Week 37

Baby is now the size of a Watermelon... that just seems a bit impossible in my mind!
Good thing God doesn't rely on the ability of my mind to process things!

I sure don't feel like I'm carrying a Watermelon...
The doctor says I am carrying deep in my ribcage though, so maybe that's why.
And baby has definitely dropped some.
I can't really tell by just looking, but I can feel the effects of her dropping, ie. leg cramps, back pain.

Abby is approx 18.9 to 20.9 inches long and 6.2 to 9.2 pounds.
At my appt on Friday the nurse said that based on the fact that she's dropped and she's measuring to size, she's most likely high 6 to low 7 right now. But she should be gaining 1/2 an ounce a day, so who knows how big she'll get. The nurse said it's likely that she'll be around high 7 to low 8. Nothing is for sure, so who knows how big she'll actually be.

TheBump says that she's getting her first sticky poop ready, and she's practicing all those life skills she'll need like blinking, sucking, inhaling and exhaling, and gripping!


Me:

• Heartburn still sucks! It seems to have come back with a vengeance the last few weeks. It's awful! I have to really make sure that I do not overeat at any meal... which basically means... don't eat a normal sized meal, eat way less... which is really hard to do considering my love affair with food! 
• With this stupid weather acting up the way it is, my allergies have been going crazy. I typically take an allergy pill every night, but now I've been having to bump that up to twice a day now. It's thoroughly irritating! 
• My belly is continuing to stretch still, it's itchy quite often... so we're going through another little growth spurt. And b/c of this, it's increasingly clear that she is running out of room in there. Her movements have gone from kicks to more of really huge rolls and twists, it is the craziest thing to feel! I love it! I love to just watch my belly as she's doing her acrobatic twists and turns inside. 
• My back is finally beginning to feel the pain of lugging around this watermelon. It's not too bad, but every so often it just feels really sore. 
• I am getting leg cramps every so often, I'm assuming from her dropping and my hips trying to deal with the new pressure. 
• I'm having to pee like crazy, all the time. But I'm trying to chug that water to make sure that I'm not swelling too much, and just b/c it's what I should be doing, drinking a LOT of water. And, I want to avoid being hooked up to an IV so badly that I'm trying to make sure that I am super hydrated. (btw, I am aware of the risks of not being hooked up to an IV, therefore I am asking to have a hep-loc in case of emergency. The hep-loc is where they still hook you up, and your hand is all ready to go, they just don't actually hook it up to anything else. But in case of emergency, you're already set up and can easily be hooked up to whatever they need to hook you up to). I am very much into having as much mobility as possible, and being hooked up to an IV will just be an extra thing in the way. 
• I'm still not experiencing any braxton-hicks contractions, and everything is going as smooth as ever.

Dr. Appt.

• The nurse said that everything is looking great. I still did not gain any weight. In fact, I actually lost 3 ounces... I'm not really sure how that is possible considering the fact that at the women's retreat I stuffed my belly full of food and threw caution to the wind! O well, I'm not gunna argue! ahaha! 
• Abby is measuring right on schedule; still 37 like last week
• She's still in the correct position, head down. The nurse said she's as far down as she's going to get until I go into labor.
• She said my urine and blood pressure look great.
• I'm still a little anemic, and need to continue taking my iron pills.
• The BEST news of the week: the GBS test came back negative! The test is a Group B Step test; they are testing for bacteria that is found in about 25% of all pregnant women. It is non-symptomatic, meaning that we will never have symptoms and know we actually carry the bacteria. But, if the baby contracts the bacteria upon delivery, it can be very serious, and therefore all pregnant women are tested. If the test comes back positive, you are hooked up to antibiotics throughout labor and delivery. This of course would hinder my desire for mobility, so I have been praying and praying that this test would come back negative! 
• The nurse really didn't have much to say b/c everything looks so wonderful.
• The nurse said that I'm at Term now (37 weeks is term, and 40 weeks is full-term); But she said that I don't have that "look," and therefore I'll probably be seeing her next week for my next appt. haha. Not that she can predict, but it was cute. 

