Michael's Parenting Tip of the Week

I don't know what's so wrong with this picture.
Mom looks like she's having fun.
Baby looks like he's having fun.
What's the problem?

Week 19: The poop factory is now open

Baby's development in pregnancy week 19: Your amazing little baby is now around 10 inches in length! If this seems a bit shocking, you’ll be relieved to know they’ve not actually grown over 3 inches, but that their little legs are now straight enough to be measured. This is when doctors begin measuring growth from head to toe, (no longer “crown to rump” or CR). Lanugo (little hairs) covers their whole body now, trapping that charming cheese-like vernix caseosa (see week 18) to the surface to the skin. This week your lil’ babe will start on an appetizing diet of amniotic fluid which they are now capable of swallowing, digesting, and passing the fluid as far as their tiny “large” intestines. Fortunately for you, this nice little lump of baby-poop won’t be coming out while they’re still in your womb. Some time shortly after they’re born, this fun lump will become the first in a long line of baby poops. (What finally comes out— commonly known as “meconium” to the science world, will be black and sticky, and you’ll be very glad it happens only once!)

And how's mom doing? Unlike generations of women before you who were taught pregnancy was practically an ailment (10% of women DID die in childbirth back then), we now have scientific evidence that exercise is a good thing when you’re pregnant. In fact, most physicians recommend continuing or starting a pregnancy-friendly proper exercise can do a lot towards increasing your overall flexibility (at a time where your body wants to stiffen up) thereby somewhat reducing the pain and tension during labor exercise regimen. Walking, running, swimming, weight training and yoga (see week 20) are all good for your heart and overall physical stamina during this physically challenging time. Not to mention proper exercise can do a lot towards increasing your overall flexibility (at a time where your body wants to stiffen up) thereby somewhat reducing the pain and tension during labor. Last but not least, exercise can keep you from gaining unnecessary amounts of weight (which you’ll have to fight off later after birth if you don’t do it now). Obviously, you’re going to want to avoid sports where you are at risk of falling or being hit in the stomach. Basically, stay away from sports like basketball, volleyball, soccer, and skiing. Instead, opt for the pool, weight room, and/or yoga class. We’re not saying you should stress yourself out trying to be a world-class athlete, but if you’re eating right and getting enough sleep, exercise during this health-critical phase of your life, will keep your collective energy levels higher and increase your feeling of well-being, as well as ensuring that you and your baby are in top physical and mental condition.

It's funny... sometimes I have to remind people that I'm only pregnant and not handicap. Not that I don't appreciate being pampered now and then. Until I'm laid up in stirrups, when I see that something needs to be done and I'm capable of doing it, move over!

On the move!

We've got some catching up to do!

Michael and I went to the Ranger game on Friday with David and Natalie. We had such a good time, even if they didn't win. I'm pretty sure Baby Dot had fun too! In the seventh inning someone hit a homerun. (I can't remember his name.) We of course were very excited and screamed and hollered. When I sat down I could feel this overwhelming movement. I looked excitedly at Michael. I wasn't 100% sure if that's what it was. Was it the dinner I inhaled at Sonic? Or it might have been the half-eaten bag of cotton candy. I sat there with crowd yelling around me and said to myself. It has to be the baby.

Me: Michael, I think I can feel the baby!
Mike: What? (It was very loud!)
Me: I think I'm feeling the baby move! (Louder now.)
Mike: Are you sure?
Me: I think so?
Natalie: What's the matter?
Me: I think I'm feeling the baby move.
Nat: (Squeal of joy!) Are you serious!?!?
Mike: What's it feel like?
Me: It feels like she's doing somersaults in my tummy.
Nat: Can you feel it on the outside or just the inside? (As she reaches over Michael to feel.)
Me: Just the inside! Oh my goodness I want to cry!

I was so excited. David said later that night before we left their house. "Since you felt the baby move tonight that must mean she's a Rangers fan."

I'm also thinking Baby Dot may or may not be a fan of the preacher. Michael and I finally went back to church, after a couple weeks of backsliding. It was obviously a sermon we were supposed to hear. I feel like he did it just for me. The series is on Baggage. This week is was emotional baggage. At one point the preacher was getting a little bit louder and I felt a very distinctive kick. There was definetely no mistaking that move! I'm not sure if Dot was saying "amen" or "quiet down, I'm trying to sleep".

