Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Toddle Along Tuesdays-Updated nursery pictures

So this week's topic is nurseries. I posted about our nursery organization a while back. I've made some progress in the past few weeks. I'll post some pictures of all the updates this week.

First, in our bedroom, we bought and installed the storage shelf and bins for on the wall between the closet and the bedroom door. I also got the pack n play set up. Right now my suitcase is in there-it'll be my hospital bag and I wanted it handy for packing stuff into.

Before
After

 
One bin has extra clothes and pajams and the other bin has diapering supplies. I'd still like to get a changing pad that I can fold up and keep in there.



 

In the living room we got rid of our old electric fireplace that we never used since having Clara and instead bought a Cubeical shelf system from ClosetMaid to use for more storage. It takes up less room and is really quite handy! We keep Clara's books on it, as well as Adam's school books and some bins for putting things like movies and small items in.


 
In the nursery, I rearranged some of the drawers. The top drawer was especially a problem since I keep diapers as well as onesies in there and had to figure out how to get both kids' stuff in it. But I did some shuffling and here's what they look like now:


Top Drawer: Before
Top Drawer: After (Sam's onesies are on the right, Clara's on the left)

 
Middle Drawer: Clara's pjs are on the left and Sam's on the right

 
Bottom Drawer: Clara's pants are on the left and Sam's are on the right

 
I'm trying to save the big items (swing and bouncy chair) for closer to when Sam will be here (or heck, even after). We need all the room we can get since space is at a premium right now. I'll probably post some more pictures when I have those items out, as well as an updated nursery picture when I figure out how to arrange it for the second crib. 

Monday, February 27, 2012

34 weeks. 6 weeks left. I'm getting tired!

Weekly Survey:


How far along? 34 weeks-6 weeks (42 days) to go!

Total weight gain: +27lbs (155lbs). Up 1.4lbs from last week.

How big is baby?: The size of a cantaloupe (about 4.75lbs and almost 18” from head to heel).

Sleep?: Starting to get bad. I was awake and out of bed before 7am both days this weekend and last night I woke up at 11:30pm and couldn’t get back to sleep for a while. I’m hoping I’ll still get a couple decent nights of sleep-though I may start ending up on the couch…or with separate blankets for Adam and I!

How are you feeling physically? Much the same as last week. My back and hips are sore if I lay down or walk too much. I get dizzy if I stand up for too long, and I have headaches every day. Some days are still good, but the bad days are starting to tip the scales.

How are you feeling emotionally?: I’ve reached the point where I’m ready to be done. I know a lot of it the headaches and lack of good sleep, but I’m just ready to meet my little man and get on with the next chapter of our lives.

Best moment this week?: I have an OB appointment on Wednesday…I also may have vacation since we’re supposed to get a nasty winter storm and there’s no need for me to come to work in that kind of crap. So, I have the potential for a 3-day week!


Movement?: He still moves all the time. He doesn’t really kick very hard anymore, he just hurts me by rolling and flipping over repeatedly with little to no room to do so!

What is baby up to this week?: His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Food cravings?: Nothing in particular. I have noticed my appetite has been better lately. I just seem to generally be more hungry.

Labor signs?: I’ve had a few BH this week as well as a couple painful contractions, but I think they were more stress induced than anything. Last week at work was extremely stressful. I’ll find out in 2 weeks or less if I’m making any progress (which I doubt).

What I miss: I miss being able to sleep through the night. I miss being able to roll over in bed without having to make it a whole process. I miss being skinny!

What I'm looking forward to: I’m looking forward to my OB appointment on Wednesday. After that, we only have 1 more every-two-week appointment before we start going to weeklys. At that point, Sam could theoretically come anytime and they won’t stop labor. I think the reality of that is starting to sink in and we realize that we could be meeting our little boy very soon!

Random Thoughts: I don’t really have many random thoughts this week. I’m looking forward to celebrating my birthday this year. Maybe it’s because it’s so close to my due date that it gives me something to take my mind off. I’m also excited for that because Adam has an entire week off of school. That means he’ll be 1/7th of the way through his schooling! Yay! And we’re also going shopping for the rest of our baby stuff that Friday, too. I don’t need much, but I do need just a few things yet. We’re pretty well set on clothes-we just need some socks for him. I also need some new nursing bras, some parts for my pump, and some new bottles. Other than that, we’re set…just waiting on him!

