Only 4-6 weeks left until this baby should be here!!! Have you entered the baby pool yet??? Don’t forget to make your guesses! Also be sure to enter the giveaway I have going on for a cute nursing scarf…contest ends tomorrow!
Baby Growth: Leo is now about 4 and 3/4 lbs (weight of a cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Doesn’t 18 inches sound SO LONG?!?! It’s awesome to be at this point in pregnancy b/c most babies born from this point on, even though they may be early, are 100% fine! Leo needs to stay put until I’m at least 38 weeks though 🙂
My Symptoms: Nesting nesting NESTING!!! I am in full on baby mode right now. I am constantly organizing stuff! Even just this morning I filled another two bags of my clothes to donate (I’ve filled 4 big garbage bags total!). While I’m purging a LOT of stuff…I’m stocking up on baby things. Like, to the extreme haha. I completed all my registry stuff and have officially ordered or purchased everything I can possibly think of that we may need for this baby!
Do you think I have enough breastmilk storage bags?!?! haha!
It is like Christmas every day at our house right now because Amazon and Target both ship so strangely (like one thing in a box at a time?) so I keep getting more and more packages on the front stop every day! It’s so fun to open it all! 🙂
I also noticed this week that my belly is LARGE and IN CHARGE. I walked into the bathroom Saturday evening when we were out to eat as a family for Father’s Day and I was like DANG. Hello tummy. I mean it’s been there for awhile but it’s def more OUT than before. Since I have had a more “gain all over” pregnancy I don’t think it’s made my stomach look as pregnant so I kinda like that it’s a bigger pregnant belly at this point.
One of my concerns has been juggling getting things done, resting, and having fun with the kids. I REALLY feel good about where I’m at right now with that balance!!! I have a lot of fun things I want to do this summer so I’m just trying to do them a little bit at a time and have made plans with Zach to combine them as family time things too so we can enjoy the four of us together while also doing one of the “summer fun” things I usually try to do with the kids. I have had moments of over doing it this week but, overall, feel I’m at a good spot with managing it all. I don’t feel pressure to have some AMAZING summer doing CRAZY unique things. I know the simple things are just as fun and memorable for the kids so I focus on that and I also know it’s okay for them to have downtime just playing too. As long as I have a couple fun things a week with them I feel fine with having mornings where we just stay in pjs and play with toys while I get things done around the house 🙂
Snow cones as a treat made for a perfect, yet simple, fun thing!
It’s funny because when it comes to feeling like I’m over doing it it’s usually during days where we DO stay at home. I tend to go-go-go and feel that nesting energy take over and then I get cramps later in the day and feel like I’m just DONE. When we go out and do things I tend to take it easier, drink more water (while driving!) and usually end up feeling more rested than I do after a day at home!
I am starting to feel very emotional about this baby coming and not having majority of my family involved. I talked to my dad and Audrey on Father’s Day about coming and I do think it’ll help when the visit. But seeing how in LOVE with Carter everyone is makes it hard for me. Even Jordan’s brother, who lives in NY, skyped with him to meet him. Which is super sweet and I def feel a little bit jealous about it! I’m trying my best to minimize any potential triggers. I got rid of several of my post partum clothes. My mom had gotten me a robe I wore at the hospital with both babies so I put that in the Good Will bag and I bought myself (with gift cards!) several new things to wear. She also had gotten us our bassinet so I’m selling it at the next kids sale and bought a different kind for this baby. I know even with having “fresh start” stuff that it will still be hard. I’m just trying to do all I can to minimize how difficult I’m sure it’ll be. However, I thought my baby showers would be very difficult too and they ended up great! So maybe if I prepare for it to be very tough emotionally, it’ll be easier than I expect 🙂
I have noticed I am VERY clumsy now. I mean I have dropped my Turvis tumbler 1,000 times. I split juice all in the fridge. I just am constantly dropping things. Which is super annoying when you have back pain and are trying to avoid bending down!
