15 weeks!

How far along: 15 weeks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: About five pounds. 

Maternity clothes: Everything still fits so I'm not too worried about having actual maternity clothes yet. 

Stretch marks: No new ones I think! 

Sleep:  Not too bad. Still getting up a million times to pee which is my least favorite. But I am sleeping so I guess I can't complain...yet ;)

Best moment this week: We made a lot of yummy dinners this week. That was pretty good I guess. Haha. I can't really think of another best moment. 

Worst moment this week: It was a pretty emotional. Some hard things happened and I had some sad moments. Everything is fine now, but man, being pregnant makes you way more prone to tears. Haha. 

Movement: I think I actually have been feeling real movement! It's small and subtle but familiar at the same time. 

Food cravings: This is going to sound gross, but toasted Bologna sandwich. Shayla and I used to make them when we were younger. It's toasted bread, miracle whip and Bologna. Then you'd put BBQ chips on the sandwich. It's actually really good. Hahah. And I may have gotten the stuff to make it....we'll see if it's as good as I thought it was. 

I also made some coconut curry shrimp yesterday for dinner and that was really yummy. 

Aversions: Yogurt.  

Queasy/Sick: Probably the best week so far. I've still had a couple days where I felt pretty nauseous but on the whole I have been feeling more "me"! 

Other Symptoms: Weird dreams. Hungry in the middle of the night. Super tired. 

Gender: I am thinking its a boy still. Taylor says girl. I think we might find out next week! 

Labor signs: Nope!

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Feeling not-exhausted on the daily.  

What I am looking forward to: We have an ultrasound next week and we might be able to find out the gender then! 

Milestones: Almost 4 months pregnant! Holy cow this is flying by. Feeling first real movements this past week! 

14 weeks. (+ 15 month Tucker update!)

How far along: 14 weeks!

(Bump pic to come when I take it:) 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: A few pounds I think. 

Maternity clothes: Wardrobe hasn't really changed yet. Still opting for comfort though! 

Stretch marks: Don't think so! 

Sleep: It's not terrible but not awesome. Haha. I'm just tired of having to wake up to pee or getting low blood sugar in the night...that's the worst! 

Best moment this week:  We decided to go on a little camping "vacation". Taylor took work off on Friday and we drove to Boulder Mountain and stayed at Lower Bowns Reservoir camping grounds. We were the only ones at the designated dispersed camping area (where you don't have to pay) and that was so nice! We ended up bringing Tuck with us and so I was nervous how he would handle it. He had a blast playing in the dirt and rocks and trying to walk into the reservoir. When it came to be night time it got super cold and I was worried he wouldn't sleep or that he'd freeze. I was even bundled up in two layers on both halves and with two or three blankets- the same thing we had for Tucker. Taylor woke up around 2 because he was cold. He checked on Tucker and he had kicked off all his covers. Tay tucked him back in and that woke him up. We decided to bring him on our bed and he fell asleep immediately on top of Taylor. Tay was so uncomfortable though because he kept tossing and turning his head and putting his hand on his throat. Haha. Eventually Tuck rolled off Taylor and we bundled him up on the mattress next to Taylor. He is a wild sleeper! He tossed a lot in the night (which is typical) and he was talking in his sleep (saying his name!) and tooting, too. Haha. He's a cutie. My favorite moment was when he was waking up in the morning. He had been tossing for like 10 minutes and was laying folded in half on his face with his binky in going "ohhhh. Ahhhh" haha. He finally decided to wake up and lifted his head up and from under the covers to look at us. His little eyes were so sleepy and squinty and he was so happy! He had a full nights rest and greeted us with cute smiles and giggles. Taylor was happy, too, because he got a full night of cuddling from both his buddies! ;) 

Worst moment this week: The best was also the worst. The camping trip got slightly stressful at points because we got lost and then banged up our car a bit. By the end I was exhausted! We all were. Nothing like coming home to your comfy house and bed!  

Movement: I could swear I felt something while we were camping. I've read that it's possible to feel your baby this early but it's hard to differentiate between baby and gas. Haha. It felt like a tiny flutter though, so who knows!  