34 week bump pic

15-month survey...Our girl is getting so big!

*I've modified this survey some because not all of the questions were appropriate anymore.*

Monthly Survey


1. How old? 15 months.

2. Stats:
  • a. Weight: 26lbs (90th percentile) 
  • b. Height: 32.5” (95th percentile) 
  • c. Clothes size: 18 months for tops. 24 months-2T for pants and pajamas 
  • d. Diaper size: Transitioning from 4’s to 5’s in Huggies. 
  • e. Shoe size: Size 5, but have started buying some 6’s. 
  • f. Anything else? Head circumference was 46.5cm and chest was 48cm.

3. Milestones: 
  • a. Teething: 14! Her top left canine came in without anyone noticing until it was already all the way through the skin!  
  • b. Talking: Yep! I didn’t realize that animal sound counted for words so she’s been “talking” for a month or so already. 
    • i. Words: No, More, Mama, Baby, ball, “moo”, “sss (snake)”, and a growling sound for a lion. (8 total) She also says Dada and “quack quack” (duck) but not very often and if you ask her to say it she most often replies “no.” She also tells my mom’s bird “shhh”. 
  • c. Walking: Yes, and testing boundaries. She doesn’t want to be carried or ride in the cart/stroller, but if you put her down to walk she takes off. She won’t hold hands sometimes, either. We’re working on it. 
  • d. Anything else? I’ve started asking here where Baby Sam is and she pokes my belly button or lifts my shirt up and says “baby”. It’s super cute! 
4. Things she likes:
  • a. Toys: She’s been playing more with her puzzle and her Little People Zoo. She’s also been practicing putting things into other things. 
  • b. Books: Her favorites are still anything that is sort of a peek-a-boo type book. Hop on Pop has recently joined the list of favorites, too!
  • c. Songs: Itsy Bitsy Spider is still a big hit. 
  • d. TV Shows: We keep Sprout on all day for background noise. Sometimes she’s really into it, sometimes not. 
  • e. Other activities: My mom has been taking her to Story Time at the library on Tuesdays. She really loves it!

5. Things she dislikes: Not a whole lot these days. She’s generally pretty content. She has still been having some stranger anxiety, but it seems to be worse with men than women, and I think it depends on if she’s with me or Adam.

6. Sleeping: Sleeping has been pretty good. She’s napping after lunch (on good days she goes down easily) for 1-2 hours and at night I’ve pushed her bedtime back by 15-30 minutes so she’s usually in bed by 8 now (she sleeps for about 12 hours on average). She rarely wakes in the middle of the night-usually only if she has a nightmare or is teething/sick.

7. Eating:
  • a. Favorite foods: I don’t really know that she has one favorite. She’s not really a picky eater and eats what we’re eating most days. 
  • b. Not so favorite foods: She still doesn’t like regular potatoes! Peaches are also on the not-so-favorite list, too!

8. Nicknames: I’ve been calling her “buns” (which is sort of short for hunny buns)

9. Things we’re looking forward to next month: My birthday! I’ll also be reaching the full term phase of this pregnancy, which means we won’t be making a ton of plans. We’ll probably just try to keep it low key for the month. At some point we’ll be celebrating my family’s birthdays (we celebrate almost in quarters of the year) but I’ll be pushing for early March for that unless we do the celebrating at my mom’s house.

10. How I like motherhood:

  • a. Likes: I still just love watching her learn new things. It’s amazing-especially now that she’s been picking up a new word almost on a daily basis! My favorite moment of the last month has been when she points at me and says Mama. She has said it before, but almost never while directing it right at me. It melts my heart. :) 
  • b. Dislikes: My hormones and my illness (I’ve had a cold and bronchitis for the last month) making me short-tempered. It’s not her fault and I try not to take it out on her, but sometimes she pushes all my buttons at once!

Pictures!!

Enjoying her time at the Library

Riding her horsey

Best Friends

"Look, Mom! I'm helping with the laundry!"


Friday, February 24, 2012

TGIF!

It's FRIIIIIIIDAYYYYY!!

I love Fridays. I love Fridays even more when I'm not working...which isn't the case today. I'm at work. Luckily. The weather was terrible when I left this morning! At one point I was only doing 25mph on the highway!

