Weekly Randoms

• Pops (my dad) gets here tonight! Looking forward to a productive few days and putting lots of lines through my to-do list.

• My number one beauty product right now is this little gem by Maybelline. I'm basically never well rested and almost always have dark circles. This sucker is the best thing I've used in for-ev-er...and the cheapest. Love it.

Source

• Is it okay to wine whine about ridiculous things (total first world problems) if you know, in fact, that it is ridiculous? I can't decide, so I'm keeping my mouth shut, but man am I annoyed today over the stupidest stuff.

• My mom is officially headed our way right at 39 weeks and staying for 2+ to help out...so this baby needs to stay put for 6 more weeks. After that point she is welcome to come immediately. That's only 42 days. Wowza. 

• Grace's new favorite phrase is, "Mama, what's that?" I've gotten to explain more in the last 72 hours than I have in her whole life. Some of the things she asks about she totally knows the answer to and asks anyways. She's also been using please even more than usual ("Mama, you hold this please?") and I love it.

Park date this weekend

• Confession: I've had a basket of D's laundry that I told him I would put away since the day he deployed. (I was trying to help him get ready and not stress.) Well, wouldn't you know it, that basket is still sitting on the floor of our closet, waiting to be taken care of...3+ months later. Oops.

• I bought a Living Social deal for a month of unlimited Boot Camp classes at a pretty sweet training facility nearby. It expires at the end of May, so Operation: Fit Mom of 2 commences shortly after C baby gets here. I can't wait to feel my body hurt so good from getting some hard workouts in.  

• Did anyone watch New Girl this week? I die. Already looking forward to next Tuesday night.

• Confession 2: I just cleaned the filters in our vacuum for the first time ever. I know D has done it before, but can I just say- ICK. No wonder things never felt clean.

• Lastly: Sneak peek at my latest project...SO excited for this one. :)

Source

More to come soon!

xo,
H

Big baby

Happy hump day!

Hanging out, waiting for the Dr. like a tool.

This morning I had my 33 week check up. I was a little off after the holidays (generally our hospital makes appointments for 28 and 32 weeks), but after today I'm back on track. Next visit will be at 36, 38, 39...etc. Seriously getting home stretch status.

Nothing too exciting to report, but little lady is measuring 34 weeks and is officially head down. I was happy to find out she was measuring slightly ahead because all I've heard this pregnancy is that I look small. I don't necessarily feel big, but I think that since I'm tall I carry more length wise and don't get an insane bump. I mean it's definately large and in charge, but I can see why people comment on it not being huge.

Yesterday I had a really weird experience where one of my eyes got blurry and I felt a migraine coming on. A quick rest and some diet coke delivered with lunch, care of a friend, literally brought me back to semi-normal. It was the first time this pregnancy I felt honestly nervous that it could be time to go in, or something could be wrong. I really don't need anything but smooth sailing for the next 4-5 weeks. It also has me back on the go-train again, and needing to get things done.

One thing I've been meaning to share and am definately wrapping up after this week, is a binder of information that I will have at the house for a friend who will care for Grace while I am in the hospital. Right now it looks like this:

It contains different pages with the following information:

• Important Phone Numbers
• House Information
• Dog Care
• Grace
• School information
• Schedule
• Hygeine information (i.e. bath time routine, teeth brushing, where we keep diapers, wipes, etc)
• Meal preferences

That's what I have up to this point and am just finalizing everything. I will also include some cash (for food, gas, or anything that comes up). Anything else you all can think of or have found helpful?

OCD much? Yes, yes I am. Because at this point I'm more concerned about Grace functioning while I'm gone then the actual process of labor itself. I'll be okay, and I know she will be too, but having peace of mind about it all will make me feel at ease and hopefully help things run smoothly.

Alright, that's it for today. Work is getting busyyyy and the UPS guy just pulled up. :)

xo,
H

32 Weeks

January 23 - January 29

Another week down! This was a productive one too...bassinet ordered, changing table/low dresser gift from Nana is on it's way, and D even sent us our first package of newborn sized diapers. It's fun to start to see all of the pieces come together and things getting more real. Unlike the first time around, I feel relatively calm about it all and know what needs to be done and when. So far we're right on track.
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Survey says...

