Chuck E Cheese's

Last night we went to Chuck E Cheese's with the Heisey's and Wood's. Such a great time! Ryder played his little heart out for about two hours. All the guys were sore from playing so much basketball, and Ryder just kept asking for more. About 2,000 tickets or so later Ryder got a Hoop Shot basketball game, and we were all proud owners off some seriously tacky glasses! Such a fun night :)

The Boys

Minus Zander (Travis and Brit's baby boy)... he was sleepy

How cute is he?!?!
The Girls

All of us...

possibly the only group shot we've ever taken over the years!

Ryder still wearing his glasses when we got home.

He wore them out of the house this morning too!

Thanks for a great night guys!

two and a half

The little man turn two and a half today. I can't believe how old he's getting, how fast he's growing, and how much he's learning.

At two and a half:

- Ryder's talking has finally come around full circle. He was definitely slow in the talking department. I thought he'd never be able to have full conversations with us. It's amazing how much his language skills have totally taken off in the last month or two. He talks in full sentences, strangers can understand some of his conversation, and we understand him 99% of the time. We still have moments that we can't understand what he's saying, but for the most part we are over the hurdle. On days when Derrik isn't home with us Ryder can tell him what we did without me really having to help much with the conversation.

- Now that our talking has finally taken off we are working on our learning. Ryder has zero patience to sit down with me and try to learn so we have to be sneaky about it. He's great with physical things. We started him on some basic puzzles a couple of weeks ago, and were shocked how great he was doing. The puzzles had the picture on the board, and he had to put them in the respective spot. We were mixing three different puzzle pieces in a pile on the floor, and he was still mastering them in minutes. We moved on to some real puzzles. The wood ones with a border still, but no help with the picture in the background this time. These are still a work in progress, but he's doing really great really looking at the picture and figuring out where they go. We're trying to teach him patience and not to get frustrated if something doesn't go in on the first try. We've also been working on counting. He's doing really great to five, and sometimes gets to ten and other times it's a strange concoction of numbers all mixed together. Just weeks ago though his counting was "1,6,9,6,9,6,9" so we are definitely making progress! He is counting everything from toys, to coins, to pictures in his books, and I truly think he'll master it so soon. I know lots of other kids are so much further advanced then this, but we are just so happy that Ryder is finally showing an interest and making some progress in learning! I'm sure the next six months he'll make hure milestones in this department.

- I have no clue what his height is, but all i'm saying is it is significantly taller then it was over the holidays. We are awaiting some warmer weather quickly out here because he has suddently outgrown most of his jeans and his long sleeve pj's! We were having a period of time when he was wakign up in the middle of the night screaming in pain telling us his legs were hurting. Putting it all together now it's quite obvious he was having a growth spurt!

- Ryder is big into us reading to him right now, really seems to grasp stories, understands full tv shows and tells us about them, and has started really watching kids movies with a purpose instead of just background noise. He's watched Cars for about a year now, but just now is interested in actually switching things up. I think we might be ready for a date to the movie theatre soon. We were waiting for Cars 2 that is supposed to come out this summer for the first go around, but if something good enough comes out before that we might have to give it a shot.

- Ryder is so independent. I think we could leave him home alone and he'd survive just fine. He goes to the fridge to get his own drinks now, tells us what he wants to eat, plays amazingly on his own... I am so greatful for this and know it'll be a huge blessing once Landon arrives. Although it makes me sad when I try to play with him and he tells me "Mommy go sit" or "Mommy go away"... a real sweet heart right there!

- Although he is independent he also loves us so so much. He is such a sweet cuddler, hugger, and kisser when he wants to be. At night he gives the sweetest kisses, makes us do "BIG kisses" when Daddy is home when we both kiss him at the same time, and hugs us both a good two or three times with all his mite before he goes to sleep at night. I loveeee when he yells "sweet dreams" from bed as I close his bedroom door at night. He kinda melts my heart :)

- He's sleeping great. We had a little rough patch when he was getting out of his big boy bed to sleep on the floor, but it's great now. We've set up a great routine for him before bed, and he pretty much goes down with no fight what-so-ever. I will always be thankful that Ryder since birth has been very good to us in the sleep department.

I know there is SO much more he is doing... of course when I go to write it's so hard to remember. Two and a half is great... we are loving this age, he's so much fun, and so much easier then he has been in the past. If there was ever a time we were truly ready to welcome another little one into our family we think this is the time. Ryder's going to be a great big brother!!!

He likes to pile his puzzle pieces on Landon

Putting the puzzle together
Playing some video games with Daddy after nap

(no he doesn't actually play, but he sure thinks he does!)

