Olivia: 14 weeks!

MONTH: 4
WEEK: 14
WEIGHT: 11+ lbs
LENGTH: 21+ in
HEAD:  14+ in
MILESTONES: nothing significant this week. She is just practicing all her smiles getting ready to laugh any day now!
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: Another evening photo, so the chair looks a slightly different color because the lighting is different, but Olivia just looks as cute as ever!
EATING: In case you can't see them she has these lovely baby thigh rolls that are courtesy of her excellent breastfeeding abilities.
VISITS/OUTINGS: We had so much fun while cousin Kayla was visiting and were so sad to see her go.
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Olivia is still so in love with her playmat we even bought another one for Grandma and Grandpa Nunley's house.
MOMMY FEELS: Happy that my little baby is growing and becoming so much more interactive, but sad also that she is growing so fast. She is already getting too small for some of her 0-3 month size clothing. Avery was always a size behind until about 9-12 months so this is new territory for us! It also means most of the clothes we kept from Avery in the size Olivia is in now are the wrong season.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO: Mommy and Daddy's anniversary night out while the girls stay with Aunt Stacy, Avery's birthday, and visiting Auntie Mandy, Uncle Mike and cousin Penny in San Diego when we go to watch Uncle Thomas at his graduation from USMC bootcamp in September.

Olivia: 13 weeks!

MONTH: 4
WEEK: 13
WEIGHT: 12+ lbs
LENGTH: 23+ in
HEAD: 15+ in
MILESTONES: Nothing in particular this week.
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: This is her first really smiley one and I just love it.
EATING: Eating and growing like it's going out of style.
VISITS/OUTINGS: Cousin Kayla is visiting this week and next week and we are having so much fun playing and just hanging out. I wish she could stay longer! She is such a help and the girls love her.
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Laughing at sister is so fun and Olivia just loves it.
MOMMY FEELS: A little more tired than at the beginning of the week, but Avery woke up at 6am this morning. I am missing those awesome blackout curtains from the hotel. I should have taken them with us!
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO: Avery's birthday and birthday party and our first set of family photos are coming up. I realized we didn't have a single photo of the 4 of us and we have to fix it!

Olivia: 3 months!

THIS MONTH YOUR BABY MAY BE ABLE TO:

• bring her hands together and reach for nearby objects as her coordination skills develop Olivia loves to grab the toys above her when she is playing on her playmat.
• consciously unfold her tight fists She holds so tightly on the toys that I have to rub the back of her hand to get her to let go when I need to pick her up while she is playing.
• suck on her fingers as she continues to explore her environment with her mouth I noticed her sucking on her thumb the other day. She's only done it a couple of times that I've seen, but Avery never did so it's definitely something new for us!
• practice focusing her eyes by maintaining eye contact with you I love trying to get Olivia to focus on me. Almost immediately I can get her to smile when she does look at me.
• perceive color differences more clearly (she’ll prefer bright primary colors; similar color tones can be hard for newborns to distinguish) I'm not sure about this. She can't exactly tell me what she can see. Obviously.
• focus on very small objects I don't usually let small objects get near her as good practice for when she is in that everything-goes-in-my-mouth stage, but she is getting better at focusing on things that are very close. Especially sister's face. Avery loves to get nose to nose with Olivia.
• begin to follow you with her eyes We practice this sometimes. She is very good at following and now that she has great neck control she can follow even further.
• turn toward the sound of your familiar voice as her ability to locate and recognize sounds improves I always greet Olivia in the morning from the bed. Lately she has been turning her head to me when I do. She also looks around for Justin when he enters the room and talks. It's really neat.

Olivia: 12 weeks!

