What Fruit are you // a romaine lettuce.
Due date // April 12th.
How far along // 36 weeks
Next appointment // Thursday.
Gender // it's a girl!
Total weight gain/loss // don't know... just ready to have this baby out so I can start losing..
Swelling // in my feet and ankles most days.
Maternity clothes // mostly... can barely fit in some of them now... they just aren't long enough.
Belly button // in, unless I've just had some food.. then it is sort of popped.
Sleep // never enough.  I've been sleeping hard.  But still encountering some numbness and lots of having to flip over in the night.
Food cravings // sweets... always sweets.
Symptoms // way short of breath after doing very little.  Some sharp shooting pain down low that my doctor has said is probably round ligament pain.  I'm not entirely convinced. Upper belly/rib pain when I sit upright for an extended amount of time   And back pain.
Movement // alll the time.  Sometimes my belly even moves in sync with her practice breathing.
Labor signs // no labor signs so to speak.  Minus the sharp pains I've been feeling... nothing.
What I miss // everything.  Specifically beer, sleep and being able to keep up.
What I'm loving // checking things off on my baby to-do list.  Got all her gear put together... washed all her clothing... sorted all our baby shower gifts... working on spring cleaning the house and having everything as READY as possible.
What I'm looking forward to // scheduling my induction.. !!!!!
Best moment this week // celebrating 8 years of being married to my baby daddy.



always,
amanda

Looking miserable at 37 weeks... What Fruit are you // a romaine lettuce. Due date //  April 12th. How far along //  36 weeks Next a...

Every year on St. Patrick's Day Rob and I celebrate another special day... our anniversary.  This weekend it was 8 years of being married.

(Quick side note.. March 17th was NOT our intended wedding date.  March 15th was.  2 years and 7 months to the day after we had met in a college algebra classroom in a Kansas high school.  Maryland has a 48 hour rule though... and after our 48 hour wait, it was St. Patricks Day... but also easy to remember for my husband.)


This year we spent our anniversary as I imagine we will spend many anniversaries in the future, at the St. Patrick's Day parade here in our little town.  They put on a really good, long parade here and even though the weather was a tad bit on the chilly side, we were able to enjoy it from the back of our van, right in the front row.  The kids enjoyed themselves and my sister even made it out to the parade with us.  After the parade we came home and warmed up before heading out for a quick dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  With it being March Madness and this being a college basketball town, we left early and got in and out before the local team even played.  A success all around in my book.

So now that we have been married 8 years, what advice would I give newlyweds both in and out of the military?  Here are 8 quick thoughts about married life.

1. Get married for the right reasons.  Love, and only love.  Not for convenience.

2. Consider marriage a lifetime commitment, not something with an opt out clause.

3. Be willing to work on things.  Marriage is TOUGH.  But it is even harder when you are not on the same page.

4. Marry someone you can see yourself having kids with and parenting with.  Or not.  But make sure you have that talk and envision those ideals before you sign on the dotted line.

5. Experience life obstacles before marriage.  You learn so much about a person in the hardest moments and it will help you later on if you know what to expect.

6. Agree to disagree on some things.  It is okay to feel differently on some topics.

7. Don't expect change out of your life partner.  They will always throw the clothes next to the hamper, not in it.  They will always leave beard trimmings in the bathroom.  They will always drive you slightly insane sometimes.  That is who they are and that is who you are marrying.

8. Don't forget to take care of yourself.  A night watching your own shows, uninterrupted or a day at the spa.  Take the time to self love and your marriage will greatly benefit from it.

I don't pretend to be an expert.  Rob and I have been through our fair share of crap and we haven't always made the best decisions for all those involved... but here we are 8 years later.  So we have to be doing something right.

Happy Anniversary, babe!  I love you!



always,
amanda

Every year on St. Patrick's Day Rob and I celebrate another special day... our anniversary.  This weekend it was 8 years of being marrie...

It took us having three kids, but we finally got to experience the joy of a baby shower thrown in our honor.

This last weekend my Mom and my sister threw us and baby #3 a diaper shower get together to celebrate this last little girl. It was a blast and absolutely worth the wait.

We had friends come from all over to my parents house Sunday afternoon for a slew of baby related games - don’t say the word baby (clothespin game), who knows mama best, how many candies are in the bottle, guess the baby food flavor, what day do you expect baby #3 to arrive and a scratch and win game, plus food and a photo booth. We were all thoroughly entertained.

We received a nice stash of diapers and other thoughtful gifts for our sweet girl and I can’t wait to put them all in the nursery (when it is done, of course!) and then FINALLY welcome this baby. Mama is READY.


Now we just have a handful of weekends I’d like to get through before we will officially be on baby watch. Most importantly I am hoping to get through the end of March and Brooke’s birthday and party before her arrival occurs. Knocking on all kinds of wood so I don’t jinx myself.

Thanks, again, Mom and Erin (Dad too! For all the hard work you did in getting the house ready to host a party so soon after your vacation!) for such a special day. I’m thankful beyond belief we get to be near family for this labor, delivery and newborn phase with this baby. She’s going to be SPOILED.


always,
amanda

It took us having three kids, but we finally got to experience the joy of a baby shower thrown in our honor. This last weekend my...

