True Love Lives

5 months

2011-11-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

11-5-2011

A Monkey and a Duck

2011-10-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

Iona @ 20 weeks

2011-10-23T20:07:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-21T14:14:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

Big bro, Little sis

2011-08-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-17T13:58:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T14:02:00.000-07:00

Love

2011-08-07T13:15:00.000-07:00

6 weeks

2011-07-18T21:43:00.000-07:00

Iona turned 6 weeks old on Sunday.

I can't believe it has already been 6 weeks since she was born!

She is a joy and the most wonderful baby.

We are beyond blessed and so in love with our little girl.

When Mom is not around

2011-07-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Dad lets Ewan play with swords.

Kissem

2011-06-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

Ewan asks to "kissem" his sister at least 50 times a day.

Introducing

2011-06-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

the newest member of our family!

June 5, 2011

1:04 PM

6 lbs 10 oz

19 inches

Tomorrow

2011-06-04T22:41:00.000-07:00

Carlsbad State Beach

6-4-2011

Our baby girl arrives tomorrow!

We will post photos as soon as we can :o)

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

Blueberry Picking

and

Chocolate Chip Cookie Making

Last Pregnancy Update!

2011-05-31T14:33:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day weekend

Alcazar Gardens

Balboa Park, San Diego

Weeks 33 -38

How far along? Currently 38 weeks 2 days.

Total weight gain - 25 lbs total, not too bad :)

How big is baby? Baby has grown from the size of a honeydew to a watermelon.

What baby is up to: Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

www.babycenter.com

Maternity Clothes - Yup. I have managed to not have to buy any additional maternity clothing this pregnancy :) and am managing to still squeeze into most of my regular shirts.

Sleep - Sleep is hit or miss. Right now I have been sleeping alright as long as it's on the couch. Heartburn is still a problem and always seems to strike in the middle of the night. I just consider it practice for when our little girl arrives ;)

Best moments over the last few weeks? I have had 4 more appointments since my last post, baby girl is doing great but still breech. The only perk to her position is getting to sneak a peek at her on the ultrasound machine and of course hear her heartbeat. Getting the nursery pretty much set up, just needs some finishing touches.

Movement - Movement isn't as crazy as before, but only because she is running out of room. She loves to stretch and rolls and squirm. She continues to get the hiccups every night around 9 :O) Dave and I can't wait to meet our feisty and stubborn little girl!

Food cravings - Nothing really the last few weeks. My appetite is definitely back which is nice but eating leads to lots of heartburn.

Labor signs - Not quite as many Braxton Hicks contractions lately, but a few that have felt real and painful.

Belly button - Definitely sticking out, haha!

What I miss - I would still say sleeping and being able to eat without heartburn.

Milestones -Hitting 37 weeks - which is considered full-term. I never reached that point in my pregnancy with Ewan, so this was a big deal to me. Looks like we will make it to 39 weeks :)

What I am looking forward to - Our little girl arriving this weekend! That's right, my C-section is scheduled for Sunday, June 5th at 11:30am. Only 5 more days!

Hiking at Torrey Pines

Memorial Day 2011

We will post pics of the newest member of our family as soon as we feel up to it!

Sand

2011-05-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

For Ewan's 2nd Birthday party Dave brought home a ton of sand for the kids to play with. The sand eventually ended up all over our patio and after sweeping it up daily for a few weeks, we decided to move it. Dave dumped it all onto a big empty dirt area on the slope on the north side of our yard. For a few weeks Ewan didn't really notice that the sand was gone. He asked once or twice, but I wasn't too eager to reveal it's new location. Well, Ewan finally found the sand and has been happily playing up on the hill in his "sand box" everyday since. Riley likes to join him up there and so do all sorts of toys and objects from the yard. He cautiously climbs up the small wall and makes his way through the trees and bushes over to the sand and plops down with his shovel and digs until his heart's content. It really is adorable to watch him at work.

This has been a great play spot until yesterday. Our neighbors sprinklers came on in the afternoon and while at first there was no spray into our yard after about ten minutes the sprinklers were watering the hill as well. I didn't pay much attention to it, since Ewan was at the bottom of the slope in the sand and the water didn't reach that far. Then I saw Ewan dump a large scoop of sand onto his head (apparently I used to do this as a child) and walk over to the neighbor's fence. Before I could even say no he was already wet. He looked at me and walked down to the the bottom of the hill with a silly grin on his face, he was one big sandy and soggy mess. Needless to say he was immediately taken to the bath. Boy is it hard to get sand out of hair! Multiple washings, lots of tears and one sand filled tub later - and Ewan was sparkling clean.

