Introducing Kaitlyn Rose Ledbetter

Kaitlyn Rose made her debut on Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at 10:34pm.  She was 11 days early (for those that remember, her brother was 13 days late!) and she weighed 9lbs 8oz and was 20inches long. She's beautiful.


Here's our birth story.
Wednesday, December 18th at 38 weeks 3 days pregnant my water broke around 2:30 in the afternoon. Chance and I went downstairs and told Jimmy who was on a work phone call. He hung up immediately and we rushed around putting last minute items in our bags. We dropped Chance off at Jimmy's parents house and off we went to the hospital.  I was checked right away and was already 4-5cm dilated.  Even though my contractions weren't as bad as I remembered (yay! no pitocen!) I got my epidural and labored for a few hours until pushing. Then I pushed for 10 MINUTES and our beautiful Kaitlyn was here. She is nursing well and a happy baby.  She is a cuddle bug.  She doesn't like to be put down, and that made for even less sleeping than expected the first nights at the hospital.  Mommy and Daddy are hoping she does better at home.

Chance came to the hospital to meet his sister and is just as crazy about her as we are.  He came up with my mom and grandma and they stopped in the gift shop to get a balloon. Chance went over to a shelf of stuffed animals, picked up a hello kitty animal and said "I buy this for baby Kaitlyn".  He was told okay, but we had to pay for it. So he took it over the the checkout counter and placed it up on the counter and said "I buy this for baby Kaitlyn" to the cashier.  She rang it up and handed it back to him. He said "Thank you".  When he came into our room he immediately took it over to her and said he bought it for her.  That boy melts my heart!  So glad he loves his sister as much as we do!

35 weeks and feeling it

Whoa...I'm feeling pregnant! I feel HEAVY, tired, out of breath, my back aches, my pelvis aches, I have reflux, and it's uncomfortable for me to sleep many nights. Ugh! Only 5 more weeks though!  I don't remember feeling this bad this early with Chance....but then again I wasn't chasing after a two year old at the time! It's exhausting! I keep having this feeling that she's going to come early.  I wouldn't mind that except the holidays are coming and I don't want her born to close to Christmas and things are going to get crazy enough! Ah! We'll see!  I'm sure she'll have a mind of her own just like her big brother who took his sweet time.

Kaitlyn should be over 5 pounds and about the size of a honeydew melon.  I just ordered her take home outfit online, I'm so excited to see what she looks like and how cute she is in it! I'm finishing up washing her blankets and bedding and things.  And it's about time I start on my hospital bag! eek!

We got our Christmas decorations up..at least some of them.  I wanted to get a head start on the tree and I'm glad I did! That was exhausting! Chance was a good little helper though.  I need to order Kaitlyn a stocking soon just in case she does show up before Christmas!

Can't wait to meet my baby girl!!!

33 weeks...nursery is complete!

I turned 33 weeks on Sunday and I am feeling it! I feel big, tired, achy and I'm ready for Kaitlyn to arrive! Okay...not really, but sorta.  I would love to make it through the holidays first, although I'm starting to get a feeling that she may come early on right on time....but I'd love it if she were a few days late...we'll see! I'm sure she'll decide when the best time is!

Right now she should weigh about 4 lbs and about 17 inches long. I just got back from the doctor and since my next appointment would fall on Thanksgiving, I don't go back for three weeks...December 5! AH! That's the month she's due!! We are getting so close!  And with the business of the holidays, it's going to fly by! 

Also...side note...Chance is potty trained! Yay!  That should make things a bit easier on us with a newborn to care for!

AND....Kaitlyn's nursery is complete!! (for the most part, I still would like to add a rug and a nameplate on the door)  Check out her beautiful room!

30 weeks!

We are at 30 weeks today.  Kaitlyn should be about 3lbs and the size of a large cabbage.  I had my glucose screening a few weeks ago and that turned out great! Last night I had trouble sleeping, I'm starting to get uncomfortable.

The nursery is coming along nicely! I bought the cutest lamp for her room, as well as an adorable mirror.  Her name decal is ordered and should be here soon! I still have a few more things to do, but we're almost done! I think I'll start washing her clothing and blankets soon.

We are so excited to meet our little girl!!!!

