36 Weeks - one month to go!

9 months down - 1 to go!

Our 36 week appointment was last week - a few days early - and from here on out Dr. Z and I get to visit every week. :)

Everything continues to look good - I NEVER take that for granted, and am always thankful when things are healthy and happy with baby (and me :)).

Baby girl is still head down and starting to drop just a bit. I only measured 34 cm (fundal height generally matches how many weeks you are along in pregnancy), but I was having a contraction while Dr. Z was measuring, so she's still growing just fine. :) (I can attest to this because all of a sudden my maternity shirts aren't even long enough to keep the bump completely covered - my wardrobe is becoming more and more limited each week.) They always ask how many contractions I'm having - but it happens so frequently throughout the day that I never know how many to say! Heart rate was high 120's. Haven't had the scale move much in six weeks, but I think baby is just taking and using all the energy for herself these days! :o) We also know there is some "progress" being made as the end is getting closer, which has made my nesting instinct kick in that much more!

Tired, before-bedtime 36 wk picture :) Gotta love the shirt gapping, too

Tasks completed this week:
* Hospital bag packing started with just a few things I know we will want to take for the little one
* Drawers filled with washed newborn to 3 month clothes
* Bought first part of Taylor's "big sister" gift for the hospital
* More progress made on baby #2's first baby book (same thing I did for Taylor using Shutterfly - from the moment we found out we were expecting and goes through the first few weeks together after her birth day)

Wishes, thoughts, and prayers right now:
* Hoping baby girl will choose to hang out and keep growing for at least a couple more weeks (hoping she stays put until after Spring break so Taylor and I can do some of the fun things we have planned together)
* Get outside and enjoy the warmth and sunshine while it lasts - looks like this summer-like weather might only stick around for another few days or so
* A few other work/life balance things
* Enjoy/appreciate sleep

Weekend

Blowing bubbles

Sprinklers

Snacks

Sorting, washing, organizing for #2

Baby chicks (wondering if this will have to be a regular part of our routine after church now that she knows that they are just next door!)

80 degrees, enough said!

We are halfway through March.

The temperatures soared to 80 degrees on Wednesday.

The sunshine and warmth was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. There is something about the changing of seasons that I love, and one of the reasons that I don't mind living in a state that has a true spring, summer, fall and winter.

Life got a little crazy this week, and being able to spend time outside with Taylor enjoying simple things like blowing bubbles, staring at tiny bugs, and racing each other up and down the driveway, was SO good for the soul. :o)

Besides, how can you feel anything but happiness when you are hanging with this little lady?

 (Just looking at this picture makes me smile - our little cool chica :))

Happiness is contagious!

Silliness and sunshine

In the process of getting the crib ready for #2, Taylor was full of silliness...

Carting around all her favorites

Deciding if the mattress is better for... sleeping

Or jumping :)

(This little shirt that says, "Duck, Duck, Moose" was bought for Taylor in Boyne City the summer we found out I was pregnant - and it is just starting to fit! :))

LOVE the smiles

And having silly play time with dada :o)

And Sunday was FULL of SUNSHINE, bubbles, and football! :o)

Warm weather feels SO wonderful right now! (And, you know you're 35 wks pregnant when you are actually sore the next day from playing outdoors - but SO worth it!)

34 weeks (well, halfway to 35 :))

One word for week 34 - sleepy.

All the pregnancy countdown articles say that the baby is 4 1/2 to 5 pounds - and carrying around that extra weight seemed to hit me harder this week. My run/walks are slowly turning into LOTS more walking with a little running mixed in.

I didn't have school today because of parent-teacher conferences earlier this week, so instead of my routine Monday appointments, I scheduled my 34 week appointment for today - and Ryan was able to come, too. :)

I even think I look tired in this picture :)

34 1/2 week stats:
* Baby girl's position - head down (even got to feel which direction she was curled up in - little bum on the right side, and knees facing left)

* Heart rate - 120's (with one period of acceleration into the 140's)... the heart rate has slowed down quite a bit since our last appointment as she has gotten bigger and more mature

* Number of times I have to get up during the night - 2-4 (adding to the sleepiness)

* Number of days left until due date - 39 (oh my stars that makes it seem so much closer!!)

