37 Week Bumpdate!

Hey y'all! I am going to try my best and do these weekly now since we never know how many more weeks I actually have!!!

\

I took this picture with my tripod in her nursery today and I am kinda obsessed with it. I seriously sit like this and just stare at my belly all the time! I am absolutely overwhelmed with how much I love this sweet girl already.

 

Baby Size: A winter melon?

 

Weight Gain: I think just 1 lb since last week but I did go after lunch so idk how accurate that is. But we will go with it and say 15lbs.

 

Maternity Clothes: Pants yes, most shirts are still regular. My maternity jeans are starting to get uncomfortable because I have this one crazy deep stretch mark that rubs right against the band.

 

Stretch Marks: Oh yes, see above. There is at least two of these bad boys that are here for good.

 

Belly Button In or Out: In but flat

 

Sleep: I wake up at 1 a.m., 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. to go to he bathroom pretty much right on schedule every night.

 

Best Moment This Week: Major to-do list progress! Plus I totally have to brag on my hubby for rolling with a major preggo diva moment when I decided I hated the color of the crib and dresser and needed him to take them apart again and repaint them both. In my defense he said he wasn't crazy about the color we chose either and he had just bragged on me the night before for being super laid back this whole pregnancy. So in my opinion every preggo is entitled to at least one diva moment!

 

Worst Moment This Week: Well, due to the high blood pressure I had to carry around a jug on Monday (which was not only Memorial Day but also my birthday!) and pee in it. Sorry if that is TMI but this is real life folks. ANDDD I had to work half a day so I had to keep a cooler in the bathroom with my jug of pee. Real fun y'all, realll fun!

 

Miss Anything?: My feet being a normal size..

 

Craving: Sweet tea & guacamole! And now since I have been told to drastically cut back on my sodium, naturally I want everything deep fried and covered in cheese dip.

 

Queasy or sick?: Nope!

 

Labor Signs: Pretty sure I woke up to a few Braxton Hicks the other night..

 

Symptoms: Back pain, pelvic pressure and ginormous swollen feet.

 

Looking Forward To: Meeting baby girl in a few weeks!

 

Mood: So exhausted but mostly happy. Even though I was a nervous wreck with all of this high blood pressure talk and pee jugs..

 

Movement:  Oh yes she is still a rockin! And the only good thing about my bp being up is that they now put me into this recliner, hook up a monitor and let me listen to her heartbeat while tracking her movements. But little miss has been SERIOUSLY stubborn and rocking out right up until she gets hooked up to the monitor and then going to sleep. So today I had to sit there, drink juice and get my belly shook to try and wake her up! (They just want to make sure the bp isn't affecting her) But that is seriously the most relaxing sound ever!

Doctors Appointments: I went back last Friday to get my bp checked again and it was still high and my feet were still huge. Good news is my labs were great with no signs of preeclampsia! But they did give me the aforementioned jug to pee in for 24 hours to do more tests. Then I went back today and my blood pressure had shot up again (which I partially blame on the fact that I had really worked myself up into a nervous wreck). They hooked me up to the monitor again, she was still fine. My labs still looked good so the doctor pretty much concluded that I am trying to do too much and eating too much sodium. She pretty much told me if I didn't slow down and rest, she was going to put me on bed rest. So I am watching what I am eating, putting my feet up and trying to relax. Which is super hard for me because I have so much I need to do! So hopefully when I go back Friday, my bp and my swelling will be normal and I won't have to go the bed rest route!

34-36 week bumpdate!

Me and my little beach ball before the doctor this morning! 

Baby Size:

Weight Gain: I asked the nurse at the doctor this morning because I have lost track. She said from my first appointment I have gained 14 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Pants yes, most shirts are still regular.

Stretch Marks: Oh yes, all I can do is hope that they fade.

Belly Button In or Out: In but flat

Sleep: I wake up at 1 a.m., 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. to go to the bathroom pretty much right on schedule every night.

Best Moment This Week: A good report at the doctors office this morning!

Worst Moment This Week: I am getting exhausted really quickly and having a lot of pain which isn't too fun.

Miss Anything?: Tanning and energy!

Craving: Sweet tea & guacamole!

Queasy or sick?: Nope!

Symptoms: Lots and lots of back pain and pelvic pressure.

Looking Forward To: Meeting baby girl in a few weeks!

Mood: So exhausted but mostly happy

Movement:  Oh yes she is still a rockin!

