Juice!

Josh & I received a juicer as an early Christmas present from Josh's parents. There are a lot of kinds of juicers out there, & after doing some research, we decided on the Omega J8006 because we wanted to be able to juice both vegetables and fruits, & wanted it to be easy to use & to clean. Why get a juicer at all, you ask? Josh & I watch a lot of food documentaries & have learned a lot about how we should eat to be healthy. It sounds simple, but really, who does it well? Josh & I do not take in enough, or enough of a variety, of fruits & vegetables. It's hard to do! A juicer makes it easy. You can make any combination you like - I'm currently drinking apple, carrot, celery, cucumber, spinach, & blackberries. The sweetness of the fruit is important. I'm certain I wouldn't drink it without!

Also, Elliot is a super picky eater. Unfortunately we can (very) rarely get him to try anything new, & what he chooses to eat is extremely limited. But throw some spinach, kale, or carrot in some juice & he'll drink it right up! This was a huge factor for us. We use healthy foods & vitamins to boost his immune system, & this helps with the healthy foods part.

I've already used it four times this week. Three times were some mixture of fruits & vegetables, & once we made orange juice. Yum! No more bottled stuff for us. It's really easy to use, & I'd even say fun! I feel healthier already. :)

Advent

This year, we decided to start actively celebrating Advent during the four weeks leading up to Christmas to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus as a baby, & to also continue preparing our hearts for the coming of Jesus as triumphant King (see the book of Revelation for more - it's pretty awesome). We decided to follow a reading plan that uses the Jesus Storybook Bible. Each story points toward Jesus at the end, which is really great, especially for the Old Testament. Anyway, we've done a pretty sad job of it. Between being out late some nights & sometimes just plain forgetting, we're seriously batting... well, I don't understand batting averages, but it's low. But, I feel our hearts are in the right place, & we'll do better next year!

I have realized though that I need to do some purposeful praying to get my heart in the right place. Even though I'd like to think that celebrating Jesus & God's plan for the salvation of mankind is my main concern during this time of year, I've found that it's just not. I have layers of tradition & cultural concerns built up around my heart. No, certainly not every bit of it is "bad." But I'm not pleased with myself. I'm not entirely sure where to go from here. I don't think anything drastic needs to be done - I think I just need to pray, a lot. Knowing the condition of my heart & mind is the first step.

It has been fun this year to see Elliot experiencing everything Christmas. He didn't get a lick of it last year, but this year he gets really excited to see "more lights!" & snowmen & talks about "baby Jesus born." Josh will be off work for a week & a half, & I'm so looking forward to spending all of that time as a family. Plus, I just love having him home! I may need to do some heart exercising to get it in good spiritual condition, but I will indeed truly enjoy sitting in the living room, twinkle lights on the mantle & candle burning to give my house that "real tree" smell, thanking God for the best three men in my life. Nothing wrong with that.

A Fair Trade Christmas

For those of you who are not familiar with fair trade, here is the Wikipedia definition (in part):

Fair trade is an organized social movement that aims to help producers in developing countries to make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement known as fairtrade indicating the certification advocates the payment of a higher price to exporters as well as higher social and environmental standards. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine,^[1] fresh fruit, chocolate, flowers, and gold.^[2] There are several recognized Fairtrade certifiers, including Fairtrade International (formerly called FLO/Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International), IMO and Eco-Social. Additionally, Fair Trade USA, formerly a licensing agency for the Fairtrade International label, broke from the system and is implementing its own fair trade labelling scheme, which has resulted in controversy due to its inclusion of independent smallholders (selling via contract production) and estates for all crops. (fairworldproject.org)

In the past few years, I have become more aware of how businesses work - the good, the bad, & the ugly. Unfortunately, when money is the number one priority, things like the welfare of employees & the health of consumers often go out the window. Many companies, when you trace back the products & the processes they use, either use child labor or forced labor. Prisoners in China (including Christians who are arrested for their beliefs) are forced to work in sweatshops to make things that we buy - that makes me sick to my stomach. I don't at all claim to live a life that is 100% fair trade. I'm just now even trying to be more aware of how I spend my money. So don't hear judgment from me. But it's something that needs considering.

I found some great websites & companies that are fair trade & have purchased many Christmas gifts through them this year. You can find delicious coffee, tea, & chocolate; beautiful jewelry handcrafted from renewable or even recycled materials, as well as other accessories like purses & scarves; home decor & collectibles; & more. Here are some of the websites I found -

Ten Thousand Villages - also has stores around the country, including in Austin
Trades of Hope 
Trade as One
Sseko Designs - super cute sandals
Hannah James - really cute jewelry
Apparent Project - jewelry made in Haiti with recycled material
Sit a Spell - a blog written by a woman from our church in College Station, she lists lots of fair trade products
Rage Against the Minivan - another blog with lots of fair trade products

There is also a store here in San Antonio called All's Fair World Gifts. You should check it out!

