The Gates... Our Growing family!

Summer's Almost Gone...

2011-08-08T10:32:00.001-07:00

So much for keeping up with updating the blog. Last update was in May. Much has happened since then, a finished basement, a new baby (who is now almost 2 months old), changes at work for Tim... here's some pictures of what we've been up to!

June 20th - Abram Dean! What a precious gift God has given us!

July 20th, one month old already!

Abram enjoying his first swim with Grandma!

Little Sosie enjoying the water!

The girls are enjoying the swings (thanks Grandma and Papa) in the backyard!

More to come later... baby just woke up from his 'short' nap!

It's Spring!

2011-05-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

We've had lots of fun so far this Spring. The weather has been hot and sunny, cold and snowy, and very rainy... typical Michigan. Needless to say we haven't had a ton of time to play outside. We bought a picnic table for the girls (for the back yard) to use this summer but have been enjoying having indoor picnics at lunch time!

Here's some pictures, I'll start with Easter!

Amelia all dressed and ready for church on Easter Sunday!

Sophia smiling pretty in her Easter dress!

Easter Baskets! After a wonderful worship service at church we gave the girls their Easter baskets - sans candy since they had enough at the egg hunt the day before!

Sophia, trying to figure out what was on her head!

Amelia got her first haircut - thanks Auntie Cara! Amelia wasn't really sure what to think and refused to wear the cape, she sat with her head down for the most part but at least she sat still!

Amelia loves to have piggy tails! They completely go with her personality. There is rarely a dull moment with Amelia!

Enjoying a blue popscicle on a rare 70+ degree day in April! Notice the spot in the middle of her forehead!

We took a road trip to Lansing. Unfortunately it was for my great grammy's funeral. Both girls did great in the car, Amelia even kept her pants dry! She had lots of questions about why grammy was sleeping, she was very curious about it all.

Sophia has learned how to undress! She is constantly taking her arms out of her sleeves!

Amelia loves to pull Sophia around the island in the kitchen for rides. Thankfully this is how they entertain themselves while I'm getting dinner ready! At least it keeps them busy!

We are well under way with our basement project. Framing and electrical were finished up this week and we are waiting on two inspectors to come in the next couple of days. Drywall is starting either Monday or Wednesday next week! Once the drywall is in then it's paint, flooring and the details! I'll post pictures when it's finished... right now it just looks like lots of pieces of wood and wires! But we're almost there, which is good because there's only 7 weeks until baby boy will be joining our family!

First planting

4 weeks later!

Amelia is LOVING helping me in the garden. We put Sophia down for her nap and then we got out and pull weeds and plant more veggies! She loves to dig but hates getting the dirt on her hands! So far we've planted Sugar Snap Peas, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Romaine Lettuce, along with 4 other kids of lettuce, and Strawberries! We are waiting a couple of weeks for some warmer weather before we plant the Tomatoes (Amelia's favorite), Green Peppers, Okra, Green Beans and Cucumbers!

Amelia planted a flower seed in a cup and we've enjoyed watching it grow!

and grow!

In baby news... I'm almost 33 weeks and feeling it. As pregnancies go this has to be my most difficult, nothing in particular, but having to chase around two toddlers and dealing with construction in my house has added to the stress of being pregnant. We are very much looking forward to meeting this little guy and seeing what it's like to have a little boy in the family! Amelia is beyond excited to meet her baby brother and asks me daily if he's coming soon (we told her when it was hot outside and we could swim in Grandpa's pool then he'd come). She can't wait to give him the paci's she picked out for him!

Playing Catch Up... Yet Again!

2011-04-04T05:50:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe I haven't updated since October... YIKES! A lot has happened in the Gates home since then. Let me see if I can hit some of the highlights.

Some things I don't have pictures of, like :
*Amelia is POTTY TRAINED! We did a three day bootcamp back in November and she did great!
*Sophia is DONE with bottles! And eating more table food than Amelia at most meals!

Christmas morning, snuggling with the blanket Grandma made for Sophia! This was a really special Christmas, not only was it Sophia's first one, but we were able to celebrate with extended family. My aunt and her family recently moved to the area, so along with my siblings, nieces and nephews and my parents we also were able to celebrate with aunts uncles, cousins and my grandparents. It was wonderful, just like I remember it from when I was a child. We all got together on Christmas Eve to celebrate!

The girls opening their stockings, Amelia loved opening presents, and kept asking for days afterward where more presents were! We had a nice quiet Christmas morning just the four of us!

Amelia playing in the snow on the back deck, the snow was as deep as she is tall. She wasn't super fond of the cold, we only went out to play maybe 3 or 4 times all winter.

Sophia hamming it up in her winter hat! Amelia thought it was hilarious to make Sosie (as we call her) wear her hat, luckily Soph doesn't mind too much!

The girls snuggling in the rocking chair. They love to play together, and for the most part get along wonderfully!

Amelia 'almost' ready for her valentine's day party. Just waiting for mommy to do her pig tails!

The girls got bored one day and decided to empty out all the bins on the changing table. (Actually they do this at least once a week now.) Amelia usually makes the mess and Sophia cleans it up - which of course drives Amelia nuts because she wants to play with all the things she got out.

Basement remodel! We are finally starting work on the basement. Dad, my brother and Tim got the walls up for the bathroom and we are hoping to get the rest of the framing done this week... then the plumber, electrician, and heating and cooling guys can come do their work! Gotta get it done by June!

Sophia turned 1!!! How in the world she is a year old already is beyond me. She started walking about 3 weeks before her birthday, has seven teeth and doesn't talk nearly as much as Amelia. She has a few words, dadda, momma, nana (banana) and this week her new word is humhum (hommus - which is a lunch staple around here)

And our biggest news... WE ARE EXPECTING A BOY IN JUNE! We actually found out the week of my last update back in October. We are beyond thrilled, although I will admit I'm slightly freaking out over having a BOY! We are hoping to have the basement finished before he arrives at the end of June. Amelia asks me daily "where my baby brother?" or "when baby brother comes can we play with him?"

We started our garden again, but I don't have pictures of that yet, since nothing is growing. We did plant some seeds already but they won't be up for another week or so. I'll post pictures of that soon.

Tim is still on 3rds at GVSU and praying for something new but we are leaving that up to the Lord. Trying to find contentment in that situation!

I think I say this every time I update but I really will try this time (now that we have internet at home) to update more regularly!

Until next time...

Fall Fun!

2010-10-23T07:51:00.000-07:00

Fall is here and we are loving the cool weather and the changing color of the leaves. Amelia especially loves to pick up leaves in our yard and feel them crinkle. We gave her a bike for her birthday (early) and whenever we go for a ride she stops every couple of yards and picks up a leaf or a rock. She's getting so old. Amelia can count to 8 (she confuses 6 and 4 though) and she knows Pink, Yellow, Blue and Purple.

I've started doing a preschool curriculum with her - it's really laid back and it's been WONDERFUL. Each month is a different verse and theme to focus on. So far she has memorized two verses Genesis 1:1 and Children Obey Your Parents, which she says quite often but I don't think has really grasped what it means :)

Sophia is growing like crazy as well. She's a lot more noisy that Amelia was at her age, always babbling, usually it's "da da da da..." or just shrieking. She knows how to get on her sisters nerves too. Anytime Amelia leaves a toy on the floor, even if just for a minute Sophia crawls at lightning speed to get to it. Which of course then leads to Amelia flipping out! Sophia is so over baby food and just wants to eat whatever we have on the table. She loves her veggies!

Here's a few pictures of what we've been up to lately!

Sophia's 6 month picture!

I just packed the bouncy seat away... as you can see since Sophia just learned how to sit up she no longer just relaxes into it... she wants to be a part of everything so no more bouncy seat for her!

Amelia's newest trick. She has discovered two things 1. she has holes in the side of her head and 2. if she sticks her fingers in those holes she doesn't have to listen to what mommy and daddy are saying.

Sophia just sittin' pretty! She just learned how to go from her hands and knees to her sitting position! She gets so excited with herself when she can do it all by herself!

We were playing on the floor one night after dinner and Sophia must've been really tired because we looked over and all the sudden she was fast asleep on the floor! Too cute not to take a picture!

Amelia LOVES to help Sophia eat her Cheerios! Usually this means that she eats them 'for' Sophia!

If you ask Amelia "what does the clown say?" she'll get this big cheesy grin on her face! It's the only way we can get her to smile for a picture!

My little rooster! I'm always amazed at how messy her hair gets after her nap!

I cannot believe Sophia is already 7 months. I'm not sure where the time has gone... she's already crawling all over our house. We just had to put the baby gate at the top of the stairs because she is a very curious little one!

Amelia eating a doughnut with "trinkles" as she would say! She was so good at Library Story time this week that we walked to the bakery a couple blocks away and she got to pick out a doughnut!

