29 Weeks

How Many Weeks: 29

Size of Baby: Small Cabbage

Weight Gain: 20 pounds

Gender:  Girl!

Movement:  She is moving like crazy these days.  Like, there is no way to ignore her crazy!  But I love that part, so I'm not complaining.

Sleep:  I feel like all I do is roll over to try to get comfortable again.

Symptoms:  Side and back pain

Maternity Clothes:  I've been trying to use my fall/winter wardrobe from when I was pregnant with Lyle, but I always end up being too hot! The mornings and evenings feel wonderful, but the afternoons have been in the high 80's, so I'm never quite sure what to wear!

Cravings:  I must be cravings sweets because when I thought about the best things I had to eat this week they included: rice krispie treats, pumpkin dessert, and a shake from Sonic! :)

Best Moment This Week:  We had a great weekend in Hesston.  It was nice to spend time with my parents, and Lyle loved having their full attention!  We also were able to catch up with friends at the reunion. 

Looking Forward To:  This next weekend is the Kansas Barn Sale outside of Hesston, and I'm excited to hunt for treasures, and hopefully get some early Christmas shopping done!  

  

Denver Wedding Weekend

Woah what a weekend!  We just got back from celebrating with Zach's cousin Ross and his beautiful bride Beki at their wedding in Denver, Colorado.

We bummed a ride with Zach's parents (thank goodness for built in DVD players when traveling with a 2-year old) and headed out Thursday night after work.  We made a pit-stop in Colby for the night, and Lyle devoured the hotel breakfast in the morning while making friends with all the other guests.  

Breaking up the trip out was wonderful, only leaving us with a couple hours in the car in the morning.  The wedding took place at the beautiful historic Oxford Hotel in downtown Denver.  Lyle loved that we had real keys to open our hotel room door!

 

We dropped off our bags and walked a few blocks to find something to eat.

  

Lyle picking his choice beverage.  But really he was just pointing to the letters he knows. :)

Chase scoring big!

After lunch it was back to the hotel for naps and massages at the spa!  What a way to vacation! :)  The plan was to meet up with the rest of the family and wedding party for the rehearsal dinner "after-party."  We grabbed a bite to eat first at the hotel restaurant (where Lyle refused to eat his macaroni, well refused to do just about anything really).  The night was gorgeous and we had fun sitting out on the patio at the Denever Beer Co, catching up with family and watching the fireworks after the Colorado Rockies game a few blocks away.  

The one day that Lyle sleeps in, I was awake at 6:45 and not able to go back to sleep.  So I brewed coffee in the bathroom, took a shower, and got ready for the day.  

We had an awesome room service breakfast picnic on the floor, then gathered the fam and headed down to the Denver Zoo for a bit.  It was awesome!

Lyle had a face of pure joy on the merry-go-round!

Loving Lyle's blue cotton candy mouth. 

After the zoo it was back to the hotel for naps (required for this mama and toddler if we were going to stay up past our bedtime!) Then it was time to get gussied up for the wedding!  I didn't get many wedding pictures, but you should look at the ones my brother-in-law put on Facebook...they are awesome!  

Lyle was breaking it down on the dance floor, showing off his new boots, and how well he can stomp and jump.  Hilarious!  He also had a great signature move where he would be on his hands and feet and kick a leg back.  He knew he was hot stuff.  

We enjoyed brunch with family in the morning, then packed up in the car for the long ride home.  Sorry to all my family for having to put up with a cranky uncomfortable pregnant lady all day.  

And now we are home, thoroughly excited about our fall shows being back on T.V., washing scrubs at nine o'clock at night so we have something to wear, and feeding the surprise group of MYF kids coming over to our house tonight pizza because I don't have the energy to make anything else.  But kids love pizza, right???  

Here's to hoping everyone is having a great week!  

26-27-28 Weeks

(I write these posts, then wait until I remember to take a picture to post them.  As you can see....some weeks I just don't get a picture taken!  Whoops!)

26 Weeks

How Many Weeks: 26

Size of Baby: Eggplant

Weight Gain: I forgot to weigh before I left work, but I know she is growing! There is another friend at church who is pregnant and due about 6 weeks before me. Two nice older men both told me that I look like I'm due first. Ha! Thanks, that's such a nice thing to hear! ;) Looks like little sis is going to be big like her brother. 

Gender: Girl! 

Movement: She is getting big enough to notice when she is positioned certain ways. She's also been having kicking rounds in the middle of the night, making it much harder to go back to sleep!

