Which do we want?

People are starting to ask us whether we want a boy or girl. I guess we have both answered "girl," but in thinking more about it, that seems natural. We have a girl already, and we know how much we love her, so it is easy to imagine loving another. 

But, I'm sure we would love a boy just as much; it would just be a different mind set to get into. In fact, it would be exciting to watch the differences between a girl and a boy. 

I kind of have a feeling we'll have a boy, but I really have no reason to think that. It really is true, what "everyone says," that all we could ask for is a healthy baby--boy or girl. It is guaranteed to be loved and cared for.

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Week 9 Baby Center Report:

"How your baby's growing: 

Your baby weighs just a fraction of an ounce but he's poised for rapid weight gain now that his basic cell structure is in place. Junior's also starting to look more human. All the body parts are now there--including arms, legs, eyes, genitals, and other organs--though they're not yet fully formed.

How you're changing: 

Physically you still don't look pregnant (unless this pregnancy isn't your first), but emotionally you may feel you're on a roller coaster ride. Mood swings are common now and it's perfectly normal to feel alternately elated and terrified about becoming a parent. Try to cut yourself some slack--it'll be good practice for the months to come. Emotional flip-flopping can persist throughout your pregnancy and well after your baby's born."

July journal

Monday, July 30, 2002 - 

We traveled to Indiana on Thursday the 18th. (Happy 2nd Birthday to Aidan!!) On Friday, Annah got to swim in a big pool for the first time, at Grandpa and Grandma McEowen's house!   The next day, Grandpa and Grandma Mc took us to the Whitley County 4-H fair so Annah could see the animals!  The horses were her favorite, and all the animals were much bigger than she expected.  Then we went to Grandpa and Grandma Lopshire's house for the afternoon, and got to play with Cousin Wilson and Cousin Charlie.  In the evening, we met Matt and Sharon VonGunten and Kevin Campbell at Clementine's for supper, then went to Paige's Crossing to play.  It was so great to see them!   Annah was so happy to finally meet them all! 
     
On Sunday morning, we went to church at Faith Lutheran with Grandma & Grandpa Lopshire.  Annah had a fever, and was very quite and good in the service.  Afterward, we went back to G'pa and G'ma McEowen's house, and Daddy headed back home for the week.  Annah's fever continued to stick around until Tuesday, so all she could do was lie around and sleep.  She didn't even want to eat.   After her fever broke, she started getting tiny little spots all over her.   Taryn called her doctor, and the nurse said it sounded like Roseola.  Gram took us to Redi-Med, and the doctor verified that it was Roseola.  The rash only lasted a couple days, and then Annah was all better.  On the way home from Redi-Med, we decided to try to find Lori's new house that she had just moved into.  We found it, and about scared her when Taryn knocked on the door.  It is a beautiful house, and it was fun to spend a few minutes with Lori too!
     
On Wednesday, Annah and I went to Amy's house.  Annah loved playing with Amy!  She saw Brock's dog, Abby, and ate pizza for lunch!   Then we stopped in to see Grandma at work.
     
Thursday, Annah and I spent the day with Grandma Lopshire.   Annah got to eat new things there: tater tots and chocolate pudding!  In the afternoon, Uncle Eric, Aunt Marti, and Wilson and Charlie came over.  Annah watched them go swimming in the lake by Great Grandma DeHaven's House, then we all ate supper together.  Seeing Will and Charlie eat popcicles convinced Annah she liked them too, and she ate her first one!  Mmm!  Then, it was back to Gram and Grandpa Mc's house to see Uncle Travis and Aunt Erin.  They visited several times while Mommy and Annah stayed. They are lots of fun to play with!
     
On Friday, lots of relatives started arriving at Grandpa and Grandma McEowen's house!  And, that evening, Daddy walked in and surprised us!   We didn't think he was coming back until Saturday, but he couldn't wait a second more to see Annah.  She obviously missed him too, because she immediately threw her hands in the air, and ran across the room yelling, "Daddyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!"   It was one of the cutest things we had ever seen, and melted everyone's hearts--especially Daddy's!
     
