The Busy Brush

Delivers big time again!  I just love Ashley Keylor from http://thebusybrush.blogspot.com/ and she has painted 2 of the prettiest and most perfect paintings for the babies room!  They are so beautiful that pictures don't really do them any justice!  They look great in her room and these mark the 5th canvas paintings I have ordered from her and I can't wait until I need another one!  She is so easy to work with and also has 2 little kids (girls) at home.  She donates at least half of the profits from her work to Amazina (see the link on the right halfway down the page) and I am so happy to have gotten to know her just a bit!

39 Weeks Baby!

WEEKS: 39 weeks!

BABY'S SIZE: 20 inches, 7 lbs, the baby is the size of a small watermelon....small (ya right! : )

TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: 37 lbs now which I blame on laziness!

SLEEP: Sleeping has been interesting this week.  Either I am sweating or just can't get comfy.  When I sleep on my left hip it feels like my bladder is going to burst even right after I go and when I sleep on my right side my hips feel like they could crumble at any moment.  Regardless though I got some really good sleep in Friday not waking up once until 4:00 when Riley man called out for me.  I had told him that Mommy would be home in the morning and to call for me instead of Daddy and he did!-just a bit too early so after a snuggle and a kiss on the cheek from him (he is such a lover!) it was back to bed until 8:00!  Sunday I got up at 5:15 (BOO) and couldn't wait for the guys to arise! 

MOVEMENT: We have been playing a game this week.  She stretches out her little leg as far as she can until my skin feels like it is going to rip and I gently push her foot back down to where it should be.  Seconds later her little foot it getting dangerously close to breaking through my skin again and I push it back down and we do this multiple times everyday and it's crazy weird and completely fun!

SYMPTOMS: My belly is like a bowling bowl in consistency.  It is hard as a rock and painful to the touch at times.  I know she is coming soon because I remember this phase with Riley!

WHAT I MISS: I am just going to enjoy this last week and I am not going to miss anything from my pre-pregnacy days because Lord knows we have no idea and cannot 'plan' a pregnancy so it might be awhile before we are preggo again.

 CRAVINGS: Salty and sweet anything!

MATERNITY CLOTHES: I have once again discovered Derrick's clothes and I am LOVING the comfiness and roominess (did I just invent a word or two? or did I just grossly misspell them and make it look like I invented them?!) of them. 

WHAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO: No brainer=due date in 6 days!!! and the Superbowl of course!

PROGRESS: Today's appt I am still sitting at 4 cm dilated but am 100% effaced and she is at 0/-1 station and continues to be head down! 

We just realized that we are due on Superbowl Sunday and we are a f-ball loving family who plans out special appetizers and treats to enjoy while the games are being played so if our little one decides to make her debut and we are stuck in the hospital my dear sweet husband will be bringing in special delivery style Jimmy Johns and if I am really lucky (yep, pretty sure I am) maybe a small crockpot of chili cheese dip.  So we will make it special even if we do have to watch it on a tiny TV but the trade-off couldn't be any better...tiny TV for a tiny newborn and I/we will take the newborn everytime!  P.S. Go Packers because we have no border hatred and because Aaron Rodgers is freaking awesome and after all the Brett drama it would be fun to see his old team take the glory. 

We spent a quiet weekend running lots of errands to stock up on paper towels, TP, food, water and more.  It looked kind of like we were stocking up for the apocolypse!  We did sneak out for some fun on Saturday night with our good friends for Red Lobster...yum!  Our kids do so good at restaurants and giggled to eachother across the table in between bites.  Little Leah turns 1 on Thursday and could have to share a b-day with our little lady, but she is so sweet that I don't think she would mind!  Riley got to show off his fishing debut video to Sorin and Rach and I really should have recorded his reaction to watching it with new people because the boy was hilarious!  He ran commentary on the whole thing and laughed like a goon!  Thank you Rach for the cutest baby girl clothes and for borrowing me all the books and the doppler!  I hope you win big in Vegas and have a relaxing and fun time even though it will be hard to be away from Leah for 4 days! 

I was asked at Sunday School if I was a professional photographer (ha!) and I have been thinking about donating an hour session to the silent auction for Riley's school but have been dragging my heels about it. 

For one, everybody out there thinks they are a professional photographer and with dSLR's being so cheap anyone can afford them now.  My mouth pretty much dropped open when I saw how cheap my camera was this summer but so it goes with technology eh!? 

For two, I love my job and love how much time I spend with my family so do I really want to start an endeavor that would take me away from that especially with another baby on the way?

For three, I provide the insurance for our family and will have to do that for the forseeable future so I will have to work at least 24 hours a week at my current job to do just that and I just had another awesome review stating "leadership quality employee" and "will be in a leadership role with PN soon" along with a "you are coming back after baby right (hint hint I am begging you please come back)" so I would like to see where I go when I come back from maternity leave. 

For four, I could still enjoy taking pictures for friends which I have been doing for a few years now and be happy at doing it except that it is aLOT of work...

so the dilemma continues...to be or not to be that is the question : ) 

At least I have kept my promise to D and not paid for any professional pictures of our Riley for a very long time!  A little creativity and you can take wonderful pictures of your family even with a point and shoot! 

But onto more important goings on in our household...

