Week 12 - My appetite is back!

There's no holding it in anymore, just holding it up from here on out!

A learning experience

Owen starting out on skates for the first time.



This reminds me of those days where I just feel like I keep tripping and falling...but then I get back up, dust it off, and keep pressing on...without times like these, progress goes unappreciated.

Perseverance pays off!

10.5 weeks

Hey everybody...it's me...Stimets baby #2. Yes, that's my mom's uterus. It's about the size of a grapefruit right about now. She said you'd all be pleased to see it keeping me nice and protected. Awgh, it's fun swimming around in here. I'm about 1.2 inches long from crown to rump and weigh less than a sixth of an ounce. Even so, I've been busy swallowing and kicking. Each day there's more and more crazy things happening to me. I'm starting to get fingernails and peach-fuzzy hair.

My vital organs, you know the liver, kidneys, intestines, brain, and lungs -- are fully formed and functional. Yes, I have to admit, I do have a big head. It's about half the length of my entire body. My forehead is a little bulgy but just temporarily while it sits high on the big knoggin until later when it will change into a more human-like feature.

My spine is pretty clear, although we didn't get a shot of it. My spinal nerves stretch out from the spinal cord. I already know if I'm going to be a little brother or sister, but sorry, you're going to have to wait until the middle of March to find out!!! No need to get all antsy, I'm in no hurry to see any bright lights just yet. It's pretty fun in here mooching off of momma.

(clicking on the images will open them up in another window for a bigger view)

There are arms and legs! An umbilical cord! A racing little heart! The beginnings of a profile! Always an amazing feeling to be a female and to be amazed at the capabilities we have to grow another life inside of us (of course with the help of that other seed, it could not have happened without man)...it's going on right now, even if after weeks of feeling drained, semi-nauseated, and just down right blaa, wanting to some days cry over nothing doesn't make it seem real, pictures help to make it sink in...WOW!!! The baby was a little mover while under the influence of sound waves. It's little ticker was moving at 171 bpm. The expected due date of Aug 7th may end up bringing Owen a one-of-a-kind, hard to beat gift for his 3rd birthday.

Engdahl Family Challenge - Final Results

...and the winners are...

All of you!!!

Each of you who have taken the challenge and spent the last six weeks focused on putting one foot in front of the next, knows that 10,000 steps each day has been...well, a challenge, especially during the holiday season. It hasn't been easy (but by a certain team's step total...those turkeys made it look easy!) Obtaining optimal health will always be work, just as any other good thing in life, a good marriage, relationships, working towards any goal. There were many days that I lacked motivation and yet there was my mom in the back of my mind dancing around trying to wrack up some steps on her pedometer, or Uncle Barry was sending me emails about how he was motivating his team with jodies. (I needed a little of that somedays). Then Uncle Nels writes and says how he hiked/jogged 13 miles one day (more than he'd ever done in the Army at one time) and that he hasn't felt as good as he's been feeling in a long time. I'm so proud of everyone of you who has "stepped" up to the challenge! It has been a great thing and I hope that next year we can have a repeat experience. (Aunt Sally, I think you'd be great at being the tracker/reporter next year!)

Final Results

First Place

Pine Creek Turkey Trotters - Uncle Barry, Diane, and Laura who walked a combined equivalent of about 728 miles or 1,455,897 (steps)! Congratulations for all your hard work and dedication! You each will be receiving a $30 gift certificate to "Today's Trends" in Williamsport curtesy of Swaggy's Guide Services (a.k.a. "Little" Barry).

Second Place/Third Place - wow this was crazy close!!! I can already predict there will be pedometer calibration discussions that could arguably be accountable for the slight differences we see below!

Mossy Oak Trail Trekkers - Dad, Mom, and Tiffany who walked a combined equivalent of about 600 miles or 1,200,856 steps.

Rolley's Rebels - Uncle Nels, Aunt Cyndi, and Kristi who walked a combined equivalent of about 599 miles or 1,197,688 steps.

Fourth Place

Two Steppin' - Aunt Sally, Dave (Tiff's BF), and Me who walked a combined equivalent of about 512 miles or 1,023,216 steps.

Week 6 Results

1. Rolley's Rebels - 281,328 Congratulations to Uncle Nels, Aunt Cyndi, and Kristi. You obtained the highest step count for a single week in your last week of the challenge!!!
2. Pine Creek Turkey Trotters - 252,757
3. Mossy Oak Trail Trekkers - 219,687
4. Two Steppin' - 162,973
5. Air Walkers - no steps reported