31 weeks - 9 to go!

I cannot believe we are already to 31 weeks.  I know I say that every week, but I do feel like the weeks fly by because we have been staying busy!  31 is my favorite number, so I am counting on a great week!!  With a baby shower and bachelorette party this weekend followed by another niece's birthday party - I'm sure we are up for a great time!  It hasn't been off to the greatest start, so hoping those events pick up the slack for this week!!  Onto the bump shots:

He has been keeping active and at the doctor last week he was measuring right on track.  Even though my belly feels/looks huge, it's nice to hear it from the doctor that things are going good!  I enjoyed this past week and weekend to the fullest as next week starts grad school class on Mon and Wed nights and then our child birth class on Tuesday night and then Jimmy has softball on Thursday - so pretty much June is shot!!

How far along: 31 weeks

Size of Baby BOY Carter: 3.5 lbs and 16 inches 

Fruit/vegetable comparison: Size of a pineapple! 

Sleep:  Eh, I'm pretty uncomfortable, but that just means I sleep less and when I wake up 3 times to pee I'm ready to get up and get the day started.  The dogs appreciate the morning walks!

Movement: He's kicking and moving like a crazy man.

Unglamorous body changes: Oh my poor back. 

Food cravings: watermelon - bought THREE this week!

What I miss: hmmm - grilling out and eating a medium steak.  I'm not a fan of well done.

Strange experiences: I'm not going to complain about it yet, but I'll just say that I don't think I have been more frustrated with anything more in this pregnancy than day care.  Caused me some angst and a few tears this week.....so frustrating!!

Milestones: His eyes now react to light and all 5 senses are in working order

Best moment this week:  Excited that we are getting ready to take maternity pictures, the nursery and bathroom are coming along AND for a baby shower this weekend.  AND I've had some other fun planning to preoccupy by time this past week gearing up for Lauren's bachelorette party this Saturday night!  Wahoo!! 

Here is also a super fun project I finished last week.  I need to touch up the lines because up close they aren't perfect.  But I got these 9 11X14 canvases and painted them different colors/patterns based on the fabric we are using for the curtains and crib sheet/bumper.  I finally got them hung up just perfectly last Friday above the dresser.  I love how they turned out!!  I just used painters tape on wax paper that acted like a sticker for the dots...turned out pretty good!

The middle one will be gray with green and blue outline with his monogram on it.  But that's not done because we are still up in the air on a name.  Jimmy has his favorites and I have mine!!

Just another side shot to give a better view.  Can't wait to get the curtains and bookshelves up!!

Cabbage versus Lettuce

Sunday about 2:30PM we got home from our short weekend tripto Iowa and visiting family.  Jimmy had already invited some of his family over to our house where he was going to smoke burgers.  Except we had no hamburger meat.  Oh and really nothing else to supplement the hamburgers, so it was off to the store for him.  He assured me over and over again that all I was going to have to do when I got home was get in the shower and get ready.  Obviously he is a man.

I made a list for him to take to the store so he knew what to get (yes, even though this was “his” BBQ, I still of course planned the menu).  On that list was a head of lettuce for people to put on their hamburgers.  That’s simple right?

Oh men.  Nothing is that simple.

Jimmy came home with this:

The Cabbage

Do you know what that is?  It’s a head of cabbage.  Not lettuce.  So when I was looking at the receipt and wondering to myself how in the WORLD a head of lettuce would cost $3.29…I saw that it said cabbage.  I told Jimmy he got the wrong thing and asked him why it was so expensive.  He said cabbage is the same thing as lettuce and it was supposed to only be $0.79.  Oh no my dear husband, that sign said “$0.79 per pound” – which is precisely why I do the grocery shopping.  Because I know that this is what a head of lettuce looks like.  And the fact that he swore that he looked everywhere in Hy-Vee and this was the only thing that looked like lettuce and they didn’t have anything else. 

The Lettuce

As much as I didn’t want to go BACK to the grocery store and exchange it…I wasn’t about to have cabbage leaves out for people to eat versus good old fashioned lettuce.  Because let me tell you friends, there is a huge difference in cabbage on your burger and lettuce on your burger.  And Jimmy’s mom and brother and dad and sister-in-law and grandma – yep, I did not think they deserved to be offered cabbage.  So back to the store I went with wet hair and no make-up (because remember, ALL I was going to have to do was shower…) and explained to the customer service people my husband doesn’t know the difference…in which she gave me the same look I gave Jimmy just minutes before at our house.  But she was wonderful, laughed at it and let me exchange it for the actual head of lettuce and then gave me $2 back.  Which then the next day I used at Quik Trip. 