Tim and I took a weekend away and left the girls home with Uncle Dan and Aunt Meghan (good friends and honorary family members!). They were going to go to Post Family Farm, I'm hoping they took some good pictures so I can post some of them at another time!

I have lots more pictures to post so stay tuned for another post! I cannot wait to post pictures of the girls in their Halloween costumes!

Until next time...

So Long Summer!

2010-09-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

As I've been starting to pack away the girls' summer clothes I cannot believe that fall is already here. I drove through today today to be greeted by pumpkins on door steps and leaves in the grass. Where did the time go?

Amelia is almost 2 (YIKES), only two more months. We decided to get her a bike for her birthday, a tricycle really. She can't quite reach the peddles yet but that hasn't stopped her from riding it all around the living room. We move it outside yesterday after several toes were run over. Our drive way has just the right slope to it to keep propell her all the way down to the end!

Sophia is already 6 months old and just this week has started to sit up on her own. She's eating like a cow right now. For breakfast she either has bananas or pears, and for lunch her new favorite is banana mixed with avocado (I know it sounds gross but it's actually quite tasty) and for dinner she LOVES squash and peas. So far she hasn't turned her nose up to anything so we'll see how long that goes.

I am currently getting ready for my first trip away from Tim and the girls. My mom, sister and I, along with 5000 other women are attending the True Woman Conference in Indianapolis this next weekend. I am beyond excited to have some girl time. Although I will most certainly miss my babies like crazy. They are in good hands. Tim will be home with them the whole time!

Well, my pictures uploader thing isn't working... so no pictures this time. Hopefully in the next day or two though!

Until next time...

Changes!

2010-08-13T11:33:00.000-07:00

Boy oh boy have we been busy. I promise I am going to do better at keeping you up to date on our lives! Where to start...

Having two kiddos has definately changed things up a bit! Grocery shopping takes a little longer and trying to split my time between two girls who always want to be held by mommy has been an adjustment. But I wouldn't have it any other way! I love nap time though! Once Sophia got on a good schedule...now both girls sleep at the same time which gives me time to actually get some things done1 now if Sophia would sleep through the night we'd be golden! All in all it's not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. God is an ever present help that's for sure. I find myself praying for wisdom and patience continually throughout the day and I know without His help my home would fall apart.

Here's our most recent family picture, we're having them done in October again so this will have to do until then!

These pictures are going to be really out of order so I appologize for that in advance!
I cannot believe how quickly Sophia is growing, here she is at 4 months (July). We spent her 4 month birthday at FCA camp! The four of us shared a college dorm room for a week... what an adventure that was! Sophia is rolling all over the house, babbling like crazy and is starting to actually enjoy her food!

The girls took a weekend and went to see Auntie Mere at her new place in Traverse City. We couldn't make a trip up north without stopping in at Moomers for some yummy ice cream. Mommy even broke down and let Amelia get her own cup!

Amelia has become such a huge "help" this summer. She is very into copying everything we do, so when we go out to work in the yard she grabs a watering can and helps us out! Grandma let her help once and ever since then we can't water the plants without her "help".

Sophia trying her rice cereal for the first time! Not too sure about it. Now, two weeks later she mostly likes it, I think she wants something that actually has flavor!

Sophia in her Easter dress (which was too big for her to wear on Easter Sunday). Looking like such a big girl!

Sisters always have to match! Not always but I sure do love to make them match! I'm sure when they're older they won't let me so I'm getting it in as much as I can now!

Amelia LOVES to hold Sophia! She's constantly hugging and kissing her. Amelia always makes sure Sophia (or Sissy as Mia calls her) has all of her toys within reach!

One of mommy's favorite outfits didn't fit you long! At three months you already have a personality of your own. You are so easy going and smiley!

Hope you enjoyed the update, stay tuned until next time!

Playing Catch Up... Yet Again

2010-02-02T12:07:00.000-08:00

It seems as though we get busier and busier every year and this one is no exception. Having a one year old and being pregnant has been keeping me up to my ears in all kinds of busy.

So I'll give you a quick recap of what we've been up to for the last couple of months

November:
*Amelia turned 1... where the time went I have no idea, seems like just yesterday we brought her home from the hospital.
*Thanksgiving with the fam! Amelia loved the food, since last year she slept through the entire thing it was all new to her. This year we spent Thanksgiving in Lansing with my mom's family, ate way too much but enjoyed every minute of family time!
*Christmas decor went up! We took Amelia to a tree farm and picked out our Christmas tree. She of course had no clue what was going on. Tim and I set it up after she went to bed that night, got the lights and ornaments on. When she woke up the next day she wasn't too sure about this pokie thing in the living room. Thankfully she left most of the ornaments alone! We also put lights up on the house. What an experience. Not sure I'll be able to talk Tim into that one next year but it was fun to try it!

December:
*Anniversary Trip! Tim and I went away for three days. The first time we'd ever left Amelia overnight. We spent a long weekend at the Harbor House in Grand Haven and boy was it wonderful. Thanks mom and dad for watching Amelia!
*Tim had 2 whole weeks off since GVSU closed down for the holidays. This gave he and Amelia a wonderful opportunity to bond. She's always been a mommy's girl but his first day back to work was rough on all of us. Amelia stood at the door and cried for daddy for most of the day, talk about heart breaking.
*Christmas Eve with the family. We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house with my siblings and all of their kids (Minus my brother who had the flu :( ). All together there were 10 kids under 6 which made present opening lots of "fun"! Amelia loves her new monkey jammies that she got from Grandma and Papa, she loves to carry them around the house.
*Christmas morning we woke up and did a special breakfast for Jesus' birthday and then let Amelia open her presents. Then we headed back to Grandma and Papa's for a day of games and yummy food!

January:
*Christmas Decor came down, except for the outside lights, I can't quite convince Tim to go out in the snow and take them all down quite yet! Life went back to normal. Tim went back to work, normal schedules resumed and we adjusted yet again to what has become our "normal."
*Amelia started potty training! She goes about once a day and just this week has started to ask me if she can sit on the potty!
*Amelia's vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds. It amazes me what she can understand and repeat back to us. Each day is so exciting to see what she'll do next!
*Started readying the nursery for baby #2. Amelia just loves to carry around the teeny tiny diapers that are now on our shelves
*Baby Girl #2 hit the 33 week mark! We are in the count down stages now!
*Amelia has become incredibly interested in books and her baby doll. She pushes her baby in her stoller for long stretches throughout the day.

Well, that's about it for us for the past three months. Sorry, no pictures in this post. Maybe next time. Right now I have to go get a crying baby from her crib! Hope the new year is treating you all well! Stay warm in all this snow!

Birthday Party and Other News!

2009-11-06T08:59:00.001-08:00

The week of Amelia's birthday party we found out that we are having another GIRL! It was so fun to be able to get some pictures of our new little one to compare with our ultrasound pictures of Amelia. We'll see how alike they are come March!

Amelia woke up on her birthday not in a very good mood, runny nose, cough etc. Our first cold of the season. She has since proceeded to pass it on to mom and dad!

We had all of our family over for her party and Amelia loved the attention, and even though she had had a busy day (drs appt with four shots, family pictures, dinner out AND not feeling well) she did really well!

"Helping daddy open her present from Grandma, play food and some pretty dresses!

Her new dolly from Chris and Dr. Smith, it has eyes that close when you lay it down and open when she sits up, Amelia thinks they are just amazing!

The cow cake R.I.P. after getting it all together it lost an ear and it's face :( It still tasted just as good and Amelia didn't notice one bit!

My neat child. She ate the whole peace of cake without making too much of a mess. Actually her cousins who are older than her came away from the party messier than she was!

Tim and I cannot believe she's a year old already. It doesn't seem real. She changed so much, she's starting to talk and is very interactive with her "friends" but is still very much a mommy's girl!

Okay, I think I've caught you up now. I'll try my hardest to keep all of you up to date a little more regularly!
Until next time...

The last few months in pictures!

2009-11-06T08:47:00.000-08:00

Amelia turned 10 months right after we got back from our LOOOOOOONG trip to Minnesota to see Tim's brother, his wife and kids. She did great in the car surprisingly and loved playing with their little poodle!

October 6 Amelia took her first steps and has been walking like crazy ever since. She only wants to do it when SHE wants to do it though. She is quite particular as of late.

We had one warm day in October where it was almost 70 so we took advantage of it and took Amelia to Post Family Farm to pick out a couple pumpkins and enjoy some fresh baked doughnuts (that was her favorite part)! She fell in the woodchips right before this picture so it wasn't the happiest day for her but she recovered well, other than a couple of scratches on her face she was fine.

With her new skill of walking also comes boo-boos. Amelia's first big ouchie. She and the dining room table collided and the table won. She screamed for a good long time but the bruise only lasted a couple of days.

Halloween came next. Amelia was suppose to be a pink poodle, I made her costume, unfortunately my particular baby dind't like the feel of the "fur" so Auntie Cara came to the rescue and loaned us the boys' lion costume. I had to add the bow for a little girlish flair!

