Who are you going to be?

Hey baby girl,

Lately you have taken a liking to the top of my stomach.  You tend to push on my lungs and diaphragm; making it hard to breathe and a little bit painful.  But even when you are making things incredibly uncomfortable, you still keep everything fun.  Yesterday, you would kick and after every kicking fit, I would push back on you... a few seconds later, you would kick again.  Maybe you are playing a game, but I am guessing I just annoyed you.

While it's fun to tell you what you're doing in there, that's not why I am writing you today...

Earlier this week Daddy and I went to Dylan's t-ball game and Dylan seems to really enjoy it! But it got me to thinking...what are you going to like? Who are you going to look like?? Who are you going to be???

Your nana keeps talking about how you're going to be a tomboy athlete...that would be my luck!  I told Daddy about this and he looked at my belly and said "I don't think so... you're a girly girl.  The girliest girl, in fact!" At the dance recital, you kicked and twirled and flipped around when the music played, so I am guessing you like music.  Maybe you will be a musician? Or a dancer??

Realistically, I just want you to be happy.  I want you to always know I love you.  Even when I drive you crazy (because I will) you better know how important you are to me and how I will always be proud of you.  So dance your heart out, sing until you lose your voice, run until you're out of breath, play your dad's guitar until your fingers bleed, and paint until your canvas is full.  Whatever you do - just do it and enjoy it!

Your dear old mom has pretty high expectations for people, just ask your dad.  Unfortunately, I won't change that for you.  So do your best at everything you do and that's all I will ever ask.

There's only about 2 months until I meet you, little one. Part me is sitting here terrified and overwhelmed and the other part of me is ecstatic and overjoyed! Get here safely.

Love,

Momma

29 weeks!

 

1.  How far along? 29 weeks... already?!
2. Weight gain? 14 pounds 
3. Sleep? Bargain hunting me found a boppy maternity pillow at a yard sale this weekend for $2!! How on Earth was I sleeping without this thing?!?!
4. Best moments this week? Saturday was a busy day for me and belly... yard sales in the morning, dance recital, then errands and helping my cousin get ready for the prom!  But the best moment was when we were at the dance recital, Lainey went kick-crazy!! She must have heard the music or something because she was all over the place enjoying it!
5. Food cravings? Milk... is this weird? Cereal is becoming a staple meal to me and I love love LOVE a cold glass of milk these days.
6. Food aversions? Spicy foods and things with tomato sauce like pizza or spaghetti... all of which cause heart burn at a mere glance of the food.
7. Looking forward to? PBKids finally called... the last of Lainey's furniture will be delivered sometime on Saturday!  Once I get that chair in there, I can finally decide where to put a bookcase and how to do the art on the walls.  I am looking forward to creating some stuff for the walls too... I bought a print at Target and have since decided I don't think I like it.  I think I may be saving a blank wall for some nice newborn prints.
8. Milestones? Lainey's kicks are starting to feel more like jabs and glides. I guess she is starting to get crammed in there so things are starting to feel differently when she moves.
   
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: Just like I said last week.... nesting is starting to show it's ugly face in my house.  This weekend, I reorganized the linen closet AND my entire bathroom!  Who does that?!?
   On a more serious note, I have had another pregnancy thought in the last week or so.  I think I am actually healthier than I have ever been...ever. Even with eating not-so-good for you craving food and feeling like a fat cow, my blood works and levels all come back at healthier ranges than ever.  My weight may still be heavier than I would like, but my weight gaining is on track (and on the low side) and all in my belly.  My blood pressure is at an all-time low (hallelujah!) and I just got a call from the doctor about my glucose test.  After having a slightly elevated result for the 1-hour, I had to take the dreaded 3-hour test! AHH!! But my results are perfectly normal.  No gestational diabetes here!  I am going to challenge myself to keep this healthy streak and good feeling even after pregnancy! Go team Linda!!

Jessica ready for prom!

 

Art to light the room

No wanting to use an additional outlet in Lainey's room - because there aren't a lot in there, and most of them are getting covered with some kind of furniture, I wanted to think of a more creative way to make a night light for her... and me, really.  I would like to see a little bit when I walk into the nursery late at night.  

I thought about this for a while, and finally remembered that I had a vintage bird cage on top of my cabinet in the studio.  There had to be a way to use this in Lainey's bird-filled nursery.

Voila! An idea is born... turn the birdcage into a nightlight, but how??

Here's what I needed:
- Bird cage
- Glass candle holder
- Flameless candles (I chose some with a remote, so I could easily turn them on and off. I got them from Williams  Sonoma.)
- Something to put around the glass to keep it from wiggling too much.  The birds on the cage made it hard to get something to fit flush in there, so I needed to fill the space a little bit.  I chose the floral garland
- Some sort of filler for the glass for the candles to sit down in (I chose coffee beans because they darkened it a little bit and fill the room with a nice smell for now.)
Here's what I did:
- Measured the interior of my birdcage to make sure I got the right size glass
- Set the glass dish into the bird cage
- Wrapped the garland around the glass until I ran out of it
- Poured a bag of coffee beans in there
- Set the candles where I liked them

I haven't decided where I am going to put it in her room yet.  I'd like to hang it somehow, but am also keeping the option of just setting on the bookshelf in the running.  Stay tuned for the full nursery reveal to see where it ends up.

28 weeks!

 Sorry for missing a post last week... work got crazy and I got distracted... but back to your regularly scheduled program.
 