Mommy and Ewan both learned a lesson from this story- first, keep Ewan out of the sand box when the sprinklers are on and second, don't dump sand on your head!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy Hiccup

2011-05-17T14:36:00.000-07:00

Transverse Lie

At my last OB appointment I learned that our little girl isn't just breech but is in a Transverse Lie position. A proper breech is butt down, feet up, our little girl is in a sitting position, head up under my right ribs, butt down and feet over on my left side - just like she was at my 20 wk ultrasound. Apparently it must be a pretty comfy spot to just hang out =) Unfortunately, a baby in a Transverse lie has to be delivered via C-section. To say when I found out that I was disappointed would be an understatement, I was practically in tears and just wasn't prepared for the news, even though I suspected she was breech.

My doctor tried to reassure me that she still has plenty of time to turn and suggested a website (www.spinningbabies.com) for different things to do to help our little girl move into a head-down position. Acupuncture and a chiropractor were also suggested. At my next appointment (5/20) she is going to do another ultrasound to check her position and if she is still breech, she wants to schedule me for an external cephalic version (ECV) - basically where the doctor pushes on the fetus and attempts to manually move the baby into the correct position. It is not only painful for the mother, but carries risk for the baby and has less than a 60% success rate. Dave and I have discussed having this procedure done and we just don't think it is worth the risk. So, where does that leave us? If she is still breech this Friday, and we choose not to have a version done, then they will most likely want to schedule me for a C-Section. This outcome has been very difficult for me to accept.

This pregnancy, like Ewan's has been easy, no crazy pregnancy symptoms, nothing out of the ordinary. It has been so smooth that I haven't even considered the possibility of a C-Section. In fact, during this entire pregnancy I have been praying to have a better birth/ after birth experience than I did with Ewan. Since Ewan was born 4 weeks early, he had a few issues and was pretty much immediately taken away to be worked on when he was born. I was only able to hold him for about a minute. It was surreal. After having a textbook labor and delivery I wasn't prepared for my newborn son to be whisked away and to be left exhausted and alone. So my prayer has been what every mother wants when their child is born. To get to hold them and bond with them and spend time together without anyone taking them away. And now there is a good chance I won't get to have this experience, again. Ultimately I want what is best for our little girl and just want her to be healthy, but at this point I am trying everything I can to get her to turn and to avoid a C-Section.

I truly believe she is going to turn and I am praying constantly that she does. I've been doing all I can to help, I have been walking like crazy, crawling on all fours chasing Ewan around the house, doing breech tilts, open knee chests moves, you name it! I am also looking into scheduling a chiropractic appointment to try the Webster Technique and if all else fails I will see an acupuncturist.

Less than 4 weeks to go until my due date, I know she has time to turn, and she is moving quite a bit. It seems now, she is on the right side so who knows, maybe she is working her way down. However, it seems the odds are against it - considering how long she has been this way , the likelihood of her moving now are slim (only 1 out of 2500 babies is in a transverse lie at the end of pregnancy) . But I have hope! I will keep everyone posted, but in the meantime your prayers would be greatly appreciated!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-11T13:44:00.002-07:00

Our Month (so far) In Photos

2011-04-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

Sand Table Fun

Books and trains and any other toy that can be dumped on the floor

Pool time with Gigi in the desert

Sprinklers on a warm day

Giving Riley a bath with Daddy

Munching on cereal and lounging in his chair watching Curious George

Ewan the builder - Can he build it? Yes, he can!

Mmm, licking the beater is the best part of cooking with Mommy!

Pizza time!

Egg Hunts

Our little family :)

Easter baskets

Mr. Potato Head play-doh

Wee-oo, fireman Ewan to the rescue!

Cooking with rocks

Sidewalk chalk toes and legs

Baby Update #4

2011-04-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

Ewan, Mommy and Sissy

Midway Museum

San Diego, CA

Weeks 27 -32

How far along? Currently 33 weeks. But this covers weeks 27 to 32.

Total weight gain - 19 lbs (Thanks to being on vacation for a week and eating out ;o)

How big is baby? Baby has grown from the size of an English hot house cucumber to the size of a honeydew.

What baby is up to:

"This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood." www.babycenter.com

Downtown San Diego

March 28, 2011

Maternity Clothes - Yes and yes. Still squeezing into most of my regular shirts though ;o)

Sleep - The last several weeks have been rough. As my belly has grown I've gotten more uncomfortable. The last couple of weeks I have also been plagued with heartburn during the night which tends to keep me up. However, this last week seems to be getting better, I have had 4 nights of good sleep in a row (Thank you Lord!). Of course that means 4 nights on the couch. Poor Dave :(

Best moments over the last few weeks? I have had 2 more appointments since my last post, baby girl is doing great! It is always fun to hear her heartbeat. Also, finally cleaning out her room, washing her clothes, putting the pack n play in our room and getting the carseat ready. I am in full on nesting mode!!!

Movement - Little girl continues to be quite the mover! She stretches and rolls and is all sorts of squirmy. She has also been getting the hiccups every night around 9 which is always fun :O) I can't wait to meet her and see if she will be as feisty outside the womb!