Sleep: More restless this week

Symptoms: I was so achy this week! Once I sat on the couch in the evening it took so much effort to get back up! 

Maternity Clothes: Fall is in sight and I am so excited! I'm ready to wear jeans, scarfs, and okay mostly I'm ready to wear sweats! :)

Cravings: I've been wanting a little bit of pop in the afternoon. I try not to drink it everyday (because I drink a cup of coffee in the morning), and I don't drink a lot, I just want the taste of it! 

Best Moment This Week: My bloodwork all came back normal, which I was so happy to hear! 

Looking Forward To: The Kansas Sate Fair is going on right now and this pregnant lady is craving a pronto pup! Hoping we can get over there sometime! 

27 Weeks

How Many Weeks: 27

Size of Baby: Cucumber

Weight Gain: 16 pounds.  Another reassuring comment yesterday...the gal checking me out at a consignment sale was also pregnant and asked if I was due in November.  I said no, "December 13."  When are you due?  "December 22"  So apparently she thought I looked a good month bigger than she was.  So nice to think I have another three months to keep growing! :)  I feel huge already!

Gender: Girl! Lyle thinks we should name her pink because she is a girl.  

Movement: Yes, lots of movement! 

Sleep: Pretty terrible this week.

Symptoms: My crazy rib/side pain has been back in full force this week.  The way I carry babies must put pressure on some nerve that radiates pain to that exact spot.  I use a heating pad for a bit in the evenings, and that helps some.  Also, my belly button has started to become an outie.  Ugh gross.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Cravings: I got my pronto pup at the fair last week...sooo good!  I even convinced everyone to stop at Bogey's on our way home and got a peanut butter cookie dough shake.  Amazing.

Best Moment This Week: We had an awesome time at the fair last Sunday!  I was able to do some shopping yesterday, got lots of errands done, and I keep finding cute things for baby girl!  

Looking Forward To: We have the Immunization conference for work in Wichita this week.  It makes for long days, but it's usually one of the better conferences we attend.  This next weekend we are heading to Colorado for a wedding of one of Zach's cousins.  Should be fun, just hoping the car ride isn't too uncomfortable!  

28 Weeks

28 Weeks

How Many Weeks: 28

Size of Baby: Head of Cauliflower (She measured 3.1 pounds today, at the 67th percentile!)

Weight Gain: 19 pounds  (Can you tell I ate out all weekend??)

Gender:  Still a girl!  They checked again at my sonogram today.  I had talked a friend this last week who was told girl at her sonogram and 8 weeks later found out she was actually having a boy.  I cannot imagine.  

Movement:  Yes!  She loves to squirm and kick.  And push her little back and bum out to make my stomach lopsided.

Sleep:  Still pretty restless at night, but that comes with the territory!

Symptoms:  All about the same.  Starting to have a few Braxton-Hicks contractions here and there (I never had them with Lyle, so this is new!)  Heartburn is more frequent, and staying current with the wives-tale they were able to see hair on baby girl at my sonogram today!  A tiny bit of swelling in my feet at the end of the day.

Maternity Clothes:  Yes, loving my maternity yoga pants and leggings lately. Starting to steal t-shirts from Zach's side of the closet to wear at home.

Cravings:  Still drinking a TON of water.  I am always always thirsty.

Best Moment This Week:  We had a blast at the wedding this weekend.  Full recap coming soon! :)

Looking Forward To:  We are heading home to Hesston this weekend to go to Zach's 10 year Hesston College reunion.  Excited to see my parents and hopefully catch up with old friends!

Baby Update:  I had another sonogram today with our maternal-fetal specialist to check on the echogenic bowel.  It was still there, but less than last time.  They are rechecking my labs, then will repeat sonograms in 4 and 8 weeks.  In the meantime I will go in to my doctor for weekly bio-physical profiles (BPP) and do kick-counts at home to make sure baby is still doing well.    

Big-Big Boy Bed

Awhile back we changed the side on Lyle's crib to be a toddler bed.  After a little bit of transition he was doing great.  With sweet baby girl coming in December, we were needing to move the crib to her room and find something different for Lyle.

We had such a hard time deciding what type of bed to go with.... Do we find a cheap toddler bed?  Buy bunk beds and hide the ladder until we are sure he won't go flying off and break his arm?  Spend more money on a full or queen that will last longer, so we don't have to buy new furniture in a few years?

