Wee One Wednesday: 37 Weeks

Full term! Full term! Baby Lu is officially full term! 

It's funny because even though I feel like I've been pregnant for 62 years, it is also so surreal to know that I have gone from this to this...

...in 9 short months. And for the record, I definitely think my belly looks bigger in person than in these 37-week pics. 

While some of my most recent days have felt very long and uncomfortable, it is also so hard to fathom that I am already here, nearing the very end of my third pregnancy. My second trimester seemed to come and go in the blink of an eye, and the busy-ness of watching two littles with a traveling hub while trudging through the last 9+ months really has made the whole pregnancy ordeal a pretty quick one for this Momma. Physically, I am definitely ready to be D.O.N.E. being pregnant. But. Emotionally and mentally? Not quite yet. I am happy to report, however, that as of last weekend, the nursery is officially complete and ready for occupancy! And my belly is just about out of room for occupancy:

Size of the Baby: We got to see Baby Lu last week, at my 36-week ultrasound. A few things were confirmed: (1) Most importantly, the baby looks perfectly healthy, praise the Lord; (2) The baby is waaaaaaaaaaay low, so much so that he/she was hiding his/her face from any cute ultrasound photos; (3) The baby was measured to be around 6 pounds, 13 ounces at that point, with an estimate of being around 8-ish pounds when he/she is delivered at 39 weeks exactly; (4) I am not dilated at all, which hopefully means I'll make it to that 39-week delivery day. It was so fun having my hub and two littles at the appointment with me, for our last in-belly glance at Baby Lu. 

According to babycenter.com, at 37 weeks, Baby Lu now weighs approximately 6 and 1/3 pounds (not this baby!) and is a bit over 19 inches long (not this baby!), about the size of a bunch of Swiss chard. I don't know what Swiss chard is, but it doesn't sound very appetizing. I mean, chard? What in the world is that?  

Symptoms:  Well, the thought of sleeping through the night is a joke at this point. I wake up every night, have a bowl of Lucky Charms, and then try to go back to sleep quickly. Sometimes it happens. Sometimes it doesn't. Also, heartburn/indigestion is pretty regular these days, and sadly, so is daily nausea. I never had any of the latter with Banks or Raleigh during third trimester, but it stinks. I'm guessing it's because the baby is so low that he/she is putting some weird pressure on my stomach or something? But blech. It is no fun. Also, fatigue, back pain, and a heavy belly are regulars at this point, as expected. 

Movement: This continues to be a very strong baby, with the movements still making me suddenly gasp in pain at random points throughout the day, again very different than it was with Banks and Raleigh, when the movements never felt painful. As always, though, I love these movements and will really miss them after pregnancy. 

Sleep: As mentioned above, insomnia is part of my nightly routine. But. I am thankful that I am able to sneak in a couple of naps over the week, when I become especially tired during the day.

What I Miss: Not having to think twice about whether it's worth it to stand up. Not being short of breath. Being able to run around with my kiddos. Having a day without nausea. And, duh, adult bevs. 

Cravings: Raw broccoli and carrots. Cheese and crackers. Southern cookin'. Caramel Cadbury Eggs. 

The Belly:

I am headed out for my last OB/GYN appointment in a couple hours. Crazy! And please come on back for my LAST WEE ONE WEDNESDAY POST next week!!! See you then!

To My Duo

Dear Banks and Raleigh, 

The time has almost come. The day has almost arrived. The moment that our family will grow by one more. The minute that you will become a big brother (again!) and a big sister (for the first time!). 

Adding another member to our family brings it's own set of Momma fears and questions along with it: 

• How will I continue to make sure that each of you get your own, special, individual Momma time on a regular basis?

• How will you react when I can't immediately respond to your requests when I'm nursing or soothing a fussy baby or recovering from my surgery?

• How will you respond to having to share Momma and Daddy's attention with a new little one in the house? 

• Will I do a good enough job of staying present and active and focused on the two of you while also learning to be a Momma-of-three, especially during these first, trying, sleep-deprived months? 

• Will you love the new baby as much as you love each other? 

And so many more. But. You know what? I am a very lucky, very blessed Momma. Because I just so happen to be the Momma to both of YOU. Which automatically calms so many of my fears. 

You see, I have never, ever seen two children more excited about adding another baby to the family. Never. 

