The Baby Belly- Week 32

WOW!! Just 8 more weeks (or so) to go!! No picture this week, but I might have some Easter pictures to share a little later.

Our sweet Baby-to-be is nearly 17 inches long and weighs around 4 pounds! The baby moves around so much, but soon there won't be enough room to move so freely. I have times where I feel just like the baby is trying to poke it's way out with what feels like elbows and knees pressing against my sides. Although I've been increasingly uncomfortable lately, I am cherishing ever little move that this sweet baby makes. I know it will be all too soon that I'll be holding her in my arms and will not be feeling her every move.

I'm still a little anxious about all that's ahead of us. I'm looking forward to seeing the baby at our next ultrasound and hoping that everything checks out okay. I feel like I'm surrounded by sick little babies and it seems like more and more of a miracle to have a normal delivery and a healthy baby. With everything that happened last time, I keep telling myself that things have to go better for us with this delivery. Our sweet Muffin is such a miracle and a blessing and we truly do not know what in the world we'd do without her. Even though Ellie hasn't made her debut, (and hopefully will bake for several weeks longer) we already have such a bond with her and love her more than we could ever describe.

Good Friday

Since today was Good Friday, Big Daddy had the day of from work. We were able to have a somewhat lazy morning and spend the day together as a family.
The Muffin and I started out with a Friday morning tea party. (note to self, we are out of Earl Grey, must.buy. more.) We discussed the true meaning of Easter and how Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Anything after that and she just gets confused. We played grocery store while getting ready for our day and then headed to the gun shop...because it was Good Friday and all. Muff LOVES the gun shop and I tolerate it pretty well. While Big Daddy was getting his stuff together, Muff and I people-watched and she had a special Easter egg sucker. After that excitement, we went to P.anera for lunch. It was so yummy! The Muffin behaved so well and we had a nice, leisurely lunch. We walked over to the pet store and a few other shops before heading home.
The rest of the afternoon was spent just being at home together. It was just what I needed. We have no plans for tomorrow, but Sunday we'll go to church and then off to Nana & Pawpaw's for lunch.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

The hat that Daddy just couldn't resist when he saw it at the D.ollar Tree.

Of course, Muff had to wear it to church even though she'd never wear a hat that actually matched her outfit.

At least it matches her summer pajamas.


And yes, she wears shoes ALL the time, unlike her Mama and Daddy.

Lazy and Lonely

I'm really far from lazy, but I long to be lazy. I swear I've gone up and down the stairs a thousand times today. My back is hurting, my feet want to be rubbed and Baby E is kicking like crazy...that's the best part of right now. As for the lonely part...I'm just feeling lonely.

The Muffin started out extremely grumpy. I asked if she was tired from the 4+ times (from 11:56 pm to 3.40am) that she woke up during the night. In the most aggravated voice she said, "I didn't wake you up, you woke me up!". We continued to bicker back and forth and down the stairs into the kitchen for at least ten minutes before her mood changed. I decided that we should go out for the morning. We went to Wally World and had a delightful shopping experience. We came home had lunch, play time and Muff took a nap. When she woke up we headed to the grocery store for a couple of things that we forgot yesterday. The rest of the evening was pretty pleasant and uneventful other than watching the C.harlie B.rown Easter special.

We'll be going to visit Big Daddy (and my family) tomorrow. We are leaving after our Storytime Egg Hunt. I realized this morning just how many funny things that The Muffin does during the day. I normally tell Big Daddy about them over dinner, but when he's not here, I just forget about them. I sat down during Muff's nap and sent him an email with a few of her cutest moments and a little update as to what was going on around here.
Here's a little excerpt:

-You know how my belly pokes out from below my shirt and above my pj pants? Muffin was in the middle of telling me something and said, "Oh! Your belly is sticking out. It's getting so big.". She adjusted my shirt and then it slid back up and she said "Oh, no." in an aggravated voice. We've started calling my belly "The Ellie Belly".

-She had a big temper tantrum over what jacket to wear this morning. After I finally had her all fixed and put her in the car I asked what was making her cry. In her most pitiful voice said, "I just miss my Daddy". I'm sure she was just saying it so that I'd feel sorry for her...which I did.