Doctors Appointments: We had our first pelvic exam this morning (fun stuff) and we found out baby girl is finally turned!! We were so concerned that she wasn't going to because most transverse baby's don't turn. But I know for a fact last night she was not yet turned and her Daddy got down and talked to my belly telling her we really needed her to get in position. It was so sweet he even rubbed my belly saying that he was trying to show her how she needed to go! She obviously listened to him! I am also 50% effaced and 1/2 cm dilated so things are getting ready! My blood pressure was slightly elevated so they did some tests to test for preeclampsia but the doctor said he really wasn't worried about it. I just think it was my nerves. Now we start the weekly visits checking on Miss Priss's progress, I just can't believe we are here!!

Five On Friday!

Hey y'all! Oh my goodness, I am SO glad it is Friday! This week has been absolutely insane and I am just glad it is over. I am welcoming this weekend with wide open arms! Linking up with the ladies for Five On Friday!

 

{one} Monday we celebrated our second wedding anniversary! I can't believe that it has only been two years, honestly it feels like 22! We kept it simple with dinner at the AMAZING Cheescake Factory and called it an early night. Sweet and simple, just our style. Here's to a whole lifetime of sweet and simple anniversaries!

 

 

{two} Another reason we called it an early night was that we had to be at the surgery center at 5:30 a.m. for the hubby's knee surgery. It was a very minor procedure, he should be completely back to normal in a couple days. But how dang cute does he look in his little cap!

{three} Alright mommas, I need some advice. What is your advice for hospital bags? What kind of pj's? What is best to come home in? Any suggestions for hubby's bag? To make it a little easier, how about you tell me your 3 must-haves for your hospital bag?

 

{four} I realized I haven't posted anything about my photography recently. I have truly been blessed when it came to pursuing this business, I never expected it to take off like it has. It has been overwhelming and amazing all at the same time! So here are a few snapshots of the work I have done lately!

Everybody loves the babies!

A couple weddings..

{five} This weekend we are heading to a cabin in the mountains for Lauren's bachelorette party! I am so excited to celebrate one of her very last weekends as a single woman and what I am sure will be one of my last girls weekends for quite some time!

Y'all have a good weekend!

Five On Friday!

As always, happy Friday y'all! After a jam packed weekend last week I wish I could say I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend but I am afraid it is going to be another busy one! I am doing pictures for a wedding I booked before I got pregnant. I just hope my feet and back can handle it! I was the second shooter for a wedding this past weekend and completely overdid it. It left me feeling crappy and exhausted. To be honest I still don't feel like I have completely recuperated. But tomorrow's wedding is very short with very few people so I should be fine!

{one} If this oh so exciting Five isn't enough of me for one day, you can catch me on the Blog Baton instagram all day! I love this idea so much, I just wish I had a more interesting daily life to share!

 

{two} Last Saturday after working that wedding I get in my car and receive these messages from my husband. When I finally get him on the phone all I get is a "hold on" and I hear the tell-tale noises of a hospital in the background. I knew he was working earlier that day and he already has a hurt knee that he is having surgery for on Tuesday, so my mind was reeling with all kinds of horrible scenarios. Finally, his friend/our roommate Ryan answers the phone and tells me he had to take Paul to the ER because he cut his finger on a grinder while working on his go-cart. But not to worry it wasn't too bad, they were stitching him up, doing an Xray and sending him home. Well he called me when they left the ER and said he was ok but had to see a plastic surgeon to see if he would need reconstructive surgery on his hand. In my head I start freaking out thinking how on Earth is he going to hold our  daughter with one hand! By the grace of God when we saw the plastic surgeon yesterday he said not only did Paul not need surgery but that he was VERY lucky because most people in grinder accidents end up losing a finger! So we are very very thankful that it was not near as bad as it could've been!

 

{three} On a simpler note. Can I just go right here? I have no idea where this picture was taken but it looks like Heaven! Of course the week that GA finally decides to crank it up to 80 degrees our AC goes out. As you can imagine an 8 months pregnant woman in a house with no AC is not a very happy site so everytime I get miserably hot I think of my happy place, that hammock.

{four} We got our maternity pictures back! I am so in love with them! I posted them earlier this week but in case you missed it you can see them here. A lot of people have asked about my dress. It's from this Etsy shop I found through Pinterest called Kobieta. Most of their products are a little strange but they do sell these gorgeous custom maternity dresses. A little pricey but I really wanted the long flowy dress...

{five} Monday is our two year wedding anniversary!! We originally planned on going to Charleston but with everything going on, like me being super pregnant and Paul having surgery Tuesday we decided to stay home. I can't believe it's only been two years, it seems like so much longer! But I need your advice. I have NO idea what to get him. I think the traditional gift for two is cotton but I don't want to get him clothes. So please feel free to share some advice!! 

Y'all have a good weekend!!

Baby Shower #2!