We showed Riley his baby book last night and his U/S pictures.  He was in absolute amazement of them all! His response was "that me in Mommy's tummy!?"  He put his hands and feet on the stamped baby hands to compare sizes and he marveled over every picture of everyone holding him in his little hospital cap.  He is excited about this baby and although he probably doesn't understand we have prepared him the best we know how to and we have no doubt that he will be great with her and that we will have enough love to go around.  He also has now kept his big boy cotton unders dry for over a week with NO accidents!  We still put him in a pull-up for naps but he continues to wake up dry and go pee pee as soon as he gets up.  Way to go buddy!  We did go sledding quick after work this week to take advantage of the longer day hours and I was sad I couldn't go but watching D climb up and down the hill made me tired so I was happy to sit in the Tahoe and keep warm!

 So here's to my last 4 days of work and to being patient and calm as we await the arrival of our second little miracle. 

Dear Riley,

Did I ever tell you that I have loved you since I was 2.5 and my sister came home from the hospital?  26 years ago (almost to the date, Happy B-day on the 23rd Katie) I knew exactly what I wanted-YOU!  My first cabbage patch doll was a boy (Arley), when we got triplet dolls for Christmas one year I always wanted the boy doll and when I looked at the Sunday ads and cut out the carseat, crib and baby clothes I would buy for my child they were always for a boy.  You my son, were the culmination of many dreams and hopes.

Did I ever tell you that Daddy was really worried about what would happen if we found out you were a girl?

I never doubted that you were a boy so I can honestly say that his fears were unfounded and indeed I would have loved any baby that came our way but I felt it in my bones...YOU were the boy I had always seen in my arms.

Did I ever tell you that going back to work 12 short weeks after having you was one of the most devastating events for me and that at work when I look at your pictures or think of the day you are leading without me I almost certainly get tears in my eyes and miss you with an ache so deep that I have to take a walk?

Did I ever tell you that I lay awake on Saturday mornings (recently :) and cannot wait to hear your diapered little bum come walking into our room?

I dreamed about you for 9 months, I rocked and read in your nursery while we awaited your arrival many nights, I painted your bedroom years before you were discussed all the while knowing that one day I would have a purpose for the 'blue' room.

You are my first little love and you can only understand a small part of my love for you.  I can stare at you and just be happy watching you be my 'all boy.'  I love to play ball with you in the house and even though I act concerned when you knock a picture off the wall with a grand slam style hit~ I am secretly proud of your natural athletic ability.

I am so proud of you and I know that your sister loves you already.  She can hear you squeal with joy and belly laugh and I am pretty sure she is laughing in there and bouncing around happily as she usually has the hiccups after a particularly loud Riley encounter.

Your Daddy and I dote over you every night after you fall asleep.  We cover you up and leave with smiles of contentment on our faces as we retreat to bed and whisper how perfect and wonderful you are. We are like teenagers in love when we talk about you at night in all your dreamy, sleepy perfection.  You see even if you have been a bit naughty, once you fall asleep and your long eyelashes are still with slumber all is forgiven and the day is put to rest as we look forward to the next time we see your little figure looking up at us with trust and love.

Our family of 3 will soon be 4 and this new addition is something important that you get to be apart of this time.

You will get to dote on her and love her to no end.
You will get to protect her and keep her safe.
You will get to teach her how to throw a ball and hit like a pro.
You will get to take her fishing and build her safe forts to hide in.
You will get to tell her how you helped build her dresser and plan for her.
You will get to be her big brother.

You are special Riley and she will love you for all the same reasons we already do and together we will show her how much love we have to share and have already stored away for her.

You were my firstborn, our beginning and the start of something bigger and more beautiful then I could have imagined. I have cherished these last 2.5 years of special memories we have made.  I promise to love you all the same and to make more memories with you.

You are my very special boy and nothing will ever change how I feel about you.  


I love you with all the fibers of my being and just carrying your sister around for the last 9 months has made me remember and reflect on how special of a beginning you were.

Love, kisses and bear hugs,

Your Mama Mia

38 Weeks!

WEEKS: 38 weeks!

BABY'S SIZE: 19.5 inches, 6.8 lbs, the baby is the size of a small watermelon....small (ya right! : )

TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: 35 lbs now which I blame on laziness!  

SLEEP: Sleeping really great with a few bathroom interruptions.  

MOVEMENT: She is really liking her new space and kicking up a storm now!  

SYMPTOMS: Herniated belly button, the waddling has started and constant bathroom trips are taken everyday! 

WHAT I MISS: Fitting nicely in my scrubs and not having them fall underneath my belly.  

CRAVINGS: Salty and sweet anything!  

MATERNITY CLOTHES: Here and there but mostly just wearing comfy shorts/sweats after work.

WHAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:  A quiet weekend with no plans!  

PROGRESS: Today's appt I am sitting at 4 cm dilated, 80% effaced and she is at 0 station.

We had a fabulous weekend of lazy mornings, snuggles and putting a few last minute touches up in 'her' room!  Riley wore big boy unders all weekend and his cute little cotton underwear stayed dry ALL WEEKEND LONG!!!  We even braved him wearing them out to eat and the poor boy didn't want to wet his pants and dragged us to the restroom 4 times in an hour!  He earned himself a sundae and lot's of high 5's!  We celebrated Katie's b-day on Sunday and I even squeezed in the best pedicure I have ever had!  We are getting super excited and I am patiently counting down my last 9 days of work for the next 12 weeks!  The paintings I ordered for 'her' room should be here this week and I can't wait to show you how cute they turned out!  I also hit up Old Navy and got the cutest clothes for under $2 an item!  It is super weird to shop the little boys and little girls section but even D started getting into it when he saw the deals to be had (ha)!  Here's to enjoying the heat wave we are experiencing today!