36 Weeks in all its glory

Well here I am in all of my 36.5 weeks. I am way bigger than I was with Keating. This is as big as I was with him when I delivered at 38 weeks.

How Far Along? 36.5 weeks!

Maternity Clothes? Only on blue jean Friday. The remainder of the week I have been wearing glorious summer dresses.

Weight Gain? 22.5 lbs

Stretch Marks? One... I'm greasing myself like a Thanksgiving turkey so that I don't get anymore!

Gender? Boy

Sleep? Tylenol PM is my new friend. I'm not even going to complain though. I know this sleep is better than what is to come.

Food Cravings? green monster smoothie, I love those things! At least its good for us.

What I Miss? Spending a nice afternoon with a cold beer on the patio, my stomach not looking like an alien is inside of it. It is really quite nuts, I will have to film what this kid does to me.

Symptoms? Lovely swollen ankles, turning corners and people saying "WHOA!" like I'm the first pregnant person they have ever laid eyes on.

Belly Button? Currently in.

Best Moment of the Week? Knowing we have a head down baby and now awaiting the impending labor. I have to admit I was somewhat looking forward to scheduling a day to have a baby whenever I wanted.... Oh well!

Keating is getting ready for Archer to be here. He has been trying to communicate with him via toliet paper tube. It is funny because when he was doing this, Archer started kicking around. Sometimes when A gets in a really good kick or jab, I'll let out an "OUCH!" and Keating will say "Archer stop kicking mama!" Such a protective little man!

Getting Ready

It has hit me lately that I will be having a baby in 2-4 weeks. Thats a little frightening and overwhelming all at the same time. I have been thinking back to the days when Keating was a newborn. Although I wouldn't change that time with him for anything, I have to be honest, those days were MISERABLE. Is that awful of me to say? If you read my blog back then, you may recall that he screamed for what seemed like 24 hours a day, for 5ish months of his life. We tried everything and nothing ever seemed to work. I PRAY that things with Archer go differently. I think we missed out on a lot of cherished times because we were so stressed out with his crying.

I believe part of the problem with Keating had to do with reflux, the other part was a low milk supply on my part. I tried things to boost my supply, but in the end, nothing helped. After five exhausting months, I had to switch to formula. I'm not turning this in to a formula vs. breastfeeding debate, because I think that is a personal preference, but I had my heart set on nursing my baby longer and more successfully than 5 months. I felt like somewhat of a failure that it didnt work out.

I am nervous that this time could be similar. I am not putting the pressure on myself to exclusively breastfeed. I have a lot of things going against me this time that were not an issue previously. It has been a year and a half since I had my surgery. I have been told that breastfeeding should not be affected, but I always think in the back of my head that there is a chance this wont work out. That my currently huge Dolly Parton boobs are going to fail me. I am also going back to work very soon after Archer is born. As much as I would LOVE to stay out longer, I am taking an unpaid maternity leave. Right now its just not an option and 6 weeks is all that I get.

I know going back to work is going to affect my milk supply, I will have limited access to pump, but I am going to try my best. I am also doing things now to help with supply. I have been drinking Zija supplements which aid in earlier milk production and help with supply. Its full of iron, folic acid and calcium which is great for supply and growing babies. The Moringa leaf also helps to energize you naturally, which is a huge plus when you are up all night with a new baby. If you dont know anything about Zija and are curious, research the moringa plant. It really has some amazing health benefits that Zija has made into supplements and teas.

So far I have only been drinking the Smartmix because it is okay for pregnancy. Some of the others have added energy as well as weight loss benefits, but those are obviously not recommended during pregnancy or while nursing. If you are having trouble with milk supply or want to get a jump in your nutrients for milk production like me, then you should try it out. I will be sure to update my progress once baby A makes his appearance into the world.

