Weeks 33 and 34

Again, I am a little behind.  I have been busy! We have completed Brooklyn's nursery, as previous posts show, I have had 2 more baby showers and I have been nesting like crazy! As I am writing this I am actually 35 weeks and 1 day pregnant but here are the highlights from weeks 33 and 34.  I added a new bullet point below:

Pregnancy Updates-Weeks 33 and 34

How Far Along: As noted above I am 35 weeks 1 day as I am typing this, but the information below pertains to weeks 33 and 34

Total Weight Gain: At my last Doctor's appointment I had only gained 1 pound in 2 weeks, which I was super happy about.  

Maternity Clothes: YES! And, I am starting to wear the hubby's clothes-especially his sweatshirts.  I am not going to buy maternity sweatshirts because one I don't want to spend the money and two the hubby's work just as well, and they are super comfy!

Favorite Moment This Week: getting the nursery completed and having my last baby shower

Gender: A girl-Brooklyn Paige (well, I hope! The thought goes through my mind at least once a day about what if it really is a boy and not a girl...ahh! crazy thoughts.  If it's a boy-he is going to have to like pink-ha!)

Movement: Is she ever going to stop-I thought she was supposed to be running out of room and the movement would slow down a little, but not with this little princess.  She loves kicking my ribs! But, I wouldn't change it for anything!

Food Cravings: guess what-still orange juice and that's about it!

What I Miss: being able to put on socks and shoes without huffing and puffing!

Sleep: so-so.  I have been getting up to potty about 5 times a night and it is always hard to fall back asleep.

What I am Looking Forward to: getting the house all ready and spending these last few weeks with my husband before our life changes drastically-but for the better!

Symptoms: a little cramping (dr. said it's normal), tiredness

Belly Button: still a little in but mostly out, but not completely out-it is a weird thing!

Next Dr. Appointment: Monday Oct 24

Contractions: Yes, Braxton Hicks and some mild cramping, which doctor told me is like having minor contractions and it is just my body preparing for labor!

 

P.S. Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband! He is 31 today-crazy!! 

Brooklyn's Nursery

From day one Ben and I always said we would NOT paint the nursery-some reasons being: 1) We HATE painting. 2) We want our first 2 kids pretty close together and we know that room will always be the nursery-so the next baby will be in that same room and Brooklyn will move down the hall when baby #2 comes (I am a HUGE planner, call me crazy if you want...) so, we didn't want to have to paint for a girl this time and then a short time later possibly have to paint for a boy (lazy?-NO! We just HATE painting that much!). 

We knew it might be a bit of a challenge to decorate a nursery and make it look 'kid friendly' without painting, and it was a challenge.  There were times when we would walk in there and say let's hire someone to paint or call one of our parents to paint, etc. etc. but we stuck to our original plan and decided not to paint.  The nursery goes along with the rest of our home decor and style very nicely.  We are very simple people when it comes to decorating and we wanted the nursery to be the same way. 

I will stop rambling now and let you take a look at the nursery:

view from doorway

perfect little crib-she won't be sleeping here until she is about 3 months, though.  We have the bassinet ready to go in our bedroom!

I love this sign-from etsy

lamp that matches the bedding

animal prints from etsy

too many clothes already? you can't even see the spring/summer clothes back and to the left-someone is spoiled!

my favorite prints-they are from etsy, then I had them matted and framed at Hobby Lobby-love how they turned out!

love the little night light that matches the bedding and big lamp!

Baby Shower #1

I had my first of three baby shower's on Saturday Oct 1st.  It was held at my in-law's, Don and Janet, house and hosted by Janet (mother-in-law), Kandie (family friend) and Beckie (family friend).  It was such a wonderful shower with wonderful people.  The food was amazing, thanks to Beckie and her mom! Everyone is so generous and I am forever grateful for that.  Brooklyn sure is loved already.  The shower guests were family, family friends and girls that work at Goetze.  It was so nice to have everyone there and to be 'showered' with love and great gifts.  Thanks so everyone who came!
Here are some pictures of the wonderful day: I am a little bummed because I did not get any pictures with the hostesses or my mom(s).  Bummer!!

Last Day...

Last Friday, September 30th, was my last day at The Moylans.  It was a sad day to say the least, but also bittersweet.  As much as I hated saying good-bye to the wonderful family I knew it was time for me to end one chapter in my life and get ready to begin another.  When I found out I was pregnant, I knew that I wanted to have a few weeks toward the end of my pregnancy to myself and have a small break from kids before my own kid arrives.  I am so lucky and fortunate that my husband allowed me to do just that.  He understood completely that there were so many things I wanted to get done around the house and such and he agreed with me about having a break from all children before our baby arrives, so he let me quit working last week.  I shouldn't say I am completely done working, I am still working 4-5 hours on Thursdays, but that is it.  This is our first full week of being a one income family-SCARY!!! Anyway, back to my last day at the Moylans...

