The crew at McD last night after Xavier's basketball game.  It was the last game of his season & they lost by 2 points in double overtime. Heartbreaker.  They had two really good players foul out early in the 4th which made it really hard.  Try to get K to sit through a whole game & double overtime even harder:)

My mom sent me a few photos she took of K last week at her house.  I have a few I took that I need to get posted this week as well. 



Washing her baby dolls & toys.



Licking the spoon at the end of their baking session.

K painting some pictures.  Mom said she went over the directions on how to not mix colors & keep your brush clean & only had to remind K once more about it.  She does pretty good at following directions for a 2 year old.  The teacher at her Sunday school said she was really impressed how well K does at helping clean up & work on projects.  You are suppose to be 3 to attend but she is always trying to sneak over there & refuses the nursery during bible study time so they offered for her to join in. 

I went out to work for a little bit this morning & after picking K up she insisted we go see her daddy at Shaney's.  Pretty sure that made his day.  She was singing to a Hillsong United cd on the way home.  J & I really enjoy their music & K has started to learn a few words from their songs.  So cute to hear her sing along.  I told her its fun to hear her praise Jesus with her voice.  She explained to me that she loves Jesus & he lives in her heart.  I got tears in my eyes hearing her talk.

Last couple of weeks..

I will be at 26 weeks tomorrow but I have missed posting the last few weeks so here is a catch up on the grow of junior or pretzel as K would call him.  We have no idea why she came up with this name but she tells many people we are going to name him pretzel.

24 weeks
About the size of an ear of corn: Just over a pound & a foot long.
Brain is growing quickly now & taste buds are continuing to develop
His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world.  (Praying our little guys lungs are developing right on time or a little ahead of schedule just in case) 
His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.
Baby's face is almost completely formed, down to the tiny eyelashes.
Baby probably knows which way is up now that his inner ear, which controls balance, has finished developing. He might realize whether he is upside down or right side up inside your amniotic sac.
Baby probably is continuing to become more active.
His movements right now are important for stimulating muscle growth, keeping joints flexible, and strengthening bones.
Right now, your baby probably is gaining about 6 ounces each week (this makes me very happy to hear)

25 weeks
About 13-1/2" long & around a 1-1/2 lbs.  Compared to a small cantaloupe.
Beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more like a newborn.
He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.
Baby uses his tiny developing hands to learn about himself and his environment. He even can make a fist.  (he will need to practice to defend himself from his big sis)

J & I feel better about my pregnancy with each week that passes by.  I think we along with our doctor will feel even better once we reach the 30 week mark.  Hope you are enjoying reading about baby Wilkens development as much as us.

K & baby brother stories:
I was half asleep on the couch Friday morning when I could feel pain at my belly button.  K decided she would feed baby brother a cheerio & tried to do it through my belly button.  Let's just say she crushed it & I had to clean out my sore belly button.
Today before nap time she was down stairs playing & ran upstairs with a baby doll asking about where her baby brother's bed had gone.  Well after some more talking & pointing up in her bedroom I figured out she was wanting to know what happened to the crib.   I explained we would sit it back up again once the baby was here & had moved out of his bassinet.  So cute.  Just glad to hear she was worried about where the little guy would be sleeping. 

K helping stir up some waffles one morning.  Such a big help.  Crazy to think there will be another little one in our house this year.  It will be an adjustment to go from just us three to four but we are super excited.  Just trying to soak up all this time with K while she is still our only one.  I think she is going to make an excellent big sister!

Little K-State fans

K & one of her cousins watching K-State basketball while enjoying a snack.  He likes to come over to watch sports at our house.  K thinks he is there to play with her so she is happy as well.  J went up & watched K-State finally win a game last night.  K kept watching for him on tv but never saw her daddy.  Right before she fell asleep she said "I love you mommy.  I love daddy & I miss him."  Such a sweet little girl.

Tea Party

K in her tutu & fairy wings having a tea party on a Saturday morning.  She thinks she is a butterfly in this outfit.  Normally she will switch her tutu about every 20 minutes.  I forgot she had gotten this tea set when she was a little baby but I got it out a few weeks ago & she loves playing with it.

Tomorrow...