Progress:

Sorry for the blurriness- it was a combination of the camera phone and the rain

Dangerous Mind

**I wrote this back in March**

     On Saturday, after our Bradley Class, we stayed a little while longer in Bako to have lunch and visit a sweet lady from our church that is in a rehab facility.

     As I'm sitting there visiting my sweet Mrs. B, holding her hand (she has a soft death grip, and she won't let you go, it's really cute) and talking with her about her week, I realize that one day, that will be me. Mrs. B fell and broke her hip (this happened a few weeks after we celebrated her best friend P's life when she passed away), and is now having a hard time seeing and cannot watch TV to pass the time in the facility, nor read the bible, which crushes her. Therefore, she passes the time just waiting... waiting until someone might come visit her, and when someone does, she proceeds to light up! She is the most gracious and precious person ever, and I don't know how she is able to handle all of this by herself (her twin sister died a year or two after her second husband passed). Mrs. B's children live out of town, and therefore cannot be here all the time, and while I can tell that it crushes her, she handles it like the most sophisticated of ladies, and would never let you know that.

     It makes my life flash before my eyes in a way. Especially now that I'm pregnant. I think about how this next chapter in my life is beginning, and all the sudden, I see the rest of my life running away from me and I'm unable to grab it and make it stop so I can enjoy it and actually take part in it. I begin to feel like I'm just a robot that goes through the motions, and how I waste so much time on meaningless frivolities rather than take the time to enjoy my life, and be an active participant. I almost feel helpless, that time will pass no matter what I do, and I begin to feel so discouraged and sad.

     I remember when I was a child, I would sometimes go through this as well. I would have a simple thought, sometimes, an exciting thought, such as: One day, I will graduate from high school and go to college. This is a great thought, but it inevitably leads to the next: One day, I will meet someone and decide that I cannot live my life without him, and I will get married. Then, of course: One day, this man and I, we will be so in love, and show our love to each other and the rest of the world by creating a tiny beautiful human that we will pour ourselves into; and then another, and then another.

     These are all beautiful thoughts, nothing sad about them... but of course, they don't end there...

     One day, our loves will grow up, and find someone that they feel they cannot live their lives without, and then they will get married, and then the next and then the next.
     One day, our once tiny loves will have their own tiny beautiful loves.
     One day, my love and I will be old, and we will perish, leaving behind our legacy of loves.

     And that is the thought that haunts me. That makes me feel time is moving so rapidly, that I must do something to slow it down. And somewhere in between these One Day's, our parents will pass, and how will we deal with that reality, and how will we teach our grandchildren about our beloved parents, and where they came from.

     See how it becomes dangerous for me to use my mind and think? It makes me laugh to think that I do this to myself, rather than just dwell in the moment and enjoy where I'm at now. Which I do, I do enjoy where I'm at now, it is just hard sometimes for my brain to stop it's overactive thinking and it begins to trail off to these dark places.

     Am I alone?

 

Week 36

4 weeks left.... yikes!
So much to do, and only 4 weeks left.
And that's not even a promise.
I could go before that... or... I could go after that.
But just knowing I could go in 3 weeks or 2 weeks really freaks me out.
I'm counting on that 4 weeks so that I can have some time to get things before Abby joins us.

     Grant and I have all these things we'd like to do that we are hoping will fit nice and neatly into baby Abby's arrival. Therefore, we pray to God that it all works out nicely and we can accomplish all that we want to.
     And then.... God laughs!
     And yet... I still pray!

What the Nurse had to say:
     Baby Abby is still the size of a Honeydew. TheBump says that her liver and kidneys are complete, and we're just waiting for her lungs to fully develop now. Baby is beginning to move down now, which was confirmed  at my Nurse's appt. on Friday morning before I left for the Ministers' Wives Retreat. She checked me and I was shocked to find out just how low Abby actually was. However, she couldn't find my cervix no matter how hard she tried, and said that nothing's happening yet (this was encouraging considering I was about to leave home for the weekend). I measured at 37 this time (33 at my last appt.), and didn't gain any weight! wahoo! (I cannot, however, say that the weight gain is still a zero after this weekend... they spoiled us rotten with food, and I loved every minute of it!).

