Wednesday, September 28, 2011

lets play a game :)

Just for fun... I created a "game" online to guess when Little Miss Raleigh Grace will make her entrance into this world :) 

If you would like to join in please click on this link: http://www.expectnet.com/games/RaleighGrace

I might even do a giveaway for the person who is closest to her actual arrival :)

Ready... GO! :)

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

38 Weeks!

38 weeks 3 days to be exact :) 
{11 days until my due date!}

Size of baby: 
 Baby is the size of a WATERMELON
She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long!
Weight Gain: 13lbs

Maternity Clothes: yup

Sleep: minus last night's fiasco it has been pretty good.

Best Moment of this week: 
-buying the paint for her room
-started packing my hospital bag
-good dr. visit today: her hr was 150, my bp was 106/68, she was still in great position and the dr. said she was measuring great.  He predicts she will be a 6lb baby or maybe a low 7 pounder :)
 
Symptoms: 
all of the above ha! 
& a full tummy! 

Movement:
  I think she might be slowing down but she still wiggles around daily

Food cravings:  
my appetite has gone way down...

Aversions: big meals

What I miss:
the lack of pain and heartburn, sleeping through the night, and just moving around like a normal person.  my body feels like its 300 lbs!  

Gender: little MISS!

What I'm looking forward to: 
getting my hair done today! (maybe getting a pedicure too?!), the pack-n-play and stroller should arrive this week, also I ordered some nursing clothes I can't wait to get, hubby painting the nursery tomorrow...  and
HER  ARRIVAL! 
 
Baby bump: 
please don't judge me... I look terrible in this pic but I just wasnt feeling getting "ready" for a pic ha!

little miss at 38 weeks. kowabunga! :)

How your baby's growing:
Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.
Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

how your body's changing:
For many women, the next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Use this time to prepare your baby's nursery or to take care of necessary tasks you may not get around to for a while after your baby's born. Take naps, catch up on your reading, and spend uninterrupted time with your partner while you can.
Some swelling in your feet and ankles is normal during these last weeks, but call your practitioner without delay if you notice excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, or have a sudden weight gain. Also let her know immediately if have severe or persistent headaches; visual changes (such as double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or a temporary loss of vision), intense upper abdominal pain or tenderness, or nausea and vomiting. These are symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

{according to babycenter.com}

Monday, September 26, 2011

middle of the night madness

really, it wasnt the MIDDLE of the night but around 6am I woke up in a ton of pain... my lower abdomen and back were cramping up really bad and I just knew that this was the start of my "labor pains" and that I was going to have a baby TODAY!  That lasted all of an hour (which seemed like 3 or 4)-- all the time I'm thinking,
OMG my bag isn't ready, oh well... I'll just grab some clothes and go.  Should I go ahead and get up and shower so when I'm reallllly in pain I will at least have that out of the way?  When do I wake the hubby up? Should I make a list of people I need to call even though I already know who I want to call? .................... {yes, this went on for about an HOUR!} haha

I finally forced myself back to sleep hoping that if "today was the day" then I would at least be a little more rested since I had stayed up until nearly 2 am because I just couldn't get to sleep! haha  Needless to say, I woke up around 10am and was no longer in pain {wheph, but bummer? is it possible to feel both of those emotions at once? I think yes, because I was so excited about meeting her but a nervous wreck to not be completely
prepared ha}

I had my 38 week checkup today in which the doctor said to expect more of the same and he might be seeing me soon or maybe in a couple of weeks (thanks, that's helpful!) ha! 

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Hospital Bag Help...in a hurry!

well the time has come... you know, we are now TWO WEEKS AWAY from our due date and I have still yet to pack my hospital bag (you're probably not surprised at this point ha!)!  I will not be this last minute with my next child (or at least I say that now ha).  Anyways, here is where I need your help! I know that a lot of you have probably already done a post on this or know someone who has but I NEED HELP ya'll!! haha I have a list with the necessities but what else should I pack?  If you or someone you know has already done this post will you leave me a comment with the link? If not-- what did you bring?
Any and all advice is welcome (just please don't judge me for being so last minute ha!)

love my weekender bag I got for christmas... cant wait to pack it up!!


