Week 17...

How your baby's growing:
Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and he's around 5 inches long. He can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. His sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker.

The United States and Australia are the only two industrialized nations that don't guarantee paid maternity leave. — The Project on Global Working Families

-Brandon and I went and talked with our HR rep in the athletic department to find out if they provide paid maternity leave. Well they don't...big surprise! They do have a program set that would allow me to take 12 weeks off if I have enough vacation and sick leave to get paid, otherwise it would be unpaid leave. We also found out that Brandon can transfer his vacation and sick leave over to me to use along with anyone else in the department. So even if we have to use most of our vacation and sick leave, I will be able to stay home for atleast 6 weeks or more. I am thinking that more would be great, but we will just have to wait and see what we can do.

The date has been set!

Today while we were at our doctor's appointment we scheduled the date of our sonogram. We will find out if we are having a Boy or a Girl on Monday, Nov. 26th at 9am! To make it easier to remember that is the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Dr. Appointment at 16 weeks and 1 Day

I had my second doctor's appointment today and Brandon and I were able to hear the heartbeat again. Everything is looking great and the babies heartbeat was at 155 bpm. The doctor said that everything is on track and that the heartbeat was very strong and normal for it to slow down from the last appointment. If you remember it was beating between 165 to 170 bpm. She had no problems finding the strong heartbeat, because as soon as she put the stick (I am not sure what it is called) on my belly we could hear the baby.

I am feeling so much better with lots more energy this week. I am sure that I would feel even better if I wouldn't have had such a crazy week. Work is really starting to get very busy because basketball season starts next week! I am looking forward to a little bit of a break, but I love my job so I can't complain too much.

Brandon and I were laughing while we waited for the Doctor on guessing on how much weight I have gained so far. I could not remember what I weight at the last appoinment so we started guessing. We both thought that had gained around 5 pounds or so. Everything that I have read is telling me that I should have gained 5 pounds or less at this point. I asked the doctor and she did not have my last appointments weight in front of her, so while we were checking out she looked it up. I have only gained a total of 2 pounds! The doctor was fine with my weight and said to just keep eating and doing what I normally would do.

I'll take a picture this weekend of my belly so you can see if there has been a change.

16 Weeks...

How your baby's growing:At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.

KC Family 1/2 Marathon and babies first!

Good Job Jeff, Ryan, Jeremy, Karyn, Michael, Elsa, Jamie & Dad...WE DID IT!!!!!!

My family made a plan over 6 months ago to run in the Kansas City Marathon together, and all the training and talking was put to the test this past Saturday. We all had a great time and finished with times that we all were very pleased with. Yea, Good job family!


I had been training for the 13.1 miles, but after I found out that I was pregnant and kept training I was not feeling very well after long runs, so I decided that I would just walk it instead. When the family started talking about doing this, my Dad did not hestitate and said that he wanted to walk the 13.1, so it was nice to be able to do this along with him. We had a great pace going and were able to finish in 3 hours and 31 minutes 27 seconds. Dad was a fighter even when he started developing a monster blister on his left foot at mile 7. We had great support from all the family and this picture of us is right before the finish line.

This is us early in the race around mile 3/4, where Mom, Stacy, Jon, Lily & Audrey were our cheering squad. It was a little chilly in the morning, but it turned out to be a beautiful day. I am not sure where we are in this picture, but I remember that we where heading towards the plaza. I think that was the first time that I have ever been through the Plaza and it not be totally crazy with people and cars driving everywhere.

Here we are with our race medals. We all had such a great time during the race, so maybe this might become an annual family 1/2 marathon.

15 Weeks!

How your baby's growing:At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 ounces. He's busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help develop the air sacs in his lungs. His legs are growing longer than his arms now, and he can move all his joints and limbs. That means his hands are more functional, too. Sweat glands are appearing, and although his eyelids are fused shut, he can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, he's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but his taste buds are beginning to form. And if you have an ultrasound, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or girl! (Don't be disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down the sex depends somewhat on how clear the picture is and the position of your baby during the ultrasound; he may be curled or turned in such a way as to keep you in suspense.)

KSU Football & Madness in Manhattan

Mom and Dad Reiff were in town this weekend to enjoy the Wildcat Weekend. We had the opening night of basketball practice with Madness in Manhattan that started at 10:30pm on Friday. Then on Saturday we went to the Football game vs. Colorado that started at 8:15pm. If you are seeing a pattern it sure was late nights of cheering for Kansas State. We had a great time and enjoyed sleeping in both Saturday and Sunday! The weather was nice enough to keep the rain away during the football game, but it had a cold breeze that made it a little chilly. After seeing KSU score 40 points after 3 quarters and it was close to 11:30pm, we called it a night and decided to finish watching the game on ESPN 2. KSU won We had a great time getting to see my parents and we love it everytime they come out to visit Manhattan.


Here is a shot of the press box that all of the rest of my co-workers are very busy at work during the game. I don't work any of the games, but I could if they needed me. All I will do mostly is get up there during halftime and steal ice cream!


The family at the football game. You can see that we are all looking a little cold at this point and it is only halftime. We had lots of laughs during the game because there was a fan that was sitting in front of us that was a super fan and when KSU did something good he would give high fives to everyone. Normally that is great and we would give them along, but he would hit your hand so hard that it would sting for mintutes later. We lucked out, because either he heard us talking about him or he got to tired to slap hands during the rest of the game. Dad and I were thinking of all kinds of ways that we could get out of having to slap his hand. Good Laughs!!!

Here is Brandon at Madness in Manhattan. Poor guy had been working none stop that day starting with an Equestrian Meet at 10am and then a Baseball Scrimage that started at 7pm and ended with enough time for him to join us for Madness. You can tell that he is having a blast in this picture. I think that he is just trying to keep his eyes open. I love you Brandon and I know that you work hard to make things better for us all the time.

Here is the golden team. Lets hope that they will play has well as they are ranked!

The family all ready for an exciting night of Kansas State Basketball. It was fun and we caught a t-shirt but of course instead of being an XL like normal it was a size small. I was hoping that it was an XL so Dad could take a t-shirt home., but sorry Dad maybe next time. We all had fun and all looking forward to this years basketball season. Dad has already reserved tickets for certain games, so the Oregon game is taken!

Mom and I also took the time that we had on Saturday to do a little shopping. It is starting to get a little harder for me to find things to wear. I am in that really aweful stage were I am not big enough to wear maternity clothes and my normal clothes are just not fitting as well. We didn't end up finding too many things, but I did get a really cute dress that I can wear to Audrey's blessing this Sunday. I am going to do some more shopping this weekend in Kansas City, so maybe I will be luckier.