How far along?: 32 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +1 for a total of 24.5. Not bad! With G I was right under 30 and packing on the lbs like I was prepping to go into hibernation.

Maternity clothes?: Yes, pants for sure, workout stuff is all regular and shirts are a mix.

Sleep: Waking up a lot more often to reposition. My hip will start to throb if I am on one side for too long. Still, not terrible. Feeling rested.

Best moment of the week: Sad to say it, but hands down my best moment was Sunday morning when Grace slept in until 9am. That has happened NEVER in the past 2 years and it was amazing to wake up well rested, have coffee, clean up a bit, get myself up and at 'em before she was raring to go. And even better? She was in an awesome mood ALL day. The kid needs more mornings like that (and so do I!).

Movement: Still frequent, but not as crazy lately. Little girl is probably getting used to less room in there.

Food Cravings: Still cereal, yogurt and granola, banana nut muffins that I made the other day...I could basically eat breakfast for every meal...anddd some days I do. :)

Gender: Girl

Belly Button: Same flattie.

Stretchmarks?: None yet.

What I miss: I miss D being here to help out and get excited with us. Obviously we knew going into this that deployment was a possibility and I definitely don't regret our timing with it all, I just know he really wishes he was more involved too. (Hence the sending of diapers, etc. Cute.)

What I am looking forward to: Visitors. The next few weeks are going to fly. My dad is in town this coming weekend and 3 of my high school girlfriends are headed here the next. By the time everything dies down I'll be almost 35 weeks and on the home stretch!

Weekly Wisdom: Just trying to make the last few weeks I have with Grace as an only child count. Trying to lay off the phone/internet while she is awake and spend quality time together. Harder than it sounds when homegirl just wants to watch the same episode of Mickey Mouse 3 times in a row. Zzzzz...

Milestones: Not sure what the baby milestones are this week, but barely attempted potty training with Grace and also have started encouraging her transition to her big girl room. Both unsuccessful. Going to give the potty another go in a few weeks when I have a 3 day weekend and more consecutive days to work with her.

Grace's space: We attempted to try out our big girl bed, but G literally went into the other room and tried to climb in her crib. Part of me thinks its silly for me to be pushing her to get in the other room when she has literally never tried to climb out of her crib and it is safer. Also the baby will be in our room for the first 3 months like Grace was...so really, I have another 5 or so months (ehh, maybe less), to get her moved. It would be nice to finish setting up the nursery though. Suggestions?

Belly Pic:

 

32 weeks with Charlie

and

32 Weeks with G:

xo,
H

What's in a name?

We finally did it. Baby "C" officially has a name, and so far it is sticking. Generally, on both D and my side of the family, your first name is original and your middle comes from another family member. For instance, Grace Evelyn is named after D's sweet grandmother Evelyn. Done and done.

When it came to C, we knew we liked her first name since back when we were pregnant with Grace. It was on our list of contenders and I had honestly wondered if we should have used it then...just in case this next baby was a boy and it went unused. Lucky for us, that wasn't the case and it was an easy decision shortly after we found out this next baby would be a girl.

As far as her middle name...we hit a roadblock. It wasn't that we didn't have any family members that we'd love her to be named after, that isn't the case at all. It was finding something that "fit" with the first name we knew that we loved. So after months of deliberation and emails back and forth with lists of names we came to an agreement. We would pick something WE loved and go off of the tradional course of family names. It seems fitting really, that with this second baby we are more confident in our own choices and don't feel compelled to follow any sort of plan. We got this.

So, I'm excited to announce that our second daughter will be named:

Charlotte "Charlie" Olivia

We can't wait to meet you, Charlie girl!

xo,
H

Nemo

I don't know how this started, but fish are called Nemo (pronouced "Memo"), although we have never seen the movie with Grace, and she is on a mission to find them.

I caught her looking in the shower on Sunday...

 

What a weirdo.

 

xo,

H

31 Weeks

January 16 - January 22

Happy Tuesday that feels like a Monday, but is wayyy better because it isn't! I love long weekends. Ours was especially great as it was spent with my mom and grandparents in Florida. Grace was attached to her great-grandaddy's hip like a really cute, little stalker and she had a blast checking out turtles, seeing the water, and trying to "find nemo" all weekend. :)

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Survey says...

