33 Weeks

(posting a day later than usual for last week, but 34 weeks today!)


Countdown: 7 weeks to go!! (or 49 days!)

How far along? 33 weeks
Maternity clothes? A mix. My regular wardrobe (the stuff I wear over and over) basically consists of this:
Maternity- one pair of black pants, one pair of jeans and a few short sleeve shirts
Non-maternity- a few dresses, 2 maxi skirts, 2 loose fitting black pants, and several tops (I have a few that I got one size bigger and tanks/shirts with some stretch in them. I like to pair those with open cardigans for work)
Movement? She's moving as much as she can! Sometimes her movements and stretches are a little uncomfortable, but I'm sure she's a little uncomfortable, too! I'll take all the movement we can get though. Her movements are usually pretty slow and feel kind of like a golf ball rolling under my skin- kind of weird! She also gets the hiccups almost daily :)
Cravings? fruit and sweets! Can't get enough.
Anything make you queasy or sick? still sticking to small meals, avoiding citrusy stuff and carbonated drinks
Sleep? It's ok. I have developed a little bit of a pattern- I sleep really well one night, and awful the next, then really well, then bad again. I think I get so well rested on the good nights, I can't sleep the next, and then I'm so exhausted, I have a good night's sleep that night. At least half the time I'm getting decent sleep!
Best moment this week: seeing her on the ultrasound, of course! She was covering her face with her hands, but we were actually able to make out her face a little bit- her mouth, nose, and CHEEKS. Ah! I'm just going to melt into a little puddle on the floor when we meet her :)
We had our last shower at the end of the week given by my sisters and one of my best friends, Tricia. The girls threw a beautiful shower and baby girl really racked up!! She's a lucky baby for sure :) Again, I will post pictures sometime this week!
Gender: Girl
Labor signs? none
Symptoms?  heartburn/reflux (I'm nervous to say it out loud, but it has been much better this week!), BH contractions, tired, SWELLING (just my ankles luckily), back pain- the only way to relieve it is to stand or walk around (as soon as I sit back down, it starts again) or to raise my right arm up over my head to my left shoulder- kind of hard to get things done that way though...I think it may be time for a massage! :) And having a hard time catching my breath- my lungs are quickly getting crowded and at times it almost feels like I'm suffocating...yikes.
Belly button in or out? I noticed Wednesday morning that it popped out! It still sticks out more around the top edge, but the thing is out!
What I miss: not much!
Appointment Updates (figured I should add this since we have appointments every week now): She did great for her non-stress test Monday. At the ultrasounds they check for 8 things (I'm not sure what all they are- I know it includes my fluid level and her movement), this week they had gotten everything they needed except her movements, so they had to "buzz" her a few times to get her moving! She was probably just sleeping, poor thing. I know she must get tired of us bothering her every 3 days ;) My appointment with the doctor also went well. I did find out the 39th week is the latest they will let me go and my A1c came down a little bit more to 5.5%!! 
Weekly wisdom: take things one day at a time (at least this is what I'm trying to tell myself)- my to-do lists for baby, before baby, and work are overwhelming, but I just need to realize what gets done and gets done and the rest will work itself out.And she's coming whether or not I get every box checked off ;)
What I am looking forward to: seeing our sweet girl's face :)
Milestones: Hit the 50 day (or less!) mark!

His & Hers Shower for Baby E!

Several of our best friends hosted a His & Hers shower for us and baby E. It was a great time with good food, lots of friends and family, cute decor and details, and tons of gifts for this sweet girl! Everyone was so generous and we are so lucky to have them all in our lives. Thank you Lauren, Kelly, Mary, Emily, and Rachel for putting on such sweet shower. You all made it really special for us and we couldn't appreciate it more! Enough of my rambling, enjoy some pictures :)

 

Ms. Wanda and Lauren did such an amazing job with the flower arrangements!

the wonderful hosts!

Aunt Annie and Anferny

Reese, my little helper : )

ADORABLE shoes from Bethany! RTR : )

 

how cute is this boy?!

sisters!

 (if anyone is interested, my outfit is all non-maternity:
H&M top [one size larger than normal] and American Eagle pants [and yes, totally unzipped with the belly band!])

We have our last shower this weekend. Even have some family coming in from out of town :) So excited and loving celebrating our girl with friends and family!

Maternity Photos!

We had our maternity pictures done a couple weeks ago and got them back over the weekend. LOVE them!! We had our favorite photographer, Shea, take them and did them in Adams and Port Royal, TN- she shot our wedding, 1st anniversary, and now maternity. You will see many more photos by Shea once baby is here! So happy with how they turned out. Here's a little sneak peek :)

(pre pregnancy top, Anthropologie; non-maternity black pants, Target)

(black maternity dress by Liz Lange, Target)

(pre pregnancy top and cardigan, both from Anthropologie; non-maternity black pants, Target)

(Mossimo dress, Target)

If you want to see more, here's the link to the slideshow: http://byshea.zenfolio.com/p198183636/h1c509bb2#h1c509bb2

32 Weeks

Countdown: 8 weeks!!

