Maternity Pictures :)

So it's totally true what they say... Second child probs.  

I'm 38.5 weeks and I just realized that 1) I have very few pictures of my baby bump, and 2) I hadn't even planned maternity pictures.  With Ava Kate, I posted almost weekly baby bump pics, with the chalkboard updated.  As you can see, I just recently went back and back-posted monthly baby bump posts and found whatever pics I could.  Oh well, nothing to dwell on.

I did want some "maternity pics" to have for Baby Eve, but wasn't really interested in dishing out tons of money for them.  I'd rather save the money and put it towards family-of-four-pics when Eve arrives.  :)  I bought this cute dress from the Lil Pirates Exchange Consignment Sale the other day and wore it to church Sunday.  I felt really pretty for once, so I made Parker go in the backyard and snap some pics.  :)

Ava Kate joined in when she wasn't playing on her swing set.

The handsome "photographer" :)

Thank goodness for a self timer so Parker could be in one or two pics!  Unfortunately, Ava Kate isn't quite the master of taking good pics yet.  Haha!

Baby Bump: Weeks 35-38 (Month 9!)

How far? Weeks 35-38

What's baby up to?  Eve is about 6 and half pounds and 19 and half inches long.  She's still head down, fairly active, and getting lower and lower.  Can't wait to meet this sweet baby girl!

Weight gain?  About 21 lbs total (a little less than with Ava Kate)

Maternity clothes?  Yes, silly.   :)

Symptoms?  Braxton hicks every. single. night.  Period like cramping.  Sore back.  But HAPPY! :) :)

Sleep?  With lots of pillows!

Food cravings? Frozen lemonades from Sonic!  Chick-fil-a (although they got rid of the original BBQ sauce and I've had to resort to CFA sauce... which is still pretty amazing!) and pasta!

Food aversions? None!

Miss anything?  I want to sleep on my stomach! Thankfully, my sinus infection is GONE (insert praise hands!) and life is wonderful again!

I'm feeling... ready!  Pretty much our whole to do list is done and we are just waiting for our sweet little one!

Best moment of the month? We had an impromptu Saturday pool day with Dad, Tammy & Weston this past weekend - that was really nice! :)  Also, any massages Parker offers up are pretty awesome moments as well!  Haha

Looking forward to... meeting our sweet baby and having our little family of 4 all together!  I can't wait to see Ava Kate with her little sister!

Baby Bump: Weeks 31-34 (Month 8!)

I am 34 weeks in this picture! :)

How far? Weeks 31-34

What's baby up to?  Eve's almost 5 lbs and 18 inches.... about the size of a cantaloupe!

Weight gain?  About 18 lbs total (a little less than with Ava Kate) ???

Maternity clothes?  Yup.

Symptoms?  A pretty sweet belly bump!  :)  Definitely having some back/hip issues, but nothing major.

Sleep?  Well, I sleep with about 15 pillows.  Just kidding... it's only 3.  I could definitely use more sleep, but it's not because of pregnancy... it's because I'm working like a dog teaching online classes that I've never taught before.  More on that later...  I've also had a sinus infection for a month that I CANNOT shake so... sleep is not great.

Food cravings? Well, I have really been liking the frozen lemonade from Sonic... and anything else that's super cold... because it's bloody hot outside.

Food aversions? No, not really.

Miss anything?  Sleeping on my belly... a real summer break.  I guess I should be happy because I'm not going back full time in August, but I had big, fun plans for the summer... and it's been consumed with teaching.  That should slow down soon!  I also miss being able to breathe and not having a sinus infection.

I'm feeling... pretty bad.  I've had a sinus infection... at first it was a bad cough (thanks Ava Kate) and then her cough turned into a ear infection, and mine turned into a sinus infection.  One round of antibiotics didn't touch it, so a week after that, I had another round.  That helped.  Then, I got a yeast infection from all the antibiotics.  Hooray.  -_-

Best moment of the month? We went to the zoo!  It was wonderful (minus being sick) and Ava Kate loved it!  Also Baby Miles was born and Parker & I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary!

Looking forward to... celebrating Ava Kate's 2nd birthday (I need to get started on planning that haha!), end of summer school, getting everything checked off the to do list, going to the river for the 4th of July, going to the beach, and of course, snuggling our baby girl!

Baby Bump: Weeks 27-30 (Month 7!)

