Our First Garden

Andy's aunt Nancy and uncle Frank came in May to help us plant our first raised-bed garden. They are experts and we nodded our heads a lot and tried to absorb as much information as we could in one day. But, two months later, we are growing, growing, growing. We planted tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, onions, green peppers, cilantro, and basil. mmmmm....sounds like some good salsa. ;) Anywho, here are some pictures of our flourishing veggie patch. And one of Jack, with our favorite look that we call "Cauliflower ears." He will walk around for about an hour with his ears docked before they finally fall down. It's pretty dang cute.

26 weeks

Well....its getting harder and harder to take a somewhat flattering picture. Andy took a hundred and most were met with: Oh dear God! Do I really look like that?! At least I'm laughing. This last week was a weird one. I had my very own psychotic pregnancy breakdown. I started laughing and it turned into weeping...back to laughing. Poor Andy. He didn't know whether to laugh or to comfort me. Whew.

This week we have been going over to the lake near our house. Andy's mom and stepdad let us in on a little secret sweet spot. Its 15 minutes from our house and it's free. We've been going over there several times a week to get some exercise and some relief from the 100 degree weather we've been having.

I hesitate to share this because its a less than flattering story, but its too funny to skip over. Last Sunday when we were at the lake, it was wavy like the ocean. I've been having terrible heartburn for the last month or so. TERRIBLE. They say there is some correlation between the amount of heartburn you have and the amount of hair the baby has. Alls I'm saying is that that little turd better come out with a full mane.

Anyways, back to my less-than-flattering story. We were bobbing up and down in the waves, not helping my heartburn in the least. I dont' know if you guys have ever had heartburn, but it feels like you are drinking acid. So, I start swimming away from the group because I feel like I'm about to hurl. Andy says: Where are you going?! Me: Get away from me, I'm gonna puke. And so I did. And right when I did, a wave came. And you could guess the end of the story. The throw-up went right back into my face, and into my eyes. I felt very elegant to say the least.

In other news, Andy has started his new job at the Y. He has only been there for a week but he has gotten the chance to meet some really cool people and it looks like he will be getting the opportunity to advance his skills in different aspects of training that he has yet to experience. We see loads of possibility there and only anticipate what will come.

Other than that, nothing too crazy has been happening. Besides the heartburn and feeling like a barn, I hardly notice being pregnant.

This week inside the womb:

Look who's looking. Your baby's eyes — which have been closed for the past few months (so that the retina, the part of the eye that allows images to come into focus, could develop) — are beginning to open at 26 weeks pregnant. What this means is that your baby is able to see what's going on now (unfortunately the view in your uterus isn't all that exciting). But do try this at home for kicks (baby's that is): Shine a flashlight at your stomach. Your baby might kick in response (as in: "Get that light out of my eyes!").

The iris, the colored part of the eye, still doesn't have much pigmentation (that'll fill in over the next month or two), so it's too early to start guessing your baby's eye color. Even the color your baby will be born with might not be the permanent shade; so you may be kept guessing until your baby is close to six months old.


Look what else is going on this week: Your baby's brain-wave activity is kicking in at this stage in fetal development, which means your little one can not only hear noises but can now also respond to them. Not in so many words, of course, but with an increase in pulse rate or activity.

And talking about activity, at your baby's current height and weight (about nine inches tall and two pounds), and at the rate he or she is growing, your baby will soon be feeling a little cramped in your uterus. Not to worry, there's still plenty of room for your baby to grow. It just means your gymnast will have less room for those somersaults, cartwheels, and other Olympic feats.

22.5 Weeks

Here are some pictures of my belly and one of Jack thrown in for good measure...




Well...my belly has finally started looking pregnant. Unfortunately, my hips and everything else are starting to look pregnant too! Ha. This week is my 22nd week and all is going well. I have no real complaints. I read somewhere that the baby is starting to be able to sense bright lights. They suggested putting a flashlight up to your belly and seeing if the baby will kick. We he didn't at first. About five minutes after our experiment we had turned off the lights to go to bed. And then I felt him kick me super hard. So, I woke Andy back up and had him put his hand on my belly. We got three really good, hard kicks. That was really cool since I've never felt him kick that hard and Andy got to experience it.

Another really exciting bit of news that I keep forgetting to blog about is that Andy has been offered a training job a the Maryland Farms YMCA. Possibly the busiest and absolute best location for training in Middle Tennessee. He starts a week from Monday and we are THRILLED for this new development. Though he is sad to leave all of his clients in Lebanon, he is entering into a whole new realm of possibilities and we're feeling pretty blessed right now.