Birthday Party Pictures Still to come!

Busy moving...

2009-08-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

Amelia is 9 months old now. We had her pictures done last week and they turned out wonderfully (pictures to come).

This summer has seemed to fly by and we are as busy as ever. Mostly just trying to keep up with our very active daughter. She is currently standing by herself and is days away from taking that first step! (video to come).

We had our first doctors appointment for baby #2. So far so good. We go back in a month to hear the heartbeat. My due date is March 21 which puts me at almost 9 weeks (for some reason this time it seems to be dragging on).

We are settled into our house. I feel like the only thing we have left to do is hang up curtains (which I need to make), but who has time for that? (pictures to come). We're hoping to get started on the basement in September but we'll see!

If I didn't have a sleeping baby in my arms I would post some pictures, but I can't reach the camera, so you'll all have to wait until tomorrow!

Until next time...

Amelia Has An Announcement!

2009-07-25T13:43:00.001-07:00

She's going to be a...

We are beyond thrilled to be adding to our family. We are due March 21 tentatively (I haven't been to the doctor yet)!

Fun With Auntie Mere!

2009-07-10T17:30:00.001-07:00

Today we went to Aunti Mere's house. We had lunch and enjoyed some girl time. We even helped her with the laundry! Amelia always enjoys her time with Aunt Meredith! Here's some pictures from our fun afternoon!

Exploring!

Getting around fast! Excuse the baby cleavage!

"Aunt Mere, would you puh-lease put the camera away!"

Lunch time at Auntie Merediths! She made a mess, that poor dining room table will never be the same!

Then Amelia helped fold some laundry. She got a little distracted with the socks!

She was loving this, until she tried to crawl away with the socks on, they really slowed her down!

This is what happened when we took the socks away. What can a say, she just loves clothes, especially socks!

That's all, just a quick one for tonight. I'm trying to stay on top of this now!

Until next time...

Summertime Fun

2009-07-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

It's been an exciting summer so far. Trips to the pool, friends from Russia, trips to Shipshewana and the 4th of July (also Amelia's 8 month "birthday").

Pool Party
My parents have a pool so we spend lots of time there in the summer! We weren't sure if she'd like the water but once we got her in, she loved it. (she's not a fan of having to wear sunscreen...must take after her grandpa!)

All ready to swim

Practicing her standing with Grandma's help

Waiting to get in!

OOOOOh that's cold on my feet!

Swimming with Grandpa

Loving the water! Thankfully my parents are pretty close! We go swimming a few times a week! I think this girl is going to be a fish like her mommy!

4th of July
We went to the Grandville parade on the 4th. We weren't sure how she'd do with the noise, but like everything else, she did just fine.

Playing with daddy before the parade

Her famous face, the sun was a little bright (the only time all day, otherwise it was pretty rainy)

YAY! I'm 8 months old! Showing off her pretty dress to grandma and grandpa!

I have lots more pictures coming that I need to upload so stay tuned! Hope you are having a wonderful summer!

Until next time...

Father's Day!

2009-06-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

I know I promised lots of new pictures of Amelia and our new house but today is a special day. It's Tim's first father's day and I want to look back at some fun times with him and Amelia! We were so lucky that Tim got to stay home with us for the first 5 weeks of Amelia life. He was a huge help and I don't think I could've adjusted to mommy life without him! He works so hard so that I can stay home with Amelia and just worry about being a wife and mommy!

He is THE BEST daddy Amelia ever could've asked for! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Snuggling at 2 weeks! Tim even got to do the first bottle!

Just playing and snuggling! Amelia LOVES her daddy!

More snuggling!

Getting ready for Christmas pictures! Daddy makes her smile!

Tim is a wonderful diaper changer! Although it takes twice as long because it turns into play time!

Kisses from daddy are the best! Amelia thinks she's too cool for us! They love to hang out and go for walks!

Say a special thank you to the father in your life, or the father of your kids! They do a lot of things that go unnoticed. They work so hard and don't always get the thanks they deserve!

And I promise, NEXT TIME will be full of fun pictures!

Playing Catch Up!

2009-06-08T10:20:00.000-07:00

I finally found the camera and got around to uploading Amelia's 6 month pictures, which don't really mean a whole lot since she's now 7 months but hopefully they'll work until I can get around to taking some 7 month shots. I promise, next time we'll post new house pictures and lots of Amelia pictures... she's so busy now!!!

This was the most difficult photo shoot to date! Enjoy!

Sitting pretty, oops, kinda falling over!

What is this paper for? I want to play with my toys.

I'll just put this over here if you don't mind.

There, now I can see my toys.

Seriously mom. Get this thing outta here!

You think you've outsmarted me... I know that darn paper is up there.
(She really does LOVE her new carseat!)

Ha Ha! Now whacha gonna do!

Good call, just let me play. Now can you please put the camera away?!

Hey, I said please!

Until Next Time...

New Post Coming Soon...

2009-06-01T16:07:00.000-07:00

Well we are all moved into our new home! And Amelia is changing every day. I promise a new post with lots of pictures... just as soon as I find the cord to the camera! Sorry for the delay but it got packed early on and has yet to turn up!

Stay tuned...

Eating Pumpkin!

2009-05-01T05:14:00.001-07:00

"Mommy, this bowl tastes so good!"

"Ewww I got it on my hand..."

"I can do it myself!"

We've had so much fun watching Amelia grow. This is a whole new phase... FOOD! So far we've done banana, green beans, and pumpkin. Pumpkin is by far her favorite!!! Next stop avocado!

Stay tuned for the next post! Pictures of the new house!
Until next time...

Change is a comin'

2009-04-24T04:25:00.000-07:00

Lots of exciting things are happening in our house...

Amelia got her first tooth. They are suppose to come in pairs so I'm expecting another one any day now!

And for our BIG news...WE ARE MOVING! Not too far away. Just to Zeeland. It is so neat to watch God's hand at work in our lives. This was the first house we looked at, the first one we put an offer on, the builder accepted our offer with no counter and no questions in only 2 hours. God's provision is AMAZING to say the least. We are so excited. The house isn't even finished yet, as of yesterday they were putting on the door knobs and deadbolts. We close at the end of May! We are are thankful for the home God has provided for us for the past two and a half years, but it's time to move on.

We'll post pictures soon!!!

Time Outside!

2009-04-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

The weather has been so nice lately we've been trying to spend some quality time outside with Amelia. We are lucky to live across the street from a really nice park with lots of walking trails. Since last time I've posted we celebrated Easter, Amelia turned 5 months and we spent some girl time together and I painted her toe nails!!!

Enjoy the pictures!

I had no idea what a challenge this would be! But fun nonetheless!

Amelia on Easter morning, before we left for church. I love her Easter dress (thank you Keziah). We did an Easter basket for her! She had a ball chewing on the eggs!

Going for a walk with mommy and daddy!

Kisses from daddy - we love it when daddy doesn't have to sleep during the day!!!

Amelia in her bouncy seat... we don't use this much anymore as she has figured out how to get out of it! I put her in it last week, walked into the kitchen (about 5 feet from where the bouncy seat sits) and when I turned around she had almost bounced herself right out of the seat!

We are currently looking at houses. This morning we are putting an offer on a house that we just love. Things are changing. It's so exciting to see how God is working in our lives.

Til next time...

Happy Spring!

2009-03-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

A friend of ours took some pictures of Amelia last week to add some baby shots to her portfolio! It was so much fun. Amelia has gotten so expressive lately that it was great to catch some of it on film! Here's a few of the pictures as a preview... our photographer (Danita) took over 200 shots, but these are some early favorites!

We just started rice cereal, just once a day and only about a spoonful but Amelia LOVES it, she is just gobbling it up! I'll upload a video later!

We moved Amelia to her own room last week. That was so rough...not on her, but on me! She slept great in her crib, now if I can just get through the night we'll be all set!

Amelia and I both are working through our first cold of the season. Amelia coughed through most of the night the other night and has such a drippy nose. She's just miserable.

In exciting FAMILY news... we have started the house hunting process! We aren't in a huge hurry, we just want to be all moved before the winter and holidays! Our goal is to stay in the area, or move a little closer to GVSU so Tim's commute won't be any longer. Needless to say we are very ready to be out of our apartment. Not that we aren't greatful for the roof over our heads, it's just starting to get a little small for the three of us!

Until next time...

4 MONTHS!!!

2009-03-04T13:06:00.001-08:00

My little girl is growing up! Sitting up (assisted of course), jabbering, blowing bubbles, laughing. Not to mention she is LOVING her jumperoo. She just figured out how to make the music turn on... it lets me get a few things done around the house! It's so exciting to see her come alive. I just can't believe it's already been four months since she was born...

Look how long she is! She typically doesn't lay still on the changing table, she loves to kick, but seriously she's filling up almost the entire pad...