Hope you all have a great weekend! This weekend is hub's 10 year High School Reunion so we have been busy busy and having fun.
Thanks again with your help with this post!!

37 Weeks! Full Term! :)

{this is a week late-- sorry :( I'm playing catch-up!}
You know you're 37 weeks when: 

  • your doctor tells you he is "just waiting on you to call him" because everything else looks great
  • you are more moody than a teenage girl
  • you can't put on your pants, shoes or socks without help
  • you cant pick things up off the floor without opening your legs and letting your belly sag between them
  • you have started to waddle, maybe just a little, even though you would never admit to it
  • everyday you wake up you are happy because you are one day closer to meeting your little one
  • you enjoy weekly doctors visits 
  • you are always looking at your belly move and feeling it move because you realize any day now could be the last time you feel it inside you
  • your back and ribs pretty much always hurt
  • you often have trouble sitting straight up because there is no room for your ribs anymore
  • your baby feels like she is high into your ribs and low into your pelvis... oh wait-- she is!
  • almost everywhere you go people comment on "how cute you are" or ask "when are you due"
  • your countdown now includes weeks or weeks and a half :) (only 2 1/2 to go instead of 3 :) )
  • you need bigger clothes but realize there is no point in buying new maternity clothes that you might only wear for a matter of days
  • you have crazy weird dreams about the most random things
  • you have a million and one things that you need to do but really none of that would truly matter if she made her appearance right now :)
  •  you wake up to every ache and pain wondering if you are going into labor 
  • you are hungry even right after you eat
  • after you get up in the middle of the night (or during the day for that matter) and go to the bathroom you often wonder if you need to go to the bathroom again
  • your husband gives you a hard time because when you wear a t-shirt it hangs off your belly in the front
  • a five minute walk can leave you more fatigued than if you ran 100 miles non-pregnant
and for my 37 week pic :)


     

    Friday, September 23, 2011

    Nursery Sneak-Peak!

    As I said before, my mom has been here helping to get things ready for BABY ... (she had to leave yesterday and I miss her so much already!) I told her the only reason I was letting her go back to Mississippi is because I knew she would be back in a couple of weeks when Raleigh Grace makes her debut into the world!

    She helped me clean the baby furniture and get it all ready...

    After she left, I did Raleigh Grace's FIRST load of laundry-- I washed most of her newborn and 0-3 month clothes, some socks, washcloths, towels, sheets, changing pad cover, mattress cover, and changing pad liners.  I still need to wash her blankets and some more little things but it was so fun washing and drying and hanging up/folding all her cute little things and feeling just one step closer to being ready for her arrival any day! :)
    little bitty clothes :)
    what a blessed little girl already!
    never have I ever seen so many pink things! :) <3 it!

    Since I washed the sheets and such I found it was an appropriate time time to "dress" the crib and changing table!  Its coming together slowly but surely and get excited because I am going to show you a few sneak peaks!! The bedding just came yesterday also and I really LOVE it! The bumper is oober soft but the sheet is one of those that after you wash it it wrinkles times five thousand! I doubt I will ever have time to iron a crib sheet for heavens sake! ha!  I will be reviewing it online since it wasn't cheap but that's really my only complaint.  It really is beautiful in the nursery! (I am not posting full pics because like I said in an earlier post her nursery is NO WHERE near finished but maybe I will get it all done before her first birthday ha! I'm joking but not really ha!)

    Feeling super motivated (or maybe intense nesting!?) I also decided to break out our fall decor and do a little fall cleaning!!! It has finally been feeling a lot like fall here in NC lately and I am loving it!! Hubs seemed a little concerned/surprised that I was already breaking out the Fall decorations but like I told him-- If I didn't do it now then it might not get done until after Halloween (been there done that!) ha! :) I haven't taken any pics of that so I will try to get some on here soon :)

    Overall, very fun, productive day!! :) Now for a few sneak-peak pics of the nursery ;) (all pics from this post taken with the trusty iphone, sorry for the somewhat mediocre pic quality!)


    dont mind the mess and her carseat in the background ha


    Ta-Dah! :)

    Thursday, September 22, 2011

    last minute chaos!