Food cravings - Sweets around weeks 28/29 but nothing really the last few weeks. This last week I have actually kind of lost my appetite and have to force myself to eat. I also have to eat very small portions because there just isn't much room and I get terrible heartburn if I eat too much at once.

Labor signs - Lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions lately and one day where it sure felt like real ones. I have been trying to not over do it and drink plenty of water, that seems to help.

Belly button - Getting more and more flat and slightly sticks out after a good meal!

What I miss - Sleeping and being able to eat without heartburn.

What I am looking forward to - My 33 wk appointment this coming Wednesday, April 27th and hearing baby's heartbeat. I have scheduled ALL of my remaining appointments. I go again on May 10th and then every week after that! I can't believe I am already at the end of this pregnancy.

Milestones - Entering the Third trimester, gaining more weight (almost 20lbs!), and knowing baby girl is head down for sure ;o)

It is crazy to think that our little girl could be here as in just 3 weeks, if she comes when her big brother did. I am not getting my hopes up and am mentally prepared to go full term. I really just want her to stay in as long as possible so she is healthy when she is born. Can you believe this might be the last pregnancy update?!

Easter 2011

My Parent's backyard

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

2

2011-04-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

April 7, 2009

Birth Day

April 7, 2010

1st Birthday

April 7, 2011

2nd Birthday

Our Day

2011-03-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

Mug shot after rolling off the couch and landing on his nose.

Stealing mommy's hangers and using them to decorate his dresser.

Telling Mommy "Go, Mommy go" - wearing his new helmet and riding on his scooter.

Playing cowboy and admiring himself in the mirror.

Checking out his new "Choo Choo undies" for when he is potty trained. (Yes we've started!)

Oh my goodness, cutest little butt ever.

Yeehaw!

:O)

Just another day at the Thomas house.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T07:15:00.000-07:00

A little leprechaun wanted to wish you all a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

(showing me the sidewalk chalk art on his arm)

Baby Update #3

2011-03-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

Carlsbad State Beach

Tomorrow I will be 27 weeks along, only 1 week from my 3rd trimester! Holy Moly, how can we be at this point already? I still feel great, a bit tired but I think that has more to do with running after Ewan all day long and sleeping poorly at night ;)

Here is a quick update on our baby girl.

How far along? Currently 27 weeks. But this covers weeks 22 to 26.

Total weight gain - 10-11 lbs ( Yay!)

How big is baby? Baby has grown from the size of a spaghetti squash to an English hot house cucumber.

According to www.babycenter.com -

"He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches from head to heel. The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat."

San Juan Capistrano

Maternity Clothes - Finally had to break out the maternity pants in week 25, although I have a couple pairs of regular pants that are just the next size up that I prefer to wear. Still in regular shirts ;o)

Sleep - Has progressively gotten worse. I prefer to sleep on the couch these days, it is firmer than our bed and just seems to support my growing belly more. Unfortunately, Dave isn't a fan of sleeping alone :(

Best moments over the last few weeks? Getting to hear baby's heart beat at my 23 week appointment. Finally having an actual bump and looking pregnant! I have also hit the ten pound mark for weight gain :)

Our House

Movement - This little girl is quite a mover! I don't remember Ewan being so squirmy. She loves to keep me awake at night and is getting pretty strong in her movements. Wonder what her personality is going to be like when she's born?

Food cravings - Sweets! Mmm, especially ice cream and chocolate milk. I am sure these have helped the weight gain.

Labor signs - Too soon for that! But I have had a few Braxton Hicks contractions.

Belly button - Still an innie, but getting more and more flat!

What I miss - Sleeping well.

My Parents Backyard

What I am looking forward to - My 27 wk appointment this coming Friday, March 18th and hearing baby's heartbeat. Also scheduling the rest of my appointments! Can't believe baby girl will be here in 3 short months :O)

Cardiff -by-the-Sea

Milestone - I finally look pregnant ;o)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-09T16:18:00.000-08:00

Carlsbad State Beach 3-9-2011

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-02T20:24:00.000-08:00

Our Goofy Son

2011-02-28T20:41:00.000-08:00

Ewan definitely takes after his father with his silly personality. He is such a character and is always making us laugh. Here are some recent shots of our goofy son.

Sporting an orange, apple, carrot juice mustache.

Testing out Mommy's new tennis shoes.

Hmm, what do you think?

What? The elliptical is the perfect place to have my snack.

Chocolate chip cookie face.

Ewan insists on having every one of his blankets in his bed to sleep.

Yet he always ends up without any covers and his head under his pillow.

You know what's better than one slice of PB&J,

stacking them all up and taking a big bite.

It's even better when you can eat it with your new SD padres tattoo ;)

Carrying around a couple of baskets, just because.

This is the face I got when I asked if I could take his picture.

Yes those are cracker crumbs in his mouth.

There is never a dull moment around our house with this goofy guy!

