Week 33 (For Lack of a Better Title)...

Happy Monday everybody! I hope that your weekend was pleasant.

I have a new tummy picture from Saturday. I am currently in the middle of week 33. The time is getting closer and I am sooooo EXCITED! I have been feeling our little boy move around a lot, even when I am standing up. Tomorrow I start with the twice a week appointments. My hospital suitcase is packed. So, we are just waiting on him now. :-D
I am hoping to get some maternity pictures taken around week 35. I want to have some cute pictures of my DH and I with the baby bump. I figure that I will be big enough by then and that I don't risk him coming before we get them taken if we get them done before week 37.

On Saturday, one of my good friends threw a baby shower for me. I don't have the pictures from it yet, but it was really nice. She did such a nice job. She decorated in blues and greens with little cars and polka dots. I will have to share some pictures when I get them. I had such a nice time visiting with the wives' of my DH's co-workers.

Not much has been happening around here. The high is only 91 degrees today. It makes me want to do something outside, like take a nature walk or something, maybe we will do that this evening. Today I am zoning the dining room, as well as doing my weekly home blessing. If I have the time, which I probably won't, I will work on a couple of nursing covers I started last week.

What is your day looking like?

The Last of the Normal...

(Photo Credit goes to my DH)

Happy Wednesday everybody!

Well, this morning I had the last of of my normal doctor's visits. Starting Tuesday, we begin our twice a week monitoring appointments. I can't believe we are getting so close to meeting our little boy.

My appointment today went well. We were able to ask a few questions and get a little better picture of what to expect in the upcoming weeks. One thing I was very curious about was what happened if the baby was found to be under stress and if that automatically meant that I would have a c-section. My doctor said depending on what kind of stress it was, I was not for sure going to have a c-section. She said that there were several factors that would result in my having a c-section. I also found out that I will not be going past my due date due to the anticardiolipin antibodies, that are the cause of my daily blood thinner injections, and concern of stress on the baby. Basically, if our sweet little boy hasn't made his appearance by the 16th of October, I will either be induced or have a c-section. My doctor is hoping he will come around week 37. We will have to see what God has planned because we aren't in control of that.

My DH and I went to our second of three child birthing classes yesterday. We learned some breathing techniques and toured the Labor and Delivery area. We also watched videos of several births and I do believe that I would have been just fine not seeing them. The whole time we were watching them I kept thinking this is really private stuff that I feel like I shouldn't be watching. I don't think that watching the actual deliveries was informative or helpful for me, instead I think it gave me mental images I didn't need. Okay, on to something else now...

I will be posting a picture on Friday of my 33 week tummy. My doctor said, based on tummy measurements, the baby doesn't seem too big or small. She said me being on the blood thinners could make him small/underweight, but she said he seems to be a normal size. Yay!!!

How is your week going???

Pecan Sandies...

Yesterday I made some Pecan Sandies from a Martha Stewart recipe. My DH is a big fan of pecans (as am I) and one of his favorite store bought cookies is the Kebler Pecan Sandies. I tried the recipe and they are delicious. I don't think I will ever think that the store bought ones taste any good now. Mine did get the slightest bit overcooked, but they are still tasty.

The recipe is very simple to make, is very fast, and has easy clean up (just one bowl plus your measuring utensils). I hope you enjoy!

Pecan Sandies
(Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes + cooling)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, beating just until combined. Fold in pecans.

Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, and place on two baking sheets, 2 inches apart. With the dampened bottom of a glass, lightly flatten each ball.

Bake until cookies are golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks, and let cool. (To store, keep in an airtight container, up to 5 days.)

Yield: 18 cookies

A Week of Absense and Productivity...

Hey everyone! This past week has really flown by and here were are at Monday again.

Today, my DH went back to work in his office. It was so nice to have him working here at the house this summer. I do believe I got a little spoiled having him at the dining room table all the time. Today, I have been doing chores around here and stuff, trying to keep myself occupied and trying not to feel a little lonely.