Another one of those wonderful traits of a husband, right?!  Haha.  Again, this is why I do the grocery shopping.  I let him do it every once and a while but he doesn’t like it when he comes home and I go over the receipt saying that he didn’t get this and that on sale and then he gets freaked out because I know that off the top of my head.

Memorial Day weekend 2012

The long memorial day weekend came and went like that but we were busy!!!  It was so nice to have the extra day off, but then when the week starts back up again that means one less day/evening to get things done before the next weekend.  And this next weekend is BUSY!!  Here's a quick recap:

Friday night we had Jeff and Emily over with baby Jackson!!  The poor guy just had his immunizations that morning so he was kind of in pain, but with some baby Tylenol he was quite the sleeper and quiet baby!!   We grilled some hot dogs, ate some chips and then had some smores.   The best part?  Just hanging out and chatting AND Jackson getting to break in baby Carter's nursery.  He got to try out the changing table and the glider when he was being fed and YEP it worked out great.  Ready for baby Carter!!

Early on Saturday morning, my mom and I jumped into her car and my dad and Jimmy jumped into my dad's car and off we went to Storm Lake, IA to see my grandparents and aunts and uncles for the day/night.  After a few more bathroom breaks than we normally take (thanks baby Carter!), we finally made it about 5.5 hours later and got to enjoy some nice conversation with everyone.  My grandpa wasn't feeling too good as they increased his chemo treatment the previous Monday so we got on with a mini baby shower quickly so he could take a nap!  So here come the pictures of some new baby presents that Jimmy started taking, but then my mom made him join in on the present opening fun!

First up the slumber buddies that is a frog!!

Baby Carter got lots of bath toys too

And here we are - opening some presents!!!

Jimmy showing off some more toys!

I look scared of this outfit...but I actually love it!

And the lamp to go by the glider!  Wahoo!  Very excited!

Everyone was excited...no one knew that last time we were all at my grandparents the weekend after Thanksgiving I was pregnant then (nope, no one, just me!)...so it was fun to come back as an almost 8 month pregnant lady!  I think it took them awhile to get over my big stomach!!

My dad and grandma

My aunt Pam, Uncle Dennis and Aunt Sandy

That night we hit up the usual dinner spot - Lakeshore cafe for dinner.  My grandpa wasn't feeling well so he stayed back and we brought his dinner home.  Poor guy - that treatment is not easy to begin with but really not for someone who is 87 years old!  He did appreciate the rest and by the time we got back he was ready to eat his waffle and get back to talking.

I called it a night early and Jimmy and I headed back to the hotel.  We were up early the next morning as we were leaving with mom early.  Before we left we had some wonderful conversations about breastfeeding (oh yes, I need to blog about my breastfeeding class...) and then got some pictures of everyone!

My grandma, grandpa, me and Jimmy (oh and can't forget baby Carter)

Dad, me, grandpa, mom, grandma and Jimmy

Dad, Dennis, grandpa, Mom, Sandy and grandma

We made good time driving back to Kansas City and got back to our house at around 2 or 2:30.  Jimmy decided he wanted to smoke burgers and invited him brother Pat and his family over and then his parents.  We all took a walk down to the park by our house, played on the playground equipment and hit some wiffle balls before we walked back to eat.  The burgers took a little longer than expected to cook, so we all enjoyed the beautiful weather outside.

Around 9:30- I hit the sack again. This mama to be was tired...but then was up again early on Monday to work on some projects...finishing up the nursery wall art which was painting the circle mirror!!!  We saw the Avengers in 3D with my mom and sister and then went to Home Depot to get some final supplies for the bathroom (ALMOST finished) and then I enjoyed some quiet time laying in the sun and reading my book while Jimmy went over to his parents house.  Lauren made a stop to drop off her bridesmaid dress and chat...and THEN - it was almost time to go to bed.  So there you have it a whirlwind weekend full of family and friends and lots of good times and weather.  I even put on a swimsuit and it was WAY too small but it was OK because it was in my backyard, right??

Hope everyone else had a great weekend!  I know my friend Ali did...as her handsome son, Henry Anderson was born on Monday morning!!!  So exciting - congrats to the new parents!!  He is so cute!!

The big 3-0 weeks

THIRTY WEEKS.  Are you kidding me?  It's funny because everyone at work has been saying how fast they think my pregnancy is going and I would completely agree.  It's insane.  30 freaking weeks.  Just 7 more scheduled doctor's appointments left.  That's insane too.

And yes, it's going fast and I am getting bigger and guess what?  So is this little baby.  I get more and more excited and giddy every time we work on nursery stuff and every time I walk in the room.  Thinking about all the nights we'll have in there and all the things we'll do in there.  And how different our lives will be - but how much we will love this little man.