Saturday morning, Annah got her picture taken in her Great Great Grandma McEowen's dress, as is a tradition for each little girl in the McEowen family to do.  Caitlin had hers taken in it too, right after Annah did.  At lunchtime, 37 McEowen's gathered at Gram's and Grandpa's house.  That's the most that have been in the same place at the same time for a while!  There were lots of pictures of the momentous occasion!  Annah had fun playing with Aidan, Caitlin, and Samantha! 
     
Sunday, Annah watched Cousin Scott ride his motorcycle away in the rain.  Then we went to Great Grandma Crabill's house for the Crabill Reunion.   We had to leave a bit early and missed some people, but it was great to see the ones we did!  
     
It was a great week, and we were able to see a lot of our family members and friends!

Visiting Our Indiana Family

Some photos from our time in Indiana over the past week...

We went with Grandpa and Grandma McEowen to the Whitley County 4-H fair, where Annah saw lots of real animals for the first time! 

Mommy and Annah waiting for food at Dogs 'N Suds. 

 Grandma Lopshire helps Annah ride the horsey that was Daddy's when he was little! 

 Wilson and his light saber 

Charlie on the horsey 

We were able to get together with friends we hadn't seen since our wedding! 

Jeremy, Annah on the frog's tongue slide, Kevin Campbell, Matt and Sharon Vongunten 

playing at Paige's Crossing with Sharon 

Annah and Taryn visited Amy at her house 

 Grandpa got Mommy's old car out of the attic for Annah to ride.

 After seeing cousins Wilson and Charlie eat popcicles, Annah decided she does like them. 

Aidan and Annah in the tub 

 BED HEAD! 

 COOL baby!

McEowen Family Reunion

Grandma Nedra McEowen and her 8 Great Grandchildren 

(L to R): back:Colton Kreider, Brenton Jones, Aidan Lowry, middle: Carson Kreider, Caitlin Kreider, Grandma, Annah Lopshire front: Jennifer Jones, Samantha Jones

Grandma Nedra McEowen, Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren 

back: Melissa (Hollopeter) Powers, Wendy (Hollopeter) Lowry, Aidan Lowry, Cathy (Howell) Jones, Brenton Jones, Scott Hollopeter, Mindy (Howell) Hoffman, Tim Howell middle: Carson Kreider, Debby (Howell) Kreider, Caitlin Kreider, Colton Kreider, Grandma, Annah Lopshire, Taryn (McEowen) Lopshire, Travis McEowen front: Jennifer Jones, Samantha Jones, Michael McEowen

Grandma Nedra McEowen, Grandchildren with Spouses, and Great Grandchildren 

Cathy Hollopeter, Scott Hollopeter, Gary Hoffman, Mindy (Howell) Hoffman, Rusty Kreider, Colton Kreider, Brenton Jones, Debby Howell, Tim Howell Ryan Powers, Melissa (Hollopeter) Powers, Carson Kreider, Debby (Howell) Kreider, Caitlin Kreider, Grandma McEowen, Taryn (McEowen) Lopshire, Travis McEowen, Erin McEowen Cathy (Howell) Jones, Samantha Jones, Jennifer Jones, Jeremy Lopshire, Annah Lopshire, Michael McEowen, Wendy (Hollopeter) Lowry, Aidan Lowry Jim Lowry

Great Great Grandma McEowen's dress

It has become a family tradition for each little girl in the McEowen family to have her picture taken on Grandma McEowen's hearth in this dress.  

 The handmade dress is about 100 years old.  

 Annah did a good job posing for her picture, but wasted no time getting to playing as soon as she was done. 

 

 Like the diaper and shoes?

Annah goes swimming

Annah has been doing some swimming this month!

Here she is, all dressed up and ready to go!

This was Annah's first time in her little kiddie swimming pool.  She was not afraid at all! She's a little fish! 