My back pain is mostly in my lower left side and it is so bad that it will hurt just when walking. Last night it actually had like a shooting numbness feeling down my left leg. I think that’s normal? Maybe the baby is just pushing on a nerve?
I am feeling a TON of pressure as well. Very very low, like in my privates! Maybe the baby has dropped? Also lots of milk is leaking which is interesting b/c I had that with Kye but not with Britt. If I am naked I can see the milk come out!!!
I remember getting far along in my last pregnancy and Kye started to act very strangely. I read up on it and found out it’s normal b/c the toddler can sense a big change is coming but they don’t understand what it is. Britt is now in that stage! I talked to Stacy about it and she said her daughter is the same way Britt is being! Kye lashed out a good bit, but Britt is just SO CLINGY. Like constantly wants me to hold her. She is also totally rejecting Zach. Doesn’t want to kiss him or hug him goodnight. Doesn’t want him to take her potty. Doesn’t want him to get her dressed. Basically doesn’t want anything to do with him. Which I feel bad about! But she will have to spend a LOT more time with Daddy once Leo comes so I’m trying to be patient with her about it. I am also trying not to get worried about her being mega jealous about this baby…I know Kye’s little funk ended as soon as Britt was born so I’m hoping Britt’s funk will end just as quickly when this baby arrives!
Overall I’m trying VERY hard to have a better attitude. I apologize to you guys for my negative attitude throughout majority of this pregnancy. Is it harder than past ones? Yes. But overall it’s still an EASY pregnancy. I am blessed to have very easy pregnancies. To be very healthy and to have very healthy children. I have no reason to be complaining!!!
Weight: I’m at 23 lbs total. I don’t remember where I was at when I last weighed in. Is it bad that I just don’t care? I truly feel like I’m being SUPER active, eating pretty healthy, and drink a TON of water. I’m doing the best I can and I just can’t control what the scale says at this point.
Although at my appt this week they said I have LOST weight. I laughed because it’s just due to me wearing my tennis shoes at my last appointment when I weighed in haha!
Gender: I am nervous about it being a girl. I know Zach wants a boy and that makes me nervous about a girl. I just want that moment they tell us “It’s a…” to be so special but knowing how much he wants another son makes me worry that if they say “it’s a girl” that I will be upset b/c I will be worried about him being upset. I truly 100% don’t care either way. I’m SO pumped, personally, to find out. More than I’ve ever been excited with the past pregnancies. But knowing Zach’s desires has dampened that excitement for me 🙁 And I try to keep reminding him that no matter what he already has one son! I mean c’mon! We may end up being a family with 3 girls and 1 boy or 3 boys and 1 girl but at least we have one of each!!!
Maternity Clothes: I’ve ordered a few more nursing tanks. They are the ONLY thing I find comfortable right now. I plan to live in them (and yoga pants!) during post partum. I also got a couple pjs with button down tops to throw on over the tank when people come visit 🙂 I am trying to wear all the cute maternity stuff while I can! I have also gone ahead and started packing up the winter type stuff as I better not be needing it come winter time!
Movement: When I took the kids with me to my appointment this week Kye asked why we had to go to the dr just to hear the baby’s heartbeat. And it was a valid question. I mean why did I have to go? I know the baby has a heartbeat because I feel it moving CONSTANTLY! Which is such a huge blessing! I love the movement and the hiccups and the reminder that my sweet baby is in there growing 🙂
Sleep: I am feeling less tired in the afternoons (I think that nesting energy is helping!) but am having lots of vivid dreams at night. I either have nightmares about my mom or I have dreams about the baby. The mom stuff is odd because you would think I’d be having dreams about missing her, wishing she was part of the baby’s birth, etc. But instead they are these nightmares of her just yelling and yelling and yelling at me. On the other end of the spectrum I also have dreams about the baby. Usually I have a nightmare about Mom first, then wake up (and pee and turn down the ac) and go back to sleep dreaming about the baby. Last night was the first time my entire pregnancy that I dreamed Leo is a boy. Usually every night it’s a girl (I think a lot of that is due to my worries with Zach’s feeling about it being a girl) They are always sweet dreams and I don’t really want to wake up from them. They are about the delivery and the first time holding the baby!
