Family and Maternity Portraits

On Sunday, our family headed out to a beautiful location to meet with my friend Maria Moore and take family portraits.  I met Maria in the Newcomers bible study I began attending shortly after we moved.  She did a wonderful job capturing our family as it is now.  She also agreed to let us bring, Maynard, our dog to jump in a few shots.  Maynard is around 9 years old, which is very old for a Great Dane.  He has been part of our lives since early 2005, even before Derek and I were married.  He has begun to show his age and it was important to us to get some great pictures of him with our family.  Maria also took some maternity shoots to capture this special pregnancy. I will cherish these pictures forever!  Thank you Maria!

Daniel Family and Maternity Pictures

Choo Choo! I'm Two!

Ben had a train party for his 2nd birthday. We had it at a local church's indoor playground. The kids had a blast playing. I enjoyed making the banner, center pieces, and cupcake toppers for the party. 

All of the food was named according to the train theme.

We had Roundhouse sandwiches, Train Wheel pasta salad, Caboose cupcakes, a log car with pretzel rods, an animal car with animal crackers, a produce car with carrots and celery sticks, a coal car with olives, diesel fuel- tea, water tower- water, and chugga chugga juice.

Roundhouse Sandwiches

Train Wheel Pasta Salad

I order the cake topper from Etsy. It's made by Handsome Rob's by Jen.

The birthday boy blowing out his candles!

The children were given train hats and bandanas
as party favors.  They enjoyed wearing them
while they grabbed a bite to eat.

The birthday boy with daddy enjoying a pretzel rod.

The birthday boy playing with his cousin.

Ben showing off his birthday shirt
that his aunt Jennifer made for him!

Doctor's Visit

Today I had a visit with my regular OB.  I am now 21 weeks along and everything still looks great. My cervix still looked good and measured longer than it did at my previous visit on Thursday with the specialist. I also gained 8 pounds since my last appointment, just a little over two weeks ago!  That puts me at a total of 16 pounds for this pregnancy.  I have tried hard to gain weight after reading research about the importance of gaining weight with multiples. My increasing appetitite has definitely helped!

The doctor reported to us what the specialist said after reviewing the numbers and information from the 20 week ultrasound.  All he had to say was "all three babies looked very, very good!"  Derek and I left the doctor's office in high spirits with all the great news!

Baby A stretching his neck.

Baby B cooperated today and continues to show us his long legs and feet.

Baby C showing the chambers in his heart. 
The other dark circle is either a kidney or the bladder?

Baby names revealed!

After much deliberation, Derek and I have been able to name all three boys.  This was no easy task.  Each baby's name has a family name incorporated, whether first or middle name.  Ben gets the honor of revealing the names in this video:

We have not yet decided which baby will get each name.  We think we might wait until they are born.  Here are their first and middle names and who they are named after.

Chase Jeffery (Jeffery is Derek's mother's maiden name)

Garrett Ryan (Garrett is my grandmother's maiden name)

Tyler Lee (Lee is Derek's grandmother's middle name & her grandmother's maiden name)

Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday, we took Ben to a neighborhood Easter egg hunt some of our friends hosted.  Ben enjoyed playing and finding the eggs.  He got especially excited when he discovered the candy inside the eggs.  Mid egg hunt, one of his eggs broke open and he quickly discovered the candy inside.  At that moment he was finished finding eggs, all he wanted was his candy to be opened. 

Why is this green stuff in my basket?

This is a hat right?



A proud face as he finds his first egg!

Look!  I found one!



Inspecting the egg

Kicked back relaxing and enjoying his candy!

20 Weeks Ultrasound

Today we had an extensive ultrasound at the Specialist's office.  It lasted almost two hours!  My back was sore after laying there for so long.  The tech took lots and lots of measurements including: head diameter and circumference, crown to rump, belly circumference, arm and leg bones, feet, along with many others.  She also looked at the brain, heart, kidneys, bladder, stomach, and blood flow.  Derek and I enjoyed watching our boys move around and wiggle while she took each measurement.  At the end of the scan, she was able to tell us that each baby weighs 13 ounces a piece.  Baby A is in the 71 percentile, Baby B is in the 83 percentile, and Baby C is in the 77 percentile.  So not only are they growing on target for their age, but they are above average! We will get more details about the findings of the ultrasound when we meet with our doctor on Tuesday.

Here are a few pictures from the ultrasound. There is not a picture of Baby B. He did not want to cooperate to have his picture made.

Baby A profile: Look at that sweet little nose!

Baby A: Long Legs and hand in front of face

Baby C: Another sweet profile picture

20 Weeks

Wow!  20 weeks already!  It seems to be going by so fast.  I am feeling much better these days.  I am  constantly hungry and I'm getting sick less and less.  I have cut back on my physical activity.  A simple trip to the grocery store wears me out.  I am also trying hard not to lift heavy objects including my 30 pound son unless neccessary.  I sit down when he wants me to "hold Ben".  This has not been an easy adjustment, but he is starting to understand. 
My belly has really grown the last two weeks.  Here is the comparison of 18 and 20 weeks:

How far along: 20 Weeks

Weight gain/loss: gained 2 lbs. Net weight gained: 4lbs.

Maternity clothes: Yes

Sleep: Ok.  I wake up in the early morning around 4:00 starving and I have to go get a snack.  Falling back asleep is sometimes challenging.

Best moment this week: Listening to Ben say his brothers names.

Miss Anything? No, I am enjoying being pregnant.
Movement: Yes, they usually move at different times depending on how I'm sitting or laying down. Derek was able to feel Baby C move this week.
Food cravings: Mexican, especially nachos.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Yes, I still get sick from time to time.
Have you started to show yet? You betcha!
Gender prediction: Boy, Boy, Boy!
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Looking forward to: Ben's 2nd Birthday and Easter