We went shopping last week and had to try on these sun glasses. Excuse the blurriness, this was taken on my cell phone. She is quite the little fashionista!

NAKED TIME AFTER A BATH!

Bath time! She's finally started to enjoy this, she splashes around and loves the water!!! Hopefully she'll be a little fish in grandma and grandpa's pool this summer... we'll see!

Here's some video Tim took after her bath while I was trying to get her changed... sorry, no sound.

Until next time...

Decide For Yourself!

2009-02-12T16:45:00.000-08:00

Everyone says that Amelia looks just like her daddy, and at birth she did, but now that she's changed so much we want to see who she looks like now - at 3 months!

So, decide for yourself... who does she look like?

Mommy (top) and Daddy (bottom) both at 3 months

Amelia at 3 months

I Lied...

2009-02-07T05:09:00.001-08:00

We weighed Amelia and she is 14.5 pounds!!! Holy Smokes!

3 Months!

2009-02-05T06:24:00.000-08:00

Our little girl is growing up WAY too fast. She is so full of smiles every day. We lay her in her bed at night and she just jabbers away at the ceiling, it's too cute. Amelia is not as snuggly as she was even just a few weeks ago, she wants to be up looking around and forget about just sitting in her swing or bouncy seat. I carry her around in a front pack during the day just so I can get some things done!

We're at roughly 12 pounds, she was 11lb 6oz 3 weeks ago so we aren't exactly sure where she's at. All we know is that she's growing like crazy. She's fitting into 6 months clothes right now. I had to pack up all her newborn and 0-3 month stuff last week, it was bittersweet.

We are so enjoying watching her grow and are amazed at the blessing God has given us in her. She brings so much excitement to our days.

In "non-baby" news... Tim got a job at Grand Valley State University last week, he just started on Monday and so far is liking it. The only bummer is that yesterday they told him they'd be switching him to 3rd shift. I'm trying really hard not to be upset about it. It's a job afterall, a lot of people don't even have a job currently. I'm just praying and asking God that He will teach me what he wants me to learn through this quickly so that Tim can go back to working days... although if anyone knows about God's timing being different from ours, it's me. Tim and I have learned so much through these layoffs, I thought for sure that once Tim got a job that would be it, there would be nothing else to learn.... YEAH RIGHT.

About six months ago my mom and I were talking and we got down to the fact that I have a very unhealthy level of fear. I've never stayed overnight by myself, I sleep with a nightlight, little noises freak me out, etc. So when Tim told me the "good news" of him having to work 3rd shift for the next 3 months I went to the Lord in prayer. During my quiet time I remembered the conversations my mom and I had had, and some verses that I had been pointed to. As much as I don't like the idea of staying home by myself every night, I really think that God is going to use this time to draw me closer to Him. Over the past two years, we've been through three layoffs. Has it been fun? No. Would I wish it on anyone? No. However, I wouldn't trade that time for anything. God used that time to teach Tim and I so much about eachother and ourselves. It drew us closer to Him, and as we grew closer to God we grew closer together in our marriage. I am really going to try to enjoy this season of life. I'm praying that God would use this time to grow me and to mature me, most importantly in my faith, but also as a wife and mother.

So if you think of it, pray for me. Pray that God would strip away all the fear in my life and that He would use this time to draw me closer to Him.

Until next time...

We've Been Busy!

2009-01-20T10:22:00.001-08:00

Here's what we've been up to...

Growing... Amelia was one month on December 4!

Learning to actually enjoy bath time... it's taken us a while!

Cloth diapers! Mommy's doing lots of laundry but my buns sure enjoy it!

Bundling up to stay warm in the cold Michigan winter! She always falls asleep in her car seat, especially once that hat is down over her eyes!

Making new friends! This is Marge the Glow Warm!

Growing even more! Amelia turned 2 months on January 4 and weighed in at

11lbs 12 oz and 23 inches long! She was NOT a fan of her shots!

So that's our life in a nut shell! We are adjusted to being parents and couldn't ask for anything better. Amelia has been sleeping through the night for the past two weeks! It's amazing what a little extra sleep can do for you!

I've also started a new business venture. I'm a Mary Kay independant beauty consultant and am absolutely loving it.

Tim is looking for work and staying busy between that and watching Amelia while I'm at "work!"

Hope you are all enjoying this new year!
Until next time...

Christmas is coming...

2008-12-20T09:30:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe Christmas is next week. We finally got our shopping, baking and decorating all done. It's a completely new experience doing it all with a 6 week old!

We thought it would be a good idea to send out Christmas cards/birth announcements this year so that all of our out of state family and friends could see pictures of Amelia,

well, this is the best we got...We hope your Christmas is as "merry" as ours!

Needless to say she wasn't thrilled with me for putting that dress on her, and there was no hope of getting her to smile.

Amelie will be 7 weeks on Tuesday and she's changing so much. This past week she grew out of all of her newborn clothes, we are now into 0-3 month sizes! And a BIG excitement for the week... her first laugh! She was sleeping in her car seat while I was driving home and she laughed, more like squealed, but it was the most adorable sound. Tim and I have tried everything this week to try and get her to do it again but have had no luck.

We are so excited to celebrate this Christmas with our new daughter. I know she won't remember any of it but we've got her presents and stocking all ready to go for Christmas morning.

Merry Christmas, we hope all of you have a wonderful holiday celebrating with family and friends!

Til next time...

Pictures!!!

2008-12-06T15:34:00.000-08:00

Just "hanging" out! This is her favorite position, especially when her tummy is upset!

One month old... growing so much

You'd think she never slept!

Always so alert!

Sleeping in the cradle Grandpa made!

We are having so much fun watching out little peanut grow. At one month she is now 8lbs 14 ounces! What a fatty! We've started a schedule and are slowly working at getting her to sleep in her crib (rather than in our room)... she screems everytime we put her down. She's developed colic and has her mommy's tummy, it's very sensitive so mommy has to watch what she eats. And at one month after giving birth I am 3 pounds under my pre pregnancy weight! YAY!

Starting Monday our house will be a little quieter though. Tim goes back to work so it'll be just us girls at home! It's been so wonderful having him home for the past four weeks. Although Tim getting laid off wasn't really a wonderful thing, we feel blessed that God gave him the time to get to know his daughter. ANd now we feel even more blessed that he has been given a new job!

I'll post pictures of our Christmas cards next time... once everyone that I sent them to has received them... it was quite an experience getting a 3 week old to smile!

Until next time!

One Month!

2008-11-28T14:35:00.000-08:00

3 days from now Amelia will be a month old. Where did the time go?

We are all adjusting well and loving being a family of 3! Amelia is letting us sleep about 4 hours at a time at night, although it's nothing like a full nights' sleep it's better than 1-2 hours! She's eating like a champ, and at her 2 week appointment she had gained one pound and one and a half inches (8pounds 9 ounces, 21.5inches long).

Amelia is starting to bottle feed once a day which is a nice break for mom! She loves her thumbs but has trouble finding them. We gave her a paci but she spits it out so once she gets sick of it she switches to her thumb. She LOVES to swing (why didn't we buy one?), so we put her in her car seat and swing it back and forth, mom and dad are both building muscle, and does NOT like to sit still. She definitely lets us know what she wants!

She's quite the shopper too. We make biweekly trips just about to Target or the mall, just to get out and walk. She loves being in her stroller but doesn't like it when it stops moving!

The whole family is just enthralled, both grandmas are completely in love and don't mind taking her off our hands when we visit! She's enjoyed her first Thanksgiving as much as a 3 week old can enjoy a holiday!

Her favorite person is her daddy. She recognizes his voice when he comes in the room and falls asleep in his arms whenever he holds her. She'll forever be a daddy's girl!

I'll post some pictures later in the week! Happy Holidays!

Amelia Therese!!!

2008-11-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

I have been terrible at keeping up at this but a new baby takes a lot of time!

Amelia Therese was born one week ago today, November 4. She was 7lb 9 oz and 20inches long. It's been a long week with lots of adventures, but Tim and I have never felt more blessed. We are slowly getting use to being a family of three and getting use to limited hours of sleep. It's amazing to think that she's already a week old. It makes us realize just how fast she's going to grow up.

And now for the pictures!

Until Next Time

To Make My Mother Cringe...

2008-10-27T08:07:00.001-07:00

Tim and I had a friend photographer of ours take some maternity pictures of us this weekend so I'll post a couple for you. I cannot believe how much my belly has grown just in the last couple of weeks... Sorry mom, I think they turned out good!

Otherwise things have been fairly uneventful. I had another appointment last Thursday. The doctor didn't even check me. Baby girls heart beat was strong at 148 and I'm not even going to tell you how much weight I've gained. So much for bragging about only gaining 12 :( Oh well, it's just a number right! I go back to the doctor on Wednesday!

We're down to 12 days until our due date and we CANNOT wait. I'm having so many false labor contractions it's driving me nuts. I wish the real thing would hurry up and come... We just want to meet our little girl.