All About Jack

We've had six weeks to start to get to know Jack. Here's what we know so far:

He is super snuggly. So far this is my favorite trait of his! I love to snuggle & neither of the other two men in my life like to (though the older one sometimes lets me). His favorite place to be is on someone's chest. I like to try to take a nap with him during Elliot's naptime. He cuddles up in the crook of my arm. He also ends up there sometimes during the night, if he's not sleeping well. He does well during the first part of the night, but sometimes around 4-5 he wakes up & won't stay asleep in his pack n play, so I put him in bed with me. I don't want that to last forever (we like our bed to be ours) but I am taking advantage of snuggling with my little newborn for now.

He is pretty vocal. For the first few weeks, that was exhibited in goat-like grunts & crying. If you move him, he'll let you know if he didn't really care for it. Now he makes some cuter cooing noises too. He may end up being our talkative little man.

He doesn't really care for the schedule. I'm pretty structured & Elliot really fell into that quick, eating every 3 hours on the dot, full feedings each time. Jack just isn't predictable. Sometimes he'll go longer than 3 hours, sometimes less, sometimes he just snacks, sometimes he's a leisurely eater. I never know what to expect from him.

He just started smiling last week & they quickly went from small smiles to huge, gummy grins that make his eyes squint. It's adorable! He seems SO happy when he does that.

Since he has had reflux (that we have under control due to my gluten free & dairy free diet) & lots of gas, he spent a lot of his first few weeks pretty uncomfortable. That interrupted his sleep & left him pretty fussy when he was awake. Now that he's feeling better & learning how to get the gas out himself (phew!) he spends more of his awake time content, which is great. I know he'll be much happier when he's a little older & can sit up.

Although he mixes it up often, I'm starting to learn how his day is scheduled. He'll eat sometime around 6:30, then go back to sleep for a bit, then eat 2-3 hours later. He'll be awake for about an hour, then back to sleep. & repeat. If he stays up much longer than an hour, he gets really fussy & it's hard to get him to sleep for a nap. If he doesn't nap well one day, he won't sleep well that night.

I still feel like we're in survival mode, but that we're getting a grasp on things somewhat. I am really exhausted at this point; I suppose the adrenaline leveled off & now I'm just running on broken sleep. I've heard with the second, it take about 3-4 months to feel like you really have things down, so we're about halfway there! Phew. He's a real cutie though & I am looking forward to watching him develop & learning more about his little personality.

Bye bye bread! Bye bye cheese!

When Jack was about 3 weeks old, I decided to sit down & do some research regarding some strange signs he was exhibiting. I knew that the pain he was experiencing when he ate wasn't normal, as well as the wet sounding burps with no spit up. I discovered he had silent reflux, but I did not want to have him put on medicine. I read that almost all babies with reflux have an intolerance to something the mom is eating (or to their formula) so I decided to cut out dairy, which is the most common culprit. Three days later, he had a really bad day, & I realized I had eaten a lot of bread that day, so I cut out gluten as well (which is the second most common culprit). That removes a lot from your diet, folks! However, about 48 hours after removing gluten from my diet, he stopped showing signs of reflux & his demeanor continued to improve over the next few days. A lot of his gas went away as well. I'm really thankful to have found a natural way to make him feel better, even if it means giving up a LOT of delicious things!

I use almond milk in my cereal, & found coconut milk ice cream to be a good treat. There are a lot of gluten free products available, including sandwich bread, brownies, crackers, & more. You can tell they aren't the same as their gluten-filled counterparts, but it's easy to feel fulfilled & not deprived for the most part. I think the hardest part is eating out. Most of what is available at restaurants isn't something I can order, & it means not getting some yummy things that I used to get, like breakfast tacos or the occasional Krispy Kreme at MOPS (yummmm...). But I like being somewhat forced to eat healthier. Removing gluten almost guarantees healthier dinner recipes & snacks. My gluten-free granola has more nutritious grains, & dairy substitutes often have less calories. No more saucy casseroles, no fried stuff, etc.

Josh & I have slowly been refining the way we eat for a long time. Pregnancy always messes us up since I tend to eat a little more hormonally for nine months, but now we're getting back on track. As much as I don't think I would have ever chosen to do so voluntarily, I can now see going gluten-free as a lifestyle. I wouldn't mind using alternative milks long-term (I've never been a milk drinker anyhow), but I would like some cheese back in my life! (I plan on trying to eat some dairy in a couple of weeks to see if that affects Jack or not, since I'm not entirely sure it is necessary to remove from my diet like gluten is.) I'm certainly not suggesting that gluten is evil or that milk is bad, but it might be something we choose to limit, if not cut out of our diet long-term.

I am interested to see how I feel being gluten-free for a few weeks. I know a lot of people report feeling better not eating it. I'm sure part of it is that the diet removes a lot of the yucky stuff (like fried foods) which always makes me feel better! We also plan to eat less meat (& what we eat is organic, grass fed already) & more vegetables & snack on fruit instead of processed foods. You know, the obvious things - but aren't they so hard to actually do?? I don't mean to sound like we eat horribly. We don't. We eat a lot of organic & natural foods, no high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils, etc. But we definitely want to cut out most of our processed foods & eat more whole foods.

I'm also hoping this Jack-led-diet helps me lose the rest of the baby weight. Let's be real, that would be a great perk!! I lost a lot in the two weeks following Jack's birth, but still have some work to do. Hopefully I'll be able to get back to the gym in a couple of months when I'm more comfortable leaving Jack in childcare.