Zach and I also finally broke down and bought some “grown up” bedding! We were thinking about getting a couple’s massage in Ireland but decided to save the money and use it on a new feather top mattress pad and new, high thread count, sheets. It all arrived yesterday and it’s AMAZING!!! We got this bed topper and these sheets after both were highly recommended 🙂
Cravings: No real cravings this week!
Things Accomplished This Week: I feel like we are on fire getting things done! We have a goal day in mind (July 4th) and I think we can do it! It’s two weeks away!!! We are hosting Zach’s fam for the day so it’s a great time to show everyone everything we’ve done around the house 🙂 I did talk to Zach about how I need to have the house DEEP CLEANED before this baby comes and that it’s just physically impossible for me. I’ve never, ever paid someone to clean my house. It’s not something I feel is appropriate. I’m a stay at home mom and it’s part of my job to keep our home clean. However, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to pay to have it deep cleaned really well one time. Kinda give it a fresh start and then I can keep it up rather than struggling to get it done, ya know? He’s on board so I’m hoping to schedule that soon!
I updated all the pictures around our home this week and both Kye’s and Britt’s rooms only need a few finishing touches to be 100% how we want them. The playroom literally needs ONE thing and then I can take the pics to do the room reveal!
The nursery is really coming along too! Now that I’ve ordered everything we can get it 100% ready 🙂 Zach was pumped about the luggage shelves and already got them finished and hung. Y’all. They are AWESOME!!!
I have also been busy updating my addresses so I can go ahead and print off the labels for the birth announcements! I have everything ready for our outfits for newborn pics. This time I really want to do them within Leo’s first 10 days of life as I’ve read that’s the ideal time and that’s when we did Carter’s and it was easier to work with him than it was with Britt. So I have outfits for our entire family for if it’s a boy or a girl! I’m excited about them b/c I’m going a different route than I normally do for family photos. Usually I do a lot of color and variety and mix patterns and such but for these I’m going VERY basic. All of us in the same color (blue for boy…or coral if girl! I just didn’t love the pinks I was finding!) and I think it’ll make for some sweet photos and allow us all to blend rather than one family member stand out since it really should be about the baby, ya know?
I also went through and wrote out a list of all the blog posts I need to write to get caught up. I was so proud b/c it was like 27 posts and I thought “I can totally do that!” Then I did the math…and if I have Leo at 38 weeks that’s only 28 days to go!!!! 28 days! 4 weeks sounds so much longer, doesn’t it? So I may not be fully caught up on blogging by then but I’m going to do my best to try 🙂
OB Visit: This week was the LAST visit where the kids can go! I go back again in 2 weeks and have blood work done and then I go every week and she starts checking me (so, duh, you don’t want kids there for that). I brought along notepads and pencils for them and am SO PROUD of how well they did waiting. Usually when I have an early morning appointment we get right back but this time we waited for AN HOUR. Not an easy task with two kids!!! They were awesome though 🙂
All this visit involved was a heartbeat check. It was in the 140s-150s. Both Britt and Kye listened to their hearts too 🙂 I only had ONE question for Stacy: CAN I TRAVEL PLEASE?!?!! I had been really looking forward to the night away with Zach in Jekyll and I really do think I’m fine to go. We know when you have more than two kids it gets trickier with child care so our days of trips just the two of us will probably be more limited. I really, really want to go away with him while it’s rather easy to do so!
