July Update

Guess who this is? Well, by now you shouldn't have to guess, it's me Shannon! Or as my daddy calls me Gracie. I thought I would write up an update as to what's going on in here. For one, I am quickly running out of room. Right now, mommy is in her 32nd week! Being that I am now just about 4lbs and about 17 inches long, there's no where to go but down. Head down that is. This week I think I'll go ahead and get ready and move so my head is pointing down. There isn't enough room to do summersaults any more so the only real place my noggin will fit is if I turn upside down. I've been working on this very well actually. The only thing is that when I am in this position, I like to still stretch my legs as much as I can. Unfortunately, mommy's ribs are in my way. So, I start flicking my feet around to see if I can find some spot to lodge my feet. Last time I did this, I guess mommy was sleeping and I woke her up. Sorry mommy. Anyways, I am on a good schedule right now but I'm sure it will change when I get out of here. For now, I wake up with the alarm clock daddy has set for them to wake up to every morning. This morning was NOT a morning that I wanted to wake up. Then all of a sudden my beauty sleep was interrupted by daddy's Charlie Brown Song. I was NOT happy. I thought I could poke mommy and she could then poke daddy and he could poke the snooze button and guess what? It worked! However, I am learning that "snooze" means close your eyes for 2 seconds then the alarm will go off again. And it did. So, I thought maybe if I poke mommy again, she could poke daddy again and maybe he'd miss the snooze and just turn off the alarm. No such luck. I poked mommy, she got sick, went to the bathroom and there I was being jumbled around like scrambled eggs. Ugh. It was not a happy morning for me. Back to my schedule. I wake up when mommy does, then I sleep till about 10am. At which time I begin to squirm and move. It's my mid morning aerobics :o) By the time I'm done, I'm tired so I sleep. Then I hear mommy eating lunch around 11:30. That wakes me up so I move a bit and mommy starts to feel sick. I think it's because I push on her stomach. Sorry. Well, after lunch I sleep some more and wiggle some more a little bit off and on till 4pm. By the time we pick up Codey and Mamaw and Papaws, I'm moving a little bit again. Then I sleep till about 7pm and then it's play time!!!! I poke at mommy and she pokes me back! We do this a few times and she thinks it's soooo funny. I guess it's my way of trying to make up for making her feel sick. Then after we play for 15 minutes I take another nap. Then at 10pm I wake up and remind mommy that it's time for her to go to bed so I start moving every body part I have. It's like I'm a puppeteer and mommy's the puppet. The more I move, the more she moves hee hee hee. She goes to bed and we start all over the same thing the next day. I like it in here but mommy keeps telling me I'm going to come out. I'm not sure if I want to go on that adventure but I guess I have 8 more weeks to make up my mind.....
So what is mommy and daddy doing lately? Well, mommy finished my Dr. Seuss quilt and a dust ruffle for my bed and daddy finished adding the extended oak banister to the front side of the stairs landing at the top of the stairs. He cut and sanded and polyurethaned all the wood all by himself and he put it together. It looks sooooo pretty. Er... I mean handsome or maybe its beautiful? I don't know the right word I guess but it's very very very nice and cool! Other than that, Codey splits his time between here and his mom's. Alyssa comes when she can though she is very busy and likes to hang out with her boyfriend. Mostly it's just mommy and daddy and me. But, Codey just came home so he'll be with us for 2 whole weeks. That'll be fun! Oh yea, mommy and daddy's anniversary is the 28th of this month. Awe, they've been married a whole year.....How cool. Daddy got mommy a new cell phone and a red Kitchen Aid toaster for her Kitchen Aid collection. Mommy got daddy a new cell phone and something else.....I can't say what it is in case daddy reads this. It hasn't come in the mail yet but when it does, me and mommy think he'll really like it.
***Yawn*** I'm getting tired so I'd better get going.....only 61 more days till I'm supposed to get here It's just around the corner. I'll write more later.
Love you! -Gracie.....

Hello Again from the belly!

Hey Guys! 

Gracie here with another update form the belly. For starters, it is getting c-r-a-m-p-e-d in here! I try to remodel in here weekly but there just isn't enough room. Mommy gets bigger but then so do I and space is getting limited. I guess that's good because that means I'm getting bigger. And me getting bigger means it's getting closer to my big debut! Right now, I am 28 weeks big in mommy's tummy. That means that I am about 2 1/2 lbs and about (this is a rough guess) 15 inches head to toe. That's right...Now I get to be measured head to toe not just to my rump. With my weight gain mommy feels me moving a whole lot more. What her and daddy like to do is for her to semi lay on her back and put the remote on her belly and watch me kick it. For some reason they get enjoyment out of this. People are sure weird. 

