36 weeks

(if you want to feel good about your pregnant self, i do not suggest having your photo taking with a high school girl on her way to prom...ahh the life of a young life leader)

How Far Along: 36.5 weeks

Size of baby: #2 is the size of a honeydew melon ... again... depending on the website you look at. i guess melons are different sizes. 

Maternity Clothes: um yes. I think I am going to buy myself a new birthday outfit (next Wednesday I'll be 30 - eek) so that I can feel a little better about the way I am dressed. I have been running out of options. The most appealing thing to put on is still leggings and a big tshirt. 

Gender: girl! we almost have a name, but will wait to announce. 

Movement: yes - lots and then not as much at certain times

Sleep: I am still tired and love sleeping - especially in the morning, but I am having a harder time falling back asleep if I wake up at night. 

Cravings: This one is tricky. I still don't like sweets because of the weird aftertaste they have been giving me, but I am not feeling the same way I felt about hamburgers before and fried food seems to upset my heartburn. I still love most salty things though. And pizza - lately I have wanted pizza. 

Symptoms: heartburn...hungry...queasy at times...some trouble sleeping...braxton hicks contractions...some strange pigmentation on my stomach...having to use the bathroom frequently...emotional...tired especially in the afternoon...the fun never ends ;)

Best Moment this week: I think I could feel the baby practice breathing the other day. It was a little strange initially because I wasn't sure what was happening, but I'm pretty sure that's what it was. Also - Philip is feeling like the baby could come any time and its kind of fun to see him prepare for the baby (even though it really could still be over a month to go...)

Still to do: I hope to do some nursery pictures before she arrives. We are waiting on a dresser from Land of Nod from my parents that was on backorder so then we'll hang the remainder of pictures, but here is a little taste of what we are working on for a shared nursery. We also need to pack our bag...and a few other things...

tmlp (to my last post)

Because I am hip and work with high school kids I know on twitter tmlt means "to my last tweet" or I am pretty sure that's what it means. So I modified tmlp - to my last post...

I found this on Facebook and found it hilarious and true. I am an INFP on Myers-Briggs Personality test or I was the last time I checked. If you know your personality type, perhaps you'll find it funny and true too...

Prayers for Myers Briggs Types
ISTJ: Lord help me to relax about insignificant details beginning tomorrow at 11:41.23 am e.s.t.
ISTP: God help me to consider people's feelings, even if most of them ARE hypersensitive.
ESTP: God help me to take responsibility for my own actions, even though they're usually NOT my fault.
ESTJ: God, help me to not try to RUN everything. But, if You need some help, just ask.
ISFJ: Lord, help me to be more laid back and help me to do it EXACTLY right.
ISFP: Lord, help me to stand up for my rights (if you don't mind my asking).
ESFP: God help me to take things more seriously, especially parties and dancing.
ESFJ: God give me patience, and I mean right NOW.
INFJ: Lord help me not be a perfectionist. (did I spell that correctly?)
INFP: God, help me to finish everything I sta
ENFP: God,help me to keep my mind on one th-Look a bird-ing at a time.
ENFJ: God help me to do only what I can and trust you for the rest. Do you mind putting that in writing?
INTJ: Lord keep me open to others' ideas, WRONG though they may be.
INTP: Lord help me be less independent, but let me do it my way.
ENTP: Lord help me follow established procedures today. On second thought, I'll settle for a few minutes.
ENTJ: Lord, help me slow downandnotrushthroughwatIdo.
Amen.

(source)

 

But the part that I was suggesting was revenant to the last post is my prayer is...

INFP: God, help me to finish everything I sta

And I have totally dropped the business advice thing (oh and the blog thing...), but who knows...maybe I will drop in every once in awhile...I get some things done. 

Ok - Happy new week to you and happy 35 weeks to little baby in my belly! 

one delightful business: podcasts

Remember when I ambitiously started this series and then got too tired and pregnant to blog at all...I can't say I am going to keep it up weekly at this point, but I wanted to share some of my favorite business podcasts. I love podcasts because they give me something to enjoy while on a walk (or run some day). Sometimes I'll listen to them while doing mindless business work or folding laundry.

The Art of Simple // Tsh Oxenrider  // This has been my favorite podcast for awhile and I am currently enjoying her new book. Tsh has well-known bloggers like the Nester and small business owners like Gussy or Lisa Leonard. I enjoy all the archives too if you start from the beginning. Encouragement for simple living, and motherhood, but I find some good business info in there too because she brings in people that I generally know an admire.

Elise Gets Crafty // Elise Blaha Cripe // I have only listened too a few of these (and its a new podcast), but so far, very tangible tips for business owners.

Inspiration for Motherhood // Kat Lee // I have only listened to one of these, but enjoyed it.

How They Blog Podcast // Kat Lee

There's a start for you to get your feet wet with some fun podcasts...do you have any you would add to the list? It took me awhile to find any good ones besides Tsh's and sermons online so I would love any feedback.

33 weeks and counting...

picture taken at almost 33 weeks  hello belly button...there is no hiding you, is there? 

How Far Along: 33.5 weeks (my switch over day is Tuesday, which is nice because I look forward to the weekend, but then I look forward to being more week closer once the week starts again!)

Size of baby: #2 is the size of a honeydew melon 

Maternity Clothes: or Philips tshirts. Missing my normal jeans and clothes! Anything not maternity feels a little funny to wear.


Gender: girl!


Movement: yes - I know she is head down, but its hard to tell what's what when she's moving around. More movement at night than during the day. If I get up to go to the bathroom, I will usually feel her move when I lay back down before falling asleep again.