Jumping into pink

2011-02-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

It has been a couple of weeks since we found out we are having a little girl. With moving into our new house last week and taking time to settle in, I haven't spent too much time dwelling on the news. After getting some much needed help from my Dad with unpacking and setting up the kitchen and getting two of the bedrooms almost completely done, I feel like I am finally able to focus on our little one on the way and start planning for her arrival.

Of course, I started with ideas for the nursery. I could be thinking of practical things like names, but once again David and I are at odds and so looking at art, bedding, and accessories is just way more fun.

I think I want to do yellow, with hints of pink and aqua in the nursery. With those colors in mind, I started searching my favorite kids sites and retail sites like: Ohdeedoh, Fawn & Forest, Serena & Lily, and ETSY. Here are a few of the items that have caught my eye so far.

Mobiles:
Maybe one like this:

Source

(I think I could definitely make something similar, and save $70).

or this:

Source

Art:

For the walls, I like these prints:

Source

Source
(Ewan has this print in blue)

Source
No we are not thinking of a name that starts with 'W'

Source

(Ewan has a print by the same artist in his room).

Bedding and Rugs:

I have lofty dreams of maybe trying to make my own bedding this time round, with some help of course.

But I will probably just end up going with something like this from Amazon:

Source

Source

or this from Skip Hop

Accessories:

No nursery is complete without some lovely little accessories, like this little doll from blablakids:

or this lion

Source

And this doggy bank:

Source

And a fun night light.

Source

I had one like this for Ewan and it was perfect for nighttime feedings and diaper changes.

How about a fun bookcase?

Source

Too bad it's $124.

I have a ton of nurseries bookmarked and saved for inspiration and can't wait to start working on our little girl's room. First, we have to clear it out, at the moment it is filled with random items that still haven't found a home in our new home.

As for the name search, we have started thinking about names but it is just.so hard. We both like unique names and want something that fits with Ewan Fletcher.
Any ideas?
We are completely open to suggestions :)

It Was Time

2011-02-08T14:01:00.000-08:00

Last Friday I took Ewan to the Salon where I get my hair done, for his first haircut. It was LONG overdue. He was a little anxious at first, but after a couple of pretzels he settled into the booster and let my stylist, Erin get to work.

She was awesome with Ewan and did a wonderful job.

I can't believe how much older he looks.

Here he is right after his cut.

My Dad came down to help out and watch him while I got my hair done. It was definitely a godsend having my Dad there, it would have been tough to keep Ewan occupied and sitting still ,and take photos by myself :)

Afterwards we went next door to Filippi's Pizzeria for lunch. It ended up being a lovely afternoon.

Here are some after photos. Doesn't he look adorable!

I love that you can now see his cute little ears and neck.

And that face!

Baby Update #2

2011-02-07T21:13:00.000-08:00

MLK Jr. Day 2011

Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA

The last several weeks have flown by! I can't believe today I am 22 weeks pregnant and in my 5th month! Here is a quick update on our baby girl.

How far along? Currently 22 weeks. But this covers weeks 17 to 21.

Total weight gain - 5-6 lbs ( I know)

How big is baby? Well the baby has grown from the size of an:

Week 17: Onion

Average size: 5.1 inches, 5.9 oz.

to the size of a:

Week 21: Banana

Average size: 10.5 inches ***, 12.7 oz.

What is baby up to? As of week 21 - Baby is gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid everyday, for hydration and to practice swallowing and digesting. Babies taste buds are also working. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. Baby's eyebrow's and lids are present now (source).

Maternity Clothes - Not yet, still able to fit into pretty much all of my clothes ;o)

Sleep - Has been on and off, my back has been bugging me lately so it seems like I toss and turn more.

Best moments over the last few weeks? Getting to see our baby at our 20 week ultrasound and finding out we are having a little girl. Plus, daily kisses on my tummy from Ewan.

1-25-2011

Double Peak Park

San Elijo Hills, Ca

Movement -Starting in week 17 this little one starting moving a lot more. Now at 22 weeks she moves a ton. She is quite the kicker and loves to say hello.

Food cravings - Gyro sandwiches and greek salad, yum! Also, spaghetti with meat sauce and burgers.

Labor signs - Too soon for that!

Belly button - Still an innie ;o)

What I miss - Beer and sleeping on my back.

What I am looking forward to - My 23 wk appointment on February 18th and hearing baby's heartbeat again (not looking forward to the glucose test).

Milestone - I hit month 5! Woo Hoo! Oh, and I finally have a bump ;o)

21 weeks 5 days

My Kitchen

Carlsbad, CA

We are having a . . .

2011-01-26T13:24:00.000-08:00

GIRL!

Pink or Blue

2011-01-24T20:04:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is not only my birthday, it is the day of our big gender reveal ultrasound! Dave and I have been anxiously anticipating this day. We cannot wait to know what we are having, hopefully this little one will cooperate and show us the goods :O)

So, what do you think?