So, what's on my mind today? I'll tell you:
  • I wish I wasn't here today. I wish I was still in my nice warm bed and I wish I could spend the day with my munchkin.
  • Speaking of my munchkin, she's saying another new word! It's "ball". That makes 8 words now!
  • I'm debating whether or not to order Chinese food for lunch. I brought a lunch, but I'm in the mood for Chinese. Darn hormones.
  • This week has been a rough week at work. I'm glad it's over with. Hopefully next week is better.
  • Speaking of work, I have 27 work days left until my due date...if I work right up until the bitter end. I'm also not sure if I'll be working after my due date if Sam hasn't come yet. I guess we'll have to look at finances and see what works best. I don't relish the thought of going past my due date!
  • I'm also getting a little tired of the "any day now, huh?" comments. I still have 6-ish weeks left. I can't be nice about it for that long!
  • I've been finding some really great recipes on Pinterest! And the one I made last night was apparently so good that we didn't have any leftovers! Well, there were leftover mashed potatoes and veggies, but I plan to use those with our grilled chicken breasts either tonight or tomorrow night. So far my meal planning really seems to be working out well! I've thrown a lot less food away this month than in the past couple and I love that I don't need to go grocery shopping all the time!
  • I went grocery shopping last week Saturday. I shouldn't need to go until next week Saturday and that might be one of the last ones before Sam gets here.
Well, that's about all for now. Time to watch the plow trucks drive around the parking lot for a while. :) Exciting life I live, huh?

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Toddle Along Tuesdays-Babies & Their Daddies

I love this week's topic...probably because I love watching Clara interact with Adam. They've got such an awesome relationship.

When we found out we were going to have a girl, I wondered if she would be a Daddy's girl. I also wondered how my wonderful husband would deal with having a girl. He's a pretty macho guy, after all: United States Marine, 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, loves to fish and hunt, has a motorcycle, knows how to work on cars, used to live on a farm-you get the picture. But in all honesty, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. They're great together! He's even shared his love of Muskie fishing with her. During my sister-in-law's baby shower 2 weeks ago, he took her to the annual Muskie Expo with him and she had a blast! She even got a baby stuffed Muskie.

I love the fact that they've got this extraordinary relationship. It melts my heart. Sure, it has evolved over time. I had to take up most of the responsibility for her care while he was recovering from knee surgery. It took her a while to adjust to that. He was her primary care giver while I was at work. Now that he's in school all day almost every day of the week (and has a ton of homework afterwards) he's able to spend even less time that I know he wants to with her.

It is fortunate, though, that they have a close bond. With Samuel only a few short weeks from making his debut, I'm going to rely on that bond even more. Clara won't be able to spend nearly as much time with me because I'll be nursing Sam. I know we'll probably hit a bit of regression in her development, but I think that if we know its coming it'll be easier to deal with.

I am really looking forward to seeing how Adam's relationship with Sam is going to be. With Clara he had a lot of time to spend with her. They got really close in the time that he was home and not in school everyday. This time will be very different. He's not even likely to get more than a day or 2 off of school when Sam is born.

I look forward to the challenges that are going to come with having 2 kids under 2. I'm going to try to do a blog post every Tuesday (I'll probably call it Two under Tuesday) to document our life with 2u2. I say I'll try...I'm usually really bad unless I write these posts ahead of time and schedule them to post for me!

And now....here's some of my favorite pictures of my 2 favorite people. :)





Monday, February 20, 2012

33 weeks in-7 to go!

Weekly Survey:


How far along? 33 weeeks-7 weeks (49 days) to go!

Total weight gain: +25.6lbs (153.6lbs) Up 4.2lbs from last week. Yuck! Must do better next week!

How big is baby?: The size of a pineapple (a little over 4lbs and just over 17” from head to heel).

Sleep?: For the most part sleep has been good. I had a bit of trouble last night because I was too warm.

How are you feeling physically? I’m more and more tired and find myself tiring easily. The problem is I don’t have time to take naps anymore. I always find myself with something that needs to get done. I’ve also been getting headaches just about daily. My doctor suggested a supplement so I’ll try that and see if I’ve any better luck.

