Coming soon to a blog near you...

.... the week 36 belly shot! We took the picture today (Sunday) and need change it into B&W so it matches the others!! Check back on Monday evening for the post and the 4 belly shot comparisons!! Wow, there is some serious growth happening folks!

The final belly shot will be right before we are on the way to the hospital!! :) Sure hope it isn't too much longer!!

Stay tuned.... (but at least you have 3 recent posts to read from late last week and the weekend)

Allyson and Peanut "The Hiccup Queen"

Busy little bee...

Having 4 days off in a row makes this mama-to-be write "To-Do" lists!! This really feeds at my Type A personality too!! Here is a shorted version of this weekend's to-do list...

- Create and type up the "items to pack" for the hospital bag -- CHECK
- Create and type up the "foods to bring to supply Nate nourishment in the hospital" -- CHECK
- Type up the Birth Plan for the hospital nurses -- CHECK
- Wash, dry, and fold Sophia's infant cloth diapers 3-4x to get them ready for use -- CHECK
- Do 4 loads of laundry from the week -- CHECK
- Put together the stroller -- CHECK (see picture below)
- Read through the instructions for the car seat -- CHECK
- Schedule appt to have the Fire Department do a "Car Seat Safety Check" -- CHECK
- Eat lots of Turkey -- CHECK
- Hit the gym each day -- CHECK (thus far)
- Catch up on emails and finally post blog entries! -- CHECK
- Pack the hospital bag -- NEEDS TO BE DONE
- Wash Sophia's "Going Home Outfit" -- NEEDS TO BE DONE













See, this mama has been busy!!!

Time to get back to work... I am a task-master-baby!!

Allyson and Peanut

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time to sit back and think about all the blessings that have been bestowed upon us throughout the year(s)!! It is so humbling to think of all God's blessings upon our tiny family this year!!! I thought make this blog post a list of the many things I am thankful for, in no specific order...just as my brain thinks of them!!

I hope you enjoy the list, and I encourage you to take a few minutes away from the hype of the holidays and mediate on all that you are thankful for this year!! Just make sure to think about your blessings before ingesting large amounts of turkey! You know that tryptophan is likely to put one to sleep in no time at all!! Please see the science behind "The Tryptophan Effect." I know all you medical/science nerds will appreciate this picture!



What am I thankful for this year (in no particular order):

-A gracious, salvation-giving, just God that showers His blessings onto my friends and family and the world.
-My incredibly WONDERFUL, loving, amazing HUSBAND Nate! I could go on and on about him...
-Our little Princess Peanut that will hopefully be arriving in less than 4 weeks!!!
-A healthy pregnancy free of complications!
-Insurance! Need I say more???
-Our families -- they are always so supportive and encouraging!! They are very giving people that have such sincere hearts and a caring spirit! I could go on and on...
-Jobs for Nate and I both so that we can have an income to provide for our family and also to be able to give back to God by means of tithing.
-Our health!! So often we take this for granted! I thank God daily for the ability to get up, move around, serve people, etc.
-Wonderful friends that are encouraging and supportive!
-The ability to love and be loved!
-An awesome church to worship God and for the friends we have met and are encouraged by there.
-An wonderful education to provide help for people medically!
-American citizenship and the many freedoms that provides. Including the freedom to write this blog.
-The US soldiers that are fighting overseas for my freedom and for our unborn child!
-The ability to see, hear, talk, speak, and listen!
-All the generous people that have given us so many wonderful gifts for our Peanut!!
-A house to provide shelter for our family.
-Food to nourish our bodies!
-Money to pay the bills, put food on the table, save for the future, etc.
-Wonderful neighbors that take care of us (including cut our grass) and watch out for us!
-2 cars that get us from point A to point B.
-Clothes to provide us warmth! Especially winter coats during this cold weather!
-The ability to give to others (whether it be time, energy, money, gifts, etc)
-Clocks and calenders... I really need these folks... I am a TYPE A!
-Opportunities for growth in all areas of life!
-Wisdom, common sense, understanding, patience (but I could use some more!)
-Memories
-The 4 seasons!
-A computer and internet to share all of these with you!!!
-And many, many, many more things that are unspoken!!!

May you all continue to be blessed!!!

