New Trick

Well, baby Starke has learned a new trick today. The baby has learned how to kick me under my ribs! Not the most comfortable feeling. All day long the baby has been working on perfecting this skill :)


HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

24 Weeks

My belly has really "filled out" in the past month. The book states that the baby grows the most weight/week during these past few weeks. It feels like I just put up week 20 picture, but yet I compare it to what I look like now and I can't believe the amount I've grown in 1 month. I continue to feel pretty good, just tired. As long as I keep going throughout the day I am fine, but the moment I slow down or stop, I am done for the day.

I have actually added a two new activities to my weekly schedule. Three weeks ago I started a pre-natal swimming class which meets once a week for 45-50 minutes. During the class it doesn't feel like I'm doing a whole lot, but the next day my entire body is extremely fatigued. My muscles don't ache but are VERY tired. At least this means I am getting my money's worth! :). The other activity I've added is I am the newest addition to my school's 5th and 6th grade girl's basketball coaching staff. 4 times a week for an hour after school myself and 2 other coaches work with the girls on the basics of basketball. I figured I could handle an hour when with volleyball it was 2 hours. So far so good and I only have a few weeks left...it is about a 6 week program.

Pre-Nesting???

I know that I am not far enough along yet to be "nesting", but I think today could be considered pretty close to "nesting". Jason was hunting all afternoon/evening with his dad and I had planned on spending the afternoon doing school work. Well it is now 6:45pm and I am just NOW about to start my schoolwork!

It all started with my urge to get the crib and changing table out of our living room. This is something of course I probably shouldn't have done myself, but I cleared out the corner in our spare room and transported the crib and changing table into the bedroom. As of right now everything is fitting! Let's just hope Jason approves of how I set it up when he gets home from hunting. After that was completed I decided to make Chocolate Chip Cookies from scratch. Midway through that I started making apple struesel muffins and half way through that I started making apple cake! I didn't realize how much time I was doing this until the Season 9, disc 2 of FRIENDS was over! That's like 8-10 episodes! Needless today I was Suzy Homemaker. Now it is time to get started on schoolwork :) Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Clarification

Some people have told me they have had a difficult time figuring out what the ultrasound picture is of...It is not a picture of the entire baby, it is a zoomed in picture of the baby's face. It might help to click on the picture to make the image even bigger. Let me know if you are still having a hard time. The common reaction so far of people who have had a difficult time, is once I've explained it they are like, "OH! Wow! Now I see it!" :) It is kind of like the optical illusion picture where you can either see an old woman or a young lady depending on what your brain fixates on and once some one shows you the other you can't believe you couldn't see it before. :)

Baby Starke's 1st Photo Shoot

Dr.'s Appointment

Jason and I saw our baby for the first time last night. The ultrasound was a very interesting experience. When we were first looking at the baby, it was sleeping, however it was very clear that the baby had the hiccups. What was weird was seeing the baby move with the hiccups up on the screen, I could not feel any movement. The ultrasound tech kept raving about how cooperative the baby was being and that she was able to get such beautiful pictures. At one point you could see the baby's spine perfectly and the baby was arching its back like a cat. Eventually to get the baby to move positions, the ultrasound tech poked at my belly to wake the baby up. Once the baby was awake it was on the move! It was so neat to see the movement on the screen simultaneously with the movement I was feeling. The kicks were so strong that the ultrasound tech was able to feel the kicks through the instrument.

We got some very good pictures that I will try to scan into the computer when I have more time. The overall results of the ultrasound is that we have a physically healthy baby (as far as we can tell at this point) that has 10 fingers and 10 toes :). Size-wise, the due date has remained the same, March 7.

***Check back by the end of the week, I hope to have some pictures up by then! :)

Long Weekend of Traveling the Midwest

It is Sunday night and boy am I tired! Jason and I have been gone since Wednesday night and have slept somewhere different each night (Jason wants me to add that no, we are not homeless just travelers)! Last Thursday and Friday I did not have school so I went with Jason down to Chicago. While he worked those two days I was able to spend time with my cousins Kari, Matt, Zach and Jake. I had a great time going to Jake's preschool for his Halloween Costume group picture, waiting for Zach's kindergarten school bus, and shopping at Gurnee Mills!

Friday afternoon, Jason and I said farewell to the Kunkle's and headed to Grandma Jean's house in Moline, IL. My parents, Tricia & Jeremy, and Melissa met us in Moline to celebrate Grandma Jean's 84th birthday. Biorn family members will appreciate the fact that in the 24 hours we had Frank's Pizza, Adolf's Tacos and Whitey's ice cream! Baby Starke seemed to enjoy all of the new foods that are necessity to get when we travel to Moline!

Saturday late afternoon the "Danner" clan headed to Dubuque, IA to celebrate Grandma Mary's 85th birthday! Yes, both of my grandma's have the same birthday, November 1. It makes it very easy to remember! :) We celebrated Grandma Mary's birthday with Happy Joe's Pizza. What was great was that all family members, except for 2, were able to come to Dubuque this weekend. Chrissy and Sarah you were greatly missed:(. It doesn't happen very often that everyone is able to get together, so this impromptu family reunion was very nice.

Since I have given you the food play by play so far, I might as well continue.... :). This morning most of the clan from last night made there way to Grandma's house where my dad had prepared a wonderful brunch.

We had a wonderful time seeing everyone this weekend. Although we are tired tonight, it was well worth the trip around the Midwest! And of course I can't forget the cool milestone that was met this weekend. Baby Starke has made a "visual" appearance. I saw my belly move at the same time I felt the baby kick! It was so cool! ALSO....Baby Starke's kicks have now been felt by my parents, Grandma Jean, my sister's and my cousin Katie. Very exciting!