MONTH: 4
WEEK: 12
WEIGHT: 12+ lbs
LENGTH: 23+ in
HEAD: 15+ in
MILESTONES: Olivia slept through the night for 3 nights in a row while we were on vacation. It was glorious. 
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: This one was taken in the evening, so the lighting is a little different, but it is still so cute!
EATING: If eating were an Olympic sport Olivia would be the youngest member of the American team.
VISITS/OUTINGS: The night this picture was taken we left for a long road trip to Oregon to attend a wedding for one of Justin's very good friends. While we were there we visited my friend Liz and her son Brady and went to the Portland Children's Museum.
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Olivia loves playing and sitting up with assistance from her Boppy or leaning against me while facing out. She is so curious to see what is going on all around here. With Avery running around there is always something fun to watch.
MOMMY FEELS: Rested. We all slept really well on vacation. 
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO: Avery's birthday and birthday party is coming up. I guess I should start planning something beyond inviting 30 people to the park.

4th of July 2012

Olivia: 11 weeks!

MONTH: 3
WEEK: 11
WEIGHT: 11+ lbs
LENGTH: 23+ in
HEAD: 15+ in
MILESTONES: nothing notable this week.
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: Since we missed last week I wanted to make sure we got this one on the actual day.
EATING: Still eating like a champ and growing like a weed.
VISITS/OUTINGS: Yesterday we had a playdate at Scientopia with Christina and Lailah. Today is 4th of July. This morning we watched the parade in downtown Napa and headed to a carnival in Yountville. Then we had dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house.
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Olivia has become engrossed in her playmat. She loves to swat at the toys and make the smiling flower make music. It's so cute.
MOMMY FEELS: Tired. Avery has been getting up very early and mommy is not liking it.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO: Next weekend we are headed on a long road trip as a family to watch one of Justin's best friends from childhood get married. Another exciting event is Avery's 2nd birthday party is a month from today. I am having so much fun planning it.

Oorah!

This Sunday we spent a very busy day visiting. We spent the morning having brunch with Uncle Thomas. Sunday was the day he left for bootcamp and will be the last day we see him for 13 weeks. Now we are counting down the days until Sept. 21 when we fly to San Diego to see him graduate.

In the afternoon we celebrated Baby Cal Capote at Aly's shower. Avery had so much fun playing with Capri and I loved being able to catch up with Aly since she lives in Southern California now. We even had some delicious cake and played some super fun games! Now if only Aly, Joe, Capri and Cal would move back to Napa I would have a good mommy friend to playdate with!

Olivia: 9 weeks!

MONTH: 3
WEEK: 9
WEIGHT: 10lbs 12oz
LENGTH: 23in
HEAD: 15in
MILESTONES: Nothing major this week.
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: We almost forgot to take a picture this week. Luckily we remembered on Friday and got the picture before the sun went to the other side of the house.
EATING: Olivia has been eating like a champ which is how she gained 4lbs in 2 months!
VISITS/OUTINGS:
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Eat, sleep, poop. Rinse and repeat.
MOMMY FEELS: Exhausted.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO: Avery's 2nd birthday!

Playhouse

Today we picked up a playhouse for the backyard that I found on Craigslist. It's little and perfect for Avery. We left her at Grandma and Grandpa Nunley's house while we went to go get it, so it was a surprise for her when we got home.

Olivia Rolls

Today while we were waiting at the doctor's office for Olivia's 2 month check up she was practicing her tummy time. I turned my head for one second to look at Avery and when I turned back she was on her back. I couldn't believe I missed the very first roll, but I put her back on her belly and tried to get her to do it again. She did it two more times before I could get the camera to record. I finally got it on camera on the last attempt because after 3 tries she was not exactly happy to be doing tricks for me.

Father's Day 2012: Pictures

This Father's Day was Justin's first Father's Day with two daughters. Aside from Avery not feeling 100% we made the best of it. It was such a fun day.

Olivia: 2 Months!

THIS MONTH YOUR BABY MAY BE ABLE TO:

•     respond to loud sounds by becoming completely silent, crying, or acting startled Olivia does this a lot especially with having a big sister screeching around the house.