27 weeks

Okay, I've really been slacking. BUT we are in our 3rd trimester now and I have 3d pictures!!  :) The grandparents offered to treat us to a peak at our BEAUTIFUL daughter!  We went to a new place and she did an amazing job at getting Kaitlyn positioned to get perfect pictures! Check them out!

Right now Kaitlyn should be about 2lbs and 14.5 inches long.  As we saw on the ultrasound, she is sucking, opening her eyes, and likes to curl up like a pretzel and play peek-a-boo! :)

22 weeks...a bit late

I should have posted this about 5 days ago...but better late than never, right? Miss Kaitlyn should be about the size of a spaghetti squash. Her eyes, lips, etc.  should be becoming more distinct. I'm sure she is just beautiful! :)  She has been kicking away and I can now see those kicks if I watch my tummy closely.  Jimmy has seen and felt them too!

This weekend is Big Brother Chance's 2nd birthday, boy does time fly! After that, we are going to focus on Kaitlyn's room. I'm very excited for the PINK! :) It will take a while to put together, but in a few weeks or so we should have an update with a beautiful nursery picture.

20 weeks, Halfway there!!!

We're now at 20 weeks and Kaitlyn is about the size of a banana.  We had our doctor's appointment last weeks and confirmed she is a girl! I was glad nothing had changed!!! :)  We're so excited to meet this little girl and are talking about getting her nursery together soon!  We just have to get though her brother's 2nd birthday...then I can focus on the room!

I was really, really tired last week.  It rained ALL week so that didn't help, but I think my iron may be getting low, so I switched my vitamins and that seems to be helping!  Today I have more energy than I've had all pregnancy! I have been cleaning and cooking and organizing, it feels good! Although being down on my hands and knees picking up toys is a little rough, didn't have to do that last pregnancy! No more bending over for me either! Gotta squat! ha! I'll have to post a belly photo soon.  Maybe next week I'll remember to take it on time and have on make-up! :)

I can't believe we are half way though this pregnancy.  This is the good stage, I'm feeling good, have a cute little bump, and feel Miss Katie-bug squirming often! We still have a lot to do to get ready for her....and I'm excited to get started!

18 weeks

I'm trying to stay on top of this...but it's difficult!  Especially when I have a little helper that want to add to the blog when I have the computer out.  And if I wait till he goes to bed...I'm too tried to mess with it!  ANYWAY... Kaitlyn is 10oz and that's for REAL, we had our doctor's ultrasound today and and saw her again!  Healthy as can be!  And SO CUTE! :) Measurements are all right on track!

I started this post at the beginning of the week...it's now Thursday.  I guess I post it and do it again this weekend!!!  Sorry, baby girl!  Momma's trying!!! :)

16 weeks....It's a GIRL!!!!!!!

We had our 3d/4d ultrasound Saturday. And it's a GIRL!!  We will have a daughter this time!  And our  precious Chance will have a sister! yay!! We've already chosen a  name: Kaitlyn Rose. We have always like the name Kaitlyn and Rose is my middle name, which was my great-grandma's name. We are so excited for the new experience and all the PINK! (Okay...I may be the one mostly excited about the pink.)

We had a gender reveal party for the family on Saturday.  They were seated in our living room in a circle.  I put Chance in the middle and handed him a gift bag.  He pulled out the contents: Sugar and Spice.  Most everyone immediately said "Sugar and Spice and everything nice! It's a girl1!!" Lots of screaming and hugging followed as Chance cried from all the craziness going on around him.

Right now Miss Kaitlyn is about 4 1/2 inches long and 3 1/2 ounces. Our ultrasound was very early (though they convinced me of accuracy) so she looked so small! Our first 3d/4d ultrasound with Chance was at 20 weeks, so it looked very different.

I am feeling pretty good.  Still a little nauseous at times, but doing much better. I am excited for all the shopping and preparing for our little girl!

14 weeks ~ 2nd Trimester!!!!

Oh 2nd trimester, how I love thee! I have been doing so much better! I still have my moments, but overall I am much better!  In fact, right now I am so HUNGRY!  I ate spaghetti and meatballs with salad for dinner.  I had a granola bar a bit ago and then a bowl of cereal.  Now I'm heating up some waffles...ugh, much better than being nauseous though! We went to Silver Dollar City over the weekend and I made it through all the walking and food! Chance couldn't ride any rides as he is still too little, so that was kind of a bummer, but it was still fun to be out. This week my mom has taken off work and is helping me clean out the baby's room and get my house put back together as it has become a mess over the last several weeks as I have not been up to keeping up with everything!

