36 Week Bump Update

Labor Day weekend is officially here which means summer is unofficially on it's way out the door.  Coming in slowly is my favorite time of year, fall.  Full of pumpkin spiced lattes, college football and gorgeous weather.  I can't get enough of it and with only 3 weeks to go in this pregnancy, I'll get to fully enjoy it!

Due Date? Scheduled c-section date of September 20th.  3 weeks to go, if not sooner.

How far along? 36 weeks

How big is baby? The baby is the size of a crenshaw melon about 18.75" and about 5.75lbs.  *Note:  Based on him measuring about 2 weeks ahead of schedule, he's probably more like 6.75lbs.

Weight gain? +30

What's going on with baby?  Baby is still gaining weight and becoming rounder in appearance.  He should be head down at this point (I believe he is).  My amniotic fluid will decrease as my body absorbs some of it.

Stretchmarks? Yes.

Sleep? Same as of late.  Sleeping really well and deep.

Best moment this week? I had some out of town coworkers who were in Columbus Monday through Wednesday.  Tuesday night we went out for dinner so I got home at 8:30 just as Addie was going down for bed.  I came in and sat down on the floor with her and she climbed on my lap, wrapped her arms around my neck really tight and said, "I missed you mommy".  For about 5 minutes we sat like this and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Movement? Slowly down a little but still some crazy partying going on in there.

Food cravings? French fries, preferably loaded with chili & cheese sauce.

Gender? Boy!

Labor signs? First internal check at today's appointment at 0cm.  Still getting some mild cramping occasionally but nothing intense.

Belly button in or out? This may be the thinnest it's ever been but still in.

What I miss? A tan tummy.  Weird right?!  I looked at my rather large stomach today and thought man that's really pale.

What I am looking forward to? The long weekend.  The local sweet corn festival, greek festival (maybe), college football, cookouts, etc!

Milestones? 3 weeks to go!

Next doctor's appointment? September 4th, we're at weekly appointments now which include internal checks.

-stephanie

Recipe: Blackberry Crisp

Blackberry picking this weekend was super fun and with two large baskets full of blackberries, we needed to make some blackberry crisp.  So delicious, this blackberry crisp was.  It was good reheated as a leftover but fresh it was simply amazing!

Ingredients

5c fresh blackberries

4 tablespoons sugar

2c flour

2c rolled oats

1 1/2c brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2c butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine blackberries and sugar, toss gently and set aside.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half the crumble mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Cover with berries and sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over berries.  Bake in oven 30-40 until top is brown and berries are bubbling.  Serve with ice cream!

-stephanie

2013 Blackberry Picking

Another gorgeous weekend here in Ohio.  We decided to take a trip out to the local blackberry farm about 30 min from our house.  Addie and I did the same last year and loved it, but she was definitely not quite the right age.  This year, it was perfect.

I told her to hold the carton and only pick the black ones.

So she continued to say, "the red ones aren't good".

So delicious.

She ate a lot along the way.

At one point we found a streak of purple in her hair from the dye.

Clearly she had her share of blackberries!

I can't wait to continue to do this each year with Addie and baby #2.  It's so much fun and it's even funnier to see how many blackberries she can shovel in her mouth straight off the vine.

-stephanie

35 Week Bump Update

Busy week again.  So let's get right to it.  The 35 week bump update, only 4 weeks to go!

Due Date? Scheduled c-section date of September 20th.  4 weeks to go, if not sooner.

How far along? 35 weeks

How big is baby? The baby is the size of a honeydew melon about 18" and about 5.25lbs.  *Note:  Based on him measuring about 2 weeks ahead of schedule, he's probably more like 6.25lbs.

Weight gain? +28

What's going on with baby?  At this point, all of the baby's major organs should be nearly complete.  His kidneys are completely developed and his liver is functional and capable of processing waste products.

Stretchmarks? I'm pretty sure there are some new ones, hopefully they'll fade quickly.

Sleep? Sleeping pretty deeply, still waking once a night to use the restroom and haven't had too many bouts of insomnia this week.

Best moment this week? Sunday my friends threw me a sprinkle and we received a ton of clothes for this little guy.  We're in good shape for his arrival, at least on the clothing front.

Movement? Seems to have slowed down a bit but still some sharp attempts to escape.

Food cravings? If you read last weeks' update you know I was craving taco salad.  Well, I've had it twice this week.  :)  This week I don't seem to have any particular cravings that are food related.  I'm definitely craving a Pumpkin Spiced Latte though!

Gender? Boy!

Labor signs? I continue to experience menstrual like cramping.  Nothing intense so I'll discuss again with my doctor at my next visit.

Belly button in or out? Slowly thinning but still in.

What I miss? Being able to throw on anything and just know it's going to fit.  I'm so excited to get back into non maternity clothes especially during my favorite time of year.  What I'm nervous about is it's going to take some time to get there!

What I am looking forward to? Enjoying a nice quiet weekend.

Milestones? We passed the 30 day countdown on Wednesday and officially have 4 weeks to go.

