Back post

This post was written a few weeks ago but was not posted until now because we waited to announce your sex to our family.  We are now happily sailing the ocean blue to Alaska and the secret is out!  I will share how we announced when we return. 

July 17, 2011

Dear Bugga-boo,

Last Wednesday was my 29th birthday.  It was the best birthday ever!  I got to see you again via ultrasound!  Everything looks great!  Your heart was beating at 144 beats per minute and you moved to the right position for the important measurements.  The technician zoomed in on your face and we saw your eyeballs!  I don't remember him doing that during your sister's anatomy scan so it was a treat this time.  In fact, the whole scan was a treat!  I just loved seeing you move your hands under your chin and roll all around while the tech got your measurements.  I think my favorite part of the scan was seeing your little heart beating away.  It makes me so happy to see that you're doing well in there.

Oh one last thing, we also learned that you're our little baby girl!  Two baby girls in the Quillinan house just 18 months apart!    Daddy and I couldn't be happier!  We hope that you and Michela grow up to be the best of friends.  We can't wait to meet you baby girl!  If only Daddy and I can agree on a name.  I promise you'll have a name by the time you're born.  :)

Keep growing strong baby girl!

With all my love,

Mommy

Prepared

Here is the book I plan to read while cruising the pacific.  I don't know if it will come to this but I want to be prepared in case we find ourselves there.  

Meeka Updates

Dear Michela,


You are growing up so fast.  You really should slow down a little.


You now say:  Hi, Mama, Dada, Nana, oh boy, happy, no, dog dog, do-do (that means many things), hot (when imitating), hug, go-go (meaning hug the baby/stuffed toy), bath, and boo (to scare someone), and you like to click your tongue.  I think that's all of them.

You also have an understanding of many words.  You definitely know what shoes are and will sit down in front of me when it's time to put them on.  You also head to the bathroom when Daddy says, "it's time to take a bath!"  While walking to the bathroom you say 'bath' repeatedly.  While Daddy was away in Las Vegas, I had to be careful when saying "dada" because you ran to the garage door to wait for him after I said his name.  He usually comes in and out through the garage.  It was silly and sweet at the same time.    


You love watching the garbage truck empty our trash cans.  We stand on the front porch and wave to him as he stops by our house.  I think he likes waving back to you too.

You are also learning new dance moves and will rock side to side with the music.  One day we went to The Counter in Santana Row for lunch.  We let you walk on the sidewalk and explore your surroundings to the restaurant.  In front of The Counter you stopped and started dancing to the music.  Then you took a few more steps, stopped, and danced some more.  These are the moments I wish we had the video camera on you.

When I'm sitting on the floor you like to come behind me and put your arms on my shoulders.  I'm working on teaching you how to massage but for now you put your arms on my shoulders and I grab them then lean forward pulling your feet off the floor.

You started giving things to people and clean up when it's time to clean up the toys!  You have blocks in your room in a tupperware container.  You like to dump them out and try to stack them!  It's pretty cool to watch.  Then when it's time to clean up you will help by putting some blocks back in the container with me!  Yesterday in music class you helped to clean up the instruments for the first time!  Daddy and I were proud!

I would have to say that your stuffed toys are your favorite.  You like to pull them out, hug them, then hand them to me or Daddy to hug.  You're such a sweet girl.  I love you!

You do not like your sleep sack anymore.  You like pulling your blankets over your head (instead of falling asleep) while you sit in your crib.  So I put you in there with out blankets and wait until you fall asleep to cover you.  The last time I put you in a sleep sack, you got so frustrated because you couldn't pull the sack off your feet and over your head.  After 10 minutes of you crying from frustration (and me laughing at your frustration - mother of the year right?) I took the sleep sack off.  You settled down and went to sleep soon after.  I will put them away and have them ready for your little brother or sister.


You are such a helpful little girl and Daddy put you to work this summer.  You helped him wash the cars one morning!

I love you Michela Grace!

Love,

Mommy

Monthly Check-in: 20 Weeks!

How far along?: 20 weeks!  Can we slow time down just a little bit?  I'm not sure I'm ready to be half baked yet.

Total weight gain?:  2 lbs according to my home scale.

Maternity clothes?:  Yes and I hate my pants.  Luckily it's been warm so I can avoid them.  

Stretch marks?: Nope   

Sleep?:  I haven't slept a full night in over a year.  Baby #2 isn't the one preventing me from sleeping though.  (Yet)

Best moment this week?:  Seeing you at our anatomy scan!  You look strong and healthy! 

Movement?: Yes.  I feel you kick and roll multiple times a day!  I still say "hello" when I feel you.  Daddy also enjoy's feeling you kick.

Food cravings?:  My red meat craving has subsided - it's about time!  Now it's what ever I see on a commercial or hear on the radio.  Today it's Klondike bars.  Well, ice cream in general but I heard the Klondike bar jingle yesterday and thought it sounded delicious!  So not only do I want ice cream, I have the jingle stuck in my head!  :)  

Labor signs?: Nope

Belly button in or out?:  In.

What I miss?:  Peeing with a feeling of "ahhhh".    It doesn't matter how badly I have to use the restroom, it will come out slowly.  Yes I get relief but it always feels good to let it rush out and it wont rush.  I knew this day was coming and I know I'll get my sigh moment back when you become an outside baby.  

