First Trip to the ER

At the beginning of September Austin had his first trip to the ER.  He fell off the couch and hit the edge of our round coffee table.  I watched the whole thing and as soon as I heard his cry, I knew he was really hurt.  He split his ear wide open and had to get three stitches.  He was pretty upset at first but calmed down on the ride to the hospital and even fell asleep in the car as we drove.  Once there he didn't cry again until they started to stitch him up and was fine again when they handed him a popsicle when it was all over.  I hope we don't have to make that trip again for a very long time.  The ear is healing beautifully and he will have a battle scar to show for it later in life.  All boys have scars like this right?!

 

 

 

22 Weeks with Baby #2 (2 1/2 weeks ago)

 

 

{Taking monthly pictures with a toddler is not the easiest thing in the world.  Seriously this is the best we could do after 50+ shots and bribery with a sucker.  Oh well!)

How far along: 22 weeks (Well, I was 22 weeks 2 1/2 weeks ago!!)

Total weight gain: gained 7lbs

Maternity clothes:  Yes!

Stretch marks: No *knock on wood*

Sleep: Still not very good but a little better than before.  Probably because work is crazy busy right now and I'm exhausted.

Best moment of this week: Girl's Night dinner at Kotta AND Birthday Dinner Party for my friend Amanda (two adult nights in one week...unheard of)

Miss anything: red wine

Movement:  Yes, she is moving around a lot now.  All movements are still very low.

Food cravings: no

Anything making you queasy or sick: no

Have you started to show yet: *see picture above* ;)

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: no

Belly button in or out: out

Wedding rings on or off: On

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy, with an occasional "moment" here and there.  (Sorry Tayt!)

Looking forward to: cooler weather and the holidays

It's a....................

My sweet sister-in-law Sara asked us months ago if she could throw us a gender reveal party for baby #2.  At first I hesitated because I was worried I wouldn't want to look away from the screen during my anatomy sonogram and then I was worried I wouldn't be able to wait until a party for the big news!  Well she talked me into it and it worked out that I would have my sonogram late Monday afternoon, the sonographer would call Sara and tell her the gender and then the party would be later that night.  I decided I would resist the temptation to look at the screen and I gathered up all of my willpower to wait three hours for the answer!  Tayt didn't trust himself not to look for the "sex" at the sonogram and he decided not to come to the appointmen.  So I was all set to go alone.  I was excited and nervous and really was okay until I left work and headed to the appointment.  Then doubts flooded my head.  What if something was medically wrong with the baby and I was finding out alone?  (That was after all the reason for the sonogram, not really just to find out the sex.)  I called Tayt on the way and then called my mom.  They both told me not to worry and I quietly said a prayer to myself, took a deep breath and headed to the appointment.  Of course the baby looked perfect and has the same perfectly round profile picture as Austin did.  I even stopped the sonographer and made her take a picture of it because it looked so much like the one I had from Austin exactly three years and one day before.  She had a little trouble finding the gender at first because the baby was (and still is) sitting very low.  She checked twice and said with confidence that she knew what it was.  She then asked me what I thought...of course I said boy.  After the appointment she called Sara and I headed home to get ready for the party!

The party was PERFECTLY decorated!  Sara is amazing!!!!!!!  Every detail was simple and beautiful exactly like I wanted it. 

Sara had told Grant and Trent and they took the box and filled with balloons while Sara filled the cake with M&Ms.  No one else knew the gender.  When everyone arrived we opened the box to learn the surprise.  I'll let the pictures tell the story.....

 

It's a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!

 



I can honestly say that I have never been more shocked in my life.  I was 100% sure that I was having another boy and it took me several days to wrap my head around the fact that we are going to be adding a sweet baby girl to our family.  We feel so incredibly blessed and can't wait to meet her.

