38 Weeks and MOVING!

I'm so close!!! If you don't like to read about bodies getting ready for labor you should definitely skip the next little bit...At my Dr appt this week I was 2-3cm dialated, over 60% effaced and measuring a week big. This is great news because he's a good size, but he's not ginormous and a C-Section is not necessary (well not necessary based on his size, anything could happen when I get ready to deliver, so please just keep your fingers crossed for me)  She's pretty sure he's already 8 lbs. She can tell he's a big boy. Raya was 6 lbs 11oz, so if he's 8 lbs already, he's a big boy. She asked if I wanted to be induced around the 3rd or 4th, but I don't. If I'm still pregnant as of Jan 10th, I'll ask to be induced that night so I can have him on his due date (which I would love!)...but I'd like to let him come when he wants, however, his lease is up Jan 11th, so he's gotta be out by then :) I'm super uncomfortable and tired of not being able to do anything for myself, so I'm ready, to say the least.

38 weeks!

We started moving on Monday. I love our new place! Its perfect for us. I've been so picky about the condition of the place, but I have to keep reminding myself that its a rental. Ah, lovely rentals. But the place has a community pool which I'm so excited about! AND we have our own washer and dryer IN our house. All in all, its 100 times better than the place we were in. So as annoying as it was to move out and as stressful as it is trying to get unpacked and ready for this boy when I can literally do Nothing, I'm glad we're here! So swim parties at my place! Start booking your plane tickets for the summer :)

20 Months - Raya Recently

Ms. Raya- It's crazy to think that this is the age you'll be when your brother comes. Next time I write your monthly update your little brother will be here!

Just when I think you're at the funnest age you get even funner!!!! (yes I know I said funner, but guess what, spell check didn't say it was wrong and everyone in Arkansas uses it :) You truly know how to be funny and you make me laugh all day long. Seriously, how did I get a 20month old comedian?! You have tons of words. Everyday its a new one. You are definitely able to communicate using your words. You've also said a couple phrases. When you were in the tub the other night you pointed to my belly and said "Mama's belly." And on Christmas you were jumping on your trampoline and waved "Bye, See You." I have that one on video! Oh, and your all time favorite saying "Oh, No!" I have that on video too. You say it with so much emphasis and expression. It's hilarious. You get sweeter and sweeter every day. Christmas morning you went around to everyone in the room and gave us all kisses. Pretty sure no one needed any presents after that :) Watching you open presents was so much fun. This was your first Christmas that you actually enjoyed opening presents and you were more interested in what was inside the wrapping paper where as last year all you cared about was the paper. We started the "25 Days till Christmas" countdown and you LOVED that. You knew where I kept all the presents, so at some point in the day you'd point to where they were and then go sit in front of the Christmas tree and wait for me to bring you one.

Size wise...lets see...you're probably close to 25lbs. I think you are 34 or 35inches tall. You are almost out of your size 6 shoes. I think you'll be able to wear them for one more month and then you'll be in size 7. You are way too long for your 12 month clothes, so I'd say you're officially out of that size. You still wear all of your 18month clothes and fit about all of your 24month clothes.

If anyone mentions anything about going outside you go to the room and get your shoes and bring them out to us. Instead of saying "outside" you say "shoes." You'll look at me and say "shoes" a couple times and that's my que that you want to go outside. You also tell us when you want to watch "Wow Wow Wubbzy." That's your favorite show right now and when you want to watch it you'll grab the remote and point it at the TV and say "Wow Wow, Wow Wow."

You are an absolute cuddle bug. You still love to play with hair and if I need you to go to sleep all I really have to do is give you your pacifier and let you play with my hair. You sleep until at least 8:30, and when you do wake up you'll lay in bed and cuddle until we get up. THANK YOU! Matter of fact, this morning you slept in with us until 10! Who does that? I guess you know we're going to be sleep deprived soon, so you're giving us all we can get now. I will totally buy you a car when you're 16 just for that.

And one of the funniest things (and possibly disappointing, you be the judge) Whenever we bring in Take Out food, you must smell it or know the bags because as soon as we walk in the door you say, with such excitement, "Ohhhh, mmmmmm!!!" You've yet to be so excited and say the same thing to any of the meals I've brought out to you from the kitchen. I've got to work on that :)

Everyday I am amazed by you. I know I am the luckiest girl in the world. It's impossible to have a bad day when I have a kid like you. Thank you for making my life so great!

Love you!!!!

Love, Mom

Family/Maternity Pics + 36 weeks

We FINALLY got them done :) I was getting a little anxious (ok, totally freaking out) that baby boy would come before we could get these done! There;s probably at least 10 pictures I love. The family ones turned out great. I would've liked a few more maternity ones with the family, but Raya was SO over it. And really, who needs more than 10 good ones? Usually Tara (my brother's girlfriend) does our pictures, but she had a lot on her plate these last few weeks, so I randomly found another photographer in the baby section on Craigslist. I was looking for baby furniture and saw her ad. That's the exact same way I found the lady that did our family pictures when Raya was 3 months old. Originally we had scheduled to do them last weekend, but we had to cancel...then due to my lovely pregnancy issues Gentry had the afternoon off to help me and she was free to do pictures. It worked out perfectly. And we got everything done in under an hour, which was amazing because I was wearing heels and by the 30 minute marker I was as over it as Raya ;)
Some of my favorites:

I have all my favorite in my Facebook album: Family/Maternity Session

I'm also 36 weeks pregnant! Yah, like LESS than a month and he'll be here! I'm excited for many reasons....
1. I finally get to see him! Definitely my favorite reason.
2. He'll be outta my belly. Very close to being my favorite reason ;)
I went to the chiropractor this week because I was in so much pain. On Wednesday I really thought I was going to have to sit in the car with Raya until Gentry got home-in 6 hours- because I didn't think I could get her out of the car seat and into the house. I really could not walk. Worst pain ever! I sat in the parking lot at Big Lots and cried. Lol. Partly because I was in pain and partly because I was so frustrated! So I promptly got online and did some researched and decided to make an appt with the chiropractor. He told me I had 7 ribs out of place on each side. Awesome. He believed that was mostly from baby boy moving and pushing. I believe it. He also said my hips/pelvic bone were very much separated. This is why I was in so much pain. And I can totally feel it! My hips click and just feel so lose. If that means that my chances of having this baby "fall out" while I'm, say, walking to take the trash  out I will be totally fine with that. So he did some adjusting. The next day I was still in pain, but today I've felt at least 50% better. And I will take it! I saw my baby doctor Friday and she said its up to me and how much pain I can take. If its unbearable she can induce me-which I'm not interested in. At 38 weeks she'll do an ultrasound and measure him because if he's big and my hips are completely separated there's a chance I'd have to have a C-Section- another thing I'm not interested in :) I really want to deliver this baby! The recovery from a natural birth is much better than a c-section, especially when there's a toddler and newborn involved. So I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that he's not too big and my hips cooperate.
3. I never really loved working out, but now that I've been in a situation that actually keeps me from working out I really miss it. So I'm hoping when he gets here I'll be able to start walking and working out again! I've become very thankful for what my body has allowed me to do and proud of what my body can and has done.
4. I want to see what he looks like! This is probably THE BEST surprise life can give you. That moment when you know you're about to see your baby, and then you do and they look nothing like you thought they would. Can't wait!!!
So now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that he doesn't want to come when the full moon is in full effect (which is Dec 21.) I'm actually keeping my fingers crossed that he stays put until at least Janurary. Wish me luck!!!