    Thank you all for bearing with me as I am not able to blog everyday and life is crazy! (not to mention we don't have internet at our place as of yet)...Just to warn you this is a wordy post about my ups and downs as of lately...


    My mom has been in town for about the last week and we have had a BLAST!! We did lots of eating, shopping, working on the nursery/house, and she was even able to come to a doc apt with me on Monday for my 37 week check up (which I have yet to blog... oh my! so sorry! I'll get to work on that!).  I thank her and applaud her (and my hubby too) for putting up with my more-than-normal emotional/cranky self. The smallest thing/comment/ or advice can set me completely off... I seem to be a lot moodier as the time draws near and I TOTALLY blame the hormones this time and the stress of all things to come.  Lets not forget that I am absolutely, completely, head-over-heels excited to meet our baby girl and no matter what I am so so happy that she is nearly here!! :) (no rush, Raleigh Grace!)


    Last week I FINALLY decided to order RG's bedding and stroller.  When I went to order the stroller that goes with her car seat I found that literally EVERY site I looked at it was out of stock! I was getting really frustrated and then when I went to one site (I don't remember which one) it listed that my stroller was cancelled by the manufacturer! Whaaa?! It matches the car seat that I already have! I still figured I would contact Graco and try to see if maybe, just maybe, they were redesigning and I would be able to grab a "new" one sometime soon. Moving on for the time being, putting the stroller on the semi-back burner...
    the stroller I wanted... RIP :( ha




    Bedding-- Considering I am now 37 weeks I guess NOW would be a good time to order the bedding... I have been stalking it online for weeks months debating whether or not I wanted this one or that and if it was really what I wanted for the price (it was a little more than I wanted to spend realistically...).
    So ultimately I bite the bullet and say, lets go! I click on the crib bedding I want only to find that the one I finally decided on was on BACK ORDER!!!!!!!!!!! {insert pregnant lady screaming with anger almost forcing herself into labor- okay maybe not that intense but I was mad mad mad to say the least!-- even though this was my fault and could have been avoided if I wasn't so indecisive... blah blah blah.) I immediately pick up the phone to find out when this item on back order would in fact be available and if I need to again try to pick a different bedding.  Grr.  The people at Restoration Hardware were soo nice and told me that really the set was not on back order, only the crib skirt- and that it should arrive early October (um, I'm due Oct. 8th...).  I hang up with her frustrated that unfortunately I think that is pushing it a LITTLE too close.  I start thinking... and then I call them back just to see if I get a different answer and if maybe they can work a miracle for me there are any other options.  When I get them on the phone I have a bright idea and ask them if I can get all of the items except for the skirt now and just have them send the skirt when it is available... luckily, the lady I spoke with was super helpful and agreed! Wahoo- she also told me that I should expect the skirt late September (which if you ask me is now but definitely better than October ha!)  I also had created a baby registry there so I was able to get 10% off of  my order :) yay! That sort of made it worth the hassle. Bedding Ordered- CHECK! :) (pics from Restoration Hardware)










    Long story short-- the bedding came TODAY and I LOVE it!! It is sooo beautiful and I am so happy I went with it rather than the others! :) (more on that in another post :) )
    & I got an email today that the skirt should ship on the 23rd which means maybe I will have it next week! yes, yes, yes!! 


