37 Weeks

How far along? 37 weeks, 1 day!!!!!
Total weight gain/loss: 25ish pounds
Maternity clothes? Nope! Ok, just kidding..
Sleep: GOOD. I've been sleeping so well the past week. Thank the Lord!
Movement: He's still practicing his ninja skills. I'm so excited to check them out and see what he's learned! ;)
Best moment this week: Being able to be at WEEK 37!!!
Cravings: Sweet tea. Sweet tea. Sweet tea.
Belly Button: still out - or "not" if I'm having a contraction!
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I miss not being able to "easily" shave my legs. I miss not having as much energy although lately I have had some good bursts of energy! I capitalize on those moments :) Soon enough though, soon enough!
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER and meeting our little man!!

 

Let's just say I'm a little over-the-moon right now. It's exciting to know that sooner than later we'll be holding our little man and I will be WELL 'over-the-moon'!!! But for now, I'm just so excited and THANKFUL to be so far along!! I have my next dr's appointment tomorrow morning so we'll see! 

 

Oh and here's something comical for you... Last Wednesday when I told Matt and my family about already being 3cm dilated/etc.. see if you can find the common thread between their comments...and believe me, we ALL have laughed over these!! :)

Matt: "Really!? Does that mean he might come tonight? What about tomorrow? I have a huge meeting on Thursday at 10am so anytime after 11am would be great!"

Mom: "Wow! So he could come any day now! My conferences won't be over until Tuesday of next week so next Wednesday would be the best!"

Kirsten: "Of course he'd decide to come when school starts up again and not during the 3 weeks I have off! I don't have classes on Thursdays or Fridays so..."

Dad: "Next Thursday would be the best for me; plus you'll be at 37 weeks.. I let the staff have half a day on Friday's so we'd have the whole weekend!"

So being the "people-pleaser" that I have been known to be.. Please note the following (you know, because I have total control of what they're asking for...)

Matt's request: CHECK.

Mom's request: CHECK.

Kirsten's request: Pending...

Dad's request: Pending...

 

I'll keep you posted!!! :)

36 Weeks

How far along? 36 weeks, 2 days
Total weight gain/loss: +24-25 pounds
Maternity clothes? you bet!
Sleep: Not too shabby - getting used to these 11pm/2am/4am/5:30am breaks..
Movement: He's getting strong! I think he's seeing how far out he can stretch his legs!
Best moment this week: The ladies from SS class gave me a 'Diapers and Wipes' shower!! It was perfect! We had lunch together, they had balloons and a cake and it was just so thoughtful. I was very touched by the girls and so thankful for such an awesome group of ladies.
Cravings: Sweet tea. Sweet tea. Sweet tea.
Belly Button: still out
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I miss not being able to "easily" shave my legs. I miss not having as much energy although lately I have had some good bursts of energy! I capitalize on those moments :)
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER and meeting our little man!!

I had my 36 week check up this morning. Turns out, I'm 3cm dilated and 80% effaced (hope that's not too much info for anyone!). WHOA. This is uncharted territory for me as by this point, Kathryn was already BORN. Hopefully we can make it to 37 weeks -- full term! I'm very excited though. I'm confident in Christ taking care of us and our little boy and we all know His timing is perfect. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding"... Prov. 3:5 has always been a favorite for a reason.

35 Weeks

How far along? 35 weeks, 3 days
Total weight gain/loss: +23ish pounds maybe??
Maternity clothes? yeppers and not really planning on that changing overnight!
Sleep: On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say about a 5 or 6. Definetly could be worse and I'm so grateful it really isn't 'that bad'. Those darn bathroom breaks get the best of me!
Movement: Moving like a ninja!!
Best moment this week: Being able to say that I'm 35 weeks and 3 days along! I'm so thankful that the Lord is keeping our boy safe and sound. And not that this isn't a 'best moment' everyday, but spending my days with sweet Kathryn. She just amazes me daily and I'm so excited to see you as a big sister!
Cravings: Sweet tea. I'm soo tired of drinking water all the time! ;)
Belly Button: still out
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I miss not being able to "easily" shave my legs. I miss not having as much energy. Today I missed not being able to 'jump up' and run and grab the mail lady before she drove off!!
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER and meeting our little man!!