Sleep: Let's see...getting up 3 or 4 times to go to the bathroom some nights, my hips are starting to hurt again (they hurt very early on in both pregnancies) and Jude is not sleeping well


Cravings: Hamburgers....fried pickles...limeade...lots of food...hungry...all...the...time....


Symptoms: tired, low energy, starting to swell a little bit, but I can also thank the cold New England spring for the lack of swelling. On days when its been 70, my feet balloon up, but otherwise, I don't feel too swollen. Trouble bending over...making cleaning up a most difficult feat. 

Best Moment this week: Mother's day was great! We went to my favorite flea market...my favorite brunch place in Gloucester (Sugar Magnolia's)...it was 80 degrees and I put my feet up and read outside during nap time. 

lately.

i always enjoy these posts from other people so here we go. also, that's my toddler and his choice spot for nap time today...

Making: last minute orders for a few more Young Life camps
Cooking: when i have to...so tired...
Drinking: red raspberry leaf tea 
Reading: Notes from A Blue Bike by Tsh
Wanting: rest + energy...
Looking: for signs of spring (and am seeing some!)
Playing: legos (or as Jude calls them - yoyokings - not sure how he landed on that name)
Wasting: time playing 2048 #evilgame
Wishing: for energy to finish getting baby stuff ready
Enjoying: seeing green leaves from my bedroom rather than bare branches
Waiting: for Philip's last busy stretch of work to wrap up for the semester 
Liking: hamburgers, fried calamari...fresh strawberries...
Wondering: when baby girl will arrive
Loving: baby girl clothes that people have gifted us with
Hoping: to figure out how to get my toddler to sleep
Needing: a nap. did i mention i'm tired?
Smelling: currently nothing - pregnancy congestion...
Wearing: all maternity clothes or my husband's tshirts
Noticing: how big my belly has gotten
Knowing: we are near the end of this pregnancy!
Thinking: about how to organize their shared nursery
Feeling: sleepy + uncomfortable
Bookmarking: info on essential oils 
Opening: old boxes of jude's clothes to sort
Giggling: when Jude says "oh toodles!" (mickey mouse club house quote)
Feeling: proud that i found the best mexican restaurant my husband has had since VA...that's a big deal to us... 

happy weekend!

30 week update

I guess I missed a few updates considering the last time I posted was for the 20 week update. We are alive. I am finding New England spring to be almost as cruel as the winter. We had one beautiful 70 degree day followed by a dip back into the 40s and now we have settled back into the 50s again. I suppose I should be grateful for that and that we can go outside if we want even if its not under the sunny circumstances I had hoped. 

Here I am at 30.5 weeks pregnant. In April. In a Fleece which will most likely be my wardrobe until the weather decides I can wear the rest of my maternity clothes. You can somewhat see the bump hiding under there. 

maternity clothes? yes - almost always. i don't know how many of my judah pregnancy clothes i will be wearing considering it was hottt. i still can wear regular leggings and maxi skirts are my best friends. 

symptoms? on the downside, i have had a stubborn sinus infection for about 2.5 weeks. on the upside, i couldn't smell an ounce so nothing was really bothering me as far as smells. still need a big breakfast to not feel sick in the morning. heartburn. big appetite, but starting to feel full really quickly. uncomfortable bending over, etc. 

sleep? pretty sleepy, some sleep disturbance, but mostly from my two year old that seems to be having a night terror type thing and gets upset when he realizes the lights are not on in his room at 2am. 

movement? some crazy movements, but i like them. the midwife said she thinks she is head down. 

cravings? pickles still, fried calamari....salty things

gender? baby girl! 

belly button?  i have belly button issues. it is like a third nipple. you can even see it come to a point through the sweatshirt. 

almost 31 weeks! maybe i'll get another bump update before july...

old man winter - i am done.

I think everyone is probably feeling about the same way...but I am so. over. this. winter. I feel like I have not taken off my smartwools since December. I obsessively check the forecast - especially the ten day to see, when is this puppy going to turn around? (that's not an expression...) But with 20's still in our forecast, there is no sign of change.

getting up for campaigners on friday mornings when it's 6 degrees is potentially one of the hardest part of this stinkin winter

I feel like we are barely getting by. God is definitely caring me through this tough season, as a seasonally depressed, still having morning sickness, pregnant woman with a toddler that had his second round of the evil stomach bug this week. Some of my "spring" milestones have come and gone and some things are better, like the time of daylight - praise God for the spring forward! Its light until 6:30 and I needed the sunshine, but I dreamed that in March, we could at least get out of walks some days and those days seem to be about once a week for a brief hour in the afternoon.

Somethings that have helped me get through this crappy-never ending winter...

• We joined the Y. I feel like the Y might be a motherhood loophole. Free babysitting while you work out and shower...yes please. It has also been a lifesaver as far as getting a chance to workout. Doing a few pilates moves was not helping me keep excess baby weight off, but this as at least slowed unnecessary weight gain. 
• Ann Voskamp. She is in snowy Canada and always has something that encourages me to share. Her weekend links always make me cry, but in a good way. But I liked this post on the "Snowmaggedon" & the comparison to God's grace...

Graceageddon. It won’t stop coming, covering your mistakes, covering you in love. There’s got to be more than 5 feet out there in the orchard? - Ann Voskamp

• The hope that things will change & the baby is still doing well (25 weeks today!)
• Judah is sleeping better. Not great. Still sometimes up a little before 6, but hasn't been pulling anything to crazy and hasn't been getting out of his crib. 
• Philip has built us a ton of stuff for the house...his latest project that I posted on instagram...a headboard. 

so that's a little bit of me. Haven't felt like posted because I haven't wanted to just be a negative nancy ...but I am hanging in there trying to enjoy the gracemaggedon even when things feel like they aren't going my way.