Thankful v10

Lately I've been thankful... 

[+] for spa days, comfy robes and moments of relaxation

[+] for afternoon naps and early bed times

[+] for one more self-pedicure and being able to breathe when you bend over

[+] for date nights, my handsome hubs and leather, reclining movie seats 

[+] for text messages that make you smile and compliments that last throughout the day

[+] for quite time with my little man

[+] for support from the ones that matter most and for the love I feel quite often

[+] for maxi dresses and flip flops

 [+] for a finished nursery that becomes your favorite room in the house

[+] for stripes on baby bumps... again

[+] for lots of exciting events to attend even if your schedule is overpacked

[+] for any excuse to eat ice cream which is basically anything these days

[+] for flowers on the table after the first day back at school

[+] for a healthy little boy in my belly despite all his rib kicks

[+] for body pillows and beds to study in when no position is comfortable anymore

 [+] for pups who are scared of the rain and ask for belly rubs daily

What have you been thankful for these days?

Baby H: Week 31

This was my last week of summer break and I can't believe how fast the six weeks flew by. I knew this day was coming but can't help but feel a little sad that it's over already. I hope that I'm able to stay caught up on these updates because I love looking back and really want to document the last two months before our little one arrives.

This week was extra busy as one of my best friends from California, who flew in for the shower last weekend, stayed with us for a few days. It was awesome catching up with her, having someone to run errands for last minute baby supplies with and being able to have some extra fun before getting back to school. Sunday was also my mom's birthday so we spent the day together at the zoo and imagined bringing the sweet babe with us this time next year. J and I went and purchased the last minute "big items" we needed (pack & play, extra car seat base and activity yard) and it makes me giddy watching J run upstairs to put things together as soon as we get home, excited for our little boy's arrival. I'm still feeling great for the most part but have noticed the aches and pains starting to increase already. I am exhausted after a day on my feet but thankfully they aren't swelling yet. I can't get up off the couch or roll over in bed without grunting and struggling at least a little bit. I'm still wearing my wedding rings and am stretch mark free which is fantastic.

At my doctor's appointment this week I weighed in at a 25lb weight gain so far which is what it is at this point. I have to admit that I have moments where I don't like the added weight, that I want my old body back, that I hate feeling out of control about the whole process. I always know deep in my heart that these changes are so worth it, that it's amazing what my body is capable of and that in the end of it all we will be holding our son in our arms but it's impossible to not occasionally be "over it". For now I'm attempting to be as positive as I can be, to make myself get dressed and put together so I feel better about myself and try to cherish these last two months as much as I can despite feeling like a whale sometimes.

We also found out that little man is still making things interesting and is no longer head-down like he was two weeks ago. When my doctor went to measure his heart beat he was apparently hanging out up in my ribs (which I could have told her based on how it feels like my ribs are on fire most of the time). At this point she didn't seem concerned about his positioning but suggested I hang out in puppy pose whenever I think about it to see if we can coax him back down. I scheduled my 36-week appointment that includes an ultrasound a week early just in case so that if need be we can attempt an external version to get him positioned correctly.

While I'm definitely not looking forward to the start of the school year the best part about it is that we are quickly approaching D-day. We constantly mention how once it's August it'll seem like there's so little time before he's here and we've started realizing how events this fall are turning into either "before the baby comes" or "once he's here" dates. We can't wait to meet you little boy!

Baby H: Baby Shower

It's taken me a while to get this post up about my fabulous baby shower on the 20th because the end of summer seems to be busier than ever but regardless, it was by far one of the best days of the summer. We had a great afternoon chatting about our little bundle of joy, attempting to stay cool in the 95+ degree heat and celebrating our little boy with so many of my favorite ladies all in one place. 

The shower was hosted by the future grandmas and one of the sweet ladies who threw my bridal shower two years ago. We ate delicious Mexican food (at my request, because it seems like the baby is always in the mood for that) and snacked on a candy buffet and cupcakes after lunch. I didn't want things to be too over the top with themes and games and the hostesses did not disappoint. There was plenty of blue decor with touches of yellow and orange in the balloons and the flowers.

The guests signed their names on a calendar to guess the babe's birthday and who ever gets it right will get a sweet surprise in the mail come September (or potentially October but hopefully not). We played a "Price is Right" game where guests had to guess the price of 6 normal baby items like a pack of diapers and a tube of butt paste and the closest to the actual total won a little prize. Everyone filled out little cards with their dreams and wishes for the little man and for us as parents and I can't wait to read what they wrote over the next few weeks.

