Making Memories

Yesterday Jason and I enjoyed our first Baby/Toddler Time at the library here in Lockport. The group meets once a week for a half hour. There were about 15-20 other mommies there. I was able to meet another mommy of a 13 month old, she was very nice and easy to talk to. I hope to meet other women in the weeks to come and make new friends. Jason enjoyed the activities. We sang songs, did some dancing, listened to a story, and read a story just the two of us. It was fun! Jason loved the hustle and bustle of the little ones wiggling around as he watched. I know some day he will be one of them, for now, he sits in my lap. Just yesterday evening, as we were sitting and playing in the living room as a family, I said aloud, "How did you get so big?!" (Referring to Jason, of course.) These past 6 months have just flown by, it is true when everyone says, "They grow up so fast." For now, I am enjoying making memories with him every day in small ways and Baby/Toddler Time at the library is one way and it sure is fun! :)

Vicarage Begins!

Here we are in Lockport, Illinois about a month or so into Brian's vicarage...time sure has passed quickly! Brian is enjoying his experience here, workingwith Pastor Hein, and getting to know the members of St. John's Lutheran Church. We were warmly welcomed mid-July and we continue to be greeted with smiles and hugs every week. :) Brian works Tuesday-Sunday, and he has Monday off. They have two divine worship services here on the weekend, one on Saturday evening and one on Sunday morning followed by Sunday School and Adult Bible Study. He also has various meetings in the evening throughoutthe entire month. Like I said earlier, he is thoroughly enjoying his experience here! We are very blessed with this incredible vicarage placement.

Jason is now 6 months old, where does the time go?! He is growing and changing every day. At his doctor's appt this past week, he weighed 14 lbs 2 oz and was 26 1/4 in long. His weight is still in the 2 percentile but he is in the 23 percentile for his height. :) The doctor encouraged me to feed him a little bit more, I already thought this child ate a ton! We are introducing him to rice cereal and other solid foods, such as apples, bananas, carrots, green beans, squash, and the like. He is a good eater, but he LOVES his bottle. He can hold it on his own most of the time these days, sometimes he is a bit lazy and mommy or daddy has to hold it. He recently rolled over, which we are so thrilled about! He will get stuck on his tummy and then holler for us to roll him back over to his back or pick him up altogether. He is SO ready to crawl and move around on his own, he just has to get the hang of it. Once he is mobile, I know I will have a fast little guy on my hands...I think I'm exhausted now-a-days...wait until he can really move! He is ALL BOY! Loves to rip paper, throws things on the floor, and wants to get into everything he is not supposed to. Loves to make himself heard through squealing and the like (which can be interesting to handle in church!). He is an easy baby to please, hardly fusses unless he needs something, he is all around a very happy baby. No teeth yet, though he puts everything in his mouth on those gums. He now likes bath time. No words yet, but he imitates sounds we make and even giggles. We adore him.

And me...? I keep busy with the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, the errand running, OH and taking care of Jason. :) I stay plenty busy! I don't know how working women with kids do it. Whew! I have talked with the preschool teacher here to volunteer some of my time on Mondays at the preschool if she would ever need it. She appreciated it and will let me know on an as-needed basis. I also hope to get involved with the women's bible study once it begins this fall. There is a story time at the local library that includes Jason's age group; they meet once a week on Thursdays and I hope to take Jason and meet other moms! I continue to sell AVON, though it is slow at the moment. And I am working on Jason's scrapbook. I just started, a project in progress. :) And I think that about wraps it up for The Flamme's! Here are some pictures taken recently. Enjoy!

Jason's favorite is apples :)

"Splish, Splash, I was takin' a bath"

Jason and Grandpa Flamme

It's Been Awhile!

Hello Friends!

It's certainly been a LONG time since I have written a new blog post. My goodness!

Jason is now 3 months old, soon to be 4. He is growing and ever changing every day. He is doing wonderfully and our world has been tremendously blessed through him. He came into our lives 4 weeks early, but he has been healthy, happy, and a true joy. He is just learning to get his hands to his mouth and keep them there. He is on the verge of giving us a good laugh, and he smiles at us all the time. :) He has not lost his stepping reflex...early walker?! He is a good baby, very happy most of the time.