    And back to the stroller dilemma... my mom and I made a trip to Buy Buy Baby to look at all things baby and decided to ask the girl working there about my issue.  She told me that she wasn't sure but she would find out for me (if the stroller was discontinued for good or if it had been recalled and was coming back or what?).  She came back a few minutes later with some not so good news-- Graco had discontinued the stroller in the pattern I wanted and it was gone for good.  Basically speaking, if I still wanted it I would have to find a used on on ebay or craigslist or somewhere like that. UGH!  So now, what to do? Do I take my car seat back and start completely over with a new product so  I can have the matching stroller? Or keep the car seat I have and just buy a plain stroller frame (that is much cheaper than the other stroller) that will work with the infant carrier (basically until RG is a year old) and then buy whatever stroller I feel like since I will also be buying a toddler car seat at that point. Wheph- lots to think about and no, I did not make a decision that night ha!  I ended up coming home, thinking about it for a few days, realizing how much I loved my car seat, not wanting to change things up completely.  I emailed Graco asking about my stroller and they told me that they would be coming out with a new stroller in my pattern next year (um does that mean January or a year from now? I still don't know).  So I figure if in a year I still want that pattern I can get it then but for now we will just be using the light weight infant frame and I'm sure it will be perfect. 
    Raleigh Grace's car seat :)
    frame


    frame in use (not the infant carrier we have or want)


    I have now been trying to decide on a sleeping place for our sweet girl in our room until she moves to the crib in her room... I had planned on using a beautiful wood cradle that my uncle made me when I was a tot but with the move it is in storage and I figured it might just be easier to use a "pack-n-play" that has a changing table, place to keep diapers and wipes, and a bassinet.  I have narrowed my search down to about 3 different ones.  Originally, I had picked out the one that matches my car seat but I have come to realize there might be some out there that have more of the functions that I am looking for (ex: an actual infant sleeper seat instead of just the "bassinet" which in the pack-n-plays tends to mean the mattress is just moved higher up in the bed so  you don't have to reach down as far.)
    Check out some of the options:
    this one has a rocking infant seat where baby can sleep and is also removable (on left), a changing table (right) and a diaper/wipe compartment (far right) I'm "eh" about the pattern but the colors are gender neutral and it would match our brown/blue master bedroom where it would be most in the beginining.


    very similar to the above.  the infant sleeper does not rock on this one and isn't removed and placed somewhere else as easily (if  at all...  I can't remember off the top of my head right now)


    the pattern I LOVE and that matches my car seat-- it has the changing table but no infant seat.  It has the "bassinet" feature I was explaining which basically means the mattress is raised from the original position for easier access.


    So there you have it... I still do not know what to do and I need to make up my mind pretty soon considering Little Miss could make her debut any. day. now. gasp! :) I'm 37 weeks 5 days... that's almost  38 ya'll!!! :)

    Saturday, September 17, 2011

    Praying I don't go into Labor...

    Thursday we finally got the crib and changing table and yesterday my awesome hubby put them together  (yay!)  
    ...but now hubby goes backpacking for the weekend. Luckily my mamma is here, so happy to be spending time with her for only the 3rd time since I've been pregnant. Here's to hoping I don't go into labor before Sunday night when the hubster returns :)
     oh, PS-- I'm 37 weeks today!!! That's FULL term and means I am starting week 38... where has time gone!?!  
    Hope ya'll have a great weekend :)

    Wednesday, September 14, 2011

    36 weeks!!

    How far along? 
    36 1/2 weeks, 3 1/2 or less to go hopefully :)


    Size of baby: crenshaw melon-- 
    shes nearly 6lbs and 18 1/2 inches long!


    Weight Gain: ~13lbs

    Maternity Clothes
    yes and some of them are actually getting a bit small (mainly the tanks/tshirts...)

    Sleep: horrible! I have been fighting a sinus infection and over 48 hours I only slept for 4 hours... I'm talking, I fought trying to get to sleep so long that finally I just got up, turned the lights on and played online.  Sleep has still been hard to come by lately- I have been coughing so much my back and abs are sore, and I cough so much sometimes I gag myself.  It has NOT been fun to say the least.  Today is the first day I have felt a little better and last night I actually made it through the night without any coughing fits!! (I'm sure hubby was thankful as well!)