Banks, you are an incredibly kind and protective big brother, such a sensitive little boy, without an aggressive bone in your body. You are constantly watching out for your Raleigh Jane, and I know you will do the same with our new baby. Your curious and caring nature have made this pregnancy so fun for me, as you ask questions about the baby, rub my belly, and talk sweetly to our new little one. And I am not exaggerating when I say that Baby Lu responds most to the sound of your voice. I know this baby just adores you already! I cannot wait to see you cradling our new baby in your arms and proudly continuing to be Momma's helper as we welcome our new family member. This baby is so blessed to have such an amazing big brother, and I cannot wait to watch all of your adventures together as they unfold. 

Raleigh, you absolutely light up, from the inside-out, when you are around babies. You want to hold and nurture and love and care for any and every baby you see. You smile so proudly when carefully cradling a baby in your arms and innately know to offer pacis and toys to keep the baby happy. It is absolutely amazing how nurturing and loving you are, and I have no doubt you will be the best big sister imaginable, exceeding even my wildest dreams of what I hoped you would be as you take on this new role. Our Baby Lu is so, so very lucky to have you as a big sister, Rals, and I cannot wait to see your relationship, your best friendship, grow and blossom over the years as you grow together with your new sibling. 

So. Even though our world is about to turn upside down, we'll navigate it together as a family. We'll transition and adjust and welcome the changes and challenges as they come, together. We'll grow and change, together. We'll make mistakes together, and we'll make progress together. We'll become a family of five, together. 

Thank you, my beautiful, precious, perfect babies, for being YOU. For coming into my life. For reminding me daily of what life is really all about. And for already making our new baby feel so loved and welcomed. 

I am one blessed Momma. 

With All My Heart, 

Momma

Five On Friday: Mean Momma Edition

Hey y'all! I'm back again for another "Five On Friday" post to talk about a few current randoms from the week. Off we go!

[ONE]

I have felt so spoiled, too spoiled, by all the kindness my sweet family and friends have shown as I reach the end of my pregnancy with Baby Lu. I think it's true what they say: It takes a village to raise a child. And at this point, it takes a village to get through pregnancy with Baby #3. Ha! Seriously. I could not feel more blessed or thankful for the wonderful people in my life. Case in point: I received the coolest surprise in the mail from my sweet sister-in-law, Amanda, a couple days ago: A cupcake in a jar! She ordered it from an etsy seller, Bakezerker, and y'all. Ohmygoodgracious. There are no words for how DELICIOUS that thing was. No words. I scarfed it down and then watched my belly dance as Baby Lu enjoyed all that scrumptious sugar and sprinkles. Thank you again, Amanda, and thank you to all of my family and friends for being, well, YOU. I love you all!!

[TWO]

We are in the process of making some changes to our screened in back porch, the first of which arrived earlier this week: new furniture for a more "conversational" seating area, namely a new outdoor sofa, two chairs with ottomans, and a coffee table. We got it for a STEAL from Sam's Club of all places. I cannot wait to see the rest of our porch plan come to fruition so that we can fill the space with family and friends while burgers cook on the grill, summer bevs flow without abandon, and little ones run freely through the backyard. Have I mentioned I love summer?!

[THREE]

Now that I am 37 weeks pregnant (today! full-term!), my pregnant body is certainly taking a beating thanks to all the usual aches and pains that come with the last month of baby-growin'. For me, my back is usually sore and aching by mid-day, but I also refuse to give in to daily movie watching and excessive cartoon exposure for my kiddos. Just not my style. So. Instead, I've been trying to do lots of seated activities with my kiddos. Sometimes, it's only me who requires the seated position (picture: me sprawled out on a beach chair in the backyard for several hours each afternoon while the kiddos run around to their heart's content, often while playing with our neighbor's children). Sometimes, the three of us sit together and just read books, complete puzzles, play games, or, my duo's all-time favorite, have Momma draw and cut out whatever they request. Y'all. I am NOT an artist. Luckily, I do have the internet, which has lots of tutorials for drawing whatever crazy creature or object my kiddos come up with on any given day. Here is a very, VERY small sampling of what I've drawn and cut out over the last month or so. Only, take the number of items here and multiply it by at least 1,692. Okay. Maybe a slight exaggeration. 1,691. ;)

[FOUR]

My baby sister is having a baby! My baby sister is having a baby! I know I've mentioned it a time or two on this blog, but I am still so excited about it! This also means that the rest of my sisters and I are throwing her a baby shower this summer. We just settled on a theme, and I started picking up some fun, DIY decor supplies at Joann Fabric and Crafts earlier this week. I have good intentions of lots of naptime crafting next week to help prepare for the shower. Because even though it's not 'til the end of June, I have a feeling I may have my hands just a *little* full very, very soon. Nonetheless, I can't wait for the shower and to spoil my sister!