This has been another great week! I'm really excited and grateful to be so close to "36 weeks"!! A friend the other day said I was probably one of the few to be excited 'near the end of pregnancy'. We just have so much to be thankful for and are just praying that he camps out as long as need be! Although, Kathryn almost every other day now keeps asking me when we're going to see Baby Brother...or she'll say, "I want to see Baby Brother tomorrow..and we'll feed him, and change his diaper, and he'll sleep, and play with my blocks, and watch me dance, and..." And every time I tell her she's getting to be such a big girl, she always replys, "and Baby Brother is growing big too!"

34 Weeks

How far along? 34 weeks, 2 days

Total weight gain/loss: +21 pounds
Maternity clothes? yeppers and not really planning on that changing overnight!
Sleep: Not too bad - praise God! Still not a fan of the bathroom breaks but I'll live :) I did get up this morning around 4am for a bowl of cereal and good solid quiet time but other than that, sleep has been decent.
Movement: Moving around like a champ. He's strong!
Best moment this week: We had our 34 week check up yesterday and had an ultrasound - of course it was WONDERFUL getting to see our little man. He's approx. 5 pounds, 1 oz and in the 40th percentile. WooHoo!! He's measuring perfectly and fluids and all look great. Thank you Lord!!
Cravings: Food.
Belly Button: still out
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I miss not being able to "easily" shave my legs. I miss not having as much energy.
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER and meeting our little man!!

 

It's been another great week! I'm so thankful he's doing so well measurement/size-wise. I'm just so excited for him to actually get here!! I told mom last week I thought I had mastered the art of "nesting". I don't think there's anything left on my list left to do - except continue to be thrilled and excited!! :) I actually have my hospital bag packed and kept thinking, "so this is what it feels like to pack a bag in advance!" We didn't really have that luxury with Kathryn. I don't think I'll ever forget the day she was born and seeing Matt run around the house throwing anything he saw into a bag! The thought makes me smile every time I think about it.

Tractor & Truck Show

Yeah, we're cool. We drove out to the country today and had a great time at our very first Tractor & Truck Show! Sweet tea, BBQ, country folks, good music and some big ol' trucks and tractors - can't beat that for a Saturday!!

 I also have a picture of Matt trying to have Kathryn go potty in a "porta-potty" without touching ANYTHING. Probably not appropriate to post but hilarious nonetheless!

Holden Beach 2010

Few favorites from the beach...

 

 

And a few other random favorites from the past couple of days...

33 Weeks

How far along? 33 weeks, 2 days

Total weight gain/loss: +20 pounds
Maternity clothes? yep and i feel kinds a cute too! :)
Sleep: Other than bathroom breaks in the middle of the night (at least FOUR a night!), it hasn't been 'that' bad. Last night though, I laid awake until 12:30am unable to get comfortable, slept in the lazyboy recliner until about 4am, woke up starving..debated about half an hour whether to get up and actually eat, fell back asleep close to 5am in bed. Hope that's not the new trend for the next several weeks!
Movement: Yep, he's a ninja.
Best moment this week: Kathryn ran up to me with an old cell phone up to her ear and she yelled excitedly, "Mama! I'm talking to Baby Brother!!!" And another day she randomly declares, "I want to see Baby Brother tomorrow!" She's too stinkin' cute!! Every day she talks almost constantly about or mentions in some way or fashion about Baby Brother and what they're going to do together or something about his room or his "outfits". She's going to be such a great big sister!!!
Cravings: Food.
Belly Button: still out
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I miss not being able to "easily" shave my legs. I miss not having as much energy.
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER and meeting our little man!!

Other than my lack of sleep last night, it's been a great week! I've been drinking over a cup of prune juice every single night and eating my 'iron fortified' cereal :) A friend asked me yesterday how I could stand nasty prune juice and I said it actually wasn't that bad anymore -- I told her after eating a tablespoon of tar (black strap molasses), prune juice was like a gift from God on my lips! ;) haha. Although, if my dang numbers don't get up for my iron after all this, I'm going to be one mad mama! 

It's so interesting to me people's comments during pregnancy. I'm getting comments left and right these days. What cracks me up is getting opinions from complete strangers!!

"You must be having a boy. It's all in how you carry." - Random lady at WalMart

"Ohhh...look at your cute belly! Come here, look at her cute belly!" -Random Lady #1 taking my money "Awwww, it looks like she swallowed a basketball! So sweet!" -Random Lady #2 bagging my food - Women working the drive-through line at Arby's when all I wanted was for the nice ladies to just give me my roast beef sandwich!!

"Honey, how are you standing this weather? It's so hot. Are you due any day now?" - Random lady at store.