Lastly, Sunday night as I'm getting settled into bed I'm reading and have a set of headphones on my belly, per Michael's request. (Michael has loaded a huge list of music into his mp3 player that he wants me to play for the baby. It's a mixture of Christian, Classical/Choral, and his favorite movie soundtracks. Star Wars anyone!) Well, I'm laying there and I began to feel a thumping or tapping on my belly. I wasn't sure if it was Dot or the headphones. I pick up the headphone to see if maybe I have them up too loud and the "speakers" are thumping. But they weren't. Again, it was Baby Dot. It is so amazing that go from not feeling anything to a weekend of movement!

Our God is an awesome God and has created this amazing baby for us!!

Week 18: Your cute little greased piglet

Baby's development in pregnancy week 18: We have two more ounces! Your "getting bigger-n-better by the minute baby" is already up to 7 ounces and 6 inches! This is a big week for their baby skin. There are now two distinct layers—the epidermis (or the surface skin) and dermis. Currently, their skin is covered with a greasy, waxy, cheese-like substance, known as vernix caseosa. Sure, it sounds pretty nasty, but this mixture of fatty secretions covering your little swimmer from head to toe is the best way to protect their oh-so-thin skin from bruising and abrasions as well as chapping caused by amniotic fluid exposure (and your little one is swimming in that stuff!). Still don’t like the fact your little darling is currently slathered in fatty cream like a greased pig? Well, you know the birthing process? Where you have to push something the size of a watermelon out a hole the size of a grape? That adorable little greased piglet would have a lot harder time getting through the birth canal without the vernix caseosa. Fun fact for momma’s with baby girls: it’s a uterus within a uterus! Your little girl will have developed a uterus and vagina canal by the end of this week.

And how's mom doing? POP! If you haven’t yet, you will soon be seeing the last of your inn-y belly button—until after you’ve pushed your little monkey out. If it’s getting difficult to breathe, you can thank your not-so-small belly for squishing your lungs—which will be more and more cramped for space as the pregnancy Keep in mind that as you grow (and grow and grow) in size you produce more blood (for both of you), which lowers your blood pressure. So standing up quickly and/or occasional fast movements may cause slight dizziness or lightheadedness progresses. Not that this is surprising as everything else in your mid-section is getting properly squooshed as well. (What else is new?!!) Keep in mind that as you grow (and grow and grow) in size you produce more blood (for both of you), which lowers your blood pressure. So standing up quickly and/or occasional fast movements may cause slight dizziness or lightheadedness. This is totally normal, but means you shouldn’t be too quick to jump to your feet when your team scores a goal. It's better to just punch the air in excitement or clap gleefully. One more fun pregnancy symptom to add to the list: you are producing more melanin, which can cause dark patches of skin to occur on random parts of your body. Don’t worry—these dark spots (unlike your parent’s age spots) will retreat soon after birth.

Always thought this was okay until they got teeth.

Then it just hurts! OW!! Charlie bit me!!

Sad news: Kleenex warning

I'm very sad to say that our family has experienced the loss of a family member. My sister and her husband are enduring something no expectant parent wants to experience, the loss of a baby. On Monday night Barrett and Jennifer rushed to the ER to confirm their fears. She was in fact miscarrying at seven weeks. Tons of tears have been shed and lots of hearts crushed.

We as a Christian and believing family know that God is now holding that baby in His arms. And Jennifer will get to meet him one day. (She was hoping for a boy.) I detest the word "fetus" that the doctor used several times that night. We believe that beating heart was a baby and we are now experiencing the loss of a family member. We also know that this is not the end of the book for the two of them. Only God knows what's in the next chapter. We can only sit and wait to see what's next.

Sometimes we forget about the men in this situation. Barrett will need lots of love and prayer too. Please keep them both in your prayers. Also, pray for the surrounding families as we help them and one another with this loss.