Welcome to the 3rd Trimester!  Eek!

This is Week 30 exactly!

How far? Weeks 27-30

What's baby up to?  Eve is about 15.7 inches long and 3 pounds.  She is quite an active little one!

Weight gain?  I need to get my records from the doctor... or at least write them down, because I have no idea...  About the same as with Ava Kate I do believe.

Maternity clothes?  Well, yeah.  Pretty much.

Symptoms?  People can definitely tell I'm pregnant.  :)

Sleep?  Still pretty fine.  This has really been a smooth pregnancy minus the crazy morning sickness at the beginning.

Food cravings? Nothing really in particular, but I like fruits and cold stuff.

Food aversions? None

Miss anything?  My intern... haha.  She was wonderful and it was nice to have her help in the classroom!

I'm feeling... ready for summer!  Just 2 more weeks until I'm officially a stay-at-home (work-at-home) mom!  I'm a bit overwhelmed with how fast time is going, because there's SO much we need to do!

Best moment of the month? Weston graduated high school!  Praise!!  I passed my glucose test (yuck!), and I survived the end of the school year!

Looking forward to... So many things! SUMMER!  A 2 week break between the spring and summer semesters... SUMMER.  Haha!  We have big plans - the beach, the river, the zoo, the pool, and a HUGE to do list before Eve is born!

Baby Bump: Weeks 22-26 (Month 6)

How far? Weeks 22-26

What's baby up to?  Our sweet Eve is about 1 2/3 pounds and 14 inches long.  She's apparently about the size of a scallion.  Her hearing is continuing to develop, so she can hear us talk and sing to her (and the babbling of her big sister, haha!)   :)

Weight gain?  I should do a better job of keeping track of this.

Maternity clothes?  More than I was last month, but still back and forth between regular and maternity.

Symptoms?  Pretty sore back/hip pain, but nothing terrible!

Sleep?  Yes please, I would like to sleep.  :)  I'm sleeping fine, just could use some more!

Food cravings?  I like food.  It's good.  :)

Food aversions?  Not one.

Miss anything?  Nope, not really.

I'm feeling... busy.  But life is great!

Best moment of the month? Working on the nursery, giving my best friend Amanda a baby shower for her little one due in June, celebrating Mother's Day (Parker & Ava Kate made the sweetest little handprint garden flag!  I love it!), thinking about life as a family of 4... EEK.

Looking forward to... the end of the school year!  I'm not going back full time next year, so work-at-home-mom life is about to commence and I AM SO READY!

Baby Bump: Weeks 18-21 (Month 5!)

We've hit the halfway mark!

This is at 20 weeks on Easter Sunday!

How far? Weeks 18-21

What's baby up to?  Sweet Eve Kennedy (Yes! We picked a name!) is about 10 1/2 inches long and weighs about 12 ounces!  She is about the size of a carrot!!  She's still a little wiggle worm! :)

Weight gain?  Beats me!

Maternity clothes?  Eh... still a mixture of maternity and regular!

Symptoms?  A growing belly bump!  :)

Sleep?  Good!

Food cravings?  Ranch, pasta salad, cold stuff.

Food aversions?  Nope

Miss anything?  TIME!  Gracious.  I need more time.

I'm feeling... overwhelmed by life, but not because of pregnancy!  Pregnancy is great!

Best moment of the month?  Ava Kate is now in her big girl room - so bittersweet!  We can start working on the nursery anytime!  Spring Break was wonderful and busy!  I attempted to potty train Ava Kate, but decided to hold off and wait a bit longer.  

Looking forward to... Making progress on the nursery and the end of the school year (Is it too soon to talk about that yet? haha!)

Baby Bump: Weeks 13-17 (Month 4!)

So, I've just resorted to doing monthly baby bump updates because... life.  You know.

How far? Weeks 13-17

What's baby up to?  At 17 weeks, baby girl's bones are hardening and she is about the size of a turnip!  Baby weighs about 5 ounces and measures about 5 inches long.

Weight gain?  No idea

Maternity clothes?  Some maternity clothes, some regular clothes with a belly band!  My Easter dress wasn't maternity... so yeah, a mixture.

Symptoms?  Feeling pretty good!  Finally over the 1st trimester nausea and exhaustion!  That was rough.

Sleep?  Fairly decent :)

Food cravings?  Not really... 

Food aversions?  Nope, I can finally eat breakfast again.