"You're pregnant??" - Random lady at hair salon ***This comment and the comment above it literally happened within a DAY of each other!!!*** 

"Wow, you're very PREGNANT." Random Lady. "Umm. Yep. Thanks." Me. "What's your due date?" Random Lady. "Sept. 13th". Me. "OH. You're not THAT pregnant!" - Random lady in the bathroom at church. 

---Matt's response after I tell him the dialog with the random lady in the bathroom.."Yes, she knows everything. She's clearly an expert." <>

32 Weeks

So, it turns out I'm kind of a slacker. I feel bad for not posting Week 31 -- we were at the beach all last week and I hardly got online. It's crazy how quickly time is going by. Kathryn was born at 35 weeks and 6 days...which is about 3 weeks from now. Trust me, this little guy and I have had quite a few talks and I pray he understands there is no need to try to beat his big sister's record of delivery. Although I have not been as anxious lately as I was earlier in the pregnancy, it definitely comes and goes the closer I get to 35 weeks. I had a dr's appointment earlier this week and I've been measuring right on target - Thank the Lord. Weight gain/blood pressure has been good. The crap news though is that my iron levels are still dropping. This is even after I've been on the horse-size pill iron supplement since 8 weeks of pregnancy, and the past few weeks my dr has had me drinking 1/4 cup of prune juice each day to pump up my iron in addition to my regular diet. As of Wednesday this week, I'm to take my iron pill, drink the prune juice and have a serving of frosted mini wheats -- another great source of iron (who knew!?). I'll take the cereal any day over the disgusting molasses. It's just frustrating to be so cognisant of what I'm eating and it not having any effect. I'm convinced our boy will be the next Iron Man though. :)

 

How far along? 32 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain/loss: +20 pounds
Maternity clothes? yep and I'm just going to say it, I didn't have the guts to wear a bikini at the beach. I wore a cute tankini... (Let me clarify this last sentence..I had typed a cute "little" tankini and obviously had to drop the "little" out of the description. There's nothing little about my belly anymore these days!!)
Sleep: Other than bathroom breaks in the middle of the night (at least FOUR a night!), it hasn't been bad. I have definitely napped quite a bit this week too while Kathryn napped. I've been wiped!!
Movement: Yep, he's a ninja.
Best moment this week: Kathryn announcing to me, "I love Baby Brother". And earlier this week I told her she was growing so much and said, "I'm growing like Baby Brother!" She's too precious!!
Cravings: Food.
Belly Button: still out
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I miss not being able to "easily" shave my legs. I miss not having as much energy.
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Deciding on a name - Officially.(!!!!) Meeting our little man!!!

30 Weeks

How far along? 30 weeks, 2 days

Total weight gain/loss: +18ish pounds
Maternity clothes? yep and loving regular sized tank tops since it's the hottest summer EVER :)
Sleep: Still not a fan of the bathroom breaks in the middle of the night but this week's sleep hasn't been too bad. - Thankfully!
Movement: Lots more movement during the day lately.
Best moment this week: Kathryn laying her head on my belly and initiating a conversation to 'Baby Brother'.
Cravings: Fruit. Meat. Cereal. Candy. **It's been recommended that having prune juice daily or a tablespoon of Blackstrap Molasses will increase my iron... For those of you that are unaware, or curious, Blackstrap Molasses is likely the most disgusting thing you could ever eat in you LIFE!!!
Belly Button: still out
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I really miss deli sandwiches. Turkey. Turkey. Turkey...
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Deciding on a name - Officially.(!!!!) Meeting our little man!!!

I wouldn't have it any other way...

The South is the place where: tea is sweet and accents are sweeter; summer starts in April; macaroni & cheese is a vegetable; front porches are wide and words are long; pecan pie is a staple; Y'all is a proper noun; chicken is fried and biscuits come with gravy; everything is Darlin': and someone's heart is always blessed.

29 Weeks

How far along? 29 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +18ish pounds
Maternity clothes? yep and loving regular sized tank tops since it's the hottest summer EVER :)
Sleep: H-A-R-D. I feel like I have to do a 30pt turn to get from one side to the other. Add bathroom breaks in the middle of the night and that about covers it.
Movement: Somehow I think our boy is secretly drinking Mtn Dew throughout the day. I haven't figured out how he's getting access to any but he has been kicking up a storm lately!
Best moment this week: Sharing some good ol' quality time with Matt for a few days and narrowing down our name ideas!!
Cravings: Lets just say that I'm making 'anything' with iron in it a "craving". Also lots of milk, fruit and breads/crackers/cereals have been high on my list.
Belly Button: it's in! (haha, just kidding. wanted to type something new in this section for once..)
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I really miss deli sandwiches. I wish I could do more things for myself these days too. Independence and stubbornness are ingrained in my soul I think.