Food cravings: Doritos. Slurpees from 7/11 (they had BOGO going on and Taylor and I decided to get one. Sour patch watermelons-the yummiest sour candy- flavor. Oh man it hit the spot!). Cheese and crackers. Also, we had over ripe bananas so I made some muffins and they were amazing. I didn't find a recipe I liked so I just made one up. Here it is: 

Banana Oat Chocolate Chips Muffins

1 stick softened butter

3/4 cup white sugar

Around 1/3 cup brown sugar

(Cream these together, then add...)

3 very ripe bananas

2 eggs

1.5 teaspoons vanilla (I just add whatever I like but that's probably close)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

(Blend together)

I just added flour till I got the consistency I wanted. I'd say add around 1.5-2 cups 

(Blend)

Hand stir in- 

1 cup old fashioned oats (not quick oats) 

Semi sweet chocolate chips (I just sprinkled some on top and pushed them in so they have just a little taste of chocolate. I had enough batter for about 15 muffins. In the 3 extra on the second batch I added extra chocolate chips and they were very chocolatey and delicious.

Oven: 375 degrees 

Spray your pan cups or use liners. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden around the edges. 

Serve warm with some butter and milk or cold! Enjoy! 

Aversions: Yogurt. Some eggs. 

Queasy/Sick: It hasn't been too bad this week. Mostly good. I have still had lingering nausea but for the most part I can deal. Driving home from our trip was rough- coming down the winding mountain. And Sunday I felt really cruddy. 

Other Symptoms: Crazy and vivid dreams for the last few weeks. Headaches. Acne- lovely ;) Back aches. Forgetting EVERYTHING. A couple weeks ago we went to the store for one thing and came out with everything but the one thing and I realized it when we were walking to the car and I had to go back. Most frustrating thing. If it's not written down- ain't gon happen! 

Gender: I have all the classic wives tales 'symptoms' for boy. But I feel so different from my last pregnancy so I don't know! I'm just going to go with boy because that's probably it! 

Labor signs: Nope!

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Having energy! 

What I am looking forward to: Our 16 week hospital ultrasound where we will hopefully find out the gender! 

Milestones: This baby bump has kinda started to pop! I still feel mostly bloated and chubby though. Ha. Looking forward to that cute bump stage before I turn into a larger than life version of myself. :) More than 1/3 done with this pregnancy! Crazy! We will have another babe in less than 6 months! 

Tucker is 15 months today! I decided after one year, I will periodically update on him every three or so months. 

He has his checkup + shots this week and we will know for sure what his weight and height is. I think he is probably around 34 inches tall and 24/25 pounds. That's my guess but we will see how close I am this week. 

Tuck finally started walking a little before he turned 14 months. He has gotten a lot more confident and is now running around all over the place! He walks just for the heck of it. I love it. 

He has gotten very picky at meal times and it is always a guessing game of what he will eat. Mac n cheese is usually a winner, along with bread and crackers and fruit snacks. Hopefully he gets over it soon!

He can say- mama, dada, hi, bye, no, yeah, toe, tickle, stinky, poo, shoe, duck,  ew, Tucker, shay shay, nana, cracker, cookie, dog, ball, oh wow, and probably some more I'm forgetting. 

He calls shoes and socks "tickle toes". 

He loves hiding things in obscure places. We've found shoes in kitchen drawers, our phones and shoes in laundry baskets, and today I found a plastic fork in a container of baby wipes! 

He is great at mimicking Taylor and I and has got a funny little personality. He squeals and giggles all the time. 

He loves playing with his buddy Luke, collecting and eating rocks, bath time, being chased by dad, flipping backwards in dads arms, being outside, dogs, books, 

We love him more all the time and I'm so excited to see him as a big brother! 

The best is yet to come. 

13 weeks!

How far along: 13 weeks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: A couple pounds last time I checked. But that was before a week of yummy food with my family so hopefully it's still on track. 

Maternity clothes: Been wearing a lot of big tshirts and sweats- per usual. Everything still fits but I am going for comfortable here, people! 

Stretch marks:  No new ones!

Sleep: IM SO TIRED. Haha. All. The. Time. No amount of sleep ever seems like enough. And Tuck has always been such a good sleeper but lately he's been wanting to take less naps. I still try and get his two naps in but I'm not always successful. I feel like I depend on that downtime for rest, even if I'm not napping. Hopefully he'll stick with two naps for as long as possible!  