And now for the pictures...

Until next time...

18 days to go!!!

2008-10-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

We are 37.5 weeks along now and down to 18 days until our due date. I had a doctor's appointment last Wednesday, a very uneventful appointment. I was tested for Group B Strep and had my first internal since 12 weeks. I'm at 1cm dilation so we have quite a ways to go. The good news from my appointment was that baby has dropped and she is head down! Right now she's measuring at about 6 and a half pounds but could be as much as 8 and a half by the time she's born (if I go to term). Baby's heartbeat was still going strong at 149. She is still moving lots but it's more just rolling around than the karate kicks I was getting earlier on. I think it is safe to say I have run out of room for her!

We finished our childbirth classes last week and also had our preadmission appointment. I think we are both ready to get this show on the road. We even bought a mini-van! We sold Tim's truck two weeks ago and had been looking around for something to replace it, finally we found something on Saturday and got the car seat all installed and ready to go. The bags are packed and the nursery is ready now we just wait for our little girl to come.

I am getting more and more uncomfortable, it comes with the territory I suppose. Between all the Braxton Hicks contractions and the muscle aches and pains in my legs I am throwing in the towel! I just want to meet my precious baby girl already!

We have another appointment on Thursday, where I'm hoping to be further along that I was last week... I guess we'll just wait and see!

Until next time...

35 WEEKS!

2008-10-02T09:28:00.001-07:00

We are 5 weeks from our due date. Holy cow how did we get here? I know we're ready but at the same time I feel completely overwhelmed! We are halfway done with our childbirth classes and I just took my breastfeeding class through the hospital today. I think we are both learning a lot of valuable information from them... wether we'll remember any of it when it comes to crunch time is another story.

I had my 34 week appointment on Wednesday and I am measuring right on. So apparently my body finally caught up with our little baby girl. I'm trying my best not to get up any hopes of going early, but honesly I am so over being pregnant. Benedryl has been a saint the last few nights, I've actually gotten some quality sleep, which hasn't happened in weeks. Other than that there isn't too much to report. Baby's heartbeat was at about 145 and I'm up a total of 12 pounds, not bad if I say so myself.

I have my second (and last) shower tonight. Our church is throwing a churchwide shower for me from all the ladies. It should be a great time!

Here are the pictures from my previous shower, and of the bedding my mom made and of my growing belly. I should've gotten these up sooner!

SHOWER:

Me at 32 weeks and one with me and Erin (my friend who threw the shower)

The yummy dessert table (those truffles were AMAZING Erin)! And molding babies out of playdoh on our heads!

NURSERY BEDDING:

The bumper pad, sheet and the skirt! Thanks Mom!

BELLY:

Me at 35 Weeks!

Well I think that about covers things so far. I'll try to post some other pictures from my shower tonight. I cannot believe we are only a little more than a month away from meeting our little girl!

Until next time...

Getting Closer!

2008-09-18T06:48:00.001-07:00

I had my 32 week appointment with the doctor yesterday. It was fairly uneventful. I'm still measuring about 3 weeks ahead but he's not too concerned. I gained 4 pounds since my last appointment, but that still makes me on the low end of weight gain during pregnancy!

I mentioned that my biggest "worries" were the sudden swelling I had noticed and the increasing back pain. He wasn't worried about the swelling, my blood pressure has been on the low end all along so he said it's just "normal" pregnancy swelling, I just hadn't had much of it yet. He was more concerned with my back pain. I've been having sore muscles in my back for most of my pregnancy but for the last week or so it's gotten increasingly worse. He gave me some exercises to try over the next week or so but if those don't seem to help he's going to send me to physical therapy. Thankfully the back pain hasn't been associated with any cramping (a sign of preterm labor), but if that starts to become an issue I'll have to go back in to be checked.

From the beginning my doctor has been concerned with me working full time. Not that I have a strenuous job, I sit in front of the computer for most of the day, but the stress of work is still there. He asked me yesterday if I was still working and I told him that I had just gone down to 4 days a week. He was very surprised that I was working at all. I told him that my plan was to work part time from here on out, until I deliver or until my due date (whichever comes first). He just laughed and said that would NOT be happening. Especially now with my back pain, and measuring ahead he said he'll give me two more weeks, until my next appointment, to keep working, but if the back pain hasn't subsided and I'm still measuring ahead he doesn't want me working anymore. So we'll see.

Overall it was a good appointment. Baby girl is growing, and moving tons. Her heartbeat this time was 148.

*Stay tuned this weekend for pictures from my shower!

Surgery & A Shower!

2008-09-15T06:40:00.001-07:00

Last week I posted about my dad being in the hospital, we were hoping that would be the end of things. Unfortunately this past Wednesday, he was taken back in to ER with similar symptoms (headache, nausea etc). The neuro doctor decided that surgery was the best option. On Thursday my dad underwent a Craniotomy (they make an incision in the scalp and remove a piece of the skull so they can have access to where the bleed is). Thankfully, as far a major brain surgery goes, this is one of the least invasive, but it's still considered a major surgery. The surgery went well, they only had to take a piece the size of a silver dollar off the skull to get to the bleed and were able to see everything they needed to. My dad woke up great from the anesthesia, and other than the goofy side effects of the pain killers he was the same old dad. He is coming home today, and is ready to get back to life - he's not one to just sit around, especially in the hospital. Our whole family is so thankful for all the prayers, meals, visits, cards and words of encouragement we have received over the last two weeks. We are hoping this is the kind of thing that happens once in a lifetime and never has to be repeated. We are just praising God that things worked out the way they did, my dad has a wonderful team of doctors and is on the fast track to recovery.

In BABY news:
I am 32 weeks (or I was last Friday), and feeling pretty good. My back pain is back and is worse than ever. Between that and the nausea I feel like I'm back in the first trimester. Right now, more than anything I just want a full night's sleep, wishful thinking I know! I am also growing like crazy. Every day when I look in the mirror I feel like my body has changed overnight. And I can tell baby is growing too, she is running out of room, and fast. Her kicks are becoming so hard and sometimes painful. Her feet end up under my ribcage and as she must be stretching out, but boy is it painful. The baby newsletter I get says that baby girl weighs about 4 pounds, but since we're measuring ahead I don't think that's accurate. All I know is that she's growing!

We had our first baby shower this past weekend. My friend Erin threw it for me and it was wonderful. Great friends, great food, and lots of laughs. Everyone was so generous, we received lots of necessities including our crib bedding (thanks mom!), car seat, pack-n-play, bottles, books and lots of cute girly outfits! I'll post pictures later in the week of the event! We are so thankful for all the great friends and family we have supporting us through this new step in our lives.

We are only 8 weeks away from our due date now! Tim and I are both shocked at how fast the time has flown by. It really feels like just yesterday we were staring at that little white stick with the two pink lines! God has already blessed us so much and we look forward to seeing how he will continue to grow us both as individuals and as a couple as we continue to prepare for the arrival of our little girl! It won't be long now!

Until Next Time...

Ahead of Schedule!

2008-09-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

We had our 30 week appointment this past Wednesday. Baby Gates' heartbeat was 145 and going strong. She's definitely getting bigger, I don't feel like there's much room left inside for her. The doctor had a student with him and she measured me and got a measurement for 3 weeks ahead. He was sure she had done it wrong so he did it himself... sure enough, we are measuring 3 weeks ahead of schedule. He assured me not to worry about it, it's something we'll watch and if I continue to grow at that rate then we might have to do a growth ultrasound to see how big baby girl is!

This has been an odd week for our family. On Thursday morning my dad was taken to the ER for some bleeding on the brain. After two days at the hospital, a couple CT Scans, an MRI and innumerable amounts of prayers, visits and kind words, he is doing wonderfully. This morning he seemed like he was finally out of the woods. Our family is so greatful for God's mercy on us and for all the prayers that have been lifted up on our behalf. Tim and I are especially greatful, we cannot imagine our little girl not being able to meet her grandpa. My dad is still in the hospital, and probably will be for a day or so yet but he's pain free and feeling wonderful. Thank you all for your prayers for our family, they were and are greatly appreciated.

Until next time...

Nursery Progress

2008-08-27T06:09:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures from the nursery, we aren't completely FINISHED but we're 95% there! Tim's finishing up the room divider this week, to seperate the "office" side of the room from the "nursery" side! And I have more circles to put up on the walls, I just ran out of steam!

Okay here ya go...

Closet organizers and large bookshelf right inside the door

Looking in from the door and a front view of the changing table and part of the crib!

Crib and smaller bookshelft/end table!

So there you have it! I'll post pictures of the crib with the bedding after my shower, so look for that sometime in September!

Nursery!

2008-08-21T06:42:00.001-07:00

I forgot to post our BIG news for the week. My mom and I, along with my best friend took a day and went to IKEA for some serious shopping. The nursery is now completely furnished. Everything is ready for baby girl to arrive!