The best part of the whole day was spending time with everyone who was there and feeling everyone's love for our son. Our little boy's grandmas and other family members, my favorite med school ladies, long-time family friends on both sides of the family, the wives I've grown close to from J's group of guys and my best friend all the way from California even made the trip out. Everyone was so generous to spend not only time with me before I become a momma but also gifted us some seriously awesome items for when he arrives. The nursery is completely ready now, his drawers are filled with adorable mini-clothes, hats and shoes, I have my dream Vera Bradley diaper bag packed and ready for the hospital, and we are all set for cleaning up all the messes this little boy is guaranteed to make.

I couldn't have asked for a better day! I left feeling so blessed, so loved and so ready for his arrival now (and also a bit exhausted too if we're being honest). Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who made the shower as perfect as it was. Now we're just under two months until I can introduce this little boy to everyone who spoils him and loves him already!

Winter Park & Granby Getaway

J, Ollie and I headed to the mountains for a mini getaway before the start of school in a few days and the growth of our family in a few months. And it was just perfect. We headed to the condo in Winter Park late Wednesday night and spent a few days with just each others company, no to-do lists or distractions or errands to run.

We spent a day out on Lake Granby that was filled with relaxation, good conversation and smooth waters. We watched O-dog struggle to get on the boat but then swim in a lake for the first time and absolutely love it. We imagined bringing our son to the mountains and on the boat with us next summer. We got sunburnt, dipped our toes in the freezing water and enjoyed the entire day as just a couple before we become parents.

We ordered pizza for dinner and watched stupid movies on TV for the night. We slept soundly knowing we had no where to be the next day and no reason for an alarm clock. We lounged around while Ollie slept from all the swimming the day before. We took an adventure drive through Rocky Mountain National Park on the way home, eventually getting above timber line and crossing over the Continental Divide. We drove through Estes Park, saw an elk casually walking on the side of the road and stopped for lunch.

It was a fabulous few days. I'm thankful we have a place just a short drive away to escape to. I'm thankful for the beautiful weather we had, the gorgeous scenery of the Rocky Mountains and the quiet that leaving the city can bring. I'm incredibly thankful for a husband who will take a day off work to treat me to a trip like this. Winter Park and Granby, you were exactly what this lady needed to recharge and conquer the next few months.

Baby H: Week 30

For some odd reason I feel like 30-weeks is a bigger deal than it actually is. It's not the start of a trimester or anything significant for baby but for some reason I keep thinking "holy cow, 30 weeks already!"

On Wednesday night J, Ollie and I headed up to the mountains for a mini getaway and it was just fantastic. It was actually J who suggested we go spend some time at the cabin and take the boat out on the lake and I was just giddy looking forward to it all week. I know the trend now is to go on a "baby moon" so I guess this was our version of it before school starts again and the sweet babe arrives. It was so nice to disconnect from the happenings of regular life, relax out on the water and basically do whatever we wanted for a few days with no guilt about to-do lists or distractions from other people.

I'm still so thankful to be feeling great throughout this pregnancy. J and I were talking the other day about how relatively insignificant the complaints I have here and there are in the grand scheme of how things could have been for me. Just to keep record to look back on, this week baby boy has decided that the insides of my ribs are more like piano keys than bones and seriously, holy ouch! A few times the rib jabs made me gasp they were so strong and sudden. On the other end he's been having a grand old time using my bladder/cervix as a punching bag which has got to be the strangest feeling movement to date. It's not really painful (yet) but so so strange. Sleep this week has been hit or miss. Most nights I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow which is great but the belly is definitely making staying asleep harder. There are some nights where I feel like I'm constantly tossing and turning from side to side, my hips/shoulders get sore from sleeping directly on them and I wake up flat on my back a lot which makes me nervous because I'm not supposed to sleep like that. I sometimes wake up once during the night to use the bathroom which isn't too bad but dang, I sure hope I can figure out something to get better sleep before school starts again.