•     make cooing sounds She does make the most adorable coos but only occasionally. I wish she would do it more because they are so precious.

•     repeat "ooh" and "aah" Her coos sound like ohh and ahh, but she certainly doesn't repeat on command.

•     move her head or eyes toward the sound of your voice, showing that she recognizes you I love talking from the opposite side of where she is looking so she has to turn her head and look at me. It's so cute when she finds me and her eyes get wide.

•     raise her chest and head using her arms for support while lying on her tummy Not yet. She is definitely not a fan of tummy time so her practice is limited.

•     focus on very small objects and follow (or "track") objects with her eyes as her eye muscles continue to develop She loves to look at the little toys we play with and follow them as I move them around her head.

Eats

So far I am the only one who has been feeding Olivia because she is breastfed. I have some milk stored for her so Justin could feed her at some point. That means we need bottles too. The ones we had for Avery have a bajillion parts, so I would love to win the ones in this giveaway.

Father's Day 2012

Last year I took some pictures with Avery holding the letters to spell D-A-D. Since Olivia is a little young to hold any letters I wanted to find something to do craft with the girls. I saw something like this on the internet and I thought it was so cute.

I love the way it turned out.

Catch up: Avery

 

My sleepy girl in my bed. She really loves that big, fluffy blanket.

 

Smiley girl. 

 

What her hair looks like when it is washed and brushed. If only she would keep it that way. 

Catch up: Olivia

 

Olivia has been showing interest in reaching out for things. She actually grabbed this toy on her playmat all by herself!

  Mommy and Olivia time while sister napped.

Big girl!

Olivia: 8 weeks!

MONTH: 2
WEEK: 8
WEIGHT: 8+ lbs
LENGTH: 20+ in
HEAD: 13+ in
MILESTONES: Nothing exciting this week. We are just working on tummy time and that head control.
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: It's hard to get them taken on the same say of the week every week, so this one was taken this morning at 8 weeks 2 days.
EATING: Still exclusively breastfed and loving at.
VISITS/OUTINGS: We now have a a little boy, Jax, every day for a few hours. He is 16 months old so he mostly plays with Avery, but he seems to be noticing Olivia more and more lately.
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES:Olivia loves to face outward when you are holding her in your lap or face the big picture window in the living room when she is laying on her play mat. She is just so interested in everything going on around her.
MOMMY FEELS: Tired. With the addition of Jax every day it's exhausting. There is no sitting with 3 kids under the age of 2.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO: I would like to say a vacation, but there isn't one in the near future.

Big Sister

Avery has been taking her big sister role very seriously. If Olivia cries, Avery is right there on top of it -- or more likely on top of her. It's still unclear if she is crying because Avery is there or the other way around, but Avery is always ready to reinsert a paci if Olivia should make so much as a peep.

She is also very helpful when we are in the car. She likes to tell me when Olivia falls asleep, loses her paci, or is just awake and smiling at her. For this particular car ride Avery decided she would bring book (or 'boo-p' in Avery language) to read to her sister. It was so cute. Luckily the ride to Grandma and Grandpa Nunley's was as short as the book because she only brought the one.

Sweet girl

Sleepy love

 

Justin was still in bed the other day and I asked him to "watch" Olivia after I fed her so I could get dressed. I came back in a few minutes later to find them both fast asleep again. 

Olivia: 7 weeks!

MONTH: 2
WEEK: 7
WEIGHT: 8lbs +
LENGTH: 20in +
HEAD: 13.5in +
MILESTONES: no major milestones this week, but she is constantly learning and taking in the world which is fun to watch.
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: This is one of the first semi-smiles I have been able to catch on camera and I love it.
EATING: Still a champion breastfeeder. I am so grateful for the ability to breastfeed Olivia and thankful the experience is easier than it was with Avery.
VISITS/OUTINGS: This week Olivia and Avery have had a new playmate. Their friend Jaxin will be hanging out with us every day for the next several weeks as Ma'am recovers from her surgery. It's only been two days, but so far we are having a good time.
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Olivia still loves sleeping, but has recently started to kick her feet when she is awake and really enjoys it. She also really loves to take baths.
MOMMY FEELS: tired. Taking care of three children under 2 years old is exhausting. There is no sitting down and no resting.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO: a good night's sleep. Ha!