How are you feeling emotionally?: I still have moments of panic-I feel like I’m totally not ready for Samuel to come yet. I feel like I have nothing ready, when in fact, aside from a few things I don’t even really need until later, we have everything we could possibly need.

Best moment this week?: We picked up a new car seat for Clara and figured out the configuration for when Samuel outgrows the infant seat. I also got the Pack N Play set up in our room and got my suitcase out to be packed.

Movement?: Yep, constantly! His movements are starting to change, though. I’m definitely getting more rolls than punches these days.

What is baby up to this week?: He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Food cravings?: Junk food, apparently. Time to crack down on my diet! No more Drumsticks and no more Kool-Aid. I can have my 1 Mtn Dew in the morning but after that it’s water with Mio or Crystal Light Pure.

Labor signs?: Nope. It’s been pretty quiet on that front lately and I’m glad. My birth month board on TheBump already has 5 outside babies! Thankfully, all babies are doing really well and are expected to go home in a few weeks.

What I miss: Having any kind of energy, patience, and comfort.

What I'm looking forward to: We set a date for our final Baby Shopping trip: I’m going to make a Registry for Target and then we’re going and buying the rest of the stuff that we need for Samuel. It’ll be on March 16th. Adam will still be off for Spring Break and it’s my scheduled Friday off. We’ll drop Clara at Mimi’s and pick her up when we’re done. It’s too hard to get anything productive done with her along!

I’m also looking forward to Sue’s Scentsy party next week as well as our next OB appointment.


Random Thoughts: I just keep wondering what life is going to be like with 2 kids. I know I’ll get plenty of time with just one child while Clara’s at Mimi’s during Adam’s school day. I’m sure it’ll be really different from when I was on leave with her, too! I’ve gotten used to trying to get household chores done while chasing after Clara, but if she’s not home and Sam’s sleeping, I might be spending less time sitting around and more time working around the house!

I’m also starting to feel like I did around this time with Clara: wondering when and how labor will start. Will he be early? Will he be late? Will I get induced again? Will he even be head down by 36 weeks? What happens if he’s not? I’m fairly certain he’s going to be at least as big as his sister so if he doesn’t figure it out pretty soon, he’s going to get good and stuck.

33 week bump pic.






Friday, February 17, 2012

What's on Your Mind?

Ok, so apparently Fridays are a horrible day to do this...unless I write it ahead of time and then schedule it to post for me-which is what I'm going to do. :)

So, here we go with another edition of What's On Your Mind:

  • What is foremost on my mind at this second is what I'm going to do when I get out of work today! I'm doing a little shopping (probably at Hobby Lobby-I've been feeling extremely crafty lately) and then the hubs and I are getting Chinese food since Clara will be staying by Mimi's tonight.
  • I have so many craft projects I want to work on. I have a lot that are started but not finished. I FINALLY finished one of them over the weekend-Clara's birthday box.
  • I should probably start taking/posting pictures of my completed craft projects to share on my blog.
  • I'm seriously thinking of getting a sewing machine.
  • I was super excited to find out that we got our state tax refund today! I wasn't expecting it til the end of the month! Guess its time to figure out what is going to get paid off.
  • My birthday is in a little less than a month. The big 3 for gifts I would like: a mani/pedi from Lords n Ladies, a tablet, and my new camera. I will also accept a sashimi dinner from Little Tokyo and some peace and quiet to work on crafts for as long as I want. :)
  • My due date is 2 months away. Sometimes it feels like its just around the corner and other days it feels like its forever away. I wonder why that is....
I feel like my mind has been going a mile a minute lately and it doesn't help that I've been extra forgetful. I know it's probably pregnancy brain, but it still sucks. I feel like I have so much to do and I can't just focus on one thing so I end up getting even less accomplished. I plan to work a little harder to focus and get some things accomplished in the next couple weeks!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

15-month Stats

Clara had her 15-month check-up today. I wasn't sure how it was going to go. She's not exactly easy for me to wrangle myself these days.

She also decided to opt out of a nap today. Fun!

She ran laps around the waiting room while we waited. We always end up waiting longer than I think we should but whatever....

Clara did really well for the most part. We got her weight right away and then spent a few minutes going over the developmental milestones she should have reached. She also got her head and chest measured and finally her height. I don't know why laying her down makes her so unhappy but she hated it (it may have had something to do with the not-napping).