Miss anything?  Unrelated to pregnancy, I miss TIME to do stuff.  Life is moving too fast to keep up!

I'm feeling... pretty good!

Best moment of the month?  We're having another GIRL! :) :)  Parker also finished my craft room and we've started working on Ava Kate's big girl room!  It's all painted and we have a bed!  She'll be moving in soon!!!

Looking forward to... Spring Break!  Finishing off Ava Kate's big girl room and starting on the nursery!

Baby Bump: Week 12

How far? Week 12

What's baby up to?  Baby is about 2 inches long and the size of a lime!  His/her brain is developing, toes are curling, eyes can clench, and mouth can practice the sucking motion.  It's been a busy week of learning for little one!

Weight gain?  I will find out next week at my appointment!

Maternity clothes?  Still fitting in most of my clothes minus a pair of pants or two.

Symptoms?  I haven't had any nausea since Saturday.  Insert praise hands!  Thank you God!

Sleep?  So far, so good.

Food cravings?  Not really, but I like cold stuff like cucumbers, carrots, ranch, and oranges.

Food aversions?  Not a fan of breakfast yet.

Miss anything?  Not really right now!

I'm feeling… better than last week!  I'm starting to get my energy back!

Best moment of the week(s)?  We started working on painting and building shelves in the craft room/laundry room!  Hopefully we'll finish in the next week or so, and get the guest room cleared out so we can turn it into Ava Kate's big girl room!

Looking forward to… my appointment next week, my birthday on Sunday (eek!), working on all the room transformations!

Baby Bump: Week 11

How far? Weeks 11

What's baby up to?  Baby is about one and half inches long and is fully formed!  Sweet baby can open and close his/her little fists! :)  How precious!

Weight gain?  Not sure… Baby bump is growing a little bit each day!

Maternity clothes?  Not yet.

Symptoms?  I am tired and have felt so sick with this little one.

Sleep?  Some nights it's great, some nights it's only so-so… but it honestly hasn't been bad.

Food cravings? Nothing that is a constant craving.  I might randomly really want a BBQ sandwich or carrots/ranch, but there's nothing that I've craved on an ongoing basis.

Food aversions?  Basically anything at breakfast time.

Miss anything?  Feeling up to cooking and housekeeping.  Parker's been so great, but I really look forward to feeling good enough to get back to homemaking.

I'm feeling… excited about all that's in store!

Best moment of the week(s)?  I just love the time I get to spend with my sweet little family!

Looking forward to… getting started on relocating my craft supplies to the future laundry/craft room, moving Ava Kate into her big girl room, and working on the nursery!  Eek!  So much to do! :)

Baby Bump: Weeks 9-10

How far? Weeks 9-10

What's baby up to?  Baby is probably just over an inch or so long and 0.25 oz!  He/she can stretch and bend a bit now and sweet little arms can rest across the tummy!

Weight gain?  Not really… I do have a little bump by the end of the day though.

Maternity clothes?  No, not yet.

Symptoms?  Holy smokes.  I forgot HOW tired I felt with Ava Kate, but trust me, it's coming back to me now.  I could lay around all day.  Teaching a full week next week is going to blow.  Also, the nausea is pretty bad this time around.  My midwife gave me medicine and it keeps me from throwing up, but I still have nausea.

Sleep?  The nausea medicine actually helps me sleep better, so I'm doing okay on that front!

Food cravings? Not really this week.  Actually, most food doesn't sound very good.  I can manage to eat cold stuff okay.

Food aversions?  Yes.  A lot.  No bagels.  No breakfast.  No donuts.  Nothing that is dense and bread like.  I just can't.  Same as the previous 5 weeks.

Miss anything?  Feeling rested!

I'm feeling… very excited about this year!

Best moment of the week(s)?  Our first appointment went well and we got to hear baby's heartbeat.  It was precious and wonderful.  So sweet.  I also have greatly enjoyed spending time with my sweet little family! Plus a "snow" day of ice that cancelled school on Friday making the first week of the semester last a grand total of ONE day!  Yay for staying home in my PJs with Ava Kate!

Looking forward to... beginning on Ava Kate's big girl room when I get some energy back.

Baby Bump: Week 8

How far? Weeks 6 - 8

What's baby up to?  Baby has grown and developed from a tiny ball of cells to an inch-long, grape-sized baby with a beating heart and other essential body parts and facial features.

