38 Weeks

Merry Christmas! - didn't realize the belly was covering this weeks message!! LOL

How far along? 38 weeks, 3 days

Maternity clothes?  Yes sir – although at this point I’m starting to veer away from anything of my pants that come over the belly – I’m living in my maternity yoga pants…..

Stretch marks?  None!  Finished off my final jar of belly butter and have decided not to invest in another – still lathering up at least once a day with some type of lotion though to keep that area smooth and soft! J

Sleep?  REALLY starting to decline….waking up more often to visit my best friend, the bathroom.  Tossing and turning and having the weirdest of dreams.  Making the most of it though and thankful to be off of work during this week (and some of the next) so that I can nap here and there when I need to!

Best moment this week?  Christmas!  We had a great Christmas this year and despite not being here for the event Baby Laws still made out like a bandit!  Got some super cute State gear and a wonderful handmade and painted blanket from Grandma Laws!
I also got to see one of my preggo bestie’s from Florida, Jennifer.  She had her baby shower this week and our babies got to meet for the very first time!  We can’t wait for them to meet in real life once Brennan arrives in February! J 

Movement?  Baby on the move 24/7!

Miss anything? I am really missing my old sleeping positions this year – it has been kinda rough and my right side is WAY over me abusing it every nite for hours on end….I want my stomach sleeping back!!!

Food cravings?  Nah…..preggo myth….

Exercise?  I haven’t exercised in while but I always get the urge to….hoping to make it at least one day this week but at this point I’m okay with giving myself a free pass till the end – I mean we’re super close…

Gender? We’ll find out in 2 weeks!!!

Symptoms? Swollen feet….nuff said...

Rings on or off?  2 are off and 1 is on….although just for fun I try my wedding rings on every couple days….ironically enough they fit at the end of the day but my fingers are stubborn in the morning and it makes me nervous to put them on then….I was able to get them on for a little bit today and that made me smile!  J

Heels or flats? Mostly flats  but still able to rock one pair of boots with a heel – although when I wear these Bill has to help me take them off at the end of the day.  LOL  Also it doesn’t matter what type of shoe I wear – if I have to pull them on it is ALWAYS a task……

Belly button in or out? FLAT!

Mood - happy or moody most of the time? One happy momma!  Also one emotional momma….

Looking forward to?  Now that I’m on weekly doc appointments I am always looking forward to going at the end of the week.  I’m sooo anticipating getting that one report that says things are on the move!!! 

Baby Laws' homemade cradle (of love)...

Baby Laws is one lucky lil baby.....last week he/she received a homemade cradle from Grandpa Laws!  This cradle is hand made and absolutely gorgeous people!  Baby Laws will spend his/her first couple weeks in this cradle (of love) before making the transition to the crib.  Baby Laws (as well as Mommy and Daddy) are lucky to have Grandpa Laws - he also helped put together the furniture in the nursery! J

Here are a couple pics of the cradle craftsmanship!

36 Weeks

How far along? 36 weeks
Maternity clothes?  Yup – still loving the maternity wardrobe!
Stretch marks?  Zip – Zero - Zilch! Looking at the bottom of my belly butter and debating on buying another one….
Sleep?  My nites of sleeping all the way through are starting to dwindle….I find myself now waking up sometime between midnight and 3 and then again at my normal time of 5am…. BUT other than those quick ‘breaks’ I’m still getting some really good shut eye!
Best moment this week?  Crossing off items on my list!  As we make the final preparations for Baby Laws it has been so great to see progress as I make red lines through the final tasks we have left! 
I am now on weekly doctor visits – as usual I got to hear our baby’s heart beat (156 this time – must not have liked the midwife pushing around on him/her!) and found out that baby is in the right position!  I also learned that he/she still has some cooking time left and won’t be making a grand entrance anytime soon!
Movement?  This is a busy, busy baby!  Moving morning, noon and nite!  J
Miss anything? I miss my shoe collection!!  I’ve been switching back and forth between some black suede boots and my brown moccasins…. I’m totally missing be able to just pick an outfit and then find the right shoes to match RATHER than picking out the shoes and planning the outfit around them…its hard!
Food cravings?  Nope – although trying to stay away from anything salty that sounds good at the moment….these poor legs/ankles/feet can’t take it!
Exercise?  None this week as I was busy crossing things off my list….maybe I should add, ‘get to gym’ on my list and I’ll make it next week – only to get the satisfaction of crossing it off after I complete it!
Gender? ??????? – see this week's pic.  I'm still loving the predictions AND even though a healthy baby is my #1 priority I am totally on Team Girl…
Symptoms? Swollen feet still top the list and I believe that they will for the final weeks….
Rings on or off?  I have taken off my wedding and engagement rings and am wearing a band that I found from the top of a perfume bottle – it looks like a real wedding eternity band though!  Still able to rock my Tiffany mesh ring though – so I would say 1 outta 3 at 36 weeks isn’t bad?!
Heels or flats? Ugh – see the Miss Anything section!  Although I was able to rock a pair of heeled boots the other day!  I seriously felt like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz when I got them on as I immediately heard Glenda say, “There they are and there they’ll stay” as I knew those suckers weren’t coming off until the end of the day!
Belly button in or out? FLAT!
Mood - happy or moody most of the time? I am extremely happy but as the weeks countdown I find myself getting a tad more emotional about the tiniest things…..
Looking forward to?  Finishing up my holiday prep (95% done!) and working my last week of the year!  And of course hearing our baby at the next weekly appointment!  J