Next doctor's appointment? August 30th!

-stephanie

A Baby Sprinkle!

This weekend, two of my best friends threw me a small intimate "sprinkle" for the new baby. It was a brunch style party with about 10 people and was absolutely perfect!

The menu was lemon poppyseed & blueberry muffins, broccoli quiche & bacon quiche, and fruit salad.

For drinks there was juice, water, tea, coffee and a raspberry lemonade punch.

I love the little blocks!

How cute are the cupcakes that we had for dessert.  I'm still working on those!

A lot of really great gifts!

These flowers were gorgeous.  I don't know the name but I loved them!

I hate opening gifts in front of people.  It's too much attention directed right at me.

Especially when no one is really talking.  Just me opening gifts.

Check out the size of those cankles.

I think everyone really enjoyed shopping for this sprinkle.

How much does a second time mom really need?  Not much, so everyone got to shop for really cute clothes.

Let's face it, that's what we all like to buy for new parents.

I loved this.  It's a little big for this season but he'll be wearing it next year!

Even my little Addie got a gift!

She got books, playdoh, and lots of clothes & jammies.

She looks like such a little girl here!

And rotten here.

And to sum it all up...

It was such a nice party and I enjoyed hanging out with friends and family that day.  I can't believe we're now under the 30 day mark and he'll be here before we know it!

-stephanie

My Kia, My Summer

So, my beloved car decided it was done driving.  Luckily, I wasn't driving it when it happened because it gives me so much anxiety when you have car issues and everyone is watching you.  So Rick was driving the car about 4 weeks ago and it started acting funny.  Lots of car repair drama and 4 weeks later we're not confident the car is going to be reliable for much longer.  I loved that car.  At 13 years old, I'm not the original owner but have had 8 great years together with it.  It's been so reliable until now and we just have to let it go.  Good news is...we're shopping for a new car!!!!  Here's what I've been looking at.

It's the new Kia Sorento.  I love it because it's a family car.  There's so much room on the inside and you can get the third row option if you have the need.  Can we talk about that sunroof?  Awesome!

And of course, it wouldn't be the proper family car without being able to take it road tripping or tailgating.  We love a good road trip and have plans to do a couple road trips while I'm out on leave with the new baby and Addie.  I can't wait!

With Ohio State football season just a week away, this would be an awesome car to take down to campus.  We could pack it full of all of our favorite appetizers & drinks and would still allow for room to put in Addie's and the new baby's carseat, plus our chairs and other tailgating gear!

Here are a couple do's & don'ts when tailgating:

Do 

Plan a couple favorite hot appetizers ahead of time but make sure you have the power supply

Bring plenty of ice for drinks

Coordinate with friends so it's not too overwhelming for you to bring it all

Don't

Forget the grill - we all need hot dogs when tailgating

Forget the trash bags - you'll need to clean up after yourself

Forget the TV - if you're not going to the game you're going to need the TV!

So we're still shopping around but I love that the Kia has so many top of the line options but a price point that still very affordable for a family.  Rick is busy searching for deals but we both really love the Kia and are seriously considering it as our next purchase.

-stephanie

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Toddler Activities

Addie turns 3 in January and I'm itching to get her into sports activities as early as possible.  Growing up I played soccer from the age of 4 until I was 15 years old.  Then I swam a year in high school.  Rick grew up playing football and wrestling from about the same age as me.  It's important to both of us that our children are involved in some type of sport throughout their life.  Plus I can't wait to be a parent sitting in the stands cheering on my little kids.  

Yup, those are Irish dancers.  I've had this bizarre fascination with this type of dance.  I just can't get enough of it and have dreamed of having a daughter who could try it out.  So my local Living Social had a deal to purchase a voucher for 4 weeks of dance classes.  She'll start those shortly after her birthday in January and I'm so excited.  We'll see how she does.  

I'm also planning to enroll her in a gymnastics class this fall.  I have a feeling she'll love the gymnastics class because she loves to roll now and bounces all over the house.  We'll eventually enroll her in soccer and possibly swim classes as she gets older.  

What activities have you enrolled your toddlers in?  Anything crazy like Irish dancing?

-stephanie

34 Week Bump Update

Pretty uneventful week so no huge updates.  I did visit the doctor yesterday for a biweekly visit. Everything is sounding good with the baby and progressing well.  Only 5 weeks to go if he doesn't decide to bail out earlier.

Due Date? Scheduled c-section date of September 20th.  5 weeks to go, if not sooner.

How far along? 34 weeks

How big is baby? The baby is the size of a cantaloupe about 17.75" and about 4.75lbs.  *Note:  Based on him measuring about 2 weeks ahead of schedule, he's probably more like 5.75lbs.

Weight gain? +28

What's going on with baby?  The waxy protective coating, vernix, is becoming much thicker this week as the lanugo continues to shed and may be almost completely gone by now.  Inside baby, the lungs are continuing to mature in preparation for breathing on the outside.

Stretchmarks? I think I have some new ones but it's difficult to tell.