     What was amazing was that I got to see Abby again during the Ultrasound to check for positioning. Her head is definitely down, and very low. When I saw her head, it looked so huge! What was once a tiny little bean of a body, is now a giant head filling the screen! It's incredible that these beings grow inside of us! Her head was wriggling all around. I got to see her heart beating again, and the nurse was very pleased with her heart rate.

     Fit Pregnancy tells me that the change in pressure of Abby moving lower can cause shooting pains in the groin and leg. This made me feel so much better when I read this, b/c of course halfway to Jenness this weekend, I get a cramp like pain in my thigh and I freak just a bit b/c I have no clue what it is. I got it a few more times this weekend, as I was walking the stairs, or just walking around, and again on the way home. It only lasted 2 or 3 seconds and wasn't agonizing pain, just foreign and confusing. Reading this bit of information from Fit Pregnancy really helped me quiet those concerns.

Ministers' Wives Retreat
     The Ministers' Wives Retreat was such a blessing this weekend. I am super thrilled that I went. I met so many new women that I am excited to continue friendships with. I met young women that are beginning their journey just like me, and I met older women that have been through this experience for the past 30 or more years that have so much knowledge I can glean. While the schedule was packed, I still felt like I had time to relax b/c it was such a calm and lovely time. They fed us like nobody's business! Holy cow! I can't even begin to describe the wonderfulness that I ate, I did not hold back!

     One thing that was very beneficial to me this weekend was going to a seminar about parenting in the pastor's home. It was exactly what I was looking for, and needed. I frantically wrote down as many notes as I could and probably didn't get it all. The leader spoke about being a mother and wife of a pastor and how to raise your children in such a way as to lead them into a true and honest relationship with the Lord. I cannot wait to begin implementing some of the wonderful ideas and suggestions she had.

     Here are some pictures of the weekend:

The very odd out-house I desperately used on the way up.
You can't even get the full effect from this pic. 

Me, Yvonne, Karen, MIL Carol, SIL Carolyn
Yvonne and Karen are friends of Carol's from when they all started going to the retreat 30 yrs ago.

Super cute Future Camper shirt

Me, Noemy, and Carolyn
Noemy is Jake Wheeler's wife, she was in the worship band
she can play the violin like nobody's business!

Me and the Family

Carmen Whittaker (Fermin's wife), and Chaundel Holladay
Chaundel was our wonderful speaker for the weekend,
and also happens to be Rick Warren's sister

Yvonne and Carol

Me, Janine, and Carolyn
New best friend! 

The other Preggo's this weekend:
Hannah (16 wks), Hayley (18 wks), Karla (19 wks), Me (36 wks)
I told them all they are my new best friends, whether they like it or not! 

     Because I was at the retreat this weekend, I completely forgot to take my traditional weekly photos. Instead, I just cropped some pictures that I was in and mashed them together for a collage this week. You get the idea though. The pictures aren't superb b/c my camera died and I didn't have time to charge it before I left, so everything was taken on my phone, and everyone was finding it difficult to get the stupid thing to cooperate correctly. Sad day.

     And for your viewing pleasure... the skit that Carol, Carolyn, and I did for Improv night. Hope it turns out alright. Again, it was filmed through my camera. Also, please excuse the gum chewing from the filmer... poor girl.

Creative Snacks for Kids

     I came across this really cute website, Little Nummies, the other day about children's snacks. A mother of three girls began to get creative while making lunches for her kids. She started having fun and playing with their food to make fun creative meals of art that make food not only taste good, but fun to eat! I can only imagine what the other kids at school are going home and saying to their mommies about their friends' lunches!
    Since I'm going to need to start having snacks around for my little girl within the next few years, I thought it would be fun to find some other fun kids snacks and see what other ideas people are coming up with.
     I found this other gal's blog upon my search, The Hokey Pokey Kitchen, in which she makes snacks that coordinate with whatever book she is reading with her children. She has her four little kids brainstorm different snacks that would go with the book they are currently reading, and then they all make the snack together, encouraging them to read, cook healthy foods, and use their imagination all at the same time. I absolutely fell in love with this concept and her blog!