[FIVE]

Oh, y'all. I should officially be nominated for "Momma of the Year" [insert sarcasm here]. I took Banks and Raleigh to see the Easter Bunny yesterday. We talked about it all morning, as I had a feeling my Rals would be nervous about it. Specifically, we talked about being brave, about not crying, about how Banks would be by her side, about how we'd snap a quick photo and then go get a treat to close out our fun morning. She seemed on board. Seemed. See what I mean? Pre-bunny smiles: 

And then we saw the bunny. This was the initial reaction, seconds before the sh*t hit the fan. 

And then, I spent a good 10 minutes trying to release my death-gripped spider monkey from around my neck as she cried and came up with every excuse in the book to, for-the-love-of-all-things-holy, not go near that freaky bunny. "I wanna take a nap!" "I want my Daddy!" and on and on. So, being the loving, nurturing, supportive mother that I am [again, sarcasm should be noted], I promptly plunked her down in the space next to Banks, putting her fear-wracked body as far from the clearly evil bunny as I could while still in place for the photo. Well. She leapt off of that bench faster than a cat in a bathtub, refusing to step foot any closer to that hell-hopping mammal than next to the Easter egg props nearby. So. Here's what we got for our official Easter 2014 photo. 

But remember my "Real Behind the Highlight Reel" post? Here's the reality: 

Like I said, "Momma of the Year," right here. Oh well. If I'm being honest, I think crying kiddo pics can be pretty darn funny. Actually? They are some of my favorites. And also? The post-traumatic milkshakes we immediately devoured made that bad bunny a distant memory for Raleigh. At least, I hope they did...

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Wee One Wednesday: 36 Weeks

Have I mentioned that the name we chose for a boy and the name we chose for a girl (before we decided to find out what we are having) start with the same letter? And that it's the letter....oh wait...I guess I can keep that a secret just a little bit longer, too. ;) I know, I know. This has got to be annoying for anyone other than my hub and me, who have no idea what the sex or name of the baby will be. I do promise to share the name we would have used had we had a baby of the opposite sex, although not until after our baby, with a name I just adore, is properly introduced in LESS THAN THREE WEEKS! :)

I will also say, too, that just like Banks and Raleigh, the baby's first name is original (i.e., chosen just because we like it, with no other rhyme or reason), and also just like Banks and Raleigh, the middle name is special and of family origin.

Size of the Baby: Baby Lu now weighs approximately 6 pounds and is over 18.5 inches long, about the size of a head of Romaine lettuce. At least, this is the estimate babycenter.com gives me. After my ultrasound in a couple hours, we'll have a better idea of Baby Lu's current size. :) 

Symptoms: Yesterday was ROUGH. Nausea, upset stomach, cramping. Ugh! I was couch-bound almost the entire day. Also, as comes with the territory at 9 months pregnant, I have just a general feeling of heaviness at this point. I really can't complain too badly, though. Even though I am feeling HUGE these days, I am proud of myself for keeping up with my regular walks, at least 5 days a week, even though I am really dragging by the end. 

Movement: This baby has the hiccups all.the.time. Have I mentioned that before?? I mean, ALL the time! Banks and Raleigh never had them this much, not even close. I love feeling those rhythmic pop-pop-pops as he/she hiccups away. The baby continues to be really active, too, which is still my favorite thing ever. 

Sleep: Hit or miss these days. I think I got a grand total of 4 hours one night this week but luckily was able to recover with a long nap over the weekend. My regular insomnia has re-surfaced, and I definitely think Mother Nature is making sure I am fully prepared for the sweet sleep I am about to be missing out on over the summer.

What I Miss: Not feeling so HUGE. Not feeling tired. Getting a full night's rest. 

