Lil Hoff Update Week 29

Week 29 and I'm doing fine......

 What is going on with Lil Hoff....

1. He can be as tall as 17 inches (depending on if he takes after his daddy who is 6'1" of his mommy who is 5'4") ha!

2. Lil Hoff can weigh nearly 3 pounds now. But he is not done yet, over the next 11 weeks he could double or triple (yikes!) his weight.

3. Lil Hoff saw his doctor this week. Heartbeat is strong and good! The doctor did say that I am measuring about two weeks bigger than what I should be, so in this case I am measuring in at 31 weeks. He does not seemed concerned by this, but did not lead me on that  I could go early either. He just simply said that the longer I go the bigger he gets.Eeek!

4. Lil Hoff is soooo active he moves all the time. Which I love! I will sit at work and just look at my belly and watch it as he moves and then at night either sitting in my chair or laying in bed he is on the move. I have tried to watch Roscoe when he is on my lap cause I know he has to feel Lil Hoff but he never acts any different.

 What is going on with me......

 1. I have gained 4 pounds at this doctor's appointment, which in grand total means 5 pound for the whole pregnancy. 

2. Doctor says my blood pressure is good, and weight is good, so he is pleased with everything. 

3. He wants to start seeing us every 2 weeks now, so the countdown is on the closer and closer appointments. 

4. Being pregnant has relieved me of some of the my thoughts pre-pregnancy. One is that my house has to be picked up and tidy no matter what. Before I would work hard every night or every morning and make sure that everything was in its place and I couldn't go to bed if there was still a pile of laundry on the floor that needed to be washed or a dish in the sink that needed to be washed, and it caused fights between me and Farmboy and it was stressful, but now, due to being pregnant and I just don't have the energy I figure what is it going to hurt for that newspaper that we have read to sit on the coffee table for one maybe two more days. Or one skillet is not going to matter if it sits overnight in the sink. 

5. This week I have became more self-conscience about my belly and how large it is getting. I am trying to be aware if I am starting to waddle or if I am standing to close to people or even getting too close to something and your not paying attention and my belly stops me cause it has hit it first. When people look at me now its the belly they notice first and while part of that I love the attention, another part I'm going , "What?? Yes I know I have a large belly" 

6. Last but not least, I have seriously come to the conclusion that bending over is high overrated. I now look at something on the floor and weigh my options if it is worth it to pick up or not. That might reference back to point number 4...something things can just lay around for a while. Ha!

This week after we went to the doctor, Farmboy took the rest of the day off and we headed to Springfield to do some baby shopping and to register at Babies R Us. 

This registration went a lot better than at Target, by the end of this we might be ole pros. The lady that helped us was very friendly and very helpful. She gave us a list of suggestions that we might want to register for. Well a list is all I needed, and away we went. Our scanner here was more high tech than at Target. When you scanned something, it had the ratings for that product and if applicable a video demonstration, which kept Farmboy entertained for several isles. The only problem we ran into is of course the list had EVERYTHING you could imagine EVERY needing for a baby so it took me a while to NOT go by the list and use some common sense as well. But I am such a list follower, it was hard to break free. Farmboy got irritated when hour number two rolled by so then it just became scan, scan, and more scan. I was afraid when I told him  that  I had him scan the wrong thing, which means he had to delete it and rescan something else, he was just going to leave me without a baby's daddy. Then in one corner of the store the scanner wouldn't register with the computer so he had to take the items a couple of isles over and scan them and bring them back. Such good times and happy memories made. 

After Babies R Us, we did do a couple of other stores for Lil Hoff, but then we ended up at Bass Pro for Farmboy and then at Texas Roadhouse for a early birthday dinner for him. It was a great day of talking and planning and getting ready for Lil Hoff. 

The next night we headed back up to Springfield for a Cardinals Game. One of the insurance companies that I write for had provided a bunch of us agents in this area with tickets as a thank you. The game was so-so, but we got free food and a free game. So in my book that is a good night. 

Farmboy this time it was a bit shorter than in June when I last wore it. :)

Here's the rest of the clan, cheering on the Cardinals. 