Weight gain?  Still at my pre-pregnancy weight - about 110 pounds.

Maternity clothes?  Nope!

Symptoms?  Sleepiness, bigger boobs, nausea, having to pee more, and CRAZY dreams.  Exactly the same as with Ava Kate… but the nausea is a lot worse.  With Ava Kate I felt sick pretty early on, but this time I didn't feel sick until about 3 weeks after we found out, and then it was on.

Sleep?  I could use some more. :) Ha!

Food cravings? I've craved a lot of different things.  BBQ sandwiches, Chick-fil-a sandwiches, and cold fruits & veggies… like oranges.

Food aversions?  Yes.  A lot.  No bagels.  No breakfast.  No donuts.  Anything that is dense and bread like.  I just can't.

Miss anything?  Nope!

I'm feeling... super excited and blessed!  We can't wait!

Best moment of the week(s)?  Just talking about baby brother/sister with Ava Kate.  She points to my belly (and tries to lift my shirt and poke my belly button, hahaha!)  We've told our family and a few close friends, and everyone is excited for round 2!

Looking forward to... Our first appointment (January 14th) and beginning on Ava Kate's big girl room!

Transformation Tuesday?

Baby Bump Report: Week 40

Happy Due Date Ava Kate!

How far?  Week 40

What's baby up to?  According to Baby Center, Ava Kate is probably 20 inches and a bit over 7.5 lbs... and our midwife thinks that's about right.  (Last week, she said, "Oh, she's definitely not an 8.5 pounder," and I sure hope she's right!  Then, at my ultrasound this week, the tech estimated her to be 8 lbs 12 oz!!!  WHOA!  Hope that's wrong!)  Ava Kate has been very busy and active the last couple of days, so I think she is partying it up before she makes her big arrival.  ;-)

Weight gain?  +25 for the pregnancy... fine with me.

Maternity clothes?  Yes if we're going out, but mostly I've been hanging out in soffes and tanks.

Symptoms?  Braxton Hicks although they are not regular or progressing into labor, some back soreness, hot flashes, loss my mucus plug/bloody show (sorry TMI, I know).  I'm 3 cm and 50% effaced.  Mostly, I'm feeling great considering I'm overdue now.

Sleep?  Not sleeping as well as I have been, but still sleeping fairly well minus tons of pee breaks!

Food cravings? Ice cream, popsicles, pasta salad... cold stuff because it is HOT outside.  And randomly a cheeseburger from McDonalds.  Weird, I know.

Food aversions? None thankfully.

Miss anything?  Nothing really.  I'm pretty content.  :)

I'm feeling... READY!  Come on baby girl!  Let's get this show on the road!

Best moment of the week? Parker surprised me by taking off Wednesday, our anniversary... you have no idea how excited I was!  I was going stir crazy here by myself and it is TOO DANG HOT to go outside.  It was a very low key day, but perfect nonetheless!

Looking forward to... real labor starting (as opposed to these dang Braxton Hicks) and meeting our baby girl!  If she hasn't made her arrival by Thursday, we will go to the hospital bright and early for an induction!

Baby Bump Report: Week 39

How far? Week 39

What's baby up to?  Our sweet baby girl is probably a bit over 7 pounds and 20 inches long, about the size of a mini-watermelon.  She has some very active times and some pretty chilled out times.  We've enjoyed just hanging out at home this week waiting for the big day!

Weight gain?  We'll see at my appointment, but I'm sitting right at +25 for the pregnancy.

Maternity clothes?  Yep... and some old comfy soffe shorts around the house.

Symptoms?  Some indigestion, some more dropping (didn't think that was possible), a little bit of back soreness, and some swelling/sweating because its 5 million degrees outside.

Sleep?  Still sleeping pretty good despite all the pee breaks and thanks to all the pillows in the bed :)

Food cravings? Still craving cold stuff like fruit, veggies, ice cream, & popsicles... and randomly some Cheese Its.  Weird.

Food aversions? None.

Miss anything?  Nothing really.  I'm pretty content.

I'm feeling... pretty good physically, but mentally, I'm ready!  I have been able to clean the house, hang out with some friends, and get a lot of rest this week.  Just like last week, I feel at peace.  I cannot wait to meet and hold our sweet girl!  I want to know what she looks like and what it feels like to snuggle her.  I'm so ready to learn to be her mommy.