My friend Gretchen gave us EIGHT BINS of clothing for boys from newborn until age 5. And I'm not talking just shirts and pants; I'm talking jackets, hats, shoes, socks, swimsuits, you name it. Full on wardrobes for the boy until his is at least five years old. She is an unbelievable blessing. They also gave us gates, a highchair, a swing, a crib mattress, and countless other things I can't think of on the top of my head.

After a year of definitely having some struggles and trials, we feel things are looking bright for us and can't wait to see what the rest of this year holds.

El bebe this week:

Guess what? At 22 weeks pregnant, your baby has finally broken the one-pound mark. How heavy is that? Hold a one-pound box of sugar in your hand the next time you're in the grocery story (and expect people to ask you why you're grinning from ear to ear). Is the box eight inches long? That's about the length your baby is too!

This week, your sweetie is making more sense of the world as he or she develops the sense of touch. In fact, your little one's grip is quite developed by now — and since there's nothing else to grab in utero, he or she may sometimes hold on tight to that umbilical cord (don't worry — it's tough enough to handle it). The sense of sight is also getting more developed. Your fetus can now perceive light and dark much better than before (even with those fused eyelids). But remember — unless you're shining a flashlight over your belly (which you can do, by the way), it'll be mostly dark for your baby inside that cozy womb of yours.

Moving up from the eyes, the eyelashes and eyebrows are well formed now — and even more hair is sprouting atop that cute little head. You'd be quite surprised, though, if you could see your little one up close and in color. Hair at this stage of fetal development has no pigment, so it's bright white.

A blog to make the married folk laugh

So, many of you know I listen to Dennis Prager (www.dennisprager.com) on a regular basis. He is a talk-show host that broadcasts about politics, issues in life, happiness, marriage, you name it. Well, he frequently has a guest on named Alison Armstrong. Alison Armstrong is an advocate for understanding men and women and their differences and what impact it has on your marriage.

So, the other day she was on his show and they were talking about something and I had this AH-HA moment. Before I go any further, can I just say this is GENERALLY true about men, just in case it doesn't apply. Sooo...for the rest of us. Alison was talking about a book she is writing and a dialogue that she was creating between a husband and a wife about taking out the trash. The wife is irritated because he doesn't take out the trash when it needs it. She asks him if he could take it out. The husband asks: When do you want me to take it out? The wife is dumbfounded. Well obviously when it is full. So, Allison stops writing at this point and tries to figure out why the husband would ask this question. And then it hits her.

When men are busy with a task, they are so focused on the task at hand that it would NEVER occur to them to take out the trash. Mainly because they are in the middle of something else. It wouldn't make sense for them to stop in the middle of what they were doing and start on something else.

Women on the other hand, can't function until the trash is taken out. Our environment is speaking to us. We don't have to straighten the pillow, the PILLOW is demanding to be straightened. Or we can't cook until the dishes have been done and we have a clean slate to work with.

This was so funny to me because Andy and I had had countless "arguments" over the exact same thing. He wants to know why I can't just sit down and watch the movie in our dirty living room. I had tried to explain that I couldn't enjoy myself because I saw all the dust on the tables. His response: What dust?!

I've heard countless topics on men and women from Dennis Prager and Alison Armstrong, but for some reason, this one really got to me. Understanding our differences makes it humorous instead of infuriating. Instead of it annoying me, it endears me to men. I love our differences. Thank God they aren't like us women. That would be one crazy, emotional world!

SO.....without further ado. My boss has his own bathroom that no one else uses. Check out his trash spilling out the top and all over the floor. Before learning this, a woman could think: What a slob? Doesn't he notice. The answer: Actually no, he doesn't. In fact, half the time he is walking to the bathroom, he is getting off the phone with some business person. Trash is the last thing on his mind. Ha. Had to share. I love learning about life and human nature.

It's a Shocker!!!

"Well...can you tell? There it is." Of course I could tell, but she needed to tell us. "It's a boy." Ok, so let me just explain why I immediately burst into tears. I felt completely guilty. From day one, I thought it was a girl and imagined everything from the room, to the clothes, to the relationship we'd have as mother and daughter. I felt guilty for wanting that. So, after I had my cry, I quieted down and watched our son moving around in there. The tech was having a hard time getting a picture of his eyes and lips because his precious little hands were balled up in his face blocking her view. Andy and I talked in the car about it. Now that it has sunk in, I am excited. We are having a son! I'm sure our house will be trashed, loud, and insane, just like we like it. ;) And he will probably ride our dog like a horse. And probably be incredibly sweet, like his father is. I couldn't be happier. Really. I look forward to the days ahead where the realness of it really takes hold. I am 20 weeks today, so halfway there, and already looking ahead to his arrival. Now, I know who he is and I'm ready to meet him. And I'm in love with my husband and I see what an amazing father and role model he will be for our son. I can't wait to watch him in action. Oh yeah. His name. We've decided his name is Andrew Sullivan Kurek, and we will call him "Sully."