I came across this video I took of K in early November singing Tomorrow from Annie.  She doesn't sing it as much as she used to but every once in a while we catch her.  For some reason she likes an Alan Jackson song Wanted from the early 90's.  She had Jake hold her while they listened tonight cause she gets a little emotional over it.  J said his mom's mom would be proud cause she loved Alan Jackson's music.

God gave me two legs...

We had a great weekend at our house.  Nothing exciting but got a lot done around the house.  Friday night I made a nice dinner, J worked on our new shower door & K played really good.  I tolded J we couldn't have had a better night.  J took me to lunch & to run errands in GB after church today.  K was in no shape to come along & needed a nap so she headed to grandma's house.  Well she started crying because she thought since I had on my purple jacket we were going to a K-State game & she wanted to go along.  Makes me proud that she likes those cats so much already! 

Kinley has been requesting me to pick up her drink or whatever else she may need when she is relaxing on the couch.  This preggo mommy has been telling her "God gave you two legs so use them".  Well this morning K came into our room with one of her little bible books & began to give us her version of each page.  She told us God is in her heart & that he gave her two legs.  I thought her version was pretty cute.  Funny how kids put things they hear together.

Tonight I was downloading some videos we had taken over the holidays & K wanted to watch some.  So I let her watch some from last spring & she sat so still just laughing at herself.  I can't believe how much older she seems than just less than a year ago.  Reminds me to take time each day to just enjoy the little things with her.  Such a blessing. 

   

One of the best true stories I have read.  I can't stop thinking about the people in the book since I finished it Saturday night.  Jake doesn't get how I can get so wrapped up in a book but I was really moved by this book.  And an emotional mess by the time I finished it.  I blame that on the pregnancy.  Hope they make it into a movie so he can enjoy it as well.

Snow..

K out playing in the snow on Monday.

Her & J still out playing together.  I am sure we will go back out this weekend again to play before the snow is all gone.

One of the girls...

 K decided to join our picture on New Year's Eve.  It was well after her bedtime but she wasn't about to miss a thing.  Probably won't be wearing that K-State shirt much longer or it may end up strecthed out for good:)



K, my friend Becky who is barely showing & is expecting just a few weeks before us & me looking extremely tired. 


K had to spend some time up at my aunt LouAnn's this morning.  I guess when she got dropped off she went right in & asked where uncle Jerry is at & why the table wasn't out in the piano room because she eats there with all the other kids.  She didn't understand that it is only out at holiday get togethers so there is somewhere to sit for everyone.  This little girl doesn't miss a thing.  I can only imagine what else she told them while she was there!  She was eating cookies with uncle Jerry when my dad picked her up so I am sure she will be asking to go back again soon. 

23 weeks...

Baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound so about the size of a large mango.
You may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes.
   (I sat for about 10 minutes last night while he was kicking & could see my shirt moving.  Pretty amazing.  K decided to give her bro some quality time last night with lots of hugs & kisses.  She was laying with her head on my stomach & he gave her such a good kick she popped up her head & looked at me like what in the world.)
The sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.
   (I thought of K's voice right when I read this:))
Your baby's lungs develop rapidly this week as they prepare for birth.
His lungs are producing a substance called surfactant that allows the lungs to inflate and deflate without collapsing or sticking together.
Blood vessels in your baby's lungs also are growing and developing in preparation for breathing.
Your baby is making breathing-like movements for practice, moving amniotic fluid in and out of her lungs.
Although your baby is getting all of the oxygen she needs from your placenta, this practice is important for developing his diaphragm muscles.
(taken from similac.com & babycenter.com)

I had my doctor's appointment on Monday & the length of my cervix stayed the same so that was good news.  He is having me try a pill this week that will hopefully stop/slow down these braxton hicks or contractions.  If it doesn't work I will get off of it next week at my appointment.  J went along for this appointment since the roads weren't in very good condition & so that he could listen to the doctor as well.  You would have thought he was the one getting checked.  He gets so nervous.  And he did ask the doctor about how it compares from checking a momma cow to a pregnant lady at one point.  The doctor's face was priceless & he has never checked a momma cow before.  Good thing I know how to take my hubby because most preggoes might have cried or beat him with their purse.  The doctor just wants me to keep my activities limited still at this point.

Beauty Shop

 Okay so I thought I would get this posted the other night but our little one has been sick.  She has had a runny nose all week but she got a fever Thursday afternoon until yesterday morning.  I thought maybe she was feeling better yesterday still had a runny nose but was at least playing some.  But this morning back up with a 100.2 temperature.  Poor little thing.