Last Wednesday was the last "official" day for me to watch the precious little kiddos I have been watching for the last 2 1/2+ years. While I may watch them here and there in the future, the multiple times a week opportunities to spend time with them is over. They have been such a joy to watch and spend time with. I am pretty sure I could fill up a whole notebook of random and funny sayings from A, she has completely cracked me up over the last few years. As that chapter of my life slowly closed on Wednesday, I must admit that I did have to fight back a few tears as A. and I sat at the table doing "crafty things" like we have done many times before. I just can't believe that over two years have past since A. and J. came into my life and brought the joy that children bring into my DH and I's home.

The new chapter of my life will be brief and busy. I have had what some people call nesting pretty severely and I am sure that it won't quit until everything on my list of to do's is done. I have managed to get about half of my list complete, so I feel like it is possible to get it all done. The next chapter of my life may start anytime now, but we are hoping for sometime after October 1st.

One of my big projects over the last week was reorganizing the laundry/sewing room. When we moved my sewing stuff into the laundry room, there was ample space yet we didn't take the time to organize it. Instead we, for the most part, haphazardly just put the stuff on the shelves and let it be. I meant to take a picture of mess before, but I forgot. Now, my fabrics are organized as well as the rest of my crafting supplies.


Last week, my sewing project was a nap pad for J. made out of a vintage cowboy print and some soft denim. I forgot to get a picture of it though before he took it home though. I think that it turned out really cute though. This week, I plan on sewing a nursing cover and embellishing some burp clothes. I am hoping that they will both be rather quick projects; but, we will have to see.

Saturday, my DH and I did some touch up painting in the nursery. There were a few places we had missed and we painted the closet doors and main door. I hope to have some pictures of the nursery up with in the next two and a half weeks, once everything is complete. For now, I will share a picture of the little hanging on his door. My mom and I found early in my pregnancy and I knew just the place for it. I love that it says "Bless This Baby".
Well, I had better get to cooking some dinner. Lentils and rice are on the menu and I think I might bake a batch of pecan sandies as a surprise for my DH. Hope that your evening is blessed!

"You Must Be Due Any Day Now"...

I went out and about today running some errands. I have been surprised by how much more talkative many women that I have never met before are. I think that it is some sort of a "mommy-bond" that makes women seem so interested in how big you are, the baby's gender, and whether or not said baby has a name yet.

To me, when I look in the mirror, I see my tummy as big, but I don't see it as humongous or about to pop. However, to the world I apparently look significantly larger. I had 4 ladies start a conversation with some variation of "your baby will be here any day now..." They look extremely surprised when I tell them that I have nine more weeks left and most of them responded with something along the lines of "you aren't going to make it that far". One lady followed her first statement with "are you having twins or triplets?" Being a part of these conversations has actually made me smile, cracked me up a little, and increased my anticipation of our little ones arrival.

I previously had the mind set that we had at least 9 weeks left; but the last few days I become more aware that 9 weeks may be the maximum and not the minimum amount of time left. I am beginning to less anxious now that I am getting things checked off of my "Things To Do Before the Baby Arrives" list.

My mom was here last weekend and worked in the nursery. We finished the little painting on the wall and I now have a plan for pulling the rest of the room together. I have completed one curtain and now I just have to finish the other curtain. My DH is going to build me a couple of shelves to put around the room. The last week of August my rocking chair, the nursing stool, and the shelves will be going to the refinishing guy and he should have them completed about a week after that. We also bought the crib mattress too. So things are starting to come together.

I have made my hospital packing list and purchased the items that I didn't have. My goal is to pack my hospital bag this weekend and have it sitting by the front door.

I have been feeling really well and have had a nice amount of energy that usually runs out about 8 or 9 pm. My shots are going well and all of my blood work came back good from my last lab. I have another appointment one week from Wednesday and then we begin the twice a week appointments. I am getting so excited just thinking about our little boy finally arriving, and I am pretty sure that I have used the word "excited" a hundred times in post about our little boy. I just can't help myself, I am so happy.

Also, one of my friends, who's due date was a week and a half before mine, had her baby this week. He is in the NICU and last I heard was in "unstable" condition. Please keep their little baby in your prayers. His name is Sean.

I hope that all of you have a very nice weekend!

A Few Things In August...

Amid the August Texas heat, there are a few things going on around here this month. None of them are paramount happenings, but they are exciting just the same.