Latest Happenings: 19 weeks and counting

So much has happened in the last two weeks that I don't think I'll be able to do it all justice. Last weekend Andy graduated with his masters. Two of his sweet clients came that have trained with him for a couple of years now, his parents, and my dad. Afterward, we all went to my mom's house for a cookout. She made an awesome graduation party lunch for Andy with the rest of the family and even my aunt and cousin came in from Knoxville. We both felt very blessed and honored with everyone there. The next day we left for Florida with some of my family.

It was a wellllll needed vacation. Our last vacation I'm sure without baby in tow. We basically laid around on the beach and read all week. My brother and his wife brought their 10-month old baby Lilly. She is unbelievable cute. She does this cute move that we call the hulk. We say: "Lilly, do the hulk" and she will clench her mouth and ball her fists up and start to shake. I think Andy and I are a little deceived about how easy babies are. Lilly is really independent and will entertain herself for hours. I have a feeling we won't be that lucky. We'll probably have a demon child that resembles me as a child. I have been told by my family that I was quite a handful.

My stomach just started to look pregnant toward the end of our trip. Sooooo, lucky me got to feel like a bloated carcass on the beach. Not quite the cute baby bump I had imagined in a bathing suit. I still look like I have a beer gut, but I am told that I will look undeniably pregnant over the next couple of weeks. whipeee! In other amazing news, I have been able to feel the baby move for the last few weeks. My favorite part of the day is going to sleep at night because I lie with my hand on my stomach in the stillness and enjoy feeling the little booger have a dance party in my belly.

A week from tomorrow (May 25th), we find out the sex!!!! My intuition tells me girl, but I still wouldn't be surprised if it had a willy. Any guesses!?!?

Your baby this week (Pardon me if I find the description a little gross this week).

Six inches long this week and about eight ounces in weight, your baby is the size of a large mango.

Your little action figure is able to choreograph Matrix-like moves at 19 weeks pregnant. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone. All these upgrades combine to give your baby more control over limb movements. Which explains all that kicking, stretching, and bodysurfing (or rather bellysurfing) you've possibly started feeling by now.

Something else going on this week: Your baby is getting a cheesy varnish. Say what? Yup — a protective substance called vernix caseosa (vernix is the Latin word for varnish; caseosa is cheese) now covers your baby's skin. It's greasy and white and is made up of lanugo (that downy hair), oil from your baby's glands, and dead skin cells. This waxy "cheese" may not sound too appetizing or attractive, but it's there for good reason: Vernix protects your baby's sensitive skin from the surrounding amniotic fluid. Without it, your baby would look very wrinkled at birth (sort of what you'd look like if you soaked in a bath for nine months). Some babies — especially those born early — will still be covered with vernix at the delivery, so you might get a look at your baby's first anti-wrinkle cream.

Weekly Update: Impressions of a Father-To-Be

To say this process is unique and life-changing is a bit clichéd. It is also less than unique to say that it is both surreal and all-too-real. Yet, Maren and I seem to come to similar conclusions daily. We marvel at what is going on now, and we envision what will be in just about half a year. We discuss how we will approach the art of parenting, and we acknowledge that, although we have ambitious goals and idealistic plans, that we don’t really have a clue about this thing.

To me, the most unique part of the process so far has been simply observing Maren begin the journey. I thought she was entertaining, alluring, and fiery before, but now my amusement and wonder never ceases! I try to be supportive as much as possible, but most of the time there is nothing I can do—so I just sit back and capture this time in my memory. After all, I have to have the material in order to be the nostalgic “Clark Griswold” character that Maren expects me to be!

I am also humbled already by many things; humbled that I can only assist in this process and support Maren. I am also humbled by thoughts of what it will take forge a strong and stable home—one that is marked by faith, friendship, community, personal growth, and the continual practice of grace. I think, from what I have observed in others, that the whole act of parenting is humbling. What could rein one in to a greater degree than being responsible for the livelihood of another? Parenting does not allow an individual the luxury of making unilateral decisions and living impulsively. People who try to defy this reality, simply put, are mediocre parents. Anyway, I won’t go on any further . . . even though I want to.

I want to close first by announcing that Maren is 15 weeks into her pregnancy and that our baby’s heartbeat was measured in the 150’s—perfect according to the doctor. Our next appointment will take place in 5 weeks, and at that time we should know if it is a boy or girl! Secondly, I want to say that Maren is doing fantastically well. She stays in good spirits despite feeling, let’s just say, less than perfect. She is the model of Dennis Prager’s philosophy about choosing to be happy even when circumstances aren’t favorable for that mood. I admire and respect her more each day and can’t wait to see her blossom into the mother she is meant to be.