Stacy said it’s fine for me to go as long as I travel before I’m 36 weeks. Which works out GREAT because Zach actually has a work function in St Simons (right near Jekyll) next Saturday! I’ll be 35 weeks and he was already having to go to that anyway. It’s a family event so we can all go and then Mrs. Charlotte and Mr. Rusty can bring our van back with them with the kids! Easy! I am SO pumped!!!! We are going to do a tour and a nice dinner and then just sleep in and enjoy the beach together before heading home the next day. It’ll be roughly 24 hours away but it’ll be AMAZING!
What I Miss: I do still hate looking back at myself from my last pregnancy. It’s such a self esteem killer to see how amazing I looked then and how cruddy I look now…but I didn’t FEEL pretty at this point then either so that’s comforting at least!
Best Moments of the Week: We celebrated Father’s Day and it was wonderful!!!!! We made a whole weekend of it! We had a big “feast” Friday night, went to breakfast Sat morning, did our yearly family golf outing, went to dinner that night, and then spent Sunday (the entire day!) with Zach’s family and his parents church and home! Zach had a GREAT time and I’m so glad we were able to make it a special weekend for him. I worry about how his birthday will go since we will have a mega newborn so I’m glad at least Father’s Day was awesome!!!
I just had a really good week overall! There were tough moments, but I felt like I had a handle on it for the most part and really finding that balance for me has been huge! I have all the events planned through my 38th week (I just don’t want to plan anything after that in case!) so i think we will have a fun summer and will be able to continue this balance of resting and fun! I feel SO MUCH LESS STRESS now that we have a deadline of July 4th and I think it’s really achievable!!!!
Questions/Concerns: On Babycenter this week it says I need to get my plans in place for people to help with childcare/school driving. Which is still a BIG concern for me. I haven’t had a sit down talk with Mrs. Charlotte about it yet and I know I need to…I just HATE asking her to have to help me so much. And there really isn’t any one else who can!!! That’s probably my last major concern!
Goals for this Week:
- Continue to knock things off the to do list!!!
- I haven’t done any Bradley practice. And I do worry about that. When I wake in the night and can’t fall asleep it’s what I think about. I am just SUPER worn out by the time night comes. But I know I need to get better about at least doing the relaxation portion. Just the refresher to help me be able to do it during labor! I do feel like I’m in good shape exercise wise so not doing that part isn’t as big of a deal. I’m the most active I’ve EVER been while pregnant FOR SURE!
- Get out birthing ball!
Belly Pictures: Here’s my pics for this week!
Notes from Past Pregnancies: My 34 week post from Britt’s pregnancy is here! I had gained 18 lbs with this point with her…stinks to be over that but at least it’s only by 5 lbs! Not too bad. I’d gained 29 with Kye so at least I’m still 6 lbs less than that!
It’s great to re-read that most Bradley labor experiences go even smoother for further pregnancies! I needed that reminder and I also needed the reminder to get the birthing ball out!!!
Here’s my 34 week post from Kye’s pregnancy! There are some pics of my mom when she was pregnant with me which is neat to see.
When comparing all three pregnancies I still think I favor my pregnancy with Kye in the looks department! My stomach was higher with Britt and I was more belly rather than all over. My face with much thinner and is more fuller this time, like it was with Kye’s.
My work has been featured on Love What Matters, Today Parenting and Babywise.Life. I'm also honored to be a member of the Babywise Friendly Blog Network.
You can read more about our family on my About Me page. Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!
- Effective Parenting Tips to Discipline a 5 Year Old Child - September 24, 2024
- Happy 9th Birthday to My Daughter – Letter to Tess from Mom - August 26, 2024
- The Best Travel High Chair for Baby and Toddler - July 11, 2024
Where is your little jean dress from? It is SO cute! I would wear it not pregnant!
You're getting close!!!That shooting numbness is sciatica, I bet. I had it terribly with Bo. I could barely walk at 35 weeks, so I went to a chiropractor (I know, I know….I had NEVER been to one before, but I am 100% for chiro now). After 2 gently adjustments, I had some relief, and by 37 weeks, I had no more pain. With Mae, I started going weekly around 32 weeks and was fine. Just a thought if it gets really bad.