BUMPDATE (36 Weeks!)

A little different view for this week's photo. This picture was taken yesterday on our way home from vacation. Connor's first trip to the White House!

Baby's Growth: This week Connor is the size of of a Honeydew Melon! I went to the doctor this afternoon and she said he is measuring right on track. She also guessed that he won't be a "big" baby. I weighed 9 pounds 3 oz when I was born (I know, I was big!) so hopefully she is right and he won't be a nine pounder like his mama.

How I'm feeling: Large, really swollen, and unfotrunately sick. I've had a cold for going on 3 weeks now. God Bless my doctor, today she actually wrote me a prescription. Hopefully, relief is on it's way.

Cravings: I haven't had any specific cravings lately, which might be because I'm battling this cold. All that sounds good right now is a bowl of cereal. 

Speaking of cravings though, I had mentioned in my blog that I had been craving cinnamon rolls. Last week one of the sweet teachers at the school where I work brought me cinnamon rolls! They were delicious! Thank you Kara!! AND one of the parents at school (who just happens to own a bakery) brought me chocolate chip cookies. She said all pregnant women need chocolate chip cookies. I agree wholeheartedly!

Anything making you queasy or sick: I think the food aversions are a thing of the past! I haven't had any for quite a while now!

Sleep: I haven't been sleeping that well lately but I think that is more to do with my cold rather than the pregnancy. 

Miss anything? Fitting into my shoes! My feet are SO swollen. My doctor said as long as my blood pressure stays normal it isn't a concern but I am retaining some serious water. I miss my normal feet!

Clothes: All maternity. 

Movement: He's been jabbing me a lot lately! He loves to bounce up and down on my bladder (thanks son!) and to roll around in stomach. I still love watching my stomach move when he rolls around!

Gender: BOY! 

Belly button in or out: Still in, but barely! 

Wedding rings on or off? I'm retaining so much water that today I actually went without a ring. We'll see if I can wear my nana's ring again this pregnancy, but for right now it just feels better not to wear anything.

Favorite moment this week: This past weekend we went on a babymoon to Williamsburg, Virginia and even though I was battling a cold we had an absolutely wonderful time. If you are ever in the area I highly recommend Kingsmill Resort, it's a beautiful place to relax. We spent some time in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, and we stopped by DC on the way home yesterday. We crammed a lot into a short amount of time but we had a blast! Below are some pictures from our trip.

This is the James Landing Grill at Kingsmill Resort. The restaurant overlooks the James River. We ate here for dinner on Saturday and oh my word it was so good to have some amazing southern food. I had shrimp and grits and they were absolutely fabulous! 

This is Brooks outside the Governor's House in Colonial Williamsburg. We spent a majority of the day on Saturday exploring Colonial Williamsburg, if  you are ever in the area I highly suggest visiting! 

Brooks and I drove down to Virginia Beach on Sunday. Let me tell you, there is nothing better than putting big, fat, swollen feet in the ocean. 

We decided to end our vacation with a short stop in DC. We live less than four hours away and it's really a shame we haven't spent more time there. We only had a couple hours but we made the most of it! We are hoping to take a trip back there with Connor in the spring.

Most looking forward to: I have a lot to look forward to this weekend! I have a baby shower on Saturday and a baby brunch on Sunday! I'll post pictures of those next week! 

BUMPDATE (35 Weeks!)

Baby's Growth: This week Connor is the size of of a Coconut! According to thebump.com he measures around 17.2 to 18.7 inches (as long as 20 inches according to whattoexpect.com) and weighs between 4.2 and 5.8 pounds! From here on out, he won't get much longer but he will continue to plump up between now and delivery.

How I'm feeling: Large and swollen, but overall, pretty good for being 35 weeks pregnant! My feet and ankles swell up a lot so I have to keep an eye on that and I move at a snails pace but I honestly feel a lot better than I thought I would for being this far along. 

Cravings: I've been craving a lot of frozen yogurt. Yum! I've also been craving anything pumpkin, but I think that's more because it's officially fall rather than because I'm pregnant. I baked a loaf of cream cheese pumpkin bread over the weekend and it's definitely almost gone! 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Sleep: I'm still sleeping really well! I have to sleep with my feet propped up because of the swelling (which is more awkward than comfortable) but besides that, I'm sleeping just fine!

Miss anything? Fitting into my shoes! Because I've experienced a lot of swelling lately most of my shoes don't fit well so even though the weather is crisp I'm still wearing flip flops. Hopefully the swelling will go down once the little one arrives.

Clothes: All maternity. 

Movement: He is still moving a lot! His kicks aren't as sharp as they used to be (because he's running out of space!) and now his movements feel more like he is rolling around. It's fascinating to watch my stomach move as he rolls around in there!

Gender: BOY! 

Belly button in or out: Still in, but barely! 

Wedding rings on or off? I've officially retired my wedding ring and am wearing my nana's wedding ring instead. Thankfully, it still fits! 

