Week 11

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 11 Weeks

Size of Baby: A lime

Total Weight Gain/Loss: No changes so far

Maternity Clothes: Not yet

Gender: Can't wait to find out!

Movement: Not yet but baby is fully developed and moving all around now.

Sleep: Some nights are good, some not so good. But naps help all!

What I Miss: Cherry Coke Zero

Cravings: Mexican, cheese, beef

Symptoms: nausea, fatigue

Best Moment This Week: The nausea has been letting up some so I cooked dinner one night for the first time in over 2 months! :) Big brother Harrison holding a lime (the size of the baby this week.)
"Wow Mom! The baby is this big already?!"

Real Men Grill

Harrison has long been fascinated by the grill. As a little baby he would watch mesmerized behind the screen door of the porch as Matt seared and flame broiled yummy meats. This fascination has grown into all things grilled and has sparked Harrison's manly mantra of, "More meat!" After asking over and over to help Daddy "gill the hotdogs!" We knew it was time to look into something Harrison could grill. And there it was in those wonderful day after Thanksgiving sales papers - A toy grill! Perfect for our manly, pyro, meat eating boy. Since he opened it on Christmas he has been grilling non-stop. It's the first thing he runs to in the morning, where he heads when I mention meal time, and he carries with tongs and spatula like a prized possession. Who knows, maybe one day he'll be asking for a four burner outdoor grill and providing us all kinds of good meals!

A Little Bit More

And the grinch with his grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons, it came without tags, it came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'til his puzzler was sore...
Then the grinch though of something he hadn't before... What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store...
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

Even though we were blessed to give and enjoy opening presents and gifts, we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas celebrating the birth of the baby boy who changed the world and made a way for us to live with Him eternally. As Harrison says, "Happa-day Jesus!" and "Tank-u God for Jesus!"

Merry Christmas!

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above.

James 1:17

Many blessings to you and your family this Christmas!

The Clark Family

Christmas Baking Eating With Harrison

I don't know how long something has to be in existence to be a tradition, but for the past two years we've been making Christmas rainbow cookies. So I guess it's Harrison and my tradition. This year Harrison was old enough to help in the preparation and not just eating, or so I thought.
Every piece of dough I gave Harrison to roll into a ball would swiftly disappear behind that mischievous grin.

"More peaz Mommy?!"

"To roll out or eat Harrison?" "Um, for eatin'!"

This above picture is a little game I like to call, pick out which cookie Harrison made all on his own :)

And this is what happens what you eat too much cookie dough!

10 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: Ten weeks

Size of Baby: Baby is 1.25 to 1.5 inches long- the size of a piece of broccoli on a veggie tray

Total Weight Gain/Loss: None so far

Maternity Clothes: Still enjoying my Bella Band, though I discovered my low rise jeans still fit fine. No maternity tops yet.

Sleep: Honestly not the best, but I'm pretty spoiled and sneak in a daily nap.

What I Miss: Caffeine and soft cheeses (Brie especially!)

Cravings: Dill pickles and beef of any kind! (Not together:)

Symptoms: The green hits hard and heavy every afternoon still. I'm hoping any day now it will just not show up and it will be over with! It ended with Harrison around week 13.

Best Moment of the Week: Matt saw my tummy and could notice a little bump and said, "Oh wow! There's definitely a little baby growing in there!" Haha! I love him!

Big brother holding a piece of broccoli which is approximately the same size as baby this week.
And one more picture of the cute big brother hamming it up during our broccoli photo shoot!

Merrily, Merrily, Merrily

Row... Row...
Row...

Your truck...?

With your sword...?

Well, that's the way Harrison sings it.

How We Do Green

Morning sickness has hit hard and heavy, except "morning" is not the time of day it usually appears for me. We more deal with afternoon and evening sickness. Our little guy has been a trooper with his momma gone AWOL. He is loving having me lay around to cuddle with, being able to eat picnic style in the floor, and snacking non-stop as I search high and low for any food that won't make my stomach revolt. He's enjoying some extra tv time, some extra getting away with stuff, and extra late bedtimes as I fight the green feeling. I originally thought he would be happy when this stage had passed, but I'm wondering if he is kinda liking the perks of having mom out of commission. Well, Mr. Man, just give this momma a few more weeks. Once second trimester hits I'm hoping to be nausea free and energy high! Green will be things of the past and so will eating hot dogs on the den floor. (Well, maybe occasionally :)