We finally decided on this full bed that has a twin trundle underneath.  Guests can use it if we need (although sleeping in a full when you are used to a bigger bed can be rough-but hey, someone could sleep on the trundle!:)), and Lyle is super excited to have sleepovers.  He told me that the twin was Eli's bed.  Come on over!

I am undecided on the rest of the room decor.  Lyle's nursery decorations were farmed themed.  An easy enough theme to continue, especially as much as Lyle loves the farm and anything tractor related.  BUT I let Zach buy superhero sheets for the new bed, as long as we could buy a neutral comforter (I'm thinking red?).  I wanted to buy striped sheets, and he told me I was lame.  Should we go towards the superhero theme (there are some pretty cute vintage-y decorations I've found) or stick with the farm and not match?  Decisions, decisions.  I'm pretty sure we will just be mis-matched for awhile until we finish baby girl's room.

Lyle has done great in his new bed.  We pulled the trundle out a bit in case he rolled out of bed on that side.  The other side is up against the wall, but apparently there is a bit of a gap, because he got stuck there twice the first night.  As soon as I picked him up and tucked him back in bed, he was out.  Last night we put a couple body pillows in the gap and all was well!  I have loved being able to sit in bed with him to read books before he goes to sleep.  We were not fitting in the rocker very well anymore!

The excitement of his new bed and sheets were enough to make him not care about giving his bed to baby sister.  Although with his personality he's never been too attached, and I don't think it would have bothered him anyway.  He loves to point out everyone on his sheets..."Hulk there! and there! and there! and there!"  Ha. Such a silly kid.

A pretty easy transition and we are happy with what we chose!  Now to get the rest of the furniture changed around, and start on the nursery!

Labor Day Weekend

Ahh three day weekends.  I'm always looking to make the most of our long weekends, so a lot of times that means a trip!  We had been meaning to get up to Kansas City to visit Zach's sister Kodi and her husband Shawn all summer, but life got in the way.  I had a feeling this was a now or not-for-a-while moment, so we decided (on Wednesday) that we would head up for the weekend.

We left Friday after work, swung through Freddy's in Wichita for food, started an audio book, and hit the road.  After a few potty breaks on the side of the road, we made it and were pretty much ready for bed.  Saturday morning called for a donut run.  Lyle went with us, and of course picked out the biggest donut you have ever seen.  It was literally bigger than his head.  But we were on vacation, so what the heck!  He ate on it for two mornings, and I still had half of it to eat the second day.  Kodi has become somewhat of a garage sale master in finding cheap clothes for Lyle.  We set out to see if we could score some baby girl clothes, and were pretty successful at one stop.

For lunch we headed to a sushi spot Zach had been dying to try since Kodi found it and posted awesome pictures of their food.  Lyle and I stuck with the hibachi chicken and steak, but he was pretty interested in the bright orange fish eggs on Kodi's sushi! 

 We headed back to the house to take naps and relax.  Shawn had a family photo shoot scheduled for early evening, so as they headed that way, we took our little fam over to Bass Pro Shop!  Zach had gift cards to burn (his reward for bucking up and going to Branson with me), and Lyle loves to watch the fish and point out all the mounted animals.  Afterwards we headed up to Legends to do some shopping and wait for Shawn and Kodi to finish up.  It was packed down there and we forgot our stroller, so after corralling a two-year-old who DEFINITELY didn't want to be coralled, we decided to pick up Chipotle and head back home for supper.  Old Navy had 40% their entire store and totally won our money for the night.  The other win of the night were our apples from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.  I told Zach I wished there was one of those in Wichita!  But on second thought, it's probably very good there isn't one in Wichita.  I'd be having a 15 pound baby for sure!

It was warmer than anticipated on Sunday, so we headed for the aquarium instead of some of our outdoor options.  We loved it!  Lyle loved pointing out the different colors of fish, going under the tunnel, but was crying scared in the room with crabs.  I don't blame him.  We walked around Crown Center for a bit, and someone gave us free tickets to the Irish Fest that was right outside, so we wandered a bit there.  Lyle requested pizza for lunch, so we picked that up and went back home for lunch and naps.   Kodi and I took Lyle to the park for a little bit (it was stinkin hot!), then picked up the boys and went bowling.  It was fun and we all had different excuses as to why our scores were in the toilet.  Lyle had fun throwing his own ball, but was usually distracted by something else by the time it made it all the way down the lane.  After bowling we hit up K Machos for Mexican food, then home to relax before bed.

Monday morning we packed up and headed to Cracker Barrel to stuff our faces one last time.  It was such a good trip, filled with lots of fun!