Week 35

I'm taking the week off of belly pics and have decided to dedicate this week's post to Baby Laws' completed nursery.  Besides - my belly really hasn't changed from last week...  A LOT has happened this week so I'll share those stories and moments with next weeks belly post.

We have a completed (despite a few drawers still being empty) nursery people!  I am in love with this nursery and if it wouldn't look strange would paint my bedroom with the exact same color and striped wall....!  I can not WAIT to bring this baby into the world and introduce him/her to this room! It came out exactly as I envisioned it!

 We went with a licorice (black) finish on our furniture.  The crib will convert into a toddler bed and then eventually a full size bed!  The rocking chair (holding this week's chalk board) was the rocking chair used to rock me when I was a baby!

34 Weeks

This weeks mess of a photo is brought to you by an 8 1/2 month preggo that thinks an hour kickboxing class is still a good idea!  LOL

How far along? 34 weeks, 5 days

Maternity clothes?  Ummm yeah….90% of the time.  When I am still able to rock a pre-maternity anything piece the squeal that comes out of me causes my dog, Zoey, to join in – it’s quite a comical part of our morning routine!  It’s funny I was thinking back about the early weeks of my pregnancy and when I first bought maternity clothes at 19 weeks – then I was a ‘dabbler’, now I would consider myself a ‘full time subscriber’!  LOL

Stretch marks?  Nope – I have been blessed by Mimi on many levels!  J

Sleep?  No complaints – it’s still hard in those first few minutes of trying to get cozy but once I fall into that sleep pattern I’m good.  That is until I (briefly) wake up and have to enter my ‘turtle mode’ to switch sides – this takes me about 5 minutes to do: first minute; thinking about the motions and dreading them, minutes 2-3; performing the actual ‘flip’, minute 4; getting cozy on the new side/new position, minute 5; getting back into REM….  J

Best moment this week?  A couple…. 1) 34 week check up – things are looking great and I am loving the midwife that I have been seeing lately – fingers and toes crossed that she’s the one that shows up on the big day!  2) We are nesting people!  Made 5 great meals to freeze with my girlfriend, Sarah, which will start the freezer dinner stock pile for 2013!  3)  My work threw Baby Laws the most amazing baby shower!  It was so great and made me (and Bill) feel super blessed.  It makes me feel good to know that the people I work with are not just co-workers, but great friends too!  I can NOT wait to bring Baby Laws into the office so he/she can meet them!  J

Movement?  OMG…this baby is ca-razzzy!  He/she certainly favors the (my) right side of my belly – the other nite he/she was so snuggled up to that side, it caused my belly to completely slant over that way!  It was pretty crazy to see and I wish I would have snapped a pic of it.

Miss anything? I miss being able to sit through ANYTHING and not have to excuse myself to visit my new bestie, the bathroom. I swear on some days I walk out the bathroom and then am right back in there within in 15-20 minutes!  I’m also missing some adult beverages – what I wouldn’t give for a Miller Lite, Blue Moon – with orange of course, coffee (with caffeine) and Baily’s & Kahlua….

Food cravings?  None – cravings are for the birds!