Once the nurse was done Dr Smith came in. Cue meltdown. Thankfully he has 3 kids and being a family doctor is never put out by it. He said that this is all really typical considering how advanced she is in that part of her development. He said the same thing upon hearing about her temper tantrums and boundary-testing. He was quite pleased to hear that she now says 7 words. They only "need" to be able to say 3 words by 18 months.

So, all in all it was a great check-up.  I was also glad to hear that her ear infection has completely cleared up, too.

Final numbers:

Height: 32.5" (95th percentile)
Weight: 26lbs (90th percentile)
Head: 46cm
Chest: 48.5cm

Her next appointment is scheduled for May 18th. At that point we'll also have 2-count 'em-2 kids by then!! Yay! She'll also be 18 months old. Holy moly!

Toddle Along Tuesdays-Parties

This week's topic is Parties. I decided to talk a little more about Clara's First Birthday party...or parties in her case.

When planning her party I was having a rough time. I wanted it to be really awesome, but I kept warring with the idea that she'll never really get it anyway. Do I spend the money anyway and give her a super awesome party, or do I save it? Seeing all the other moms I know planning big extravagant first birthday parties for their kids was really giving me serious mommy guilt because, quite frankly, we just don't have the money-especially with baby #2 on the way.

In the end, I just decided that it was more important for people who love her to be there and not really what the actual party was like.

I ended up doing 2 different parties....when in hindsight, I could have combined them. Our house is TINY and there was no way we could have her party there with all of my family plus all of Adam's. So the original plan was to have 2 parties-one for his family and one for mine. So I set up a date and time with his parents and we were all set on that end. On my family's end, I just didn't have time to worry about cleaning my house, etc. so I looked into renting a room at our city's Community House. It was an inexpensive option and the best part was that I didn't have to clean! We got food from Subway and I made cupcakes. We even had a TV we could set up so no one had to miss the Packers game. What I didn't realize until after the parties were planned and invitations were sent out, was that I could have just had one party at the Community House and saved a whole day. No harm no foul, really, but at least I learned. :)

The bottom line is that Clara had a good time and the people who love her most were able to share in her special day with her. Going forward I'll probably just have one big party for her in a rented space so that no body has to worry about how clean their house is, or if their house is big enough.

I think one of the hardest things about being a parent is competeing with other parents. I know most of us say that we won't do it, but sometimes it can't be helped. I about had a nervous breakdown when my girl was little because I had to work so many hours. I had to be away from her. I couldn't do things the other mamas were doing like cloth-diapering and making my own "organic" baby food. I fed my kid from a jar and put disposable diapers on her. I felt like a bad mom. But what matters most, is what works out best for your baby and your family. Clara is healthy and h appy and growing like a weed. It doesn't matter what kind of diapers I used or that I had to work long hours to provide for my family. In the end, all that matters is happiness.

And who isn't happy about cupcakes? :)

Cupcake coma....

Here, Mommy, have some cupcake. :)

Monday, February 13, 2012

32 week survey. 8 weeks and counting!

Weekly Survey:


How far along? 32 weeks-8 weeks (56 days) left!

Total weight gain: +21.4lbs (149.4lbs). Up 1lb from last week.

How big is baby?: The size of a jicama (about 3.75lbs and 16.7” from head to heel).

Sleep?: Well, it hasn’t been good lately…not due to the pregnancy, but due to my having had bronchitis. It made it hard to breathe at all. I’d try to sleep propped up, but then my back would get sore or I’d wake up with a coughing fit or flare up of acid reflux. The last couple nights have been slightly better, but I’m hoping that as I get better the sleep will improve as much as it can, too.

How are you feeling physically? Aside from the lingering effects of the bronchitis/cold mess I’ve been feeling ok. I have had a little bit of sciatica flare up in the last few days, but other than that I’ve been pretty good.

How are you feeling emotionally?: Pretty good. I’ve been feeling a little panicked lately. I told Adam that it feels like I was assigned a paper with a due date that’s 2 months out and suddenly its 2 weeks before it’s due and I haven’t even gathered materials for it yet! I’m not sure why. We have everything we need for him that we could possibly need right away, except diapers which we’ll actually get from the hospital. I’m also having a hard time coming to grips with how big I’m getting! I keep seeing people who are within two weeks to a month of delivering who are smaller than I am and I wonder how the heck I can get much bigger!

