then she says "I want to see". I just started to bust out laughing. I guess she thinks that I am hiding a baby underneath my shirt.

I am trying to get Brooke used to the idea that she is going to have a baby brother or sister as soon as possible. I don't want it to be a complete surprise come September. I am planning on reading books, talking about a new baby, and go from there. It's sure going to be interesting!

January 25

I keep saying that I am going to clone Brooke. She is seriously the most perfect child ever. She's sweet. She's smart. She listens. She genuinely cares about other people. She makes sure that other people's needs are met. I want to clone her and put boy parts on her, and have that be our second baby.

I am very excited about being pregnant and going to have another addition to the Eadens family. But, I am also nervous as heck. We now have to worry about the well being of two children. And since Brooke has really been the perfect child since birth, I am worried that the second one is going to be a handful. I am hoping that's not the case - but I am betting that it is going to be the case. Time will tell on that one.

Either way, I welcome a new personality into the family. Although I keep saying how I want to clone Brooke, I think that would make life rather boring. I would rather have new adventures around the Eadens' household. I say that now...but ask me in about a year or two from now!

January 31st
We had our first doctor's appointment on Friday the 28th of January. I knew the date of my last period, and the date of conception, so I was pretty sure of my due date. However, I wanted to get an ultrasound so I could see the baby's heartbeat, so I told the doctor that I wasn't sure the day of my last period. After doing the regular appointment, he told me to wait for an ultrasound so we could determine due date. The regular appointment went very well...I didn't have nearly the amount of questions the first go around, but I still had a few. We talked about doing a repeat C-Section and picking the baby's birthday. We went in for our ultrasound and there it was - our little peanut. We saw it's heartbeat going strong and even got to hear it. It was perfect. Absolutely perfect. Some of the worry I have been carrying around easily slipped away at this point. It's amazing what 15 seconds of one little sound can do to a person. From the ultrasound, they determined I was 7 weeks exactly which would calculate to a due date of September 16th. So, that's the date we are going with...September 16th.

February 1st
Okay, so the nausea is enough! It's going on all day long...and with Brooke, it was not like this. It was just first thing in the morning. I could eat whatever and whenever I wanted to with Brooke, but this pregnancy I just can't do either. I am constantly sick to my stomach no matter what I eat. And nothing sounds good. So, it's a never ending battle. Can't eat because nothing sounds good and then get sick because I didn't eat. It's a no win situation!

February 8th
I am getting a little better as far as the nausea goes. I can eat a little more and just thinking about food doesn't make me sick. I am still not 100% feeling better, but it's a great improvement from last week!

I am still feeling pretty good overall - still not feeling like this is "real" yet. I don't know why it has not sunk in yet, but it just hasn't. I think it's because I haven't time to sit and think about it a whole lot. This pregnancy I have a two year old to chase around and play with - that makes it a little different!

At this point, I am 8 weeks and 4 days. The first few weeks went by so slowly, but since I have had my doctors appointment, I am a little less stressed about everything. I am anxiously awaiting my next appointment on February 24th because we will be able to hear the heartbeat through the doppler. At that point, I will be one day shy of 11 weeks, and will probably go ahead and tell work that day.

February 16th
We had a meeting at ResCare the other day about how tax return season was going to go. At this point, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to tell work that I am expecting another child. I told Daphne, and she was very excited for me. I was really worried about telling work, but after I told Daphne, my fears were eased and I know that I have her support. Most of E&Y still does not know, but I do plan on telling them next week after my appointment.

I am really starting to feel better as far as the naseau goes. As long as I have something in my stomach all day long, I feel okay. But I feel like I am constantly eating something.

My next doctors appointment is on the 24th - one week from tomorrow. I can't wait to hear the baby's heartbeat. Right now, I don't feel pregnant. I feel okay for the most part, so the pregnancy really hasn't set in yet. I am hoping that it does soon - and I know as soon as I feel this baby move, it will be all too real!

February 23
Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I get to announce the news tomorrow after my doctors appointment! Wooo Hoo!! Well, pending that everything goes well...which I have no reason to think that it won't.

I have been feeling pretty good lately - just extremely tired. I think that there is some major "construction" (as Dana and Travis called it) going on down there. Jackhammering and all. The placenta is working it's magic and starting to take over. I guess that is why I have been so tired recently. It comes and goes though.

I feel like I look like I have eaten too many doughnuts! My tummy is just a little more round than usual...and I wish it would either A) not do that or B) just go ahead and pop out to look like I am pregnant. I don't like this in between stuff (which I know will stick around for a while longer).

So, look for this to be published tomorrow along with the baby's heartbeat we hear at the doctor's appointment tomorrow.