  

1 month!

THIS MONTH YOUR BABY MAY BE ABLE TO: 

• lift her head slightly as her neck muscles strengthen Olivia has always had excellent neck control but the last week or so it has really improved. It's so cute to see her try to look at me when she is on my shoulder.

• focus her eyes on your face as she begins to learn how to focus both eyes together Avery was constantly going cross-eyed trying to focus on things even into her third month. Olivia on the other hand has been able to focus fairly well. She still does go cross-eyed occasionally which is actually really cute!
• visually follow an object that moves about 6 inches above her face (high-contrast colors such as black and white are what she can see best at this time) Honestly I don't think I've really noticed if she can do this or not. When we play with toys I am usually just making sure Avery doesn't drop it on her face or smack her with it.
• blink at a bright light Who doesn't blink at bright light? She definitely doesn't like the sun in their eyes.
• recognize familiar sounds and voices and respond by turning her head toward them Olivia recognized Justin and I by turning to us. She also looks at Avery when she talks, but I'm not sure if she actually 'recognizes' Avery by her voice or just that she is very loud.
• grip your finger when you stroke her palm—part of her developing grasping reflex She loves to hold on to my finger and I love it just as much.
• turn toward your finger when you rub a corner of her mouth (this rooting instinct is what helps her to latch onto your nipple for feeding) I love touching her lips because they are so small and cute and she makes little faces with them but I also noticed she does turn towards my hand too.
• recognize you by your scent (she can smell your milk if you’re breastfeeding) I am not sure if she recognizes me, but if she is really upset I am able to soothe her better than anyone else so I guess she recognizes me somehow and scent makes sense.

One big - One little

This is probably one of my absolute favorite photos of the girls so far. 

Olivia: 6 weeks!

MONTH: 2
WEEK: 6
WEIGHT: 8+ lbs
LENGTH: 20+ in
HEAD: 13.5+ in
MILESTONES: Olivia smiled her first smile last Saturday. It wasn't at me, but I was there, so that counts.
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: This was actually taken on Friday at 6 weeks 2 days because I have no short term memory anymore and cannot remember to do things for the life of me.
EATING: Still breastfeeding and have fully weaned of the shield with no more blood in her stool for almost a week now!
VISITS/OUTINGS: We visited with Ashlee and Mads at the Discovery Museum on Tuesday and had a blast!
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Olivia is awake and alert more often and loves to make faces with her mouth.
MOMMY FEELS: Amazed that Olivia has already been here for six weeks already.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO: I am looking forward to more interaction with Olivia and for her to start recognizing our voices.

The many faces of Olivia

Olivia: 5 weeks!

MONTH: 2
WEEK: 5
WEIGHT: 7.5lbs
LENGTH: 20in
HEAD: 13.5in
MILESTONES: Nothing major, still just waiting for that first smile!
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: She was so alert for this picture. I love it!
EATING: She is still a great eater. Breastfeeding is going great and I am so happy we are doing well.
VISITS/OUTINGS: We had a park playdate with Holli, Steven and Austin this week and we have a playdate with Ashlee and Madison next Tuesday!
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Sleeping is still far and above her favorite activity.
MOMMY FEELS: Surprisingly rested. Olivia has blessed us with a good stretch of sleep almost every night.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO:Watching all the milestones to come and how the girls grow up together.

Ice cream!

Avery had her first ice cream cone by herself and loved it!

Olivia: 4 weeks!

