27 WEEKS AND COUNTING!!

This week, she weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, her brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle!!

I'm feeling great and have lots of energy. I was up cleaning the house past 9pm after work. It seems I have more energy now then when I wasn't pregnant. It's so funny how I was so sick the 1st trimester, and over night I felt like a new person! She is very active. Tate McKinlee kicks all day. She is still at church, but when we stand up to sing she starts kicking a bunch. I think she loves music. We listen to classical music at night. I came home to a baby bed put together and ready to use the other night after work. Zach made my night. Zach is going to be a great daddy! Thank you God for my babygirl and husband. Please continue to keep her safe and healthy inside and outside the womb!!!

PACU BABY SHOWER

Today at work, my PACU (recovery) buddies surprised me with a baby shower. They gave me some cute baby clothes, and a $200 gift certificate to Babies R Us. So sweet!! Lisa gave me a baby elephant (we are both huge Bama fans) for Tate, a cute outfit, a baby book, and teething ring. The food was awesome too. They bought some cute little cupcakes that had pink polka dots on them. Thank ya'll so much!!

JAIME'S PRE-WEDDING CELEBRATION

Jaime is my best friend from college. She is getting married at the end of March. I'm so excited for her. We celebrated at La Paz in Mountain Brook. Lindsey, a good college friend of mine is also pregnant. We are a week apart. She is also having a girl, and we got to share pregnancy stories that night. It was so good spending time with my college friends. Congrats Jaime! We love you!

Visit to Auburn

I went to Auburn to see my good friends Leslie and Rhonda. We worked together in Auburn, and have stayed very close. I spent the night with Leslie. Leslie, Rhonda and I went out to eat at Picket Fence, then went shopping and they bought my baby bag!! Then we went to eat dinner at Hamilton's. We also went to the movies to see Dear John. We had so much fun. I miss them so much!

Tate's first pictures!!

This is my precious Tate's first picture debut!! I think she is beautiful already, and I can't wait to meet her. I love the picture of her sucking her thumb. Seeing her is amazing to me!! Thank you for your blessings Lord!

21 weeks and more...

Tate now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. I may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. I may also discover a pattern to her activity as I get to know her better. In other developments, baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and her vagina has begun to form as well. (BabyCenter.com)

Well, I'm more than half way through pregnancy. Very hard to believe! I feel like I just saw the "two lines" on the pregnancy test. I have to say this is the happiest and excited I've ever been in my whole life. I feel so at peace and so content! I feel great, and I'm sleeping much better. I can already feel Tate kick and move around! It's the neatest thing!! Tate loves it when I play Baby Genius/classical baby music to her at night. I've heard that this makes babies smarter. I really believe it does! We sing on the way home from work every night. On the other hand, Bella, my four yr. old Shitzu, is my other baby. I'm a little worried about Bella's jealousy towards her sister Tate. I can't talk to someone without her coming in the middle and barking until I pick her up. sheesh! I've heard of some ways to orient her to Tate. I'm going to start them now. If anyone else knows some other good way to get her used to Tate, let me know.

Belly pics are coming!!

IT'S A GIRL!!

IT'S A GIRL! Wow, Zach and I plus all of my friends and fam. except for Christal, Miranda, Pam, my charge nurse,and well that's about it thought we were having a boy. I have always thought I would have boys! So this was a pleasant surprise! Zach was a little shocked at first, bless his heart, but he is so excited now. We found out last Wednesday. Mom and Dad were there with us. This meant so much to me. I was so nervous, and they made it so much easier! Also, Tate is very healthy. No abnormalties were seen! Praise the Lord! So, TATE MCKINLEE IFFLAND will be here June 3rd. I can't wait to meet my baby girl!!

18 weeks and counting!!

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound. Your baby is the size of a sweet potatoe!!

Well, I had my first unofficial ultrasound today!!! It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Glory be to God!!! That is all I can say. Seeing my sweet baby for the first time move and suck his/her thumb, flip around, etc. is just awesome. Michelle a friend of mine that works with me in the PACU at Children's went down the hall to ultrasound with me. One of the girls was sweet enough to do an ultrasound on me. Everything looked normal to us, which was a breath of fresh air. My official ultrasound where they measure everything and really check everything out in detail (if mom and I have anything to do with it!! ha!) will be Jan. 13th. I hope that baby boy/girl opens his/her legs, b/c today he/she was refusing. Oh, and Baby Iffland waved at us also. It was like he/she was saying, "Hey, I see you, and I'm not going to let you see what I have down there until Zach is with you!!" So, I'll be good and wait. As for me, I'm feeling great!! No nausea/vomiting, and lots of energy. My hair and nails are growing fast. My face is breaking out "more than usual". I am not sleeping well at all. I think this is God's way of getting me used to being sleep deprived when Baby Iffland comes. Gosh I already love this sweet baby so much already! Thank you Lord for your blessings!!!

17 weeks and counting!!

How your baby's growing:
Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop. The baby is as big as on onion!

CHRISTMAS 2009

I think each year during Christmas time gets better and better. Especially with all of the new additions to the family. Watching Christmas through my nieces eyes is so much fun. They are so much fun. I can't wait to have a totally new experience with my own child next year. I worked on Christmas Eve, so I had to miss the Iffland Christmas party. Zach really had a good time though! Christmas day we went to Jarrett and Christal's house for breakfast and lunch. It was so laid back and relaxing. Thank you Lord for blessing us with good health and togetherness. Thank you for my family and friends. Thanks Mom and Dad for everything. We really appreciate all that you do!! Merry Christmas everyone!