The Willcoxon Family

17 weeks

2012-01-01T09:50:00.003-05:00

Well Christmas vacation is coming to a close and the new year has begun! This year we will be blessed with our second son and here is what is going on with Bennett's development:

My little on is now approximately 5 inches crown to rump and weighs about 5 ounces as well. Bennett's hearing should be developing enough by this stage to hear noises outside of the uterus like my voice, Laurel and Easton bugging each other and music (the better to move with). Sucking and swallowing is another skill that Bennett is perfecting at the moment; in fact, at my last appointment the doc confirmed urine in Bennett which means he is doing this job well.

As for me, I have not gained any weight to this point (a goal of mine with this pregnancy is to keep weight gain to a minimal). I do not have many food cravings as I did with Easton and I am also not constantly hungry as I was with Easton. School/ work begin again this Tuesday but not before the Georgia Bowl Game...I will keep updating every Sunday!

Happy New Year!

16 weeks

2011-12-25T21:48:00.002-05:00

Bennett: At 16 weeks you can almost see through Bennett's skin and a very fine growth of hair called lanugo is forming on his head. Also, Bennett's muscles and bones are coming together to form the skeletal system. Bennett is beginning to move and make sucking motions with his mouth. The liver and pancreas have formed and the intestines have started to make the first bowel movement called the meconium.

Mommy and Daddy: We can now narrow our focus to what we need for another lil man rather than a little girl. Thankfully, we have all the clothes and toys a boy could ask for! I am trying to cherish my last couple months with Easton as an only child (most of the time) and mentally prepare myself to share my love with another little one :)

Until next time....

It's a.....

2011-12-24T09:38:00.003-05:00

We officially know that we are having a boy and his name will be Bennett Munson! This name came from Matt's and my love of Georgia football and me just really liking the name Bennett (hopefully we will avoid the pothead status of Billy Bennett). Last night we held our gender reveal party with close family by selecting a team to join; either Team Tie or Team Bow, we took family pictures, enjoyed dinner and then got down to business. The cupcakes we had for dessert contained butter cream frosting that revealed the color of the baby (haha...thanks Tyler for the comment on our baby not being white)....blue represented boy and pink represented girl. When everyone bit in, they found out that we were pregnant with a boy! I am posting some fun pictures from last night's party to enjoy. Merry Christmas Eve!!!

And another one!

2011-12-18T09:49:00.004-05:00

We are now pregnant with our second and find out this week if we are having a boy or girl. With this being week 15 here are some developmental milestones that our new little one is experiencing:

Our growing baby now measures 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (the size of a naval orange). She or he is bus moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the air sacs in his or her lungs begin to develop. The legs are growing longer than the arms now and all joints are able to move. Although the eyelids are still fused shut, she or he can sense light. taste buds are now forming and my fingers are crossed that this little one is accepting to food as Easton is! This week will also determine what we are having....a Finley Elyse or a Bennett Munson!

I will post again next Friday when we know the sex of our growing baby!

38 weeks and counting...

2009-09-11T16:11:00.002-04:00

I am officially 38 weeks and ready as ever to have Easton! I went for my weekly check up yesterday and was having regular contractions 4 to 5 minutes apart! It was great news, after they checked my contractions I saw Easton on the ultra sound and he is approximately a healthy 6 1/2 pounds :). Next I had my blood pressure, urine and blood checked and everything looked good....BUT NO DIALATION!!! grrr....So, they sent me home and told me to come back when I have to "pant" through a contraction. I asked if they would admit me if I started panting now and my doctor just laughed at me.....I was being serious though. I am so ready to meet Easton!!! I am now trying everything in my power to start labor (bouncing on the yoga ball, walking the dogs, cooking, cleaning, etc.)
In the mean time, I will keep everyone updated!!!

marie

37 weeks!!!

