week 32

I am 32 weeks and 1 day today.  I had a check up yesterday and things are looking good.  It was another quick appointment which was nice.  The baby's heart beat was a strong 137 bpm and he measured right on target.  The baby is already head down.  The baby weighs as much as a jicama at about 4 lbs and is roughly 18 inches long.  The baby now has toenails, fingernails and real hair.  He is spending his time practicing all the skills he will need to survive outside the womb, such as his swallowing, breathing, kicking and sucking.  It feels like he spends most of his time practicing his kicking to me though.

Bennett wanted a picture with his brother.

In reality, I think he just wanted to touch my sweater.

Bennett is not fully aware of his soon to be a big brother status.  He does notice my growing belly though and likes to poke it.  I try to engage him and tell him there is a baby in the belly but he has no patience.  He usually runs off while I am mid-sentence.

Mommy is craving granola and crepes filled with farmer's cheese.  I am definitely feeling more tired than usual and the growing belly is something that's really getting in the way of doing things.  I have a hard time putting on shoes and cutting my toe nails already.  At least the baby let's me sleep.  He is more active during the day.  I hope that he keeps the same schedule once he is here.

grandma

Grandma was visiting this weekend!  We were so busy running around that we did not take many pictures from her visit.  Saturday we spent helping our friends move and Sunday we went to my baby shower and dinner.  Monday morning came way too fast and Bennett was very unhappy to be woken up for day care.

We couldn't let Grandma leave without at least one photo opt though.  Bennett stole the show with his bed head and grumpy face.  Thanks for coming Grandma.  It's always a pleasure to see you! We love you!

bejeweled

Bennett "helped" daddy wrap rings for his candles tonight.  He enjoyed playing with them inside their bags until he discovered he could wear them.

Grandma was enjoying the show through Skype as well.

The rings might make a nice toe ring too.

He did not want to lose his ring so he decided to hide it inside his pants.

yogurt

Bennett loves yogurt.  He got tired of his usual brand so we tried giving his the Greek yogurt we enjoy.  B cannot get enough.  He really tries to eat it with a spoon but it gets messy.

I love his messy yogurt face.

week 30

I am inching closer to my due date with only 10 more weeks to go (I hope it's not longer!).  At my check up today the baby's heart beat was 148 bpm.  I measured perfect for my due date and there were no tests or vaccinations to be done.  I do start going to the doc more often at this point.  My next appointment is in two weeks.

The baby is a size of a head of cabbage.  He is almost 3 lbs and roughly 15.7 inches long.  He probably won't grow much longer but he will more than double in size.  He is going to be gaining about a half a pound a week for the next 7 weeks.  His eyesight continues to improve, and his brain is starting to look like the real thing with it's characteristic grooves and wrinkles.  Baby boy is also able to regulate his own body temperature so he'll start shedding lanugo.  

In other news, we picked up a toddler bed for B so the baby now officially has a place to sleep.  He will be taking over B's crib.  I am feeling more tired these days.  The belly is starting to get in the way of bending down to pick things up and sleeping.  I am craving ice cream (I know... shocking!), granola and vegetables.  I have indigestion often but drinking milk helps tame it most of the time. 

animal adventures

Today we went to see lizards, snakes, crocodiles and various creatures at Animal Adventures in Bolton, MA.  Nick's sister, Megan, and her boyfriend, Dan, were visiting so we wanted to do something fun.  It was a rainy day so we couldn't go to the city of Boston.  This was the next best thing especially since I had a Groupon.  And, Bolton spells Boston if you sub an S for the L.  Upon checking in we found out there is an animal show, where we could pet some of the animals, at 11AM.  With about 10 minutes to spare, we decided to stick around.

Bennett enjoyed checking out the map while we waited.  And, visiting with the animals in and around the waiting room.

His favorite was the monkey.  He would crack up laughing when it jumped around in it's cage.

The show started with a cornsnake.  He was friendly and did not feel slimey to the touch.  He felt more like touching hair.  That's because his skin is made entirely of keratin like our hair and nails.

Next we saw and touched a gecko.  He felt rougher than a snake but still pretty smooth.  Geckos are really good climbers.

The ferret was really cool.  He was super flexible and could bend almost every way possible except for backwards.  Their backs bend backwards very little.  He was super soft.  Bennett was surprisingly gentle.

Next up was a lizard.  The lizard was also very smooth like the snake.  Bennett was really enjoying himself and petting the animals.  He was starting to understand what was happening as the animals came around for touch and feel.  

The chinchilla was the softest of all the animals that came around.  Chinchillas are neat freaks and like to stay clean.

He took a bath in the dirt, like birds often do, to get rid of all the oils from our hands.

We are really enjoying the show.

Last but not least we saw a skunk.  He was a brown skunk.  He has been deskunked so he was safe to be around and smelled quite nice.  The skunk was also very soft.  He grew up at Animal Adventures.

After the show we explored the rest of Animal Adventures.

We saw lots of lizards and snakes.

A family portrait with a snake was a must.

The crocodiles and alligator were all very still.  It is really warm in the room to keep them comfortable. 

Outside we said hello to the goat before leaving to go home for lunch.

We made a stop at Colonial Candies for a look.  We have never been there but heard they make good chocolate.

We got a couple of things to try at home.  They have a nice ice cream bar set up too.  We had a fun day but were all ready for some rest, relaxation and lunch.

pi day

Happy Pi Day from us, the coolest, awesomest and bestest people I know, to you!

We now only have to wait a century to celebrate this moment in time again.

national museum of the american indian

We spent the morning at the National Museum of the American Indian in D.C.  We have never been so we were excited to go.  Feeling a little sleepy this morning because we sprung ahead, we were a little slow getting out the door.  A group picture was in order before going in because we haven't done one this year yet.

I had to post the outtakes because it takes work to get a good group picture with this many kids.  I love that you can see the Washington Monument in the background.  This was a great spot for a group photo.

The Museum is huge.  It is filled with masks, weapons, fur, pottery, rugs, boats and everything else that American Indians used and use in their culture.

The kids enjoyed the masks and the wooden sculptures the most.

I enjoyed learning about all the different Indian Tribes that exist in the US.  They are all very different but share the same ideals.

Some of the masks are very impressive.

The fur coats are made from the different animals the Indians hunted.  A lot of their clothing is made from animal skin or guts.  Some of the coats are made from seal guts.  They didn't waste much.

We fit right in with the giant painting on the wall, right?

The Museum houses the different treaties that were signed by the American settlers and the American Indians back in the 1700s.  Each treaty is on display for a limited amount of time.  The treaty on display during our visit is the Treaty of Canandaigua from 1794 signed by George Washington himself.

I wasn't suppose to take a picture but I couldn't resist.  This is a big deal!

We had a good time and learned a lot about the American Indian culture but didn't stay long because we were home bound soon.  Some of us were getting very tired and cranky too.

Before heading home we enjoyed a delicious lunch and had another photo shoot in preparation for PI day next weekend.  As always we had an amazing time and were very sad to be leaving so quickly.  These trips fly by way too fast.  We are already looking forward to hosting and seeing the Seymours in June  Thank you again for having us.  We love you guys!