February 24th
Well, it's official. There's still a baby growing strong in my oven! Went to the doctor this morning, and the heartbeat was very strong. Measured around 160-170 beats per minute. Brooke's heartbeat was that high as well - so I am wondering if this baby will be a girl. Probably ;)

I also posted it on facebook today - so it's officially official...because you know, if it's on facebook - it's real! LOL. So, I am 10 weeks and 6 days today and baby is doing great! Next appointment is four weeks from today to do another checkup to make sure things are progressing normally.

That's all for now!

Brrrr, It's so cold

It has been so cold outside recently, and from the sounds of it, it's not going to get any warmer anytime soon. When Brooke wears her jacket, she has to make sure that her hood is on as well. She can be a very particular little girl when she wants to be. When there is snow on the ground, all she wants to do is touch it. I would love for there to be about 8 inches on the ground so we can go outside and play in it. I am tired of this "dusting" stuff. If it's going to "dust", I would rather it not snow at all.

So, I have had a sore throat the past few days, and was extremely nervous that it was strep throat again. I let the sore throat go on for a couple of days, and then on Saturday, when I couldn't stand it anymore, I went to the Immediate Care Center. They did a rapid stress test, and thankfully...no, THANKFULLY, it came back negative. They are sending it off for culture, but I am hoping that comes back negative as well. I was not experiencing any other symptoms, so the doctor said it was probably just viral and would go away on it's own. My throat is already feeling much better.

We celebrated Christmas with Jake and Michelle by having the girls exchange gifts. Brooke opened up Toy Story figurines. There was Woody, the peas in the pod, the hedgehog, and the unicorn. She wanted to open them immediately. After she played with them for about 3 minutes, she asked where Buzz and Jessi were. And she kept asking. I told her that they were at the store, and she responded with "Go get them". LOL! Jeremy and I went to the grocery yesterday, while Nana visited with Brooke. We walked down the toy aisle and say Buzz and Jessi figurines. We bought them and gave them to Brooke. She has been playing with these toys non-stop. She uses her imagination while playing, and I caught her putting Buzz in the thinking spot yesterday evening. It was rather cute.

Between Christmas and New Years

Although Christmas was very busy, the following week seemed to be just as busy. We visited with G.G. and Poppop, had a New Years Eve party, and went to a few birthday parties.

G.G. and Poppop ranted and raved about how adorable and how sweet Brooke was. They said that they could just eat her up, hug her all day long, and that she made their trip to Louisville even better. Although Brooke will not know my Grandma and Poppop like I have (because they live in Florida), the time that she gets to spend with them while they are here is very precious and savored. They are so good to her and with her, and although Brooke does not see them much, she felt very comfortable with them. They, like everyone else, spoiled Brooke completely. They learned all her favorites - from making burritos, to coloring, puzzles, and singing, and we can't forget about eating!

Unfortunately, Jeremy had to work on New Years Eve, so Brooke and I went to my parents house to party over there. She had a great time hanging out with everyone, and was very good over there. Before bedtime at 9:30, she went up to everyone and cheered them by clinking her sippy cup to their drink, and wishing them a Happy New Year. I know that she had no idea what New Years is, but she seemed to enjoy saying it. When I asked her if she was ready for bed, she would respond back, No Mommy, I'm not tired! It was really cute, and this is just another way of her expressing her independance. And she actually went down over at Grandma's house without a fight and slept until a whopping 6:00 the next morning. She laid in bed with me for a little while, and then she told me that she was hungry around 7:00. I got up with her, and G.G. and Poppop woke up shortly after that and told me to go back to sleep and they played with her until 8:30 when I finally awoke from the dead. She had a great time playing with them.

Karina's daughter, Hailey, had her birthday party at a gymnastics place, and Brooke was by far the youngest child there. I was a little anxious to see how she would do in this situation, but she acted just like the big kids. She had so much fun swinging from the rings, doing somersaults, jumping on the trampoline, and playing in the foam pit. I am seriously considering enrolling her in a gymnastics class. I think she would have fun with it.

After Haileys bday party, we went to Randy's house to celebrate the January and February birthdays. Brooke always has fun with her cousins, and this day was no exception. Cecily and Brooke were two peas in a pod - copying each other and playing nicely together. I would ask if they had to go potty, and both of them would come running to the bathroom together. Brooke seemed to want to go potty more as long as Cecily wanted to go as well.

Speaking of potty time, Brooke has had a hard time and regressed a lot recently. I think it has a lot to do with the busyness of the last few weeks. She was wearing a pull up a lot because we were constantly running here or there, and I am too afraid to take her out shopping with big girl panties on. Hopefully, now that things are going to quiet down some, and get back on a normal routine, potty training will come back easily as well.

All in all, the past few weeks have been great. I enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and watching Brooke grow even more. Her sentences continue to get longer and longer, and the stuff she says still cracks me up. Her personality is showing more and more everyday, along with her independance. Everything is now "No Mommy, me do it". She wants to do everything - put on her jacket, put on her shoes, and everything else! I love that she is expressing her independance, but things take so much longer when she does it alone! I guess it's all part of being a two year old.