I came home from Wal-Mart & found these two playing beauty shop.

She got her finger & toes nails done.  They were having a pretty good time.  K has been showing off her nails all week is tells everyone her daddy did them.  What a great daddy!

Update..

Just thought I would update everyone on my doctor's appointment yesterday.  I had another internal sonogram & my cervix is shorter than two weeks ago.  In some cases the shorter your cervix the more likely to have preterm labor.  It's not at a below average length yet where they need to do anything but the doctor was a little concerned in only two weeks it had changed a cm.  Also in this past week I have had a few Braxton Hicks which I am really early to be having these especially with preterm labor from last time.  The doctor thinks I should just take it easy & he will check me again next week.  I just could have done too much over the holidays so hopefully my body can rest & keep our little guy safe in my tummy.  We are trusting in God that our little boy will stay put as long as possible & that he will lead a healthy life once he does arrive just like his big sister. 

We received some great news last night about my job though.  The oil company I work for has offered to purchase a labtop, printer & any other office supplies so that I am able to work from home.  I had sent my boss an email late Tuesday night about getting a just a laptop.  And he contacted me right after my doctor's appointment yesterday & wanted to come talk at our house last night.  They were very open to the idea especially after I told them about my appointment yesterday.  Talk about some amazing people to work for.  From them contacting me about this job (can't believe I ever questioned if I should take it or not),  raises I have received, & now this.  I will still have to go out to their house to file & check in with the guys during the week but for the most part I will be able to get most things done from home.  This is such a amazing news for us especially after my appointment yesterday.  We are not trying to think negetive about the pregnancy at all but we do have to get prepared for what could possibly happen.  So if I would end up on bedrest or in hospital to keep the little guy put this would be a huge help.  And if we get it set up soon we wouldn't be rushed later on trying to figure out how it will all work.  And it will continue to be great for us because I will be able to be at home more with the little ones, I won't be having to drag the little guys stuff out to their house with me, & it gives my mom a much needed break from grandkids.    Such a blessing!  I haven't stopped smiling since they left our house last night. 

I have some great pictures of J & K's beauty shop in our bathroom the other night that I hope to get posted tonight.  Let's just say I got a call on my way home from Wal-Mart the other night with J asking where the finger nail polish remover was. 

22 weeks...

22 weeks as of today.  I go back to the doctor again tomorrow so just pray everything checks out normal again this week.  Kinley wants to go along so she can get a sucker but I told her they don't give out suckers at mommy's doctor & she will have much more fun with Grammy.  I think we are going to take her around 28 or 30 weeks for the 3D sonogram we will have done so she can see her little brother.   

At 11 inches & almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn.
About the size of a spaghetti squash
His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums.
His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment.
If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in.
The surface of your baby's brain, which has previously been smooth, begins to develop folds. This creation of hills and valleys in the brain will continue until the 34th week of pregnancy, when your baby's brain will have enough surface area for a full complement of brain cells.
(taken from babycenter.com & strongmoms.com)

Bring on the cats...

We went up to the K-State basketball game Friday afternoon & to visit some friends for New Years Eve.  The roads weren't bad once we got to interstate but we did have to go slow until than.  We only had time to stop at McDonald's before the game so we weren't late.  I don't think I have ever felt more like a parent.  Normally we always eat somewhere we miss but there we were in all our purple grabbing some food.  Brought back lots of childhood memories of football games.



K dancing to the music before the game started.  Guess she needed to get warmed up before the game as well.  Last game she sat on my lap for the first half but this game she wanted to sit by herself.  I was going to wait until right before half time to take her to the top to walk around but decided with about 9 minutes left we could head on up to stretch our legs.  It worked out great though because Willie was signing autographs for all the little kids up top.  So K & I jumped in line & he gave K a big high five & signed the back of her sweat shirt.  We got there just in time because he had to stop & head down to the court after the people behind us in line.  K was so proud to go back & show J her sweatshirt (and everyone else we saw that day!).



K watching the game.  She did a really good job again but was tired by the end considering the game started when she normally takes a nap.  She was a trooper though.  It was nice for us to get out of town for a few days & catch up with our friends.  So many little ones running around now so that makes it even more fun.