1. Pot o' Gold Snack Mix by Pillsbury. These are a mix of pretzels, chex mix, peanuts, and Lucky Charms!
2. Butterfly Snack and Craft by Family Fun. Baked Bree has pictures of her kids making it, which is oh so adorable, and makes it even more fun!
3. Chewy Granola Balls by Weelicious. Her website is all about food for the family and kids.
4. Children's Hands Cookies by Martha Stewart. This also gets the kids involved by having them trace their own hands before baking the cookie.
5. Leprechaun O'Riley by Little Nummies. This is the gal that plays with her food! I love it!
6. Retro Easter Eggs by Martha Stewart. Easter eggs are of course the most popular way to get kids involved  and having fun with their food!
7. Mango Coconut Parfaits by Martha Stewart. I love this one b/c it's simple, colorful, healthy, and parfaits are just beautiful to look at!
8. Yogurt swirled with Peanut Butter, Honey, and Graham Crackers by The Kitchn. And you can omit the PnB for small children... but for adults... this looks delectable as is!
9. Bugs on a Log by Weelicious. We've all had Ants on a Log before, but what I like about this is... I've never thought of using anything but raisins before. I like that she incorporates nuts and cranberries as well.
10. Lovebug by Little Nummies. Another one of these really cute ideas for playing with your food!
11. Peanut Butter and Fruit Sushi by The Kitchn. They used slices of fresh mango with coconut on whole wheat bread for one, and slices of fresh apple with raisins for the other roll. How creative!
12. The Grouchy Ladybug Kiwi and Strawberry Snack by The Hokey Pokey Kitchen.
13. Corduroy Whole Wheat Fig Bars by The Hokey Pokey Kitchen.


Do you have any fun ideas for snacks that you made with your children?

Media Monday: Episode 3

What I'm listening to:

     Guster! They are a great pop-rock group that formed in 1991 during college and began touring. With the addition of a fourth member who played numerous instruments, they were able to add a folk element to their music as well. Their music is super catchy and fun. I have three of their albums, and really enjoy them all. I just recently downloaded their newest album Easy Wonderful, released in 2010, and have really liked what I've heard so far. Some say they are similar to Matchbox Twenty, Counting Crows, Barenaked Ladies, Hootie and the Blowfish, The Flaming Lips, and Wilco. Watch their video of Do You Love Me off their new album... it's quite silly and entertaining!

What I'm watching:

• The Greatest (2009) featuring Susan Sarandon, Pierce Bronsnan, and Carey Mulligan. This drama is about a young girl (Mulligan), newly graduated from high school, dealing with her pregnancy alone, as her boyfriend has just died in a car accident. The movie centers around the relationship she builds with his parents (Brosnan and Sarandon's characters), and his wayward brother as they try to come to terms with the loss of their son and brother. This film was much more interesting that I originally thought it would be. It had some very serious, heart-wrenching moments, especially watching Sarandon's search to figure out what her son's last moments were like. Of course, each character deals with the boy's death differently; the father is pushing it out and trying to go on as normal, the mother is trying to be proactive and find out details, while the younger brother is struggling with drugs. The writer/director's goal was to be realistic as possible, and it seemed like she was able to acheive this. Ultimately, it was an enjoyable film, watching the progression of this family as they each struggle with their own problems as well as the loss of a family member.                                                                    
• Thor (2011) featuring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, and Anthony Hopkins. Everyone has pretty much heard about and seen previews of this movie, so I don't really need to give a description of the movie. I knew nothing about the movie going into it. So, it was a wonderful surprise to find that I really enjoyed the film. I would say it was one of the best films I've seen in the theatre in quite some time. It had pretty much everything: action, adventure, personal quest, romance, etc etc. My only issue was that it was in 3D, which I'm so over. Those irritating glasses that they make you wear could not be more uncomfortable, and I end up rubbing my ear the whole time trying to sooth it from the hard plastic hanging on it. Not for me. Sometimes I find myself just taking the glasses off completely, and the movie is just as enjoyable. I'm crazy, I know.
  