MONTH: 1
WEEK: 4
WEIGHT: 7lbs+
LENGTH: 19in+
HEAD: 13in+
MILESTONES: 
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: She was much more accommodating today. I am just waiting to get a smile!
EATING: Olivia is still a fervent eater. I just hope I can keep up with her!
VISITS/OUTINGS: My friend Christina and her daughter Lailah visited this week and we had a nice time catching up!
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Olivia's favorite activity is still eating followed closely by sleeping.
MOMMY FEELS: Tired. Olivia is a great sleeper, but the feeding schedule and keeping up with two kids is starting to get to me. I could use a nap just about every day.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO: Watching Olivia grow and learn new things and watching Avery teach her sister all she knows.

Be still my heart.

Olivia: 3 weeks!

MONTH: 1
WEEK: 3
WEIGHT: 7lbs 10oz
LENGTH: 20in
HEAD: 13.3in
MILESTONES:Olivia's umbilical stump fell off and she got her first bath this week!
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: Taken today at 3 weeks old. She was not a fan of Mommy taking her picture while not being held. Plus sister kept trying to grab her feet.
EATING: Olivia is an aggressive eater which is how she has gained almost a full pound in just 3 weeks.
SLEEPING: She sleeps next to me in the Rock 'N Play we have borrowed from a friend. She really seems to like it and I enjoy the long stretches of sleep she is giving us so far. I know it's likely not going to last so we are just enjoying it while it does.
VISITS/OUTINGS: Today we all went to the mall to help Mommy find some clothes that actually fit. We also had a family lunch at a sit down restaurant and no food ended up on the floor or in anyone's hair. I'm calling it a success!
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Eat.Sleep.Poop. Eat.Sleep.Poop. Sometimes it's Eat.Poop.Eat.Sleep.Poop. It's a rather exhausting cycle.
MOMMY FEELS: Glad. I am glad I am able to keep up with both girls so far. I really enjoy my time with Avery when Olivia is sleeping and my time with Olivia when Avery is playing independently or sleeping at night. I don't even mind the middle of the night feeding because everything else is quiet and we get our own little bonding time without being interrupted.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO:  Olivia's first smile. It should be coming in the next couple weeks. I find myself smiling like a lunatic at her in hopes it will trigger her first reactionary smile and I will be the one who to see it first!

"Bath"

Since her umbilical stump fell off this week Olivia got her first "bath". I say "bath" because it was really a shower since we don't actually have a bathtub. We found this nifty bath hammock that works pretty well for our situation. In case you didn't know soapy newborns are quite slippery, so I really like this because it holds her up so I can wash all the parts without worrying about dropping her.

Contrary to what I assumed was normal Olivia didn't hate her first bath. In fact, she actually seemed to enjoy it. She especially enjoyed when I held her in the shallow water and poured water over her belly and hair. I hope she continues to like baths because I was not looking forward to bathing a cranky baby like we did with Avery.

My Girl(s)

 

Olivia

  

Avery

Olivia's Birth Story

The birth story of Olivia Grace Nunley
Born Wednesday, April 18, 2012

6lbs 13oz – 20 inches

Warning: Graphic

Tuesday night was a lot like many other nights that brought uncomfortable contractions that were fairly consistent and close together. By the time I went to bed they were 5 minutes apart, but not painful enough to keep me awake. I had been through this before. I would go to sleep and they would be gone in the morning. 

Except Wednesday morning held for me more contractions still 5 minutes apart. I thought to myself this is new, but we will just see what happens. I was supposed to have my 39 week appointment at 10:15 that morning so I figured we will just have my doctor check me then. At about 9:30 the doctor's office called and said that my OB was delivering a baby and they would need to reschedule my appointment. I told them I thought I was probably in labor so I would hold off on rescheduling since I would probably see my OB later that day in Labor & Delivery anyways. The front office person sounded surprised so she told me to talk to the nurse on call to make sure that was okay. The nurse gave me the okay to stay home and labor at home until my water broke or they became too painful to talk through. 