Also this month, Annah had her first swim in a big pool at Krampa's and Gram's house.

Jumping with Daddy is the MOST fun!

Glucose Yays!

The results of my 3 hour glucose test came back just fine! Thank you Lord! 

Now, I don't know if that means I won't develop it later on in the pregnancy or if I am in the clear. I'll have to ask my doctor when I go on the 6th. But, it's happy news for now!

Progress

Here's the Baby Center report for this week: 

Pregnancy: Week 8 : 

How your baby's growing: 

Technically your baby is still considered an embryo. That's because he has something of a small tail, which will disappear in the next few weeks. But that's the only thing getting smaller. The heart and brain are becoming more complicated, the eyelid folds are forming, the tip of the nose is present, and the arms now bend at the elbows and curve slightly over the heart. 

How you're changing: 

You may not look or even feel pregnant, but your uterus is expanding to accommodate its new resident. Before pregnancy your uterus was the size of a clenched fist; now it's as big as a grapefruit. As your uterus grows you may feel some abdominal cramping and mild twinges.

Surprise!

Last Wednesday night I got one of the nicest surprises I've ever had! 

We didn't have dinner at church before the service, so Jeremy came home and we drove back in to church together. On the way in, we talked about how disappointing it was that we weren't able to get financing to buy the Aztek. Then we pulled in the church parking lot, and there was one sitting there. I said, "Somebody has a red Aztek here! I wonder if it's the one we test drove?!" Jeremy pointed out that it was from the same dealership. 

As we got out of the car, I said, "Wow, God must really be trying to teach us something," for someone at church to have just bought the very car we wanted and weren't able to get! I said, "Let's go in and see whose it is!" 

Then, the Aztek started beeping and the lights were flashing, and there was no one in the lot besides us. Jeremy reached in his pocket and pulled out a key, and said, "Why don't you go try this key in it?" !!! I couldn't believe he was serious! He had been working on buying it since Monday, and had managed not to tell me! 

 It is a very nice car, and has LOTS of room in it! Plenty of room for 2 carseats. ;)

Summer at home

Oh yeah, my belly is "pooching" already. I think it's already as big as I was at about 4 or 5 months when I was pregnant with Annah. I guess there is still some flab there that I never really lost though. ;-/ I don't know if I look pregnant to other people yet, but I can tell myself now.


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Annah has been loving summertime, celebrating the 4th of July and good times at home.

Annah loves to watch Daddy mowing.  Now she can help!

Annah's very favorite vegetable is OKRA!! Note the peanut butter on one cheek and jelly on the other.  She even eats okra after a PBJ!

Glucose Blahs

I did the 3 hour glucose test on Thursday. Boy, that was NOT a fun time... I had to "fast" for 12 hours before (overnight, since I went in the morning). They do a urine test first, and then draw blood. Then it's the drink. This time I didn't have the orange one; it was a brown nasty cola-ish tasting thing. Much worse than the orange.

During the first hour of waiting after the drink, I started feeling extremely queasy. A sugary drink in an empty pregnant stomach is not a good combo! I seriously thought I was going to "toss my cookies" in the waiting room. When the nurse drew my blood after that first hour of waiting, I asked him if I could drink some water, and he told me only enough to wet my mouth. Thankfully, at least that helped. I started feeling a little less queasy during the second hour, and by the end of the third, I just felt hungry.

I decided I would just go right home and get something to eat there. But, about 10 minutes from home, I started feeling horrible. I got extremely hot (in my cold air conditioned car); I started shaking, and felt all the energy completely drained from my body. I didn't think I was going to be able to drive my car the rest of the way home. I just kept praying that I would make it the rest of the way.

When I got home, I could barely open the car door or get out and into the house. I grabbed a cup of juice and downed it and found something to eat before I passed out. I was useless the rest of the afternoon. I'm guessing that the results of the test aren't going to come back too favorably.