Thursday, January 20, 2011 : Breakfast Time

2011-01-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this boy :O)

Summer in January

2011-01-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

Ewan and I took advantage of the beautiful weather this week and headed out to the beach. The weather was perfect, 70 degrees, sunny, and just beautiful! We practically had the beach to ourselves. We stayed for nearly two hours, building sand castles, collecting shells, rocks, and seaweed, drew in the sand with driftwood sticks, and had a blast. I am loving this warm and sunny weather, I hope it sticks around for awhile :O)

You can't call it "It"

2011-01-01T21:52:00.000-08:00

Source
I think everyone remembers how much trouble Dave and I had naming our first child, if not you can read about it here , here, and here. The trouble was ~~mostly~~ completely due to David's love of all names weird and wonderful (according to him). Apparently, Dave's taste in names has not changed over the last 2 years.
Below are some of the lovely names Dave has suggested for our second child.

Merlin

Fortune

Flinstone

Wilifred Brimley

Beatrix

La + name (LaDavid)
Chang
Krang

I have a nagging feeling baby #2 will be nameless for a couple of days after birth, just like his/her older brother.

It's about time for a baby update don't ya think?

2010-12-28T19:19:00.000-08:00

I meant to post this a few weeks ago, but haven't had the chance. I am 16 weeks along now, so some of this is old news. I hope to post more frequently after the new year.

Thanksgiving Day 2010

I know it looks like there is a bump, but there really wasn't ;0)

So far this pregnancy has been just like my pregnancy with Ewan, even down to head colds at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Other than colds, I am one of the lucky few women blessed to not suffer from the majority of pregnancy symptoms. Yes, I've been tired, but other than that, my 1st trimester was a breeze. In all honesty, I go through most of the day forgetting I am even pregnant, being busy running after a 20 month old has a tendency to keep your mind off of other things.

At 9 weeks, I had my first OB appointment, I was able to see the baby and hear the heartbeat. Unfortunately, even though Dave was at the facility and in the lobby, there was a miscommunication and he made his way back to the room just minutes after she had finished the exam. Dave was pretty bummed. Needless to say, we were both looking forward to our appointment on December 20th.

Here is our little monkey at 9 wks.

I know it's blurry, but I couldn't find our scanner.

I found this format on-line and thought it would be a quick and easy way to do updates on my pregnancy. Here are some of my pregnancy stats so far.

How far along? 13 weeks / 14 weeks

Total weight gain - down 2 lbs ( I know, I know but the weight will come, believe me)

How big is baby?

source

What is baby up to during weeks 13 and 14?

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long and weighs nearly an ounce (source).

Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo is growing all over the body for warmth.

Maternity Clothes - Too early for that ;o)

Sleep - Now that I am not up for hours coughing, sleep is great!

Best moments this week? Having Ewan kiss and talk to my belly. It is the cutest thing ever.

Movement -I thought I felt some fluttering the other night, but that's it so far.

Food cravings - I continue to prefer savory over sweet. Italian food sounds good, as well as anything my Mom or Grandma cooks.

Labor signs - Too soon for that!

Belly button - Of course it's still an innie ;o)

What I miss - Beer and sushi.

What I am looking forward to - My 15 wk appointment on December 20th and hearing baby's heartbeat again.

Milestone - Hello 2nd trimester! Good-bye sleepiness :O) My energy definitely returned last week, just in time to do some major Christmas shopping.

Cardiff-by-the-Sea

December 2010

On December 20th I had my second OB appointment. It was just a quick check in to make sure everything is going alright. Ewan and David were both there this time and were able to hear the baby's heartbeat. It was 153 bpm, Ewan was always in the low 150's high 140's. Hmm, wonder if it's another boy?

How far along? 15 / 16 weeks

Total weight gain - back up 2 lbs, so net gain zero.

How big is baby?

What is baby up to in weeks 15 & 16?

Continuing the march towards normal proportions, baby's legs now outmeasure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably still can't feel the movements.

Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. And, if you're interested, an ultrasound might be able to determine gender.

Maternity Clothes - Too early for that ;o)

Sleep - This week has been rough, since my cold returned just in time for Christmas.

Best moments this week? Lots and lots of little baby movements.

Movement -Yes!

Food cravings - Burritos and spaghetti. Christmas dinner was awesome, raviolis and lots of braciole made this preggo mama very happy.

Labor signs - Too soon for that!

Belly button - Of course it's still an innie ;o)

What I miss - Beer

What I am looking forward to - My 20 wk appointment on January 20th and the gender reveal ultrasound on January 25th (my birthday).

Milestone - hello baby bump, it's tiny but it's there :O)

Christmas Day 2010

David and I cannot wait until we find out what we are having in a few weeks!

Then we can finally start discussing names and planning for the nursery.