A Breech Baby Update

I went for my 36 week Dr's appointment this morning and it seems that Archer's sense of direction has improved. An ultrasound confirmed that he is now head down. The dr said that he is not fully engaged, but he is headed in the right direction. If he keeps this up we will be doing things the old fashioned way.

I am a little scared... the ultrasound tech told me he is already measuring at 6lbs. I know that those things arent always accurate, but with possibly 4 weeks left to go, thats a lot of growing room! yikes! Keating was only 6lbs 7oz and that was tough enough!! Maybe he will come early like his brother. I am just praying for a healthy baby and a super fast recovery this go round.

Thanks to everyone who commented on your c-section experiences, even though some of them scared the bejesus out of me, I do appreciate your honesty. Now with time running against me, I need to get his nursery finished!!!

What to Expect book GIVEAWAY!!!

I was really excited when I was contacted by What to Expect about working together on a book giveaway. I know from personal experience that these people know what they are talking about!! With my first pregnancy "What to Expect When You're Expecting" was my go to pregnancy book. It answered all of my first time mom questions and helped me to feel more prepared in bringing a baby into the world... Well, as prepared as one could be to have a new baby! Every week I would sit down and read how the baby was developing that particular week and I would peek ahead to see what was to come. It became the book that I compared all other pregnancy books to.

I have revisited the book multiple times with this pregnancy as a refresher course. I am particularly thankful that they have a 1st and 2nd year edition available. Both of which will be getting tons of use at our house in coming months!! In the early months of having a new baby, I feel that you are sometimes just struggling to keep your head above water. The first year helps explain how the baby is developing, why certain things are happening, and it also helps keep your sanity! The Second Year is new territory for us, as we are only two months in, but I know this book is going to earn a valuable place on my nightstand with the others!

What to Expect is generously giving away a copy of each of these three books to two lucky readers! Here are the rules- please leave a comment for each individual entry. You can do one or all of them, its up to you!

* Leave a comment about why you would like to win the giveaway or a valuable piece of information you have learned from a What to Expect book.

* Become a follower of my blog

* Follow me on twitter

* Follow What to Expect on twitter

* Tweet about the giveaway (please link back to the tweet) you can do this once per day

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, April 3rd. Good luck!!

Spinning a baby

Thank you all for your many comments and stories regarding C- sections. I've got to be honest, some of y'all scared me a little bit! haha! I had previously heard that if you had a really rough recovery with a 1st delivery, that a C-section is a piece of cake in comparison. After reading all of those comments, I'm not sure that will be the case! With Keating I had a lovely 3rd degree episiotomy, so it was a verrrry long recovery. I guess it comes down to the preference of what area you would rather all stitched up? At this point, I am fine with whatever method I have to go through... really what choice do I have? As long as he is delivered safely, that is what matters.

I know there is still time for him to flip around, so I'm just waiting to see what happens. I have been doing a few of the exercises from spinningbabies.com to see if will help A. to turn. He has been breech close to half of my pregnancy, so we will see if the exercises work. I do know one thing, lying upside down on an ironing board nearly 36 weeks pregnant is not a flattering position. I thought of posting my picture just for laughs, but it was too bad to even keep it in my phone! Keating on the other hand thought the he would give it a try. He looks much cuter than I do doing it anyhow. (Yes, I need a new ironing board cover)

To explain the process to anyone who may be confused... the point of the exercise is to lay inverted so that the muscles and uterus have a chance to stretch out and hang. Hanging uterus sounds sexy right?? You can only do this portion or you can add to it with a hot/ cold combination. With the hot/ cold process you place something cold behind where the baby's head is, and something warm into the direction you want for them to move to. Archer doesn't react to this part at all, so I'm not sure that it is working.

Keating doesn't really understand why I am lying there, but he takes it as a time to use me as a jungle gym and climb over and under me. The other day during the process he managed to spill a red popsicle all over the floor. (Yes, I was the idiot that gave my two year old a red popsicle in the house) After I was able to get my very pregnant self down to clean it up, and get back to a flattering inclined position, I was sprayed in the face with the carpet cleaner. There is never a dull moment in my house. Never.

