five on friday!

ONE
I finally made a to-do list for baby. We seriously haven't done a thing yet, and I'm 8 months pregnant!  To say I'm a bit overwhelmed is an understatement.  The time is flying this time around, can't believe we are having a baby so soon!  Here are some things on my list....

• Get out the carseat, bases, rock n'play, swing, bouncy seat, etc - clean!
• Prep the nursery (Hadley's old room)
• Wash NB and 0-3 month clothing
• Wash blankets, sheets and other linens
• Pack hospital bag
• PICK A NAME
• Buy new parts for my breast pump (and hopefully the thing still works)
• Get out all the bottles and sterilize
• Make freezer meals (more on this in #2)
• Notify pediatrician
• Attend breastfeeding class (scheduled for next week)
• Get a cute coming home outfit

TWO
I definitely want to make some meals to have on hand for when baby girl arrives. I've pinned some freezer meal recipes on Pinterest, but never actually took the plunge. Last week I was invited to a Wildtree Freezer Meal Workshop ('get your grill on' was the theme) and it was SO MUCH FUN!  You can read more about Wildtree here. It was hosted by a girl from my barre studio and she had about 12 girls attend. We purchased and prepped our meat and veggies before the party and brought our freezer bags (filled with the meat/veggies) and added all the Wildtree seasonings/spices/labels at the party. I left with 7 meals (herb grilled chicken, savory grilled tilapia, rodeo blue cheese burgers, grilled shrimp skewers, hickory grilled chicken, and Asian ginger chicken skewers). It was so easy and I'm looking forward to pulling these out this summer. I have a few more things I want to make in June and now I feel like I can actually do it!

THREE
In case I didn't have enough to do (see #1 above), we decided to repaint the interior of our house before baby girl arrives. Like, the whole enchilada, every room. Picking paint is seriously ridiculously hard.  I mean, I can't even commit to one type of ice cream lately.....



pregnancy problems - bought all 3

I have a small fortune invested in Benjamin Moore paint samples, and I've also painted random squares of paint throughout the living room, dining room, kitchen, and halls. But, we have finally picked our colors with the help of our sweet OP Jenkins friend that helped us with our furniture last year.  Painter is coming first week in June. I cannot wait!  Out with the beige/gold, and in with the greige!

 

FOUR
Hadley is getting promoted to her new classroom at Nanny's in a couple weeks. Just another reminder how quickly she is growing up.  She is 3.5 years old now, and I swear she gets sweeter every day. I asked her the other day how she got so sweet and she told me the bees made her sweet (they've been learning about bees and birds at school recently :) )  I just absolutely love her to pieces and can't imagine how I could love another little girl as much as I love her....but everyone says it just happens....your love multiplies.  I am trying to savor each hug, each bedtime story, each conversation with her right now before our family grows!

FIVE
I ran across this article on facebook last week and I was literally in tears at my desk from laughing so hard.  If you have a baby, or are expecting, you must read it. After-birth: 10 surprises from those first days after delivery

 

 

TGIF FRIENDS!

32 weeks

How far along: 32 weeks, 8 months!

Gender: GIRL! Still nameless though...

Weight gain: 20 lbs as of my appointment 3 days ago

Maternity clothes: Um, yes! 

Stretch marks: Still haven't noticed any - been using my mama belly oil I used while pregnant with Hadley. Need to be better about using every night though.

Belly button in or out: It's flat/poking out a little, and very weird :)

Sleep: Could be worse, could be better.

Symptoms: Lower back pain, trouble bending over, get out of breath easy, and some loveliness where the sun don't shine.

Best moment this week: Celebrating Mother's Day. My mom went to our church with us and then we enjoyed a delicious brunch at Cru. After Hadley's nap we took her to the splash pad and let her run wild for a while.  

Miss anything: Being comfortable and sleeping in any position I want. Would also give my right arm for a good bottle of red and a chef's platter of sushi.

Movement: Yes! Getting a little cramped in there though.

Cravings: Sweets

Workouts:  I've cut back to 2 runs a week (3ish miles each) and doing 1 high incline/interval walk a week.  Still going to barre about 3-4 times a week.

Looking forward to: I am getting so excited about our family of 4. I can't wait to introduce Hadley to her baby sister and spend 12 weeks bonding with this little blessing.

I saw this prayer on another mom-to-be's blog and it's something I've been praying for too (tweaked for our situation as I've been torn whether I should try a VBAC or schedule a repeat c-section). I long to experience a "normal" labor and delivery the old-fashioned way, but do not want to put baby girl or myself at risk if it's not safe for us.  
  Prayer for Baby Girl: 
 Dear Lord, Thank you for helping me make it this far in my pregnancy. Please help Baby Girl come at just the right time and bless my labor and delivery. I'm still deciding whether to try for a VBAC or schedule a repeat C-section. I know it is in your hands so I pray for peace in knowing you will bring our sweet girl into the world they way YOU have planned. Give the doctors and nurses wisdom to make the best decisions for us and keep us safe. Help me to be strong during delivery and trust in You. I pray that your presence would fill the room with joy as we welcome Baby Girl into the world. You are so good! Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. - Psalm 37:7
 

32 week bumpdate!

 

 

 

30 weeks

How far along: 30 weeks

Gender: GIRL!

Weight gain: 20 lbs as of my 28 week appointment

Maternity clothes: Yes! 

Stretch marks: Still haven't noticed any - been using my mama belly oil I used while pregnant with Hadley.