Much love!
Allyson and Peanut

“Nobody puts baby in the corner…”

Dirty Dancing – ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES EVERY MADE!!! You know it is an amazing movie when you can continue to use lines from it 21 years later!! As Patrick Swayze put it, "Nobody puts baby in a corner!" Doubly true for my little tenant, Princess Peanut. She has pretty much taken over my entire torso by now. Over the past few months, she's squished and mushed all of my organs out of the way (including my bladder). Any day now, she'll make a final move and shove my heart up and to the left to make more room for herself. (See, she's got my heart in her hands already.) Ahhhhh…..



Before I became prego, my uterus was the size of a small orchard apple and was tucked away behind my pelvis. Well, today my uterus is the size of a small WATERMELON and reaches all the way up near my ribs!!

1/6 of my body’s total blood volume is chugging around in the vessels in my uterus!! Isn’t that amazing?? Gotta keep her healthy and growing….
















"Oh Romeo..."
















Ready for the FINAL performance -- after Patrick says, "Nobody puts Baby in the corner."

"I've had the time of my life.... and I owe it all to you...."

Ok, so enough of the Dirty Dancing Flashbacks.... I just want to go watch the movie RIGHT NOW!!!

This week in the news….

Week 35

- Peanut continues to pack on the pounds!

- She should be over 18 inches long and weight over 5 ½ lbs.

- She continues to kick and move around thankfully, she has kept her little head parked down in my pelvic region. We don’t need her moving around!! Face down ‘lil one!

- She has started a new little routine during the day, “Bladder dancing!” She is getting pretty good at it too!! No matter if I have just gone to the bathroom, she will situate herself to find a way to make me feel like I have to go again!!

- Her kidneys are fully developed.

- Her liver can process some waste products! Now we get to look forward to those first 1-2 diapers!! Black tar baby!!

- Her nails are growing and she will probably need a manicure upon exiting her “oven.”

Allyson and Peanut

Butler Basketball ….

Butler Basketball ….

It is that time of year again!!! Time to get roped into good ‘ole BU basketball!! Can I tell you how excited I am? I just love those boys!!! It is so good to see columns in the IndyStar from David Woods, our faithful Bulldog follower! Check out the latest article with the link below!

Watching Butler Basketball creates a fuzzy, warm sensation in your heart! It symbolizes teamwork, selflessness, humility, intelligent ball playing, and on and on and on…. To watch a game in Hinkle Fieldhouse is so energizing! The crowd is always very loud, the Fieldhouse sounds amazing, the chants are boisterous, the victory is OH so sweet!! There is nothing better than being in the Fieldhouse for 2 ½ hours sweating to death, then walking outside to your car and feeling the nice cold breeze on your face!! You can’t help but talk all about the game on the way home!!

For those of you who have never been to a Butler Basketball game, you are missing out!! You need to go to at least one game!!! Feel the energy that Butler Basketball provides!!! Also, it won’t cost you a whole week’s salary b/c they make the game prices very affordable and family friendly!!

So, here is a shout out to dear ‘ole Butler my alma mater….

GO DAWGS!!!!

http://www.indystar.com/article/20081120/SPORTS0605/811200495

PS> Know that Peanut WILL have a Butler Cheerleading Outfit to wear for next season!!! (She will probably be a little too young this year to make it to a game!)

Another week closer…

Week 34

This week in the news….

- Peanut should weight close to 5 lbs (I am anxious to know what our big peanut weighs in reality!) 5 lbs is about the size of a bag of sugar!! WOW!
- She should be about 18 inches long!! The emails tell me she is about the size of an American Girl Doll (see pic at left)!! Yikes!! That seems HUGE!! And I am carrying all of that around in my midsection?? (Good thing not in my butt huh?) It is just so amazing to me to think about her being that long since she is all curled up in a little ball inside of me!!
- Her fat layers are filling out!! She needs to be able to better regulate her body temperature when she comes out into the real world!!
- Her skin is getting smoother than ever! Gotta love a soft baby’s butt!
- Her central nervous system continues to mature.
- Her immune system is starting to develop and mature so she doesn’t have to rely solely on my antibodies through the placenta!
- Her lungs continue to mature as well! (Good thing!) Only 3 more weeks until her surfactant comes in!!
- She is continuing to lose small amounts of her vernix, or the white cream cheese layer protecting her body. Last night at class, the instructor said this was the best natural baby lotion ever!! When she comes out (depending on if she is early or late), she will have more or less of it. She said that it kind of absorbs in the skin when she is born if you don’t wipe it off!! Interesting fact huh?
- Her lanugo (soft animal fur for the womb) is almost completely gone!