Giving Up On Perfection

I got this in a MOPS email this week & really liked it, so I wanted to share.


Giving Up On Perfection

by Kathi Lipp, mom and stepmom of 4

I may have to give up reading blogs.

Once again I've stumbled across a blog that my friend LOVES, and it's all about a perfect family who look perfect, who are making their clean eating, sugar-free snacks (from scratch) as they do EVERY DAY, living on their pseudo-farm, where not only are they all hard workers, but their kids are all gifted. And there are plenty of Instagram photos to document all this perfect-ness.

It feels like a bunch of mini-Marthas trying to out-perfect each other, and I have to say it concerns me.

"Here’s the thing:
WE are not designed to be perfect."

When all we are seeing is the perfect slice of a person's life, it can make us, the reader, a regular mom, feel like there is something wrong with us because WE aren't perfect. I live with daily evidence of my imperfection:

• My kids talk back to me.
• No one ever offers to do chores.
• I’m happy if I get dinner on the table (even if part of it
  came from a box).
• I may have (just possibly) watched a little too much TV
  last night.
• My second child has exactly one page of her scrapbook
  filled in.

But here’s the thing: WE are not designed to be perfect.
Let me see your dirty laundry.
Tell me about that cobbler that tasted like actual shoes.
Tell me about the time you messed up as a mom.
And let me know that you are being the best mom you can be, leaning on a community of moms, and asking for help and grace from others and God.

 

God, help me to be the girl you created me to be – living loved. Help me to see others through your lens, not to compare myself to, but to learn to love.

Jack's Birth Story

A few notes: If you question whether or not you should read something that has the words "birth story" in the title, then you probably shouldn't, so stop now. :) 

If you don't know how my labor with Elliot went, you might want to brief yourself for comparison. 

While I was pregnant, I began to pray specific things for labor & delivery. I wanted a different experience this time - a better one. I prayed that my labor would start naturally, & that I wouldn't need pitocin. I prayed that my water would not break to start labor. & I prayed that I would be able to enjoy Jack as soon as he was born. I was so out of it when Elliot was born, & I didn't want that again. I had friends dedicated to praying for these things too.

So I was starting to wonder if I might be the first person alive to be pregnant forever. Yes, I know that seems extreme, but we just kept waiting! Elliot came on his due date, so we kind of expected Jack to come by then too.

Saturday the 22nd we had a busy day. That morning, we went to the farmer's market for a while (& saw one of our midwives while we were there, who was surprised I was still pregnant), then went to the birthday party of one of Elliot's friends at the park. That afternoon around 4, I started contracting. They weren't too bad though, & the timing was not consistent, so I wasn't sure if it was going to turn into labor or if they would peter out. Josh & I had a date planned for that night, so we went out to dinner (Chinese, yum), walked around Whole Foods, & got gelato. The contractions slowed down after dinner & were pretty spaced out after that. I went to bed easily that night.

I woke up at 2 a.m. with a hard contraction. Realizing I wouldn't be able to sleep, I took a shower, then went into the living room to work through them. I knew I was in labor at this point; the contractions were painful & I had to stop & try to relax through them (as the Bradley Method teaches). I watched several episodes of Say Yes to the Dress on Netflix, & around 5:45 I decided I probably needed to wake Josh up & get things ready so we could leave when I felt we needed to. As he was getting cleaned up & packing last minute items, the contractions moved from 5-8 minutes apart to 2-3 minutes apart. We called Tyler, my brother-in-law, who was on standby, to come over to stay with Elliot & we headed to the hospital. On the way there, we passed by one of our friends out for a run & told him we were going into the hospital. He committed to praying for us for the rest of his run & throughout the morning. His wife texted me to let me know she was praying too. A few other friends let us know they were praying for us. So encouraging - we are very blessed!

We got the hospital around 7 a.m. In triage, I found out I was 5-6 cm dilated, & 90% effaced. Awesome! I was so glad to have already done that much work. Over the next three or so hours, I labored mainly in the shower (which really helped my contractions) until I felt I was possibly heading into transition. I could tell based on the pain & my attitude that I was getting much closer to delivery. So we had my midwife Amy come check me, & she told me I was 6-7 cm. What?! After three hours, I had dilated one centimeter?? As much as I knew not to put much stock into that, I was pretty frustrated & the pain was getting worse. Amy suggested breaking my water, but I was totally against that plan. I knew the pain would get much worse then, & I didn't want that! So she & the nurse left the room, & I labored over the birth ball. During this time, I felt led to pray that transition would go quickly, & that I wouldn't push for more than ten minutes. I labored & prayed for 20 minutes before feeling like I needed to push. I told Josh & he got them to come back in. I was checked again, & was 8 cm. Over 2 cm in 20 minutes - definitely in transition! Amy told me that if we broke my water, I'd be pushing immediately. I said, "You promise?" She said yes. So they broke my water, & she said, "Okay, whenever you are ready, start pushing." At the next contraction, I pushed, but barely. Then I hesitated to do anything after that. Amy knew what happened with Elliot, & she told me I needed to really push, & I told her I didn't want to push for 2.5 hours again. She knew I had been thinking that, & promised that I could have him out in five pushes. So at the next contraction, I pushed hard, & at the reaction of Josh, Amy, & the nurse, I knew it had actually done something, so I continued to push through & he came out! Jack was born at 11:18 a.m. on the 23rd after about 9 hours of active labor, weighing 9 lbs 12 oz & 21'' long.