What I'm reading:

     Natural Birth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon. As things get closer and closer (5 weeks now), I'm starting to get very nervous about this whole natural childbirth thing. I'm still very passionate about it and my reasons why, but with the birthing classes ending some time ago, the enthusiasm has kinda gone the same way unfortunately. I was really needing a boost of encouragement and a reminder about why I chose this method. This book has definitely been the help I have needed. I'm feeling great again and re-energized! Exactly what I needed!

What I stumbled upon:

• This picture is hilarious!
• This gal makes a monthly calendar for your desktop, it's great! 
• How cute is this idea? How fun to eat a cake out of a jar!
• How fun would this be to do if you had stairs in your home?! 
• Yet another Nutella recipe... but can you blame me? I think I need to give in, and finally buy a jar for myself!

Week 34 and 35

     Things have been super crazy busy around here the last few weeks. I apologize in advance for the longer post, as the two weeks are combined.

     According to TheBump.com for Week 34, we are still at the size of a honeydew, and is 17.2 - 18.7 inches long and 4.2 - 5.8 pounds. She is beginning to recognize simple songs and tunes. I better start singing my lullaby to her now so she is accustomed and soothed by it once she comes. My lullaby to her is the same one my mom sang to me every night before bed, the lullaby from The Lady and the Tramp. I got the song and have already begun practicing. I actually fell asleep last night to it while trying to sing it and remember the words. That's a lullaby that works! I just hope I don't fall asleep myself while singing it to her... that would be no good! Also, TheBump says that she's urinating a pint a day now. No wonder I'm running to the potty every hour or less now. geez! It also says that my vision could be getting blurry now, and my eyes itchy, but I haven't had any of those symptoms yet.

     For Week 35, TheBump.com says, that baby is the same size as last week, and that most of the growing from now on will be in plumping up (she won't really grow much longer, but that she'll gain up to a pound or more of fat between now and birth). Also, her hearing is totally developed now, and responds best to high-pitched noises. She is now pretty much sitting on my bladder now, basically explaining why the bathroom visits have increased this last week. Yesterday, while subbing, I went to the bathroom in between one of the classes (which were all 35 minutes long b/c of the early out schedule, and right after class I had to desperately go again. I thought it be one of those fake outs, where you go, and you piddle nothing, and get frustrated that you even went through the whole routine of going to the restroom; but no, I had to really go again, full bladder... man this is no joke!)

What have I been up to:
     Last weekend my mother came up and helped me with a few things... which was a tremendous help! Just when I'm feeling overwhelmed and unsure about being able to get all this stuff done, she shows up with some energy and helps me get a lot accomplished! She brought up the rest of the things from the shower and helped me organize it all and put it away (it was lying on the bed, and we were able to get it all cleared off and put into baskets and into the closet so she had a place to sleep). Then she helped me paint the dresser! Happy day! It went so quickly with her help! We were thinking it would take a couple hours, or an hour at least, but together we got it done in 30 minutes or less. And Sunday afternoon, we went back for a second coat before she went home. It felt so good to get that done. One less thing to worry about. Now all I need to do is put a coat of sealant on it and it's good to go!

     The drawers for the dresser are still not done. I need to get some wood putty and fill in all the holes from the old nails, and then sand them down, prime 'em, and then paint 'em. Who knows when that will happen. But at least, there will be a dresser in her room to set the changing pad on. And b/c of some poor amateur woodwork done previously, G is having to take the bottom drawer apart completely, and we are going to attach it to the dresser with hinges, and just put some baskets or a long plastic bin in there that I can pull in and out. Eventually I'll be able to put the cute pullies I purchased on the drawers and the dresser will be complete.... one day... hopefully one day soon.... But I think I've finally come to terms with the fact that it will likely not be done by the time Abby arrives, which is fine. I can't do it all.

     We also took the tape off the stripes that G and I painted the previous week. It doesn't look too bad actually. There are a few spots that need a little touch up, which I am hoping to fix this coming week. Then I'll be able to begin hanging the collage of frames and put the dresser in place underneath it.