Getting very excited for some upcoming showers and fun and celebrations with friends and family!!!  So without further adieu - here are some bump pictures to kick off the long weekend!!!  Can't wait for an extra day off on Monday!

And to document a second vantage point...I feel like I look HUGE from the side (hence my typing about the wonderful comments from people letting me know that) I really don't think I look THAT different from the front.  Right?!?!?  Haha.  I'm just going to go with that and it makes me feel good.

How far along: 30 weeks

Size of Baby BOY Carter: 3.5 lbs and 16 inches 

Fruit/vegetable comparison: Size of a cucumber.  I love cucumber and I can tell this guy is getting bigger and bigger by the day! 

Sleep:  I'm still not a fan of side sleeping.  For some reason I get sore on one side.

Movement: At work on Thursday I got to see him literally move across my stomach.

Unglamorous body changes: Ok - so shaving my legs is really hard.  Not good for summertime!

Food cravings: Still loving watermelon and fruit.  Strawberries, bananas, you name it.

What I miss: I really miss working out this week.  Like hard core, sweat, kick boxing work out.  

Strange experiences: Oh you know, just loving the comments from people.  "you're huge" is just so wonderful to hear isn't it?

Milestones: He's strong enough to grasp a finger now and his brain is getting wrinklier - that means I need to eat healthy brain food for this little mister.

Best moment this week:  Love feeling him move so much and watching him kick.  

Kenlie turns 5

This past weekend, our niece Kenlie celebrated turning FIVE!!!  Holy moly, I remember the year when Maren, Eli and Kenlie were all born in 2006/2007 and now they are all going to kindergarten this upcoming school year.  Cannot believe it.

Kenlie celebrated in style at a Barbie-Q which was a fun celebration at her parents house full of family, fun and lots of BARBIES!!  Which I love Barbies, so it was that much more fun for everyone.  Shellie always throws such wonderful parties and goes along so great with the theme.  So there were Barbie's everywhere and Barbie cups and Barbie themed punch and even a Barbie themed scavenger hunt with all of the kids.

Shellie baked a cake that was delicious and lemon and had a BARBIE in the middle!!  Kenlie got to blow out her candles with a Barbie in the middle.  Even better.  I see you are catching onto the theme quickly right?

Then it was time for presents.  She got lots of wonderful presents many Barbie themed - including a Barbie bedroom set, a few more Barbies AND a Barbie laptop even, which she loved.  Well for our present we went with something similar to what I made for Maren for her 5th birthday and for Eli...but a little modified.  I made them dress up carts to hang their dress up clothes and store their shoes that were about 4 feet tall from the Ana White website.  They looked a little something like this but Maren's was purple and pink and Eli's was red and blue.  Instead of a spot to hang her dress up clothes though....

Shellie suggested that Kenlie would really like a place to hang up her American Girl doll clothes.  So that is exactly what I whipped up in the garage.  It was 24 inches tall to account for the 18 inch doll clothes and even had a little spot to store her shoes.  She has Molly the American Girl - which is the one that my sister had growing up (I had Felicity) so that was kind of fun.  She really liked it....

But then Jimmy had the idea to get her Abigail the interactive storybuddy from where else but Hallmark??  We got all the kids Jingle last Christmas and they really liked them and since then Hallmark has come out with more everyday ISB's that are super cute and this little rabbit Abigail is pretty adorable.  Kenlie thought so too - she was pretty much in love with her and she had me sit down and read her like all of the books.  Abigail responds with some cute sayings like "I love my mom" and "I want to grow up".

So after the present opening I had to steal a picture with her.  Look at her awesome shirt that Shellie made too!!  Libbie, her older sister, had a matching shirt but just with a little Barbie silhouette on the top right.  She was having a wonderful night!!

Here were some of the fun decorations that she had out and then the cupcakes!!

We stayed late and and even got to open up some of her presents and start to play with her!  It was a very fun night!

And our other sister in law brought over some of our nephew Will's clothes that he has outgrown for little Baby Carter and boy were they cute!  It's was very fun to hang up the clothes and put the shoes away and imagine of all the fun that is to come with this sweet little boy.

The weekend didn't end there.  On Saturday afternoon, Jimmy and I went to Kenlie's dance recital and watched her dance to the song Day-O.  She was the star of the show in our opinion and has quite the moves!!!  She was like a professional.  And I loved the costumes too!!  Check it out!!  It was so fun to see her after and see how excited she was!!

Cannot believe all these little kids are growing up so fast!!  It feels like yesterday we were just holding them as little babies and watching them learn how to walk and talk - and now they are all grown up!!!!  If I feel like this as an aunt...I cannot imagine how it will feel to be a mom!!!