Tuesday afternoon Avery and I had baked a cake, but the frosting we had in the cabinet had expired, so on Wednesday morning Avery and I ventured to the store to get some. Naturally I had to have some of that cake if I was going to be having a baby soon. By the time we returned from the store around 11:00 the contractions were getting more painful and were now 4 minutes apart. We frosted the cake and a nice big piece for lunch. I asked Justin to come home instead of going back to the office after his appointment. 

When he got home my contractions were 3 minutes apart and painful but not painful enough to give me pause. By 1:30 they were still 3 minutes apart but painful, so I told Justin it was time to go to the hospital. Unfortunately we could not get a hold of Grandma & Grandpa Nunley who were supposed to be "on call" to watch Avery when I went into labor. After calling all around and checking their house we found out they had gone out of town for a funeral and wouldn't be back for a couple hours. Now we needed to find a replacement babysitter. In the meantime Justin dropped me off at Labor & Delivery and took Avery to his parent's house because Uncle Trevor would off work soon and would be able to stay with Avery.

When I got to the hospital I got all checked in and hooked up to the monitors. By the time the nurse got all my info and everything all set up it was about 4pm and Justin was back and ready to help. I was checked and was 5cm dilated and 90% effaced. All the monitoring I had been doing over the last 3 hours showed no signs of distress so the nurse said I could labor off the monitors for an hour if I wanted. The first thing I wanted to do was take a bath since my room had a jetted tub. Justin sat with me and kept me company and distracted while I let the warm water ease the pain.

At 6pm I got hooked back up to the monitors and it showed the contractions were 2 minutes apart. My OB checked me again and I was 7cm dilated and she broke my water. Almost immediately the contractions got much more intense so I asked for Fentanyl (an IV pain medication). This medication is supposed to take the edge off for about an hour, but when 30 minutes rolled around and I had no relief I knew it was just going to start to wear off and I was going to need something else. I opted for the epidural.

The nurse left to find the anesthesiologist and when she returned quickly I was pretty happy -- until she told me there was an emergency c-section going to happen on another laboring mom and the anesthesiologist wasn't going to be able to give me the epidural for at least an hour. While I interrogated her about how there was only one person in the whole hospital who could give me an epidural the anesthesiologist walks in and said if we do it right then he can squeeze me in while they prepped the other mom. As soon as he heard that Justin left the room because we didn't want another incident like last time where he ended up on the floor with a pillow and juice.

After the epidural was in and had started taking affect it was about 7:15. As the anesthesiologist walked out my OB walked in to check me again. She was surprised that I was already completely dilated and ready to push. That means I progressed from 7cm at 6:15 to complete in just an hour! She offered to help me do a few pushes and see where we got before going into the emergency c-section since she had a few minutes while the anesthesiologist got the other mom all set up.

After the first contraction which I pushed 3 times it was clear she was coming and coming fast. They moved the mirror so I could see what was happening because that helped last time. Two more contractions and 6 more pushes and Olivia Grace was born. It took less than 5 minutes of pushing and she was here.

The first moments after her birth were amazing. Because she didn't swallow meconium like Avery we were able to do skin to skin immediately. My OB was able to deliver her and then set her right on my abdomen. The nurses did all their evaluations and cleaning while Justin and I fawned over her. We checked all her fingers and toes and even that she was indeed a she. As soon as the nurses were done they said we could hold her as long as we wanted and they would do the measurements when we were ready. Since they weren't whisking her away right away we were able to breastfeed and she latched right on. It was an amazing difference from what the first few minutes were like with Avery.

It's been an amazing first few days and as weird as it is to realize we now have two daughters I couldn't imagine it any other way. We are so in love and love seeing how Avery interacts with her new sister.

Welcome to the world Olivia Grace!

Olivia Grace Nunley

 3 minutes old

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 

7:37pm
6lbs 13oz -- 20 inches long

Sisters' first meeting

39 weeks!