I started watching Max when he was 7 months old, and he will be 4 in just a few short days! I have watched him grow up into the young boy he is today and I have also been around to see Addi (who will be 3 in December) and Evan (8 months) become part of the family.  It has been such a great experience watching all 3 kids and I wouldn't change any of it! Max and Addi will always hold a special place in my heart because they were my ring bearer and flower girl, and cute ones at that.  Max still thinks that I live on the beach, since that is where the wedding was. 

Friday when I went to their house, I walked in the door and almost immediately started crying.  Max grabbed my hand and told me to close my eyes and took me to the back windows and I looked outside and saw this (minus the kids-they were inside)::

How sweet is that?!?! They had the big sign and balloons out on the tree for me to see-so sweet!

The day was fun, we played as usual-played cars, built things with blocks, played with play-doh, did puzzles, colored and so much more!! At the end of the day, their mom gave me a pretty pink box and we decided that I should probably wait until I got home to open it-to save some tears since we were both very emotional. So, when I got home I opened the box...

And found this inside:

#1-because you're sweet....Inside were some yummy chocolates! Isn't the packaging so cute!?!

#2-Beacuse you're loved...inside was a little handmade book with Questions and Answers, Max and Addi's mom would ask them a question about me (favorite food, where I lived, questions about Ben and questions about Brooklyn, etc.) and then Max and Addi would answer them, and some of the answers they gave were hilarious! I was crying both from laughing so hard and because it was so sweet and sad.  They are such funny kids!

#3-because you'll be missed...inside was a plaza gift card! And, it said inside that the gift card gives me an excuse to go to the Plaza and see them, since they live down there! When the time comes for me to use my gift card I will definitely be making a stop at the Moylan's to visit! Can't wait!

Thank you so much to the Moylans for a wonderful 3 1/2 years, I have learned a lot about myself and about children these past few years and I owe it all to you! Max, Addi and Evan, I miss you so much and can't wait to see you! Hopefully I will make a visit soon-before Brooklyn is born! Pat and Beth-thanks for everything these past few years, you have been so flexible with my schedule and I couldn't have asked to work for a better family! Miss you guys already and it's only been a week!!

Weeks 31 and 32

Pregnancy Updates-Weeks 31 and 32

How Far Along: As I am writing this I am 32 weeks 6 days

Total Weight Gain: I would say about 28 pounds-yikes!!

Maternity Clothes: Yes! I went to Gordman's today to find some home decor and I was just walking around and noticed they have a huge section of maternity clothes-most of which are Motherhood Maternity brand-who knew?!?! I was excited and got a couple of long sleeve shirts for $11.99.  

Favorite Moment This Week: Hanging curtains, and things on the wall in the nursery.  It is coming together.  I just put her crib sheet and skirt in the washer-I am sure I will wash it again before she actually sleeps in there, but it needed to be washed and I am sure I will have to iron the crib skirt, but I just wanted to get that done.

Gender: A girl-I still hope she is a girl-every once in awhile I will wonder what if the baby is a boy, I know I probably shouldn't wonder or think like that but I do...

Movement: Yes-she moves like crazy.  From 10-11pm and then again around 4am, those are her definite awake and very active times.  I also feel her several times during the day, just not as much!
Food Cravings: cereal and orange juice!!
What I Miss: Being able to move around quickly and get through small/tight spaces.  Sometimes I forget that I have a belly and will try to squeeze past someone or something and I end up brushing my belly against something.  I feel bad that I might have hurt Brooklyn, but I know she is safe and sound in the amniotic fluid!
Sleep: Ugh! Last night was not a good night.  I was up to go to the bathroom several times before 4am, but fell right back asleep each time, but at 4am when I got up to potty I could not get back to sleep.  I laid in bed and tossed and turned, Ben's alarm finally went off at 6:15am and when he got in the shower I went downstairs and made me some hot tea and watched the news.  But of course, I got tired at 8:30 so I laid back down and slept until 10am.
What I Am Looking Forward To: Childbirth Preparation classes-our first one was last night (10/3) and we will go for 2 more Mondays.  Ben and I really wanted to take the one day Saturday class just to get it out of the way, but the times offered never worked with our schedules, but we are glad that we are doing 3 Mondays in a row.  Ben was getting a little overwhelmed and frustrated just in the first 30 minutes of last night.  During break I had to calm him down and tell him that I am not expecting him to remember everything, so after that he was more relaxed and more engaged in the class.
Symptoms: I have been very achy and sore lately.  I took a walk last week and my legs were sore for 5 days-sore like I had ran in a 10K race, so I only walked one day last week and I haven't walked yet this week, hoping tomorrow morning to get up and go for a nice long walk! I have had really bad back pains lately too-Ben learned how to massage me last night in class so I think I am going to put him to work on my back! I have had some pain down low-so I know baby is getting big and starting to move down that way.  Also, Miss Brooklyn loves kicking my ribs-it is a bit uncomfortable to say the least.  Last night Ben and I were watching her as she would give the ribs a couple of good kicks in a row, then rest and then do it again.  Her little foot just feels so cute to touch through my belly, but not when it is right under my ribs! But, I wouldn't trade it for anything!!
Belly Button: It is officially more out than in-scary looking!
Next Dr. Appt: Next Tuesday October, 11.  It will be my last 'normal' appointment before