We are moving to Lockport, Illinois for Brian's vicar year on July 16th. We will be at St. Paul's Lutheran Church there. We are blessed to know we will live in a 3 bedroom house. We desperately need the space to stretch out. Our one bedroom apartment is a bit cramped right now, everyone says it looks like "Baby Land." We are excited for this new chapter in our lives!

Jason and I are headed to Colorado for a week beginning tomorrow. We will be visiting Grandma and Grandpa Werth, Auntie Stephanie, and cousin Lily. :) We are excited for our trip, though I am a bit stressed over making sure everything is packed and thinking about how he will handle the plane ride. :/ It will be nice to go home. We will certainly miss Daddy though!

Hope you all enjoy your summer!

Til next time,
Jen

33 Weeks

I am now 33 weeks along in my pregnancy. Insomnia has creeped in along with slight back pain and continued swelling...Oh, the joys of pregnancy. :) Heartburn? My best friend! I've started to experience carpal tunnel syndrome too-achiness in my wrists and hands (particularly at night).

This week our little peanut weighs a little over 4 pounds (much like a pineapple) and has passed the 17 inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood. The big news this week is lung development—baby's respiratory system is almost completely mature. That means if our baby was born this week, odds are he'd be a healthy bouncing baby with a just a little help from his friends (aka, the NICU). Our peanut can now detect light and tell the difference between night and day. Our baby will continue to pack on the pounds gaining around ½ pound a week from here on out.

I have started "nesting" a little bit, doing laundry for the little guy and organizing everything. I'm also more of a neat freak (I know, how could that possibly be?!). Brian is so ready to meet our son and so am I. :)

All for now...

32 Weeks

• Brian, me, and baby Flamme were honored with a very special baby shower at our fieldwork congregation, Zion Friedheim, in Decatur, IN



• Baby weighs about 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long (taking up a lot of room!)



• I am gaining about a pound a week (or am supposed to) and roughly half goes directly to the baby



• He will gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks



• He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair



• His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth



• He is swallowing, breathing, kicking, and sucking in the womb...in fact, he has been able to suck his thumb for quite awhile



• The baby has had hiccups and I have felt them!



• His kicks and movements sometimes hurt and sleeping is becoming a challenge but it will all be worth it. :)

31 Weeks

• Baby measures over 16 inches long.
• Baby weighs about 3.5 pounds and is heading into a growth spurt (try carrying 4 oranges).
• He can turn his head from side to side.
• His arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin.
• He is moving around a lot! It is a sign he is healthy and active. If you watch closely, you can see the baby move across mommy's belly. :)
• Mommy's legs, ankles, feet, and hands continue to be swollen.
• Mommy has started writing the baby letters as well as reading up on newborns.
• Mommy and Daddy are getting more excited every day to meet their little boy!
• Baby's cousin (mommy's sister is having a baby) is due in 4 weeks!

29 Weeks

Today marks 29 weeks in my pregnancy! Only 11 more weeks to go!

Since my last post, we all celebrated Christmas and New Year's. This year it was exciting to ring in the new year...the year we would add a little boy to the Flamme family. :) Christmas was celebrated in Indiana this year with Brian's family. We enjoyed spending time with them and sharing traditions. It was funny how often people said. "Next year's Christmas will be SO different for the two of you." We look forward to it, I'm sure it will be a blast with our little boy. We hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year celebration, too!

Currently, I am a bloated, water-retaining mess, lol. My hands and feet are both swollen 24/7. My shoes are all tight and I can no longer get my wedding ring on or off. My sweats and my slippers are my best friends right now. Heartburn is a daily thing and exhaustion has set in again.

The baby is doing great. He is doing kicks and flips every day. I can really feel them when I lie down. Sometimes it can be painful, depending on where he kicks or punches me. :) It is fun to feel his movement though. Our little boy's brain can now control his breathing and body temperature. His skin is looking less wrinkled as he gains weight. He is around 3 pounds now and 15 inches long.

We are set to tour another hospital this evening-Parkview North. We will then decide between Dupont and Parkview North and register for free classes to get us ready for this baby. We are slowly organizing things around here for the baby. Tight spaces make us creative!