Week 17: Grow Team Grow!!!

baby development in pregnancy week 17: Don't be too shocked but... your baby is EVEN bigger than it was last week, not to mention getting cuter, and smarter every day! As you’ve come to expect, there’s no shortage of growth and development this week: your fantastic little bean stalk has added yet another half inch to their overall height-- making them nearly half a foot long! Their little limbs have reached (or are within one week of) their relative proportions, and will continue to grow evenly with the rest of the body after this week. Reactive listening has begun for your baby, even though their ears are not yet structurally complete or fully functional. Meanwhile, different parts of their astonishingly complex brain are developing to process your little one’s hearing and other senses, (you know, sight, smell, taste and touch). Mind boggling factoid of the week: if you’re going to have a little girl, her ovaries have already produced millions of primordial egg cells, which, within a few weeks, will develop into actual eggs! Phew… just wait till she’s a teenager eh?

Pickles? Seriously, how cliche!

Well I got my second batch of blood tests back and everything came back normal. **SIGH**

That is a big relief for both of us. Not that the results would have changed our mind about the baby. We're just glad that's one less hurdle for us to get over. Next month we find out what the sex of the baby is. We have a poll up for everyone to vote. Please do so we'd love to see other people's predictions!

Also, for some reason I am slowly getting away from my Spanish rice and beans craving and have moved on to pickles. Seriously! Although I'm sure Michael will be very grateful I'll be backing down on the beans. You know the old bean tune? Well, it definitely rings true when you're pregnant. I'm just saying!

One last thing: A PERFECT STRANGER TOUCHED MY BELLY TODAY!
I'm barely getting used to the idea of my family doing that. When family members have reached to touch my belly it didn't bother me. I love my family and I'm glad they are just as excited about the baby. It makes me laugh a little when they touch me, but I feel the love just the same. Michael and I went to Subway tonight. Of course I asked for tons of pickles! The cashier reached over the counter and touched my belly! "You're eating for two right? Then you deserve the foot long!" Seriously! You didn't touch the fat woman's belly that just left, she ordered a foot long too. What made it okay to touch mine! For those of you who don't know it, I'm a "this is my space, that is your space" kinda gal. Maybe I should get these t-shirts I found online!

• "I am not Buddha. Do not rub my belly."
• "Unless you helped put the baby in here don't touch my belly!"
• "Rub my belly and I will barf on you."
• "You can touch my belly if I can punch your face." (Extreme, I know, but hilarious!)

This last one is my favorite and would only be perfect if our suspicions of our little one are true!

• "Yes, I'm pregnant. It's a girl. I'm due in September. No, you can't touch my belly!"

Michael's ParentingTip of the Week

If your in to having a face full of vomit, then by all means, chunk you baby in the air like a basketball.

Your pregnancy: 16 weeks

How your baby's growing: At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.

Random Easter pics

We went to Michael's parent's on Good Friday. His mother taught me how to cook chicken fried steak. I didn't burn anything and it tasted great.

Don't worry folks, Michael has the fire department on speed dial!






The gratuitous flour on nose shot.

I had to look like I was working hard! Really his mom did most the work. She is an awesome cook.










Baby Dot's first Easter basket. It also had treats for Daisy, Gretchen and Frito inside the eggs.

Thank you so much Uncle Dave, Aunt Nat and cousins Reba and Cowboy!










Michael and I cheesing for the camera.

We needed an updated picture of us. It’s been a while! Sorry no belly shots. Although my mom did take a picture that made me look seven months pregnant rather than just four!







Gran playing with Reba and Cowboy.

These are David and Natalie’s “kids”. My mom always loves playing with the grand-dogs. It’s just dirt and slober. It will wash off!







You ate my roll you dirty rat!

Funny thing at lunch!Cowboy ran up to Michael’s tray and snatched a roll right off! It was the funniest thing. Michael just couldn’t believe it. Natalie’s dad commented as if he was Cowboy, “next time, I’d like some butter!” Michael ate like an inmate the rest of the time protecting his food. I think he’s still bitter!








What’s it gonna be?

We went to visit my Memaw for a little bit. She has been dying to do the needle test to predict the baby’s sex. Of course we had to give her a hard time about it. I kept blowing the needle everywhere. You’re never too old to get slapped on the hand by your grandmother. Even if it’s just a tap!







