Who will Baby be?

"I remember saying, I don't care either way, just as long as he or she is healthy, I'm OK."

~ Brad Paisley

I was driving around the other day, listening to Brad Paisley, because, well, why wouldn't I? And I started listening to the song "Anything Like Me." It of course got me really thinking about our precious Butterbean, and who she will be.

When we found out we were pregnant, we of course were overjoyed, and then, slightly panicked. I didn't really think much about the child we were bringing into the world until later. Now, I think about it almost everyday.

When we first found out our little Butterbean would be a girl, it became a lot more real. I immediately began thinking of names and who she would be like...

"I started wondering who she was gonna be. I thought Heaven help us, if she's anything like me."

~ Brad Paisley

(Yes, I'm taking some creative liberties and changing the he's to she's.)

While there are a lot of qualities of mine I'd be happy to pass down, there are, of course, some she'd probably be better off without. I'm blessed to come from long lines (on both sides) of strong, intelligent, sometimes stubborn, women. Women who can be as sweet as honey, or meaner than a rattlesnake. Mostly, women who you want on your side. I want our daughter to share in these traits. I hope she always feels comfortable and confident with who she is, and never feels the need to hide her true self. I hope she enjoys learning, never being satisfied with what she thinks she knows. And while I hope she doesn't let herself get pushed around, I also hope she knows how to pick her battles. I know I've missed out on some potentially great opportunities because of my stubbornness.

"It's safe to say that, I'm gonna get my payback, if she's anything like me."

~ Brad Paisley  

All and all, I was a pretty good kid. I got into some trouble, but what kid doesn't? I occasionally stayed out past curfew, or threw the unsupervised party (which, at the time, infuriated my mother, but knowing her, I have to think she was at least a little proud - those parties were amazing), but I made good grades and didn't have any run-ins with the law. Still, it worries me to think about what my daughter will be capable of. Especially when I remember my mom would make comments like, "I can't wait until you have kids of your own!" Somehow I don't think this was meant as a compliment...

"There's worse folks to be like. Oh, she'll be alright, if she's anything like me."

~ Brad Paisley

 

Dave Barry on Pregnancy & Childbirth

"You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests she's pregnant, unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment."

- Dave Barry

After first sharing our good news with our parents back in August (I think...), my mom shared with me an old Dave Barry column about giving birth. At the time I appreciated the humor in it, but now that childbirth is looming, it takes on a whole new gravity with me. It's still hilarious, but now, it's also slightly terrifying.

Anyway, I share it with you, here, in the hopes that you'll get a laugh out of it. Sorry, the only copy we have is paper, so it's scanned and posted here that way! (You can click on the images and it will open in a new page, making the words a little larger.)

Enjoy!

36 weeks!

Wow. 36 weeks! Almost there! Especially when I remember my doctors, based on different dates and measurements, have me at about 37 1/2 weeks.... It's all a big fancy guessing game, anyway. Much like filling out those NCAA tournament brackets (which I have failed miserably at this year...). So, realistically, Baby Girl could be arriving any. day. now.

I went to the my weekly check-up on Friday and everything seems great. I mean as great as it can be when your uterus is irritated and you're contracting all day long. I've had some people asking me about this recently, so in case you're curious, these contractions basically feel like the worst menstrual cramps ever. In life. Times 10. All over my stomach and lower back. Occasionally in my hips, as well. Anyway, after speaking with my midwife and a medical student, both informed me that unfortunately, these contractions will most likely continue, and there's not much I can do about it! Oh, what fun. My midwife also broke the news to me that at this point, they will NOT stop labor. Which I already knew, but to hear it, makes it all the more terrifying.

Here are a couple belly pictures from this week....

 That's right, it's officially spring!!! Although it's hard to tell, what with the snow still coming...

I'm pretty sure I have "dropped" at this point. I'm breathing much more easily, but peeing much more frequently... You win some, you lose some, I guess. I also did not gain any weight in the last week, which was a welcome relief. My legs get so tired carrying around that extra 35 pounds!

And for a random fact of life. For those who have forgotten, next week is Easter. Yours' truly (me), was born on Easter Eve. Wouldn't it be crazy if our own little girl was also born on Easter Eve??