The best part of this week was definitely little man's baby shower (which will be getting a whole post for itself soon). It was so fantastic being surrounded by some awesome ladies who love our little boy already. Not to mention spoil him already too! I feel a whole lot more prepared when it comes to "stuff" for his arrival and after a few quick trips in the next few days to pick up items we didn't get we'll be almost ready for our little man to arrive. This coming week is my last week of being pregnant and not in school so I'm going to try and enjoy it as much as possible and with as much energy as I can muster. For some reason I keep thinking about "being pregnant in the summer" and "having a baby in the fall" but my mind somehow misses the in-between stage where I have to sit in class with a cantaloupe under my shirt. Should be an adventure.

Only 10 more weeks until the big D-day (which is hopefully more like 8 or 9 weeks because that would be ideal with my crazy schedule). After a few more weeks of baking, little boy, you can come meet the world. The excitement is growing as each week passes and we absolutely can't wait to meet you.

Baby H: Week 29

Our 28-week doctors appointment was this past Thursday and while it took forever (hello crowded afternoon office) the visit was a huge success. My belly is measuring right on track and she had nothing to say about my weight gain which I can only assume is good news. After the worry that came from my 20-week anatomy ultrasound related to little man measuring in the 96th percentile I'm happy to report that he is checking out much more on schedule now. Our extra growth ultrasound was perfect (all be it, very short) and our baby boy is now in the 69th percentile which is fantastic! My pelvis thanked him. He is definitely still a "he" and apparently likes to show off the goods, weighs about 3.0lbs which is so crazy to think about and is already head down like a good boy! And the best part, my glucose test came back normal again! Wahoo. I am so thankful to have had a healthy pregnancy thus far and every doctors visit that confirms our son is growing as he should just makes my heart swell. On a related note, how are we already to 2-week appointments?!

This week J and I attended our first baby class. It was so much fun and made me so excited for September. We took an all day childbirth class that was chock full of every aspect of prelabor, labor, delivery, postpartum, newborn decisions, pain management, etc etc etc and we both feel so much more knowledgable. It was great taking the class with J because I was able to see his reactions to things, we were able to chat over lunch about what we both need from each other during labor and we've been working as a team since then making decisions about how we want things to go. In the next few days I hope to get a rough draft started on a bullet-point version of a birth plan for me and an outline for the care we want for the babe while we're in the hospital. I'm also starting a list of hospital bag items (for me, J and baby) so if you have any suggestions you think I can't live without or there was something you wish you had but didn't, please fill this momma in!

I have been feeling great the majority of this week except for the day of/after my doctors appointment. I got my tdap shot and it was a doozy for sure. For the rest of the day and into the next I felt like I got hit by a truck, exhausted with absolutely no energy and just completely run down. And then there was the intense pain in my shoulder at the injection site. I anticipated a bit of soreness from the shot itself but literally couldn't move my arm 100% until two days later. Otherwise my energy has been good, I haven't been too achy recently and my dizziness is officially gone I hope. I think I experienced my first few Braxton Hicks contractions as my entire belly was solid as a rock and even though it wasn't painful it was definitely uncomfortable. I am still stretch mark free (thank heavens) and have yet to experience any significant swelling which is a miracle given that I'm pregnant in the heat of summer. I have noticed a few times that my rings are a little extra snug if I'm especially warm but not for longer than an hour and not to the point of them being stuck.

I did my first load of laundry with all things baby, mostly clothes and bedding, and it was so fun. I'm sure that's one of the few times I'll actually say the extra laundry is fun but I'm enjoying it now and can't wait to get all his clothes put away. I had a pregnancy hormone related cry yesterday when J showed me an article about a dog's last day on earth and I found myself crying big, fat tears in the car outside Barnes & Noble and J said "oh yeah, I forgot I can't show you these types of things anymore". Oops! My shower is in one week and I keep hearing little details about it from my mom that make me so excited. Build-you-own taco salads, favored lemonades, balloons, a candy buffet and cupcakes and lots of sweet ladies including my sweetest friend from San Diego who's flying out to attend!

The weeks are just flying by and while I do have my moments of anxiety and there's-too-much-to-do freak outs I just can't wait to meet our little boy. I can't wait to hold him on my chest the moment he's born. I can't wait to see J wrap him up for the first time. I can't wait for Ollie to cover him in kisses when they meet. I can't wait to share his name and introduce our son to the family and friends who love him already. I just can't wait to be his momma.