    Best Moment of this week: 
    my 36 week apt on Monday! :) Here is something I posted on facebook about the appointment:  
    36 week Dr apt went good- dilated one cm, head is down, everything looks great. Her head is sitting right on my cervix and with a couple good contractions I should be fully dilated!  If I go into labor now they won't stop me.He said all we need to be ready is a box, some tshirts, and diapers and we will be set. Then we told him it was a girl and he said oh nevermind- you need designer shoes and designer clothes, dresses, etc...then he told us to make sure we go out to eat and to the movies bc we won't be able to do that for awhile :) talk about good advice :)
     also, my aunt came down to hang out with me and took me shopping for some necessity type things... we had so much fun and she bought Raleigh Grace some wonderful new things that I can not wait to use (towels, washcloths, passy, diapers, bath wash, lotion, and the list goes on and on!! :) )
     
    Symptoms: 
    a full tummy, lots of rib pain- its almost like she has no where else to go now, also some weird vibration feelings really low in my pelvis.

    Braxton Hicks:
    ... not yet.

    Movement:
    lots of it! I can usually feel her punching me down low and kicking me up high... sometimes all at once-- I guess she is trying to stretch out? or maybe she is practicing being a gymnist? My aunt says that my tummy (when RG is moving) reminds her of a lava lamp... so true!! 

    Food cravings:  
    lots of H20 due to being sick... I had a weird craving for a fruit roll up the other day and that still sounds super good ha

    Aversions:  
    anything too "heavy"-- like big meals are just a turn off to me.  I def. can not eat as much as I have been eating

    What I miss: 
    bending over when I'm sitting or standing, getting out of bed easily, shaving my legs like a normal person (I can still do it but its such a chore!), my tummy not always feeling so "full" and hard, and overall, just NOT being sick :(

    Gender: 
     my sweet little princess! 

    What I'm looking forward to: 
    my mom is coming to stay with me for the weekend-- this is only the 3rd time I have seen her since I found out I was pregnant... I am sooo excited to spend some time with her!! :) 
    & nursery, nursery, nursery! 

    Bump: 

    36 weeks (at Grandaddy's house after celebrating my birthday!)

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    From Babycenter:
    How your baby's growing:
    Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.
    At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.


     How your life's changing: 
    Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!
    You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.
    Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.

    Couponing

    I have always enjoyed finding a good deal on things but with the show "Extreme Couponing" I have always had an urge to be oh-so-"extreme" haha!  I have always "couponed" but not really with a purpose-- if thats even what you call it...

    Anyways, a friend here shared with me this week that one of the grocery stores was tripling all coupons that were 99 cents and under.  I have also been saving all of the Sunday coupons from the paper for the last several weeks (thanks Aunt Donna!) and keeping them organized in a binder.  So today, I picked out a few that I knew would be tripled and things that I would actually use and headed to the grocery. 

    Here is what I ended up with:
    Total value: $76.03 Saved: $41.48 Spent: $34.55

    I spent a total of $34.55 and saved $29.14 in coupons and $12.34 with my store card...
    I'm not totally thrilled with what I did but hey, its a start and I really didn't put forth a lot of effort.  This is something that I really want to get good- and I mean reaaaal good- at as time goes on. I don't want to be one of those stock-piling crazies but I would like to save lots of moo-lah without having to spend a ton. 

    Do you coupon? What are your secrets? Any great tips I should pick up... as always, I am always anxious to learn :)

    Friday, September 9, 2011

    Friday Confessional

    Photobucket



    I confess...
    I have not slept the past 48 hours.
    -I think most of this has to do that I have felt like crap the past 3 (going on 4) days... not sure if it is allergies or getting a cold from the weather change (or both).  Regardless, it has left me with a sore throat, stuffy head/nose, runny nose, itchy throat, etc... not fun!
    -I also believe this to have something to do with me being 9 months pregnant... hello baby anxiety!
    *update: went to the doc and I have a sinus infection (JOY!) but at least now I'm nipping it in the bud :) hoping for a good night of rest tonight! *
    I confess...

    We are within a month of my due date. {{{WOWZER}}}
    I confess...
    We still do not have the nursery finished started... (see first confession)
    I confess...
    We have made great improvements on our house since moving in (more like K has!)
    I confess...
    I have almost given up on finishing unpacking even though the clutter is making me crazy.
    I confess...