Interesting fact from our Newborn Basics class: When a baby is in the womb, the noise he/she hears is about the same level/frequency as a vacuum cleaner running at all times. Wow, that is sooooo loud!! It is a wonder their ears aren’t blown out by the time they come out to see mommy and daddy! Our teacher told us this is why a lot of times the “white” noise helps calm a newborn down!!

Well, I tried to make a boring weekly email somewhat entertaining!! I imagine we will have more stories after our 8 hour childbirth class on Saturday. Peanut, Nate, and I are also going to see The Lion King on Thursday night at the Murat!! We are soooooo excited about this date night out!!! Good thing they didn’t charge me for an extra seat b/c that would have been pretty costly!!!

Allyson and Peanut

Thoughts and Reflections

First things first, I must apologize for my lack of posts lately. I have already been called out by a few people (right LM?). The month of November has been and still is jam packed for Nate and I. I think we have at least 3-4 events/commitments per week for the whole month!! But enough excuses – how about a heart felt post?? I have been feeling a little more sentimental lately so I thought I would share about everything that has been going on recently…(I have included lots of links to see decorations/products/etc that I have discussed in the post.)

Over the past few weeks, I have been contemplating using cloth diapers. Before you keep reading – I know what you are probably thinking… “Cloth Diapers… are you trying to kill yourself? You will be doing laundry every day!” Well, one of the ladies from church cloth diapers her child and loves it. Since I have started looking into, I have found quite a few people that do it and absolutely love it! I went over to see my friend from church “in action” and fell in love with the idea. (I know – how can a person fall in love with the idea of cloth diapering?) I started researching and pursuing information on cloth diapering for our princess peanut. There are so many new options – it isn’t anything close to what it used to be back in the days when we were in cloth diapers!! Plus, I will have enough diapers that I only have to do a diaper load every 3-4 days!! How about that??? The most remarkable improvement is the BumGenius Diaper! Check it out! Great for overnight!

Last Wednesday we had ToastyBaby.com (Company based out of Fishers, IN) come out and do an In-Home demo and show us all the options for cloth diapering!! It is amazing!! They make it very similar to disposable diapers!!! After the demo, my research, and seeing it in action, we are going full speed ahead and going to cloth diaper our princess. Not only will we save the environment, but we will save TONS of money!! I will keep you all posted on the progress. We probably will use disposables for the first few weeks until we can get into a rhythm, and then we will start our cloth diapers!! If you have questions, feel free to email me (allyson.long@yahoo.com).

Friday, I had another meet and greet with a pediatrician and fell in love with her!! It is such a burden off my shoulder’s to have this checked off my mommy-to-be-to-do list!!!

I was also able to finish most of the nursery on Friday. We have the valences up and ironed, the wall hangings are actually hanging on the wall, the lamp has a shade, the chair is done, the bookshelf is organized, and the changer/dresser is getting stocked with Peanut’s goodies!

Saturday, my fabulous sister Sarah and my dear friend Apryl threw me a WONDERFUL baby shower! It was such a wonderful experience!!! Words cannot even begin to express my gratitude for EVERYTHING and EVERYONE! I am so humbled by people’s generosity and kindness! I am so thankful for everyone that took the time out of their busy weekend to come and celebrate Peanut’s arrival!! Many people drove from far away – I was just so humbled!!! Princess Peanut received so many nice gifts!!! She has already been spoiled and she isn’t even here yet!!! We had the most amazing cake from A Little Bite Of Heaven in Avon!!! It was a white cake with real raspberry filling!!! Talk about rocking my world –WOW – Peanut even asked for a 2nd piece (ok, well, maybe it was me)! Westside locals, you should check it out!!

Sunday I put away most of Peanut’s clothes, toys, books, etc. I was so excited b/c I found my new baby-friendly detergent and washed her mattress pad, crib sheet, and changing table cover!! I finally was able to make her bed! J Now, we just have to wait 4-5 weeks for her to sleep in it!

This week we have our Newborn basics class on Tuesday night at Methodist Hospital. Thursday night we are going to see The Lion King at the Murat. I am so excited for Nate to see this!! I saw it in Chicago with Leslie and we both loved it!! I said I always wanted to see it again if it came to Indy!! Saturday we have our childbirth class all day at Methodist from 9-5pm. See, I told you – busy weeks!!