"For it's one! two! three! strikes your out at the ole ballgame"

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Lil Hoff Update Week 28

Busy, busy week here in the woods! Shewww, glad that it is almost over.....

What is going on with Lil Hoff....

1. Lil Hoff has reached 2 1/2 pounds and may be almost 16 inches long. 

2. Lil Hoff is mastering the skill of blinking...coughing...sucking..hiccuping..and taking practice breaths.

3. Lil Hoff is also catching up on his zzzzzzz's

4. Lil Hoff's lungs are almost fully developed.

What is going on with me.....

1. Lil Hoff continues to make it hard for me to get the deep breaths that I need. Every once in a while I feel light headed or my body will take a deep breath just to get caught up. 

2. Heartburn has been ever present this week. Which is not bad through the day but at night it just makes sleeping unbearable. 

3. I had a charlie horse in my leg that shot me out of bed like a cannon going off..oh it hurt. 

4. Farmboy continues to help me with meals which is nice, we never have really ever had something that we both work on together. 

5. My sister-in-law and new brother-in-law had a wedding reception this past Sunday. They had gotten married in June but we got to really celebrate them now. My mother-in-law out did herself decorating. The place was beautiful! 

She had her cakes on tree stumps, the whole place was amazing with a rustic woodsie theme. I believe she had five different cake flavors too. Mocha, White, Strawberry, Peanut Butter and Butter Pecan, yep that is five and the fact that I remembered them, shows you where I hung out, ha!

We had family in all weekend long to help us celebrate so needless to say I was completely wore out before my Monday even started. 

Farmboy and I went and checked cattle one night this week. He is already starting to have some fall calvers. I asked him if it was a little early but he said "some cows are just easier calvers, they grow them and shoot them out, that is what we are hoping for you." as he patted my belly. A reference to a cow, I am a lucky, lucky girl. 

They are both acting like they don't know I am taking their picture. 

Baby Reese was not so excited that I was along for the ride because she gets kicked to the back of the gator while I ride upfront. She truly believes she is the only female in Farmboy's life. 

Farmboy is a lucky, lucky, boy to be able to ride around in fields looking ultra manly with a fluff, fluff in his lap. I believe that is what he is thinking right now. 

These are my mother instincts kicking in already. In ten weeks just take fluff out and replace with Lil Hoff. I really don't see a difference.

Several other milestones were made this week....

We got our first piece of furniture for the nursery! My mom and dad got this as a baby gift for Lil Hoff (which I believe his momma will like and use more than he will). My mom, sister, and I loaded up one morning and went on a recliner buying journey. After several stores and several potty breaks we found this one. Actually I found one that was heated, cooled, and massaged you, but mom said that was not what she had in mind. Ha! But I believe this will do the trick for those late night feedings and if I happen to fall asleep in it as well, it will be a comfort to me as much as Lil Hoff. 

But I wasn't the first one to fall asleep in it :) I guess this proves my point, it is made for comfort. 

The other big milestone we made this week was registering!! Of course Farmboy has wanted to be a big part of the whole pregnancy adventure, so we took off to the lake with hopes of playing Putt-Putt but with humidity still looming around 100 degrees I told him I just didn't think I would be into it, so instead how about we go register at Tar-jay? That is almost the same thing, I be just as fun... right?? But he assured me that he had already thought of doing that as well, so off to Target we headed. 

When you have two people that have never really been around children, and haven't really done any research or reading on children, registering is like sending a blind person into a group of people and telling them to find someone with a red shirt on. We walked up and down isle after isle going what about this, and the other going, I don't know? What about this?? and so on and so on..... We went through two scanner guns cause they kept dying on us and we literally shut Target down. When we left I felt like I could have spent the whole day there and we were both completely exhausted. 

Farmboy was not as excited either, but if you can imagine this look was before we even started. We still had hours to spend together. Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Life is but a dream. 

( We did treat ourselves to ice cream afterwards, which always puts Farmboy in a better mood!)

 

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Lil Hoff Update Week 27

Hello! Welcome to week 27, are you ready to strap in and hang on for another exciting week of what is going on with Lil Hoff and his momma?