{Update:  For a month I was so paranoid the sonographer was wrong and that the baby was really a boy.  I would wake up at night thinking about it and wouldn't allow myself to start planning or shopping.  With Austin we had a perfect sonogram picture to prove it and I had seen "it" several times on the screen.  With this one I just had to take the sonographer's word for it.  Well, that doesn't sit well with a pregnant woman so this Monday when I went back for my next appointment, one month later, I told my doctor that I just HAD to have another sonogram so I could see for myself.  She laughed and told me the sonographer had never been wrong but wanted to make me happy so she sent me across the hall for a look.  Sure enough, clear as day, I saw a baby girl on the screen.  So yes, I was officially the crazy lady at the doctor this week but I feel much better and can finally begin to plan for a baby girl to join us in a few short months!!!!!!!!!!! EKKKKK!!}

18 Weeks with Baby #2

How far along: 18 weeks (and really this picture was taken at 18 weeks 5 days...oops)
Total weight gain: gained 4lbs
Maternity clothes:  Yes!  Much more comfortable.
Stretch marks: No *knock on wood*
Sleep: Not great.  Getting up to pee several times and constantly rolling back and forth from one side to the other.  To be fair, I don't think I'm a great sleeper even when I'm not pregnant.
Best moment of this week: 3 Day Labor Day weekend to just RELAX
Miss anything: red wine and margaritas :)
Movement:  small flutters VERY low in the middle
Food cravings: nope
Anything making you queasy or sick: no
Have you started to show yet: *see picture above* ;)
Gender: We find out next week but here are the predictions....Mommy-boy  Daddy-boy  Austin-girl
Labor signs: no
Belly button in or out: In but starting to move out.
Wedding rings on or off: On....unless I forget to put them on which happens occasionally lately.
Happy or moody most of the time: Happy, with an occasional "moment" here and there.  (Sorry Tayt!)
Looking forward to: Finding out the gender in less than a week.

I'M BACK and oh how things have changed!!!

My poor poor neglected blog!!!!  It has been way too long since I have written or even checked on my little corner of cyberspace.  Life took over and blogging was not a priority.  Honestly it is easier to update friends and family with small blurbs and pictures on Facebook and Instagram.  BUT, with things changing quickly in the Todd house I thought a blog post was warranted.  So, what is going on with us....

#1 I'M PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Baby #2 is set to arrive at the end of January!  We are trilled to welcome a second child into our family and can't wait to meet him or her.  Our due date in January 29th which is cool because Austin's due date was January 30th.  (We are consistent!)  Their birthdays should be close and all I hope is that they each get their own day.  We are in our 18th week right now and will find out the gender on September 8th.  (We found out with Austin on September 7th....see, consistent!)  I feel great right now.  I was a little sicker in the beginning and spent a couple days in bed super nauseous and not wanting much to eat.  Again, it was nice to be off work during the first trimester and able to rest and relax.  Please say a prayer that the rest of the pregnancy goes smoothly and our baby continues to grow and develop without any complications.  Austin is excited and knows "there is a baby in Mommy's belly".  He is convinced it is a girl and wants a "sister".  We'll soon see if his prediction is correct.  Mommy's guess is baby boy #2.

#2 Tayt just started his last semester of nursing school!!!  It has been quite an experience for all of us but in true Tayt Todd fashion, he has done AMAZING!  I'm very proud of my hubby for working so hard and making it this far.  I know he will make an incredible nurse because he is so kind and thoughtful.  His patients will be blessed to have him.  We are officially counting down and in 15 weeks he will graduate and then it's on to take NCLEX!  

#3 Austin started preschool this week.  WHAT?!?!!?!  How is it possible that my tiny baby is old enough to be in preschool?  At two and a half he is a "big boy" and is quite opinionated.  He is funny, full of energy, sweet and oh sooooooo CUTE!  We love our little buddy and think he is simply amazing.  He is so smart and his memory is great.  He talks ALL.THE.TIME and never runs out of energy.  The first week of preschool was great.  He loves going to his school, talks about his teachers and tells us things he did during the day.  I hope he continues to love this new experience and learns a lot while he is there.  His teacher said he was "perfect"...I agree! :)

#4 I started my NINTH year of teaching.  That sounds crazy to me and time sure does fly because it doesn't seem like that long.  Week number one was good.  Exhausting but good.  My class is sweet and I'm excited to learn more about them and watch them grow.  I'll work until I POP and then take about 12 weeks off with the baby.  (That is definitely something to look forward to.)