Around Here Lately

There's been a handful of happenings around here that aren't significant in themselves to deserve their own posts but that I want to share anyways. So here's a compilation of some fun we've been having lately....

J and I spent the 4th of July out at the lake in our usual tradition although this year was a bit different than years in the past. We got up there Friday morning and stayed only a single night because I'm not sure this prego-bod of mine could have done another night in the pop-up. It was supposed to be over 90 degrees all weekend and thankfully the heat wasn't as tough to deal with as we anticipated. Since I can't actually get in the lake (or rivers or streams, etc etc etc) I was a bit worried about not having a way to cool off easily but plenty of water and cold drinks, dipping my feet in and rides on the boat were lifesavers. It's crazy to look back at all the summers we've spent up at the lake and know that next summer it won't just be the two of us anymore!

This past Tuesday my favorite med-school ladies and I attended the wedding of one of the gals in our group. Her wedding was tucked up in the mountains at one of the ski resorts and after almost missing the ceremony thanks to some construction we spent the afternoon and evening celebrating even more love this summer. She was a stunning bride, the forecast for rain didn't produce, they shared in an Irish blessing much like the one J and I had at our own wedding and the evening went off fantastically. Complete with BBQ for dinner, cupcakes and a cookie bar, and plenty of dancing it was great to celebrate another marriage with close friends. Also, I'm thrilled this dress still fits although it's quite different than the last time I wore it when we were in Mexico for spring break!

Now here's to a few smaller happenings around here. The other night our neighbors puppy decided she didn't want to be in her yard anymore and instead dug under the fence to come play with Ollie. It was quite the surprise to see her wiggle her way under and they had quite the ball running laps in the yard. After a few minutes of play time (and enough time for J to fill in the hole she dug) we kindly returned her to her own yard laughing at her mischievous ways. 

Baby boy officially attended his first MLB game over the weekend. It was scorching hot, probably around 95 degrees and our original seats were directly in the sun. Thankfully after sneaking our way into some shaded seats we were able to enjoy the rest of the game and avoid heat stroke! I can't wait to bring him to games next summer as a 9 & 10 month old! 

We've been making some serious progress in little man's nursery over the last few weeks and I'm happy to say there's only one major thing that needs to be hung on the walls, one more sewing project I have to tackle and one more piece of "furniture" to buy and his room will basically be ready! We're waiting until after my baby shower to do a lot of the last minute smaller purchases we'll need (onesies, diapering supplies, etc etc) but his room is basically ready for him to arrive and is Ollie's new favorite hang out place. And mine too if we're being honest. Sometimes I sit in there imaging holding him on my chest instead of in my belly. Ollie walks around sniffing things and peaks through the bars into the crib. So crazy that he'll be here in around 80 days! 

Baby H: Week 28

Hello third trimester! It's nice to see you! And also insane that we're already here! The past week contained baby boys "first trip" to the lake to celebrate the fourth as well as his first Rockies game. It also brought with it lots more comments about my growing self from strangers/people I don't know that well and thankfully they were all very respectful. I don't mind questions like how far along I am or when I'm due as long as we avoid the judgmental comments for at least a few more weeks.

Baby boy is quite the mover and shaker this past week and I can tell he's packing on the weight in there as his movements get stronger by the day. I'd love if he laid off the rib jabs a little but I'll take what I can get for a strong growing boy regardless. According to all my apps he's somewhere between 1.5 and 2.5 lbs already (more likely to be on the high end of that) and he can really pack a punch that startles me sometimes. I'll find out more accurately how big this kid is at our appointment on Thursday but even knowing he's at least over two pounds just seems crazy to me. Sometimes he'll stick what I assume to be his booty out on one side of my belly and it just makes me heart flutter thinking about this little guy and his perfect self growing away in there. Not too long before I'm patting his rear-end in my arms instead of through my belly! 

It has been hot around here lately (mostly in the 90's) especially during our 4th of July weekend and it's the first time I've really noticed pregnancy changing my heat-tolerance. I wouldn't say that I'm running warmer that I used to as don't find myself hot on a daily basis but I do find that I get hotter quicker than I used to and when I do get hot it's a bigger deal than before to cool off asap. Unfortunately for me I'm officially retiring my one pair of maternity jean shorts (see above) because they are no longer comfortable. I'm not sure if it's because they're denim or if they're just smaller than my other shorts but the waist line is definitely miserable after a few hours. Fingers crossed I can get by with the other items I have and don't need to replace them for the rest of the summer but we'll see. 