Every prayer of mine had been answered - I went into labor on my own, had no intervention, & they even had to break my water in order for me to start pushing. No labor contractions with my water broken! I was able to enjoy the moment Jack was born, which was wonderful & emotional. God answered my prayers during transition as well. Jack was born with less than ten minutes of pushing. I was truly amazed & so very thankful! Our friends were able to rejoice in the answered prayers as well.

Because my labor was so much better this time, I felt better post-partum & have healed much quicker. My emotions have been more in check (though not completely normal, of course!). Every aspect of labor & delivery & post-partum has been better this time around. Praise God! He didn't have to give me a better labor experience. But He did, & I am thankful!

Week 40

Well, this is my first time writing a 40 week post! Elliot was born on his due date so this is new territory. I feel huge & uncomfortable & have no idea what is keeping him... I'd say right now most of my struggle is with my attitude. I don't want to be pregnant anymore, I want to hold my baby, & I don't like waiting! So I'm praying for patience & joy every day. Sometimes that is evident, & sometimes it's not, unfortunately.

Fruit/Veggie

Small pumpkin (weight)

Size

20 inches, 7.5 lbs (let's be real, my baby is bigger)

Baby Changes (Source: BabyCenter.com.)

This guy is COOKED. Let's go dude!

Best Moment this Week

This weekend my family came in for Bethany's dedication. My mom took me to get a MUCH needed pedicure (pregnancy has been really hard on my tootsies!) & we had a yummy family dinner at a local dive, The Cove.

Gender

BOY! Jack Wesley.

Movement

He is fairly quiet all day, then pretty active starting around 9 or 10 at night. Makes falling asleep pretty difficult, on top of not being comfortable & not being able to get mentally sleepy.

Food Craving

I'm so over food. I don't like how often I have to eat (fortunately I'm not gaining weight anymore, & even lost a pound this week). I would say I'm indulging a little more than normal these days since I know I'm close to being done (then it's lose weight time!).

Sleep

I'm having a hard time falling asleep these days, both at night & for my naps. Once I'm asleep, I am pretty well out, except for mornings like today when I had that after-4:30 a.m. insomnia.

What I am looking forward to

Well, besides the obvious looking forward to having Jack outside of my belly, this change in the weather & seeing pumpkins out at the stores is making me excited for fall. It is by FAR my favorite season. I'm hoping we'll be able to get out to the Pumpkin Patch this year (assuming I am feeling up to it) & am starting to plan Elliot's birthday party. Now that Elliot's older, it will be fun to do fallish things with him, like carving pumpkins.

Symptoms

Braxton Hicks/cramping in the front & in my back/contractions, fatigue, not sleeping as well (or as much, really)

To Do - NOTHING! We are ready for you, little man!

-Finish Elliot's room (buy bookcase, buy lamp, make up top bunk, move in his clothes/books/toys)
-Move Elliot to new room - he's done great!

-Get out baby clothes, burp rags, etc. & wash
-Wash newborn diapers
-Raise crib & attach mobile
-Fill out hospital pre-admittance paperwork

-Print birth plan & get signed by midwives
-Pack hospital bag including getting postpartum supplies ready
-Put together pack-n-play in bedroom
-Put together swing & bouncer
-Install infant carseat
-Check/replace necessary newborn supplies: pacis, bottles/nipples, pump parts

-Buy Elliot a big brother gift from Jack to give him at the hospital

Week 39

Fruit/Veggie

Mini watermelon (weight)

Size

20 inches, over 7 lbs (let's be real, mine's probably over 9 by now)

Baby Changes (Source: BabyCenter.com.)

Jack's just getting fatter at this point.... yikes! Come on little guy, come soon & be nice to Mama!

Best Moment this Week

We took Elliot to the Shrine Circus last weekend. (I should mention that morning Josh took Elliot to get a haircut & go to lunch so I could rest since I had been up that night with contractions, & I took a 2.5 hour nap which was awesome!) Elliot loved seeing the elephants, tigers, & poodles at the circus, & for some reason thought the motocross part was hilarious. Josh really enjoyed it too, & I had to look away from some of the acrobatic parts because I was so nervous & sweaty, afraid that they were going to fall to their deaths right in front of my eyes.

Gender

BOY! Jack Wesley.

Movement

Jack has been pretty squirmy. He seems lower than Elliot ever was, but I still wouldn't say he has "dropped." Maybe because his head is huge like his brother's was? We shall see!

Food Craving

I will say I have had a bit of a craving for childhood cereals lately. I had Kix last week & Corn Pops this week. I had to resist from buying Cocoa Puffs... ridiculous. I keep telling myself I WILL go back to my normal, healthy self after pregnancy!!