Here is what is going on with Lil Hoff

1. Lil Hoff is approximately 15 inches long

2. Lil Hoff is currently weighing in about 2 pounds. 

3. Lil Hoff currently has more taste buds now than what he will have when he is he born. Which also means that Lil Hoff can taste a difference in the amniotic fluid based on what I eat.

What is going on with me.....

1. This week was a great week! Besides the usual being tired and and restlessness at night, it was much, MUCH cooler. The good Lord shined down on this abnormally large pregnant woman!

2. Farmboy got to feel Lil Hoff move for the first time. He was amazed by how much he could feel him. Lil Hoff is very active once I lay down in bed (and also through the day) and Farmboy has tried and tried to catch him moving but he laid his hand on my stomach just at the right time as Lil Hoff was moving or kicking or something and he could definitely feel him. Then Lil Hoff stopped for a moment and Farmboy started poking me and saying "Lil Hoff, its your daddy, where are you?" (Farmboy will deny he did this, but he really did) 

3.  Along with the cooler weather came some much needed rain as well. And since Farmboy

occasionally gets a day off when it rains we went to the city and started looking for the nursery. The day started off wonderfully but I'm not sure if Lil Hoff didn't like what I had for lunch or what but he let me know it when we pulled into our first stop and I lost it in the parking lot. I then refused to go into the store that we had pulled into because I was afraid that they might have be inside watching me. Farmboy, although will not get queasy at anything on the farm, felt sick the rest of the day since he saw me get sick. I was a trooper though and the rest of the day I felt weak but other than that felt fine. 

4. The nursery theme is "Antique Toys" and I am in love with it. The problem is I figured I would be able to hit some antique stores and decorate with antique trucks, blocks, and what not, but when you price some of these toys you are looking at $50 to $100! Yikes!! Farmboy and I did find a few things at a local antique mall. So I am starting to get the nursery decorated. 

5. I am noticing how people look at you in public. I love the encouraging smiles I get from woman who I believe are remembering what it is like to be pregnant and also the sympathy ones from mothers who are being overtaken by their children, but with those I chose to look the other way. I love the way I feel like somehow I am more empowered (like I really need that, ha) knowing that I am carrying another human being in me. I love how people are naturally more kind around you with manners. 

6. We celebrated August birthdays this week with my family.....

My sister-in-law made Isaac's cupcake cake. They were red velvet cupcakes that she decorated to look like baseballs. Isaac believes he IS the next great baseball player.

This is my nephew Isaac, who told everyone he just wanted cash for his birthday. Then every card he opened up he went "WOW!" and in the end said "This is more cash then I ever expected!" He was a very happy boy all the way to the store where he bought himself a new Nintendo DS and some games. 

My birthday boy made the remark to my mom that if you share a month with a kid you just get overlooked. So my mother bought him his very own cake that even has his name on it. Some kids never grow up. 

 This was part of his gift. My mom thought he could read it with Lil Hoff one day.

One of the really fun things I did this week is go with the women of my family to see this movie. It was fabulous! Amazing! Wonderful! Tear-jerker! The list goes on and on. All of us had read the book and was counting down the days until it came to the movie theater. But it didn't come to our theater in town so we drove about 45 minutes to the nearest one and shared many laughs and a few tears. It is amazing to see stories like this come to life about such a different time in our culture. We all talked afterwards about who we might have been, like Miss Hilly, Miss Celia, or like Skeeter. I love movies that make you think after you watch them and imagine yourself in them.  By far, this is the best movie I have seen in a long time. I can not wait for it to come out on video so I can buy it and watch it again!

Week 28 is right around the corner and with every passing week is getting us closer to D-Day!

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Lil Hoff Update Week 26

Oh boy! This was a big week for Lil Hoff and I we are in week 26 and we had a doctor's appointment this week. 

What is going on with Lil Hoff.....

1. Lil Hoff is a 2-pounder and is 9+ inches long. 

2. Lil Hoff's eyes are beginning to open. I can't wait to see what color they are. I have blue while Farmboy has hazel. But it is still too early to tell. 