-She saw the Disney Princess Spaghetti O's at Wal-Mart and asked for some. When we were eating them at lunch she said they were really tasty and tasted like princesses.

-I swear our yard looks greener after yesterday's rain. They mowed Mary's yard today and it looks thick, lush and not like it was full of weeds at all.

-Cinnamon toast may be the new chocolate chip pancake. How exciting is that !?!

And right now you're thinking, "That girl has some kind of excitng life!".

What I Learned This Week

I'm finally back to the "What I learned This Week" carnival at Musings of a Housewife. I'd like to say that I've been too busy to participate, but I haven't been that busy...just pregnant and lazy.


-The Muffin will be all too happy to wear a hat if it doesn't match any of her oufits...except her summer pajamas. (Tomorrow, there will be a picture to prove it)
-Hot pink is possibly Muff's favorite color. Every single day for the past week, she has wanted to wear "hot pink pants". I've let her wear the same " pants" at least six-eight times. They are really little C.irco leggings from T.arget.
-We're lost when Big Daddy's away. We don't need him, but we want him...bad.
-I need to remember that I'm pregnant. I have days where I feel great and other days where I'm so tired because I felt great the day before and totally did too much.
-Pajama pants are the only pants that I'm remotely comfortable in. I'm tempted to wear them out when we go for walks.
-The Muffin wants to live with Nana and Pawpaw, but only if Mommy and Daddy can go too.

The Baby Belly- Week 31

Our Baby-to-be is approximately 17 inches long and weighs nearly 4 pounds!! I can feel elbows, knees and feet poking around in my belly. Sometimes I think that the baby is knocking on my tummy! I have so many aches and pains, but I'm trying to enjoy every minute of feeling this sweet baby move around, just in case it is our last. And in case you're wondering if we secretly have plans for more babies, I'm not sure we really know. Big Daddy says he isn't so sure that he can go through another pregnancy. I'm not sure that I want to go through another one, but I cannot imagine never doing it again.

This may be the most comfortable maternity shirt ever! It makes me look megaginormous, but it's super-comfy and I love the color. I think it's part mu-mu or something, but it's O.ld N.avy Maternity and it was super-dee-duper cheap.

Our Saturday

Getting ready to go to the children's Easter celebration at church.

The Muffin and Big Daddy making a "Resurrection Biscuit"...yummy!

An action shot of me and The Muffin looking for Easter eggs. It's a bad picture, but we're hardly ever photographed together because I'm the family photographer...and a giant cow.

Muff was so happy to find each one of her eggs!

Muff loved playing on the church playground!

I didn't take pictures of the finished "Resurrection Biscuits" because Big Daddy and I devoured it while Muff was eating baby cupcakes and iced cookies. She enjoyed eating under the huge stained glass windows in the fellowship hall. I also left out the pictures of the adult egg toss. Big Daddy reluctantly played along and came away without any egg on him. His partner, was not so lucky.

The Muffin knows that Jesus died on the cross and knows that he "came back" but that's really about as far as we've gotten. She finds crosses everywhere that we go and says, "That's like the cross where Jesus died". I hope that she'll understand what Easter is really about and not get into this crazy bunny stuff.

For dinner, we were invited to eat at a neighbor's house. That means I got out of cooking tonight and we can use tomorrow as our "eat out day". With Big Daddy being with my Mom & Dad most of the week, I'll feel like it's necessary to fix him home-cooked meals all weekend. I'm sure he'll think her cooking is better, but he'll still think my hamburgers are #1!

A Happy Friday

It's A Happy Friday Because...