Best moment this week?: Jessica’s baby shower was this past Saturday and it was a lot of fun. We also picked up a few things for Sam yesterday.

Movement?: All the time! I can tell when he usually takes his nap because he’s not jabbing me. Other than that, I think he’s pushing his limits with what he’s doing in there. lol

What is baby up to this week?: You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

Food cravings?: Not really. I was craving Chicken McNuggets and a Shamrock shake the other day, but since I was sick and no one could go get it for me, I didn’t get it. I might have to get a shake after work tonight, though. :)

Labor signs?: Nope, and I haven’t even had any BH lately, either.

What I miss: Not being sick!

What I'm looking forward to: We have Clara’s 15-month check up tomorrow. I’ll also be getting a recheck for the bronchitis. Adam and I are going to get to do a little kid-free shopping on Wednesday and then I have an OB appointment on Thursday.

Random Thoughts: I’ve been in major nesting mode lately. The only problem is I’ve been too sick to do anything about it! I’m hoping to remedy that as I start feeling better. There’s a lot I want to do! And some of it requires another trip to Hobby Lobby!! I’m really excited about some of the craft projects I’m working on! I’m even thinking of getting a sewing machine!
My crappy 32 week bump pic. I forgot to take my pic before I changed out of my work clothes.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Changes...

As it seems to happen about once a year or so, I got tired of my blog looking like it did, so I changed it. I also removed some things from the sidebar and added a button for Pinterest. Now those of you who are addicted, like me, can follow my boards!

Speaking of Pinterest, one of my resolutions for this year is to get more organized. I've been doing a lot of searching as well as pinning to Pinterest. I've found one way, in particular, to be organized and save money (which is 2 resolutions for 1!). I've decided, at long last, to get into meal planning. I know there are websites out there where you don't have to do the work-they do it for you. But I've found that just by sitting down and making a menu for a period of time really saves money and energy! Over the weekend I sat down and came up with meals for a 2-week time frame. Then I made a list of all the ingredients that I'd need for those meals. Some I already had, which helped. I was suprised at how little I ended up spending. It's also great because Now I know what we're having for dinner every night and I don't have to stare into the cupboards wondering what to make. Pinterest has provided me with endless opportunities for new recipes, which is helping to keep things new and interesting rather than eating the same old stuff all the time.

Also in an effort to save money, I've found that it's more economical for our family if I make less food at mealtimes. I was finding out that many of our leftovers never got eaten (I realized this as I spent an afternoon cleaning out the refrigerator as well as I was the one taking the garbage out every week for a while due to Adam's surgery). We ended up throwing so much food away that I figured it had to be costing us more money than I wanted. Adam bought me a Brother P-Touch labeler for St Nick this year and I've been putting to good use! Anytime leftovers go in the fridge, they get a label with the date. On Mondays (garbage goes out on Monday night) I go through the fridge and clean out whatever has been in there for too long. It not only keeps the fridge clean, but it keeps my Tupperware cupboard stocked, too! It also keeps me aware of how much we're tossing out every week.

So, the organization may not be happening on as big a scale as I would like at the moment, but I'm at least working at it! Check out my Food board on Pinterest for some of the awesome recipes I'll be trying in the coming weeks!

Monday, February 6, 2012

31 weeks! Down to single-digit weeks!!

Weekly Survey:


How far along? 31 weeks-9 weeks (63 days) left…single digit weeks!

Total weight gain: +20.4lbs (148.4lbs)

How big is baby?: The size of 4 naval oranges (about 3.3lbs and 16” from head to heel).

Sleep?: Sleep has been pretty good lately. I find myself waking more in the early morning hours to pee, but I can usually get a good solid 4-5 hours before that.

How are you feeling physically? I’ve been having some trouble with my sciatica acting up again. It comes and goes, but when it’s bad, it’s really bad. Other than that, I’ve been feeling pretty well. Samuel is finding new and interesting ways to hurt me from the inside, depending on where he is. I wish the kid would put on a little fat already! He seems very bony! I’m also quite tired these days. Friday and Saturday I napped when Clara did (and for about as long, too).

