Welcome to a little side project I am doing with my sweet, witty and beautiful friend Shannon! :) She is pregnant with her 2nd bambino. I was up for a new project and she was up for some week by week documentation of her pregnancy. Thank you so much for obliging, Shannon! This is going to be so much fun! So, I will let the journaling and the photos tell the full story, but wanted to say we are so excited for Steve, Shannon and Foy with the impending addition to their family! Yay!!

Week 11:

Foy and I had fun going through his old clothes and picking out ones that we think you might like. Foy has some yellow rain boots with monkeys on them that he had been wearing every time it rained, but when we tried to put them on the other day his toes were smushed because his feet have grown! He got excited and said, “Mommy we can save these for the baby!” He thinks you will like them as much as he has.

Foy also took the picture of you from your ultrasound to show his friends at school. He was SO proud walking up the ramp to school. He held the picture high and couldn’t wait to show his teachers. I could hear them squeal with excitement from the bottom of the ramp! Foy’s teachers love him so much and have been excited that he is going to be a big brother.

The other fun thing that happened this week is I went to my friend Tobi’s house. (She is adopting a girl named Ivey who we just know you will be great friends with!) She had a fun Girl’s Night where we set goals for 2012 and wrote them in a pretty book that we decorated. Luckily your Daddy and I had talked about what we want to do for the year so I was prepared! Here is what we came up with:

1. Have You!
2. Family Ski Trip in late February
3. Have a Family Date once per month
4. Have a Mommy-Daddy Date Night once a month
5. Family Beach Trip
6. Complete Sexual Health Education Certification
7. Take Yoga classes in my second trimester
8. Daddy wants to run the RAGNAR Race again
9. Move into the house on Lawson St by the end of June

We have a lot to do this year Bamaker, but it is all centered around you and your arrival! You are already such a blessing to us! Thank you for making us want to better parents for you and Foy!

Week 10:

What a crazy week of working, traveling, and planning! I went from 0 to 60 mph once January 1st hit and I think it was a bit much for you Bamaker! I was excited to get to CrossFit for the first workout of the year called, 2012. It was a series of exercises that equaled 2012. Lots of fun, but tiring!

Then I had my first Pure Romance party of the New Year on Tuesday and while I was so excited to be there I was so tired by 9:30pm. The ladies were so helpful in carrying my products for me and everyone was excited to hear that there is a baby in my tummy!

Then on Wednesday we headed to Crossville for an overnight Pure Romance Leaders Meeting to plan the year. We stayed up late talking so I didn’t get quite enough sleep. When I got home on Thursday night I was exhausted from the week…even though it wasn’t even over yet! Just before I went to bed I started having some cramping pains because I think you were tired too and telling me to slow down. I had a hard time sleeping because I was so worried about you! The next morning the Doctor was able to squeeze me in because they were a little worried too. Daddy came with me and when the Doctor did the ultrasound to see what you were up to we saw you wiggling around and heard a healthy heartbeat! We were so overjoyed and thankful you were okay! We even got a picture of you waving at us like you were saying, “what’s up Mom and Dad?! I’m fine!” We could see your little arms and legs moving around, just like your big brother did when he was in my tummy!

The Doctor told me I to be careful, get lots of sleep, and not to overdo it. I learned a lesson and your Daddy made sure that I got plenty of sleep the rest of the week. You are one lucky baby to have such a wonderful Daddy! He let me sleep in and has played with Foy, done the laundry, and cooked a lot to take the pressure off of me! Next week I will take it easier on your Bamaker, I promise!

Week 9:

What a fun week of traveling and adventures we had! Your Daddy, Big Brother and I piled in the “Mom Van” and headed to Memphis to see your Uncle Mike. We don’t get to see Mike as often as we would like so he was thoughtful enough to make a cardboard cutout so that he can always be with us on special occasions! He is such a funny guy! Cardboard Mike was even at the hospital when Foy was born so I am sure he will make an appearance to meet you in August!

While we were in Memphis we went to the Zoo and saw all kinds of animals. Foy’s favorite was the Polar Bear that was playing with a plastic snowman in the water. He was so much fun to watch! Then we went to lunch at a Thai food place in Memphis because I had such a craving for Thom Ka Ghai Soup…my favorite. After a much needed nap we all went downtown to see the Peabody Ducks swim in the hotel fountain. Foy loved seeing them and going on top of the hotel to see the sunset on Memphis.

We can’t wait to have you with us on our “Big Ad-Bentures” (that’s what Foy calls them). We have so much fun on our travels and know that with you it will be even better!

Oh, and one more exciting thing Bamaker 2.0, you will be so proud of your Mommy and Daddy! We have worked so hard to set goals for the past year. On the way back from Memphis we talked about all that we have accomplished in 2011. Here is what we are proud of:

1. We are most proud of conceiving YOU!
2. Daddy startedLetterpressing more for a hobby
3. We took our Family Road trip to the Northeast for 3 weeks
4. Daddy’s business is successful and he doesn’t have to rely on anyone else!
5. Mommy made Sr. Board of Directors for Pure Romance!
6. Mommy stopped biting her nails!
7. Mommy did our taxes successfully – this was a huge task because she always said she was bad at taxes until she took the bull by the horns. We even received money back this year!
8. Both Mommy and Daddy lost weight and feel healthier than ever since starting Cross Fit in August.

We started setting our Goals for 2012 and will share those with you next week Bamaker. Many of them have to do with you!

This is going to be the happiest of New Years!

Week 8:

I am a little late on this entry because, well…I forgot! I would definitely say that the “Mommy Brain” has kicked in this week! We went to a restaurant and I left my debit card there! Woops! Then I went to the gym and left my water bottle. Lots of little things that I am normally on top of have gone by the way side. The reason I have “Mommy Brain” is not because of flightiness, but because I am consumed with thinking about you Bamaker! I have been thinking about how much fun we will have as a family and how we can’t wait to meet you!

The other exciting thing that happened this week is that we finally told Foy that he is going to be a big brother! He is very excited and asked how you were going to get out of my belly. Daddy and I told him, “very carefully.” And that Dr. Barker was going to help us. Foy got a special early Christmas gift from Santa that says, “Big Brother” on it. It looks like a football shirt, which he loved!

Week 7:

Wow, Little One! Even though you are just the size of a pea, I am feeling SO tired and queezy. I have been taking lots of naps and your Daddy has been very helpful in taking care of Foy and the household things that need to get done. We sent our Christmas cards out this week that announce your due date! Everyone is so happy and excited about you. Your grandparents can’t stop talking about it! You are going to have the best big brother too! Okay, I have to go lay down now….

Week 6:

We could not be any more excited about the news of you entering our life! I found out two days before Daddy’s birthday so I wrapped up the pregnancy test and gave it to himfor his birthday. It was the best birthday present ever, he said! Our daily thoughts have been consumed of what life will be like in August of 2012 whenwe finally get to meet you! We are going to move back to our old house in Stuart Heights where you will have your own room. Your big brother, Foy will have a backyard to play in and we can all go to the pool together. There is a lot to do to get ready for you and our move!

I have been preparing my body for you for the past year, knowing that I wanted to be ashealthy as possible to carry you for nine months. Your Daddy and I have been working
out and eating very healthy so we can keep up with you and Foy for many years! As a result of that I feel great! I can’t even tell I am pregnant! I am having a hard time sleeping
on my side, but I know I will get used to it. I went to the Doctor this week and all is well. He said that everything looks great and heis anxious to meet you too!