How far along? 32 weeks
Maternity clothes? a mix- and I will say, I wear a lot of the same stuff over and over
Movement? I can tell she is quickly running out of room. I still feel some kicks and jabs, but for the most part it feels like squirming around, stretching, or just movements back and forth (like dragging a foot or hand, or maybe even her bottom :), across my belly) And she got the hiccups a couple more times- twice in about 10 minutes Monday night and then Tuesday for almost a full 10 minutes. Poor thing!!
Cravings? fruit always sounds good and still pretty much anything sweet, although I'm trying really hard to be good! I did give in to my Rice Krispie treat craving- I had been wanting some for weeks! And I would LOVE a big ole diet coke right out of the vending machine, but still staying away from caffeine.
Anything make you queasy or sick? regular size meals have shown to not be a good idea- even if I don't feel full, I get so uncomfortable, so I'm trying to stick to small meals and snacking. Also watching out for what gives me heartburn and I'm thinking carbonated drinks might be a problem. Pre-pregnancy they used to help when I had heartburn, but now seem to cause it :(
Sleep? It's definitely getting better. I am waking up more to use the bathroom, but usually able to get back to sleep pretty quickly! However, I feel like the 3rd trimester tiredness is setting in slowly but surely....
Best moment this week: J was able to feel her hiccups Tuesday night :) And my mom got to come to the ultrasound this week- her first time getting to see baby in action! She was very cooperative. She is head down and had her back to mine (facing out toward my belly button). Still doing a great job practicing her "breathing", getting ready for that first big scream ;) We were also able to see her opening and closing her hands and touching her face- just precious! (we won't get another weigh in for a couple more weeks...that should be interesting!!), the tech told us she has hair and confirmed, yet again, she is still a girl (after 4 different u/s techs telling us she's a girl, she better be!) We also had a wonderful shower Saturday thrown by some of our best friends- they did such a great job and it was so fun to celebrate baby girl :) Don't worry, pictures to come!
Gender: Girl!
Labor signs? none
Symptoms?  heartburn/reflux, BH contractions, tired, swelling, run out of breath easily, back aches (the middle right), hunger! and an ever expanding belly! Last week it felt really tight, but I feel like it's adjusting and it hasn't been as bad this week.
Belly button in or out? the top still puckers out when standing, but the rest is flat! The whole thing slightly pops out when I'm sitting when I'm sitting
What I miss: not a whole lot...other than not having heartburn/reflux
What I am looking forward to: working on nursery projects and finishing up a few other small things in her room :)
Milestones: 8 months pregnant! WHOA!
WE HAVE A NAME! Well, we have the name we are going to call her...but not her full name. So.close.

Belly button!

A Surprise Shower!

My coworkers surprised me with a baby shower last Friday! Apparently, they had been planning this for over a month and I had no clue! They even had my mom and J in on it- and no one slipped up once! They did a great job with the decorations and food. Everything was so cute and delicious!! We got some great gifts for baby E and the whole thing really meant a lot to me! I am so fortunate to work with a great group of sweet, thoughtful people : )

At 31 weeks baby is the size of a pineapple- in our case, I think she may be 1 1/2 pineapples ; )

Loved these flowers!

Daddy to be : )

I cannot even tell you how adorable this tutu is!! Teeny tiny and so sweet!

31 Weeks

Countdown: 9 weeks!!
(or as of today, 8 weeks, 1 day!)

How far along? 31 weeks
Maternity clothes? mixing maternity and non-maternity, but most of what I wear is still non-maternity. I'd say 10% maternity, 90% non.
Movement? I think squirmy would the best way to describe what I've been feeling! A little wiggle worm kicking, punching, and stretching every now and then
Cravings? fruit- especially watermelon this week!
Anything make you queasy or sick? trying to pay attention to what gives me heartburn and stay away from that- so far chocolate and orange juice are definite no's
Sleep? I still wake up pretty frequently, but luckily have had more luck with falling back to sleep- so, yay!
Best moment this week: getting to start our twice weekly appointments (it's a lot with work and all, but so worth it to hear and see our sweet baby and know how she's doing) and having our maternity pictures taken! Also had a surprise baby shower at work! I am lucky enough to work with some really great, thoughtful people and they put together a cute shower- and even had my mom and J there!
Gender: sweet squirmy girl :)
Labor signs? none
Symptoms?  heartburn/reflux, BH contractions, tired, swelling, emotional, run out of breath easily, thirsty!
Belly button in or out? getting flatter everyday. By the end of the day or when I sit down, it is 100% flat or sticking out!
What I miss: I could do without some of the symptoms, but I really have enjoyed being pregnant!
Weekly wisdom:Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.(Phil. 4:6)
What I am looking forward to: getting our maternity pictures back and going to our first class over the weekend! And I'm really excited about our guy/girl shower next weekend and getting to see several of our friends!
Milestones: all 5 of her senses are now developed and she has doubled her weight in the past 4 weeks hitting the 4 pound mark! Wow! This week my stomach/belly started feeling really tight- up until this point, I could see my belly growing, but it really didn't feel like it...it feels like it now! Guess that's what happens when you're carrying around a 4+pound baby around :)

Nursery {Update and the Rug & Glider!}

We have received all the "big" pieces for baby E's nursery! The rug came in a week or so ago and over the weekend, the glider was delivered. We love it. It is so comfortable and fits perfectly in the spot I had planned (Whew!) Also, we put up new blinds, curtain rods, and window panels.