     While we were painting the dresser, I asked G to work on the crib. I was going to spray paint over the few scratches on the crib, but mom and G said that it probably wouldn't work and we'd end up having to do the whole thing instead of just spots b/c the finish of the spray paint is different from the crib. Whatever, it's just a few. I can't complain, it was freely given to us by a generous couple in our church. I'm so grateful to have a wonderful crib, I can take a few scratches that come along with it. So I asked that he begin setting it up instead, but I guess there some screws that went missing in the garage. Rather than spend a ridiculous time searching for the unfindable, we just ordered new parts. They finally came in today and G spent the afternoon of his day off putting it together for me while I lay down stripped of sweaty clothes with every fan possible pointed at me trying to cool off and rest; good man that husband!

     Man, that crib is ginormous. I guess I've never been in a nursery before and seen how huge the cribs actually are. They're huge! wow! Now we just need to get the twin bed out of the room, and I can position the crib exactly where I want it and put the sheet on. It's beginning to slowly come together!

Some things I've noticed the past two weeks:
     My feet are still swelling. I'm still trying to guzzle the water, and raise my feet at some point throughout the day, but they're pretty much swollen. The right foot more so than the left, which is weird. However, as several people have pointed out, my wedding ring is still fitting, knock on wood! It gets tight at times, but that was normal even before pregnancy. Being able to still wear my wedding ring is awesome! I remember a friend that was unable to wear hers for most of her pregnancy because of how much weight she gained and swelled. I remember it being frustrating for her not to be able to wear her ring. My belly is getting seriously itchy more and more. I should be putting more lotion on it, I know, but I just forget. I am underestimating how spacious my belly has become and am bumping into things all the time. Or finding that I can't bend over the counter to get to the sink like I used to.

Doctor's Update:
     I went to the doctor's yesterday for my checkup. I met with an actual doctor this time. Since the doctor I requested was on vacation for a super long period of time and I needed to get it, I just chose to see another doctor. This ended up working out great for me. The more I thought about it, I'm really glad it worked out this way. Having Kaiser means that I have no clue who will be on call whenever I go into labor. Any one of the doctors could be there. I think there are eight or nine. Therefore, the more I meet the merrier. I've met the doctor I originally chose once; he was nice. I also met with another doctor for an appt when my nurse had to take the day off unexpectedly, and he was able to fit me in; he was interesting. And then yesterday, I met with another doctor, this time a female; and I super super liked her! I sorta hope she's the one on call when I give birth. She was super easy to talk to and we got along well. She spent time talking to me and answering any questions I had, not that the others didn't do this, but I just really like her a lot.

     Anyway, she checked me out and said that she's really pleased with how everything looks! I gained another two pounds, I've lost track at what that puts me at now, blerg. It's over the amount they wanted me to gain, and I still have 5 weeks to go. But still, it's significantly lower than what I thought I was going to have to gain originally, which is good. My urine looks good; my belly is measuring at 33 inches, which she said is normal; Abby's kick counts are around 10-20 minutes still (honestly, I haven't been as up on it as I should be just b/c she's always kicking me); she's happy with my weight, etc etc. The only thing she mentioned was the anemia, but I told her that my nurse had me begin taking the iron pills last time, which was only two weeks ago, so she said it wasn't sufficient time to take another test to check it, but that I should continue taking it so as to make sure that.... something about a blood transfusion.

     I also asked her about attending the Pastor's Wives Retreat that I'm signed up for next weekend (I'll have 4 weeks left at that point). She said that as long as I don't begin contractions or anything else major happens, then she is fine with me going since everything looks so great. I just have to make sure that I get out and walk around every 90 minutes to ensure that a blood clot doesn't form... since ya know, that could be deadly and all! I'm really excited about going next weekend. I really hope that everything continues to progress well so that I can attend!

Progress:

Media Monday: Episode 2

What I'm listening to:

•      Jack's Mannequin. Find them HERE! I am really diggin this guy! Yes yes, I just discovered him several months ago, for all of you out there who are thinking that they're old news. Andrew McMahon is the piano-playing songwriter for this rock group. I just love rock bands that are driven by the piano (Ben Folds, etc). Some say that they are similar to The Rocket Summer, Jimmy Eat World, and The Fray, and influenced by The Beatles, Billy Joel, Elton John and Ben Folds. By the way, if you enjoy Jack's Mannequin, they have some tour dates in CA coming up this month and midway through June, so get on those tickets quick! I wish I could go! Check out the video of their break out hit from several years ago!