Sleep

Well, it's 5:19 am & I'm blogging. I've been up since 4:30... can't sleep. I am taking more potty breaks now which stinks. I am getting a nap every day to ensure that I am as rested as possible.

What I am looking forward to

We have no more fun things planned... I'm just looking forward to having this baby! This waiting game seriously gets me every time. There is no way to know when he's going to come! We are praying it's soon. Since Elliot was so big, it's easy to assume Jack will be big too, & labor will be easier if he comes sooner. Not to mention I'm just ready to not be pregnant anymore!

Symptoms

Fatigue, Braxton Hicks/cramps/contractions

To Do - NOTHING! We are ready for you, little man!

-Finish Elliot's room (buy bookcase, buy lamp, make up top bunk, move in his clothes/books/toys)
-Move Elliot to new room - he's done great!

-Get out baby clothes, burp rags, etc. & wash
-Wash newborn diapers
-Raise crib & attach mobile
-Fill out hospital pre-admittance paperwork

-Print birth plan & get signed by midwives
-Pack hospital bag including getting postpartum supplies ready
-Put together pack-n-play in bedroom
-Put together swing & bouncer
-Install infant carseat
-Check/replace necessary newborn supplies: pacis, bottles/nipples, pump parts

-Buy Elliot a big brother gift from Jack to give him at the hospital

Week 38

Fruit/Veggie

Leek (length)

Size

19.5 inches, about 6.8 lbs

Baby Changes (Source: BabyCenter.com.)

At this point it's basically the same... he's ready for the outside world, just getting fatter the longer he's in there!

Best Moment this Week

We had a fun Labor Day Weekend (see below). On Monday, we took Elliot to the Wildlife Ranch where you drive through & see lots of exotic animals. Some of them come up to your car, knowing they will get fed, which can be hilarious! It scared Elliot though when they got super close. There is also a petting zoo & some caged animals in one area. He loved the deer (& anything that looked like a deer) & the monkeys. We then went to a local Mexican food place, then that afternoon went to Academy & then out to Chinese food with Tyler & Kelsy & Bethany. It was a very fun weekend!

Gender

BOY! Jack Wesley.

Movement

Same... he moves every now & then, but for the most part seems pretty squished in there.

Food Craving

I wouldn't say I've had any cravings lately.

Sleep

I'm still sleeping okay, with the exception of a couple nights a week probably. So, pretty good really, compared to last time. It is uncomfortable to switch sides because I feel so big, & usually the movement causes a contraction.

What I am looking forward to

Jack coming! I'm feeling quite impatient. A couple of weeks feels like forever!!

Symptoms

Braxton Hicks/cramping in the front & in my back/contractions, fatigue, easily upset stomach.

To Do - NOTHING! We are ready for you, little man!

-Finish Elliot's room (buy bookcase, buy lamp, make up top bunk, move in his clothes/books/toys)
-Move Elliot to new room - he's done great!

-Get out baby clothes, burp rags, etc. & wash
-Wash newborn diapers
-Raise crib & attach mobile
-Fill out hospital pre-admittance paperwork

-Print birth plan & get signed by midwives
-Pack hospital bag including getting postpartum supplies ready
-Put together pack-n-play in bedroom
-Put together swing & bouncer
-Install infant carseat
-Check/replace necessary newborn supplies: pacis, bottles/nipples, pump parts

-Buy Elliot a big brother gift from Jack to give him at the hospital

Labor Day Weekend Fun

Though I would have been okay with actually LABORING during Labor Day Weekend (& I'm pretty sure that won't be happening), we have done some fun stuff together. I wanted to get out of the house & do things that we may not normally do (especially all in a few days) so we could have some special memories with Elliot in the weeks before we become a family of four.

Friday evening we went out to La Cantera, a really nice outdoor mall in town, & walked around & sat in the kid's area of Barnes & Noble & Elliot looked at several books he got really excited about (trains, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, etc.). I kind of hoped that walking up & down ramps & pushing a stroller in the 100 degree heat might induce labor, but all it did was make me uncomfortable. Shucks.

Saturday morning, we went to Magnolia Pancake Haus, which is a delicious breakfast place here in town. It's always super crowded so it's not somewhere we frequent often, but after a 50 minute wait outside, we had a yummy breakfast - Elliot had a waffle & some bacon, I ate some delicious oatmeal pancakes & eggs, & Josh had some corned beef hash & toast. After nap time, we went grocery shopping, then had some friends over for dinner (the family of the pastor I used to work with). We think they are great & love hanging out with their family & getting wisdom from them regarding family & parenting.

Today we went to church, hung around the house a bit after nap time, then went out to a Turkish restaurant with a Groupon I got recently. We had never had Turkish food before, & were feeling adventurous (which is rare; both of us usually stick to what we know we like) & it was a success! We got shish kabob, falafel, & baklava. Josh declared it the best baklava he's ever had. I personally was a big fan of the thick bread & Turkish olive oil. Yum! We'll be going back for sure.

Tomorrow we have some fun plans that I'll have to write about after they occur. I know Elliot will have a blast!

Week 37

Fruit/Veggie

Swiss chard (weight)

Size

Over 19 inches, about 6 1/3 lbs

Baby Changes (Source: BabyCenter.com.)