I go back to the Dr. next week and I will see what the verdict is. Either way, we will need to know something somewhat soon since I went into labor with Keating 2 weeks early. I like having a plan of action in place, who doesn't.

Hopefully the rain we are getting today will clear out all of the pollen that is torturing so many of us! Have a great weekend!

Freezes Beautifully

Sorry for the random title. I really have nothing else to call this post considering it is going to be a random hodgepodge of an update.

*Friday I went to the dr for my 34 week appointment and had an ultrasound. Everything is looking beautiful. Archer is right on track weighing in at 4lbs 11oz, pretty big already!!

*The ultrasound confirmed that he is in fact breech. My new Dr discussed two options with me.
1. Turning the baby from the outside. 2. C- Section... I go back next week for one more ultrasound to make sure that he hasn't flipped around and then we will make the call. I already know the call I'm making, C-Section. No one is going to try and turn a baby that is inside of me. It is starting the be bad enough when he moves the wrong way and I have a head shoved up in my ribs, much less having someone FORCE him into position. Nothankyouverymuch.

*If you have had labor and C-section I would love to hear your preference. If you have had a C-section I would love to hear your experience. Anything I should know? Any tips/ recovery advice? This is all new to me.

*This weekend was quite busy. I think I did a little too much.
-Friday was my nieces birthday party and chasing a two year old the whole time wore me out, especially since he wanted to do all of the activites the big kids were doing.

-Saturday we started our first little garden for our backyard. They are just seeds so they have a long way to go, and a lot to learn. I hope its successful because we planted a TON of seeds! Keating "helped" and dumped out an entire packet of lettuce seeds... we aren't even sure if you can plant lettuce in the south right now, but if so we should have about 80 lettuce plants give or take!

-Sunday we started the day off at church. Then I decided it was a good day to clean out Keating's dresser to get ready for Archer's room, cleaned out our basement freezer, hung a little art work, washed more baby clothes, painted a bed for my niece, revamped our mantle for Spring, cleaned out Keating's closet and I'm sure there is more I am forgetting. I'm not sure if this is me nesting or just taking advantage of the amazing weather we have had, either way I am feeling it today and can hardly walk. Pregnancy is hard work and I am happy to be in the end stretch!

*Now if you are wondering about the "freezes beautifully" title. I have started preparing double amounts of food in preparation for my maternity leave (eat half now/ freeze the rest for later). So far I have made 3 dishes, but only 2 have made it to the freezer, the third was eaten before it got there. Oops! So, do you have any favorite dishes that "freeze beautifully"? We are open to anything, casserole, pasta whatever... we don't discriminate.

As always, thank you all for your comments. I love reading them. I know there is a way to comment back to people so that they know I responded... but I have no idea how to do this? Anyone else know?

To Do's before DUE date!

At the beginning of the year I complied a list of To Do's before Archer's big arrival. Some are baby related, some are just house related in general. I am happy to say that a majority of the items has actually been accomplished. Here is how the list is shaping up.

* Hang entry shelf - Complete - as seen here
* Throw Keating a 2nd birthday party - Complete! you can see that here
* Change Keating to a big bed - Complete
* Find bedding and make pillows for big boy bed - Complete
* Get blinds for all windows that are missing them - In Progress
* Dress up the roman shades in my bathroom - not even started...
* Sew crib sheet - Done!
* Sew bed skirt - Done!
* Sew baby blanket - Done!
* Sew curtains - Done!
* Get more pictures up on the walls - In progress
* Paint and hang lantern light fixture in master bathroom - Done!
* Find dresser for Archer's room - Done! He will be getting Keating's old one
* Hang hardware inside of Archer's closet - Done!
* Paint lamp for Archer's room - In Progress
* Find lamp shade for lamp -
* Locate lost baby items from move such as boppy, bumbo, bottles etc. - In progress
* Wash all baby clothes - Done!
* Art work for nursery walls - In Progress
* Order Mom's on Call videos for a newborn refresher - Need to do this asap!