Notice the new knobs on the top 4 drawers :)

If I'm in the nursery, he is right there with me!

Cash is always very interested in anything we bring in the nursery. I set these bags on the dresser and later saw him sitting and staring up at them (as you can see), and he may or may not have been whining ;) He's going to be REALLY curious when we bring home a living, breathing baby!

It's all coming together! Now really all we have left are some DIY projects (me) and to hang frames and shelves on the walls (J). Since we are two months away from her due date (2 months yesterday!!), I thought it would be good to update the nursery "to-do" list!

To do:
- Empty room, move furniture from guest room to office
- Organize closet (she and I will be sharing!); including organizing her clothes by size and hanging vs not hanging and using hanger tags
- Change light fixture- will probably do a fan

Purchased (aka DONE! :)
- dresser/changing table(assembled and in the room)
- Sheep Rocker (this was J's pick and a great find at the PB Outlet!)
- elephant prints for above crib
- picture ledges most likely to go above dresser
- window panels: now hanging!
- bookshelf (assembled and up in the room!)
- rug has been ordered: delivered and in the room
- ottoman for glide: just needs to be covered
- crib skirt: still need to add trim to bottom
- hamper for diapers

Still need:
- glider (still working on the color)
- crib
- fabric: I am pretty sure I have decided on the fabric!!
- bedding: crib sheet(s)- found several I like, just need to narrow it down to 2 or 3; bumper (undecided)- bought an almost new bumper from a friend of a friend that I am going to cover
- lamp for dresser/changing table
- frames for prints (thinking diy...)
- prints/photos for picture ledges
- baskets for shelf
- pretty hardware for dresser/changing table

To make:
- ruffle lamp shade (I want to try this using the floral fabric)
- sew floral fabric (or solid fabric- thinking light pink) to bottom of crib skirt
- frames for elephant prints (using this tutorial)- thinking about doing 3 different patterns or 2 of 1 pattern and one other- stripes, dots, chevron- using white, pale pink, aqua, and maybe a gold?? Decided to just buy some cute frames :)
- mobile
- ottoman slipcover

To decide:
- BEDDING!?: almost there!
- Glider color
- to use or not to use? and if so, where? (of course she'll need a name first, ah!!)- still not sure on these and STILL no name!

30 Weeks

Countown: 10 weeks to go!

How far along? 30 weeks (the size of a head of cabbage or about 15.7 inches and 3 pounds!)
Maternity clothes? Still wearing all pre-pregnancy tops (even though I may need to be more careful since the WalMart incident! I tried on a maternity top this week and it finally fits! I ended up wearing it at least 3 nights after work this week!), 2 pairs of maternity pants, and non-maternity long dresses and skirts (although I did wear one maternity dress last week!)
Movement? feeling less big kicks/jabs and more of just her moving around/rolling. We went in again for monitoring this week (the night of the 3rd) and once again, she was moving a ton (I just couldn't feel it) and her heart rate was great!
Cravings? not craving much really- fruit always sounds good and have some multiple times a day! And anything cold- ice water to shaved ice
Anything make you queasy or sick? trying my best to stay away from chocolate and anything that might potentially give me heartburn (which, let's be honest, at this point is almost everything, so I just make sure I have Rolaids with me at all times!)
Sleep? just depends on the day
Best moment this week: having the 4th of July off! :)
Gender: Girl
Labor signs? none
Symptoms?  heartburn/reflux, BH contractions, tired, swelling, emotional, improved posture! (she still loves hanging out on my right side under my ribs causing me to not be able to slouch), out of breath (I run out of breath SO quickly these days! And going up just one flight of stairs is a full workout for my lungs and my legs!), I also wake up super thirsty- not sure if it's pregnancy related or 100+ degrees everyday related...
Belly button in or out? the bottom half is pretty flat and the top is hanging in there, but definitely pokes out (which is obvious in many pictures of me from the front)
What I miss: I think this is obvious, but SLEEP! However, I would not give this up for all the sleep in the world!! And maybe the sleep deprivation won't hit me as hard since my sleep has been pretty sparse or months?!
Weekly wisdom: I still can't believe I'm growing this little person inside of me! Our bodies really are incredible. And it's really amazing how much you can care and worry about someone you've never met! (but not TOO much longer :)
What I am looking forward to: maternity pictures and a growth ultrasound next week! Also, my twice weekly appointments begin next week- non-stress tests on Mondays and growth ultrasounds on Thursdays. Really looking forward to getting to check on her twice a week until she arrives!!
Milestones: we are in the 30s!!!

Cash stopped by this week's post to say hello!