What I'm watching:

• Previews for new movies coming out! I'm not a big TV watcher anymore, and even when I was, the DVR has revolutionized everyone's TV watching; no one watches commercials anymore. Therefore, I don't catch previews on TV, I have to watch them online, otherwise I don't see them. And that's usually what happens. Movies come out, and I have no clue what any of them are about. I have to rely on my husband and movie friend S. Anywho, some previews I've watched recently are (please note that I am not endorsing any of these films, I'm just saying I saw the previews): Water for Elephants, Something Borrowed (Good book, as well as the sequel), The Help (Can't wait for this one to come out!), Crazy Stupid Love, Arthur, I am Number Four, Melancholia, and All Good Things. 

What I stumbled upon:

• Here is a great idea for parents with creative kids, or even for creative adults, interested in preserving their artwork!                                                                                                                                           
• If you're feeling brave, try this out! I love the idea of picking an unexpected color and making a change!
• Not really a fan of banana type recipes, other than just eating a banana plain, but this recipe actually sounds marvelous; maybe it's the nutella! Try it and let me know how it goes!
• Have some free time this weekend? Try this great DIY project that doesn't take much time!
• How adorable is this?
• Here's a funny for ya!

Week 33

Baby is now the size of a Honeydew!
The Bump says that baby Abby's bones are growing stronger, and she will be able to keep her eyes open when awake. Abby's brain is developing rapidly and she could grow up to an inch this week alone!


7 more weeks to go now!
My cousin J says that these last two months go by really slowly... which for me, at this point, is good to hear.
The weeks have been rushing by and I've barely been able to take a breath it seems.
Hearing that things begin to seem very long at this point is welcome news!
Especially since I have SO many things to get done still.

• Due to certain circumstances, I've had to put off finishing up the strips in Abby's room. Therefore, who knows when I'll be able to get that finished. Hopefully I'll be able to get it done at least a week or more before Abby gets here so the smell is not still lingering when she does arrive home.
• I need to finish up the mobile that will go above her crib. I was able to get my fishing line finally, so I now have all the materials, and I just need to assemble it! Hopefully that will get done this week!
• The crib needs to be touched up. There are a few minor scratches on it, nothing big. My plan is to spray paint right over those few spots, and it should be good as new! That also needs to happen asap, which shouldn't be a big deal, b/c it shouldn't take longer than a few minutes to do.
• The dresser could not be giving me more problems at this point. I went to the store during Easter break to get all the materials and whip the dresser out! However, the lady at the store suggested I do a test run first before doing the whole dresser. This put me back a day, whatever. The trial run seemed to work so the next day I set out to sand the whole dresser and prime it. Which would have been great, except that I realized that there are huge holes in the drawers due to the old pullies that I took out; duh Meghan! I'll need to get some kind of wood putty to fill those in and then re-sand the drawers and prime them. Also I found that the bottom piece of wood of one of the drawers is so thin that it is not staying nailed together, and you can tell that previous owners found this problem, and tried to fix it by just sticking more nails into it. However, b/c the piece of wood is SO thin, it's not holding the nails, and therefore, the wood is falling off, leaving exposed nails all over the drawer! I just don't see this being a good idea in a child's room. G is in charge of taking all the old nails out and replacing the bottom slab of wood. At which point, I can then finish the dresser in it's entirety. Until then, I'm going to just finish up the frame of the dresser so there will be something for the changing pad to sit on. 

     On Saturday, my MIL, Sisters-in-law, and GMIL all went down to cousin J's family shower to shower her with love and gifts, and greet baby A! We had such a wonderful time. J gave me and sister S all sorts of wonderful advice and tips for when our children come. It was great. J's mother planned such a wonderful afternoon full of games, food, and plenty of time for talking and laughter. Also, I held baby A for a little while, and totally did NOT freak out! I really enjoyed my time with them.

Cousin J's shower!