Best moment this week: We got to see my brother Zac and my dad who were both in town. We had a little BBQ at our new house with my family and it was a nice little housewarming and fun to hang out and show off our little place. We also finished painting the main areas of the house and have started making it more homey, with hanging pictures and stuff. Super exciting to get all nested. Oh! And I got to go to Red Robin this week. Burger and fries- I would never say no to that!

Worst moment this week: Hmm. I'm having a hard time thinking of a "worst" moment. I got a new calling in church as a Cub Scout Webalos den leader- and it's going to be the most demanding calling I've ever had! Ha! Hopefully it won't stress me out too much and I can't be a good help in that area.  

Movement: Nothing yet but I'm sure I'll be feeling some soon! I felt Tucker as early as 15 weeks! 

Food cravings: I'm all over the place really. Burger. Fries. Veggie sticks. Chips and dip. Veggies and dip. Pasta salad. Watermelon. Cupcakes. (I had all these foods this week and they all were hitting the spot.) 

Aversions: Yogurt. Eggs. Meat cooking. 

Queasy/Sick: This week has been the best I've had in a long time. I dare say that the light at the end of the nauseous tunnel is coming into view? 

Other Symptoms: Mostly being so tired. And grumpy/hormonal. Other than that and the occasional crampy/stretching feelings, headache or nausea it hasn't been too bad this week.  

Gender: I go back and forth. This week I think girl! ;)

Labor signs: Nope!

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Sleeping through the night without having to pee.  

What I am looking forward to: My next doctor appointment! It's at the beginning of October and I believe in getting an ultrasound where we might find out the gender! Exciting stuff! 

Milestones: I'm now in the second trimester! Yayyy! 

12 weeks!

How far along: 12 weeks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Finally found the scale! I've only gained like 2 ish pounds (I think) according to our scale. I'm hoping that's pretty close to accurate! I have a doctor appointment tomorrow so we will find out! 

Maternity clothes: Not yet but I've got my eye on a few things. Everything still fits so I'm not worried about it yet. 

Stretch marks:  No new ones!

Sleep: Oh man. This week was rough. I didn't get very many nights where I felt rested. And a couple were down right awful. Also, we went to bed pretty late a few times this week. Gotta stop doing that.  

Best moment this week: We took our announcement pictures with Hillary on Monday and announced a few days after that. It was a lot of fun and we got some really great shots! And I was just excited to finally have the news out there. The first part of pregnancy just drags on for me for more than one reason and not telling people helps contribute to that I think. 

Worst moment this week: I got really sick this week and threw up. We think that Tucker might have had a little bug. *sidestory*- Tess and I wanted to go to Ikea so we loaded the boys up in my car and drove off. Neither of them had napped and Tuck didn't eat very much that morning. I thought it was him just being difficult. Well, as we are about to exit I could hear him cough and Tessa then says, "Ohhhh he's throwing up." It was bad. So so stinky. And there was no where around where we were within reasonable distance that had any children's shirts. And because I brain dead half the time, I had no clothes. So we pulled in a Walgreens parking lot and I cleaned him up (while saying 1000 silent prayers that I not throw up too) and we still decided to go to Ikea with my sicky nakey baby. We got some looks but he was exponentially happier after he was sick and so I thought he might've just had something in his tummy that didn't sit well with him. That evening when we got home I put him in his crib for him to sleep and I got in my bed- I didn't move from that spot in my bed for like a day. Tay came home and took care of Tuck and I was feeling so sick. That was the worst night of sleep maybe ever. I just kept feeling like I needed to throw up and couldn't. I woke up the next morning and finally did and felt so much better. Taylor gave me a blessing and that really helped too. Then my mom came over in the late morning and stayed till Tucker went down for his second nap. I'm so lucky to have so many people to care for my little family! 

Movement: Baby definitely IS moving in there but I just can't feel it yet. I am so excited for this part of pregnancy though! 

Food cravings: The two days I was sick, all I wanted was toast and ritz crackers. That seemed to help my stomach. 

We also bought these Veggie Straws. I'm sure you've seen them. They're made from veggies but they're like potato chips almost. So much healthier though. So I thought since I have been craving chips that these would help satisfy the craving without driving me off the deep end. They definitely have done that! 