Car shopping

We had a nice, relaxing weekend at home.  We rented a couple DVD's.  Friday night we watched Shallow Hal, which was pretty funny.   Saturday night we watched A Beautiful Mind, which was excellent.

     

We did a little bit of car shopping, and test-drove a 2003 Pontiac Vibe, and a 2002 Pontiac Aztek.  We really liked them both.  The Vibe was really fun, but probably not big enough for our growing family needs. ;-)  The Aztek is definitely high up on our list if we go with an SUV.
     

If you are not faint-of-heart, and you want to know the details of how the pregnancy is going, you can visit Taryn's online pregnancy journal.

Car Shopping

We've started looking for a bigger car. Obviously, we can't fit 2 adults, 2 carseats, and sometimes a dog in either a Plymouth Sundance or a Ford Escort! 

We test-drove a couple today...a 2003 Pontiac Vibe and a 2002 Pontiac Aztek. I was surprised that I really liked driving them both. I was afraid they would seem huge compared to my little Sundance, which is really the only thing I've driven in my life. But, neither the Vibe or the Aztek seemed big. The Vibe was really FUN to drive, and we were surprised how low the price is. But, the Aztek has a LOT more space in it, which is really what we need. It was fun to test drive them both.

Warnings

Some reactiosn to our pregnancy have been kind of funny. They feel the need to warn me that I am not going to have an "easy baby" like Annah this time. I do realize that all babies are not as even tempered as she was as an infant. She slept through the night at 3 1/2 weeks old, nursed like a champ, never cried, ate whatever we gave her the first time she tried it...etcetera. 

I am fully aware that this child may cry incessantly, not sleep much, not take to nursing, and be a general all-around challenge. But, I am also sure that it would not make me love the child any less! I am prepared to lose some sleep, and get a little frustrated. Isn't that all part of being a mommy?! You do whatever it takes to comfort your child. I know each child is different, and I look forward to getting to know the unique qualities of this child too.

Glucose

A nurse from Doctor Weaver's office called me yesterday. My glucose test came back abnormal, so I have to go take the 3 hour test. She said they don't want the test to be any higher than 135 and mine was 140. I'm not really surprised, I guess. I am glad that Dr. W wanted me to do the initial test early on though. I'm sure if my second test comes back abnormal, she will put me on a special diet. 

Dr. Russ should have last time I was pregnant and had gestational diabetes, but for some reason he didn't act like it was a big deal. I never understood that. Anyway, I'm glad to be trying to take care of this early on in this pregnancy.

Beautiful Soul

Well, the new is out! I put the pregnancy announcement up on our Family Website, and sent e-mails to most everyone in my address book this afternoon. It is so nice to share the news with people we love. I think I may share this link with some of my closest friends and relatives. Not that anyone will really be all that interested in reading it, but... I just feel like keeping a record of this time in my life because I wish I had when I was pregnant with Annah. And, it's so much quicker to type than write by hand. And, I don't have a book to carry around and lose when I put it all online. Ahh, I love the internet. Anyway...

Wendy called tonight as soon as she got my e-mail. She said she was shaking she was so excited. It makes me feel so loved to know that others are excited for us too. She is the best.

I think I am beginning to think more about the tiny life inside me, now that I SAW the baby moving today. It really was so amazing!! With Annah, I think I was 12 or 14 weeks when I had the first ultrasound, so she actually looked like a baby then. This baby is so small it just looked like a little dot, but I could see the heart beating. I know that this is my child and a beautiful soul only from God above. What a miracle!! We are so blessed!

Ultrasound

I had the longest doctor's appointment ever today. I had an internal ultrasound to determine the due date based on the baby's size. It is now actually due on March 3, 2003--(03-03-03--also Erin's birthday!). I could actually see my teeny-tiny baby moving! It was so amazing and exciting!!! The nurse said the baby is currently about 4 millimeters in size!


Baby is the tiny spot between the 2 pluses in the photo.

I also met with Dr. Weaver, who did pelvic and pap exams. She said everything looks great. She is a very cool doctor, a Christian, and seem genuinely excited for me. How awesome!