He is now full term & his lungs are likely now able to fully adjust to life outside the womb!

Best Moment this Week

Honestly, this past week was rough! Elliot had some kind of virus that left me doing a LOT of diaper & clothes laundry, then I'm not sure if I got what he had, but I had almost a week of feeling really cruddy (just now starting to feel a little better) & food running completely through me. Kind of concerning when what you eat is supposed to nourish two people! So it hasn't been great around here.

Gender

BOY! Jack Wesley.

Movement

Jack seems to have slowed down a lot in the moving. I'm guessing he's running out of room. I think he wants more room, since he tends to stick his limbs straight out my side, which hurts! We'll see if he likes to spread out once he's out here in the real world.

Food Craving

Yuck. Food & I have NOT gotten along this week.

Sleep

I'm actually sleeping decently - better than I did at this point with Elliot. Maybe because I'm not able to relax as much during the day so I'm more tired at night. I do still have trouble falling back to sleep if I wake up around 4-5ish, but I eventually do before my alarm goes off at 6 (though I usually don't get up until closer to 6:30).

What I am looking forward to

I'm ready to have this little fellow! (Though I do feel like I'm in a bit of denial that I actually WILL go into labor & birth this little guy & do the whole newborn thing again - having a toddler is so distracting!) We do have a couple of fun things planned for this weekend - yay for Labor Day!

Symptoms

Fatigue, Braxton Hicks/contractions/cramps, upset stomach. Going to the chiropractor has fixed my sciatic pain (the pain that went down my right leg to my foot) & has almost completely removed my lower back pain - it still hurts every now & then but not near as bad. I'm sold on chiropractic care!

To Do - NOTHING! We are ready for you, little man!

-Finish Elliot's room (buy bookcase, buy lamp, make up top bunk, move in his clothes/books/toys)
-Move Elliot to new room - he's done great!

-Get out baby clothes, burp rags, etc. & wash
-Wash newborn diapers
-Raise crib & attach mobile
-Fill out hospital pre-admittance paperwork

-Print birth plan & get signed by midwives
-Pack hospital bag including getting postpartum supplies ready
-Put together pack-n-play in bedroom
-Put together swing & bouncer
-Install infant carseat
-Check/replace necessary newborn supplies: pacis, bottles/nipples, pump parts

-Buy Elliot a big brother gift from Jack to give him at the hospital

Week 36

Fruit/Veggie

Crenshaw melon (weight) - I don't know what that is

Size

Over 18.5 inches, about 6 lbs

Baby Changes (Source: BabyCenter.com.)

He's shedding most of the downy hair that covered his body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. He will be full term next week!

Best Moment this Week

Hmm, it's been a pretty average week with good moments & bad moments. Nothing specific. :)

Gender

BOY! Jack Wesley.

Movement

Jack has been fairly active this week (compared to usual, anyways). I believe he moved a little lower in the past couple of days, too.

Food Craving

No cravings I can think of. Food still kind of grosses me out a lot of the time.

Sleep

Sleep is continuing to get more uncomfortable. I wake up a lot, & have a hard time getting back to sleep. If I'm up a while, I start to get hungry/nauseous so I have to get up & drink some apple juice in order to get back to sleep.

What I am looking forward to

We are looking to take Elliot to the circus, so that will be fun! I also have some fun dates planned with friends over the next couple of weeks.

Symptoms

My hip/back/foot pain has been off & on; I think the chiropractor is helping. My stomach is upset easily, not sleeping well, Braxton Hicks/cramping.

-Finish Elliot's room (buy bookcase, buy lamp, make up top bunk, move in his clothes/books/toys)
-Move Elliot to new room - he's done great!

-Get out baby clothes, burp rags, etc. & wash
-Wash newborn diapers
-Raise crib & attach mobile
-Fill out hospital pre-admittance paperwork

-Print birth plan & get signed by midwives
-Pack hospital bag including getting postpartum supplies ready - I only have a couple of items left to get together; almost done!
-Put together pack-n-play in bedroom
-Put together swing (together, but needs to be put in our room) & bouncer
-Install infant carseat
-Check/replace necessary newborn supplies: pacis, bottles/nipples, pump parts (need to be sterilized)

-Buy Elliot a big brother gift from Jack to give him at the hospital

Elliot

Elliot is at such a fun age (22 months), & I wanted to write down some of the things he does so I can remember them.

-He does not like messes. He wipes his hands on his napkin during meals, doesn't like the sandbox, & lets me know if he spills something or finds something on the ground, like a leaf, that doesn't belong. He likes to throw things in the trash, too.

-His communication has really taken off in the past couple of months. He was pretty slow to start out with talking, but now he picks up on new words all the time & is learning how to string them together. It's a challenge sometimes to figure out what he's saying, & funny to hear him really enunciating something - like right now, "reach" sounds like "rea-chuh."

-He loves Sage (he says Sagie, which happens to sound a lot like Daddy when he says it). He likes to play with her & tries to get her to follow him around (which only works if he has food). She's really good with him. For the most part, he ignores Toby, probably because Toby has batted him in the head a few times for touching him.

-He loves his cars, including his ambulance ("anse") & his tractor ("tactor"). He likes to look at trucks in books & asks if they are "big" (hand gestures included).

-He is pretty orderly, which I'm a fan of. He knows where things belong & is good at putting them back, & is good at observing on his own how things should go. He likes to line up his toys in different places - edge of the tub, window sill, any straight surface will do.

-He is really into coloring right now. We are working on colors & although it's hit & miss, he's starting to get them down. He loves to watch us color & has figured out how we hold the crayon so he holds it that way too.

-He LOVES to watch Sesame Street. I'll let him watch an episode in the late afternoon, usually when I'm cooking or doing things around the house. He is a big fan of Elmo & Grover ("Ro-rer").

-He is really a pretty content kid, & always smiles for strangers & doesn't shy away. I do see bits of rebellion throughout the day, & we try to be really consistent with discipline. It's probably the toughest part of parenting.

-He always wants us to kiss ("diss") something if he hurts it. He really has a tough skin when it comes to hurting himself, but I've noticed him getting more upset these days, then he'll ask for a kiss, & after we do, he's completely better. So funny.

-We try to tell Elliot about Jack, & have pointed out that the green frog in the nursery is Jack's, & the infant carseat next to him is his brother's, so he'll repeat those things back to us which will hopefully help in a few weeks when we actually introduce him to Jack. I'm sure we'll have some moments of jealousy, but I imagine he'll take to him pretty well.

I forgot one...
-Elliot always, ALWAYS whispers the word "yeah." I have never heard him say it at a normal volume. I'm not sure why; we certainly didn't teach him to do that. He says "no" just fine. It's funny!

Week 35

Fruit/Veggie

Honeydew melon (weight)

Size

Over 18 inches, about 5.25 lbs

Baby Changes (Source: BabyCenter.com.)

His kidneys are fully developed now, & his liver can process some waste products.

Best Moment this Week

Josh & I got to go to a wedding this weekend of a friend from Midland, & got to catch up with some of the parents of our friends from our high school church days (& my friend Kristin was there too!). It was great to spend time with them all. Also great - our house is being cleaned right now! Josh wonderfully hired a woman to deep clean our house (we've never had anyone else clean our house before), which is GREAT for my desire for things to be clean, but also my intense exhaustion & back pain. I am very thankful & glad that all that nitty-gritty stuff will be clean as we start off our family of four.

Gender

BOY! Jack Wesley.

Movement

I think Jack is starting to get more into position for labor - his bottom is sticking out more & I rarely feel his feet poking out on the sides of my stomach, which means he is hanging out with his back facing forward, which is good for labor.

Food Craving

I had an unhealthy craving this week - pop tarts! Oh golly. I gave in. I'm so ashamed!

Sleep

Same trend as the past few weeks - between my shoulders, lower back, hips, & stomach, it's hard to get comfortable. I'm SO tired when I wake up in the mornings.

What I am looking forward to

I'm enjoying not having much on our schedule these days. Our weekends are open for the most part so we are able to have a good mix of fun family time as well as productive time. I think we'll try to do a few more fun things with Elliot before Jack is born - indoors, of course. :)

Symptoms

Fatigue, Braxton Hicks/cramping, back/shoulder/hip pain, slight swelling, & my foot pain is now occasionally entire-right-leg pain. I went to a chiropractor tomorrow & got adjusted - my hips were out of alignment - so I'm hoping that helps. I go back Friday.

To Do List

-Finish Elliot's room (buy bookcase, buy lamp, make up top bunk, move in his clothes/books/toys)
-Move Elliot to new room - he's done great!

-Get out baby clothes, burp rags, etc. & wash
-Wash newborn diapers
-Raise crib & attach mobile
-Fill out hospital pre-admittance paperwork

-Print birth plan & get signed by midwives
-Pack hospital bag (around 36 weeks) including getting postpartum supplies ready
-Put together pack-n-play in bedroom
-Put together swing & bouncer
-Install infant carseat
-Check/replace necessary newborn supplies: pacis, bottles/nipples, pump parts

-Buy Elliot a big brother gift from Jack to give him at the hospital

Week 34

Fruit/Veggie

Cantaloupe (weight)

Size

Almost 18 inches, about 4.75 lbs

Baby Changes (Source: BabyCenter.com.)

His fat layers - which he'll need to regulate his body temperature once he's born - are filling out, making him rounder. His central nervous system is maturing & his lungs are continuing to mature as well.

Best Moment this Week

We had a great weekend with Zac & Cara. They loved on Elliot (& he loved them just as much) which was so great to see, since they mean so much to us but haven't been able to see Elliot in person since he was 2 months old. I have also gotten a lot done this week which is nice!

Gender

BOY! Jack Wesley.

Movement

Same old thing! This little guy is very consistent.

Food Craving

I have been eating a lot of grapes & white peaches recently (it's been a great grape season! nice & crispy). Besides that, blech, not a big fan of food still. Which is frustrating when I feel like I'm constantly hungry.

Sleep

Going down the drain that's for sure! I'm really uncomfortable so it takes a while to get to sleep. I sleep pretty hard still, minus potty breaks, unless I wake in the early morning (after 3ish) & then I have a hard time getting back to sleep.