I'm sure there are a lot of other things that have happened in the last 7 months but those are the highlights.  I will do my best to update more often, especially about the baby.  I wish I had the time to go back and add pictures from the last seven months but lets be honest, that won't happen.  I do have some good ones from our Destin trip this summer that I will upload next.  All our love and prayers!!! -The Todds

Christmas 2013 (Part 4: Christmas Day)

Almost a month later and I am finally getting around to posting the last Christmas post of 2013.  We spent Christmas day at my parents' house.  There are so many pictures and I think they will tell the story of the day.  Austin was a little overwhelmed with all the gifts and didn't understand why he couldn't stop to play with every toy before a new present was passed his way!  He has now had plenty of time to play with everything and everything is still scattered all over our little house at the moment.  I love spending Christmas day with my family.  I like drinking coffee, my mom's amazing Christmas breakfast that we have had for so many years now that I have lost count, hanging out in cozy clothes, opening way too many presents and then just spending the whole day together!  So, without further ado, here are the pictures of Christmas day! 
(side note:  Tayt and I had planned to have Austin open presents from us and "Santa" at our house before heading over to my parents but the baby who always wakes up about 7:00am, slept until 8:30 on Christmas and so we had to load up those presents and take them to my parents!)





The day after Christmas we drove to see Tayt's mom in Killeen.  Unfortunately, I didn't take my camera out once while we were there.  We relaxed, talked, rode around on the Rhino and played with all the animals.  And, we ate at an excellent hole in the wall Mexican restaurant, because after all the holiday food I am always craving Mexican food.

I can sum Christmas 2013 up in one word, BLESSED!  Until, next year....

To be continued....

There is one more Christmas post coming but I need a blogging break.  Be back with more later this weekend.

Christmas 2013 (Part 3: Christmas Eve)

We LOVE our church Hope Fellowship.  It is literally thirty seconds from our driveway and we have called it our church home for almost three years now.  I've been volunteering with the Adventure Kids (early childhood program).  I have loved spending my mornings with the little ones at our church, including Austin.  Tayt has been playing with the band which was a huge blessing for us.  The music at Hope was one of the first things that drew us in.  The weekly worship time is unbelievable.  The musicians that play for our church are truly talented. 

On Christmas Eve, Tayt played all four services (1:00, 2:30, 4:00, 5:30).  I volunteered at 4pm and then my family met us for the 5:30 service.  I wish I had taken some pictures of the church because the lighting on Christmas Eve is always magical to me.  Pastor John gave the Christmas Eve sermon, which reminded us all to see Christmas as child does.  He is always so relatable and brings the word of the Lord to us in a way that we can easily understand and use in our lives.

After church we went to Macia's for dinner.  Her house was beautiful as always.  I loved that Sara's family joined us this year.  I am really enjoying getting to know her family as we blend our two families together.  (I will be blogging about Sara and Grant's wedding soon!) 

These are my favorite Christmas pictures!  I love these sweet moments with my boys!!

Christmas 2013 (Part 2: Dinner/Presents with Tommy and Dee)

Next stop on our Christmas tour was dinner with Tommy and Dee.  Tayt, Austin and I met them at Potstickers in Frisco.  Dinner was great and their new location was hoppin'!  After dinner we headed back to our house to open some presents.  This was Austin's first experience opening presents this year and he loved it.  His face was so cute when he finally figured out what was inside.  His favorite gift was the Rockin' Crock that he calls "all-gator".  Thanks for dinner and lots of cool presents Pee Paw and Dee Dee!

 

Christmas 2013 (Part 1: Our Dinner Party)

We started Christmas this year by hosting a family dinner party at our house in mid December.  We served homemade chicken/green chili enchiladas, rice, beans, queso, 7 layer dip, Grandma Todd's famous cherry cobbler, margaritas, beer and wine!  Tayt's Dad brought some eggnog and chocolate covered, Whiskey soaked cherries!  Everything was delicious.  We ate and drank and then played a big game of Catch Phrase, while Christmas Vacation and Christmas music played in the background.  Catch Phrase was hilarious...everyone was yelling out guesses and there was lots of laughing at and with each other. ;)  My mom thought she had to act everything out and Uncle Joe always had to have help from his sidekick Heidi!  It was so nice to have everyone at our house to celebrate this year.  I look forward to more of this in the future.