30 Weeks!

3/4 of the way there!  Woo hoo!

How far along: 30 weeks
Size of baby: 15 1/2 inches long and 3 1/2 lbs (like a head of cabbage)
Weight gain: 24 pounds
Maternity Clothes: Yup.  I've tried to squeeze this belly into some regular, loose tops and it isn't pretty. 
Gender: It's a BOY!!
Movement: Lots of movement, especially at night and in the morning.  This child is active, and loves to move when there's music playing in the house or car.  He also had the hiccups for the first time last night.
Sleep:  Good nights and bad
Symptoms: I'm starting to get tired much easier.  Luckily, my back pain has greatly improved thanks to my new CieAura CX2 bracelet (yes, I'm a walking commercial...it's that awesome).  
What I miss: Sleeping on my back, drinking wine and wearing normal clothes.
Cravings: Fruit, anything cold and sweets
Best Moment this week: Definitely the ultrasound we had today!  We found out that everything looks great (no more placenta issue).   We also learned he's 3 1/2 pounds, in the 55% tile for his size and he has hair!  He also found it more necessary to show us his boy parts than his face, but we did get a few good pictures.  Check out these cheeks:

What I am looking forward to:  Having this baby in 8-10 weeks!

Lawn Ornaments

I have a special place in my heart for inflatable holiday lawn ornaments.  And by special, I mean they are banned from my front yard until the end of time.  Our kids want a pony for Christmas? Sure. Giant treehouse?  No prob.  Something that resembles this?  They might as well call CPS because it AIN'T happening. 

As a "Keeping Up With the Kleckleys"  blog holiday tradition, let me share with you a picture taken on 12/9/2006, near our former apartment in Bloomingdale, IL.  You think a picture like this would put me in a stage of hysteria, but I love it.  Once it gets to this point, all you can do is laugh.  Can you imagine the kind of Christmas parties these people would have?

Why, you may ask yourself, am I posting about Christmas decor before Thanksgiving?  Clark Griswold Jr. (aka my husband, who has already taught our child how to sing Jingle Bells) has been asking to put up Christmas decorations for 2 weeks.  I love fall decor, so I've been adamant about leaving it up until now.  I think he still feels cheated from last year.  No Christmas decor was allowed until after Madeline's birthday (Dec 4th).  It was all up December 5th.  To make up it, I "gave" him 6 days of my fall decor in exchange for the Christmas stuff.  This morning we went to Home Depot to load up on outdoor Christmas things to fulfill his vision for the front yard that he's been talking about since last Christmas (seriously, not exaggerating).  Good thing he has good taste.

We walk into Home Depot, observing our outdoor decor options, when I saw IT.  I thought I had seen the worst when the inflatable snow globes made their debut a few years ago.  Not even close. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce the 54-3/4 in. Lightshow 120-Light Sparkle Peacock.

The picture does not do it justice.  It's almost worth a trip to Home Depot to see this thing in action.  It sparkles and shines like the Las Vegas strip on a Saturday night.  I realize this bucks my tradition of disliking inflatable decor, but this is just too good to pass up.  PLEASE let me know if you see this thing in someones yard. 

PS - Is it a new trend to use Peacocks in Christmas decor?  I understand using feathers, but a full replica of the animal?  I would have love to have overheard the conversation with the Christmas Merchandise buyers at Home Depot...

PPS - It can be yours for the bargain price of $89.98

Operation Organization and 6 Years

Last week, Jon's parents offered to keep Madeline for a few days so she could spend time at "Granny Camp" and I could get lots of baby prep done.  A few days ended up being Wednesday night - Sunday.   I was sad to be away from Maddie for so long (last time she spent 4 nights away we were in the Bahamas), but I got SO much done, and I know I wouldn't have been nearly as productive with only one or two days.  On the agenda was one major thing: Operation Organization.