Favorite moment this week: We finished up our labor and delivery class on Saturday - we are all finished with baby classes now! I loved our labor and delivery class. Our teacher was awesome and I feel like I know much more of what to expect now. We also got to tour the labor and delivery floor at our hospital - it was so exciting to actually stand in a delivery room! 

Saturday evening we got to have dinner with some really good friends of ours who moved away - it was so good to see them and their little daughter! 

This weekend was also my prayer shower. The ladies at my church get together before a baby is born and say prayers for the new mom/new parents, and the baby. It's such a special day! My shower was absolutely wonderful and I'm so grateful to the women in my life who are praying for Brooks and me as we start this new adventure together. Connor is a lucky boy to have all these wonderful ladies praying for him!!

Most looking forward to: Our babymoon this weekend! Friday morning we are leaving for Williamsburg, Virginia to take one last trip as just the two of us. I absolutely cannot wait! 

BUMPDATE (34 Weeks, 1 Day!)

Baby's Growth: This week Connor is the size of of a butternut squash! According to thebump.com he is measuring between 17.2 and 18.7 inches long and weighs between 4.2 and 5.8 pounds!

How I'm feeling: Large and swollen. My feet and ankles are officially one body part (the dreaded canckle). On the plus side, I'm finally getting over the cold that I had last week so I'm grateful for that.

Cravings: Pickles!! 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope! 

Sleep: I'm still sleeping really well for the most part. I'm really hoping this continues!

Miss anything? My ankles!

Clothes: All maternity. 

Movement: He is still moving a lot! He loves to spread out in my tummy and kick me in the ribs. I think he's officially running out of space in there!

Gender: BOY! 

Belly button in or out: Still in, but to be honest, it's hanging on by a thread. I have a feeling my innie is going to be an outie before this is all over. 

Wedding rings on or off? I've officially retired my wedding ring and am wearing my nana's wedding ring instead.

Favorite moment this week: I got to see my dad this week! My dad has work this week on the East Coast so he was able to stop by for a couple days and it was so good to see him. Brooks and I took him on a boat cruise tour of the city and we just enjoyed each other's company. I'm so glad he got to come see us. 

I also had a doctor's appointment this week so I got to hear Connor's heart beat again, which is always a favorite for me. He is measuring right on track and everything looks good. I go back again at 36 weeks and then my appointments are weekly from there on out!

Another favorite from the last week was our labor and delivery class. Because Brooks travels so frequently we weren't able to take the regular class that meets once a week for several weeks so we opted for the condensed version which takes place over two Saturdays (our last class will be this Saturday). While spending an entire Saturday talking about birth may not be for everyone, I really enjoyed it. I learned so much and am really looking forward to this Saturday when we get to tour the actual delivery rooms. 

We also went to Kennywood last weekend for a friends birthday. We had a really good time! Even though I couldn't ride any of the rides it was a fun way to spend an evening. 

I had a lot of favorite's this past week! 

Most looking forward to: Finishing up our labor and delivery class this Saturday. I'm really looking forward to touring the delivery rooms and finishing up the class. Also some close friends of ours are in town this weekend and we get to see them Saturday evening! Can't wait to catch up with them too!!

Until next week :)

BUMPDATE (33 Weeks!)

Baby's Growth: This week Connor is the size of of a Durian. Am I the only person who had no clue what a Durian is? My curiosity caused me to waste 15 minutes of my life researching Durian Fruit. If you are intrigued, here's an article for you: What the heck is a Durian? For reference, the picture below is from thebump.com

How I'm feeling: Large and SLOW. I'm also unfortunately coming down with the summer cold that has been going around. Hopefully that will be over with soon! 

Cravings: Actually, nothing sounds good right now. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope! 

Sleep: This past week I've been sleeping really well. I tend to fall asleep early and despite waking up once or so during the night I sleep soundly. 

Miss anything? Not waddling when I walk. I feel like one of those super large turtles you see at the zoo. I move about as fast as they do too. 

Clothes: All maternity. 

Movement: He is still moving a lot! Little boy loves music! He especially loves country music and the hymns at church. He moves a lot when he hears either of them!

Gender: BOY! 

Belly button in or out: Still in!

Wedding rings on or off? I've officially retired my wedding ring and am wearing my nana's wedding ring instead.

Favorite moment this week: Last Saturday Brooks and I tried to go to a fall festival out in the country but it ended up raining as soon we got there so we packed up and drove to a small country town that we love and had a late lunch and did a little shopping. It was so relaxing and nice to get out of the city for a bit!

Most looking forward to: Having this baby! Not an option yet? OK...we have part 1 of our Labor and Delivery Class this Saturday, which I am actually looking forward to. I know that no class can "prepare" you, but I'm excited to tour the hospital and hopefully learn a few things! 