December 18th

Six years ago we were a flurry of satin, curls, boutonnieres, and cumber buns as we all raced around to get ready for the five 'o clock event. As we held each other's hands and said "I do" we could have no idea what was ahead of us. In all our wildest dreams we never could have imagined what God has done in us these past six years. These past six years have been the best years of my life. We've been through 4 years of grad school, two degrees, 4 moves, 3 new cars, 1 little man and one on the way, 8 jobs, and too many road trips to count. These days we are a flurry of matchbox cars, diaper changes, ponytails, and t-shirts, and I wouldn't change a thing! I can't wait to see what lies ahead of us. I'm excited to be at your side for this adventure. I love you! Happy Anniversary!

9 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 9 Weeks

Size of Baby: Grape

Total Weight Gain/Loss: No change yet

Maternity Clothes: Not yet-for comforts sake I will occasionally pull on some maternity pants, but not because I need it, they just feel better! Still loving my Bella Band!

Gender: Don't know yet, but can't wait to find out!

Movement: Not yet

Sleep: Not the best, but that's ok. It's all worth it!

What I Miss: Deli meat and cherry coke zero

Cravings: Mexican

Symptoms: Green and tired. Poor Harrison is tired of Mommy always being on the couch feeling sick. I don't think he understands why I don't wrestle in the floor or want to smell his goldfish crackers.

Best Moment This Week: Telling everyone the great news of baby Clark!

Big brother holding a grape (the size of the baby this week.)

True Story...

"Hey Harrison, do you want a brother or a sister?" one of the aunts asked him.

Without missing a beat he answered... "A baseball!"

Santa and Baby

You better watch out... You better not cry...
You better not pout...

I'm telling you why...

Santa Clause is coming to town!

Uncle Josh was a great Santa, but Harrison was not so sure about the costume. Thanks Uncle Josh for taking some time with Harrison!

Snow-For Feedin' & Eatin'

This morning we woke up with a pretty blanket of snow. Harrison was begging to go out before he even got out of his pj's! After the 15 minute bundling up process Mimi sent him out with a bowl full of bread to feed the birds.
He was kind of disappointed when he wasn't flocked with feathered friends while yelling "Come eat bughds!" at the top of his lungs.

After not finding any willing bread eating birds, he decided to do some eating of his own.

While innocently posing next to Aunt Bean's snowman he decided to swipe some of Frosty's head..

"No-sow man, good!"

8 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 8 Weeks

Size of Baby: Kidney Bean

Total Weight Gain/Loss: No difference so far

Maternity Clothes: Yes! I'm in love with my Bella Band! No maternity tops yet.

Gender: Don't know yet, but can't wait to find out!

Movement: Not yet

Sleep: Not the best in the world between the frequent bathroom trips and that wonderful restless leg syndrome.

What I Miss: Cherry Coke Zero, well, maybe just caffeine in general! :)

Cravings: Mexican, but I'm definitely having more aversions more than anything right now. I can't really go through the list of all aversions at this point-it would take too long and make me sick.

Symptoms: Green, green, tired, and green :)

Best Moment This Week: Seeing our sweet baby and hearing the heartbeat on the ultrasound!

Big Brother holding a kidney bean (the size of the baby this week).

And Then There Were Four

We are very excited to announce that Harrison is a big brother! Our newest little Clark will be joining our family sometime in July! We are overjoyed that God has blessed us to be parents of not only our little guy, Harrison, but also to this new growing baby! We appreciate your prayers, encouragement, and excitement as we see what God has in store for this little life!

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made! Your works are wonderful! I know that full well!"
Psalm 134:14

Hide It In Your Heart

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4

Escape Plan?

Our guy is not easily fooled, in fact he is too smart for his own our own good. I mean, just look at that innocent face, he has the "Who me?" perfected.
We can carefully lock doors but leave it up to this guy to break out. All he needs is a stool, some patience (he needs some work on that), and some will power (he needs no work with that.)
With some fiddling and an attitude that says, "I don't care if I get caught, I'm just in it for the thrill," this guy popped the lock in record time. He was pretty proud of himself, as he usually is of his mastermind accomplishments.

"What's wrong Mom? I was just trying to open the door for Mimi."