34 Weeks Pregnancy Update!

lots of questions!
tortoise case HERE
monogrammed popsockets HERE
dress is from Old Navy

How Far Along? 34 weeks

Size of Baby: A big ol' butternut squash! Baby is approximately 4.7 pounds and 17.7 inches long.

Gender: Baby BOY

Weight Gain: Right around the 25lb mark

Maternity Clothes: Wearing them 80% of the time because this belly is just sooooo out there.

Nursery: Baby boy will be in Charlotte's current room. He will start off in a bassinet next to my bedside (I found a beautiful woven one secondhand). But because she's in there, I haven't had the nesting itch to turn it over to a boy-lair just yet. The walls will need to be painted, new mobile hung, bedding and rug switched out, but she sleeps great in that room right now so I'm torn as to when to make the big move. We do let Char sleep in the crib in Camille's room from time to time, but the newness factor is still there and they often end up playing WAY too late and being so loud, having to be separated into their own separate rooms by parents who want them to SLEEP. :)

Movement: Oh yeah. Lots of big, big movement! Hiccups at least once or twice a week which are so cute to feel.

Symptoms: Big belly. Big, heavy belly. Braxton Hicks contractions, mainly at night.

I've been wearing this belly support band from Amazon which really does help with the belly heaviness, though. And at night you can often find me sleeping in my Snoogle (also on Amazon).

support belt - Amazon

Sleep: Sleeping fairly well but waking up really early most mornings. My mind just starts racing with everything that I need to do! Sometimes sleepy in the afternoon but no time for a nap.

Cravings: No major cravings although sweet tea always sounds awesome, and not really digging eggs in the morning.

What I Miss: Being able to walk up the stairs without being completely winded. Phew.

Best Moment This Week: Being in Oklahoma this past weekend for the SeneGence seminar was SO much fun, my big last hurrah before baby comes! Everyone was so very nice and I think my face stayed in a permanent blush from women coming up to me saying "Oh my goodness you are SOOOO cute!" It was definitely a confidence booster!

Looking Forward To: Seeing if his sweet face looks like one or both of his sisters. Aaahhhh I can't wait to snuggle our precious newborn boy!

My friend Michelle and me last night at Bunco. 

Outfits NOT coordinated on purpose, but how fun!

20 Week Pregnancy Update

lots of phone case questions!
tortoise case HERE
monogrammed popsockets HERE

How Far Along? 20 Weeks ... HALFWAY there!

Size of Baby: Approximately 10 inches, crown to heel (that's big). Size of a mango per my phone app, which is wayyyy smaller than 10 inches. Am I right?! Maybe that's considering his size curled up and snuggling in.

Gender: Baby BOY

Weight Gain: Just hopped on the scale, 112. I was around 105ish before pregnancy but lost some weight in those first few weeks. Doc's happy with weight gain and I'm eating like a college boy in the first week of freshman year.

Maternity Clothes: So very necessary. I gave away or sold much of mine :) Thankfully I held on to my Liz Lange (from Target) maternity leggings, because honestly I planned to keep wearing them even with a 1.5 year old. They are the best. Still have some long-sleeved maternity dresses and tops, so I will be breaking out that ruched-side goodness as the belly continues to grow! I'm feeling pretty MEH about my true "maternity clothes" ... they all are just so blah but I'm also not feeling up to spending lots on a true maternity wardrobe. So I'll be focusing on sprucing up staples (long-sleeved and sleeveless neutral tees) with cute cardigans, scarves and statement earrings/necklaces.

Nursery: Baby boy will be in Charlotte's current room. It has a smaller closet and is smaller overall. The girls will be sleeping in the same room! When we moved Camille to a big girl twin bed, we kept her old crib in the room. So Charlotte will eventually move there, and Char's coral-pink walls will be getting a little overhaul!

Movement: Happy birthday to me on 1/1 ... I first felt him kick on that day.

Symptoms: Big belly. Back pain! Not seeing a chiropractor again (yet) this time around, just due to time restrictions, and it's pricey too. Starving during the day, not really digging the idea of a full dinner though most nights. I still eat, obvi, but couldn't care less.

Sleep: Sleeping well but waking up really early most mornings.

Cravings: Spicy! I've definitely had more of an affinity for meals with a kick -- pepperoni pizza with jalapenos, spicy chips, buffalo wings with blue cheese.

What I Miss: This might make me sound like a lush and I'm not sorry about it. But I guess I miss just being able to catch a little weekend buzz with my hubby, you know, sit up in the playroom with a bottle of wine between us and go for that second or third glass and just get silly. Or go out to dinner with girlfriends and get a delicious spicy cocktail. OH and I also want one of those big sushi boats with totally raw sushi on it. Last thing -- I've got an icky cough now and would love to really medicate that beast.

Best Moment This Week: The best moment every week is when my girls come up to my stomach unprompted and pull up my shirt and talk to their brother. I also was given a TON of clothes and baby items on Monday, two huge boxes full -- thank you to my girlfriend Ellen for passing down the cutest boy items to us! Holding up those teeny outfits got me SO excited!