Aversions: Yogurt. Eggs. Some vegetables. 

Queasy/Sick: It's been a rough week. But I have some medication that I think is really helping. 

Other Symptoms: Sooo tired lately. More naps were taken this week. I've been having some round ligament pain- like cramping or stretching. Headaches. My back hurts a lot. But my back hurts on normal days too, so that might not be a symptom. Waking up 3 times a night to pee. Forgetting EVERYTHING. Even Taylor is forgetting things now! ;) Crying at any given moment. All the fun hormonal stuff, ya know? :) 

Gender: Probably a boy. Hoping for a girl! 

Labor signs: Nope!

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Having energy! Sleeping through the night. Not being sick. 

What I am looking forward to: My doctor appointment this week to hear the heartbeat. The second trimester. Finding out what our baby will be! 

Milestones: Telling the world we're having a baby! 

Update- I had both my appointments today (endocrinologist and OB) and got some updates info. 

I sent Taylor a text with all the stuff they told me, so I'll just quote the texts:

"Just got done with my doctor appointment. They said all my labs from last time look great. My blood pressure was good and haven't gained any weight yet which is fine. The baby's HR was 160 bpm which is awesome. We talked about appointments later down the road and keeping this babe in as long as possible. I'll be induced for sure by 39 weeks if we have a normal sized baby that hasn't come yet by that point. 

I'll usually have ultrasounds every 4 ish weeks. So if I get to 36 weeks and the baby is already huge then they would talk about inducing around 37/38 weeks so that I can have the best chance for a vaginal birth. They'd do that for me. They want to avoid me having a giant baby just as much as I want to. 

He said I have good odds for having another successful vaginal birth because I've already done it with a normal sized baby. And because I'm taller my torso is longer and my hips are better capable to carry a bigger baby. They just don't want it getting bigger than like 9 pounds." 

So hearing all that was super reassuring. I also asked about my odds for getting preeclampsia again and he said they were slightly higher but being a first time mom last time made them even higher than now. So that put my mind at ease a little bit. 

My endo visit went really well, too. My A1C was 6.1% which is fantastic and all of my numbers have been good lately. I am in the market for a new pump so I am trying to do my research and we are trying to decide when to make the plunge. Pumps are a huge expense so I have to make sure I pick a good one! The one I'm considering comes with a continuous glucose monitor, which is a separate thing that I wear and reads my blood sugar every five minutes and sends it to my pump. Super cool and apparently easier to get if you're pregnant. So hopefully we make a decision soon! 

Baby J- 2.0!

We found out a couple of months ago that we are expecting our second baby!! 

I honestly didn't think it would happen right away, especially after all I had heard about trying to conceive for the second time. But as we have found out, once God tells us we need to do something- He means like RIGHT now. Haha! I have such faith and a testimony in God's timing- I can't deny it! So I know without a doubt this babe is meant to be coming now. :)

The soonest I could test was a few days before our second anniversary. However, when we were trying for Tucker I tested earlier than I probably should have and got a false, then a very faint positive, and didn't get a strong positive until a day after my missed period. So because of this I didn't want to test "as soon as I could". I waited until July 13th- our second anniversary. I got up before Taylor to go to the bathroom to test. I wholeheartedly was expecting a negative. So imagine my surprise when that positive symbol showed up almost immediately!! And I was still one day early! I was genuinely shocked. I remember being so grateful in that moment and saying a silent prayer of gratitude for this new blessing. 

After I gathered myself, I took the positive test back to bed with me where Taylor still was trying to wake up. I said, "Happy second anniversary! I'm getting you a baby!" and I handed him the test. The look on his face was priceless!! He was so giddy and just as shocked as I was. And then his next response was, "We're crazy." Ha! And we probably are but we could not be more excited! 

I never filled out these questionnaires with my last pregnancy- I just rambled on about whatever my pregnant little brain wanted to say. But I've decided to start filling them out. I wish I had last time, so I could compare symptoms. I've been trying my best to keep a personal pregnancy journal as well, I know my future self will thank me one day! So anyway. I started filling these out at week 8 and have added a few questions of my own as weeks progress. I know most people won't read this and that's fine- this is more for me. But if you're anything like me and enjoy reading about other women's pregnancies then take a gander! :) 

*sidenote*- a lot of exciting changes have happened for us over the last little while. This poor blog of mine has been neglected but I will be doing my best to let everyone know what is going on in our life as of late soon enough!