Milestone: First week into the third-trimester!! We're in the homestretch now!
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Deciding on a name - Officially.(!!!!) Meeting our little man!!!

Kathryn's Visit to GA - Day 2

Yesterday was so eventful, I didn't even have time to type!! (Insert sarcasm right about...NOW.) Actually... I slept "in" until about 8am. Ate breakfast by my lonesome again and caught up on my bible reading. Showered (a long one of course) and straightened my hair and put make up on. Then I went to the movies -- in the theater -- in the middle of the day! After my movie I walked around a few shops in Birkdale. Then I took a nap. When Matt got home we went out to eat at a nice restaurant - fantastic time. We got to talk to Kathryn for about 10 minutes on the phone. She's having a blast so that was wonderful to hear. We sure do miss our girl! I talked to one of my friends earlier on the phone and jokingly told her I felt like such a loser without Kathryn around. I think with her being gone I realize how much of my identity is tied to her. It has been very nice for Matt and I to have some good quality time together like this. I know with the little one on the way, another few days like this will be a long time from now!

Kathryn's Visit to GA - Day 1 (a few hours later...)

While I was walking around Target by myself with only my purse (no child, no entertainment, no snack, no cart, no rush), it dawned on me what I looked like: A LOST PUPPY!!! I wasn't sure if I wanted to walk the whole store just because I could or just go to a million stores back to back and walk around casually. I ended up at Home Goods and a lady with 3 kids asked me if I knew where the restroom was. I would have been thrilled to walk around looking for it so I'd have some company but unfortunately when I offered to look, a store associate walked up and was able to direct her and I was left to myself again. I may sound a little pathetic right now - like I can't handle being by myself... That's not the case at all. It's just the strangest thing Kathryn being gone and me being HOME with literally no other responsibilities at the moment. Ok, now off to plan my day tomorrow and hoping to minimize calling my mom to less that 10x tomorrow ;)

Kathryn's Visit to GA - Day 1

What do you do when you have absolutely nothing on the agenda and your sweet daughter just left with her Noni for a few days visit in GA?!? We've left Kathryn overnight a handful of times with Mom and Dad to watch but it was either for an anniversary or overnight trip - some type of organized outing. This time, totally last minute, Mom suggested before she left to drive back to GA that she take Kathryn for a few days so she and Michael can play together and Matt and I have a weekend to ourselves. They left at approximately 11:22am this morning and I still can't wrap my brain around the fact that I am home alone without Kathryn for a few days and with absolutely nothing planned. It's such a weird feeling!! 

Right after they left, I started my day with a long shower. Took my time to put makeup on and straightened my hair. I had lunch at the table all by lonesome and wondered what in the world I was going to do. It's funny to think about now because I took almost a solid hour debating whether or not to agree to Mom's suggestion. I thought about how much I'd miss her and what I'd do without her and likely how bored I'd be without her company. Yet, as soon as I asked Kathryn if she wanted to go to GA with Noni for a few days she immediately said yes, went and put a necklace and bracelet on herself, got the calculator out of the drawer that she pretends is a phone and put that in her shorts pocket and then went to put her shoes on and told me she "has to go". 

This is the time she would be napping so I keep forgetting if I "wanted" to go to Target or the grocery store or wherever, I actually could go right now and not have to wait until she wakes up around 3pm. It's like the sky's the limit but I don't even know what to do or where to begin! Should clean the house? Do laundry? Go to a movie? Get a prenatal message? Sleep!? Blog until she returns? :)

All in all, it's such a strange feeling not having your favorite girl in the world around you when there really isn't any reason at all for her to be away.

More Pictures...Finally!!