    I have about 100 things I want to buy (either for me, house, K, or Raleigh Grace) but I can not convince myself to spend the money since I'm not working.
    I confess...
    My birthday is 5 days away and I can not wait! 
    I confess...
    I have not cooked a meal since we moved. (baking is a different story)
    I confess...
    My friends in texas are verrry missed! <3
    I confess...
    I can not wait to see my hubby in the role of daddy- he is going to be great!
    I confess...
    I can not wait to meet our little pumpkin that is always on the move these days (and I love it even when she punches or kicks a little too hard)!
    I confess...
    We are very blessed despite all the small stuff! :)
    &
    I can not wait to see what God is about to do in our lives!!! I am trusting in You today, God!

    What are your Friday confessions? Link up with Mamarazzi to join the fun!!
    Have a great weekend everyone! :)

    Thursday, September 8, 2011

    35 weeks! My honeydew! :)

    How far along? 
    35 weeks! 5 to go!



    Size of baby: Honeydew (woah that seems large)


    Weight Gain: ? 

    Maternity Clothes

    lets just assume yes from here on out ha! I dont think there is any going back now haha I tried on my pre-preg jeans and well lets just say they dont quite fit ha! 

    Sleep: pretty good... still just waking up about every 3 hours which is only once a night

    Best Moment of this week: 
    labor day weekend at the beach with my hubby! 
     
    Symptoms: 
    back pain hasnt been as bad... just bending over difficulty, getting super tired going up stairs, walking, etc..., feeling more pressure in my pelvis.


    Braxton Hicks:
    I dont think so ... not yet.

    Movement:
    more and more! Seems like she is always on the go and I LOVE it... also, I think this was the first week I have really felt her have the hickups :) felt like a heartbeat in my tummy but too slow to be mine or hers :) 
    Also, I love pushing on her feet and her moving them around :) !!!

    Food cravings:  
    Can't think of anything besides icecream and milkshakes haha Lately I am loving the Chick-fil-A's peach milkshake with chocolate syrup... the guy working there asked if I liked it (looking at my like I was crazy) but its delish I tell you haha!

    Aversions:  
    I'm just sick of eating Mexican food-- probably bc my family likes to go to Montereys about 2 or more times a week. ugh.

    What I miss: 

    being able to get up and down with ease, putting clothes on like a normal person, shaving my legs is super hard, and getting out of bed is such a chore!

    Gender: 

     LOVE LOVE LOVE my little Raleigh Grace sooo much :) can't wait to hold her and kiss her!!

    What I'm looking forward to: 
    getting the nursery painted so we can put the furniture in there... washing some of her clothes, hopefully seeing my mom sometime soon and my 36 week apt next week :)  
    Bump: 
    35 weeks :)

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    From Babycenter:
    How your baby's growing:
    Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
     How your life's changing: 
    Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress. If you're not grappling with these annoyances, you're one of the lucky few.
    From here on out, you'll start seeing your practitioner every week. Sometime between now and 37 weeks, she'll do a vaginal and rectal culture to check for bacteria called Group B streptococci (GBS). (Don't worry — the swab is the size of a regular cotton swab, and it won't hurt at all.) GBS is usually harmless in adults, but if you have it and pass it on to your baby during birth, it can cause serious complications, such as pneumonia, meningitis, or a blood infection. Because 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women have the bacteria and don't know it, it's vital to be screened. (The bacteria come and go on their own — that's why you weren't screened earlier in pregnancy.) If you're a GBS carrier, you'll get IV antibiotics during labor, which will greatly reduce your baby's risk of infection.
    This is also a good time to create a birth plan. Using our form will help you focus on specifics — like who'll be present, what pain management techniques you want to try, and where you want your baby to stay after you deliver. It will give you a starting point to discuss your preferences with your medical team. Childbirth is unpredictable, and chances are you won't follow your plan to the letter, but thinking about your choices ahead of time — and sharing your preferences with your caregiver — should take some of the anxiety out of the process.
     

    Labor Day Vacation at the Beach!