What Sunday mornings look like with my boys

Watching Toy Story

Heading out with Daddy to go shoot hoops with a couple of the guys

Baby Landon Update: Week 30

How Far Along: 30 Weeks

Size of Baby: 15.7 inches long and almost 3 pounds

Food Size (According to my e-mail from BabyCenter.com): Like the head of a cabbage

Total Weight Gain: 26 Pounds

Maternity Clothes: Oh man.. Even Derrik's t-shirts are starting to look like a more fitted tee on this huge belly of mine. I'm having a hard time keeping my belly covered with regular shirts, and have had to dig through the box of my old maternity clothes my mom sent me a few months back for some more options this week. For anyone who sees me out in public... i'm sorry... i'll try to regain some fashion sense as soon as this baby decides to get out of my belly.. until then it's all about just trying to stay covered!

Gender: It's a BOY! Landon Brennan Lutz

Movement: Yes still movign away, but I don't think quite as much as before. He feels like he's getting so low and I feel more pressure then anything these days.

Food Cravings: milk shakes... but I always want these... just givign into it once a week because i'm uncomfortable, pregnant, and just don't care :)

Labor Signs: SOOO much pressure. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a "labor sign", but he's definitely getting down low. Let hope it's his head down there and not his butt... although judging by the feeling in my ribs his feet are right where they should be!

Sleep: I think I roll from one side to the other a million times a night. I just want to sleep on my belly!

How’s Ryder Handling It: How about some video of Ryder talking about his baby brother? I had to break it up into two videos because my phone will only send a certain length at a time. The noise he is imitating in the video is the sound of the heartbeat in case you're confused.

What is the same/different as the last time:

Same: the hip pain, the tiredness, the ready for it to be over-ness

Different: feeling so much pressure so early. I don't know that I ever really felt that with Ryder. I think it's becuase i'm carrying lower this time I guess.

Symptoms: My hip pain has been awful this week and lots of pressure. Trying to stop complaining, but it's just so easy to do. I can't wait to feel normal again.

Best Moment This Week: My husband had 3 consecutive nights off!!! It has been SOOO nice having him at home with us :)

What I Am Looking Forward To: Our ultrasound next week!!!

Doctors Appointment: We had our 30 week appointment this week. We at this point are meeting the five doctors in the practice so we know them all in case our doctor can't deliver. Our doctor and the one we met this week are nice, listen to your questions, and to the point. I wouldn't mind them delivering Landon, but wouldn't be upset if they didn't make it either. I hate being sexist, but i'm a fan of female doctors. I just think they can relate better to pregnancy, and the three doctors we have left to meet are the female doctors. Hoping I really like them!

My belly measured perfectly for 30 weeks and the heartbeat sounded great. They said all my blood work from my glucose tests came back great as well. They gave us the paperwork for our ultrasound, and we go next Wednesday. Our next appointment is the following Wednesday after that.

Baby Landon Update: Week 29

How Far Along: 29 Weeks

Size of Baby: About 2 1/2 pounds and just over 15 inches long

Food Size (According to my e-mail from BabyCenter.com): Butternut Squash

Total Weight Gain: 25 Pounds... Half way to last time with 11 weeks left!

Maternity Clothes: I pretty much sport yoga pants or sweat pants with a t-shirt 99% of the time. I don't get out of the house much so why deal with those uncomfortable maternity clothes.

Gender: It's a BOY! Landon Brennan Lutz

Movement: A-L-L T-H-E T-I-M-E!!! The doctor had asked us to chart his movements. They wanted to sit down to twenty minutes a day and count home many times I felt him move, and he said even the tiniest movement counted. I told him I could feel the baby move whenever I wanted that he moves non stop. He was happy with that and pretty much said we didn't have to chart it out.

Food Cravings: Nothing really at the moment

Labor Signs: Nothing going on

Sleep: Restless :( Between not being able to breath and hip pain it's almost impossible to get comfortable. It's making me exhausted and want naps. I guess it's just getting ready for life with a newborn.

How’s Ryder Handling It: Fine I think... we haven't talked about it much with him lately.

What is the same/different as the last time: As I said before... I don't remember feeling so awful, but I think it's because we forget. If we remembered we'd never get pregnant again! I couldn't even look at a pregnant person after I had Ryder without feeling nauseous!

Symptoms: The same... just pressure, hip pain, short of breath

Best Moment This Week: Spending time with friends... baseball and local :) and loving on their babies. I just can't wait for Landon to get here!

What I Am Looking Forward To: Hitting that 30 week mark next week... I need some kind of final countdown to look forward to!

anti-blogging?

I figured the comments about me not blogging would come soon enough... Those pregnancy updates aren't holding you over? I thought a nice self-portrait of my huge stomach in the bathroom mirror once a week was just what you wanted! I haven't been not blogging on purpose, but just haven't really had anything to blog about. I've been working on some projects in Ryder's room, for the babies in my life, and a project on the computer for some time now. I'll have to get a blog post up with my crafiness (or lack there of) of what I made for Ryder's room and the baby, but the one on the computer will have to wait... I'm really proud of it and need to show it off to some people (my mother) in person before I put it on here. Too much work to just show it on a computer screen. Anyhow... I guess it's pretty bad when my brother writes me a message about not blogging... that's when I know i've REALLY slacked on updating. I have no pictues... searched my iPhone and managed to come up with a few. Nothing too interesting, but he said anything would work.