In other random news I'm hovering at right around 20-22lbs gained so far which is still a bit scary for me. I know it's all worth it but sometimes knowing that doesn't trump seeing numbers on the scale you've never seen before. As long as my doctor doesn't think it's a problem then I'll try to not worry about it so fingers crossed it's all okay on Thursday. I'm proudly still stretch mark free which is fantastic and also don't have linea nigra either even though my belly button is officially an outie now. Baby boy told me he wants watermelon like crazy this week which is so strange since I previously hated it. I've always loved the flavor but couldn't get over the gritty texture before and now I can't seem to get enough. It might be from the heat too but the thought of eating very much dairy lately hasn't seemed appealing unless its in ice-cream form and I still can't even think of drinking hot coffee without wanting to gag. 

As each week seems to fly by and the summer is quickly passing I get more and more excited about this little boy entering our family. I'm sure I'm not the first momma-to-be to say this but I feel like I already love him so much and know that once we meet face to face the love I feel now will explode to a thousand times more. Little boy, thank you for growing strong in there, thank you for keeping me company every day and thank you for making me a momma. Know that we love you so much already and are awaiting your arrival on pins & needles and with more excitement than I ever thought possible.

The Cry Room: Little Man's Quilt

I'm sure I'll explain more when I do a complete nursery reveal later but it was quickly decided that little man's nursery was going to stray away from the "I'm an infant" themes and towards something more modern, focused on colors and patterns rather than jungle animals/trains/etc etc etc. Overall this has been a great decision and I am loving the progress we're making on his room but one of the hardest parts about skipping the baby theme has been bedding. I wandered through Babies R Us one day looking at all their bedding sets and there wasn't a single one, not one, I could have pictured myself buying. I had to come up with something else besides the bed-in-a-bag purchase. 

Then I came across this quilt tutorial and was officially hooked, boy colored however. Now that school is out for the summer I have plenty of time on my hands and have been itching to make my first quilt for some time now. And what better quilt to make given its smaller size and it's special recipient. The fabrics are all 100% quilting cotton and I used traditional weight batting in between the layers. The front is made from 3 neutrals and 3 blues and I quilted along the borders of all the navy triangles. The gray/white dot fabric from the front corresponds with the fitted crib sheet (that I also made) and also with the navy/white dot fabric that covers the entire back. The binding fabric is a different blue shade from the rest and all the supplies we're purchased from either Hobby Lobby or JoAnn Fabrics. 

In a matter of about three days of work our little boy now has a quilt for his bed that his momma made just for him and I couldn't be more thrilled with the results.

Are there mistakes in my first quilt? Heck yes! There are wrinkled seams and not a single triangle lines up between rows. Is it perfect? No way! The binding is a bit wonky and I didn't even iron it before taking pictures. But did I make it 100% myself, dreaming of wrapping our little boy in it as he kicked and squirmed to the sound of the sewing machine? Of course.

And I think that's what really matters now isn't it.

Wedding Weekend

Summer time undoubtedly brings with it wedding season and this past Saturday J and I attended our first wedding of the summer together. One of my favorite med school gals tied the knot at a gorgeous golf course tucked in the hills on a perfectly sunny afternoon. It was a perfect day filled with the celebration of love with close friends. She was a beautiful bride, their ceremony brought tears to many, their silly yellow lab (who also happens to be Ollie's girlfriend) even took part and we had a blast celebrating with them. Not to mention it was a fantastic opportunity for our big group to get together and have some fun!

I love going to weddings, especially with my husband as my date. Watching the groom get tears in his eyes as he read his vows to his bride reminds me of the love J expressed to me so perfectly on our big day. Watching smiles erupt from the newlyweds faces as their announced for the first time as Mr & Mrs while the same exit song plays that we picked for that moment brings back the butterflies I felt. Slow dancing to our first dance song for the first time since our own reception made the rest of the room fall away where it felt like it was just J and I on that dance floor again. 

Marriage has been both the toughest and the most rewarding thing I've ever been a part of and I am so thankful I get to go through life with my husband by my side. I was reminded how special a love like this, a marriage like this, a life like this truly is. I can't say enough congratulations to the new bride and groom as they start on this new journey together and I am thankful to have been included in their big day.