Oklahoma Shower - A Peter Rabbit Dreamworld

Two weekends ago I traveled back home to Oklahoma to visit family and while I was there I had the most perfect baby shower. The theme for Connor's nursery is Peter Rabbit and my shower hosts took that theme and ran with it. Let me tell you, what they created was absolute perfection. Thank you so much to Ashlee, Devon, Becca, and Whitney for giving me such a wonderful shower. You ladies went above and beyond and Connor and I were certainly spoiled! 

My cousin/dear friend Ashlee Henderson hosted the shower at her home. She is an extremely talented graphic designer and she made these gorgeous shower invitations for me! She also made our wedding invitations. Hallmark has nothing on this lady.

Below are some pictures from the shower. Enjoy!

How cute is that little sweater with the Mr. McGregor's Garden sign? And those carrot cake cupcakes...I'm still dreaming about them.

 The decorations were just perfect. The jars on the rights are awesome party favors with everything ready for guests to make cookies when they got home. And the bags on the bottom right were our fun shower game! Each guest had to guess what baby item was in each bag.

Mommy to be! 30 weeks and 4 days. 

Cousins and dear friends for life! Connor is so lucky to have Auntie Ashlee in his life!

Melissa (friends since college!) and Auntie Ashlee

 My lovely hosts! From left to right, Ashlee, me, Devon, and Becca. THANK YOU ladies!! I am blessed beyond words to have you each in my life! 

*My close friend Whitney also hosted the shower but had to be out of town that day, which is why she isn't in this picture. Her presence was certainly felt though! She did a great job and prepared a super fun shower game for us. Thank you Whitney for everything you did! 

 After the shower my family went out to dinner at Hideaway Pizza. Non Okies, if you are ever in Oklahoma you must go! Here I am after dinner with my sister Raegan and my mom. Two AMAZING women - Connor is so lucky to have y'all in his life. 

(I'm sure Raegan would want me to tell you she changed for dinner. She had on a super cute dress at the shower!)

Thank you to everyone who came/helped make this day special. My friend Devon flew in for the shower all the way from Denver, my cousin Lisa and my Aunt Wilma drove in from Arkansas and my MIL and Grandmother in Law drove in from Dallas. It truly meant the world to me to have every single person there and I sincerely appreciate everyone of you and thank you for coming. For those of you who had to make a special trip to Oklahoma to be there, thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Connor and I are pretty lucky!

BUMPDATE (32 Weeks, 2 days!)

Baby's Growth: This week Connor is the size of a squash! For reference, the picture below is from thebump.com

How I'm feeling: This blog is a place for me to share my feelings - good and bad. It's a place of honesty. The "how I'm feeling" section won't always be rainbows and sunshine. With that said, I haven't been feeling super peachy lately. To be completely blunt I'm tired (thank you anemia!), I hurt and I feel like I resemble the female version of the stay puft marshmallow man. If you read my facebook, I've expressed some of these feelings there. Sometimes I feel really guilty about the way I feel. Some women try for years and years to get pregnant and would give anything to have this experience and here I am complaining about it. Let me be blunt. I am so extremely grateful for the chance to be pregnant, to give birth and to raise this little boy. Please don't take my complaints as ungratefulness. The truth is pregnancy is hard and thanks to family and friends (who have been so honest and encouraging - thank you!) I've realized it's ok to voice my experiences and feelings. 

Cravings: Cheese and crackers. I'm still craving ice but I found out that's because I'm anemic. After posting about my ice craving last week two friends pointed out to me that is a symptom of anemia so I mentioned it to my doctor at my appointment last week and they were right! I'm taking iron pills now so hopefully the anemia and the ice cravings will be better soon.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope! Not even the iron pills that I started taking last weekend. Thank goodness!

Sleep: The crazy dreams are back and I still get up at least once a night but I'm not having any trouble falling asleep, hopefully that will continue!

Miss anything? Wine. I probably say that too much. I promise I'm not guzzling wine by the bottle when I'm not pregnant! I do love a glass or two of wine here and there though and I miss it! 

Clothes: My closet could be a maternity clothing store. 

Movement: Connor is kicking a lot this week! And yesterday for the first time Brooks and I got to feel our little man have the hiccups. We probably enjoyed that much more than he did :) I kept hearing pregnant woman talk about baby hiccups and because I hadn't experienced them yet I thought it might be something I wouldn't get to feel - it was such a neat experience! 

Gender: BOY! 

Belly button in or out: Still in! Honestly, that kind of amazes me at this point!

Wedding rings on or off? I've officially retired my wedding ring and am wearing my nana's wedding ring instead.

Favorite moment this week: Last week I went to the doctor and got to hear Connor's heartbeat again. Anytime I get to hear that it's always the highlight of my week. I'm happy to report that Connor is head down and measuring right on track! I've also booked all my doctor's appointments up to 38 weeks, I can't believe I'm coming that close to the end!

Most looking forward to: FALL. I know this isn't next week specific but I am so ready for fall. I'm ready for cooler weather, sweaters, boots, and a certain little boy's fall birthday!