Maternity Photos

A couple weeks ago I had my maternity photos done. Paul and I never had engagement photos done, so I kinda thought this would be nice. Get some good pictures of us, and something to share with Baby Girl. Plus, we did a package deal where we could get her newborn photos done as well. Anyway, because they were done in mid-March in Michigan, going outside wasn't really an option, but we still got some great shots! Here are a few of my favorites...

 This one turned out really cute, and I LOVE it! Our Baby Girl's first pair of boots :)

 This is one of my favorites. Every night Paul reads to Baby Girl so she can hear his voice. It gets her kicking a lot! In this photo, the blanket my Nanny made for her is on my lap, and some of the children's books my sister has written are on the pile of books. Such a meaningful picture.

 Just making out. 

 

Close-up of the last picture. Again with the boots!

 Up-close of the belly.

In this picture I am laughing at Paul for something ridiculous he did. Not sure what it was, but it clearly got me laughing.

All of these pictures were done by Lisa Shields Photography. If you're looking for a photographer in the Lansing, MI area, I totally recommend her! She's really great and I think the pictures turned out wonderfully!

Hope y'all enjoyed!!

35 Weeks!

Well, here I am at 35+ weeks. You may be thinking, "how will you make this week memorable?" Well friends, I decided to kick off this week with a trip to labor and delivery! Which, I don't necessarily recommend...

I've been feeling contractions for a while now, but that's completely normal, and expected at this point in the game. However, Sunday morning I woke up feeling contractions low in my abdomen, extending to my lower back, and happening pretty frequently. I tried timing them, but they seemed to never really stop. If you read anything about what to do before you're full term (37 weeks), it will tell you to call your doctor at this point. I chose not to. I felt it would be silly to bother my doctor on a Sunday when she was probably off doing non-doctor things with her family. (I should mention my doctor has me at about 36 1/2 weeks now, so they're less worried about the whole pre-term thing.)

Overnight on Sunday I woke up a couple times to some more painful contractions. By Monday morning I was still feeling them regularly, so I called the doctor's office when it opened at 8am. I was instructed to head into labor and delivery to get monitored. Which is exactly what I wanted to do on a Monday morning...

Reluctantly we went to labor and delivery, knowing we would be home in a few hours. The triage nurse hooked me up to all sorts of monitors. We could hear Baby Girl's heartbeat, which was strong as ever. Shortly after getting there, I had my first episode of tachycardia, where my resting heart rate soared to above 160 beats per minute. This worried the nurse and doctors, so they immediately put me on oxygen, hooked me up to an IV, where I received 2 bags of fluid, and ordered an EKG. I had a couple more episodes like this, but they were able to keep them under control. I've had heart problems in the past, so this wasn't too startling for me. Baby Girl was unfazed by this, and continued with her task of kicking the monitors on my belly.

After the doctors checked me out and monitored me for sometime, the verdict came that I am in pre-labor with an irritable uterus. (Believe me, my uterus isn't the only thing that's irritated at this point.) Basically, this means I will continue to have these contractions pretty regularly until our princess decides to grace us with her presence. Unfortunately, they can't tell if this will be in the next few days, or the next few weeks. So until then, we wait.

And take belly pictures...

 

Here we are at 35 weeks. Took this picture in between contractions.

 

 Proof that Layla was there with me. Still in her role as sentry. 

We like to ask Layla "Who's in here?!" and point to my belly. Sometimes she jumps up and tries to "look" inside.

That's right. I'm rocking that VCU shirt. I know they lost Sunday in the A-10 championship, but I'm ready for the NCAA tournament! Bring it on Akron!

You really like me?!

 

Apparently, I have been nominated for an award! The Liebster Award. It's not quite as cool as you're thinking, but it's still pretty cool. Basically, it's a way for bloggers to say "hey, I like what you're doing, keep doing it!" to other bloggers. So thanks to Amy over at Not Your Average Crazy, whose blog I'm kind of obsessed with, for the nomination!

So, here's what the nomination means:

The Rules:

Each blogger posts 11 random facts about themselves.

Answer the questions the tagger has set for you.

Choose 11 new bloggers to pass the award/nominate.

Come up with 11 new questions to ask your nominees.

Go to their page and tell them about the award.

No tag backs!

Now, here goes! 

Eleven Facts About Me:

1. I married my high-school sweet heart in June 2010 on the beach.
2. We are getting dangerously close to welcoming our first little one to the party! Just one more month...
3. When it's all said and done, I will have completed 10 years of college, including graduate work, and all I'll be is a fake doctor (PhD).
4. When I was younger I wanted to play in the WNBA.
5. I don't like going to the movies unless it's a comedy or a cartoon. I like other movies, just don't particularly enjoy movie theaters.
6. Folding clothes is my least favorite chore.
7. I get really homesick living in Michigan; miss my family and friends back home.
8. I love BBQ - especially NC-style BBQ. Eastern NC to be exact. We love it so much we served it at our wedding!
9. I feel happiest when I'm on the beach.
10. I have a 7 year old shelter puppy and she is perfect. Neurotic, but perfect.

Amy's Questions For Me:

1. What's the best book you've ever read?

This is tough! I love to read, particularly older books. Anything Agatha Christie or Jane Austen. The book that will probably always be most special to me, however, has got to be The Velveteen Rabbit.

 
2. What's your "hidden talent"?

There's not a whole lot more to me than what you see! People who first meet me are surprised I play basketball. I can play a little piano, wish I could play more!

 
3. How old were you when you had your first kiss?

My first "kiss" was in 3rd grade.

 
4. What's your favorite blog to read?

So many I'm enjoying right now! Obviously I love Not Your Average Crazy! :)

 
5. Who is your celebrity crush?

Kinda crushing on Easton Corbin right now. 

 
6. What's your favorite blog post that YOU have written?

While I actually love a lot of what I write (that's why I write it!), my favorite was probably this one, announcing our pregnancy!

 
7. What's your dream job?

Dream job - trophy wife for sure. But I'll settle for actually using all these degrees I've worked so hard to get.

 
8. What would you do with a million dollars?

Pay off student loans, pay off car loan, buy a house, save for our unborn-daughter's college, wedding, etc., probably invest some, and then go shopping and by everything at Kate Spade.

 
9. Boxers or briefs?

Ehhhh whatever

 
10. Snow or rain?

Rain. So frickin' sick and tired of snow. I hate cold weather.

 
11. Weren't these questions awesome and easy?!

:)

My Nominees:

1.  Noel - High Heeled Mama
2. Catalyn - Confessions of a Northern Belle
3. Synnove - Don't Chew on the Dinner Table
4. Genevieve - Genevieve + Benjamin
5. Jenna - Happy Life in Love
6. Rea - Home For 4 Sweet Home
7. Kelsey - Stories of Kel
8. Anne - The Pink Momma
9. Angela - Harper, Home, and Happiness
10. Rachel - Sugar & Stripes
11. Kirsten - I Still Hate Pickles  

(I'm sure some of y'all have already been nominated, so feel free to ignore!)

 

My Questions: 

1. What's your favorite blog(s) to read?
2. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
3. Beach or mountains?
4. Favorite type of food?
5. Any children? How many?
6. Any fur babies? (dogs, cats, etc...)
7. Stealing this question from Amy, but what's your favorite blog post you've ever written?
8. Stranded on a deserted island, 3 things you couldn't live without?
9.       Something you wish more people knew about you?
10. Favorite Holiday?
11. Something on your bucket list...

So that's it! Take time to check out some of the other blogs - they're fabulous! I'll be back later this week!

"Preparing" for Baby - Packing for the hospital!

At this point, I'm about 8 months pregnant, which means our little Butterbean could make her debut at anytime. This exciting terrifying fact hit me last night. So I decided to get my hospital bag started! Which means we're onto the third installment of "Preparing" for Baby!

I've been reading up on what some veteran mamas recommend putting in the bag, and have gotten a pretty solid list going. Here are two lists I used to help start mine:

http://littlebabygarvin.blogspot.com/2012/05/hospital-bag.html

http://v-double-u.blogspot.com/2011/11/packing-to-have-baby-your-hospital-stay.html

Now, what's in my bag:

1. Snacks - I found some Greek yogurt granola bars I love, so I packed a few of those. They're great because they won't go bad and don't need to be refrigerated or anything. I may throw in some goldfish before the time comes.
2. Chapstick - I never go anywhere without chapstick, so it seems appropriate I would make sure to have some for the hospital. I always have some floating around in every purse I own, but I didn't want to leave this up to chance. I bought a new pack of 3 and threw them in the bag.
3. Kleenex - No one I saw actually recommended this, but I feel like it takes up minimal room and will probably get used.
4. Travel-size toiletries - The basics: shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste/toothbrush, lotion (not the smelly kind, but good moisturizing stuff), and face wipes. Remember I mentioned how much I love those make-up removing, cleansing face wipes during the 1st trimester? Yeah, still love them. They're in the bag.
5. Dry shampoo - If you don't know what dry shampoo is for, then I can't help you. Basically, this is to freshen up when a shower may not be an option.
6. Hair ties - Again, I have thousands of these floating around, but this is not something I want to leave up to chance. A brand new pack of 30 is in the bag.
7. Flip flops - These I have no idea if I'll need. But I figure they can't hurt and I hate walking barefoot on public floors. 
8. Nursing bra - Yeah, probably don't need much description on this. I packed a regular and a sleeping one.
9. Nursing tops - Same thing here. I bet you can figure this one out.
10. Lanolin - So, I've seen mixed reviews on this. Some say the hospital will provide it, others say it's a good idea to bring it. I say, better safe than sorry.
11. Boppy pillow - OK, so this isn't technically in the bag, but it's next to the bag and we're bringing it. Everything I've read suggests bringing this and I can see how it could come in handy. Holding/Nursing the baby for extended periods of time can make your arms tired!
12. Baby blanket - We have a blanket my grandmother made for Butterbean that we plan on bringing her home in, so that's been packed. 
13. Swaddling blanket - Mixed reviews on this as well. Some say the hospital will have plenty, others say bring some. I packed one. Doesn't take up much space, so why not?!
14. Going home outfit for baby - I have two outfits packed; one is a newborn size and one is a 0-3 months size. I'm fairly certain this baby is the size of a tractor, so she may be wearing the 0-3 months...
15. Baby accessories - You know, hats, socks, mittens. The little stuff. 
16. Yoga mat - This stays in my car, and I plan on bringing it in. I may not use it, but I might. I've been doing prenatal yoga for about 2 months now and I love it. It has been a life saver. I talked to my instructor about some of the poses that may help alleviate pain and help me relax during labor, so it just makes me feel better having this. If you're pregnant and don't do yoga, I recommend it whole-heartedly.

Now, a couple things I'll throw in last-minute:

1. Hair brush - Obviously.
2. Make-up - Lots of pictures will be taken. May want to make myself not look like hell.
3. Robe - I have one of those robes you get at department stores when you buy so much make-up. I'm bringing that. If that gets ruined it won't be the end of the world.
4. Pillows from home - When we toured the hospital, the nurse even recommended this. She promised they would steal as many pillows as possible for me, but admitted it would be best if we brought a few. 
5. Phone charger - Duh.
6. Camera - I'm getting a nice new camera to take amazing pictures of baby, so that will be there!
7. Yoga pants - I live in yoga pants now. I imagine I will be living in them after for a little while as well. I'll throw a couple pairs in the bag before we leave.
8. Wallet - with insurance card!

So that's what my bag looks (or I guess, will look) like. It seems almost excessively long, but aside from the various pillows (Boppy and standard) and yoga mat, everything fits in a small, carry-on size bag.

You may have noticed I didn't pack anything for Paul. He's on his own. I've given him some suggestions, but I've decided to focus my energy on Baby Girl and me. :)

If any of you veteran mamas have suggestions, I'd love to hear them! I'm obviously just going off of what others have told me and what I've found helpful in these later stages of pregnancy. I'm assuming by my 2nd pregnancy (MANY years down the road), I will probably not pack a thing. Maybe just the camera and phone charger...

I'll update this weekend with a weekly belly shot and maybe some of our maternity pictures. :)

34 weeks!!

I got a little lazy on this weekend's post. My bad. We had a BUSY weekend; our first prenatal class at the hospital, maternity pictures, a baby shower, and a time change! So instead of posting, I tried to sleep. Tried.

Anyway, a quick run-down of this weekend's events. First, the class. It was the first week of three. After class, we left feeling like we had learned nothing new, and maybe we actually knew more than we though after all! Two more weeks of this. We're mostly interested in the third week, where we discuss newborn care. Apparently, they're gonna just let us take this little girl home with us from the hospital. Are they crazy?!?

Maternity photos were fun. Unfortunately, given that we live in Michigan, outdoor photos aren't really an option in early March, which I would have preferred. Our photographer, Lisa Shields Photography, was great! Very personable and listened to the ideas I had. Overall, a very good experience! I'll do a post later with some of the pictures.

On Sunday, some of my wonderful friends up here threw me a baby shower. It was great. Delicious food and wonderful company. Plus, Baby Girl got a lot of great stuff! What more could we ask for! Here's a picture of me with the hostesses.

 Weather was actually in the 50's here, which meant I could wear a dress. Which is great because pants and I aren't getting along right now.

Between the impending birth of our first child and the never-ending to-do list, I was feeling a bit stressed Sunday night. As a result, I literally did not sleep at all. I haven't not slept since undergrad, raging at the bars pulling an all-nighter studying. Needless to say, I was riding the struggle bus today.

Anyway, here's this week's belly picture!

34 weeks! Baby weighs about 5 pounds. Believe it or not, I may have gained more than that... Ahh well. It's all worth it in the end! Only 3 more weeks until she's full-term!!

Check back this week for an exciting installment of "Preparing" for Baby. I'll be packing the hospital bag!! (Terrifying.)

V

DIY Baby Legwarmers

Raise your hand if you're a child of the 80's... Keep your hand raised if you wore legwarmers...

I know there are a few pictures floating around of me in legwarmers as a child. Partly because of the time period and partly because I think my sister helped dress me.

Legwarmers are amazing and lately it seems I can't get on Etsy without seeing dozens of baby legwarmers. It makes sense. They're adorable and practical. Just think, you don't have to remove pants while changing a diaper! One less step! Plus, how cute do those chunky baby rolls look in leg warmers?!

Anyway, I was determined to make some for our baby girl, rather than buying them. There are some really cute ones on Etsy with bows and ruffles and such, which is way beyond my crafting abilities, but these will do for everyday use! I found a tutorial online (here) for a no-sew version, which is right up my alley.

 All you need: women's knee-high socks (Target has a bunch of fun ones for $2.50 a pair), an iron, iron-on fusing web, and scissors (not pictured, but y'all know what scissors look like).

Then you cut the socks at the ankle. I still haven't figured out what to do with the bottom half of the sock, but there has to be something! I'll check Pinterest...

Flip the sock inside out and iron it. Then, make a little pocket at the cut end for the fusing web to go in. You need a strip long enough to wrap all the way around the sock. Cover with a towel and iron for about 30 seconds on each side, longer if it needs it.

Allow the sock to cool, then flip it back right-side out and look how freaking cute these are.

I couldn't resist the flamingo socks! Can't wait to see our little girl in these! 

As with all of baby's clothes, make sure you wash the socks ahead of time. Also, if the fusing web starts to not hold anymore, just repeat the steps, as needed. If you're feeling extra adventurous, feel free to add ribbons and bows as your little heart desires! Just think of the options when holiday socks come out!!

"Preparing" for Baby - Make-Ahead Meals

Welcome to the 2nd installment of "Preparing" for Baby! As promised, I have put together a couple recipes I made today and froze for after our baby girl decides to grace us with her presence. I plan on making a couple more, but for now, this is what I made...

First up, Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken (link to original recipe, here)

What you'll need:

•  2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breast (I used about a pound)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used low-sodium)
• 1/2 large can of pineapple chunks
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (from can)

What you'll do:

Put all ingredients in a freezer bag. Label the bag, adding directions. I label the bag first, while I'm getting my ingredients together. When you're ready to cook, just throw everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours (high 4-5 hours). Shred the chicken and serve over rice.

 

The ingredients. Most of these you probably already have!

 

Everything in the bag. Now in my freezer.

Pretty simple and straight forward. Took me no time at all to put together! I haven't tried this recipe before, so here's to hoping it's not terrible!