Our Christmas Eve Morning

2010-12-24T12:17:00.000-08:00

Was spent at the beach!

After a week of miserable rainy weather, we woke today to blue skies and sunshine. We packed up the kiddo and headed down PCH to enjoy a leisurely drive along the coast. It was just an absolutely gorgeous morning. We stopped at South Ponto Beach in Carlsbad to let Ewan run around and play on the sand.

What a wonderful start to our day :O)

Merry Christmas Eve!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-22T11:39:00.001-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-15T10:52:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-17T21:53:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-10T11:47:00.000-08:00

We're Going to the Zoo. How About You?

2010-11-04T13:30:00.000-07:00

With the summer like weather we've been having this week, I have tried to get outside with Ewan to enjoy the sunshine as much as possible. On Tuesday we made our way down to the Zoo with our good friends the Finks. We LOVE the San Diego Zoo and try to get there often to take advantage of our annual passes. It was a VERY warm sunny day, but the Zoo wasn't too crowded and we managed to see a ton of animals and enjoy time with friends. Joe and Jacee have two boys, Jacob and Jordan. The boys are adorable together and all had a blast checking out the animals and cruising around the park. Here are a few photos from our day.

We can't wait to go again!

Ewan, Jacob, and Jordan checking out the turtles.

The tiger was right next to the glass munching on a bone.

This little panda cub was adorable lounging in the tree.

The pandas were a big hit with the boys.

Hello Hippo.

Ewan checking out the elephants.

This elephant was taking a swim and enjoying some treats.

The kids loved getting to see this elephant up close and personal.

Ewan fell asleep minutes after getting in the car, so I took the scenic route home and enjoyed a gorgeous drive along the coast. The beach has looked like this all week. Just Beautiful!

Cardiff-by-the-Sea

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-03T22:20:00.001-07:00

A Little Giraffe

2010-10-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

wanted to wish you all a very Happy Halloween!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-27T11:14:00.001-07:00

But there is another . . .

2010-10-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

Another baby!

That's right our family is growing, baby Thomas #2 will be arriving in June 2011!

We are thrilled and so happy that God has blessed us with another baby.

Ewan is going to be an awesome big brother.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Reasons why I love living near the beach. . .

2010-09-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

Swami's - Encinitas, California

(taken on our morning walk 9-14-2010)

# 5: the month of September.

Yes, a month can be a reason for loving living near the beach. If you don't believe me, just check out our upcoming 10 day forecast. The weather alone is enough for September to make my top ten list. Add the lack of summer crowds, copious amounts of parking, and days where you find you have the entire beach to yourself and September is just about one of the nicest months of year at the beach.

10 Day Forecast for Carlsbad, CA

Forecast Conditions

High °F
Low °F

Precip.
Chance

Tonight
Sep 14

Mostly Clear

N/A
59°

High not valid after 2pm

Wed
Sep 15

Partly Cloudy

72°
58°

72°F

Thu
Sep 16

Partly Cloudy

76°
59°

76°F

Fri
Sep 17

Sunny

73°
58°

73°F

Sat
Sep 18

Sunny

72°
60°

72°F

Sun
Sep 19

Sunny

73°
61°

73°F

Mon
Sep 20

Sunny

71°
60°

71°F

Tue
Sep 21

Sunny

73°
59°

73°F

Wed
Sep 22

Sunny

72°
58°

72°F

Thu
Sep 23

Sunny

72°
60°

72°F

Last Updated Sep 14, 10:26 PM PT

(Forecast from www.weather.com)

Puppy Love

2010-09-07T23:25:00.000-07:00

Ewan LOVES our yellow lab Riley.

Can you tell Dave is having to hold Riley down because Ewan is sitting next to him?

Riley ~~loves, tolerates,~~ likes Ewan. Now, don't get me wrong, Riley loves Ewan in the "I will protect you if someone is hurting you kind of way", but not the same way he loves Dave and I which is the "I will lick your feet because you are my master kind of way" (Riley licks Dave's feet each and every night as a sign of love and affection and submission, or maybe just because they are salty).

Again, Dave is holding down Riley so Ewan can give him some love.

We know that Riley cares for Ewan, we can tell by the way he sleeps in front of Ewan's door during Ewan's nap time, or how he howls when Ewan cries and doesn't stop until Ewan stops crying. And yet, Riley hasn't been too fond of Ewan petting him or getting too close (unless food was involved of course).

Close but not too close, Riley likes to keep an eye on Ewan.

But sometime over the last week or so everything changed.

Suddenly, Ewan and Riley have become best buds.

Riley doesn't even blink when Ewan sits down next to him to play.

And just last night, Riley let Ewan use his belly as a big ol' pillow.

It might just be puppy love, but I think I see the beginning of a very long and beautiful friendship.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

Maybe he'll be an architect

2010-08-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

Ewan built this today while playing in his playroom.

The boy loves to build, he will stack anything and everything.