    Day 1
    Thursday I got my haircut (just a trip- it needed it so bad!) and then we headed to the beach!  I am so blessed to have this one lasssst long weekend at the beach with my hubby.  We arrived and the weather was just BEAUTIFUL-- I'm talking 82 degrees, sunny and breezy around 5pm! We hung out for a little bit around the house then went to dinner at a fun little place on a canal.  It was so nice outside that we sat on the back deck over the water and enjoyed a yummy dinner!

    Check out our neighbors dock!
    then dinner:
    our dinner view... we had some kind of jalapenos stuffed with crab meat and cheese
    the hubby
    K's dinner! :)
    my dinner :)

    After dinner K & I went driving around the island looking to see if there was any Irene damage and luckily there was nothing major.  We went to the inlet (the east end of the island) and decided to walk on the beach.  Before we got on the beach we noticed a deer track in the sand near a house-- how crazy is that (remember I said we are on an island!).


    We walked on the beach looking for some shells and found a few but not a lot-- K found a beautiful conch shell and I found a limpet-- that was always my dad's favorite shell and every time I am at the beach I try to find one :) . 


    As our walk went on the sun began to set and let me just tell you the sunset was absolutely breathtaking and we got some fun pictures :).  








    sunset & moon :)


    K also found the shell of a Horseshoe Crab!! I have never seen one in the wild like this- it was really neat.  So neat that K wanted to bring it home and we are going to offer it to the museum on the island.  
    rinsing off the crabby
    It still had a slight smell to it so he rode on a rubber car mat on the hood of the car haha! This totally cracked me up but it worked!

    We came home and relaxed and watched the Panthers (lose).  After the game we took a little ride to the Creamery where we enjoyed some yummy icecream! Raleigh Grace loved the cotton candy and K enjoyed some mint chocolate chip!
    he was in a rocking chair ha-- this was my best shot since I couldn't get him to stop rocking ha!

     Day 2
    Friday we just hung around the beach house and layed out by the beach- super relaxing and again the weather was beautiful!! Friday night, Baylor took on TCU for their season opener and it was ESPN... sadly we do not get ESPN at our beach house so we made a point to go somewhere Friday night that we could catch the game.  Before the game we went to dinner at a new little Irish Pub at the beach and then decided we would go to Chili's to watch the game.  When we got to Chili's there was an older man who was clearly having a good time-- saw our Baylor gear and get all excited... apparently he had just put 200 dollars on tcu to win! haha. The game was nothing short of EPIC... I mean the whole thing was just crazy exciting... we even had the rest of the bar cheering for us by the end and even a few people who stuck around to watch the ending of the game because it was just too exciting (the game didn't end until after midnight est!)  Baylor WON and boy was the ending great!! Check out the highlights of this game in the video below... this blows my mind that all of those plays were from ONE game and not all season. 
    GREAT JOB BEARS you totally made my weekend!!

    Day 3
    Saturday- we basically did nothing ha! We went to the beach, laid around! We were going to take my brother and his friend out tubing on our boat but for some reason right after we left the dock the boat started acting weird and eventually died at the end of the canal... luckily there was a nice neighbor who saw us stranded and towed us back to our dock.  We called the boat "doctor" and he came over to check it out.  Come to find out the gas we got Friday was about 1/2 water... MAJOR problem! Luckily we still had the reciept so they are fighting to get our $ back.  Not fun.  For dinner my brother grilled us hamburgers-- delish :)

    Day 4&5
    Sunday- More of the same- relaxed, went to the beach then went out to eat seafood... lovve lovve!  
    34 weeks 5 days! :)

    Hope you all enjoyed your vacation weekend :)

    Sunday, September 4, 2011

    2 years ago...

    I hope that all of you are enjoying your long Labor Day weekend! I sure am- be looking back for an update on that after the holiday! 

    I did had to take a minute to celebrate today...

    TWO YEARS AGO today.... I married the LOVE of my life!!! He is handsome, smart and makes me the happiest woman in the world!  :)  
    K, I LOVE YOU with ALL my HEART and can not wait to spend the rest of my life with you!! 
    xoxo

    our first kiss as Mr & Mrs!

    the beautiful historic courthouse in the background

    outside the courthouse


    our rings
    leaving :)

    where we made it official :)

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