It already seems like a lot longer than just two weekends ago… but the weekend before last we did what we have done for the last 10 years… we celebrated our birthdays with one big shebang.

Pre-kids it was parties at our house and weekends spent at the beach. Now it is usually something family friendly but still fun. We have a lot to celebrate after all.

This year we went bowling with the kids, my parents and my sister. We took them to the bowling alley I grew up going to. One of my very best friend’s family owns this bowling alley, so naturally I spent a good chunk of my teenage years growing up there. The bowling alley has changed over the years, just like the people that walk through the doors. But it just felt right to introduce my kids to bowling for the very first time at these lanes and it could not have been more fun.


They were fans. Grace was easily distracted with the arcade. But Brooke LOVED it. She would stand there and watch her ball roll down the lane all while doing a little happy dance. My dad rocked it the first game, somehow. And I couldn’t even tell you who won the rest of the games. At one point my very pregnant self was even “bowling” (no leaning over or any effort whatsoever actually put into throwing the ball down the lane).

After a few mishaps including a face plant off of the dinosaur intended to roll a ball down, not a child to physically slide down… and a quickly devoured cookie we were getting close to wrapping it up when Brooke rolled a toy ball down the ramp onto the lane. My dad went to go get it… Brooke went after him. Brooke wiped out on the VERY slippery lane. Dad wipes out trying to get to Brooke. Dad crawls out on his hands and knees and the rest of us can barely contain our laughter. We were THOSE people. Luckily Dad didn’t do any major damage to himself and Brooke checked out okay as well.


We wrapped things up in the arcade with the photo booth and then loaded some very exhausted kids in the van to head on home.

It was a good way to welcome 28, as a family, together.


always,
amanda

It already seems like a lot longer than just two weekends ago… but the weekend before last we did what we have done for the last 10 years… w...

What Fruit are you // a jicama // a cantaloupe
Due date // April 12th
How far along // 32 weeks, 6 days // 34 weeks
Next appointment // I have a biophysical profile on Thursday, my birthday! // today (I go in weekly for a biophysical profile and biweekly to meet with my OBGYN right now)
Gender // it's a girl!
Total weight gain/loss // made the mistake last night of looking at my clinical notes online which converts from kg to lb. I'm up like 27 from the recorded weight at my first doctors appointment. // not looking for the rest of my pregnancy.
Swelling // in my feet after a long weekend of being busy. // Rob has taken to calling me sausage toes.  I swell up after busy weekends but typically do okay during the week.
Maternity clothes // when I leave the house.  Still have a very small handful of shirts that are long enough... but definitely try and stick to the ones designed to cover this belly. // when I leave the house it's a given.
Belly button // flat ish.
Sleep // not so hot.  I am having issues with circulation still and my hips basically ALWAYS hurt.  Plus I'm up at least once, sometimes twice going to the bathroom. // terrible.  The hip pain is INSANE.  I toss and turn all night long which is a real chore considering I have to wake myself up to flip over... I'm over it.
Food cravings // ice cream. // sweets.
Symptoms // heartburn, thanks to the hair this child very much has.  Some pain down low that has initiated the waddle.  Always tired and almost always out of breath. // extra tired.  Heartburn still.
Movement // all the time.  It's loads of fun.  She also has a foot up high in my right rib area that hurts if I sit up right for too long. // I'm worried she will never sleep.
Labor signs // none.
What I miss // energy.  I'm back to feeling tired all of the time as we near the finish line and it makes getting just about anything done a challenge. // everything about not being pregnant.  Regular clothing.  Being able to bend.  Picking up my babies without feeling like I might die.  Having motivation and energy to do anything but sleep.
What I'm loving // the theme for this little ladies bedroom.  Teal and hot pink with a floral theme.  We've been checking stuff off of our pre-baby to do list and her bedroom is the next big hurdle to cross.  Better late than never, right? // that we are into the month of March now.  We have a really busy month ahead of us and then it is BABY month!
What I'm looking forward to // my birthday, Rob's birthday and hopefully taking some maternity pictures the next time the weather is nice. // my baby shower next weekend.  My mom and sister are throwing me a baby shower because I have never had a physical baby shower.  When I was pregnant with Grace we lived in Georgia and did a virtual baby shower where our friends and family showered us with gifts off of our registry, the return was pictures.  When I was pregnant with Brooke we lived in Tennessee and so I have never gotten to have an actual baby shower.  Being back in Kansas, they are throwing me a diaper shower and I am REALLY excited to celebrate my last pregnancy with people that mean so very much to me.
Best moment this week // the husband being off for Presidents Day and then today it iced so he is working from home and my kids are just happy as a stinking clam! // the beautiful weather and having an awesome parent teacher conference with Grace's preschool teachers.

To read about Grace at 32 weeks, click here.
To read about Grace at 34 weeks, click here.

To read about Brooke at 32 weeks, click here.
To read about Brooke at 34 weeks, click here.



always,
amanda

33 weeks. What Fruit are you //  a jicama // a cantaloupe Due date //  April 12th How far along //  32 weeks, 6 days // 34 weeks Nex...