Belly button in or out: It's flat, and very weird :)

Sleep: Good nights and bad nights, overall good though. I have really struggled getting back to sleep if I wake up around 2 though.

Symptoms: Lower back pain, trouble bending down, exhausted by the end of the day, pelvic/groin pain, leg pain. 



Yep, this hits the nail on the head!

Best moment this week: Enjoying a low key weekend at home with my family. The weather was phenom and we had fun just relaxing, playing outside, and grilling out.  

Miss anything: Bending over without getting out of breath, being comfortable.

Movement: Yes, baby girl is getting bigger and her movements change each week. I can tell she's getting a little cramped in there.

Cravings: Any and all fruit, any and all sweets, peanut butter.

Workouts:  Running is starting to get really difficult and i'm not sure how much longer I can keep it up. In week 30 I ran 3 times, 3 miles each run.  Still going to barre about 3-4 times a week (love the 6 am class during the week so I can keep my nights free for family).

Looking forward to: I can't believe I am already 30 weeks.  I'm getting so excited about meeting our baby girl and introducing Hadley to her.  I wonder what she will look like, what her little cry will sound like. I can't wait to kiss her little cheeks and study her tiny feet and hands. It's just so amazing the little life that God is knitting in my womb right now.

I feel like I have a ba-zillion things to do in the next 10 weeks - I haven't done much except buy her a few odds and ends I've found while shopping. Need a name for this child desperately. Need to get the nursery ready, stock up on diapers/wipes, new pumping supplies, line up a photographer, get everything transitioned at work for my maternity leave, etc.  I think it's time to make a list....shew!

  

 

30 week bumpdate!

 



29 weeks

How far along: 29 weeks

Gender: GIRL!

Weight gain: 20 lbs

Maternity clothes: Yes! 

Stretch marks: Still haven't noticed any - been using my mama belly oil I used while pregnant with Hadley.

Belly button in or out: In, but very stretched out!

Sleep: Good nights and bad nights, overall good though.

Symptoms: Lower back pain (esp by the end of the day), trouble bending down (I literally get out of breath putting Hadley's shoes on), exhausted by the end of the day, pelvic/groin pain, and a few contractions. 

Best moment this week: 1) Got to see baby girl at our ultrasound this week, weighing in at 2 lb 13 oz! Passed my gestational diabetes test - time for a cupcake!!  2) We had a wonderful Easter weekend! Neighborhood egg hunt, a great afternoon at Riverview Family Farm, egg coloring, meeting our dear friends' newest addition--sweet baby Eden, Easter service at our church, and a wonderful time with family for Easter dinner!  The kind of weekend that makes you feel so very blessed!



28 weeks and 3 days



Neighborhood egg hunt

Fun at Riverview Family Farm!

 

 
Miss anything: Bending over without getting out of breath, normal clothes, not feeling like a blimp.

Movement: Yes, baby girl is getting bigger and seems very active! I was in a meeting earlier today and she kicked me so hard I swear it made my whole body move!

Cravings: Any and all fruit, any and all sweets, peanut butter.

Workouts:  Running 3x a week, about 3 or so miles each time, and still going to barre about 3-4 times a week. Workouts are getting much tougher these last few weeks but I do think they help keep some of the aches and pains away, as well as keep me sane. Baby girl is going to come out pulsing and tucking!

Looking forward to: Hopefully a quiet weekend!  The last couple of weekends have been so jammed packed that Monday has been my day of rest, when I can finally sit down and breath. Brandon pulled out Hadley's old newborn and 0-3 month clothes so I want to go through everything and get it all ready for baby girl soon, along with working on getting the nursery in order. Oh, and picking out a name so we don't have to call her baby girl :)  All of the sudden it's all getting very real and I feel like I do need to make a to-do list - only 10ish weeks left!

  

28 weeks

How far along: 28 weeks, hellooooo third trimester!

Gender: GIRL!

Weight gain: +20 lbs

 

Maternity clothes: Yes! 

Stretch marks: Still haven't noticed any - been using my mama belly oil I used while pregnant with Hadley.

Belly button in or out: In, but very stretched out!

Sleep: Good nights and bad nights. 

Symptoms: This week my symptoms really reared their ugly head, overnight almost it seemed. Pretty intense lower back pain a few days this week, trouble bending down, exhaustion setting in, leg pain, and a few contractions. Definitely feeling pregnant these days.
 
Best moment this week: Definitely the beautiful weekend we were blessed with. Plenty of sunshine, a Master's Party on Sunday with great friends, and a wonderful date night (you know, dinner and Costco of course - very romantic hehe)!

I only took 3 pictures at the party....really wish I would have gotten one of all the kiddies on the swing - it  was precious!

 

 

Miss anything: Bending over without getting out of breath, figure flattering clothes, wine and sushi!

Movement: Yes, baby girl is getting bigger and seems very active! She is wriggling around like crazy today...just no better experience in this world than feeling that little miracle inside me.

Cravings: Sweets, protein, cereal

Workouts:  Running 3-4 miles three times a week now, and still going to barre about 3-4 times a week. Ran 3.5 miles this morning, so thankful I can still run. Might be slow as molasses, but I'm doing it! Hoping I can continue till the end of my pregnancy, we shall see.

Looking forward to: 1) Ultrasound this week (yay!, boo for my gestational diabetes test). I can't wait to see baby girl again, it's been 8 long weeks since our last ultrasound.  2) Easter this weekend! Lots of festivities - neighborhood egg hunt on Saturday, easter egg dying at home, and Easter service at our church and family lunch.

 

 

28 week bumpdate!