18 week scan

Looking Forward To: Coming up with a name! We have a few we like but really haven't gotten serious enough yet to just settle on a name. I'm not feeling rushed about it, I sort of enjoy the naming process. :)

A Big Yay

Just popping in with a quick update ... some GREAT news from the 36-week doctor's appointment I've just returned from ... the baby's head is now down! I have total confidence that everything would have been 100% okay either way, but this certainly goes along a little better with the plan I had in my head :)

Thank you to each of you for sending good thoughts and your own positive experiences my way. Now -- four(ish) more weeks to go until we meet our sweet babe!

Our Newborn Favorites

You know the saying "it takes a village"? Well, I think when it comes to raising a baby, the saying is referring to the people you will need in your life and also all of the ACCESSORIES that are needed too!

Babies may not be able to speak, but they definitely have little personalities and strong preferences in some situations. Here are some of the items that have become favorites in our little casita.

/// 1 ///
Aden + Anais Bamboo Swaddle Blankets
The key word here is bamboo.
A+A has other non-bamboo muslin blankets that are available at places like Babies R Us, Buy Buy Baby, and Target. These regular muslin blankets are awesome -- we have four and we use them daily! But the bamboo swaddle version is even softer and a lot more luxurious feeling on baby's skin. You can get a 3-pack in the above design, Pyara, for $40 (here). This is the very blanket that I wrapped around Camille to bring her home from the hospital. I'd recommend the regular muslin blankets for swaddling and the bamboo version for snuggling. :)

/// 2 ///
Waterproof Changing Pad Mats
Get these. Trust me. I have such a cute gold polka-dotted changing pad cover and I hated putting a waterproof terrycloth mat on top of it, but here's the fact ... Camille likes to tee-tee while she is getting her diaper changed. If it happens on this waterproof mat, I just pull it out from under her, toss it in the wash, and replace it with a new one. And the gold polka-dot changing pad cover stays cutely in place. These are a necessity! You can get a 3-pack of these for $12.99 (here). Give these as part of a baby shower gift and you will really show that you know what a mama needs!

/// 3 ///
Nuk Pacifier
We were hoping to hold out until one month before introducing the pacifier, but after 2.5 weeks, it became a necessity for us. I can honestly say we have no regrets! We use it sparingly and it has helped Camille to self-soothe so well. She didn't care for the first or second options I gave her (Soothies or Nuby version) but took right to the Nuk.

/// 4 ///
Cute Burp Cloths
It took me a while to get used to the idea of getting mine dirty, but I'm over that now. I ordered a three pack from Sewing Dreams & Notions on Etsy. These are the ones I went with. The quality is great and they are so soft! (I also have a 5-pack of plain cloth diapers that we also use as burp cloths from Target, but it's nice to have "pretty" ones as well.)


/// 5 ///
White Noise App
I have a free version downloaded on my iPhone and iPad. When Camille is napping or fussy, it's nice to be able to whip out the phone, stick it in her carseat or bassinet, and watch her drift off to sleep.

/// 6 ///
Kissy Kissy Layette
The Kissy Kissy line of infant clothing is so incredibly soft and well-made. Fair warning, it is priced to reflect that. I've honestly purchased dresses for myself that are less expensive than a KK onesie. I have picked up all of Camille's KK clothes on sale at boutiques or at consignment stores. Because the quality is so high, they last through repeated washings, and if buying on consignment, just check and make sure they are stain-free. She has such cute and soft pieces, and I just love knowing that that cozy fabric is right next to her baby skin.

Some favorites are this footie ($38), this nautical outfit ($44), and this terry pool cover-up ($36).

Lastly, I really recommend the Baby Log app. I use this daily to track our feedings (and while I don't use it any more for tracking diapers, it was really handy within the first two weeks for that feature). I downloaded the free version to make sure it was a good one but it will only last so long as a free app before you are prompted to pay to continue using it.

Here's the deal -- if you go that route, using it free first and then paying for it -- you end up with a new app on your phone and it doesn't merge over your data from the free version. So, being that it is only a few dollars, if I had to do it all over again, I'd just download the paid version of the app from the start. It's easy to manage and has really been a lifesaver for charting feedings.

These are just a few of the items that we have really loved in the past three weeks. I'd love to hear your two cents!

Just One Week Ago... {She's Here!}

My, how things change in just one week!

Seven days ago at this exact time, I was in my doctor's office with Ian getting a 41-week ultrasound. They found a slightly lower amniotic fluid level than they would love, so our plans quickly changed ... we got ready to have a baby! 

We were induced that very evening (which sounds hectic and frantic, but it was actually such a lovely and slow-paced experience) and I can't wait to share more details soon about our daughter's birth. For now, just a few quick photos to show off our lovely girl, who we have named Camille.

Our first pediatrician's visit was yesterday, and I'm very happy to say that she is doing GREAT! She was 8.2lbs at birth and is just down to 7.13 as of yesterday. The doctor was thrilled with this. She was also really impressed by Camille's alertness, her head control, and her PIPES ... girlfriend does not like being cold, and she let us know that she was happier in her gown that she arrived in!