How are you feeling emotionally?: Emotionally, I feel good. I’m pretty calm and I feel like I’m just waiting for him to come. That may change and I may turn into a lunatic, but for now, it’s all good.

Best moment this week?: We got a new grill! Not baby related, I know, but we haven’t had a working grill for a while and it’s so nice to have one again! Also, we got the shelf and storage bins for our room over the weekend. It’s even assembled and installed! I put some of Sam’s stuff in the bins, too. Things are really starting to take shape.

Movement?: This should be: When is he not moving? This kid seriously moves nonstop all day!

What is baby up to this week?: He is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Food cravings?: I’ve sort of been craving junk food. Since I’m up 1.5lbs since last week, I’m guessing it’s because of my eating habits, though Samuel could have had a growth spurt, too. He’s due for one. Time to pick up some healthier snacks and leave my money (for the vending machine) at home!

Labor signs?: Nope. Things have been quiet on that front since a couple weeks ago. I’m glad.

What I miss: Not being tired! I can go to bed at 8:30pm and sleep for 12 hours and still need a nap in the afternoon. It’s a tad ridiculous!

What I'm looking forward to: Jessica’s baby shower on Saturday. I’m not having one this time so I get to live vicariously through her. :)

Random Thoughts: Not many random thoughts this week. I’m just really getting excited to meet this little guy. I’m also getting excited about meeting my new nephew! I’ve never been an Auntie before and I guess it just hasn’t really sunk in yet that I’m going to be.

31 week bump pic

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Hospital Bag Check List

Life has been rather insane the last couple weeks, however, we're getting into the final stretch of this pregnancy and I decided I'd better start thinking about packing my hospital bags. I don't anticipate needing them anytime in the near future, but you never can tell! Here's a list of things I plan to pack in my bags. A lot of what I'm packing for Samuel is based off of my experiences last time...some of which I didn't care much for.

For me:
2 pairs of socks
2 or 3 pairs of underwear (they may or may not get worn)
2 nursing/sleep bras
2-3 t-shirts or nursing tanks
2 pairs of lounge pants
shampoo & conditioner
brush
toothbrush & toothpaste
phone charger
camera & batteries
pen & paper (to write down details for my birth story to be written later)

For Samuel:
3-4 onesies or pajamas
sweatshirt (for going home)
sweatpants (for going home)
socks (for going home)
hats
blanket for the car seat

The hospital provides clothes for baby, but they didn't seem to fit very well for Clara. Maybe it was just my lack of sleep and trying to dress a newborn-which I had never done before, but either way, I'll bring my own stuff.

Misc:
car seat
Boppy
my pillow
baby book

I've been thinking about getting Clara and Samuel Big Sister/Little Brother shirts, but haven't decided yet. I think it would be really cute if they were wearing them when they met for the first time. I guess I'll have to see what I can find that won't cost me an arm and a leg.

I ended up bringing so much stuff to the hospital last time and most of it never even left my bag. I brought an outfit to wear home and just ended up wearing lounge pants and a sweatshirt. I don't really plan on there being anyone at my house when we get home anyway, so I'm all about comfort....that and I'm likely to spend most of the first day home lounging in bed or on the couch anyway so what's the point of looking nice? :)

As a first time mom, the first couple of days with your child is really exciting (well at least the prospect of it). Once that baby is here and you've had a chance to settle in and really think about the whole labor and birth experience, you realize things you would change. I had a really good experience overall. My nurses were awesome. Because I was induced my own doctor got to deliver me, which was awesome. The hospital was more like a hotel than a hospital. I had a great epidural and got the wonderful bonding experience with my husband and our new baby right after she was delivered. However, being a new mom I was so excited to have Clara there with me every second of the day. Until I realized that newborns don't sleep at night. Neither did I because she was awake...and I sent Adam home so he could get some sleep so at least one of us was halfway well rested. It was frustrating and exhausting. But I learned something from it. This time, Samuel's going to the nursery at night. :) I need rest to recover and since Adam will be going back to school right after he's born, I won't have as much help as I did when Clara was born. Super Mom I am not. I'll take the help when and were I can get it while I'm in the hospital. Hopefully my recovery will be a lot quicker and easier than my last one!

Now that I've made the list, I guess it's time to pack, huh? :)