So today was mommy's check up. This one was especially important if I want to have any more brother's and sister's. Mommy is RH negative which means that her white blood cells don't like it if a baby is RH positive (which I could be). If a baby is RH positive, mommy's white blood cells react to it and try to attack it because they think it's a bad thing. Well, it won't be a problem for me because they don't attack a first pregnancy. But they remember and if my future brother or sister happens to be a positive, then it would be in jeopardy. So doctors developed this shot to give mommies at 28 weeks to help their white blood cells not to do this. Unfortunately, mommy needed this shot and now is in pain. Poor mommy. She's such a trooper. Ok, well on to happier stuff from the check up. Because we'll be talking about me! So, about me, I am doing very well and my heartbeat is 150. They decided to try to listen again and I wasn't too thrilled with someone poking on mommy's belly. It just feels like my world is being invaded! Well anyway, every time they put the wand on mommy's belly to listen to me, I kicked it away. I thought they would get the point but they didn't. I kicked it a second time and they still kept at it. I even tried moving and they found me again!!!! They are definitely not respecters of people's privacy! Well, I gave up and sat still for a minute and they heard what they needed to I guess because as quickly as it started, it stopped. Wew! It's annoying but I must say it becomes kind of fun at times just to move around and make them look for me. Like an Easter egg hunt. Lots has been going on since last time I was on here and it's all about me - still!!! Daddy and Uncle Derek and Tom went to a garage sale and found a stroller/car seat combo that was practically brand new and got it for me. It's black and purple. It was only $30!!! Then Daddy found a pac and play for me and a lamp and a shelf and a boppy pillow. The guys did so good! Then Mamaw and Papaw Ratliff gave money to Mommy and Daddy because they didn't know what to get me that Mommy and Daddy still needed so Mommy and Daddy went shopping. They got a video monitor, a bassinet pac and play and some bottles for me. The video monitor thing is really neat. It has night vision and plugs into the tv! Mommy, Daddy and Codey stayed up till 10:30 pm taking turns making faces in the camera while the other 2 would watch the tv. They had a bunch of fun. I'm not sure why making faces is funny but I guess I could try it. I know when I finally get there you all will be making funny faces at me. Weird. Anyhoo, then Mamaw Ratliff found some cool onesies for me. They say neat things like, I love my Mommy and she loves me, If mom says no - ask grandma, Daddy's Princess, I love Jesus. They are soooo cool! I can't wait to wear them! 

Well, I guess that's about all. Daddy's calling Mommy to dinner so I guess I gots to go. He made spaghetti and Mommy LOVES spaghetti so she's dragging me away from the computer. She says she'll put more pictures on here later. 

I can't wait to see you guys!!!! I am so excited to get here and meet all the people Mommy and Daddy have been telling me about. You sound so fascinating...I mean cool! Talk to you later.

Love-Gracie

What we have been up to....

Hey ya'll! Gracie here and I thought it would be cool to catch you all up on what we've been doing the last month. We even have pictures! Now, don't just read this today because tomorrow Mommy is going to the doctor for a baby update so I'll post stuff from that here tomorrow. So here's what we've been up to.....

My awesome big brother Codey is in Ju-jutsu and he's so good! He can flip people and sweep kick them and block punches and and and and and it's just SO cool! We go to his practices every Tuesday and Thursday in Hilliard and his teacher Mr. Bo Kimly is I think a grand master at this thing. He has a special belt that's like higher than a black belt! There are lots of people in Codey's class that he's made friends with. Mommy and Daddy go to watch him and I take notes :o) Then later in the evening I try out in Mommy's tummy what I learned in class hehehehe. Mommy says you can definitely tell that me and Codey are brother and sister! I'm learning chops and kicks and sweep kicks in here so when I come out, me and Codey can play!!!! Now that I'm getting bigger Mommy can feel them really good...or bad....depending on how you look er feel it hehehehe. Mommy will add some pictures of Codey from class here below.

Then my beautiful big sissy Alyssa has some cool news too! She made it into an Ohio beauty pagent. Who says looks can't get you what you want? She get's everything :o) Of course because she's really pretty. Mommy and Daddy don't have any pictures right now but Codey said he would get us some this weekend. So stay tuned!!!!