My mom is making the bedding and is recovering the glider that we bought. Once we get those in the nursery it will be all set!!! However, my mom is hoarding both until my shower!

I'll post pictures as soon as I can remember!

Glucola... YUCK!

2008-08-21T06:39:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I’ll be 29 weeks along, which will leave us with 78 days to go until D-day! I had my 28 week appointment yesterday and it went really well. I got to drink some wonderful orange drink (it tasted like a melted Popsicle) so that I could have my test done. Doesn't that look tasty?

After I finished my cocktail I had to have some labs drawn to see if I have gestational diabetes (which, thankfully, I don’t) and to check my thyroid levels, then I got to see the doctor. The nurse weighed me and I’m up 2 pounds since my last visit… which brings my grand total of weight gained to 6 pounds! 6 I can deal with!

Baby’s heartbeat was strong at 148, the slowest it’s ever been, the doctor says as the baby starts to mature more the heart rate will slow so it’s nothing to be worried about! My belly is measuring 29 cm which is perfect (1 cm for each week you’ve been pregnant).

Baby girl is responding to outside stimuli. Tim and I were in the car the other day and he sneezed (rather loudly) and my entire stomach jumped. My guess is she didn’t like the loud noise! This week she weighs about as much as a butternut squash and measures about 15 inches. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to develop and she’s now blinking her eyelids, which are complete with eyelashes!

In mommy news…
I’m feeling alright, just getting more and more uncomfortable. The sciatic pain that I experienced in the first trimester is back. Combine that with the round ligament pain and the loose joints and I’m feeling like I’m about 65! In all seriousness though I am loving being pregnant. Baby’s kicks are so strong right now, she’s obviously running out of room, but I can push on one part of my belly and she’ll poke a foot or elbow out at me! It’s wonderful to be able to feel my child moving within me. I’ve been sleeping rather well the last few nights, other than the constant up and down to go to the bathroom, but it’s much better than it was a few weeks ago!

Tim and I are getting very anxious to hold our little girl. We often find ourselves just wandering into what will be her room and staring at the little clothes and toys, just dreaming of the day we can bring her home. It’s all so overwhelming, we are both so thankful that God has entrusted this little one to our care. We know that God is preparing us, even now to be the perfect parents for this little girl. We know we’ll mess up and right now we have absolutely NO clue what we’re doing, but we are both trusting in the knowledge that God will give us the strength and the wisdom to raise our daughter His way and for His glory.

Until next time…

THIRD TRIMESTER!!!

2008-08-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

Well we made it to the third trimester! I was 27 weeks on Friday August 8. Which means that as of today there are only 88 days until my due date! YIKES! So much to do, so little time!

Baby is still very active. This week she's up to about 2 pounds and about 14 inches long! We have figured out her schedule too. She wakes up at around 10am and is active until about 2pm doing all sorts of dances, then is quiet again until 6pm (just in time for dinner) we are convinced that she wakes up just for daddy when he gets home from work. Then she's quiet again until I climb into bed for the night. We have been reading to her every night before we go to bed and as hokey as it sounds it actually does work at quieting her so I can get some sleep!

In Mommy news...
I am feeling relatively good. I feel like I don't have the right to complain because I have had an easy pregnancy compared to others out there. Although I will say that lately I have been feeling very uncomfortable. It's a whole new experience to try and maneuver with a watermelon in front of you. Tim told me on Sunday that I have started to waddle a little (but I contribute it to the fact that I had heels on)! My legs feel like they could come unattached from my hips at any moment and the low back pain is back from the first trimester. I have also noticed, just within the last couple of days, that I don't have the energy that I had even a week ago. The second trimester "burst" as I've heard it referred to is definitely gone... so sad.

Other exciting news that I just have to share is about both Tim's new job and my current job. First off, Tim passed his certification test, so it's official now and we can all take a deep breath. As for my job, there have been lots of "rumblings" at the office for a few weeks now, which have created lots of stress. We've been praying that everything would get resolved and that things would stay stable at least until we have the baby. God has answered our prayers - unfortunately I can't get into all the details, but we are very thankful for the way everything is turning out!

We have our 28 weeks appointment next Wednesday where I get to drink some yummy orange syrup for my Gestational Diabetes Test! Should be a good time! Have I mentioned yet that we are all registered for our childbirth classes at Zeeland? I am so excited to start those, they don't start until September 22, but it's something I'm looking forward to!

Until next time...

Nesting!!!

2008-08-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

I'm just entering the third trimester of this pregnancy, and with that comes a whole new set of oddities! I have started "extreme nesting." I emptied out every cupboard and closet in our apartment, scrubbed them, sorted them, reorganized them and put them back together - this was on Thursday. On Friday I scrubbed the floors, dusted and vacuumed from top to bottom, baked dozens of muffins and cookies to freeze, did four loads of laundry, changed all the linens, cleaned the bathroom (including the shower) and had dinner on the table by 6pm. On Saturday Tim and I gutted the garage, sorted through tons of junk, hung our bikes on mounted racks and finished the changing table. Then we went inside. Once again I attacked our bedroom closets and compiled about 5 bags of clothes and other items to go to the mission. We worked in the office, cleaning out old bills and receipts and rearranging things so that we can fit a third person into our home! Overall I'd say it was a very productive weekend!!!

This past week I took it fairly easy. My boss was very concerned after last weekends events so I worked a shortened week, it was glorious. I cannot wait until I can go down to part time. Baby girl is moving so much now and this weekend was the first time that Tim and I could actually identify body parts poking out of my belly. It was amazing. Baby is the length of a cucumber this week and weighs about two pounds. All of her senses are developed and she can hear us quite clearly when we speak.

In Mommy News:
I am still growing and getting quite uncomfortable along the way. Between getting up multiple times to use the bathroom and the great effort it takes to roll over, sleeping is not going so well. Last night however I slept all through the night. I'd been praying for just one night of restful sleep and I definitely got it!

I noticed today that we are in the double digits - only 96 days until my due date... HOLY SMOKES! I feel like it was just yesterday when we started telling people we were expecting and now there are only 13 weeks left to this pregnancy. Only a little while longer until we can hold our precious little girl!

Until next time...

First Trip to Labor and Delivery

2008-07-28T05:41:00.000-07:00

And not a fun one. Tim and I had big plans for this Saturday, none of which involved spending most of the afternoon in the hospital.

Friday I woke up in the middle of the night with some really intense cramps, they were coming about every 30 minutes or so and continued on through morning. I called my doc and he said I should go to L&D to get checked just in case, as I'm still pretty early. So Tim and I rush around getting showered and dressed and head to Zeeland. I got all hooked up to the monitors and was checked. Thankfully I'm not dilating or thinning out at all so that's good. As soon as I was hooked up to the monitor all my "contractions" stopped. They watched baby and I for a few hours and her heart rate and movements were strong so they sent us home. Apparently I'm overdoing it and not getting enough fluids and rest so I was ordered to rest for the weekend with my feet up (it was kind of fun having Tim wait on me!).

This "practice" trip to L&D reassured me so much about having picked Zeeland. The staff was wonderful and so great about answering all my questions. They took great care of us.

Hopefully that was a one time thing but I'm still having some uncomfortable cramps this morning, I'm just trying to slow down and destress my life as much as possible!

25 Weeks now! Only 15 to go until our due date!

Ultrasound and Belly Pictures!

2008-07-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

We took this last night, as we haven't done one in about a month. I can definately tell that mommy AND baby are growing!

Full Body shot, all curled up!

Full Body shot - you can see arms and legs!

Face, and hands!

IT'S A GIRL!

24 weeks!!!

2008-07-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

When did I get to be 24 weeks along? We are less than four months from our due date and cannot believe how fast time is flying by.

This week our little girl is about as long as an ear of corn (just over a foot) and weighs over a pound now! Her brain is quickly developing this week and her taste buds have started to develop! Her lungs are also starting to branch out to form the "respiratory trees" necessary for her to breathe when she gets here! This is also the first week of viability (meaning that she could survive outside of mommy's womb)! Of course we want her to stay in there and cook for a good while longer, but it's just exciting to get to this point.

She is still moving around lots in there, and she is quickly running out of room! She's flipping all over the place, some days I'll get kicked in the bladder, and some days I'll get kicked in the ribs, she's just moving like crazy, which makes this experience even more amazing!

In Mommy news...
I have been having some Braxton Hicks contractions. My doctor says not to be concerned unless they start to come in a pattern, or more than 4 per hour. I am surprised by what they feel like, not painful but definitely a "take your breath away" sensation. My whole abdomen gets really tight like I'm flexing my muscles. It happened quite a bit while we were gone last week, probably from the added stress and all the new activities that I was doing.

I have my 24 week appointment this Wednesday, I'm excited to see what I'm measuring and how much weight I've gained. Up until this point I haven't gained much and I feel like in the last couple of weeks I've grown by leaps and bounds so we'll see!