What I'm looking forward to?:  Our Alaskan cruise in less than 2 weeks!  I know you wont get to experience Alaska like the rest of your family but I'll be sure to take pictures to prove that you were there with us in-utero. 


Lets see how much we've grown in the last month!

Best Birthday Ever

Wednesday was my Birthday and we got to see our bugga-boo.  Here is a sneak peak of our little one at 19 weeks 1 day.

Sick

Dear Michela,

We survived!  Last week you came down with some sort of virus.  Teething could have been a factor but there was definitely something else going on in your little body.  :(  

Wednesday you had a slight runny nose and refused to eat lunch and dinner.  That night you woke up at 1:30AM with a fever of 102!  I gave you Tylenol and you went back to sleep.

Thursday you woke up with a runny nose, watery eyes, and a fever.  You refused to eat breakfast and all  you wanted to do was cuddle with mommy and sleep.  You vomited a little after noon and it wasn't that you just threw up and was fine.  It hurt!  You vomited then dry heaved for a good 5 minutes while crying hysterically.  You were miserable and I hated it too!  I loved all the cuddles you gave me but I wish it was simply out of love and not because you felt horrible.

We didn't sleep well Thursday night because when ever you completed a sleep cycle you woke yourself up feeling sick.  That means, you woke me up too.  I think we woke up every 30 - 45 minutes that night.  You slept best on the couch in the reclined position next to me.  I think we got a good hour and 15 minutes between wake ups when we slept like that!

Friday you woke up a little better and Daddy was able to get you to eat a very small breakfast.  We called the advice nurse at Kaiser and she set up an appointment with your pediatrician.  I ended up canceling the appointment later that morning because you finally broke your fever and was actually starting to act like yourself again.  You still weren't interested in eating but you were playing and smiling - something you didn't do on Thursday.

By Sunday, you were back to your self again!  YAY!  You don't know how happy I was to see you eat a full breakfast again!  The last real meal you ate was Wednesday morning!  I'm glad you're feeling better and eating again.  Now we just need to get you back on your normal sleep schedule.

I wanted so badly to trade places with you on Thursday.  It was horrible seeing my little girl so sick and miserable.  I'm glad that's over!

I love you sweet Michela!

Love,

Mommy  

Old Wives Tale

Dear Bugga-boo,

A while ago I heard an old wives tale that says 5 months from the first day you feel a big kick (a BIG kick that you can feel on the outside) your baby will be born - assuming there are no complications.
Since I kept a journal for Michela - like I'm doing for you - I was able to find the day I first felt her big kick.  That was January 4, 2010 and 5 months later, she was born!  It held true for Michela so I'm wondering if it will hold true for you.  Daddy and I felt your first big kick on July 4, 2011.  It will be interesting to see if your birthday will be December 4, 2011.  

When ever you decide to make your entrance into this world Daddy and I are ready to love and take care of you!

With all my love,

Mommy

P.S.  We're 19 weeks today!  YAY!

Summer Fun (Thus Far)

Dear Michela,

You have had a great summer so far and there is so much more adventure to come!  Check out some of the things we have done!  One thing not pictured was spending the day at the beach in Santa Cruz.  Daddy we forgot the camera in the car and it was too hot and too far to go back.   You had a blast playing in the sand with another Michela.  She spells her name Mikayla but you quickly forgave her and had fun playing.  I promise we will go back and make sure to bring the camera.

I love you baby girl!

Love,

Mommy

Enjoy the pictures!

Cousin's kicking back

Splashing swimming in the fountain

 

Hanging with Daddy

Swimming in the hippo pool with friends

 Coloring a picture...

And snacking on crayons

Exhausted

A Daddy Moment

Dear Bugga-boo,

This has been a great week.  I now feel you on a daily basis and I love it!  The best part is that Daddy can feel you move too!  On Monday, I sat watching you wiggle around so Daddy put his hand on my belly.  A few minutes later you rolled over and kicked him!  We really enjoy feeling you move around.

I'm still in amazement at how fast this pregnancy is going.  We're already 18.5 weeks!  That means we're almost half way through pregnancy and on our way to meeting you.  I kind of want it to slow down because I love having you as an inside baby.   I know I'll love having you as an outside baby too but there is just something special about having you grow inside me.  Maybe I'm selfish because I get to have you all to myself 24 hours a day and I love it.  I just love knowing that you're getting bigger and growing stronger by the minute.

Your sister started pointing to my belly.  I know she doesn't understand that you're inside but I still tell her you're in there!  She'll learn soon enough that she's a big sister.  She's ready too!  She loves other kids and babies and I know she'll love you too.

We all love you bugga-boo!  Keep growing strong!

With all my love,

Mommy

Hug

Dear Michela,

You sure know how to make me feel loved.  I taught you how to give hugs to your stuffed animals.  You will also give me a hug if I request one.  While you give hugs, you say "awww, hug."  You're so cute.  Much to your father's dismay, you'll give me a hug anytime but will rarely give him one.  This last week he sat on the floor and requested a hug.  You looked at him, walked passed him, and gave me a hug.  I of course ate it up and loved it but you should give your daddy a hug too.  Lucky for Daddy, yesterday you were walking past him while he sat on the floor and reached out to give him a hug!  He didn't even need to request it, you just gave him one.  That was very sweet.

I love you so much!  You're my sweet girl!

Hugs and kisses!

Love,

Mommy