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your care and support during the pregnancy. I've been spending a great amount of time staring in my baby's eyes and tending to her every need with my husband, my mother, and some very close friends. I'll update more as time allows!

Week 41 Pregnancy Journal

How Far Along? 41 Weeks ... let's go ahead and file this one under "posts I really didn't think I'd be writing"!

Size of Baby: A pumpkin (20 inches)! Our baby weighs approximately 8 lbs now according to the BabyBump app (just for a point of reference, I was 7.1 when I was born ... Ian was 7.11)

Gender: All pink!

Weight Gain: Down three pounds from last week's weigh in (apparently this is common before you give birth?) so up a total of 20lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.

Maternity Clothes: All the time. I'll be so happy to put them away at the end of this pregnancy!

Nursery: Loving it. It's ready for a baby.

Movement: She's running out of room -- besides the occasional stretch where I feel her heels stick out in my upper right abdomen, she is not moving as freely as she once did.

Symptoms: Crying during shows or commercials with babies, especially if they are crying themselves (thanks hormones). Increased dexterity with picking up fallen items from the floor with my toes. Also, some labor symptoms -- light contractions throughout the day that I've been tracking on my iPhone when I can.

Sleep: Sleeping pretty well on my left side, but I can't WAIT to have the freedom again to sleep however I want. Also, waking up every morning feeling pretty incredulous that we made it through another night.

Cravings: Fresh fruit, especially pineapple.

What I Miss: Toned arms. They are quite smooshy now.

Best Moment This Week: A few things! Working with the doula to prepare for labor. I even had my first ever (and second) trip to an acupuncturist to try to encourage the labor. I also had an awesome breakfast on Friday with Rachel and Katie!

Also, Mother's Day on Sunday. I received so many calls and texts wishing me a Happy Mothers Day (which is a pretty awesome feeling). I'd previously said that if I didn't have a baby in my arms on Sunday that I'd cry, and I honestly didn't even think that this was an option. But it did happen, and I did cry, but you know what? I got over it. Because I still got to labor through the day and know that I am taking care of her. And Ian, who surprised me with tulips, cupcakes, and a sweet card, assured me that whatever day she arrives will be my Mothers Day.

Looking Forward To: (You know.)

Maternity Photos By My Dear Friend

One of my best friends is taking a leap into a venture we are so excited to witness -- photography. Meg has always had a talent that just shines and a true eye for capturing a gorgeous shot.

She asked if she could take some photos of me (solo and also with Ian) during my pregnancy, and I am just in awe of the photos she has gifted us.

The first black & white set are around 8 months along and the rest were taken the other weekend at 9 months. Thank you, dear Meg, for capturing this exciting time in our lives in the most beautiful and special way.

Week 39 Pregnancy Journal

How Far Along? 39 weeks

Size of Baby: A mini watermelon, hot dang (20 inches)! Our baby weighs approximately 7.25 lbs now according to the BabyBump app (just for a point of reference, I was 7.1 when I was born ... Ian was 7.11)

Gender: Our sweet little girl, whose name we decided on a few weeks back ... and I can't wait to share it after her birth! Not even our family members and closes friends know -- just her Daddy and me. :)

Weight Gain: Up two pounds from last week's weight, so up a total of 21 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight, or 24 pounds from my lowest pregnancy weight. Doc said right on target.

Maternity Clothes: Yep, heavily favoring the few maxi dresses I have as well as the one maternity maxi skirt I own. Fun fact, I've owned it for almost two years. It's the chevron knit maxi above, from Old Navy. I purchased it before kids were even in the cards because I just loved the style of it. You can actually see me wearing it in this post. Man, I was slender back then. HA!

Nursery: Done and done. Thank you all SO much for the love on it!

Movement: I feel like it's slowing down just a bit, but she's definitely still active.

Symptoms: Just some stomach discomfort which basically feels to me like I've overeaten. And when I have overeaten ... whoo lawdy. Not a great feeling. No swelling -- still wearing my rings and, occasionally, wedge heels (yes, I know I'm crazy). Random hot flashes. Getting a little tired and generally slowing down in every aspect. Per the doctor at Monday's visit, no major progress ... effaced but 0cm dilated (hence the photo below), sorry for the TMI.

Sleep: Sleeping well minus the nightly shuffle to the restroom, and it's sometimes difficult to go back to sleep after that.

Cravings: Fresh fruit and Honey Nut Cheerios. 

What I Miss: New Zealand's best export, a crisp sauvignon blanc. Come to mama.

Best Moment This Week: On Sunday, I got together with some girlfriends for brunch at one of their houses. We had the best time just chitchatting and relaxing over quiche, coffee cake, and fresh fruit. Later I had a pedicure with Christina who is always a joy to catch up with!

Looking Forward To: Seeing our daughter. Will she have Ian's blue eyes? My long fingers? Will she end up with a widow's peak like both of her parents?

Also ... MATERNITY LEAVE which starts promptly at 5pm today!