Exercise?  I have been bad the last 2 weeks and haven’t done any extra exercise except for walking around while at work –my walk to and from the car is pretty long and I try to take the stairs whenever possible but it’s getting harder to make it up more than one flight without having to catch my breath!  I hope to get back to the gym next week!

Gender? When we know, you’ll know!  J

Symptoms? Ugh – SWOLLEN feet!  2 days this week these feet were outta control – I wouldn’t have been able to fit my sneakers on and go for a walk if I wanted to!  I have since added a 4^th pillow to the my side of the bed down by my feet so that I can ‘attempt’ to keep them elevated throughout the nite to cut down on the swelling.

Rings on or off?  One would think that if I’ve got crazy swollen feet I would be experiencing the same effect on my hands.  This is certainly NOT the case – my fingers are fine and my rings are still on each and every day – still off at nite for just in case purposes…

Heels or flats? I think that I might just have to retire the heels for this last month and a half….although I will certainly try them on when an outfit insists!  Most days I’m planning my outfit around what shoe I can fit on my feet…  LOL

Belly button in or out? Flat as a pancake!

Mood - happy or moody most of the time? I’m still one happy momma.  Don’t get me wrong – I still experience the occasional breakdown but I haven’t had a single thing to complain about and I’ll be damned if I start now!

Looking forward to?  We’ve got furniture people!  Just got the word hours before posting this weeks blog and I’m soooo super excited to get it in and set up in the baby’s room.  I literally wanted to leave work as soon as I got off the phone and pick up the furniture myself!  I can’t wait to get everything organized and show off the finished room!  J

33 Weeks

The diapers and wipes in this weeks picture came from the awesome friends and family that attended Bill's Diaper Party last week!  

How far along? 33 weeks

Maternity clothes?  Yup – I found the BEST maternity stretch pants from Old Navy, I bought 2 pairs and you can usually find me in them after work and EVERY weekend! 

Stretch marks?  Nada – I don’t anticipate getting any at this point but keeping a close relationship with my belly butter just in case.

Sleep?  I’m taking in all the advice on resting when I can in these last weeks so I’m happy to report that I have been getting some good sleep in!

Best moment this week?  Getting closer to the nursery being complete!  This week the room has been cleaned from carpet to ceiling and the closet is ready for Baby Laws wardrobe (you’d be surprised to learn that there isn’t much in there yet – waiting till Baby arrives so I don’t have to do a lot of returns!).  Just waiting for the furniture to come in….I’m not freaking out, I’m not freaking out!
Oh and we asked the Godparents this week!  Both accepted and I’m really excited about our selections…  J

Movement?  For sure!  Moving as I type up this week’s blog!

Miss anything? Occasionally I miss bring able to sit comfortably, sleep comfortably (although this hasn’t really disrupted my sleep) and just be comfortable.  Most times I can’t really complain too much but other times I get super frustrated.  Most times it’s after I’ve eaten and I just can’t find that right comfy sitting position.  I also miss being able to get up (from any position) these days.  I tell Bill all the time that if I wind up on my back I often feel like a turtle – I can’t seem to get up and it takes me a while to be able to roll over to a side in order to get up!  LOL

Food cravings?  Nope I firmly believe (as stated last week) that cravings are a myth.  However, my Thanksgiving feast was super yummy this year!!

Exercise?  Keeping up the best I can and happy to say that I still have the energy to work out!

Gender? It’s a surprise till the end!  J

Symptoms? Swollen feet came back one day this week – I couldn’t even get my shoes on….er well the boots that matched my outfit that is… thankfully this occurred on a day where as far as I’m concerned, shoes were optional!  J

Rings on or off?  Still on!  I found a backup ring in my jewelry box that I brought out just in case but I don’t see myself having to utilize it yet!  Yay!

Heels or flats? Yup – Still able to rock most of my shoe selection – this would be debatable by a few close friends but 8 toenails or not I’ll continue to rock what I can, when I can and when fashion says I should!  LOL

Belly button in or out? Flat!

Mood - happy or moody most of the time? Happy!  Seeing lots of progress being made can’t bring this Mommy down right now!

Looking forward to?  We have a maternity photo shoot scheduled for next week!  I can’t wait to see what the photographer comes up with and I’ve already got my own ideas and props set aside!!  I’ll share these with you in the next couple of weeks – hoping they come out as envisioned!  