2009-09-03T23:34:00.003-04:00

Wow, well...we made it to full term. Easton is officially fully cooked, but we are trying to keep him in there for another 2 weeks! I got my results from the "Group B strep test" and they came back negative, ultrasound showed a healthy, squirmy little boy, and BPP showed contractions!! With my contractions becoming somewhat regular last week, Matthew and I decided it would be best for me and Easton to take it easy and not work these weeks/days??? leading up to Easton's birthday hopefully allowing for him to "cook" a little longer :) The doctor is recommending that we induce on the 39th week....that means Easton will be here in 2 weeks!!! woohoo! As I wait for him to come, I am doing everything Martha Stewart would do (although my dad would probably recommend doing everything Rod Stewart would do while I still have the chance, hehe). I'm painting, baking, cooking, cleaning, decorating, napping and cleaning some more....I didn't believe in the "nesting period" until last week when it hit me.

I will keep everyone updated...until next time, chow!

Marie

36 weeks...

2009-08-28T23:20:00.002-04:00

Well, I had my big check up yesterday. I have gained a total of 21 lbs., Easton weighs approximately 5 1/2 lbs., and I had my group B strep test (I get the results next week). Everything is looking good...my blood pressure is great, and I was having some contractions during the BPP test and the nurse said that Easton was reacting good to the contractions.

Today, starting at 6:15pm, I started having stronger braxton hicks contractions so I took note of every contraction (when it occurred etc.) and it turns out they are pretty consistent...almost every 10 minutes for four hours now!!! Needless to say, I am about to go to bed and hopefully get some good rest. I don't know about work tomorrow morning yet...I really want Easton to stay put at least into the 37th week so that he has more weight on him...

I'll keep everyone updated!

week 33 doc visit

2009-08-11T12:08:00.002-04:00

Well, the night before I had my 33 week visit I had the head ache of my life. After getting through the night I went to the doc for my weekly visit and let them know about it....along with hearing about my head ache they found trace proteins in my urine. If there were higher levels of protein there would be a concern for pre eclampsia, but for now they will just be checking me more closely for those symptoms. Easton looked great in the ultra sounds and we are still truckin. This week I am 44 weeks....I'll update again after this weeks visit!

32 weeks...

2009-07-31T21:54:00.002-04:00

Well, it has been along time since an update, and so many things have happened since the last blog.
Matthew, Maggie May, Marley and I have moved into our first home in Pooler, GA (right outside Savannah).
With help from our wonderful friends and family (thank you Jonathon, J.R. and Devon and Momma Jill!!!) we moved everything in.....
With the stressful process of our moving in being finished, and our internet now hooked up, I can update everyone on Easton's status!
In my 29th week I came down with a pretty bad chest cold and was coughing often. After a week of trying to "let it pass" I was not feeling good. When I went in for my 30 week check up, I was measuring 4 weeks ahead of schedule. With that, my doctor had me take a precautionary ultra sound to see if Easton was just really big, or if there was another problem.
The ultra sound picked up on extra fluid ( a normal range is between 5 and 25 units...mine was nearing the 25 mark). With my fluid levels being high, it was enough concern to have me start coming in on a weekly basis for the rest of the pregnancy. The good news is, I will be getting weekly pictures of Easton!
The other thing they discovered in the ultra sound was that Easton was, not so surprisingly, small for 30 weeks...12th percentile small...If they would go by his weight at that ultra sound the new due date would be.... October 3rd!!! (My dad's birthday!) When the ultra sound tech told Matthew and me this news, we both looked at each other and I had a comforting feeling come over me. I truely believe it was my Dad's way of saying that everything is going to be fine.
Along with weekly ultra sounds, I will be getting weekly stress tests where they monitor contractions and Easton's heart beat. Today everything was fine in both the ultra sound and the Stress Test.
So far, I have gained a total of 16 pounds (they want me to gain a max of 25-30 pounds) so my health is looking good so far...no diabetes, blood pressure good etc. Easton is moving around SO much lately. He is no longer just kicking...he is rolling around....it is crazy to watch. My stomach is sometimes completely crooked from him positioning himself weird. :)
Last week, all of my friends made the trip to Savannah for the baby shower and I had such a wonderful time. It was great catching up and seeing everyone again (thank you everyone!!!)
Until next week....suuuuuuah! :) love you guys!