Sleep? I'm sleeping okay when I am sleeping but I wake up once a night to use the bathroom and then I'm having difficulty getting back to sleep for over an hour.

Best moment this week? This one is tricky.  Not much special has happened this week.  I hope one of these upcoming weeks this question will have an answer that says "Rick finally moved his office to the basement and I'm working on the new nursery".

Movement? Same as last week - Still very active.  Feels like he's making some really intense acrobatic flips.

Food cravings? Still that taco salad from last week.

Gender? Boy!

Labor signs? I'm having some cramping so we're keeping an eye on things but so far nothing concerning.

Belly button in or out? Slowly thinning but still in.

What I miss? Weather is turning a little cool earlier than typical and I'm not quite ready for that because that means the end of my leave will be even cooler than I want it to be.  Bring back that heat!

What I am looking forward to? Sunday my two closest friends are throwing me a "sprinkle".  I'm so excited just to get together with friends and relax.  And eat of course.

Milestones? We're starting the weekly countdown.  5 weeks to go.

Next doctor's appointment? August 30th!

-stephanie

Short & Simple: My Current View

I'll be honest, I don't have much to say today.  Had a doctors appointment and am just not feeling motivated to write a long exciting post.  Not because I'm down about anything, just because it's one of those days.  Super nice out, work is light, had lunch with some coworkers and don't feel like doing anything.  :)  So, let's keep it short and simple.  Here's my current view.

That belly!

-stephanie

Maternity Fashion on a Budget

Looking good isn't cheap.  Looking good while pregnant is even harder to do.  For some reason maternity clothes are much pricier than non maternity clothes.  To add to that, you're only wearing the clothes for a short period of time so purchasing them is even harder.  At least for me it is.  I'm a thrifty person who generally has a hard time purchasing clothes that cost more than $20-$30 so when I'm pregnant I go into full on frugal mode.  So here are a few tips two save money when pregnant.

1.  Borrow, Beg & Steal.  Okay so maybe not the steal part, but the borrow and beg, do it!  If you have friends or family that have been pregnant recently, ask them if they'd let you borrow some of their maternity pieces.  More than likely they'll be willing to part with them for a short period of time.  Not every piece they have you'll like, but more than likely they'll have a few staple items that you can use throughout your pregnancy (work pants, jeans, etc).

2.  Buy maternity clothes at non maternity stores.  I'm talking Old Navy, Target, Kohl's, etc.  If you walk into Destination Maternity, chances are you're going to see some pricey pieces.  Yes, they're really cute, but is it worth it to wear for 5 months or so?  Likely not.  Another favorite of mine is H&M.  You may or may not know that they carry maternity.  You also may or may not know that you can now shop online at H&M.

3.  Wear your non maternity clothes.  This may be the craziest concept yet.  Not really, at least I don't think so, but so many pregnant women feel they have to wear maternity all the time.  When in fact, a lot of what you already have in your closet you can wear for a majority of your pregnancy.  Take the outfit above, everything here is non maternity (minus the pants).  Just be careful in the belly area, non maternity clothes don't have that fabulous band so you might be flashing some strangers your preggo belly!

4.  Buy staple pieces.  When you do have to buy maternity clothes, try to only purchase the staple pieces you'll use throughout your pregnancy and postpartum.  Things like tanks, leggings, and t-shirts.  Then accessorize or layer up with your non maternity pieces like cardigans or scarves.

5.  Purchase multi-functional pieces.  You'll want to purchase a few key pieces that you can wear multiple times throughout the week to keep your cost down.  For example, splurge a little on a pair of maternity work pants from Gap and wear them a couple times throughout the week.  There's nothing wrong with that as long as you're getting good use out of the cost.  I also purchased a black maxi skirt that I can dress up and wear to work, or dress down on the weekends for a casual look.

Remember that pregnancy is a short period of time and ask yourself if it's worth spending some extra cash to look super cute for a limited period of time.  To me it's not worth the extra cash to shop from Heidi Klum's line.  Sure, all of her clothes are so cute but I just can't justify spending $150 on a maxi dress of hers when I can find a similar dress at Old Navy for $35.  Either way, be confident and rock that bump because pregnant women always look fabulous!

-stephanie

Toddler Girl Fall Fashion

I'm really itching for fall.  Like, I can't wait much longer for Pumpkin Spiced Lattes and football season and jeans and comfy sweatshirt.  It's my absolute favorite time of year.  Since I won't physically be in the best of shape to look super cute in all these cute fall pieces, I've been doing a lot of online shopping for Addie lately.  Here are my favorite looks.

Color Story - found at Carters

Print Perfection - found at Carters

Southwest Sunset - found at Carters

Tunics & Leggings - found at Carters

Clearly I've been favoring Carters.  I don't know why but I guess it's because they have the cutest clothes.  I'm not a Gymboree fan at all.  I hate clothes with characters and I feel like Carters always has the most "adult" like clothes without the kids looking like adults.  If that makes any sense.

Now if I could just find Addie a killer pair of boots for the fall I'll be all set!

-stephanie