Basically, the entire upstairs needed to be cleaned out an organzied:  Closets, holiday decor, scrapbook stuff, craft items, personal files, our special memoralbelia from childhood, all of Madeline's old clothes, unused home decor....you name it.  Ask anyone who has been upstairs in my house recently: It was a hot mess.  Luckily I was able to get it all done.  We took an entire carload of stuff to Goodwill, and everything is now organized in a way to make an extreme type A person proud. 

We took advantage of our childless evening Friday night and went to eat in Midtown with Peter, Niki and Maria.  It was so nice to be able to eat out with my family and actually enjoy myself instead of the constant toddler interruption.  I forgot what that was like.

On Saturday Jon and I celebrated 6 years of marriage!  What a fun 6 years it has been.  We've done so much, but I have to say this stage in life is my favorite thus far.  Some might call our lives lame, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!  We went to eat at Americas in River Oaks to celebrate.

Wedding Day: November 12, 2005

6 Years Later: November 12, 2011

Our final task before picking up Madeline was Santa duty.  I bought quite a few of her Christmas/Birthday presents online and they all showed up while she was gone.  One day I had UPS, Fed Ex and USPS deliver things to our house.  I'm pretty sure the neighbors think we're crazy.  UPS was here 4 days in a row. 

Jon putting together her little table and chairs.  She's going to love it!

Sunday afternoon we met Jon's parents at Dewberry Farms to pick up Maddie. This is going to get it's own post later on...she loved that place.  Thank you to Granny and Papa K for watching our little girl!  We feel very lucky that she has 2 sets of grandparents that will watch her for us and love to spend time with her.  Here's a pic from a common activity at Granny Camp: baking cookies!

Party Bus

The following picture (snapped during the 6pm news) needs no commentary...

28 Weeks!

How far along: 28 weeks
Size of baby: 14.8 inches long and 2 1/4 pound (the size of a Chinese cabbage...who comes up with these things?)
Weight gain: 21 pounds
Maternity Clothes: Yup
Gender: It's a BOY!!
Movement: Lots of movement, especially at night and in the morning.
Sleep: Pretty good lately
Symptoms: Braxton Hicks have gotten more frequent, and I'm still having back pain.  Also, I've been WAY more emotional lately.  I think I've cried more in the past 2 weeks than in the past year for no good reason whatsoever. 
What I miss: Sleeping on my back, drinking wine and wearing normal clothes. (all are still on the list)
Cravings: Fruit, anything cold and sweets (yikes!) 
Best Moment this week: Welcoming the third trimester!  It seems like it's gone so slow yet so fast at the same time.  I feel like I can see a light at the end of the tunnel (I say that now...talk to me in mid-January :).  I also got the office/baby room cleaned out and organized.  I feel like things are starting to come together.
What I am looking forward to: Checking more things off my to-do list, and getting an ultrasound in 2 weeks.  Can't wait to see this baby boy again! 

Team Karen

Last month we traveled to Marble Falls to participate in Team Karen, a fundraiser for Inflammatory Breast Cancer that was started in support of my friend Kim's mother.  It was also the first time we've stayed with Madeline in a hotel since she's been a toddler.

The Team Karen event consisted of a 5K/10K and Spaghetti Dinner.  Jon was one of the brave souls to do the 10K, which ended up being more like a cross country run. He said it was awesome.  (not how I like to think of running but to each his own :)

Funny story:  Before the dinner, a pastor said the blessing.  At the end, everyone says "amen".  My small Catholic child says (at the top of her lungs) "Father, Son, Holy Spirit" while making the sign of the cross.  We were cracking up. 

Team Karen was part one of the adventure.  Part two: hotel with a toddler.  It might have well have been Disneyworld.  It's not like there was anything overly exciting, but I guess a different environment made things fun for her.  She was screeching and running around from one thing to another:

Coloring on a notepad,

Sticking her head over the air conditioner to let the air blow through her hair, 

and hiding in the curtains.



We thought we'd let her fall asleep in the big bed then move her to the pack n' play. She kept pretending like she was sleeping, then would open her eyes, look at me, start giggling, then close her eyes and start the whole thing over again. We were laughing so hard, and I felt like we were having a slumber party! She eventually did fall asleep.