Things I've noticed this week:
     The heartburn is more and more throughout the day. It's every night still, without fail. The second I lay down, the heartburn comes. But I've noticed that a very mild case of it likes to rear it's ugly head throughout the day as well. I've been pounding the water, and the swelling seems to be slightly better. The feet are still swollen, but it's not a ghastly sight anymore... well, it is, but just not as ghastly. I am having lovely side effects from the extra zinc the nurse is having me take. My back began aching this week. That can go away! My skin is still as dry as ever. And the peeling that is starting to occur this week from baby Hez' birthday party several weeks ago, mixed with the Hooligan race the same day, it not exactly helping the dry skin.

     I had another nurse appt. this Friday. I gained another 2 pounds, which puts me at a total of 13. My nurse is very please with this, even though she told me she wanted me to gain anywhere from 11-15, and at this rate I will exceed the 15. But still, I won't be gaining much more than that at least, which is why she's still pleased I guess. Abby's heart rate was 148ish, which is normal (120-160 is good). My nurse has been very pleased with my pregnancy so far. Next time I see her she will do the next ultrasound to determine Abby's position. She said that usually around week 36 is when they begin dropping and stop flip flopping. Can't wait to see where Abby is; hopefully all will be well.

Progress:

Media Monday

     This is a new part of the blog I thought I'd add b/c I'm such a media nerd and I like to watch all kinds of movies and TV shows, read books and magazines, listen to and discover great new music, and surf the net for everything from fun gadgets to recipes to fashion and design. Hopefully you can find something new you didn't know about and/or get reintroduced to something you forgot about a while back.

• What I'm listening to: Gungor! Find them HERE! 

          I read about this group in one of our leadership or worship leader magazines a few months back and added them to my playlist. Unfortunately, I didn't really have much of a chance to listen to them. They were titled the Michael Gungor Band at that point. Then, Grant came back from Catalyst this year and told me all about them, and played their music incessantly. I really enjoy them. There is something different and unique about them. I can't quite put my finger on what it is exactly. From listening to their album many times now I'd say that their sound ranges from Sufjan Stevens to Switchfoot. Michael Gungor describes their style as "liturgical post-rock." And, whats more, they use super fun instruments!

          Check out this acoustic version of Beautiful Things:

• What I'm watching: Big Bang Theory, Find them HERE!

          I remember seeing previews for this show when it first came out a few years ago, and thinking it would be a cute little show. Then I never watched it. I had too much on my plate at the time. Then I kept hearing good things from a few people. I decided to check it out on Netflix, and got hooked. I enjoyed the first few episodes, I remember thinking that it wasn't funniest show ever, but I was laughing, and I saw great potential, so I kept watching. Boy, am I glad I did! I love that the show focuses on these two brainiacs and all their quirky habits and behaviors. It's such a different idea for a show that it's really appealing! Here's a synopsis of the show:

          "Leonard and Sheldon are brilliant physicists, the kind of "beautiful minds" that understand how the universe works. But none of that genius helps them interact with people, especially women. All this begins to change when a free-spirited beauty named Penny moves in next door. Sheldon, Leonard's roommate, is quite content spending his nights playing Klingon Boggle with their socially dysfunctional friends, fellow CalTech scientists Wolowitz and Koothrappali. However, Leonard sees in Penny a whole new universe of possibilities... including love."

• What I stumbled upon:

          I've been taking some sewing lessons for the last month, and so I've been excitedly searching for easy patterns online that I might be able to tackle. HERE is a tutorial for how to make a super cute stuffed goose. I don't think I'm necessarily at this sewing level yet, but it definitely got bookmarked for a later date! 

          HERE is a recipe for salt water taffy; it looks incredible. The pictures alone are so artistic I just want to stare at it.... course I do want to eat it as well. I just don't know if I'd be up for the taffy making process. It looks intense. 

          HERE is an adorable short article with pictures and quotes of 5 couples  who have been in love for over 50 years. Sweet!

• What I'm reading: Last month's Rolling Stone article on Adele. 

          I totally dig this chick; her voice is amazing! I loved this article for all the fun pictures of Adele, and to get an insight into who she is. Something interesting I read was that she has extreme stage fright; to the point of running to the window to puke right before she goes on stage. I predict this woman is going to stay around for a long time. Her voice is just timeless!