(Before you read this next section – you might want to sit down. Well, I guess you probably already are sitting down b/c why would you be checking the internet standing up?? But anywho…)

On a more sentimental note, I have actually begun to enjoy being pregnant!! (Now maybe b/c I only have 4-6 more weeks left and not 30 weeks, and the end is in sight, but nevertheless, at least it happened!) I know – this may come to a HUGE SHOCK to many of you reading!!! I really love feeling Peanut move all the time!! She is one busy-body that is for sure!! (I know that she probably will be outside of the womb too!) I continue to feel more and more connected with her and am excited for her to come out and meet her parents!!! I still have fearful thoughts in the back of my head, but I have just got to trust God that everything will work out in the end. This whole pregnancy has been a real test on my faith and I am constantly being reminded of God’s goodness, protection, and sovereignty!

Physically, I have actually been feeling pretty good! I have quite a bit of energy (relatively speaking) since I got started on my extra iron supplement and it has had time to raise my HgB! I didn’t realize how bad I was feeling before – now I have energy to kick butt at the gym!! Do I hear more planks?? J (Right sissy?)

So that is what has been happening in our lives!!! Thanks to all you dedicated blog readers!! It has been so encouraging to get feedback and encouraging comments!!

Stay tuned later this week for Week 34 updates. I do have to admit, the closer we get to 38-40 weeks, the weekly email updates are getting really lame-O! I think they are running out of things to say…basically it seems that all Peanut is doing is packing on the fat and finishing her final roasting before the timer goes off!!

Allyson and Princess Peanut

Large and In Charge...

WEEK 33…

THEORETICALLY 7 WEEKS LEFT, BUT I THINK PEANUT WANTS TO GET OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT AND COME IN 5 WEEKS… THAT IS WHAT SHE TELLS ME THROUGH HER PEANUT-LANGUAGE. (SHE COMMUNICATED THROUGH A SERIES OF HICCUPS!)

-She is rapidly losing the wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening.

-The bones in her skull aren’t fused together so she can just “slide right down the birth canal.” Hopefully Peanut has an easier journey down the birth canal than I had on my first "slip and slide." I chipped a front tooth!! It wasn’t “slippery” enough I guess!

- Peanut has yet to find my ribs…however, she has found my bladder!! She seems to know when it is especially full and loves to start doing tap dancing on top of it. Little princess ballerina!

- The email points out that at this point in time I have probably begun to obsess over labor and delivery. I can confidently say that this is NOT true. Paranoid mama Al hasn’t really begun to think much about the big L&D. She worries about day to day life in the womb!!! I wonder when I will stop worrying about that and focus on L&D. Maybe next Saturday during our ALL day childbirth education class. I bet the videos will do Nate in … however, I have seen childbirth in real life multiple times, so it will be OK for me to see!

- They also suggested I start thinking about what to pack in my hospital bag!!! Are you kidding me?? It is 33 weeks people, not 37 or 38 weeks!! Get a grip!I am anal, but not that anal!

- Peanut’s respiratory system is almost completely mature.

- Peanut can now detect light and tell the difference between night and day (of course that ability will miraculously disappear once she's born and up all night screaming).

- Her pupils will constrict and dilate in response to light. If you shine a flashlight on your belly, she may shy away from the light as if to say, "Cut it out, Ma. You're soooo annoying." I can imagine that she already thinks I am annoying. When I don’t feel her in 30 minutes, I am pushing all over my stomach trying to illicit a response. She probably is thinking… just wait till I get out of here…I will teach you for disturbing my sleep in the warm oven (aka womb) PAYBACK MAMA!!

-Peanut should weigh over 4.5 lbs, but our baby is more likely 5 lbs!! They tell me she is like a “grownup duck.” What?? Can we say, random???

- She should be approximately 17.5 inches long.

Well, that is all for Peanut and I! We are awaiting ToastyBaby.com to arrive for our cloth diaper demo!!

Peanut and Mama Al

Week 33 ... Coming Soon!!

Week 33 post and other news coming soon!! Please stay tuned!! Life has been INSANE this week and I haven't had a chance to sit down and post!!! Please check us out at the end of the week!!!

Allyson and Princess Peanut (who tells me she wants to join us in the world in 5 weeks, hope she isn't pulling my leg!)

32 things that change....

Wow, two posts in two days!!!

What changes when you have a baby? A better question may be: What doesn't change? My baby center emails tell me that these are 32 things that change….(with my commentary on some of them)
1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms. (Oh, I can’t wait for this day!)