The next morning she got to ride on the luggage cart.  Combine that with getting to pick out her own breakfast and sit in a big girl chair to eat like mommy and daddy, and this child had a great time.

Family

A few weeks ago 3 of my grandparents came to Houston for a visit.  They live in Louisiana and we don't get to see them very often.  Jon just so happened to be out of town, so Madeline and I stayed at my parents house so she could get some extended time with her great grandparents (and it was nice to have extra people to keep her entertained :). 

We got to spend a whole week with Grandma and Grandpa! 

My Paw Paw flew in on Thursday, which was also my mom's birthday.  We went to lunch at Frenchie's (one of her faves) to celebrate.

Maddie and GiGi with Frankie (owner of Frenchie's)

Singing "Happy Birthday" at my parents house.  This is the only picture I got of my PawPaw over the weekend.  

Side note: Did you catch the image in the bottom right hand corner?  That would be my 86 year old Grandpa playing on his iphone...hahahaha.  He's just as addicted as the rest of us!  Later that weekend my 85 year old Grandma (and diehard LSU football fan) sat and watched the Texas A&M football game with us, repeatedly told us to stop talking so she could watch the game, and was explaining complicated play calls.   Love them!

Saturday night Madeline stayed in League City with everyone while Jon and I went to dinner for the 2nd annual Kleckley family fun night.  Last year all the "kids" went to Christopher's in Bryan, and this year we went to Fogo de Chao in Houston. 

Brothers (ranked by birth order): Luke (#2),  Jon (#1), Mark (#5), Paul (#3) and Ben (#4)

SILs: Jordan (Luke's wife), Dayna (Paul's wife) and me

Fogo de Chao is a Brazilian Steakhouse, where they walk around and serve you obnoxious amounts of meat.  They also have a fabulous salad bar.  Leave it to Mark to make a sandwich out of salad bar items.

Panic

My house is starting to look like the North Pole.  Between Madeline's birthday, Christmas and getting things for the new baby, it's getting ridiculous around here.  The UPS guy is here almost every day and my house is flooded with brown boxes. 

Today's UPS shipment consisted of baby bedding (woo hoo!) and a box of newborn diapers.  I opened the diapers to remind myself how small they are.  Bad idea.

For comparison purposes, Maddie's diaper is on the left and my old iphone is on the right.  I forgot how tiny these things are, and it instantly put me into "oh my goodness I have WAY too much stuff to do in the next 10-12 weeks" mode.  

 Excuse me while I go breathe into a paper bag.

P.S. - Can I briefly mention how much I LOVE shopping online?  I almost always find better deals than I'd get in the store, all from the comfort of my couch. :)

23 Months!

Less than a month and little miss thang will be 2...where has the time gone?!? 

(not the best picture, but I'll take what I can get)

• She weighs 24.5 lbs, wears size 5 diapers and 24 month/2T clothes
• Same sleeping habits: She'll sleep from 8pm-7am ish, and one nap a day for 1.5-2.5 hrs
• Oh, this singing...the child sings constantly.  In her crib in the morning, in the car, at night, while eating...you name it.  We've added Where is Thumbkin, Mary Had a Little Lamb, This Little Piggy, Row Row Row Your Boat and 5 Little Monkeys to the song list.  Jon is also teaching her Jingle Bells. Her favorites are ABC's, Wheels on the Bus and Old MacDonald (I think every animal in existence lives on her farm)
• Sometimes when we're in the car she'll say "no music" when I have the radio on.  She wants me to turn of the radio so we can sing "Madeline's Songs"
• She is still a ridiculously picky eater but drinks tons of milk. 
• When we pull in the church parking lot she says, "See Jesus".  She'll make the sign of the cross and really likes shaking people's hands and saying "peace be with you."  She also thinks that Mary is the same person as "Mary Had a Little Lamb" (and therefore will sing it in church).  Embarrassing moment: She wasn't behaving in church a few weeks ago, and started saying "Go home.  No Jesus." Thank goodness we were in the cry room.
• She knows the basic shapes: circle, square, oval, rectangle. diamond, triangle
• She can finally identify colors (thank you, school)
• Poor child still has trouble jumping, but I think we're getting close! She has been doing the "Elmo Slide" quite a bit and I think it's helping her coordination. 
• She loves to play outside, pull weeds and pick flowers
• Behavior wise:  Dare I say things have gotten slightly easier since she is starting to understand that good behavior = good things and bad behavior = consequences.  The tantrums are still around in full force (at least 15 minutes on occasion if she doesn't get her way) and I have a feeling they'll be around for the next year.  Our latest reward for good behavior is going to PetsMart to look at the kitty cats.  In Old Navy the other day she said, "Good girl, see kitty cats."
• She loves to play "pretend", work on puzzles, her Little People Farm, color and read books.
• One of our favorite times to spend with her is at night putting her to bed.  We say our prayers, and will pray for Mommy, Daddy, Madeline, Baby Brother and Fergie.  Then we ask her who else she wants to pray for.  She always says Peter and Niki first, then it's anyone's guess.  Sometimes she'll go through all of the Notos and Kleckleys.  Other times she'll throw in Elmo, random friends and Jesus.  Then she says "I Lub You Mommy/Daddy."