27 weeks!

2009-06-26T18:44:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone....
Here is what Easton is up to this week!
This week they say Easton should weigh around 2 pounds and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He’s sleeping and waking at regular intervals and also opening and closing his eyes. With more brain tissue developing, Easton’s brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. If I am feeling rhythmic movements, they say Easton probably has a case of the hiccups. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him.Here is what’s going on with me:
With the second trimester drawing to a close, I am starting to feel tired, and a little uncomfortable. My biggest discomfort is my back….sitting and standing too long aggravates it easily. Sleeping has become easier (Matthew ended up moving the recliner in to the room, but he is the one sleeping on it). The “snoogle” is a miracle pillow…my hips feel so much better and no longer wake me up in the middle of the night.

Next week is my diabetes test and last monthly visit…I have graduated in to the every other week check up!!!

26 weeks...

2009-06-17T13:51:00.002-04:00

Easton's Development:
Well, this is a big time for Easton's growth as his lungs continue to develop along with his heart. Some can even hear his heart beat just by putting their ear up to my stomach!The nerve pathways in his ears are continuing to develop as well, making it easier for him to hear what is going on outside of me. He is practicing breathing by swallowing in amniotic fluid and this week is a boy milestone when his testicles are supposed to dropp in to the scrotum (a process that takes 2 to 3 days)!

My Growth and Experiences:
My uterus is now the size of a volley ball and reaches approximately 3 inches above my belly button! It will continue to grow a centimeter each week until Easton is born! My back is continuing to bug me, but my wonderful husband bought me the "snoogle pillow" (a special body pillow made especially for pregnancy). Also, breathing has become a little difficult, especially when laying down, so Matthew had to move the recliner into our bedroom for me to sleep in...instead of sleeping completely horizontal. Also, I have learned here recently that although I may be really hungry, it is always safer to stick with smaller portions. Because Easton is taking up more room, my stomach has less room...even eating too much cereal can make me feel nauseous!!

This weekend Matthew and I are taking a weekender birthing class which lasts all day. It will teach us some pain relieving techniques, give us some options as far as a birthing plan, and also gives us a chance to take a tour of the hospital and a feel for what things will be like in about 14 weeks!

Week 25

2009-06-11T10:42:00.002-04:00

Here is what’s going on inside the womb this week….Easton is soaking up my antibodies preparing for life outside of the womb. His eyes are forming and he will soon be able to blink :) His lungs are continuing to develop and his nostrils are beginning to open up (and if they are anything like mine....well....haha you know!) My uterus is now about the size of a volley ball and I can definitely feel the pressure in my back!

24 week check up

2009-06-05T19:06:00.002-04:00

Today was my 24 week check up. I have gained 5 lbs. since my last visit and a total of 12 for the whole pregnancy this far. According to the doc that's right on track....after week 12 I am supposed to gain approximately 1lb. per week.
Everything with the visit went great! Heart beat, my blood pressure and measurements were all normal.
Next week, I get my diabetes test done. I get to go in super early to drink an orange flat soda tasting liquid and wait an hour for a blood test. FUN!
Easton has gained four ounces since last week and is weighing in at about a pound in a half...he is just about a foot long!!!Because of his jump in size he is no longer able to do flips in my stomach, but can kick quite hard in his tight space. The biggest developments Easton is going through at this stage are lungs, brain and taste buds. The baby will continue putting on fat and his face is fully formed. Basically, the baby is a skinnier version of what he will look like when he is born!
It will be normal, at this stage, for me to start feeling Braxton Hicks contractions which is just a tightening of my uterus...this does not affect the baby.
See you in a week!

week 23

2009-05-28T08:57:00.000-04:00

At this point, I have pretty much adjusted to the fact that there is a moving being in my stomach. Easton now reacts to sounds that he might like/ or dislike (hates my alarm clock, the dogs barking, loves me talking to him at night….I know this because he told me).

His taste buds are still growing and I am trying my best to introduce him to as much food that won’t give me extreme heart burn since he can taste what I am tasting!!