I hope to have photos up of some of the complete projects such as Keating's room,

Life in photos

The past few days we have been blessed with gorgeous spring like weather and we have been soaking up every bit of it. I hope that it decides to stick around. I love spring, but to be honest its more for selfish reasons... my maternity pants are all too small so I am looking forward to wearing flowy dresses!

We have been spending a lot of time outside. Nothing says Spring to me like all of the fresh flowers that are springing up around us. Not so much in our yard... because it is currently very bare after all of the renovating. Forsythia is my favorite spring flower, and lucky for me Brad's aunt has a lot of it that she doesn't mind sharing! Keating and I went for a little walk to try out our new double stroller yesterday and I decided to pick a bit. It just makes the house so much happier! Like a breath of fresh air. Also you may notice in this photo we swapped out our kitchen light. This change took place around Christmas, but it is just making its way into a photo. We wanted something bigger to take up the space. The old lantern is now hanging over the master bathtub. This light is from Home Depot if anyone is curious.



I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it on here, but a few years ago we purchased a 2 acre lot in the same neighborhood where we currently live. Initially this lot was going to be used to build a house on, but life had a way of working out and now we live a block away and also get to enjoy the perks of our little piece of land and pond. It is nice because our little property ties to Brad's aunt and uncle's big property.

Keating loves throwing things off of the dock, especially things that he doesn't really want to get rid of, such as bubble wands and balls. Yesterday I got to climb into the row boat 34 weeks pregnant to retrieve his new bubble wand. That was a sight to see I am sure... fat and uncoordinated trying not to flip out of the boat. I should be awarded mom of the year!

Brad's aunt has 15 chickens beautiful chickens that make for a fun afternoon with a toddler. We are lucky to have our own little petting zoo right down the street for whenever he gets the urge to go see the chickens. For everyone that is worried about germs, he doesn't really pet them. Chickens don't particularly care for 2 year old boys. Keating on the other hand thinks they are quite amusing.I have tried my hand again at doing at home haircuts. Last week before church Keating looked like he had a mop on his head. Being that it was Sunday morning when I decided that he needed a haircut, we had no choice but to give it a go at home. It really didn't turn out as disastrous as last time... but I do need to find a longer guard so that the top isnt so short. This kid has a head full of cowlicks. (I told you our yard needs a lot of work, as seen below!)

He was quite proud of his new do but I am not sure how I feel about him looking so old. He is more boy than baby now and that makes me sad!

He is still sweet and enjoys a good snuggle though. He also only has eyes for his mama. I am not sure how he is going to handle a second baby. I pray every night that he makes a smooth transition. I'm not sure if this is just him, or if all kids do this... but he has a collection of items that he must bring to bed every night. It used to just be his two lovies "night night and woof woof" but now he has added random animals, tractors, bottles of water, pennies... whatever he needs that day. Is this normal? Here he is with an arm full of stuff. I am glad I got this photo last week... because we are currently in the market for a new baby monitor...

This is the current state of the monitor after Ike knocked it off of the counter. Thankfully the sound still works, but the screen is obviously shot. Does anyone have any good video monitor suggestions? I would prefer not to have another Summer's infant because this one was junk long before Ike got a hold of it.

This weekend also involved some home improvement and a little prep work for Archer's nursery. All of the bedding is done, baby clothes have been washed, and we installed the hardware for his closet. We are waiting to move the computer/office out of there and it will be nearly finished. I made a few little/big artwork items that will be hung up as soon as they are complete. Here is a little peek. I think it is all coming together quite nicely.

To those that mentioned I had "employees" plural in jail... yes that was no typo. I hire an "eclectic" group of people to say the least! Oh the stories I could tell... maybe another time!