3. Lil Hoff might start to react more strongly to bright lights or when he hears a loud noise. 

4. The most movement I have felt from Lil Hoff has been in the lower part of my belly. While waiting at the doctors office yesterday I felt my first movement up high and it felt like kicks, just three short movements just to let me know he was there. 

5. We have no names picked out, it is so hard to decide on a name that will be with your child the rest of his life. We have narrowed it down to a few, but we are wanting to keep it a secret until Lil Hoff makes his big debut. 

6. Lil Hoff's nursery is going to be done in Antique Toys, such as rocking horses, wooden blocks, teddy bears, red wagons, and the list could go on forever.....

What is going on with me......

1. Going on week number four of 100+ degree weather. I'm sure you all know how I feel about that!. 

2. Lil Hoff must spend part of his time on my bladder, cause I feel like I have to go sooooo bad, and then nothing but a trickle comes out and no relief!

3. I did have my monthly checkup this week and took my mom and sister with me. My mom wanted to meet my doctor and take a tour of the hospital since she is not that familiar with it. Which ended up being a relief to me as well, because I became more familiar with it and learned some things I wouldn't have other wise. 

4. Some things to take away from the doctor's appointment. 

A. I have lost a pound. So overall, I believe I have gained a pound so far in this pregnancy. 

B. My glucose test came back normal. So that is a relief.

C. The doctor after bringing out a tape measure told me that I have a abnormally large belly for this point in my pregnancy. While I don't believe he was worried about it, he did say he wants to see my back in three weeks this time instead of 4 and he will be doing a ultra sound next time or the time after that to "see what is going on in there" Can't wait! 

D. We did hear Lil Hoff's heartbeat and both my mom and sister teared up.

And to quote my mother when we got back into the vehicle "So I guess that really IS all baby" as she is looking at my belly.My ultimate cheerleader

5. The tour of the hospital was very nice. They have 10 birthing rooms and they are prep, deliver, and recovery all in the same room. The room they took us into was sooo spacious and even had a walk in closet. It was room number 429 and they are holding it for me. :) Each room does have a chair that pulls out to accommodate my "significant other" as the nurse said, I was quick to say that my HUSBAND was 6'1" and might need a longer chair.  They showed us where the O.R. was in case I might have to have a c-section which it is right down the hallway on the same level. The nurse that walked us around was so friendly and easy to talk to and even joked around with us. She even pointed out where to park to get to maternity area the fastest and easiest. She said that they were all about the "moms" and would be the mean people to the family and friends trying to come see us. So if the mom is napping or doesn't feel like having company they will not let people through the door. Let that be fair warning to everyone :)

6. Farmboy has cooked or helped me cook every meal this week! I sat down with Farmboy and had a "family meeting" on everything that had to be done, cause we are now 3 months and counting away from meeting Lil Hoff and we have so much yet to do. Very exciting times in the Hoffman Household!!

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Lil Hoff Update Week 25

And we are steam rolling into week 25. For all concerned these pictures are taken by Farmboy and I have usually one shot to get it right and for the most part it usually works out, but if sometime in the future you see a fluffy white dog or I am looking cross-eyed or maybe not smiling that is why.

What is happening with Lil Hoff......

1. Lil Hoff is reaching 9 inches in length. 

2. Lil Hoff is developing capillaries, (not caterpillars like I thought is said the first time I read it) which are forming under the skin and filling with blood. By week's end, air sacs lined with capillaries will also develop in his lungs, getting them ready for that first breath of fresh air. 

3. Lil Hoff's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open this week.

4. Lil Hoff's vocal cords are functioning now, leading to the occasional hiccups. 

What is going on with me.....

1. A lot of the same stuff...peeing in the middle of the night, being tired, being hot (since we are now going in our 3rd week of 100+ temps) 

2. Lil Hoff and I went and had our glucose test done. They took the blood from my upper arm on my right side and I have a nicely sized bruise on it now. Which is getting a lot of comments from people, all from an insured asking who is beating me up and that they will hunt him down for me, to what did I get my arm pinched in, to what did I run into. 

Farmboy, myself and Lil Hoff went the the 1st Annual Yoder Family Reunion last weekend and had so much fun. We haven't seen some of the cousins in years as many of them are all spread out over America, ranging from California to Florida. It is always nice to slow down and spend a weekend getting caught up with everyone.