I also did the glucose test because of the gestational diabetes in my first pregnancy, and had all me prenatal bloodwork done. Should get the results of that soon, I think. I also lost 7 pounds since the last time I was weighed there, which would have been before I was pregnant. That's strange. Maybe it's because I've been walking? I certainly haven't been dieting. Dr. didn't seem concerned. I go back in 4 weeks.

Here's what Baby Center says about where I am in my pregnancy right now:

Fetal Development: Week 6

You may not look pregnant at this point, but your embryo's heart, no bigger than a poppyseed, has already begun to beat and pump blood. The heart is dividing into chambers, and will find a more regular rhythm soon. The embryo itself is about a quarter inch long and looks more like a tadpole than a human. It undergoes a growth spurt this week.

Major organs, including the kidneys and liver, begin to grow. The neural tube, which connects the brain and spinal cord, will close this week. The embryo's upper and lower limb buds begin to sprout — these will form your baby's arms and legs. The intestines are developing and the appendix is in place.

Below the opening that will later form the mouth, small folds exist where the neck and the lower jaw eventually develop. As early as this week, facial features are already forming. Nostrils are becoming distinct, and the earliest version of the eyes' retinas are forming.

4th of July family vacation

We returned from vacation yesterday!  A good time was had by all (the 3 of us, my parents, and Travis and Erin) on our trip to Alton and Grafton, Illinois.  We had planned to visit St. Louis on this trip, but due to the government warnings about terrorist activities near the Gateway Arch, we decided not to head into the city. We had fun anyway, despite the ridiculous, unbearable heat. (We heard somewhere that the St. Louis area was the hottest spot in the country over the holiday weekend!)
     

Annah had fun talking on the walkie-talkies, and spending lots of time with "Kappa-Gamma" (Grandma and Grandpa) and Uncle Travis and Aunt Erin.  She kept Grandma up until 3:30 one night; apparently she was a combination of too tired and too excited to sleep.  Grandma and Grandpa were very patient with her and didn't even call Mommy and Daddy in their room to ask them to come put the child to sleep!
     

Annah got to see fireworks for the first time, and she thought they were the coolest!  We sat just above the marina by the Clark Bridge in Alton and watched the fireworks over the water.  Annah thought they were very pretty when they went, "boom, boom," and that some of them looked like her favorite cereal--Kix.   She asked for "more fire-ks" all the way back to the hotel.  The rest of us had such fun watching Annah watching the fireworks that we didn't see much of them ourselves! ;)
     

It was a nice vacation; we all decided it was too short, and that next time we're going somewhere cooler!      

Nauseous

I'm definitely feeling more pregnant now. I've been nauseous the past few days. I go to see my doctor tomorrow.

Due Date Estimate

My appointment was mostly informational. The nurse asked about my medical history, briefly explained about some of the appointments I'll have, and gave me prescriptions for iron tablets and prenatal vitamins. 

She did figure my due date: February 21, 2003!

It could be interesting getting from our house to the hospital at that time of year. The hospital is 45 minutes away (in good weather!), but living so far out of town, it is hard to say what the roads will be like if there's snow.

I am currently 6 weeks and 3 days along in the pregnancy. The first ultrasound probably won't be until 18-20 weeks. Something to look forward to though! :)

I am beginning to be able to tell more physical signs already...

My tummy is "bloated," sorta like really bad PMS, I am absolutely exhausted all the time, my face is very oily and breaking out, and my breasts are sore too. (Hey, this is my personal journal; I said at the beginning it would be personal and descriptive.) I have also been a little nauseous a couple mornings too. I think I should not drink milk on an empty stomach. The heat doesn't really help much either; it is in the high 90's these days. All in all though, I'm feeling pretty good.

Cramp

I'm getting ready to head out to my appointment with the nurse soon. I had a cramp on one side of my "belly" for a while this morning. It kind of scared me, but I think I remember having that early on the last time too.