-It's Auntie Lisa's birthday. The Muffin made her a "card" and we just emailed a picture of it to her. Auntie Lisa is a blog designer extraordinaire and also the one who started my blog.
She's also quite the birth attendant. She has attended the birth of three of her grand niece/nephews and is welcome to attend Baby E's birth if Auntie Charles can't make it because of work. She also births kittens and puppies and took me to see "E.T." back in the day. I could go on, but I won't.
-I made the most delightful french toast for myself this morning...just because I wanted to eat butter-flavored syrup on something...anything really.
-Tomorrow is the children's Easter celebration at church. The Muffin is excited about looking for Easter eggs and I'm hoping to talk to the Associate Pastor for Families about how to explain Heaven & Hell to Muff...since she asked and all.
-We are starting a new study in our Sunday school class and Big Daddy asked me to order the book for him. He started reading it last night (as soon as it arrived) and I'm going to make him give me the "Cliff's Notes" version of it, because I'll never get it read.
-We are on official countdown to the egg hunt at library Storytime on Wednesday.
-I'm excited because I've decided NOT to do the whole Easter Bunny-thing. I may have touched on this before. I was thinking of doing Sunny, Funny or Hunny Bunny in stead and then I read Joy's blog and saw that she does "Funny Bunny". I decided to do "Sunny Bunny Day" for our celebration of Spring. Easter will be about the cross and "Sunny Bunny' will be about silly treats. And just so you know, I don't like the Santa Claus-thing either, but it sort of started and got out of hand before I could help it. I just find the Easter Bunny idea to be even more crazy than a big man in a red suit with flying reindeer.

...And Still No Shoes

Well, the day "off" went well. By 8:30 this morning, I had scrubbed both showers with Muff's "help". We were all three dressed and out the door a little after 9:30. Big Daddy and The Muffin went one way and I went another. I spent a little time at Wally Word...alone. I had a few staples on my list like chocolate chip pancake mix and chocolate milk mix. Other than that, I wandered around lost and alone. I was back "on duty" at 1:00 for Muff's nap time and the rest of the day went as usual.
I arrived at my doctor's office a little early and sat in the car and listened to the radio. I went in around 11:00 and was called back for my urine and blood samples around 12:00, then it was on to the second waiting room. I was placed in an exam room around 12:30 and was out he door by 1:00. Everyone apologized for the wait, but I managed to read two magazines and enjoy quality time alone. I really didn't mind waiting.
The midwife I was scheduled to see was at home sick, so I met with the nurse practitioner. She was very nice and I enjoyed meeting yet another wonderful lady at my OB/GYN practice. I've gained a total of 22 pounds, which is more than I had hoped for. I'm still way off from my weight gain with The Muffin. The nurse practitioner said that the baby did not seem overly big judging by the height of fundus, so I guess that's good. My iron level is high, so hopefully I will not have post partum anemia this time. Of course, my blood pressure was wonderful, just like always.
I made a quick stop in the store that was my last hope for shoes to match the prospective Easter dress. I left empty-handed. I had great shoes that would have worked, but they were donated to the local thrift shop that operates a shelter for abused women and children. Someone in town is probably planning to wear them as Spring arrives.
Tomorrow, I need to schedule The Muffin's three year check up. (I cannot believe that she'll soon be celebrating her third birthday.) I'm also going to register the Baby-to-be at the pediatrician's office and sign us up for the "Sibling Class" at the hospital. The Muffin is scheduled for her surgery (to remove ear tubes) in early May, so she should be familiar with the hospital...and the chicken sandwich and Sweet Tea restaurant that's there.

My Day Off

Tomorrow is my day off! Well, sort of. I have a midwife appointment at 11:10 and Big Daddy has lunch scheduled with a friend, so he'll be taking The Muffin along. Big Daddy also has an errand to run before lunch so he'll be leaving early with our big girl in tow. She will be so excited to be doing fun things with just Daddy. I never really get a day off because there are always things to do with or without Muff being around, but having a little free time to myself will be nice.
I also plan to take advantage of Big Daddy's presence during nap time and venture out to look for new shoes for Easter and run a couple of errands. I really don't think my feet can make it through church in the shoes that match my prospective Easter dress. Ahhh...the joys of pregnancy. This past Sunday I could feel my shoes getting tighter and tighter as church went on. Big Daddy suggests that I wear flip flops all the time. I admit, I've worn them each of the past several days, but I draw the line at wearing them to church.
I'm currently washing my first load of baby clothes and cloth diapers! By the end of the day, I hope to have a bag packed for me and baby and the diapers will be neatly put away...somewhere.
I'm trying really hard to take it easy. I know that I have been doing way more than I should and my body has been paying the price. I'm looking forward to my midwife appointment tomorrow and hearing this sweet heart beat in my belly again!