1. How far along? 28 week... what's up, third trimester?
2. Weight gain? When I weighed myself over the weekend, it was 13 pounds. 
3. Sleep? Sleeping  at night it becoming harder, but napping is never hard for me.
4. Best moments this week? Well I am a day late on this week's survey because I was hoping to have a big moment to share this week.  But nevertheless, Lainey is her a momma's child and decided yesterday during the ultrasound appointment would be the perfect time to be a brat and not show herself AT ALL in the 3d/4d ultrasound.  Yep, that's right - not at all.  I got to see the back of her head, a rib, and a heartbeat.  Yes... the heart beating was cool to see, but really, Lainey! You couldn't let me and daddy see who you are starting to look like?!
5. Food cravings? I am a breakfast food junkie
6. Food aversions? Spicy foods...they give me some crazy heartburn these days
7. Looking forward to? I suppose the next thing we are going to start looking forward to is the rest of the nursery furniture finally arriving.  PBKids notified us that the chair and ottoman are delayed until the end of the month, so it will likely be June before it gets here.  We can also start counting down to are second attempt at the 3d/4d ultrasound. ha!
8. Milestones? We have made it to the third trimester! Holy shit where has the time gone?!
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: I think nesting is starting to settle in, which is going to drive my husband cuh-razy! I feel overwhelmed with it though because I don't know where to put stuff as I "clean."  I am seriously considering bringing in a cleaning lady the week or so before Lainey is due just so I don't have to deal with it all!
   

27 weeks!

1. How far along? 27weeks
2. Weight gain? I forgot to weigh in this morning...
3. Sleep? Sleep is a hit or miss it seems lately.  Some nights I can get some awesome sleep and others, I get up every hour or 2 and just can't get comfy.
4. Best moments this week? I have 2 special moments this week... okay, maybe 3!
   My wonderful acorn sent me flowers for mother's day! Well... let's be real... she didn't send them, but someone put her name on the card, that's for sure!  Big thanks to Aunti M and Gilby for helping Lainey be a sneaky squirrel.
   
   When I was laying on the bed, Philip laid his head on my belly and jokingly said "I don't hear her." I laughed and said, "She can hear you now though, so you should talk to her."  Instead of talking to her, he began to hum songs to her.  She went crazy! She started kicking and wiggling all over the place.  She must love (or hate) the sound of the humming music coming from her daddy.  For now, however, we are going to say she loves it!
   
   And finally... Philip asked me a question about my glucose test from Friday and I was having a hard time to explaining it.  Soooo I looked at him and said, "You know what? Read this." And handed him What to Expect and opened it to the glucose test section.  I love that he wants to know and understand everything that is going on.
5. Food cravings? Sour candy is starting to make a come back...
6. Food Aversions? No, not really.  I get full a lot quicker now, I guess with Lainey taking up more room in there.  So I may avoid eating some stuff all together, but not because it makes me sick - I just don't have room for it!
7. Looking forward to? Our 3d/4d ultrasound!  It's scheduled for next week and I can't wait to see what baby girl is starting to look like!
8. Milestones? Tonight we start birthing/lamaze classes at the doctor's office.  I am really not sure if these are necessary or helpful, but we will see.  In the least, it will be nice to get a different perspective on what's coming.
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: I am starting to feel pressure to get organized and start making some real decisions, which is quite overwhelming.  My to do list is getting bigger right along side my belly.  I contact HR today about my medical/maternity leave and have already had to reply two more times with extra questions! Just seems like a lot and there's no guide to tell me what needs to be done first! 
   

Le Petit Prince

When I was in high school, we had to read The Little Prince in French.  Ever since then, it has remained one of my favorite stories.

Hopefully this weekend, I will be able to start reading Le Petit Prince to Lainey.  She has been wiggling all the time lately, and this morning, she kicked at the sound of her daddy's voice.  I know she can hear us, she just has no idea what we are saying to her. Ha!  One thing is for sure though, we say "I love you" as often as possible to baby girl so I hope she knows how much she means to us already.

So let this entry mark the beginning of our journey through the little prince's world... a little bit at a time.

26 weeks!

1. How far along? 26weeks
2. Weight gain? Holding strong at 10 pounds
3. Sleep? Same prognosis as last week... these allergies are killing my sleep!!
4. Best moments this week? My best moments are all the kicks this little girl is giving me!! I feel her throughout the day and it's a fun and heart warming reminder that she's my baby girl and I'm gonna be her momma.
5. Food cravings? Sausage and egg biscuit anyone??
6. Food Aversions? Nothing crazy... I am just hoping with all these yummy fruits coming into season that I still like the taste of them.
7. Looking forward to? Starting a new book with Lainey.  I think I mentioned it before, but if not, I will tell you.  My friend Blair has been reading Peter Pan with her baby girl, Hadley.  And while Hadley is still too little to understand the story, I know she enjoys the sound of her mother's voice.  So I have decided that Lainey and I are going to start reading The Little Prince one chapter at a time.
8. Milestones? I made it all day Saturday without complaining of being tired while on my shopping extravaganza.  Now, this may sound petty you all, but to me, it's big! I am the girl who is worn out by the littlest things these days... so to be able to make it ALL day - walking around and carrying on - is great to me!  I will admit, however, that body hated me once I got home! ha!! I got home, fed the dogs, and sat on the couch... where I stayed most of the night.  My back was wore out and in pain, but it was nothing a little sleep and rest couldn't fix.
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: I am pretty sure this belly gets bigger every day; I have said that before. But I am almost positive that baby girl had a growth spurt over night and that my belly is MUCH bigger today than it was yesterday!!