28 Weeks

How far along? 28 weeks, 1 day
Total weight gain/loss: +17ish pounds
Maternity clothes? yep and loving regular sized tank tops since it's the hottest summer EVER :)
Sleep: I've been sleeping great this week! I think Brooke's visit and my mom being in town has worn me out so I've gotten great sleep!
Movement: Definitely getting stronger and moving a good bit more. I LOVE IT!
Best moment this week: Getting a few more "boy" items with mom this week and seeing Kathryn go through all his new little clothes. Also knocking a few more items off my 'to-do list before Baby Brother arrives'
Cravings: French toast again this week. Of course chick-fil-a, sweet tea, and fruit (lots of fruit) are still high on my list of cravings!
Belly Button: it's out! (hmm.. lets just plan on this section not changing for about 4 more months!)
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I just realized that apparently all I miss are food-related things... I miss sleeping on my stomach too. I miss being able to do a lot more things without getting tired so easily.
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Deciding on a name!!!!

So I got my results back Monday from my blood work last week. Passed the glucose test but was discouraged to find out I am still very low on iron even though I've been taking the iron supplements and have already been trying to be more cognizant of making sure I was eating enough iron rich foods. I was anemic with Kathryn also so I was trying to be more proactive this prenancy. That at least explains part of why I've been so tired lately (in addition to raising the coolest two year old)! Next step is to pack my diet even MORE with all the rich iron-foods out there. My numbers weren't horrible just still below the range of what they were hoping for. God is good though and I'm thankful for such a smooth pregnancy!!!

A True Friend - Going on 16 years

Where to start!? There's a lot to be said about a true friend. I am extremely blessed to have several and thank God for those He's put into my life over the years. Brooke just flew home earlier this morning and while this wasn't your typical 'girls-weekend' trip, as always, we had the best time together.

You know you're best friends when...
1. Your friend wants to plan a visit to see you and your family and you mention, "remember all those rooms we've painted together over the years in high school and in college, what do you think about helping me paint the new nursery while you're here?" and she enthusiastically, without a doubt, jumps at the opportunity and goes on and on about how fun it will be. 
2. Your friend arrives and you hesitantly and regrettably ask her if she'd be okay having to sleep on an air-mattress and she doesn't even bat-an-eye and replys, "Of course! No problem, I don't care where I sleep- I'm here to spend time with you guys."
3. Your friend (a 120 pound GIRL) moves about 70% of the furniture in the nursery ALL by herself and lets me be the 'supervisor'...
4. Your friend helps you pick out paint, tape the trim and the edges of the ceiling so you don't have to climb a ladder, and paints the entire top half of the room - going on about 'how much fun she's having'.
5. Your friend cooks breakfast for you one morning - "bomb-shell omelets" with the leftover green peppers, onions and sausage from the dinner the night before.
6. Your friend can't wait to go to your dr's appointment with you and helps keep your child entertained for an hour so you can take your glucose test and then continues to thank me about a million times for letting her go with me!
7. Your friend unloads the dishwasher/loads up and constantly offers to cook or help cook.
8. You have the BEST couple of days just hanging out and spending time together when really all we did was get supplies to paint, paint the nursery, go to dr appointments, run a few errands and talk about how much fun we were having just hanging out together!

I've said it before but I am one spoiled rotten girl. I pray I am just as gracious to my friends as they are to me.

27 Weeks

Time has been so busy lately. We just got a new laptop last weekend so I've been slack in my blogging and uploading pictures. For a few weeks we thought we'd lost a lot of pictures that were on our old laptop but thankfully, Matt was able to get most of them off. Kathryn and I were in GA for a few days visiting my family and celebrating Michael's birthday. We drove home on Tuesday and one of my bestest buds in the world, Brooke, flew in on Wednesday to visit for a few days. (That visit deserves a blog all by itself so more to come! :) I had a Dr's appointment on Friday and had a fantastic report. Baby Brother measured exactly where he should at this point and we have almost reached the Third Trimester and are now onto a two-week rotation for seeing my doctor. I just can't get over how quickly time is going by.

How far along? 27 Weeks, 4 days
Total weight gain/loss: 17 pounds gained + (officially)
Maternity clothes? what do you think with 17 extra pounds :) (the summer dresses and skirts though are the BEST!!)
Sleep: so-so. Still a little hard to fall asleep. Usually awake for at least an hour after going to bed before falling asleep.
Movement: he's a kicker in the afternoon and early evening. I'm thinking he may be a night owl like his mama! A little more active lately - he's getting stronger!
Best moment this week: Painting Baby Brother's room!! Brooke helped (A TON) and it looks fantastic! Pics to come soon -- when we get the furniture back in place :)
Cravings: I ate at Cracker Barrel for the first time this week in about 2 years. Couldn't eat the food fast enough. Of course chick-fil-a, sweet tea, and fruit are still high on my list of cravings!
Belly Button: it's out! (hmm.. lets just plan on this section not changing for about 4 more months!)
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I just realized that apparently all I miss are food-related things... I miss sleeping on my stomach too.
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Deciding on a name!!!!