Well, this week my DH and I are interviewing pediatricians. We interviewed one last week and we interview three more this week. Who would have thought that finding a pediatrician would be so involved and that the poor doctors still get interviewed for the job even after they are established in a practice? We are praying that one of these four will make us feel really comfortable and give us some peace of mind.

My mom is coming out on Friday!!! We are going to work on the little mural for over the crib and hopefully we will get in some fun out and about time too. My poor mom always works, works, works while she is out here. So, the plan is to be finished with the mural by noon on Saturday and then have the rest of the weekend to do whatever other stuff jumps into our heads.
My DH and I start our child birthing class this month. It should be interesting. I hope I learn a lot, but not too much information so that I get worried about the whole thing.

This month I have two doctors' appointments. Then on the 1st of September I start the twice a week visits. I will keep the pictures coming of my growing tummy. I just marvel at God's little creation inside of me and all of our little boy's movements. I like to just lay on the couch and watch him move around.

My DH's semester starts at the end of the month. He is getting his courses prepared and tying up a few loose ends from his summer work.

I have a few sewing projects that I really want/need to get finished before the end of the month. I am wanting to make a couple of nursing covers and accent some of the burp clothes with coordinating fabric. I also have a nap pad that I to make and the curtains for the nursery. I will have to post pictures of the finished products when they are done. My goal is to have all of these projects finished this month so that I can work on some other projects next month.

What about you? What all do you have going on? Are getting ready for school to start back this month?

The July Now Past...

How quickly July flew right on by. For us it was a month that was packed pretty full. We had a lot of stuff going on, but seemed to have survived all of the "busy-ness" and traveling unscathed. I know that I haven't consistently done monthly summaries recently, but I really like looking back and seeing what all happened in the months past. So, here it goes...

We started of the month in Florida. We spent a week with my DH's family and then a week with mine. Both my MIL and my mom hosted a baby shower for us. The one at my MIL's was a couples shower. We had a great time and it was fun to have my DH there as we opened all the cute little baby things. Below are a few pictures from that shower.

(The yummy food table)
(Cloth diaper cake and petite fore table)
(Visiting with family)
(Me and Matt's Aunt who co-hosted the shower)

The next Sunday, my mom hosted a baby shower for me. She invited all of the ladies form my church back in Florida. It was so nice to see all of them and get to visit with them. Below are a few pictures from that shower. (The food table)

(The pregnant lady at the food table)

(Group picture from the shower)

The following Thursday, we went to my mom's work for a birthday lunch for her. Turns out, it was a surprise baby shower/birthday lunch. It was a complete surprise and was such a thoughtful thing for the people my mom works with to do for us. Below are some pictures from that shower.(Very tasty cake, made by one on my mom's co-workers)(Opening up little baby things)

(Group picture)

We spent the rest of our days in Florida just hanging out. I never knew how much I missed the beach until this trip home. We wound up going to the beach two or three times and I managed not to get sunburned. Yay!!! We went to the gardens that are near where my parents live. It is always so fun to go through them and actually see flowers. (Out here in Texas, at least where we live, botanical gardens are mainly cactus and ornamental grasses and I miss hydrangeas and hibiscus.) We also went to a Naval museum and several other local museums and just wandered around. I don't really have any other pictures from our trip home, which I am disappointed about. I need to get better about documenting our trips.

I managed to get us unpack and back to normal within a week of returning home. Thank the Lord I have been pretty energetic for a large part of the day, so I have been able to keep up the house and my FlyLady cleanings. I even managed to make the curtains for the office. I have been needing to make them for several months now and I finally got around to them. The picture of them isn't really that good though.
One of the projects that my DH and I wanted to have completed before our little boy arrives is a fenced area for us to use. Our yard is occupied by three dogs and with three dogs comes a lack of being able to play in the grass (enough said). So, we decided that we wanted to fence in a portion of our yard that would have clean grass and be puppy-free. My DH put then fence up a couple of weekends ago. This isn't the best picture, but at least you can see what a nice, large area we will have to play in.

I really can't think of anything else that went on this month. I am sure that I will think of it later, but for now that's it.