So because my turn of the week is on a Monday, I'll fill these out and answer according to the previous week. 

How far along: 8 weeks and a few days. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I am not sure. It's still packed away in a box somewhere. 

Maternity clothes: Do yoga or sweatpants and tshirts count? That's like my mom uniform ;)

Stretch marks:  Not from this one yet. 

Sleep: Mehhh. Busted out the snoogle this week and that has helped a little. 

Best moment this week: Seeing our tiny babe on the ultrasound and hearing that it looks healthy so far. SO relieving. We also told our families and closest friends. Everyone is very excited! 

Worst moment this week: We have been so busy this week and have lots more to do still. And a long car ride tomorrow that I'm not overly excited about. 

Movement: Not yet! 

Food cravings: Mostly savory things. Like burgers and salty ritz crackers. Cheese in all its forms. And plain Cheerios. 

Aversions: Yogurt. I cant think about it without getting queasy. 

Gender: Not sure yet. 

Labor signs: Definitely not. 

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Being not-nauseous. And having more energy. 

What I am looking forward to: Feeling better! And telling more people! And finding out what this babe is!

Milestones: First ultrasound this week!

How far along: 9 weeks. 

(The next few weeks are silouhette pictures as there's not a whole lot to see besides bloat ;) This better captures the bump as of now. Eventually I'll have Taylor take pictures for me when I start to show!) 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still not sure. Working on unpacking still...

Maternity clothes: Not yet. But my wardrobe is already pretty conducive to a growing body so it doesn't matter too much :) 

Stretch marks:  Not from this one yet. 

Sleep: Not too bad. The snoogle helps a ton. I have already been getting up like clockwork for a few weeks around 3-5 every morning to pee though. Booooo. 

Best moment this week: My sister in law Jessica got married! She was the most beautiful bride and I loved seeing her so happy. She's the best. 

Worst moment this week: The wedding was in St. George and it was SO hot. Like I was dripping with sweat. And I already hate being hot so I was struggling. Ha. Luckily I wasn't too nauseous that morning but it's a long day for a little babe and a pregnant girl so we were exhausted by the end of it all. At least it was fun! 

Movement: Not yet! 

Food cravings: Savory and salty things. But I'd never turn down a treat. I just have been getting fuller quicker and so that always catches me off guard. And then I get hungry quicker. Oh, the never ending cycle. 

Aversions: Yogurt still makes me wanna barf. 

Gender: Not sure yet. 

Labor signs: Definitely not. 

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Having energy to cook and do other normal things.  

What I am looking forward to: The second trimester- hopefully I'll be feeling better and we can tell the world about this baby! 

Milestones: Baby's first wedding and trip to St. George! 

How far along: 10 weeks. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still wondering where my scale is...

Maternity clothes: Nope, not yet. But looking at dresses online because I know I'll need them and I have none. Long story short, we are pretty sure we accidentally gave a bag of our summer clothes and all my maternity clothes to the DI. Oops...

Stretch marks: None from this baby! 

Sleep: Terribleeee. The snoogle slightly helps but I'm already getting up twice a night to pee and test my blood sugar which I hate. I get too hot but too cold to be without a sheet and I'm never comfortable. Oh, the joy!

Best moment this week: We got all of our boxes into our house! Not yet unpacked, but they're in here so that is a step in the right direction! We got a few little things here and there that we needed and things are slowly starting to come together. And Tucker also starting walking "full-time" this week! And we finally got to see Tess and Luke who moved back a couple weeks ago! So happy to have our buddies back :)

Worst moment this week:  I think just the lack of pleasant sleep and nausea is really starting to wear on me. And all the hormones have made me pretty moody. Luckily Taylor is the most patient person in the world (when it comes to me) and I'm darn lucky to have him. 

Movement: Too early still, but I swear I get phantom feelings all the time. 