Last weekend I was so incredibly blessed to be thrown another baby shower. This one was for my side of the family which is absolutely huge. I grew up being extremely close to most of my extended family. So while most people don't even know their 3rd or 4th cousins, I grew up seeing mine every single weekend! We are so blessed to still have my Mamaw {great grandmother} and on any occasion you can find anywhere up to 40 people packed into her tiny house. So it was no surprise when the guest list for this baby shower exceeded 60 people, more than 90% of that being family. It was however a surprise when most of those people showed up! The shower was given by my sister, two of my cousins and a very close family friend at one of my favorite places in the world, my Mamaw's. It was absolutely beautiful and I was so blown away by all the people that came to celebrate our sweet girl! She got spoiled rotten for sure and we received some of the most thoughtful gifts that I will cherish forever!

I am so obsessed with this monogram canvas made by one of the incredible hostess'!

Miss Nora sure is getting out there!

I loved the picket fence and grass. And that punch was incredible!

 

All the yummies..

They had put up a clothes line and hung these precious monogram onesies and charms on it.

 

My sister {who I call Little} was in charge of activities. She seriously could not have come up with anything more perfect.

She bought Nora her first Bible {complete with a note that had me boo-hooing} and had everyone highlight their favorite verses as guidelines for our girl! Nora is so blessed to have such a Godly young woman as her Aunt. 

She also had fabric squares for everyone to write messages to Nora on. Now my Nanny is going to take all of the squares and sew them into a quilt for baby girl! I know we will both treasure these sweet gifts forever!

How adorable is this bucket?! Those little pink moccasins are the sweetest shoes I have ever seen!

So unbelievably grateful...

Please excuse my crying face but this is one of those meaningful gifts I was talking about. My Great Aunt is an incredible seamstress and when I got married she altered all of the bridesmaids dresses. She saved the scraps and made this precious blanket out of them for Nora. She also made a tutu and headband from the material she had leftover from making my veil. I can't get over how thoughtful these gifts were!

Very excited about my diaper bag from my co-workers who also happed to be my cousins. Told ya, big family!

Another handmade blanket!

My little Southern girl already has an impressive collection of monograms!

A very very special quilt handmade by my Nanny!

We made an exception to the "girls only" rule for a couple of cuties!

Me & my beautiful Little {& Tiny, as she calls Nora}

The amazing hostess'. I have no idea what is up with the haze on this picture.

My beautiful Mamaw, who is also one of Nora's namesakes! 

The most incredible grandmother in the world!

As you can tell we were very spoiled! I am so thankful that my little girl already has so many people that love her so much!

 

 



You Don't Mess With A Pregnant Lady...

Happy Thursday everybody! I have a mini rant for you this morning because what better what to start your day than complaining, am I right?{Just kidding about that last part}

Anyway, this morning on my way to work I was listening to the radio and they were having a debate where people could call in and give their opinions. The topic of this debate was Mothers Day, it was the intern vs. the main host and the intern was very adamant that pregnant women are technically not yet Mothers and should not be celebrated on Mothers Day. **Insert screeching brake sound and picture me looking at the radio like this girl had just literally slapped me in the face** I honestly thought about calling in (which I never do) to tell her exactly how I felt but there was plenty of other pregnant women and veteran mommas who beat me to it. It irritated me so much although I do understand that she has never been pregnant so she has no idea what it feels like. What irritated me had nothing to do with the fact that she was saying you don't deserve a present for being pregnant, it was that she was saying you are not considered a mother while you are pregnant. In my opinion, the moment this little girl began growing inside of me, I became a mother. The moment I found out about her is when I {consciously} took on the role of her mother. It is my #1 priority and responsibility to make sure that she is taken care of and loved to the best of my ability. I know that when she actually gets here that role will take on so much more meaning and I will learn what it is truly about. But in the meantime, don't tell me that I have just been a host carrying this child, I am a mother, I am her mother.

That brings me to my next point. What on Earth makes people think it is okay to say whatever pops in their head to a pregnant woman? I cannot tell you how many times in the last couple weeks I have had several variations of this conversation. "When are you due?" *June 15th* (and these are the responses) "Oh my gosh honey you look miserable..", "Do you think you will make it until then, I don't see how!", "Well you look like you could pop any minute!", "Are you sure you are not having twins?". There are many more but those are the most common. First off every one knows it is not okay to make comments like that about a woman's appearance but especially a very hormonal pregnant woman! And the thing is I feel great! Yes I am exhausted and I am sure that shows but other than that I feel fine. And according to most people I am not even THAT big. So my advice next time you see a large pregnant woman, just tell her that pregnancy looks wonderful on her. Even if she is a hot mess.

Well that is my soap box for the day. Happy Thursday y'all!