And to anyone who offered advice with Ike. Thank you for all of your encouragement and kind words. He has been doing MUCH better. No accidents in the house in over a week! Progress I am very happy to report!

I hope everyone is having a happy monday!

33 weeks

Wow this week really got away from me! I meant to post more this week but a lot has been going on at work (Like my employees being hauled off to jail... so I haven't had the brain capacity to even think about posting) Sorry! Hopefully next week will be better!

How Far Along? 33 weeks! Time is flying by! Can't wait to meet this little guy.

Maternity Clothes? yes and I am growing quite tired of them.
Weight Gain? 20 lbs
Stretch Marks?I spotted one last night next to my old belly button piercing, but I think it may be an old one I never noticed before. Hopefully I don't add any more to the collection!
Gender? All boy
Sleep? not great. I have to roll in and out of bed like a whale. Its quite attractive
Food Cravings? chocolate, Cuties (do they sell cutie trees??) and Easter little debbie cakes.
What I Miss? normal clothes, sleep, lung capacity, bending over, reaching my toes, energy... I am obviously getting to the point where I am over being pregnant.
Symptoms? All of the above
Belly Button? Sometimes its in, sometimes its out. I think it has to do with how he is positioned in there.

Worst moment of the week: I just added this one in here for the week, but I found out at my appointment last week that my OB is on a personal leave of absence and will NOT be back until Archer is born! I haven't cried the entire time I have been pregnant (I'm not a big crier normally and pregnancy doesn't make me all emotional like it does some) but I nearly lost it in the Dr's office. I was all like "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE WONT BE HERE!?!?!?" while fighting back tears. After a few hours of sulking and complaining on twitter, I put on my big girl panties and decided that as long as Archer is delivered safely in combination with a glorious epidural... that I didn't really care who delivered him. (That's a lie, I totally care that my dr wont be there, but some things are just out of our control right?)
Best Moment of the Week? We are 90% sure that Archer is head down now. YAY!

Scariest Moment of the Week? Seeing my daily countdown get into the 40's and his nursery is still not finished. I better get on that!

I'm a boy mom

Yesterday while interviewing a prospective employee, she stood up to leave and asked "Are you having a girl?" when I smiled and said "No, its a little boy" Her answer was "oh shucks." (I didnt know people still said that?) For some reason the ignorance of this woman really got under my skin. I have nothing against baby girls, in fact, for a few months I thought Archer just might be a girl... I love girls. But the moment when I saw the obvious signs that pointed to a boy on the ultrasound monitor, I grinned ear to ear.

I think part of me always knew that I would have two boys close in age. Okay thats not completely true, part of me always wanted two boys close in age. I only grew up with a sister, so there was always something mysterious about a brother. We had a house full of bows and Barbie mansions, dance lessons and cheerleading camp. (my poor dad) We knew nothing of sports or GI Joe, and what little we did know came from our cousins and neighbors.

My two years experience of being a boy mom has taught me a few things. Boys are a creature all their own. They are loud and crazy, and they play rough. They like things that make loud noises, make big messes, and things they shouldn't even play with... Like power tools. Boys get the short end of the stick when it comes to the clothing department and the joke that Target calls the Boy's shoe section. Luckily, little boys don't need a lot of shoes!

Little boys have an innate since of adventure instilled in them from their creator. It is no accident that they want to compete and win, to fight and be the hero, they want to be like their daddies. Little boys like to be praised for being well behaved and smart. They also have a soft tender side. Little boys need their mamas. They need us to tuck them in to bed, we kiss their boo boos and hurts away, and they shower us with their kisses. Even when they are whining and making us want to change our names... They are doing it all for our attention and affection.

There is not a thing in the world that would make me trade my love for my boy(s). I have gladly traded all things pink and girly for chasing a ball around the backyard and cleaning dirt off of filthy hands. Maybe one day God has a little frilly girl in store for me, maybe not... Either way I am happy and proud to be a boy mom. Little boys are a blessing.