The lack of blogging... Derrik has been SOOOO busy with basketball and football officiating. He is gone five days a week with baseball and usually six days (seven this past week) with basketball. Ryder and I have been spending a lot of time at home just hanging out while he's working. We did have a fun time at a cookout with our baseball friends on Saturday, but I forgot to take any pictures. It was dark out, and we spent most the night sitting by the fire... great night for us, but not really photo worthy I guess. We'll be back to regular blogging soon... lots of stuff to talk about with the baby coming and Derrik started to get slightly more involved with baseball :)

Until then... some not so interesting iPhone pictures....

Playing hoops at Chuck E Cheese with Daddy

Playing video games (hockey) with Daddy

check out the smile on his face :)

I know his face is cut off, but love that he has his hand on Landon :)
Cuddle time post nap

More cuddle time. He doesn't just jump up after nap like he use to.

We love it!

Sleeping baby... I love sleeping picture of him.

We use to never check on him in fear of him waking up, but.....

latley he tries to pull stuff like this so we check on him a lot more.

He never wakes up and I love seeing him sleep so it's a new habit :)

Ryder and Mommy heading out to meet Daddy for some In-and-Out Burger after a late night of work for Daddy

Goofing off with Daddy at dinner

Baby Landon Update: Week 28

How Far Along: 28 Weeks

Size of Baby: About 14.8 inches and about two and a quarter pounds.

Food Size (According to my e-mail from BabyCenter.com): Like a Chinese cabbage

Total Weight Gain: 23 pounds.. good think we were back to only 1 pounds this week!

Maternity Clothes: The same... Hoping Target puts out some materity shorts soon though!

Gender: It's a BOY! Landon Brennan Lutz

Movement: Enjoying it a little more then last week, but still get some crazy ones that get the best of me.

Food Cravings: Still loving the O.J.

Labor Signs: Negative

Sleep: It's starting to get more uncomfortable. It's hard to breath in certain positions, but once I'm asleep i'm fine. I'm always exhausted when I go to bed.

How’s Ryder Handling It: He's good. He loves talking about his baby brother to people.

What is the same/different as the last time: this question annoys me... honestly it's the same. At this point both pregnancies were uncomfortable and unbearable some days and others I feel totally fine.

Symptoms: Hip pain, getting really full if I eat a lot at once, it's getting harder to breath in certain positions, braxton hicks

Best Moment This Week: I finally got to meet Baby Nash this weekend and Baby Zander today :) It was fun seeing their parents and the Heisey's (who need to be parents!) too!

What I Am Looking Forward To: Time with friends soaking in the time with their babies :)

On a side note... We had an doctors appointment this Monday. Nothing too exciting. I did my glucose test and should have results by Thursday or Friday. They said no call means everything was good to go. We go every two weeks from now on and start rotating to the different doctors in the practice to get to know them all. We should get an ultrasound in about a month at our 32 week appointment to check out the syst I told you they saw at his 16 week ultrasound. They showed no concern, but thought it was a good excuse to take a sneak peak of our little guy at the expense of the insurance company.

Baby Landon Update: 27 Weeks

Whoops!! Forgot to post this yesterday. I was waiting until I got out of my pj's, but it was cold here yeseterday which meant I showered and got right back into pj-ish clothes. Never really got around to it so here it is a day late and picture-less.

How Far Along: 27 Weeks - Third Trimester!!!

Size of Baby: About 14 1/2 inches and about two pounds.

Food Size (According to my e-mail from BabyCenter.com): Like the head of a cauliflower

Total Weight Gain: 22 pounds... 3 pounds this week...here we go

Maternity Clothes: Still enjoying my Target purchases. Getting a little nervous about it warming up and needing shorts though since I don't have any, and don't even get me going on bathing suit season!

Gender: It's a BOY! Landon Brennan Lutz

Movement: All the time and painful

Food Cravings: Orange Juice...yum!!!

Labor Signs: Wow.. feel like i just wrote "no comment until third trimester or so".. it's the third trimester. Still hoping I have no labor signs soon!

Sleep: Been so great sleeping right through the night. Although I wake up in the morning feeling like I've been beat up.. my whole body hurts.

How’s Ryder Handling It: Good.. he just found a bag full of old bottles of his and some new paci's for Landon. I was thankful he told me they were for the baby and went about stacking them into bottle caps instead of trying to suck on them.

What is the same/different as the last time: I'm just going to go right into the "symptoms" category on this one...

Symptoms: Pressure, hip pain, and braxton hicks. I am sure I felt this way last time, but don't remember it. I have SOOO much pressure I feel like Landon is going to fall out or my water is going to break. I know it's an exageration, but it is painful. I am just not happy :(

Best Moment This Week: Going to Monster Jam with my boys :)

What I Am Looking Forward To: By this time next week most of our closest baseball friends will be here for Spring Training!