26 Weeks

How far along? 26 Weeks, 4 days
Total weight gain/loss: 14 pounds gained + (who knows ...)
Maternity clothes? yep.
Sleep: so-so. Hard to fall asleep and getting up in the middle of the night for bathroom breaks don't help!
Movement: he's a kicker in the afternoon and early evening. I'm thinking he may be a night owl like his mama! Yep, still active in the afternoon time..
Best moment this week: Getting 'Baby Brother's' new bedding set up! We're going with a monkey theme for his room. Also, Kathryn and I finally picked out some new clothes for him this week. She kept saying, "so cute!!" about the outfits. She notices everything these days, especially if it has to do with Baby Brother.
Cravings: Anything sweet. Hello prego Erin! (Matt's loving this new found sweet tooth of mine.)
Belly Button: it's out! (hmm.. lets just plan on this section not changing for about 4 more months!)
What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I just realized that apparently all I miss are food-related things... I miss sleeping on my stomach too.
What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Deciding on a name!!!!

Latest photos..

Kathryn's "new" room

 

Kathryn with her lamb and "Baby Boy"

 

Kathryn all dressed up! (CJ - like the dress?!? ;)

25 Weeks

I can't believe how fast time is going by. 10 weeks from this week is when Kathryn was born. That means TWO and a HALF months from now!! I am not expecting our little man to be as early as Kathryn but you can bet I plan on doing as much as possible to be 'ready' by that point - ha, and by 'ready' we all know that's not even possible! ;) Kathryn is literally over-the-moon with excitement about her little brother. She talks about him throughout the day and I have no doubt she's going to be an amazing big sister. I just can't get over how grown up she is now. She's a little 'big girl' now!!

How far along? 25 Weeks, 1 day (UNBELIEVABLE. Time is going by soo fast!!!)

Total weight gain/loss: 13 pounds gained + (who knows ...)

Maternity clothes? yep. and a very generous lady my mom works let me borrow a huge container of tons of cute maternity outfits and she just so happens to be my exact same size!!

Sleep: Good sleep once I actually "fall" asleep. Been taking a while to get to sleep.. :(

Movement: he's a kicker in the afternoon and early evening. I'm thinking he may be a night owl like his mama!

Best moment this week: Hands down, best moment was getting to spend a long weekend with my sweet family. Also, setting up Baby Brother's beautiful new crib!! And moving Kathryn into her new bed with her new bedding -- she LOVES it and has slept like a champ in it. Their rooms are finally coming along nicely now! :)

Cravings: Lets just say I accidently went through the candy aisle at Target and let with a box of Hot Tamales, Sugar Babies, and Sour Patch Kids... No shame.

Belly Button: it's out! (hmm.. lets just plan on this section not changing for about 4 more months!)

What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I just realized that apparently all I miss are food-related things... Actually, I also miss not being able to be as independent as I am not pregnant. I hate not being able to help Matt out moving things, lifting certain things, carrying things, etc...

What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Buying new bedding! Buying boy clothes! Deciding on a name!!!!

24 Weeks

How far along? 24 Weeks, 5 days (Sorry for the delay! I was in GA this week visting the fam so didn't log on to blog at all until I got home again.)

Total weight gain/loss: 13 pounds gained +

Maternity clothes? yep. p.s. i hate shopping for maternity clothes.

Sleep: Good sleep this week. I think because I was in GA and we all had so much fun during the days, I was wiped out by bedtime :)

Movement: he's a kicker in the afternoon..

Best moment this week: Kathryn asking about baby brother and I said he wasn't "here" yet and she goes, "he'll be here soon!" Also, Kathryn and I looked for some outfits together for baby brother - (she learned that "outfit" was the same as "clothes") we ended up not buying any but mom gave us three she had bought for him. They've been sitting on our couch since we've been home and every time Kathryn see them she says, "outfits for baby brother! need to wash them first" - Because I keep telling her they haven't been cleaned yet :)

Cravings: FINALLY got my hot boiled peanuts and they were delicious! I've also been wanting french toast. That is SO a prego thing for me because I could go without having that but maybe 1x or 2x a year otherwise!

Belly Button: it's out! (hmm.. lets just plan on this section not changing for about 4 more months!)