Cravings: Tropical Skittles. Ha! And yes, they needed to be the tropical kind. And no surprise here--margaritas. But y'all. I broke my own rule and stole a couple sips of my hub's real margarita over the weekend and ohmydearLord. It was so tasty! I can't wait for a full, salt-rimmed, lime-adorned glass full (and here's lookin' at you, Mexico. Don't even THINK about messing up the lime supply for the all the summer margaritas I'll be enjoying). 

The Belly:

And with that, I'm off for my 36-week ultrasound with my little family by my side. I cannot wait to see Baby Lu on the big screen--it's been 16 weeks since I last saw him/her, and it so hard to believe that after today, the next time I see him/her will be on the big birthday! Back next week with more updates. 

Enjoying The Small Things

I'm spending some time this rainy Monday reflecting on the small things that add up to big happiness these days. 

Currently, I'm enjoying...

...Seeing how excited this sweet boy is to be a big brother again. Now that he's 4 and a half, I think he'll really embrace the "Momma's special helper" role this time around...

Spending three mornings a week with this precious girl, alone. Our solo days are numbered, so we are filling them with lots of special Momma-Raleigh time...

Group text messages with my sibs that literally make me LOL. I love coming from a big family and having five siblings (and their five spouses!) for so many reasons, this being just one of them. Oh, and also clinching my family's March Madness Bracket. Booyah!...

Seeing how much they adore each other.  No other explanation needed...

Using Harris Teeter's online grocery shopping option while 9 months pregnant on a rainy day with a toddler in tow...

Having a little girl who loves playing sports just as much as she loves taking care of her babies...

The discovery of gel manicures. Thank you, LifeGroup girls, for the life-changing rec. ;) These things are MADE for mommas whose manicures otherwise chip within minutes of returning home from a nail appointment. Such a fun treat every so often...

Spending plenty of time prepping little sister for her impending big sister role. We love the book, I'm Gonna Be A Big Brother/Sister by Joanna Cole and are averaging a good five reads a day lately...

Beautiful Spring walks with this little one still in my belly - our special alone time together...

Water play in April, one of countless reasons I love living in the South...

Making room for Baby Lu in our SUV, aka Big Brother Banks being promoted to the way back (and learning to buckle in his booster all by himself!)...

Family movie nights and snuggles with Daddy. Heaven on earth right there...

And I'm looking forward to enjoying the beautiful sunny weather that is promised to grace our town the rest of the week!

Five On Friday: Newbie Edition

I thought I'd try something new this week by linking up with The Good Life for a "Five on Friday" post, where I blog about five random things happening in our life at the moment. And for those twelve people who regularly read my little ol' blog, don't you worry. The coffee is still a-flowin' in my neck o' the woods, and I'm still virtually sending you a caffeinated "Cheers!"

So. Here are my five randoms from this week. 

[ONE] 
Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Y'all...my hub comes home today!!! As I mentioned in last week's Coffee Date Friday post, my hub accepted a new position with a new company and started his new job this week. Hooray! This also meant he left in the wee hours of the morning on Monday and has been gone all week, from Atlanta to Boston to LA. Boo! Now, a full week of spousal travel is hard on any momma, I have no doubt about that. Throw in being 35+ weeks pregnant with two active little ones to keep up with and well, let's just say I'm happy the weekend is here! I'm not gonna lie though. We planned ahead of time for his week away and hired a sitter to come help me with the kids' baths and night-time routines two evenings this week. My back just KILLS by the end of the day, especially after the fun days we've been spending outside playing to our heart's content, all while I tote around my measuring-a-week-ahead, heavy pregnant belly. So. Needless to say, the help was necessary. And MUCH appreciated. Whew! TGIF! And welcome home, Hub!

[TWO]
Our home's undergone a bit of a wallpaper renovation this week, and I absolutely LOVE the final outcome! I am pretty much obsessed with grasscloth and spent months hunting down the perfect paper for our dining room. Our dining room was previously painted the same neutral beige color as the rest of our downstairs on the top half of the walls with a chair rail (or wainscoting? I get them confused) on the bottom half. I initially painted in the wainscoting several months ago so that it was all a uniform white. And then finally, FINALLY, settled on a grey grasscloth and had it installed at the beginning of the week. Our dining room sits just to the right when you walk into the main entry way of our home, and I definitely think the new wallpaper addition is really eye-catching and adds a warm, textured "pop" to the space. Now, to decide what to hang on the walls. And maybe re-order that light fixture I cancelled several months ago? Maybe buy a rug for under the dining room table? Does anyone else feel like home decorating never ends?! 

