Baby Sister Shannon and Big Brother John Update

I just had a great doctor appointment this week and thought it would be a good time for an update on baby Shannon. To start with the one thing I just can't get out of my head is this little fun fact . . . 12 pounds. 12 pounds. That is the amount of weight I gained between my last two appointments. 12 pounds in a month, or as my mother-in-law so lovingly put it "oh that's only 3 pounds a week, not so bad!" ha! I really don't have an issue with it at all, I mean I knew I was going to gain the weight at some point and the doc reassured me that most of it was baby and baby related "stuff", but I mean wow! That did seem like a big leap to me!

Check out the belly! And I swear I did have make-up on . . . kinda scary photo, yikes!


Baby Shannon is definitely growing in there, I think that she is up to the size of a cabbage or califlower. Doc says she is laying on the right side of my belly and he thinks she is head down, but will probably check with a sonogram as we get closer just to be sure. After typing this Shannon decided to completely move around. Last night I am pretty sure she flip flopped completely and was even laying sideways for a while.  I am measuring 3 weeks ahead right now, at my 20 week appointment I was measuring 2 weeks ahead, so I wasn't surprised to hear this news. I start going to the doctor every two weeks now and the nurse led me to believe that it is because I'm measuring ahead. They have not mentioned moving my due date just yet, but only time will tell. I don't care when they tell me she is due, she will come out when she wants, whenever she wants!

I am in the wonderful part of pregnancy where I'm feeling great, getting around without too much trouble and feeling the amazing movements of a growing baby. She moves all the time and I love feeling all of it. I have noticed that her movements are either at the top of my belly or at the very, very bottom of my belly. I can almost feel her moving behind my pelvic bone if you can imagine, it's an odd feeling. But given the way that I can tell she is or was laying, which was confirmed by the doc, I'm not surprised at the locations of her movements. They are definitely different than Johnathan's movements which is interesting to me. Has her personality already started to develop? Shannon's movements are more soft, subtle and sporatic through the day. John's were strong and definite and at specific times or when I ate. Shannon's only had the hic-up's once, maybe twice, since I started to feel her moving. John had hic-up's once or twice a DAY! I can't wait to see if this difference will continue once she is born.

A few months back I had a really wonderful oppportunity to meet-up with my sister-in-law for her maternity photoshoot. Victoria and I were so excited to be pregnant at the same time we figured we had to capture this special time in photos. The photographer was excited to have this opportunity and came up with lots of neat poses and ideas. You can see her website here. Nicole Z sent me a photo that she took of my belly while I was there and gave me permission to post it here. I think it's just beauiftul!


Then for Christmas Victoria bought me a print of a great photo of the two of us. I just love everything about this photo!


The Sponseller Family is certainly growing!!

And no post would be complete without an update on my #1 little man. John has been showing us what a big boy he is recently, I just can't believe it!

To start with he is getting really good about going on the potty. He still has accidents from time to time and when he says he has to go it means immediately, but we are really getting there. We still do a pee-pee dance and give big high fives every time he goes which he loves. It's a fun time over here when you go on the potty!

John's been talking up a storm too. He has really become so much more verbal recently, it's like he has new words and phrases on a daily basis. Some of the things he says are really funny too, I wonder where he gets it. ;-) Some of my favorites are "Alright?!" as in "I want to go home . . .  alright?!" "I want to watch Nemo . . . alright?!" or "No I fine" which is how he usually responds to "do you have to go potty?". I wish I could think of more. I have to get better at taking video of him talking. He also gets on these rants where he's almost stuttering because I can tell he has so much to tell me he just doesn't know where to begin. His memory has started to get better too. I'm sure there is some medical explanation for this time in his life, but all I can tell you is that he can recall things that happened yesterday or even a few days ago which has never happened before. I just find it amazing, another sign that he is indeed growing up. Bittersweet all around.

Also, we have a new found love of movies! John loves Toy Story 1, 2 and 3, Finding Nemo, Cars and all of the Shreks as well and asks to watch them often. He sings along to some of the songs and can tell you what the main characters say. What does Buzz Lightyear say - "To the rescue" or "To emfanimy (infinity) and beyond". What does Dori say - "Jus keep swimming!" and how about the sea turtles - "Duuuude!" He LOVES Mater and Shrek and seems to get the jokes because he laughs at the right times. I have to say, although I do love Elmo, I'm happy with this new obsession. Fortunately the makers of these movies understand that parents watch too and add in a few things that adults find funny!

John has also started a not so fun habit of screaming or shreiking when he doesn't get his way. It happens both at home and when we are out and we are really trying to nip that behavior in the bud, but it's not easy. He knows what he wants to do and he doesn't understand that maybe a) it's dangerous, b) we have to do something else, or c) we said that he wasn't aloud to do it. It's been a bit trying but we are working through it. And by that I mean we haven't a clue as to how to get him to stop, so we are getting really good at distracting him or just ignoring his screams and hope he stops soon.

Life has gotten back into a very comfortable swing of "normal" after the holidays and before the big event in April. We get up, go to work, come home for dinner, have our night time routine and repeat throughout the week with fun little add-ins of dinner with Grandma Lolus or Grandma Bert and Papa. Our weekends have been full of this and that and lots of relaxing at home getting the things done that we couldn't get to during the week. We watch movies, make yummy dinners and just hang out. It's been fun to have some quiet time to reset. We have a few busy weekends coming up and I think we will be ready for the change!