Best moment of the week? Lunch date with my Daddy, chilling out around the house with Parker, and our anniversary coming up on Wednesday!

Looking forward to... meeting our baby girl and bringing her home to stay! :)

Baby Bump Report: Week 38

Instagram Post:  House cleaned, bags packed, nursery ready.  Come on Ava Kate  #10days  #readyornot  #soexcited

How far? Week 38

What's baby up to?  Ava Kate is about 6 and half pounds and 19 and half inches long.  She's still head down, very active, and getting lower and lower.  Can't wait to meet this sweet baby girl!

Weight gain?  So I'm down 2 lbs since my last appointment... which means I gained about 1/2 a lb in 2 weeks as opposed to 3 lbs in a week.  I knew the nurse should've let me pee before weighing me!  That means I've put on about 23 lbs total.

Maternity clothes?  Clearly.

Symptoms?  Dropping, Braxton hicks (but they aren't very often or regular)... otherwise, I'm feeling pretty normal.

Sleep?  I'm sleeping pretty good considering I wake up 2-4 times a night to pee... but I'm feeling pretty rested - knock on wood.

Food cravings? Still craving cold stuff like fruit, veggies, ice cream, & popsicles.

Food aversions? Not one.

Miss anything?  Not really :)

I'm feeling... great!  I feel rested and happy and ready.  It's so surreal - I definitely don't feel like I'm about to have a baby.  I expected to be nervous/anxious/scared/stressed/super uncomfortable... but I truly feel at peace and ready.  It's weird.  BUT, I'm so thankful!

Best moment of the week? Start of summer break!  Hanging out with my friend Carrie, getting pedicures with Amber & Amanda, and catching up with Roman while she was in town!

Looking forward to... snuggling our baby girl!  :)

Baby Bump Report: Week 37

How far? Week 37

What's baby up to?  Ava Kate is a bit over 6 lbs and 19 inches!  She is head down, ready to go, and very active!

Weight gain?  About 25 lbs total... 3 lbs since my last appt... which was only last week.   -_-

Maternity clothes?  Yeah and some of those aren't fitting as well now!  Good times.

Symptoms?  Normal things like Braxton hicks, indigestion, fatigue, swelling... AK has definitely dropped a lot in a week!  I was 1 cm dilated and 25% effaced last week, but we didn't check at this week's appointment.

Sleep?  Some nights haha.  :)  I'm taking more naps in the early evening/afternoon that's for sure!

Food cravings? Cold stuff like fruit, ice cream, etc.

Food aversions? None

Miss anything?  A variety of choices for clothes, sleeping on my back and stomach, my old weight haha

I'm feeling... ready to go!  Mostly everything on our list is done and my school stuff is done for the year, so now we are just waiting!  Can't wait to meet our sweet baby girl and snuggle her! Ahh... so excited! :)

Best moment of the week? Last day of school for the students!   PTL!  :)

Looking forward to... meeting our baby girl!

Baby Bump Report: Week 36

How far? Week 36

What's baby up to?  She's about 6 lbs and just over 18 inches and very active!

Weight gain?  About 21.5 lbs total... 1.5 since my last appointment 2 weeks ago.

Maternity clothes?  Obviously.

Symptoms?  Braxton hicks, some indigestion, fatigue, some swelling at the end of the day, but nothing major

Sleep?  It sure is getting harder!  I'm tired, but this tiredness is no where near 1st trimester exhaustion.  Definitely waking up with Braxton hicks and bathroom trips!

Food cravings? Same stuff - apple sauce, fruit, ranch

Food aversions? None

Miss anything?  A variety of choices for clothes, sleeping on my back and stomach

I'm feeling... ready!  Everything on our list isn't done, but we are ready enough!  :)  I can't wait to meet our baby girl!

Best moment of the week? Hearing AK's heartbeat, sleeping in on Saturday morning :)

Looking forward to... the big day!  I can't wait to meet our baby girl!!!

Maternity Pictures!

My sweet friend, teacher mentor, and former teacher, Nicki came to our house last weekend to take maternity pictures and oh my gosh!  They are perfect and I am SO grateful to have these moments documented!  I wore one of my Mom's rings and the book is from my Grandma and the quilt was made by my sister-in-law Candice.  There's no need to caption each one, they speak for themselves!  Here are a few of my favorites: