Swelling

Have I bragged lately about the whole NO SWELLING. Yes, it is a wonderful thing. When I was pregnant with Ava, I began swelling around 25 weeks, couldnt wear my wedding rings, grew out of clothes and shoes, and it hurt to walk. I will say it still hurts to walk, lets face it at this point everything is hurting, you're just waiting for the end. But I just began swelling a little around 33 weeks. I must say it is a great feeling. I am still in full maternity clothes, even though I am growing out of pants quickly. At this point with Ava I was wearing Kenny's polo shirts to work just to look half descent and professional. I just took my wedding rings off for good this past week and my face is a little plump. The weather has cooled down a lot in the past 2 days and I am hoping this will help keep my swelling down, I still have a month to go.

8 months down, one more to go....

Ok so finally I am down to about a month to go. The c-section is scheduled for October 21st, sometime in the morning. I am really counting down. My energy level has never came back like it should in the 2nd trimester and I am just sore. It's a little harder with Ava. I love having my little girl but she has more energy than I know what to do with sometimes. I try to keep up but its hard. I am still pretty small at 34 weeks but she is stuffed in there. I can feel almost every move she makes. She stretches and I feel her from the pelvic to my ribs. The bigger she gets the more excitehd I am getting. I am waiting to see who she will look like and will she have hair. By the amount of heartburn I have been having any other woman would say she will have a head full but I know with Ava that that isnt always true. I had crazy heartburn with her and she was almost completely bald when she was born. I cannot wait to compare Hailey's baby pictures with Ava and see how much they look alike or maybe they wont. It's all in the air right now.

About the only thing that is bugging me right now is that I really dont feel prepared like I did with Ava when we were this close to delivery. I think thats just because I do not have the energy to get things ready. Just thinking about washing the clothes and standing on my feet to put them away tires me. It's weird though because we are settled in our house now, we have lived here for almost 3 years and with Ava we were packing and getting ready to move yet I feel like this. I keep going through my to do list and I just dont want to do it. I think I might just get her bassinett ready and do the rest when I am home from the hospital. I really only need to make sure a few things are in place for her home arrival. I guess we did so much preparing for Ava that it feels like we arent doing anything for Hailey, yet everything is actually done and we are just waiting.

At this point I would rather use the little energy I do have to chase after my active toddler than worry about whether crib sheets are washed. I know I will have plenty of time for that later. We are quickly preparing for Ava's 2nd birthday and celebrating that, so I am using that as a deadline. Once we finish with her birthday weekend, we will move the bassinett downstairs and I will get the blankets ready. I also want to go ahead and her stuff ready for the hospital. Even though we are having a scheduled delivery I am thinking of going ahead and packing a small bag for me just incase I would go into labor early. No one I know has confidence that I will make it to the end of October. LOL.

Pickin

So not many people know and not sure if he cares if I share but Kenny and a few friends entered this years Pickin in the Panhandle. Kenny has been smoking shoulders and such at work so they decided to see how they would do in a competition. The only thing I can say I really complained about is that it fell on their weekend off and that meant a weekend away from home when I could always use an extra hand here. LOL.

But they set up Friday night and the weekend began. Ava and I went to their campsite Saturday afternoon and enjoyed the food, music, and time with everyone. Kenny started his cooking that evening.

Sunday, Ava and I made it back to the campsite for just long enough to watch the awards. Ok so they didnt place in the top 10 but for their first year I think they did well. Kennys pork shoulder tasted awesome too. We had leftovers and it tasted yummy, even though I got heartburn, but everything gives me heartburn. So I am not blaming Kenny at all.

Life

Ok So I havent updated in a long time. We have been busy. Seems like every weekend is jammed packed with what can we do and where can we go. Ava spent a weekend in August with her Nanny and had an awesome time. It's nice to have your child be comfortable enough to be away from you even tell you to 'go' and you get some adult time. Kenny and I didnt take all that advantage of it I must be honest. We went to dinner and came home. I am pregnant, exhausted, and if I dont have to take care of her, then I just wanted to prop my feet up. We did though eat a dinner without having to share our food, eat it half cold, and actually spoke to each other. Usually we are keeping tabs on Ava, trying to keep her entertained while waiting on the food, then she decides she is done and we haven't begun. So yea going to dinner with a toddler is challenging but she's so darn cute. Kenny has been working, no more than usual, but feels like it. Maybe because I am just exhausted and he helps so much that I really miss it when he isnt home. There are days I wish he worked 9-5 monday through friday but then I think that would be harder on him and us. He wouldnt get the breaks and have the energy to be as helpful as he is. He would probably be just as tired as I am and we both would be fighting who gets to lay on the couch. LOL

Work for me has been busier than I could have ever imagined. I thought we were busy as contractors but now working for the government it has really stepped up. I love it though. I hate to admit it but what job can you have that you work independently almost at your own pace, wear your ipod to keep you focused on your work, and there is a kinship with some of my co-workers that is awesome. If I am not working, I am being 'the mom', which I couldnt ask for anything else. Some days I just count down until I am with my baby girl. It's so awesome to walk through the door and she's yelling 'mommy, mommy' and I get a big hug. It has been way more exhausting with the extra weight, hormones, and no sleep but she will do something that will just make me stop and smile.

Ava is a HOT MESS as usual. She is learning more and more and soon will be a BIG SISTER. Our little girl will be 2 in just a week. I cant wait to celebrate with her. She is spitting out full sentences and freaking me out about how fast she is learning. She has a wonderful personality, almost always laughing and loves to play. She is loving being at Becky's and playing with Alaya and Blake. She is not a good morning person but once she gets there, she is ready to play.

So life is busy, and yes in 5 short weeks it will be yet busier but I can't imagine it being any other way. This year is only going to get better with the addition to our family. We have a lot to look forward to.

Catoctin Zoo

We took Ava to the Zoo. She had an absolute wonderful time. She loved the bear, fed the deer and goats, and watched the owls for a little while. I had such a fun time watching her walk around and talk to the animals. It was kinda like our last little family thing before Hailey comes. It was special to take her there, spending the day with her, and focusing on her happiness. I know it is going to be such a balance when there are 2 little girls to please in this household.

The Belly Button

How many times while you were pregnant did people ask you if you belly button has come out??? Think about it.

I get asked a lot. I think its funny and they enjoy when I pull up my shirt to show them, nope, its still an inny. I will say though that it hurts a lot more and is already more coming out than it was with Ava. I never thought for once that it would pop out or become flat with Ava but with Hailey, I am starting to wonder. I still have 10 weeks to go.

29 weeks

So yea I have made it to the 3rd and final trimester I will ever be pregnant. I know bummer right? I still bring up a 3rd baby every once in a while but I know Kenny is going to keep saying 2 is enough so I havent brought it up in a while. Well I have finally made it to about 10 lbs over my pre pregnancy weight. Hailey is moving more and more everyday and some days it feels like she is trying to escape. She is still staying fairly low. My hips ache more and more everyday. I have been religious with the pillow in between the legs while sleeping to give my knees and hips a little break on the pressure build up.

I will say that I am excited that I am not swollen yet even with the 100 degree whether and 80% humidity everyday. My fingers and feet are a little puffy by the end of the day but my whole body hasnt joined in yet.

Everyone at work is taking bets whether I will make it to c-section date or not. Many are betting I am going to go into labor early. I am bigger than I was with Ava at this point, doesnt mean I will go into labor any earlier to me, just that Hailey may be a little bigger at birth. My energy has never came back fully like it did with Ava, but now at this point I have Ava to take care of so why should I have any energy. The little bit that I do have is spent chasing my little toddler around the house and tickling. Who needs energy when I get to hear my little angel giggle and belly laugh every day.

I cannot wait. We are now counting down to the c-section and starting to get prepared for Hailey to join our family.

I now go to the OB every 2 weeks. So yay for getting to listen to her heartbeat while she is beating up my insides. I am still having anxiety issues, my OB is confident they will disappear once she is out. There's so much I would love to do now but we still have 10 weeks to go until she is anywhere near being here so I am going to try to hold off. Also whatever I drag out will certainly be consumed by Ava, who will ultimately think it belongs to her. So I will hold off for now. But cannot wait to hold this little girl in my arms.