The needle says…

Girl! Michael of course gave his two cents. “I didn’t need a needle to tell me that. I told you, Jesus told me we’re having a girl.” What a goober.

Michael's Parenting Tip of the Week

Sorry it's late. Was at Mom and Dad's most of yesterday!

FEEL THE BURN BABY!!! FEEL THE BURN!!!

15 week doctor appointment

I had another doctor appointment today. It was very quick. He checked the heartbeat of course and everything sounds great. The heartbeat varied from 146-154 bpm. He said that was a very good beat but it can't determine the sex, no matter what anyone else tries to say. LOL Sorry to disappoint.
We also took blood to check for things like Down Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis and etc. I will admit that going into the appointment I was a little apprehensive because of the screening. Michael and I had already decided that no matter the results we of course would continue with the pregnancy. We just pray that everything comes out okay and that He continues to watch over us during this journey. My next appointment will be April 28th to determine the baby's name! We are so excited to find out if we are having a boy or girl. Let's pray they aren't too shy and are ready to introduce themselves!

The Lyon pride expecting an addition!

Barrett & Jennifer Lyon

July 28, 2007

Now that all the important people have been told, I'm happy to announce that my sister and her husband are expecting their first! God has blessed them with a big surprise. The word surprise can't even begin to describe hers and every one's reaction! I don't have any details yet except that her first appointment is April 9th. I do ask that everyone say a special prayer for her. Every pregnancy needs prayers, but especially this one! She's my baby sister (25 yrs old) and very special to me. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be pregnant with. Although, I have been told that sometimes pregnancies happen in threes. Is it still too soon, Natalie? **WINK**

I've included some pictures. Some sillier than others.

LOVE YOU JENN!

Michael's Parenting Tip of the Week

This just makes me hungry for a Turkey Leg.

And apparantly because of this hearty diet of large poultry, the baby above has learned to defy gravity!

Your pregnancy: 14 weeks

How your baby's growing: This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

How Great Thou Art

I know some of you remember that old time hymn "How Great Thou Art". This is one of my favorites. It was also one of my papas favorite song. Every time I hear it I get a little emotional and think of him. I have such fond memories of sitting in his church at a young age hearing him preach and sing this song. He had such a powerful voice it could give you chills and it definitely kept your attention! This Sunday morning, while driving to church, this very song came on the radio. As I'm tearing up my thoughts immediately go to him. "Is he proud of me? Does he know I think of him and miss him? Is he just as excited about the baby? I wish he was here to meet him/her." I've heard this song so many times, but yesterday I really listened and focused on the words being sung.

verse one:
O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power through out the universe displayed.

While trying not to ruin my mascara, I realized just how blessed I am. The same God who created the heavens and the earth. The One God who created the infinite universe. Our God who tells the flowers when to bloom and the sun to shine. Our loving and forgiving God who sent His one and only son to die for our sins! My God, who created all things, took time out of His "busy schedule" to create in me a small, precious gift of life! My God is an awesome God! I suddenly felt so small in His presence. Believe me folks, He was there in my car! He hears my prayers, pleas and cries. He sees my joy and my pain. He carries me through the roughest parts I can not handle on my own. How blind have I been to my blessings? It was all becoming so clear just how much I have taken for granted. God gives me so much and I sometimes forget to thank Him.

Thank you God for allowing me to wake up this morning and a bed to sleep in tonight. Thank you Lord for giving me such an amazing family. Those who have gone ahead to be with You and those who are here. My family guides me in Your wisdom to continue on the path to You. Thank you dear Lord for my beautiful husband who loves me unconditionally. Our faith and marriage grows as we see the miracles you perform in our lives daily. Thank you for his strength and patience. Dear Lord, thank you for each of my wonderful friends. You have placed them in my life for reasons they may not even know. Thank you for my job and the ability to provide for my family. Thank you for everything!

"Then sings my soul, my saviour God to thee.

How great thou art, how great thou art!"

Michael's Parenting Tip of the Week

What works for puppy should work for baby , right?

Your pregnancy: 13 weeks

How your baby's growing: 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 (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

This is how I'm feeling today. I can't explain it. Just listen!