How far along?: 31 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Check this- up....0. Color me shocked. Another week at +23.5 total. I did not hold back this weekend, but have been trying to make healthy choices lately and not throw in the towel the last several weeks of this pregnancy like I did with Grace. I had great runs all last week and took Friday-Monday off for active rest while on our mini vacay. Paid off!

Maternity clothes?: Yes, but my new favorite pants are actually non-maternity J.Crew pajama bottoms. They are comfy, long enough for my 5'8'' ish body, and don't make me look like I've completely given up when lounging around the casa. Full disclosure, I've been putting on pjs at like 6:30 when Grace gets hers on. Sorry I'm not sorry. Find similar ones here.

Sleep: Still waking up throughout the night. Having a little more trouble getting back to sleep, but I still feel good most days.

Best moment of the week: Just an all around solid weekend.

Movement: For sure. Especially because I had more caffiene than usual this weekend. Baby liked.

Food Cravings: Cereal with milk. Breakfast and post dinner snack just about daily.

Gender: Girl

Belly Button: Same old. Flat with the top poking out a bit. I don't think it's going to do much changing between now and D-day.

Stretchmarks?: No belly stretchies yet. Still old hip and thigh marks from pre-Grace.

What I miss: Nada.
 

What I am looking forward to: Settling back into our routine this week and keeping busy. We have things going on pretty much every day this week and a nice little to-do list going for the weekend.
 

Weekly Wisdom: 5P's...how does that go? Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance? I don't know. Anyways, I find that I am most relaxed when I'm staying on task, checking off lists, and have things done way ahead of time. We're getting there.

Milestones: Just feeling good and trying to prolong whatever energy I have for the next several weeks! First nervous feeling about having to actually mother 2 children...

Grace's space: Wish us luck as we attempt our first real go at potty training this weekend. G asked to use the big potty while we were out of town and did pretty well sitting up there on her own. Since this is the only weekend in the next several that we don't have guests or anything going on, we are going to get some big girl panties (terrible word), and see how it goes. No pressure. If she's not into it, I'm not going to push, but we talked it up big over the past few days and she really seems to want to try...if not only for the promise of M & M rewards. :)

Belly Pic:

31 Weeks with C

and

31 weeks with Grace

xo,
H

Randoms

• I'm pretty sure I'm being slowly strangled to death by my sports bra, but having to fight my way out of it to change seems pretty time consuming.

• I got a really bad shellac job done today and my nails look blotchy. They offered to re-do them, but I'm annoyed to have to find another 30 minutes to have that done before we leave. I also am annoyed at myself for complaining about my nails. Seriously, Heather?!

• New favorite recipe alert: Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup that can be made in a blender! It is too easy not to make and you end up with an entire blender full. I used it as part of lunch all week:

Ingredients:
1 clove Garlic (peeled)
1 Shallot (peeled)
2 – 28 oz cans Peeled Whole Tomatoes
1 cup Milk
1 tablespoon fresh Thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tablespoon Celery Seed
2 tablespoons of EV Olive Oil (plus additional for finishing, optional)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Instructions:
1. Place all the ingredients in a blender
2. Blend until smooth
3. Heat up and serve

• Belly support band review- it's not uncomfortable and when worn tight enough (I had to have a friend help get me in...) it really does relieve some back pressure and felt fine during a couple of my runs this week. I got a medium and think it will work better as by bump gets larger.

• Baby got a new carseat this week care of D! Our old Graco looks like...well, honestly, it looks bad enough that I don't even think I'm going to end up donating it. Daddy swooped in and C is going to be stylin' in her new ride. He even picked it out.

• Note to my military friends: Ask your husband for favors or tell him about things you "need" while they are deployed. His willingness to contribute is off the charts...and has me questioning what else I should bring up. Kidding...except not really. I might "need" a massage...

 

• This poor baby has the hiccups SO often. Let's just say I can confirm she is head down because I can feel them in my pelvis. It's lower than with Grace and I have a feeling I'm in for it in the next few weeks when she drops. Fun times. 
 
 

Thats it for now! Heading to Florida in the morning and have a ton that I have been procrastinating on that needs to get done before we leave. Hope you all have great weekends and I'll see you Tuesday with a 31 Week post and a weekend update!

 

xo,

H