2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid. (Of screwing up a child??)

3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

4. You respect your body ... finally.

5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way. (And think they are saints for putting up with me!)

6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.

8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago. (Kind of a scary thought?)

9. Your heart breaks much more easily. (Oh great!)

10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day. (Why not 234,836,178,977 times??)

11. Every day is a surprise.

12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)

13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

14. You become a morning person. (What if I am already? An earlier morning person? Is this possible?)

15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power. (I imagine this is pretty sweet!)

16. You discover how much there is to say about one tooth.

17. You finally realize that true joy doesn't come from material wealth. (If only more people would know this truth!!)

18. You now know where the sun comes from.

19. You'd rather buy a plastic tricycle than those shoes that you've been dying to have.

20. You realize that although sticky, lollipops have magical powers.

21. You don't mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night. (I don’t think I have ever minded this before pregnancy either? Ok, so I am a dork!)

22. Silence? What's that? (I know my mom probably asked this question many times with me as a little one!! Poor Nate probably does now!)

23. You realize that the 15 pounds you can't seem to get rid of are totally worth having. (I think I will REALLY have to disagree with this one! Extra 15 lbs means more gym time and more stroller time and walks!)

24. You discover an inner strength you never thought you had. (How awesome is that!)

25. You no longer rely on a clock — your baby now sets your schedule. (We might have to discuss this one more in depth in the future! Not according to Babywise!)

26. You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one. (I don’t know, I probably will be thinking… give me a break – don’t spoil the kid and he wouldn’t act out in public… but I could be totally wrong!)

27. Your dog — who used to be your 'baby' — becomes just a dog. (Not a problem for us, no dog!!)

28. You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you'll be late. ( I can see this to be true, but instead of being late, I would just be on time instead of early!)

29. You learn that taking a shower is a luxury. (Yipee!!)

30. You realize that you can love a complete stranger.

31. You find yourself wanting to make this world a better place.

32. If you didn’t believe in love at first sight before, now you do! (Ah, I can’t wait!! Bring it on baby – well, in 6 weeks!)

Jicama-mama or Jicama-baby

Week 32

This week in the news…

-Starting next week, we have to go to the doctor every two weeks, then weekly starting at week 35/36.

-Peanut is growing fast!!! She'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 6-7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb.

-They called her a “jicama” (hee-kah-mah) this week! Are you kidding me? I have never in my LIFE heard of this. I had to look it up and thought I would post what I found since most normal poeple probably don't know what this is.... A jicama (aka Mexican Potato and Mexican Turnip),is a crispy, sweet, edible root that resembles a turnip in physical appearance, although the plants are not related. Jicama has been cultivated in South America for centuries, and the vegetable is quite popular in Mexican cuisine. Jicama has a unique flavor that lends itself well to salads, salsas, and vegetable platters. The roots can sometimes grow to be quite large, although when they exceed the size of two fists, they begin to convert the sugars that give jicama its sweet flavor into starches, making the root somewhat woody to the taste. Jicama is actually a legume, and it grows on vines that may reach 20 feet (six meters) in length. The vines tend to hug the ground, terminating in tubers that may grow up to 50 pounds (22 kilograms) in size, although the majority of jicama roots sent to market are approximately three to four pounds (1.3-2 kilograms) in weight. Before eating, the coarse brown outer layer of the jicama should be peeled to reveal the white inside.

Bottom line -- my question is do we have a Jicama-mama or a Jicama-baby -- b/c these days I sure feel like a Jicama-mama!!!

-She should be about 16.7-17 inches long!! Hope we get a long, skinny one!!! She will look just like her daddy!! (For some odd reason a long, skinny baby seems like it would cause a LOT less pain during the delivery process!)

-She has toenails, fingernails, and real hair! (Well, we will see about the hair!! She will most likely be bald like her mother was for YEARS!) The email tells me that I shouldn’t worry about the hair b/c they have baby Toupee’s! Give me a break! How lame is that!!!

-Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth – hopefully in 6 weeks!

-She is busy blinking, looking around, grabbing things (that maybe she shouldn’t!), making faces, practicing breathing, peeing, and listening to everything around her! I think this line is HILARIOUS – b/c how do they know what she is up to in there??? Do they have a secret camera set up in someone’s stomach??? I still find it VERY odd they look around and have their eyes opened!!! Kind of freaks me out!!!

Well, that is all from us!

Allyson and Princess Peanut (aka Jicama-baby)