Today he decided to stack his trains.

Ewan Fletcher, architect*.

Has a nice ring to it, don't ya think?

*Any How I Met Your Mother fans out there?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

Der Der

2010-08-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while Ewan was playing with his blocks*, I took the chance to run to use the bathroom. Usually he follows me down the hall and plays in the bathroom until I am done, but he was way too in to his blocks to follow. Before I could finish, Ewan started calling for me, "Mama, der der. Mama, der der". I quickly finished and walked down the hall to see what he needed. Ewan was near the kitchen pointing to the stools at the counter and said it again, "Mama, der der". It finally dawned on me what he was saying and I asked him, "Ewan is there a spider?", he enthusiastically and emphatically nodded his head and said yes. And sure enough a big spider was hiding under one of the kitchen stools. I grabbed a shoe and as I made my way to get it Ewan followed behind stomping his foot on the ground and pretending to "get" the spider too.
Oh, how I love this age!

*Thank you Aunt Alicia, Uncle Adam and cousins Katja, Liesel and Soren for letting us borrow the blocks.
Ewan LOVES them!

Capistrano Beach

2010-08-08T17:07:00.000-07:00

My sister and I have been determined to get together more often this summer. We only live about an hour away from each other, but between all of our summer commitments it's been hard to find time to meet up.

We finally pinned down a date and time to get together and last Thursday we met at Capistrano beach in Dana Point for an afternoon of fun in the sand and surf.

My parents joined in on the fun too!

Grandma and Samuel. Grandpa and Ewan.

My beautiful sis soaking up the rays.

Peyton.

Ewan and Peyton. Ewan and Samuel.

Ewan ADORES his cousins.

My little beach bum.

Cousins playing. Relaxing in Grandma's chair.

Graham crackers and hugs from Aunt Kelley.

Sandy toes and sun visors as princess hats.

The only bummer of the day.

After playing in the water, a nice life guard came over to tell us the County had declared the water too contaminated for human contact. That would have been nice to know before we all went in. Kelley and I quickly took the kids and all our sand toys to the showers to wash off them off. I guess this is not a rarity at this beach, which is really too bad, it's quite lovely.

Clapping for the train.

According to Samuel the train went by 7 times while we were there :O)

(the only photo I have of me)

What an (almost) perfect day at the beach. It was gloriously sunny, warm, but not too warm and there was a slight ocean breeze. If the water wasn't off limits it really would have been the perfect day at the beach.

I can't wait for the next family beach day!

Splish Splash

2010-08-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

Summer has finally arrived here in Carlsbad. With warmer temperatures and lots of sunshine we decided to meet a couple of friends on Wednesday for a play date at the San Elijo Hills Splash Park. Danica, Leslie and I meet up almost every Wednesday. I've known Danica since 5th Grade and Leslie since High School, but we just recently reconnected. Danica and Leslie both have two little girls ages 3 and 1.

After a walk through the neighborhood near the park (we always get a walk in before the kids play) and working up a sweat, it felt great to cool off in the water. The kids had a blast.

Ewan LOVES the water and was completely drenched within seconds upon arrival.

Ewan borrowed a yellow bucket from a little boy we know from our Friday playgroup. He was quite determined to fill, dump and repeat.

Reagan and Jayden - Leslie's girls.

Reagan was a little cautious at first,

but after observing for a few minutes eagerly joined in with the other kids.

Ewan and Samantha - Danica's youngest.

Melanie (Danica's oldest) is in the sand at the top right.

Reagan and Samantha.

There is a large sand area right next to the splash pad.

Danica's girls preferred the dry sand to getting all wet :O)

Time for a snack.

Hope this lovely weather sticks around for a while, we have plans to head back to the splash park very soon!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Fin Times

2010-07-26T23:33:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend a group of pranksters sculpted a Great White shark around the "Cardiff Kook", a statue located at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Chesterfield in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. You can read all about it here.

Cardiff will always be a special place for Dave and I. We loved living there and have fond memories of our place on Glasgow, walks on the beach with Riley, and watching daily sunsets over the ocean from our balcony. When we read about the latest prank on the statue we had to go down and check it out for ourselves.

The whole family (even Riley) hanging out with the great white.

Ewan and Mommy.

Ewan and Daddy.

You can't tell from these pictures, but there was quite a crowd gathered around the statue. Every group took their turn to be photographed in front of the shark. A "Save the Shark" petition was even started. I have to say, by far, this is the best prank that has been pulled on the statue. It was well thought out and perfectly executed. Wonder what people will come up with to top this?

Our Sunday Evening . . .

2010-07-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

included a quick trip to the beach.

A perfect ending to a lovely, lazy Sunday. Hope yours was too!

The Big 5 round 2

2010-07-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

Our neice Katja turns 5 years old today! That's right our sisters were in labor at the same time 5 years ago. Dave and I became an aunt and uncle to two kiddos in just 2 days.