Tim has officially started his job. He is out of the training portion and is out on his own. He's really enjoying it, although he comes home at night quite tired. We both are still getting use to the new schedule, but in the long run this job is going to be such a blessing to our little family!

Until next time...

Hiccups!

2008-07-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

Our little girl is VERY active to say the least, she's constantly kicking at me and doing all sorts of wild gymnastics. This week though I experienced what I assumed were just "rhythmic gymnastics." Apparently not. As it turns out it was the hiccups. They went on and on for a good part of the day, in perfect rhythm too. I could feel them from my throat all the way down through my belly. Talk about an odd sensation!

At 23 weeks we have only 4 months left!!! This week our little girl is the size of a small doll. Roughly about one pound and about 11 inches long. Her movements are getting to be more pronounced and I notice my belly bouncing even more now! She is especially active at night but reading to her seems to calm her down some.

The changing table has had it's second coat of paint and will be moved into the nursery when we get back from vacation. Things are really starting to come together. All we need now is a dresser and a bookshelf and we'll be all set!

Even more exciting than all of that is that Tim has found a job!!! We've been waiting for over a year for such a great opportunity and God has blessed us so much - it was worth the wait. The best part is that it will enable me to take as much time off when the baby is born as I need to. For that I am very thankful, and I know Tim is thankful that he isn't stuck at home all day anymore doing the laundry and the dishes!

In mommy news...
not much has changed since last week. The line on my belly has gotten darker, and my belly has gotten bigger. That in and of itself makes rolling out of bed quite a challenge (and according to Tim - quite humorous) - and by rolling I mean literally ROLLING! I've started to notice a little swelling at my ankles at the end of the day, nothing that a few hours with my feet up can't take care of. I'm just trying to get plenty of fluids and stay cool in this heat!

We head out tomorrow for a week of vacation - with no air conditioning... pray for me! Needless to say I'm sure this next week will be the hottest one of the summer as it is notorious for that! It will be enjoyable to get away either way, but I'm hoping for some cooler weather!

Until next time!

VISIBLE MOVEMENT!

2008-07-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

The biggest news for the week is that our little girl has officially been spotted. This weekend she was moving a ton, probably because of all the junk food I had been eating with the holiday weekend. On Sunday I was laying on the couch and noticed she was moving stronger than usual, I looked down and could see her thumping away at my belly. It only happened a couple times, and each time it happened I would call Tim over but she must be shy because he never saw it.

We are 22 weeks now, I have been pregnant longer than I'm going to be pregnant, which is a big accomplishment in my mind. We are only 124 days from my due date and I have a feeling it's going to fly right by.

Baby is the size of a spaghetti squash this week, about 11inches long and weighs about 1 pound! Her lips, eyelids, eyebrows and fingernails are all becoming more distinguished. Her eyes are developed but the color is still missing. She is getting increasingly active and I am now able to see a pattern to her movement throughout the day. She especially likes to let off her energy right as mommy is trying to go to sleep!

In mommy news...
my belly is changing color. I have developed this dark line up the middle of my tummy, but I've been told it's "normal." My belly is also growing, which for some reason makes people want to touch it... it's interesting! I'm feeling really good though. I have a lot of energy for the most part and I'm sleeping better too. Tim and I are making some good strides on the nursery. My mom is almost finished with the bedding and Tim is starting to paint the changing table today. I cannot wait to take pictures of it when it's all put together!

Everything else it going great, baby is growing strong and healthy, I am right on track, and have less than half way to go. Our next doctor's appointment is July 23rd and from there we'll start scheduling our childbirth classes, and my gestational diabetes test. Until next time...

Carrot Top!

2008-06-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

At 21 weeks baby girl is about 10 inches long, the approximate length of a carrot! And boy is she moving. This week was my birthday and I of course induldged in 1 (okay more than 1) piece of cake and I think it sent her into a tail spin. She was kicking me like crazy, which was absolutely AMAZING. It's gone from a little goldfish swimming around to a tiny little karate kid constantly karate chopping and high kicking inside of me! She is always the most active right after I eat and when I'm trying to get to sleep.

We are hoping that this little girl will end up with red curls just like her mommy, but the ultrasound couldn't tell us that! We have promised to not call her carrot top though!

We had our mid pregnancy doctor's appointment this week. Baby's heart beat was at 150bpm. The Dr. said that the ultrasound looked great, they could see all the organs and get all the measurements they needed to so we won't have to have another one :( unless something happens. The ultrasound did show that our little girl is growing right at the 50th percentile, which is right where the doctor likes to see babies.

In mommy news, my belly has definately become more noticeable and it's starting to get in the way. At work this week I noticed that I couldn't sit quite as close to my desk anymore. And sleeping has become very interesting, it's not so much the sleeping actually as it's the changing positions. It takes a lot of effort for me to turn from one side to the other (and I'm just over half way there, which means it's only going to get harder). The doctor said that I'm measuring at 21cm, which is perfect for being 21 weeks along! I've also got a lot of energy back. I feel so much better, not nearly as drowsy and no upset stomach... it's wonderful!

Other than that things are normal here. Just trying to get over the fact that in a little over 4 months we are going to be bringing home a baby girl. YIKES! We are both so overjoyed and thankful that God has blessed us with such a great responsibility.

Until next time...

HALF WAY!!!

2008-06-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

20 weeks this week, which makes this prgancny half way over. Which also means that we are half way to meeting our new addition!

This week Wasabi is the length of a banana! About 10.5 ounces! This week is the first week that the baby is measured from head to toe instead of crown to rump! I can definately feel the baby moving more now. Even Tim was able to feel it moving around!

In mommy news, I am finally feeling GREAT! I have so much energy and I'm not having any morning sickness at all. My sciatic pain is still present but not as bad as it was. Recently I've been having a lot of round ligament pain (the ligament that connects the uterus to my abdominal wall) because I'm growing so much more quickly now!

My mom and I went shopping this week for my birthday and I now have a complete maternity wardrobe to take me through the end of this pregnancy, which helps me feel like I actually look pregnant now, not just chunky! :)

BIG NEWS:
Okay, so I'm sure this is what you've all been waiting for. We had our big ultrasound on Friday afternoon. Baby is measuring great, legs, arms, head, organs etc, is all measuring right at 20 weeks which the ultrasound tech said is PERFECT! We were even able to get a good look at some specific details on the ultrasound. So for those of you wondering......

Wasabi is..... A GIRL!!!

It doesn't get more exciting than that! After our ultrasound though we went and registered at Babies R Us and Target. Boy was that overwhelming! But we finally picked out all the fun necessities that our little girl will need!

We have another doctor's appointment this week to go over the results from the ultrasound and to schedule more prenatal testing! I cannot believe it's alreayd half way over!

Until next time...

I Know You're There!

2008-06-13T09:16:00.000-07:00

This week has been a busy one lots has happened since last week! 19 weeks today, almost halfway there!

Wasabi is the size of a large tomato this week weighing about 7 ounces and about 6 inches long! This week his/her senses are being developed (smell, hearing etc). The books say that Wasabi can hear us now so we should be talking, reading, singing etc to my belly. It's slightly odd talking to your stomach though!

Exciting news:
#1. We got our crib this week! We ordered it on Saturday and it was at our house on Wednesday. It only took an hour to set up (an hour that I never want to relive) and looks wonderful in our "nursery!"

Side view and Front view! I couldn't just leave it empty so I put a blanket and a couple stuffed animals in there! We found one we liked at Babies R Us but they discontinued it in white, so we went to JCPenney and found this one and we just love it! We cannot wait to put our new baby in it!

#2. I know the baby's in there! I felt movement for the first time at church on Sunday. It was such an odd sensation. At first I thought I was getting sick but then after I kept feeling it for a couple days I knew it was more than that! If you've ever held a bag of water with a goldfish swimming around you've probably felt what I'm feeling (just not in your stomach)! It feels like a little fish is swimming around in there. Sometimes it makes me a little nauseous but I don't mind!

In mommy news, nothing too exciting to report. I'm getting bigger every day, or so it seems. My doctor told me that from this point on I'm going to grow a lot faster (joy)! I can already tell that I'm growing because my lower abdomen is sore, especially when I move quickly. My sciatic nerve is still bothering me but I've found that walking really helps. And sleeping with lots of pillows helps take the pressure off my back as well although it doesn't leave much room for Tim in the bed! I'm measuring 16cm, which, according to my best nurse friend, is PERFECT for this point in pregnancy (thanks Mere)!

Only 7 days until our big ultrasound!!! Don't forget to vote for what you think baby Wasabi is going to be! I'll update here after our appointment next Friday (but it's not until 3:30pm so you'll have to be patient!)!

Until next time...

Would You Care for a Pepper?

2008-06-06T09:26:00.001-07:00

Today marks 18 weeks! I cannot believe how fast this second trimester is going. Not to mention how much more quickly I'm growing compared to the first trimester!