Baby is about the size of a lemon and can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and maybe even suck his/her thumb!  About another month and we will know if it's a he or a she! I asked Chance today, but we wasn't sure.  If I asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?" he would say "girl".  If I asked, "Is it a girl or a boy?" then he would say "boy".

12 weeks

Well, after a bad weekend, my week has perked up somewhat.  I have spells of nausea, but I'm doing alright. I have even managed to get the house cleaned up a bit!  But I overdo it...I just need to rest more, but it's hard when I'm finally feeling better! So I end up doing a lot early on in the day and pooping out in the afternoon and evening. My belly is getting bigger and I think I may need to find some kind of armor for it. Chance's elbows and knees keep finding their way to my belly and that hurts!  It's going to be a long rest of the year with that going on! Poor baby is already getting beat up by his/her older brother!

Speaking of baby...our little peanut is about the size of a lime at over 2 inches long and half an ounce and is working on reflexes.  Apparently if I poke my abdomen the baby will squirm in response...like I said already getting picked on by the older brother!! The baby should start making sucking movements too! Exciting stuff! I think now that I'm starting to feel better, this pregnancy is going to FLY by!

Oh! and I almost forgot...we made the big facebook announcement on Sunday (Father's Day).  That was fun! :)

11 weeks

We heard the heartbeat!! Nice and strong and doctor says everything looks good! Very exciting! I also got some meds for my nausea...which SOMETIMES kinda work.  I had a bad weekend with the sickness, but have (knock on wood) a few good days since. I will take my first official belly photo next week, it's already bigger than it was with Chance at this time!

Baby is just over and inch and a half long and the size of a fig and almost fully formed.  tooth buds should be appearing and bones are hardening.  He/she is probably kicking up a storm, but I don't feel anything yet!

3 more weeks till trimester 2! Then hopefully I'll feel MUCH better and we can make the big announcement to the world! :)

10 weeks...already slacking

I'm already slacking with baby #2! I've missed a few weeks.  Well, here's what you've missed...sickness, sickness, and more sickness.  I've been so sick and miserable! I am so ready to be past the 1st trimester. The baby is a little over an inch long now and officially in the fetal period.  Vital organs are in place and beginning to function. I am already showing a little.  Probably not to a stranger on the street, but to those who know me you can tell I have a bigger pooch than normal!  I guess I need to start taking belly pics soon!  We go to the doctor on Friday and should get to hear the heartbeat. Exciting stuff! I'll let you all know how that goes!

7 weeks...ugh......

Nausea! Vomiting! Exhaustion! That is my life right now.  I am so tired and sick and sick and tired of it all! Thankfully, I am also very blessed.  My mother-in-law (Grammy) is willing and able to take over for me!  She has been over all week helping out with Chance and the house.  I don't know what I would have done without her! My mom (Grandma) also came over and spent the night one night to help out while Jimmy was out of town. They are such blessings! I cannot wait for the 2nd trimester....but I still have a ways to go!

The baby has doubled in size and now is the size of a raspberry and is growing eyelids,  it's nose and upper lip.

We are so excited, but aside from all the sickness...it just doesn't seem real yet! It's hard for me to wrap my head around all of this this time around! I don't know why...but before long I'll be showing and feeling...THAT will certainly make it more real!

We're Pregnant, Again!

It's official.  Chance is going to be a big brother! I'm six weeks along today.  I found out at a little past four weeks...while Jimmy was out of town! I had to keep it a secret for a few days!  Talk about hard! When he got home Chance gave him a gift. It was my positive pregnancy test in a box.  On the inside of the box lid I wrote "Congrats! You're going to be a Daddy again!"  He was SHOCKED and EXCITED! When we told our parents, they were thrilled as well. I'll attach the videos so you can see their reactions.

Right now the baby is the size of a lentil bean and his/her brain, muscles, and bones are forming. It sounds crazy, but I already feel my belly swelling, and my pants are tight! I'm queasy and nauseous already and TIRED. This time around is going to be quite a bit more challenging as I have a toddler to keep up with! But we are so excited to see what this little one turns into. Our last one is pretty awesome! ;)