Katja, you are such a beautiful girl. You have a contagious smile and your deep belly laughs are the best. You are bright and funny and a wonderful helper. You are a great cousin to Ewan and always make sure he is safe and watched after. Liesel and Soren are lucky to have you as a big sister.

You get to start school next month and we are so excited to see what this next year has in store for you.

We love you Katja and hope your day today is extra special!

Happy 5th Birthday Katja!

With all our love,

Uncle David, Aunt Erin and cousin Ewan

The big 5

2010-07-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

Our nephew Samuel turns 5 years old today! He can hold up a whole hand now when someone asks him how old he is, don't you remember that being such a BIG deal when you were little?

Samuel, you are an amazing boy.

You are sweet and loving towards others, especially your sister and your cousin, Ewan. You are funny and friendly and love being around your family. You are a wonderful athlete and a phenomenal baseball player. It is so much fun to watch you bat, pitch and catch. You would stay out on a baseball field or in the backyard playing all day if you could. You will be starting Kindergarten soon and I know you will excel in school. Your math skills are superb and you are already reading books on your own. I can't wait to see and hear about the new things you learn this next year. We love you Samuel and are so excited to see you at your birthday party this weekend!

With all our love,

Aunt Erin, Uncle David and cousin Ewan...oh and Riley too!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-14T00:12:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-07T08:50:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Summer Days

2010-06-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

We've been enjoying the summer here at the Thomas house. Our days are spent playing at the water table, lounging in the kiddie pool, running around park playgrounds, scooping up sand at the beach, and going on lots of walks. But, to Ewan none of these activities compares to the happiness found playing with the backyard hose. He discovered it yesterday and now it is the only thing he wants when we head outside to play. Today, he learned that if you put your finger over the nozzle, water will spray all over the place. He also learned the hose is fun to drink from and to chase after Riley and Mommy with. He also likes to water the plants, the grass, the beach chairs, the umbrella, the patio, the BBQ, basically EVERYTHING!

Thank goodness we don't have to pay the water bill!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

Father's Day

2010-06-20T22:05:00.000-07:00

I just want to wish a Happy Father's Day to the Dads in my life- but especially to my wonderful husband David James. You are such an amazing father to our son. He is so blessed to have such a loving, caring, Godly and involved Dad. Thank you for all you do for us, for providing for our family, for all of your hard work and the sacrifices you make so I can stay home and be a mommy. I love you and I know Ewan LOVES you too! Happy Dadda Day!

Father's Day - 2010

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, June 8

2010-06-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Get out and vote today!

We did :O)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

The Moses Effect

2010-05-31T10:53:00.000-07:00

Ewan has a thing for baskets (wheel barrows, wagons, containers etc). He can't seem to crawl into them fast enough. If it is small, has four sides, and there is room to sit, then Ewan will find a way to fit!

They are also great spots to play with toys and drink some milk ;o)

Water, water everywhere

2010-05-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

Ewan received a water table for his birthday from his Nana and PopPop (his Great Grandma and Grandpa), it has quickly become his favorite gift. He has played at the table practically everyday for the last month and a half, sometimes twice a day. He just LOVES it!

Let the water table fun begin, can't you just sense the excitement ;o)

There's a smile : )

Riley has to join in on the fun too!

These two are quite a pair.

A boat to float and a cup to pour water all over (mostly on himself).

So focused on watering the grass.

Playing at the water table is serious stuff.

I have to admit, Mommy has grown fond of the water table too, it makes for some lovely photos!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-26T12:05:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Brown bananas...

2010-05-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

make great banana bread!

Ewan has become quite a good little helper in the kitchen. He sits on the counter next to the Kitchen Aid mixer and helps scoop out the ingredients and pour them into the bowl and watches the mixer go around and around. He also likes to stick his fingers into the mix and sneak a taste!

He amuses himself by playing with the measuring cups, spoons, and of course the flour and sugar.

Caught red handed!

And when we make banana bread, the banana peels are fun to throw around too!

All of this helping sure makes for one thirsty little guy.

Book Love

2010-05-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

Ewan LOVES books. He has always liked them, but over the last couple of months, books and reading time have become a favorite activity. Multiple times throughout the day Ewan will get books out of his book basket and bring them to me to read to him or he will sit down and "read" on his own. It is precious. I hope his love affair with books never ends.

Sometimes I like to read books up-side down :o)

Lift the flap books are so much fun.

I can even read more than one book at a time!

Ewan's current favorites:

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo - Kevin Lewis

Dear Zoo - Rod Campbell

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? - Dr. Seuss

Go, Dog. Go! - Dr. Seuss

The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle

From Head to Toe - Eric Carle

Brown Bear, Brown Bear - Eric Carle

The Going to Bed Book - Sandra Boynton

Night-Night, Little Pookie - Sandra Boynton

Boy or Girl?
Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice
	Results