How far along? 39 weeks.
Weight gain/loss: +33 -- Yikes!
Maternity clothes? This is the only non-maternity shirt that even remotely fits. Thank goodness it won't be much longer!
Stretch marks? I'm not going to lie. I have more than I can count.  
Sleep? Thank goodness Avery has been sleeping like a princess.
Best moment this week? Well when this photo was taken on I was actually in labor. Little Girl would be born less than 12 hours later!  
Movement: Today she is pretty mellow!
Food cravings: The cake I baked last night. Mmmm!
Gender: Girl.
Labor signs? Currently in labor! Just had to get one last belly picture in.
Belly button in or out? Outie.
What I miss? Still the biggest thing is snuggling up with Avery.
What I am looking forward to? Heading to the hospital to bring this girl into the world.
Weekly wisdom: Life can change in a single moment.

Sunday Fun

Sundays are always one of my favorite days because most Sundays Justin doesn't have to work the whole day. Today was a one of the best days I can remember. It reminded me how much I love our family.

There was nothing too exciting about today and it actually started off kind of rocky with Avery waking up for the day at 3:30am. Once we got in a groove we had a great day full of every day things that really made me appreciate the life we have. Justin mowed the lawns, we hung a new swing for Avery, jumped on the trampoline, BBQed for dinner and just enjoyed our time as a family of 3.

Soon there will be 4 and I can only imagine how much her being here will increase our love and happiness.

38 weeks!

How far along? 38 weeks.
Weight gain/loss: +33 -- Yikes!
Maternity clothes? I wish it made sense to buy some more maternity yoga pants, but with less than 2 weeks left I can't justify it. Sadsies.
Stretch marks? ... What are these?  
Sleep? We are getting there!
Best moment this week? We got to see baby girl on the ultrasound last week. She is head down and ready to go.  
Movement: She has slowed down and lowered the intensity because she is running out of room in there!
Food cravings: Anything chocolatey. Mmmm!
Gender: Girl.
Labor signs? She is moving down and getting into position.
Belly button in or out? Outie.
What I miss? Being able to keep up with Avery and snuggle her really close.
What I am looking forward to? Having this little girl and bringing her home to our family.
Weekly wisdom: Eat your donuts without guilt..

Jump, jump, jump... jump around!

For Easter Avery got the usual basket with trinkets and some candy... and a full-sized trampoline! Okay, she would have gotten the trampoline holiday or not, but it just happens that we bought it and put it together on Easter weekend.

The original idea was that we needed something that would be able to keep her contained, entertained and at home for when her new sister arrives and mommy doesn't feel up to getting us all out of the house. So far it looks like this will do the trick.

These are just some of the highlights from our first few days with the trampoline. 

37 weeks!

How far along? 37 weeks.
Weight gain/loss: +31 -- Yikes!
Maternity clothes? Even maternity clothes that fit are getting hard to come by.
Stretch marks? ......  
Sleep? Has been better the last couple days.
Best moment this week? Nothing exciting is going on here lately.  
Movement: She is crazy busy.
Food cravings: Nothing really. I am just hungry all the time.
Gender: Girl.
Labor signs? Contractions are pretty constant. We'll see how my appointment goes today.
Belly button in or out? Outie.
What I miss? Being able to keep up with Avery.
What I am looking forward to? Meeting her.
Weekly wisdom: Sometimes you do whatever it takes.

36 weeks!

How far along? 36 weeks.
Weight gain/loss: +31 -- Yikes!
Maternity clothes? I only have a few non-maternity shirts left that will fit. (<-- see photo) 
Stretch marks? Next question please.  
Sleep? Is interrupted by both the need to pee and Avery's need to climb into bed with us at 4-5am. The latter is preferable to the getting up every hour.
Best moment this week? Nothing exciting is going on here lately.  
Movement: Still moving as much as always.
Food cravings: Nothing in particular, but I am more hungry lately.
Gender: Girl.
Labor signs? I have still been having contractions, but nothing exciting.
Belly button in or out? Outie.
What I miss? Laying on my belly, carrying Avery, snuggling with her to read a book, standing up without feeling like I need an inhaler and being able to walk more than 10 steps without my leg falling asleep.
What I am looking forward to? Having this baby and seeing what she is going to look like. Also, not being pregnant for a while.
Weekly wisdom: Sometimes you do whatever it takes.