His bones are continuing to ossify (harden) and his veins are visible through his translucent skin.

I am doing ok except the terrible sleep lately. I have been waking up every two hours (I guess Easton is preparing me for later…) I pee more than I usually do, if that is at all possible, and it is extremely hard to find a comfortable way to sleep. Every other month when Matthew is back on days is a big adjustment for me and I know this month coming up will definitely be the hardest so far. I definitely cannot lie on my back any more because the thought of me not giving Easton enough oxygen creeps me out, and I can also feel a lot of pressure on my back sleeping this way. They say the left side is usually the best way to sleep for the baby, because it provides the most amount of oxygen for the baby so I actually start out on my right until I am about to fall asleep and then quickly change to my left to get some zzzz’s. I can’t stay on one side too long because my hips start to hurt! WONDERFUL.

Other than lack of sleep and an over-active bladder (something I am already used too) I am doing fine. I go in for my next check up on the 5th of June and will update everyone again then!

Week 22...what's goin on!

2009-05-22T09:55:00.000-04:00

Easton is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that Easton finds gentle music and my own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It’s not hard to figure out when he is sleeping or awake….he is a great kicker!!!

2009-05-18T12:40:00.002-04:00

On Saterday morning the 16th at 6am the most amazing thing happened!!!Easton was kicking so hard that I just knew Matt would finally be able to feel him....so I woke him up and sure enough Matt felt him kick! So cool......he was kicking pretty high too....about 2 to 3 inches above my belly button (which no longer looks like itself by the way.

Here is what is happening with Easton as far as development this week....

Easton gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Easton is now the length of a banana, 11 inches and almost 13 ounces!!!

It's a boy!

2009-05-08T12:32:00.002-04:00

Well, it's official....it's a boy, and his name is Easton Jarle. Yesterday was one of the most exciting moments of my life. After a long afternoon of waiting for 2 pm to arrive, we were called in to the ultrasound room to have the mid pregnancy ultrasound that checks all measurements and the general well being of the child. After putting my sister, Anne, on speaker so she could hear everything the ultrasound tech had to say, the tech started at the top of the baby's body checking head circumference and saw that there is no cleft lip then checked the babies heart...the left ventricle in particular... (everything looked great) saw that the baby's bladder was full confirming that the baby is not only taking after me in that area, but also that he is swallowing and digesting just fine....finally, she got to the part we were most excited about....the sex! After hearing Anne on the other line saying she was going to go shopping after the call for baby clothes, the tech said "Buy blue!!!". It was the most wonderful sentence I have ever heard. :) Proud poppa was all smiles and I have to admit I teared up for a second. We are now 20 weeks along...at the half way point and are very happy to say that Easton is healthy.

What is going on at 19 weeks

2009-05-01T08:24:00.000-04:00

The top of my uterus now reaches my belly button and will grow about a centimeter per week. The fetus measures around 6 inches/ 15 centimeters long from crown to rump and weighs about 9 ounces/ 240 grams. She has started to swallow amniotic fluid, and her kidneys continue to make urine. Hair on the scalp is sprouting. Sensory development reaches its peak this week. The nerve cells serving each of the senses -- taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch -- are now developing in their specialized areas of the brain. Nerve cell production slows down as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections. If I am carrying a baby girl, she already has roughly six million eggs in her ovaries. By the time she's born, she'll have about one million. I no doubt feel the kicking and somersaulting of my growing baby. At times, she may be so mobile that I can't sleep. The next ten weeks or so will be the baby's busiest and most active time, until the womb gets too crowded.

19 weeks

2009-05-01T08:11:00.003-04:00

Well, we are 19 weeks now and only 6 more days til we know boy or girl!!! We can't wait to put a name to the baby (we already have names picked out) and also can't wait to start registering for the gender related items!!! I'm still undecided on whether it is a boy or girl but Matt seems to be convinced that it is a boy....well see soon enough!

oops....i forgot...

2009-04-20T11:26:00.002-04:00

So, I forgot the most important part of this past week....I am feeling the baby move!!! It is very sporadic, but totaly cool! Matt also read that since the baby's sight is develpoing the baby can react to changes in light. He tried putting a flash light up to my stomach and the baby moved twice! SO amazing!!!