What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either. I'm adding beer back to the list because it's officially "summer" outside and we grill out all time time and eat out on our deck. I would be perfect for a cold one in the summertime evenings on the deck.

What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Buying new bedding! Buying boy clothes! Arranging the rooms! Deciding on a name!!!

Singing...Umm Yeah.

So I've never claimed to have the gift of singing. One of my best friends and I joke about it because we've never been blessed with that bit of goodness and while I wish I could sing, I realize my inabilities and I've accepted that about myself. This morning while Kathryn and I were having breakfast, I started humming a song. I can't even remember what song it was but Kathryn goes, "no Mama. no singing." I looked at her and go, "Kathryn, no ma'am. That is not nice to say to someone. It's rude." So I started humming my song again and Kathryn goes, "no Mama. no singing please." Which cracked me up of course. 

And just so we're all clear in the blog world, Kathryn and I sing together all the time and have a blast with it. She doesn't know yet how bad I actually sing and I'm hoping to go under the radar with her for as long as possible. This morning I think she just wanted to have her cereal in peace and quiet. I'm okay with that. I sure love that girl.

Moments I love

Apparently I'm in a picture mood tonight. Here are a few pictures from the last couple of days of Kathryn and I being silly and me trying to get a picture of us together.

First "Official" Haircut

Yesterday I took Kathryn to get her first haircut ever. Officially. She did such a fantastic job. I took her to Snip-Its in Birkdale, the coolest haircut place for kids EVER. Neither one of us knew what to expect and I think I was the most impressed. When the lady would spray water on Kathryn's hair to get it wet, she would tell Kathryn, "it's like raining on your hair!" By the end of her haircut when she was about to cut Kathryn's bangs and "spray" her hair for the last time, Kathryn goes, "no more rain on hair please." It was so cute! And of course her baby doll had to savor the experience as well. They were such troopers! Enjoy the photos!

23 Weeks

How far along? 23 Weeks, 1 day

Total weight gain/loss: 13 pounds gained +/-

Maternity clothes? yep. p.s. i hate shopping for maternity clothes.

Sleep: hard to fall asleep. wish i could sleep on my belly again!
Movement: he's a kicker in the afternoon..

Best moment this week: since we found out we're having a boy, one of Kathryn's dolls mysteriously turned into a "boy" doll and she keeps telling me, "he's okay, he's okay." and "baby boy is hungry." another great moment, buying our new crib!!
Cravings: still want hot boiled peanuts (4 more days..) Other than that...fruit, honey wheat bagels with peanut butter and honey. oh, and cheerios

Belly Button: it's out! (hmm.. lets just plan on this section not changing for about 4 more months!)

What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section either.

What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Buying new bedding! Buying boy clothes! Arranging the rooms! Deciding on a name!!!

22 Weeks

How far along? 22 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 12 pounds gained

Maternity clothes? yep, getting bigger by the minute so now a necessity

Sleep: Can't complain, thank God!
Movement: he's practicing being a ninja. pretty sure he's going to be awesome.

Best moment this week: a new lady who was watching Kathryn at church in nursery said to me when I picked Kathryn up, "you must be having a boy. Kathryn kept saying 'mama have a baby BOY." too cute!
Cravings: Seriously. Ok, so I am dying for hot boiled peanuts and in approximately 12 days when I get to GA, my craving will finally be satisfied. Other than that...fruit, honey wheat bagels with peanut butter and honey - YUMMY, ice cream, cheese.. Last night after dinner I ate some chips and guacamole, 2 girl scout cookies, and an orange. For real.

Belly Button: it's out! (hmm.. lets just plan on this section not changing for about 4 more months!)

What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section.

What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Buying new bedding! Buying boy clothes! Arranging the rooms!

Today's a very special day. May 11, 2010. Exactly ten years ago today, I met Matt in the Chicago airport when I met up with the group of students from UNI to fly over to Poland for the summer study abroad program. I was "the girl from Georgia" and he was the hot guy with blue eyes wearing a baseball hat. Ten years later: four years of dating, an MBA, a move to NC, many vacations and travels, a beautiful wedding, an amazing daughter, a boy-on-the-way, five-years-and-counting of marriage, ups, downs, laughs, tears, many many memories and by the grace of God, we can celebrate this day.

21 Weeks

How far along? 21 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 10 pounds +/-1 (likely +)!!

Maternity clothes? yep but have to say I was a little bummed today when I went to purchase some cute maternity outfits and they still didn't fit right..