2 Shades of Gray...the makings of a nursery

Last week I shared that my dad had finished painting the nursery.  It looks AMAZING and he did such an amazing job.  I'm super thankful that he enjoys (and is good at) painting....so far he has painted almost every room in my house, the kitchen twice!!  LOL

We decided to go with a gender neutral color on the walls because we do not know if Baby Laws is a boy or girl.  I didn't want to go with a boring taupe color so we settled on gray!  Boy, is gray a hard color to settle on - you are either get a touch of blue or a touch of purple - I kept telling people I just wanted a touch of black!  Needless to say that we went through 2 shades of gray - the first shade that went up carried a blue tint and I wasn't too happy with it.  The second shade leans more toward the purple family but in the end we stuck with it - it matched the other grays I have perfectly and it isn't that purple... Here's a sneak peak and you can judge for yourself!  :)

Here's what the room looked like before - all four walls where that peachy, taupe, orange-ish color....

Here's the first shade of gray.....

And, here is the final look!  Pardon the clutter in the way - I'll be posting more pics once the furniture is in and set up so you can get the complete look!  I'm super excited!!  J

32 Weeks

The new picture background is brought to you by a freshly painted (and completed) nursery!!

How far along? 32 weeks, 6 days

Maternity clothes?  Yuppers – at this point there is nothing more comfortable than that stretchy band around my belly.  I recently did just a little bit of shopping and was happy to learn that I am still able to rock my regular sizes at Old Navy when it came to dresses -snagged a super cute sweater dress for the holidays!  J

Stretch marks?  None!  I recently learned that my mother didn't get any for either of her pregnancies so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the amazing genes I've inherited keep up the good work of keeping them away for another 8 weeks (well almost 7 now!)

Sleep? I can’t really complain about my sleep – it’s pretty good in comparison to the stories I've read or hear about.  I have only had a problem with falling asleep 2 nites this week and it wasn't even that awful – I most likely only laid there for an additional 15 minutes after the hubby fell asleep which in my mind is not complaint worthy.  I’m still able to make it through (most) nites without getting up and if/when I do I can easily fall back asleep without issues…. I've gotten used to my new sleep positions which I’m sure helps too!

Best moment this week?  The nursery is painted!!!  I can’t wait to give you all a sneak peak of the paint job – my dad did an AMAZING job and it’s just as I envisioned it!  I LOVE it and I’ll post some pics soon!!
I had my 32 week appointment this week and as always got to hear the beating of lil Laws’ heart (result = 147)!

Movement?  Oh yeah – this baby is a mover and a shaker…..Bill and I find ourselves mesmerized by the movement of my belly – we can NOT stop staring at it (even when at church!) when it starts to wiggle and dance!  LOL

Miss anything?  I miss being able to just eat when attending events and not having to worry about how things are prepared.  Especially with the holiday season coming up this is a big one – I’ve been really good about making sure that I’m not eating foods that I’ve read can be harmful.  This isn’t to say that I haven’t gotten more lenient about certain things since the beginning of my pregnancy (because I for sure have) but it will be nice when I don’t have to worry about it at all!  Also topping this list: greatly missing adult beverages (of all sorts) and that bending over/down motion will most likely remain (and get worse) on this list for the duration of my pregnancy.

Food cravings?  None – I think that this whole cravings thing is for a sure a myth and what people make of it….maybe even an excuse or two (yeah, I know that will get me some dirty looks from people). Things that have tasted good this week: a Red Robin cheeseburger, my always favorite Taco Bell and I wouldn't be sad if another bag of powdered donuts appeared in my cart when I go to the grocery store later on…

Exercise?  Not this week L  Thankfully not because I physically can’t but b/c I was on vacation this week and when I wasn't running errands for baby prep, I was taking advantage of the (much deserved) down time!

Gender? Place your bets – boy or girl!?  While my suspicions screamed boy early on, with 8 weeks (almost 7!) to go I am leaning more towards a girl.  What in the world will Bill do in a house full of ALL girls (2 human, 1 furry)!?!?!