Food cravings:  I made no-bake chocolate-peanut butter- oatmeal cookies and they are absolutely sinful. But there's so much sugar. I have to be super careful about what I eat and watch my glucose levels. So I've been looking up healthy alternatives to them to see if it even exists 

Also, I had a huge craving for a crunchwrap supreme from Taco Bell this past week. Let's just say it totally hit the spot. 

Aversions: Yogurt. The smell of meat or onions cooking is enough to make me gag. Oh and this isn't food, but changing Tuck's stinky diapers is getting increasingly difficult. 

Queasy/Sick: (I added this question in) Nausea mostly all day. But I have acupressure bracelets that I bought from target when I was around 6 weeks and I wear them everyday and they are my saving grace. I seriously think they are a huge help. 

Other Symptoms: I'm getting really forgetful and it's super frustrating. I won't remember something unless j write it down. We went all the way to the store for a specific thing and then forgot what it was by the time we checked out. Hoping it doesn't get worse!

The diabetes and pregnancy hasn't been terrible yet. I think today I might be experiencing the first of what may be the insulin sensitivity. I am always paranoid that I'm not doing enough or the baby won't be healthy, etc- just like with Tuck. I have to often take a step back and remind myself that there's literally nothing more that I can do than what I'm already doing. So whatever happens is what happens. But prayer works wonders, too. :)

Gender: too early still! I think maybe girl? :)

Labor signs: nope!

Belly button - in or out? In!

What I miss: Sleeping restfully. 

What I am looking forward to: This weekend we are taking baby announcement pictures with my friend Hillary and then telling everyone next week! So excited!

How far along: 11 weeks. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I give up on this. Haha. Obviously this means we haven't found our scale yet. 

Maternity clothes: No but one got my eye on some pretty maternity dresses I want for later down the road. And some cute maternity jeans from H&M. 

Stretch marks:  Nope. 

Sleep: Still pretty rough. Getting sooooo tired too. I mean I already was tired but sometimes it hits me emotionally too. Haha. I've had to take a nap a few times this week. 

Best moment this week: We had a super fun play date at the splash pad with Luke and Tessa! The boys were super cute and afterwards we came and had lunch at our house and they were cute and funny. We love having buddies! We also had dinner with a couple from our new church ward who have a baby the same age as Tuck and are expecting another baby that will be not much older than ours! It's fun getting to know more people in our new area. 

Oh! And we took a drive to Salt Lake City on Saturday and took Tucker to see Temple Square for the first time. It was fun! And he loved walking around and exploring. I'm excited to take him at Christmas time!

Worst moment this week: This has been the most nauseous/sick week so far. I've had to cancel plans a few different times and I didn't make it to church because I was so nauseous. I haven't thrown up yet, but almost wish I would. The all day nausea is killer. 

Movement: Just in my head ;) 

Food cravings: This week was cookies. Haha. Gotta be careful. Also I wanted Taco Bell and pizza in the same day and knew there was no way I was getting both so I had to make a serious decision. I almost decided getting both. But we went with pizza and I barely ate any. My eyes have definitely been bigger than my stomach lately. 

Cheese and crackers have been hitting the spot. Also Doritos haha. 

Aversions: Yogurt. Eggs. Meat cooking. 

Queasy/Sick: This week has been the sickest yet. No throwing up, but I almost would rather feel some relief if I could. It's hard to be sick all day and not really 'look' like it. 

Other Symptoms: With my diabetes, I've been getting a lot of low blood sugar readings this week. I also switched insulins (stupid insurance company) and have been worried about that effecting me. So far I've been fine but it's still mildly stressful. Prayers are always appreciated on behalf of this hard part of pregnancy :)

Gender: Dont know yet. 

Labor signs: Nope!

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Sleeping peacefully. And not feeling like I have to barf. And being able to go wherever without being sick.  

What I am looking forward to: Our next doctor appointment, finding out the gender, taking our announcement pictures today, and feeling better! 

Milestones: Baby has all its organs and really looks like a baby now! 

365 days with Tucker.

The day has come! Our sweet boy is ONE year old! 

At this point, he has already been one for over half the day!

I can hardly believe that 365 days have passed since I first met this little angel. I remember this day a year ago like it was yesterday. I was so stressed and busy with other things. I had just finished my last day of work the day before and though I would have a few good weeks to prepare. I had two appointments that day to be checked up on and was worried about the baby shower that was for the following day. I had no idea that my world was about to be rocked. Tucker ended up coming the very beginning of the very next day.