Movies!

We took Avery to the movies a couple of weeks ago to see Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. I had heard it was a good movie to start with because of the animation and singing, so I thought we would be good. Wrong. We went right after naptime to avoid falling asleep or grumpiness, but instead we got hyperactive Avery and ended up leaving 45 minutes into the movie.

I think she will eventually like the movies because she seemed interested in the concept, but too antsy to appreciate it. We did get some cute pictures when she was sitting still though.

35 Weeks!

How far along? 35 weeks.
Weight gain/loss: +27
Maternity clothes? I love my maternity yoga pants. 
Stretch marks? I hate them.  
Sleep? Avery is getting better, but my sleep is not improving. Better start getting used to it.
Best moment this week? Becoming an auntie! I am so excited for my sister.  
Movement: Still a little wiggle worm.
Food cravings: Nothing really lately.
Gender: Girl.
Labor signs? I was in labor and delivery on Sunday night for contractions that were 2 minutes apart. I had to get a shot to get them to slow down and I have been having them sporadically for the last few days. She needs to stay put a little bit longer, but I highly doubt I will make it to my due date.
Belly button in or out? Outie.
What I miss? Letting Avery sit on my lap and snuggle close in.
What I am looking forward to? Meeting her!
Weekly wisdom: Don't over do it.

34 weeks!

How far along? 34 weeks.
Weight gain/loss: +27
Maternity clothes? Gotta love them. 
Stretch marks? I give up counting.  
Sleep? Was great until last night. Let's hope to get back on the wagon tonight.
Best moment this week? We got the newborn clothes all put away.  
Movement: She is a mover and a shaker.
Food cravings: Any crappy food.
Gender: Girl.
Labor signs? Just a few false contractions here and there.
Belly button in or out? Outie.
What I miss? Walking without pain.
What I am looking forward to? Finishing some projects before she arrives.
Weekly wisdom: You can't be everywhere or everything to everyone all the time

Some things never change

33 Weeks!

How far along? 33 weeks.
Weight gain/loss: +25
Maternity clothes? Oh yes. Even some of those are starting to get a little snug. 
Stretch marks? I give up. Even my belly button has stretch marks.  
Sleep? We have gotten in quite a rhythm. Yay!
Best moment this week? We ordered the new glider on Saturday and we are going to pick it up today!  
Movement: She sure likes to stick her elbows out like she's doing the chicken dance.
Food cravings: Slurpees. Just like with Avery.
Gender: Girl.
Labor signs? Nope.
Belly button in or out? Outie.
What I miss? Getting around easily and being able to snuggle Avery in close.
What I am looking forward to? Finishing the girls' room and the rest of the house.
Weekly wisdom: Take everything one day at a time.

32 Weeks!

How far along? 32 weeks.
Weight gain/loss: +25 (yikes!)
Maternity clothes? You can't gain 25lbs and not be in maternity clothes. 
Stretch marks? Apparently the pain I have been having is literally my skin stretching little by little. Ouch.  
Sleep? We are making progress, but we have had some setbacks.
Best moment this week? We moved the crib mattress up to newborn height so we are officially preparing. Better late than never, I suppose.  
Movement: She sure likes to stick her elbows out like she's doing the chicken dance.
Food cravings: Still carb-loading.
Gender: Girl.
Labor signs? Nope.
Belly button in or out? Yea out. Officially.
What I miss? Lots of things, but I miss laying on the floor reading books with Avery.
What I am looking forward to? Meeting this little one.
Weekly wisdom: "Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway". - Eleanor Roosevelt