17 weeks

2009-04-20T10:28:00.002-04:00

Yea!!! I got to hear the wonderful heartbeat again, and this time it took no time at all! The doctor said that this will be the last visit that I will be able to get away with using a hair band to extend my jeans size....he expects to see me in maternity jeans at my next visit. More good news is that I have gained weight again...now I have gained a total of 3 lbs... which good. My tummy measurements were right on track with where the baby's size should be....and....we get to find out if it is a boy or girl next visit on May 7th!!!
Aside from my OB visit I am doing very well. I am nearing the end of my season with the girls traveling and Matt and I will be moving into our new house by mid May at the latest!
My belly is getting bigger every day and I finally found a bra that does the job right! (not an easy task!)
Check back May 7th!!!I will definitely have an update!!! :)

16 weeks

2009-04-09T09:13:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! Well, my stomach has really grown in the last week! I am still waiting on an official kick though.... Next week I have a 17 week check up which consists of some blood tests, weight check, heart beat and blood pressure. The visit following this one will be the boy/girl visit!!! YEA!!!

2009-03-31T12:11:00.002-04:00

15 weeks and the baby is the size of an orange!!! I am waiting anxiously to feel a first kick or movement, but have only felt random flutters (which could be kicks....but not sure yet!). What I do feel, is how much my stomach is changing. I can't sleep on my stomach anymore and even lying on my back feels a little uncomfortable. I am buying tons of anti stretch lotion and putting it on religiously!!! I am still very tired but seeem to have the morning sick feeling under control....eating small amounts often has proven to help my tremendously. :) I will update again after the next doctor visit!

13 weeks check up

2009-03-20T11:47:00.002-04:00

Well, I just got home from my 13 weeks check up.....here's what happened.

We started with the normal pee test and blood pressure check and everything was good. I LOST 1 pound....which is due to me getting sick this week. Stuffy nose and nasal drip, mixed with wonderful work stress doesn't sit well in my stomach, so I have had a harder time keeping food down.

The next thing we did was the "fetal doppler"....the less invasive way to check the baby's heart beat. After finding mine and reassuring me my heart was...well, beating... we started the search for the baby....after a couple minutes she reassured me that it takes a little bit to find the little one's heart beat, after all....just the size of a peach...after a couple more minutes my heart beat was definitely more noticeable and my wonderful husband had to tell me to calm down.....calm down! seriously?!?! I think Matt put the baby up to it to give me a scare this morning. Anyway, after what seemed like 15 minutes (Matthew insists it was about 2 minutes) we found the fast little heart beat!! This week was 165 beats per minute! :)

The doctor gave us the nice surprise of letting us have one more sonogram (the more invasive one) which was an amazing change since the 8 week sonogram. The baby no longer looks like a peanut...you can actually tell where the head is...count the fingers...see the legs and arms....AMAZING! The easiest and coolest thing to see was the spine on the sonogram. The picture I have posted is kind of ghetto, since I do not have a scanner I literally took a picture of the sonogram to post it...so a little fuzzy, but you can see how much has changed in a such a short amount of time!

Next appointment is a boring one because it falls right before I am allowed to get a sonogram to see if there is, as Matt calls it a "twig and berries" or the girl parts.....until then I'll keep posting weekly updates!

Thanks to everyone who is reading and keeping up!

Love you guys,
Marie

Thanks Ceej

2009-03-17T08:22:00.000-04:00

Thank you to my wonderful, beautiful, genius friend C.J. for introducing to me to "real" blogging....so much better!

New up-date....I am starting to show. To those who don't know me, I probably still look like I have eaten to much for lunch but I can definitely tell...it's a very confirming feeling :)

I have my second checkup this Friday...he will be checking weight gain, blood pressure etc. My visit after this will be the boy or girl visit YEA!!!! Perfect timing for moving in to the new house and decorating our home :)

I will post again after this Friday's doctor visit....thanks again C.J.

Love you guys,
Marie