26 weeks!

(posting a week late....oh well :)
How far along: 26 weeks
Size of baby: 14 inches long and 1 2/3 pound (about the size of an English hothouse cucumber, whatever that is)
Weight gain: 20 pounds
Maternity Clothes: Yup....my "normal" tops are starting to get too short 
Gender: It's a BOY!!  In case you're wondering, the child still does not have a name.  We narrowed it down to a list of 30 and I consider that progress at this point.  For now, he shall remain nugget/baby brother
Movement: Lots of movement, especially at night and in the morning.  There's a little hand (or foot) that likes to poke my right side in a certain spot about twice a day and it hurts.  Same thing happened with Madeline!
Sleep: I have good nights and bad.
Symptoms: I'm starting to feel the later pregnancy symptoms, especially lower back pain.  As a result I can feel the pregnancy walk starting. :(  I'm also getting quite a bit of Braxton Hicks contractions.  Tummy is still sensitive, but overall I try not to complain! 
What I miss: Sleeping on my back, drinking wine and wearing normal pants. (all are still on the list)  The bigger I get, the more I miss normal clothes.  My belly has gotten past the cute stage and so has my wardrobe.
Cravings: Fruit, salad, ice water, anything cold.  Also starting to crave sweets more (yikes!).  I'm blaming it on the holidays, which make me want to bake WAY too much.  
Best Moment this week: A good Dr's appointment, and almost to the third trimester!
What I am looking forward to: Today I think I finally decided on bedding!  Woo hoo!  Looking forward to checking more things off my to-do list.

(No pic because I'm lazy and refuse to take a belly pic without my hair and make up done)

Halloween and Fall Festivities

A few weeks ago we took Madeline to the pumpkin patch at her school.  We let her pick out her own big pumpkin and 5 small ones for our family (Jon, Me, Maddie, Baby Brother, and Fergie...can't believe there's 5!).

For Halloween Madeline dressed up as Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz.  She doesn't know who Dorthy is, but I knew she'd love the sparkly shoes and carrying around a small dog in a basket.  On Friday we went to a Halloween party for our neighborhood playgroup.  She was excited to take pictures with her pumpkins and insisted on sitting on the big one.

Last year's pic

On Monday we went to the Weber's house for a Halloween gathering with our bootcamp friends (although with all the babies/pregos we aren't working out much these days).  Jon dressed up as a scarecrow and I was Glenda the good witch.  (forgot to take a family pic)

The Girls

Kiddos - It was much harder to get good group pictures this year!

Trick or Treat!

Madeline was more interested in picking little purple flowers (weeds) out of people's yards than collecting candy.  We had to practically force her to doorsteps.

  One of the few times she did take candy she took a giant bite out of it, wrapper and all.  Awesome.  She also got quite a kick out of pulling Samantha in the wagon.  

 It was short and sweet, but we had a great Halloween!