* Next appointment - next week already..and each week after that until she arrives. I also get 'checked' for the first time next week, c-r-a-z-y!

* Number of Braxton Hicks - seems like once an hour or so - including right now as I type this sentence

* What I miss the most - sleeping on my tummy :o)

* What I am looking forward to most over these next few weeks - cherishing time with Taylor in her last weeks as an 'only child' and hanging out as a family of three, a perfectly timed spring break to allow me a week to get final things ready and have extra play time with little lady as well (also, make what will probably be the last real dinners for Ryan for a while as I picture that he will have to get used to sandwiches and cereal for dinner for a few weeks... ;o)), and, finally, the prospect of warmer weather on the way with maybe temps in the 70's next week! Yay!

* Things left to get ready before she arrives - adjust the crib mattress height, get pack 'n' play ready (it has become storage place recently for random items), get out Taylor's newborn clothing and wash it along with new little clothes we have bought, buy a pack of newborn diapers, re-install the base for the bucket car seat, get a hospital bag ready along with Taylor's gift she will get from baby sister :)

4, 5, or 6 weeks left? Only time will tell! :o)

Going under!

A little clip from swimming last night...

(Have I mentioned how wonderfully warm the pool is? It is so nice and the lesson flies by!)

March Madness!

I feel like the saying - "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb" is going to be true this month! It has at least started out quite busy. Lots of little random things to share from the past few days...

**First, at Taylor's swim lesson this week, she got to go swimming with dada! I was headed to a retirement celebration dinner for my dad afterward, and was attempting to stay out of the chlorine for the evening, so Ryan got to have fun splashing with the little lady this time around. Of course I forgot the camera, so I had to rely on my phone to take pictures, so they are a little blurry, but still captured the two of them having fun!

Doing the "Wheels on the Bus" song with Ty

Whale joined the swim lessons this week - throw the toy and swim to it!

Someone may have been more interested in playing with the little toy at certain points :)

Life jackets were a part of the lesson this week, which neither Ty or Taylor were a fan of :o)

** The same day as Taylor's swim lesson, we had her 2 year well-child check-up, and it went really well! Taylor was nervous the moment that we stepped in the room - she has a pretty good memory about from appointments with multiple shots or when we had to go in for all of her ear infections last year, but Dr. S did SUCH a good job keeping her calm and happy. He would show Taylor everything he was going to do on her little monkey first, then it would be her turn. Only one shot, too, which was nice!

Two year stats - Weight 26lbs 5 oz, Height 34 inches - both in the 50th percentile - pretty normal healthy little girl!

** After all the busyness of Thursday, it was nice to have a day off on Friday for some more relaxing play time!
Taylor loves playing with her blocks and we worked on sorting, stacking and counting the blocks, as well as pointing out colors, letters and pictures (the teacher in me can't help it :))

Pointing to the whale

And the sun

The color pink is the one Taylor loves pointing out right now

** Lastly, yesterday we headed up to the mall to do a little shopping, soft pretzel eating, carousel riding, and spent quite a bit of time in the sporting goods store playing with all the balls we could find

Helping dada while practicing his putting - pointing to where the ball should go

Getting the ball

Taylor's version of how to get the golf ball in the hole - no club required :o) 

It was a fun first week/weekend of March - and one weekend closer all our lives changing a bit! After Taylor's appointment, we talked about how her next one wouldn't be scheduled for another year, but then quickly came to the realization that in about 6 or 7 weeks we would be meeting again, only this time for baby girl #2! Walking out the door with Taylor's paperwork, as well as paperwork for the new baby, made it seem that much closer. :o) Exciting!