Symptoms? The swollen feet symptom has taken a break from visiting as of lately – thank you Jesus!  Back aches at the end of the day and when I’m trying to nestle into my sleeping position, shortness of breath –(especially when this little one gets a good kick into my ribs!) and the bathroom continues to be my best friend!  LOL
Oh and I was told that I MUST mention the fact that I have lost my 2 pinky toe nails….I believe that this is due to the fact that I have so far refused to give up my heels and other fashionable shoes!  Not to worry though the nail isn't completely lost – it’s a very weird symptom by far!

Rings on or off?  ON – starting to feel a little tight some mornings and I’ll notice some small indentations on these days…. Just hoping that I can make it a couple more weeks before having to keep them off AND also that the cold weather that is coming will help out with any extra swelling….they say that your fingers actually shrink in the cold weather right??

Heels or flats? D.) All of the above.  I love the fact that I can still wear my most favorite pair of black booties (and yes they are at least 3 inch heels)!

Belly button in or out? Still FLAT!!  Wondering if it will eventually poke out in the next couple of weeks…?

Mood - happy or moody most of the time? Happy, I wouldn't say moody – at least not ‘mean’ moody.  For sure pretty emotional – even the silliest of things can cause me to produce tears.

Looking forward to?  Thanksgiving is next week!  Seeing how I won’t be seeing my Bay City family or my brother this year at Christmas time, I’m really looking forward to spending time with them.  I’m also eagerly anticipating the call from BuyBuy Baby on the whereabouts of Baby Laws’ furniture – I can’t wait to get that set up and organized!

31 Weeks

How far along? 31 weeks, 5 days

Maternity clothes?  Yup and loving them!  Although I’m happy to remote that I’m STILL able to fit into some pre-maternity tops!

Stretch marks?  Nada and believe me – I do a thorough check as I’m lathering up with my belly butter!

Sleep? Sure – I’m loving the addition of the 3^rd pillow, although the bed seems to be getting smaller.  I’m able to sleep throughout the nite lately with minimal tossing this week – which I’m extremely thankful for!  My first wake up seems to be around 4/4:30am.

Best moment this week?  This past week we toured the hospital that we will delivery Baby Laws at.  Although it brought back that ‘it’s getting really real!’ feeling it also brought a lot of comfort.  One thing I LOVED about the baby wing was that they play a lullaby throughout the halls when baby is delivered – too sweet!
We also put together the baby's stroller this week - I LOVE it and I can't wait to get this baby into it and push him/her around!  If I'm being honest I did push it around the house for a bit before folding it up (it's super easy!) and putting it away. J

Movement?  Yuppers – happy to report not ALL nite though so I’m able to get some shut eye.  This baby has got some super strong kicks so I’m already thinking about the many activities he/she can get into.  Bill and I have already agreed that boy or girl this little one just might be the kicker on the football team!!  LOL

Miss anything?  Being able to easily make that bending motion continues its reign on top of the list this week.  Now that the weather is changing and the holidays are coming up (fast) I already know that I will really miss sipping coffee with Bailys & Kaluha with my bestie, Makenzie…  L

Food cravings?  Nah….somehow during our weekly shopping trip a bag of powdered donuts make their way into our cart – it really wasn't me!  However I was pleased that they did b/c they were super yummy and I was said when they were gone.  However I’m not craving them and rushing out the store to get another bag.

Exercise?  I am determined to exercise all the way to the end.  This week consisted of a 3 mile treadmill date and a 1 hour zumba class!  Yippee for working out!

Gender? Only the man upstairs knows!

Symptoms? Still get the swollen feet at the end of the day, back aches from time to time, I get out of breath doing the simplest things – even after just eating!, and the bathroom is for sure my best friend!

Rings on or off?  ON and there isn't any inclination (at this point) that they will have to stay off!

Heels or flats? Pregnant in heels, flats and boots!  I’m so happy that I’m still able to rock my favorite shoe styles and it takes EVERY ounce of my being NOT to buy any new shoes at this point – I would have to buy something and then not be able to wear them again, that would be a travesty! 

Belly button in or out? This belly button is neither in or out – it is FLAT!  LOL  Not really sure if it will get pushed out or not…

Mood - happy or moody most of the time? Thank goodness I was able to reign in my emotions from last week.  I still have moments from time to time but over all this week I have been once happy momma!

Looking forward to?  We are finally beginning work on the baby’s room!  I can’t wait to see my vision come to life.  Our furniture hasn't come in yet but we are going to get started on the décor and organizing all of Baby Laws’ gifts!