What else has been going on....Oh yeah ME! I'm what's going on :o) I'm growing like a weed says Mommy. I am now 1 and a half pounds and about 9 inches from head to rear-end. I got's veins and blood and my lungs are just about completely developed and my nose holes are going to open soon so I can practice breathing motions and....Well I better start a new sentence huh? Ok where was I? Oh yea, I'm doing all this growing and all this moving and Mommy is growing and doing moving too! I guess since I'm growing and adding weight to Mommy, her back is feeling it. Never fear though, Daddy's here! He was SOOOO nice to Mommy and went and bought her a super-mega-delux heating pad. It has 4 settings, can heat with moisture and has an automatice shut off thingy that stops the heat after an hour. No to mention, this thing is big! It cover's Mommy's whole back. Isn't Daddy the greatest? He sure is. And speaking of Daddy and his infinite coolness and goodness to Mommy, with her growing belly guess what happened? She can't reach her toes!!! She can't even tie her shoes! Guess who came to the rescue again? If you guessed Under Dog you guessed wrong. If you guessed Super Daddy, you guessed right! Mommy was having a sad day because she wanted her toe nails pink for summer and so Daddy said he would paint them for her! Then out of no where Codey said he would help too! So there she was, Codey painting her left foot and Daddy painting her right one. They sure do spoil her that's for sure....I hope they don't forget about me and spoil me when I get there. Mommy has a picture of what a great job they did below.

Here are Mother's Day pics too! Happy Mother's Day to all the Mommy's out there!

Mommy's Step Mommy Vicky, Mommy and Grandma Crane

Mommy, Mamaw and Daddy

What else did we do? Think.....think.....think......*lightbulb*!!! Ah ha! Yeah, we went to Kentucky to see grandpa Burel! That's right! He's not feeling good so Mommy and Daddy went to go see him and as always anything with them is an adventure! Mommy and Daddy took a Friday off from work and drove 4 hours to see grandpa. It took 4 hours because Mommy had to go to the bathroom and stop and eat. She blamed me for it but I don't see how it's my fault. She said something about me having it out for her bladder since that's the only thing I keep kicking. I don't know what a "bladder" is but what ever the thing is that's squishy under my feet feels nice to kick around....like a squishy ball. Maybe that's her "bladder"? Then she blamed me for having to eat since I was causing acid-reflux. Look, I don't know nothing about this "acid-reflux" stuff but I'm HUNGRY! Growing babies need lots of food to grow and if that causes this "acid-reflux" thing then I guess it's her alarm clock to let her know that I need to eat. Can't help it. Anyway, so they made it to the hotel to check in and met up with Mamaw and Papaw Ratliff (Daddy's Mommy and Daddy) and they went to Mamaw's sister Birdie's house to hang out with them for a few minutes. Hi Aunt Birdie!!!!!! Papaw and Larry and Daddy played mandolin, guitar and banjo and Mommy, Mamaw and Aunt Birdie sang. They all had a great time. Me? I was taking it all in and enjoying it. Very nice serenade. Then when it started getting late, Mommy, Daddy, Mamaw and Papaw left to go visit grandpa Burel in the hospital. He was happy to see us. Mommy got to meet more of Daddy's family and they laughed and had a nice time. Then Daddy's cousin Michelle invited us over for pizza dinner. We got to meet her very nice husband John too! Michelle and John took Mommy and Daddy out to their basketball court and played for a while then Mommy and Michelle went inside and talked FOREVER! And Daddy and John talked outside FOREVER! Before they knew it, it was 11:30 and Mommy and Daddy had to leave. They were sad to leave but they had to because they had to get up at 5am to get ready to go back to Ohio for Daddy's cousin Tina's wedding. So on Saturday morning, they got up early and went back. It was a beautiful wedding. Then Mommy and Daddy got home and turned on the tv and Daddy said let's go see Iron Man! So, off they went. It was such a COOL movie! Flying and crashing and kidnapping and rockets, and things blow up and and and and it was SO COOL!

Well, they have recovered and are semi-normal though, I don't think they were ever normal so that doesn't say much for me :o) Oh yeah, Mommy is also going to post pictures of my room! It's coming together so nicely. Uncle Derek and Aunt Dina gave Mommy and Daddy the dresser. Then Mommy and Daddy found a crib to match for cheap and then a matching changing table for only $40 bucks! They are cool pieces!

I'm getting sleepy so, I guess I'll let you all go......I'll be back tomorrow though and give an update of what Mommy's doctor says. Hey only 15 more weeks or so till I get here! I hope you're all ready! Love you!!!!!! Good Night.....****snore!!!!!***

Here are more pics. Enjoy!

Mommy and Michelle //////Mommy, Daddy, Michelle and John

Daddy hanging out on the couch//////Mamaw and Aunt Birdie and Papaw on the side

Daddy and grandpa Burel ////// Mommy's Step Mommy Vicky, Mommy and Grandpa

 
Mommy making dinner needed an apron

My room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a video. Hope it works..... It's a tour of my room :o) Let Mommy know in a post if this video works please. Thanks!