Sleep: Can't complain
Movement: Still not a ton of movement throughout the day, sometimes later in the afternoon/early evening he starts to play

Best moment this week: Kathryn saw her bouncy seat that we used to use for her and she said, "for baby brother!"
Cravings: Food. I just like food in general so what's new? (that about sums it up still..) And Cheerios. My friend Melissa mentioned a few weeks ago about having a bowl of Cheerios and I've been hooked ever since. We've literally gone through 4-5 of the HUGE boxes in the past 2.5 weeks!

Belly Button: it's out!

What I miss: sweet tea daily - go figure. And turkey sandwiches (COLD). Yum. That sounds so good right now. I am not changing this section. It is all still true and will probably be listed weekly until our little man is born. I'm adding a cold beer back to this section for now. Sometimes, it'd just be nice to have a cold one.

What I am looking forward to: Kathryn being the coolest big sister EVER. Buying new bedding! Buying boy clothes! Arranging the rooms!

Milestone: Made it to the halfway point!!! ...and then some!

So. Want to hear a few things on my mind lately...? Lets just say, when you're pregnant...

• One minute you can have all the energy in the world and the next second, be completely wiped.
• One minute you can be over the moon with excitement and joy and all good things and the next, someone can walk across your path and just infuriate you. 
• One minute you can be comfortable and the next, remind yourself you actually did NOT walk into an invisible sauna. 
• One minute you know exactly what you're about to do and the next, wonder with curiosity why you're holding the iron in your hand and standing over an ironing board. 
• One minute you'll get up for ice cream and the next, come back with dill pickles and cheese slices (happened to me last night).. 
• One minute you'll think you made a breakthrough with a friend and the next, realize 'nope, it's still all about them." 
• One minute you'll think, 'ok, how am I really going to handle this God?' and the next, be overcome with total peace. 
• One minute you can be in the middle of a conversation with your husband and the next, ask him, 'so what we were just talking about?'
• One minute you can be having a nice enjoyable evening outside with your family watching your little girl cruise on her scooter, and the next, realize you're a pregnant girl looking like a mad woman trekking it down the street trying to "catch" the older lady who lets her dog crap in other people's yards without picking it up. (happened about 45 minutes ago...)

So if one or any of the following apply to you while you're pregnant, you're not alone!

God is so GOOD

It is AMAZING to see the people God puts into your life at just the right moments. This past week when different ladies found out I was having a boy, I received several responses along the lines like, "your world is going to turn upside down with a boy" or "don't plan on having a break for the first 2 years" or "you are going to have your hands full with a boy!", and so-on, and so-on. I was floored. It was somewhat discouraging because they all seemed to have a negative spin on them. I get that boys and girls are different but come on, a baby is a baby and a two year old is a two year old and they're all BLESSINGS. I remember being pregnant with Kathryn and people trying to "prep" me for having a newborn and all the difficulties of it. I promised myself then that after Kathryn was born, if any new mom's asked for my opinion, I was going to tell them all the joy and excitement they were in for. So many women are fearful enough by themselves of the unknown, why exasperate it with a third party opinion? On top of that, the reality is it is definitely a change to life but not something to be scared or worried or fearful of. Needless to say, after hearing several of the comments this week, I wasn't exactly discouraged (because I know we are in for tons of joy and excitement whether we were having a boy or a girl) but I was struggling a little wrapping my head around it all and sad that that was how some of these mom's described their boys as just being difficult. 

Today, less than 24 hours later and still at the forefront of my brain, Kathryn and I went to Barnes and Noble - one of our favorite places to visit. I love it for the atmosphere, unlimited access to books and their delicious drinks and of course, she loves it for the "choo-choo train". It's the best of both worlds. While Kathryn was playing with the train station, wouldn't you know it...a lady came with an older daughter (4 and half years old) and a younger son (2 years old) and sat down right beside us. We were chatting within five minutes and we ended up talking for AT LEAST half an hour if not longer! It was such a fun time!!! We totally hit it off and it was such a comfort to have someone who was basically in my shoes, just a few years ahead of me. On top of that, she was thrilled to hear we were having a boy and went on and on about how fun both genders were. I was just tickled to hear that from her after all I had heard this week and then realized the perfect timing of it all. I know she didn't come across my path by accident and I'm grateful God had her on the calendar.

Visit with Grandma & Grandpa Gram

She Cracks Me Up!!!