What I am looking forward to

One day... I will wear jeans & a t-shirt again. That is very exciting to me!

Symptoms

Fatigue, back pain, shoulder pain when sleeping, Braxton Hicks, & a new one: foot pain. My metatarsal has been hurting for two weeks now & it's gotten a lot worse this week. Exercise is painful now, & I'm limping a lot. I'm hoping it's something that will go away after Jack is born... I'll be talking to my midwives about it this week.

To Do List

-Finish Elliot's room (buy bookcase, buy lamp, make up top bunk, move in his clothes/books/toys)
-Move Elliot to new room - he's done great!

-Get out baby clothes, burp rags, etc. & wash
-Wash newborn diapers
-Raise crib & attach mobile
-Fill out hospital pre-admittance paperwork (will finish up after my appointment Thurs, hopefully)

-Print birth plan & get signed by midwives
-Pack hospital bag (around 36 weeks) including getting postpartum supplies ready
-Put together pack-n-play in bedroom
-Put together swing & bouncer
-Install infant carseat
-Check/replace necessary newborn supplies: pacis, bottles/nipples, pump parts

-Buy Elliot a big brother gift from Jack to give him at the hospital

Week 33

Fruit/Veggie

Pineapple (weight)

Size

Over 17 inches, over 4 lbs

Baby Changes (Source: BabyCenter.com.)

He's rapidly losing that wrinkled alien look & his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move & slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (Hopefully they will do some overlapping, unlike Elliot who came out with a perfectly round head - though it looks nice, it hurts!)

Best Moment this Week

I got my massage Saturday which was nice - especially after Elliot's first puking episode Friday night. I do NOT do throw up y'all. I cannot emphasize that enough. Fortunately Mommy-mode kicked in so I was able to deal with it all (including cleaning the carseat - EW). Let's hope it's a LONG time before that happens again!

Gender

BOY! Jack Wesley.

Movement

Jack moved a little further down this week, which caused a LOT of uncomfortableness (not a word, but whatever) for me Monday. Besides that, it's been the same ole thing.

Food Craving

No cravings. I do drink a lot of water though; I'm always so thirsty & have to have water available at all times.

Sleep

I hit a new degree of uncomfortable with my lower back & hip pain, so I had to bust out the dumb pregnancy pillow. I don't like it at all because it's so big & hard to work around when I turn over, but it does help me sleep at this point so I'll deal with it for the next few weeks.

What I am looking forward to

Our good friends Zac & Cara will be here this weekend - we haven't seen them since their wedding over 1.5 years ago since they live overseas now. It will be fun!

Symptoms

Fatigue, lower back/shoulder/hip pain (the back pain is a lot worse now), occasional joint pain, Braxton Hicks & cramping. I get quite uncomfortable by the evening & just can't do as much as I could before.

To Do List

-Finish Elliot's room (buy bookcase, buy lamp, make up top bunk, move in his clothes/books/toys)
-Move Elliot to new room - next week!

-Get out baby clothes, burp rags, etc. & wash
-Wash newborn diapers
-Raise crib & attach mobile
-Fill out hospital pre-admittance paperwork (done online, but need to sign some stuff at the hospital next week)

-Print birth plan & get signed by midwives (got it printed & ready for my appointments)
-Pack hospital bag (around 36 weeks) including getting postpartum supplies ready
-Put together pack-n-play in bedroom
-Put together swing & bouncer
-Install infant carseat
-Check/replace necessary newborn supplies: pacis, bottles/nipples, pump parts

-Buy Elliot a big brother gift from Jack to give him at the hospital

Week 32

Fruit/Veggie
Large jicama (weight)

Size
About 16.7 inches, 3.75 lbs

Baby Changes (Source: BabyCenter.com.)
He'll gain a third to half of his birth weight over the next 7 weeks. He now has toenails, fingernails, & real hair.

Best Moment this Week
I loved spending time with Haley on Friday; we always have fun & good encouraging spiritual conversations - two components of a good friendship! We got a lot done in Elliot's room too. It's starting to come together. I have moved some of his toys in his room, organized by crates, & moved a lot of stuff out of it. My mom graciously came & painted three of the walls (we left a chocolate brown accent wall). Getting closer!

Gender
BOY! Jack Wesley.

Movement
This guy is still hanging out largely with his feet on the right side, so not moving around too much but wiggling & stretching plenty.

Food Craving
I can't think of anything I've been craving...

Sleep
My naps are so weird - Elliot wakes me up & I wonder if I fell asleep at all. I don't feel rested but I know if I didn't nap I'd be just plain exhausted. I'm starting to hit the insomnia a bit; if I wake up around 4 or 5 to go to the bathroom, it seems I have a hard time getting back to sleep (if I do at all).

What I am looking forward to
I'm getting my prenatal massage this Saturday - WAHOO! I can't wait. I also am just looking forward to Jack being here - getting to see what he looks like, learning his little personality, etc.

Symptoms
Fatigue, back pain, knee pain (I always have a little bit since I have bad knees, but it's been worse lately), Braxton Hicks, round ligament pain (stretching)