Onto recipe numero dos: Meaty Baked Ziti (original Rachael Ray recipe, here)

What you'll need: 

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed (I omitted this, mostly because I didn't feel like buying fennel seed)
• 1/2 pound ground beef (I used a pound and omitted the sausage, it's pretty impossible to find 1/2 pound of ground beef unless you go to the butcher's counter and that sounds an awful lot like effort)
• 1/2 pound sausage - sweet or Italian (I omitted this and used more beef, see not above)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons rosemary, chopped (I used dried because I already had it on hand)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry red or white wine
• 2 28-32 oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes (Kroger never has these, so I just settled for regular old tomatoes)
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 pound ziti
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into chunks
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (I just used Parmesan) 

What you'll do:

Heat EVOO in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add fennel and beef, and season with salt and pepper. Add sausage and brown and crumble both until caramelized, breaking meats up into small bits. Add rosemary, onions and garlic and cook partially covered about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften the onions. Deglaze the pan with a little wine, add stock and tomatoes and simmer 30 minutes.

Cook pasta about 6 minutes, shy of al dente. Toss pasta with sauce and place in casserole. Top with cubes of mozzarella and sprinkle with parm. Bake from room temperature at 400ºF until cheeses melted and bubbly, 20 minutes. If cooking from refrigerated or frozen, after pasta comes to room temp, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes then uncover to lightly brown, another 10-15 minutes.

 

The ingredients. A lot. See note below.

Finished product (well, almost finished; frozen before melting the cheese). Now in my freezer. Oh, I covered these with aluminum foil and labeled them with directions.

Couple notes on this 2nd recipe:

1. The sauce is pretty good, but honestly, you could just use whatever spaghetti sauce you like. If you have a recipe you like, or if you like a jar, save the time and effort and just use that.
2. I froze this recipe in 2 8x8 pans so I can get 2 dinners out of this. No need to make one huge casserole dish for just the hubs and me. 

I am planning on making chicken lasagna on Friday and freezing half of it for later use! I'm also going to get a pork shoulder to make BBQ and freeze it in a bag with a homemade vinegar based sauce to throw in the slow cooker after baby.

If y'all have any other make-ahead meals you've tried and love, please feel free to post them! I'm always up for more dinner ideas!!

 

33 weeks!!

Holy crap it's March. That means next month (NEXT MONTH) Paul and I will be welcoming our Baby Girl! Seriously. HOLY. CRAP.

I still remember when I told Paul we were pregnant. I had taken a test earlier in the day and I hadn't waited long enough to check it, so I just assumed it was negative and went about my day. After dinner I went for a run. For some reason when I got back from that run I decided I HAD to take another test. I ran out to CVS and got another test and sure enough, it was positive! Paul was at his hockey game, so I had to wait for what seemed like decades for him to return. I could hardly wait to tell him when he got home. Looking back, he says he knew immediately because I was just sitting on the bed grinning like a fool. And now here we are, the month before our little Butterbean makes her debut!

Now I'm not one of those women who loves being pregnant. I just don't. I had to stop playing basketball, drinking, and eating like every food I want (sushi, rare steak....). This heartburn is killer and I've never been so uncomfortable in my life. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to be carrying Baby Girl, it's just, I'll be more thrilled when she's here. However, there is one side effect of pregnancy I do love and had no idea I could expect.

Apparently, some women cry uncontrollably over nothing, or get irate over seemingly insignificant things. Me? I handle my uncontrollable emotions in another fashion. I laugh hysterically at nothing. To the point where I'm in tears and I feel like I just did an ab workout. Seriously, I look drunk. It's amazing. I had no idea this was a possible side effect until one of Paul's hockey buddies mentioned his wife had these same bizarre laughing episodes when she was pregnant. So, if you're pregnant, pray you get this side effect.

Anyway, here's this week's belly picture:

 

For those who are wondering, Layla was in the room, she just wasn't standing guard. But don't worry, she doesn't often miss picture-time.

So there you have it. 33 weeks. Almost there! I go to the doctor's this week, so I'll find out how much weight I've gained then. Should be starting up weekly appointments soon. I can't wait to spend even more time in the doctor's office! {sarcasm}

Also, I had mentioned on the last post that I would be doing a post on make-ahead meals for my second installment of "'Preparing' for Baby." I plan on making a few things later this week and I'll post the recipes then! Check back for those!