These are some of the Crazy Yoder Cousins!

Grandpa Yoder wanted some maintenance done on his house which included washing the front windows and trimming up some trees. 

Chara took the reigns and started washing windows.

As Farmboy told me, "I can't go a day without driving a tractor, it's unnatural". So he took over the job of driving the tractor with the grapple which picks up the limbs that are cut down.

Here is Grandpa Yoder giving instructions to the boy cousins on what he wants done.

Then Jordan went to work cutting down limbs.

But it wasn't all work, we had lots of fun too. Kayla and Melvin are entertaining themselves with a game of Corn Hole. 

While Jessica was the professional pusher of the next generation of "Little Girls"

There was also lots of good food and desserts! These three guys are representing the colors of the shirts that we had made for the weekend. The Yoders were MIZZOU colors with yellow and black. The Hoffmans were John Deere with green and yellow. The Masts were Colts with blue and white.

And these two very sweet ladies opened their house up to Farmboy and I to stay all weekend. They were very welcoming and it felt like we were right at home. Here is to a weekend of laughs and stuffed bellies! Can't wait for the next one.

While we were at the reunion, my mom kept Roscoe for us. I do have to admit I was pretty nervous when they drove away with him. But mom assured me that they have had a wonderful weekend and that he was just a pretty good little dog. She could get used to a dog that comes trained like him. There was two accidents in the house, but mom even laughed at those. Roscoe was as glad to be home as we were.

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Lil Hoff Update Week 24

It's Week 24 and I am surviving!! Just kidding, I have been very blessed with a relatively easy pregnancy. I have not hit labor yet, but so far I believe I will be pregnant again sometime in the future.





What is going on with me.....

1. I have hit the point that I now am getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. (I HATE that!)

2. I still don't feel like I have that much energy. I get up and even after my shower I feel like I could crawl back in to bed for hours.

3. Lil Hoff is constantly moving. Especially at night when I turn on my side to go to sleep.

4. We are going on week number 2 with 100 degree temperatures.

5. I am having some shortness of breaths while walking.Which is not helpful when ones own mother believes the farther you can walk to your destination the better off you are.

What is going on with Lil Hoff....

1. Lil Hoff is measuring the length of a standard sheet of paper, which for reference is 8 1/2 inches long.

2. Lil Hoff's weekly weight gain is about 6 ounces now. Much of the weight being put on is from accumulating baby fat, as well as from growing organs, bones, and muscle.

3. Lil Hoff's face is almost fully formed, with eyelashes and eyebrows and a good sprinkling of hair on the head. I know most of the is the "norm" but I have my doubts about the whole sprinkling of hair on the head. I was as bald as I could be as a child, so let's hope that he does have a sprinkling of hair on his head.

4. Like I said before Lil Hoff is moving quite often now. Farmboy is always trying to catch him moving but at this point has not yet.

5. Grandparents and Aunts are going crazy over him already. We have received several gifts already, so I thought I would share a couple with you.

This is from Aunt Sara....they are Lil Hoff's first pair of Big Smiths. I'm sure they will come in useful while riding in the gator with Farmboy!

And then what kind of Farmkid would Lil Hoff be if he didn't have a pair of Carharts, so Aunt Kayla bought Lil Hoff some. I can't wait to see him running around in these!

Then Grandma Hoffman had to go to John Deere to get some parts, but couldn't pass up the clothing section or the opportunity to buy Lil Hoff his very first John Deere outfit. Too cute!

Grandma Light then couldn't let one side of the family's preference be honored without the other so we now have duelling tractor shirts....John Deere vs. Farmall...good grief!

And then Aunt Sara went to South Dakota on vacation and saw a little Bamm-Bamm shirt and couldn't pass it up for Lil Hoff. Do you think she is saying something?? 

Then Aunt Chara has been in Oregon for some schooling and working on a clinical and brought back Lil Hoff's very first book. The pictures inside are amazing! I can't wait to look at it with him. 

So Lil Hoff is already being very spoiled by both sides of the family, and something tells me this is just the beginning :)

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