If I could, I would go back and relive that day ten times over. Laboring with him was the most amazing experience and I truly treasure those memories. I remember being so miserably pregnant but not fully realizing it until Tucker was here. Taylor would often say how truly happy and realieved I looked after he was born. Like all the pain was magically gone. I guess I wore it more on my face and demeanor than I thought. 

Seeing him for the first time set my heart on fire. He was so perfect and tiny and all mine. I felt a new sense of being. I was a mother. He gave me that. I was about to embark on the most challenging, amazing, and fulfilling journey in my life. Knowing him and who he is now, I know he was meant for our family. And was absolutely meant to come when he did. I don't think God makes mistakes. His timing is perfect. And Tucker was a testament to that. I needed him just as much as he needed me.

These last 12 months have truly challenged Taylor and I in many ways. There is no way around it- parenting is SO hard. You are constantly having to care for someone else's needs. Your needs are put second. Always. In the beginning, it was a total shock and turned our world upside down. Not only were we caring for this little baby, but we were caring for a little baby who needed to be on oxygen and a heart monitor. We couldn't really go anywhere and I didn't dare go anywhere alone. I had to learn to find happiness even when I was stuck in my home all day long. 

In this last year, Tucker has taught me so much. He has helped me realize: just how strong I am, how little sleep I can survive on, how patient I can (and cannot) be, how to be trusting, how to forgive, how to trust and rely on God, how to be humble, how to put someone else's needs before my own, how to love even more, and how to be a mother. I have never laughed, cried, or joyed as much as I have in this last year. Not only is it Tucker's birthday, but it is the anniversary of the day I became a mother- and I feel honored to share this day with him.

He has brought so much joy and happiness into our lives. If every baby we have ends up being like him, I might never wanna stop! So happy to be able to celebrate his life and look forward to all the fun and exciting times ahead that we will have with him.

365 DAYS WITH TUCKER LEVI JEFFERY:

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We love you buddy boy!

At ONE year:

Tucker weighs about 23 pounds and is around 32 inches tall.

He wears 18-24 month clothing.

We are always saying how he is just days (or maybe weeks really) from figuring out walking. He is still pretty nervous and won't stand on his own if he can help it. We have gotten him to let go of support and stand alone, but as soon as he figures out he is not being supported, he will sit down. He loves his walker, however, and will crawl up to it all day long and walk around our apartment as much as he can.

He loves to clap and wave. He will clap if he likes something or if prodded, and he waves hi and bye (normally) when asked. He will flirt with strangers and wave to anyone that he sees and likes. He has started pointing at things as well.

He loves to play peekaboo. He will squat down behind just about anything and then pop back up to 'scare' you. He loves being chased by daddy and crawling in circles to 'find' him. 

He is mildly obsessed with baby einstein. I will put it on the ipad while I am making him his meals to keep him preoccupied for a couple minutes and then he will be so into it that he won't notice when the food is finally there! He waves at the little puppets and claps and smiles when he likes parts. 

We started him on whole milk a couple weeks ago because we were at the end of our formula and I didn't want to buy another and I thought he was close enough that it was fine. He loves it now! At first he was apprehensive about it, and didn't drink very much the first few days. Now he will down a bottle- even when it's ice cold!

He can say: dada, mama, hey, no, uh oh, ball, dog, tickle, tucker, toe, (we say "tickle tucker's toesies" a lot) woah, oh wow, hi da

He loves other babies and small kids. He will crawl around during our church meeting and find the other little people to play with. Usually he's chasing the cute little girls ;)

Still taking two naps a day (sometimes one really long one depending on the day) and sleeping around 12 hours at night.

He loves going to the grocery store and sitting in the buggy, going to the park to swing, and swimming. He would dive in the deep end and swim away if we let him. He wants SO bad to be in the water that we have to keep such a sharp eye on him. We have taken him to the pool a few times this summer already and you can hardly keep him out of the water! We will probably have to get him in swim lessons come next summer!

He gives such nice loves, hugs, and kisses when he's sleepy or when he feels like it ;) and his little belly laugh still makes the world go round. 

We love this little boy!

The best has yet to come.