Here are two before photos (with walls unpainted, the light fixture lowered, furniture in different places, and our old, small glass-top dining room table and outdated chairs):

And here's how it looks today. Still some work to be done. But. We've come a long way with a new table and chair and bench seating, furniture rearrangement, a raised light fixture, and grasscloth on the walls: 

A close up of the new grasscloth:

[THREE]
Spring has sprung in our Southern neck o' the woods, and we have spent more time outside than inside this week, playgrounds, playdates, popsicles, and loads of backyard playtime. I absolutely love it! Oh, and  one of the best perks of pregnancy? The fact that your skin tans super fast when out in the sun. My arms and chest look like they've spent some time at the beach, and I'm glad to bid at least a portion of my winter pasty-ness adieu. 

[FOUR]
I had so much fun spending time with my parents and siblings last week, which included a (failed) attempt at a pedicure, a lunch date with my Momma and youngest sister, a 2.5-hour afternoon in Babies 'R Us helping my sister register for her first baby, and a very fun wedding shower for my stepsister, which ALL FIVE of my siblings and I were able to attend. It was the perfect last weekend away before our Baby Lu arrives at the end of this month. 

[FIVE]
Aside from a teeball game and team pictures, we have NO PLANS for this weekend, and I could not be more excited about it. Especially with the beautiful weather forecasted and having some time to complete the final "to do's" before the baby arrives. I'm thinking a grill-out is in order along with lots of continued fun in the sun.

So. There you have it. Five bits o' randomness from our week. Happy Weekend to all!

Wee One Wednesday: 35 Weeks

Well, I am officially down to the weekly appointment stage of pregnancy! I had an appointment yesterday, and all is looking well with Baby Lu! Because my girlfriend who was going to watch Banks and Raleigh during my appointment got sick at the last minute, they came with me, along with plenty of snacks and suckers. :) 

And next week I get to have one last ultrasound, which my hub, Banks, and Raleigh will all be attending with me so we can see the baby in my belly one more time together before his/her big debut in just a few weeks! Lots of excitement 'round these parts these days. :) 

Size of the Baby: As I said, all was good with Baby Lu at my 35-week appointment yesterday. The heart rate was right at 150 and despite somehow losing a pound over the last two weeks (say wha?!?), my belly is now actually measuring about a week ahead of schedule. To me, this translates to, hopefully, another big baby! Of course, it could have just been the position of the baby during the measurement. I guess we'll see how things measure up next week during the ultrasound!

Anywho, according to babycenter.com, Sweet Baby Lu weighs around 5.25 pounds and is over 18 inches at this point, about the size of a honeydew melon. Wowzer. 

Symptoms: Mainly, it's just back pain at this point. I find some relief by trying to "carry" my belly with my arms when having to walk around a lot, and, of course, sitting and resting whenever possible. I have also had a pretty good amount of heartburn lately, although I still feel certain that the old wives tale of heartburn = "head covered in hair" just won't pan out for Baby Lu, seeing my track record of producing nearly bald babies. :) 

Movement: The movements over the last week have mostly been less jabby and stabby and more roll-y and poly. It seems Baby Lu is slowly starting to run out of space in my belly, but I love the smooth rolling movements of his/her dancing each day. The baby also still feels really, really loooooow.

Sleep: Fairly good sleep this week. Nighttime wakenings happen every night BUT the insomnia died down a little this week. Naps are still required some, but not all, days, mostly of the power-nap variety.  

What I Miss: Being able to pick up Raleigh. :( It just kills my back if I hold her for more than a minute. So. We are substituting lots of snuggles, hugs, and hand-holding instead. Also, being able to go on my daily walks without feeling like the baby is going to fall out at any minute. And, of course, mojitos and margs.

Cravings: Dried cranberries with nuts. Salads. Mexican food. Mushrooms. 

The Belly:

I'll be back next week, when I'll officially be 9 MONTHS PREGNANT. Whoa.