This week Wasabi is 5 and 1/2 inches from crown to rump (at least that's what my books say). Which puts baby G around the size of a bell pepper and weighing in at 7 ounces. Wasabi is getting a good workout, learning to move his/her arms and legs all over!

In mommy news, I'm suppose to be feeling all of this exercise the baby is doing but so far I haven't felt anything. It happens at different times for different women, but I'm hoping it's soon. I can't wait to feel my baby moving inside of me. I've also been instructed that I am no longer allowed to sleep on my back, something about lack of blood flow and oxygen to the baby. This has been a hard adjustment for me, which translates to restless nights and little sleep. My sciatic pain continues to get worse, which we were expecting but I've also added to that regular back pain. Last week it was mostly in my lumbar but now it's radiating up to my shoulders.

Another new experience for me is my lack of balance. My doctor warned me that my ligaments in my joints would start to stretch but I didn't realize how soon it would happen. I've been tripping over my own feet all the time and bumping into things that have never been a problem before. It's leading to lots of bumps and bruises!

My most exciting news is that I found a bathing suit that I actually feel comfortable in! Okay so it's not HUGE news or anything, but it's a big deal to me, as I've been looking for one for a long time (18 weeks)! After our trip to Minnesota, I knew that I couldn't just get awy with wearing a regular tankini anymore! So my mom and I went shopping and found one, at Marshalls of all places.

Nothing else too exciting to report. Our big ultrasound is only 14 days away! What do you think we're having? My dreams have been half and half and my intuition changes daily! We'll know soon!

Until next time...

And the next big step...

2008-05-31T06:48:00.001-07:00

We have scheduled our BIG ultrasound. Friday, June 20th we'll be able to see little Wasabi! By then we'll be exactly 20 weeks so we'll be able to see all of the baby's features. And hopefully, if all goes well we'll know whether Wasabi is a girl or a boy!

We were all very busy this past week. We drove to Minnesota to see Tim's family, who were all very excited to hear about our news. The trip this time, however, was much different being pregnant... I don't think I ever want to get into a car again! We had a great time though and can't wait to see everyone again!

17 weeks this week, almost halfway there, where did the time go? This week Wasabi's bones are starting to transform from soft cartilage to hard bone. Weighing in at about 5 ounces this week baby is about the size of a turnip (I'm not sure that I've ever even seen a turnip?)! We had our first 2nd Trimester appointment this week too. The doctor measured me for the first time, which wasn't exciting at all, he didn't even tell me the measurement. Wasabi's heart rate was lower this time too, at 159 beats per minute. Overall it was a rather uneventful appointment, except for the ultrasound scheduling part! We also talked about doing the Quad Screening Test, which tests for downs syndrome but Tim and I decided agains doing the testing. We'll go back to the doctor the week after our ultrasound!

In mommy news... my belly is growing and maternity clothes are starting to become my only option most days! My sciatic pain is worsening along with lumbar back pain (which could be partly because of the 10 hour car trip we just took), this is not doing anything for my mood! My tummy pain has mostly subsided, except when I eat spicy foods, but for the most part the Pepcid I'm taking is helping a ton!

Tim and I are starting to look into car seats and cribs so that we can register after our ultrasound. Who would've known there was so much a baby "needed." I thought planning our wedding was overwhelming... I take it all back. Planning for baby is much more overwhelming!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday! Summer is right around the corner! Until next time...

We Know You're There!

2008-05-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

This week has been somewhat busy in the baby world! On Monday I went to the ER for severe stomach pain that I'd been having for a week or so. Once we were checked in my doctor came in to do an ultrasound (looking for gallstones) and we got a wonderful surprise. We got to see little Wasabi for the first time! Obviously the doctor didn't point out any details to us because he wasn't looking for the baby, but for stones, but at this point in the game, there is no mistaking a baby! The heart was beating nice and strong and it was moving around like crazy! Such an amazing experience! Now I really can't wait for our big ultrasound in a few weeks! The doctor didn't find any gallstones (thank goodness because Dr. Smith is out of the country for 2 weeks). He thinks I just have a sensitive tummy during pregnancy so I have to take a Pepcid before I eat and sleep with two pillows under my head. So thankful that it's not my gallbladder... I did NOT want to have to have surgery!

I'll be 16 weeks tomorrow and I'm still feeling really good. Wasabi is the size of an Avocado this week, and has developed toe nails! The circulatory system is in full working order this week which is pumping Wasabi's blood through his/her entire body!

People are starting to notice that I'm pregnant. Even the bag boy at the grocery store could tell, he offered to carry my groceries to the car for me! Maternity pants are WONDERFUL! I have been living in my maternity jeans and they are so much more comfy than my regular jeans! I'm sure in a few months I'll want my regular pants back but for now these are quite comfy! I've also been sleeping a lot better (most nights anyway), which helps my energy level a ton. My sciatic nerve is bothering me more than ever now, which my doctor warned me about, but hopefully in 8-10 weeks it will subside for the most part!

This weekend is Memorial Day and we are taking Wasabi on his first in-utero road trip! We are headed to Minnesota to visit Tim's brother and his family! It will probably be the last time we make it out there for a while, at least until after Wasabi is born!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend and be safe! Until next week...

How big is an Apple?

2008-05-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

This week (15) baby G is the size of an Apple. To me that is a little vague, being that apples range in size. But he/she is weighing about 2.5 ounces. Baby is still growing strong, this week his/her legs are finally longer that the arms and all of the joints are working!

We have our big ultrasound scheduled for 4 weeks from now, right before my birthday. Tim and I have decided that we will be finding out the gender. We've been going back and forth about whether or not to and we've decided that I'm too much of a planner to not know for another 5 months!

In mommy news, not a whole lot has changed. Yesterday I had my workout clothes on and I felt like I finally had a noticeable bump (as opposed to just looking fat, which is what I've looked like for the past 2 months or so)! I'm sure people walking by me don't notice but those who know me can tell that I have indeed begun to show!

My mom and I are starting to work this week on the bedding for the nursery and the cushions for the rocking chair! I feel like things are starting to really feel real.

Baby's Name:
Because it gets annoying always saying he/she, or him/her etc, from here on out the baby will be known as Wasabi! That's what Tim refers to it at home so for now, until we know what we are having that will be easier! Why Wasabi you may ask... (or you may not, but I'm going to tell you anyway)

...during the first part of my pregnancy Tim found these Wasabi Peas at Meijer, he bought a can of them and needless to say over the next couple of weeks we went through a lot of Wasabi peas. I ate so many that I developed an allergic reaction to them and ended up having to go to the doctor for it. It was devastating as that was the only thing that sounded good. So Tim dubbed our baby Wasabi because of mommy's love for Wasabi Peas!

Until Next Week!

My Little Lemon!

2008-05-09T05:49:00.000-07:00

We are 14 weeks today, only 5 weeks until our big ultrasound! This week baby G is about 3.5 inches long and weighs about 1.5 ounces! And, you guessed it, he/she is the size of a lemon! A lot is going on in the development of baby G, his/her liver and kidneys started functioning this week, producing bile and urine (exciting, I know)! Also happening this week is the growth of baby hair, probably red and curly! If we had an ultrasound this week we would also get to see that our baby is able to make lots of different facial expressions, he/she is also able to suck it's thumb!

In mommy news, I am completely over morning sickness (knock on wood)! I have felt good this entire week and have gotten a lot of my energy back. That is not to say that I'm staying up past 9pm, but during the day at least I have energy! I should start showing any day now. The 9 pounds that I've gained so far are really only visible to me, but every day I can tell more and more that there is a baby inside me!

I got my first ever mother's day card in the mail yesterday. It was so precious to think that already I am preparing to be someones mommy! I never could have imagined what this would feel like. God has truly blessed Tim and I, and we cannot wait to bring this little one home!

Welcome!

2008-05-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Gates family blog! We have gone public with our big announcement and wanted a place to keep family and friends informed and up-to-date on the happening of Baby Gates, and us too!

Second Trimester
As of today we are 13weeks and 3 days, which officially starts the second trimester! I'm finally starting to feel "good." Baby G is about 2.5-3 inches long this week, weighing in at about a half an ounce! Baby G is growing big though, this week he/she is the size of a peach! Baby's G's face is starting to even look humanlike. All of our baby's vital organs are developing, including the heart. At our doctor's appointment last week we got to listen to the heartbeat. Let me tell you, it is the most amazing sound there ever was. Our little one's heart was beating strong at 160 beats per minute! That definately made things more real!

We've started looking into "necessities" that we'll need once baby comes! Thank goodness it's garage sale season! We've found some great deals! My mom and I also found the cutest fabric that we are going to use to make the crib bedding and use to cover our rocking chair (a garage sale find!)!

Tim and I are so looking forward to meeting this little person! Only 6 more months to go until November 8!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the latest in baby G news!