23 weeks and slacking...

Pregnancy: 23 weeks

Weight Gain: still hovering around 5 pounds, but we'll see after my appointment on Tuesday

Sleep: Could be better, but it doesn't help that I'm staying up too late either. 

Gender: It's a girl!

Name: first name picked, middle is under slight discussion

Feeling: Like a major slacker. When I was pregnant by Aidan, at this point I was registered and had the nursery planned if not already started. With Baby Girl the nursery plans are literally just starting and I want to register but for my own personal list keeping and to get the completion coupon at the end. 

Health: I'm pretty sure I've got a sinus/ear infection again!. My jaw feels like I got punched, and Dr. Google said that with sinus issues that can mean an infection deep in the sinus cavities...which the green snot for the last week could be attributed to. 

Movement: Baby Girl kicks me in the bladder on a daily basis, but I still can't wait for the big kicks and the movements that I can see from the outside and Sean and Aidan can feel too. Oh, Sean felt her for the first, and only time so far, on Aidan's birthday! That was exciting!

Belly: Can't hide it now!

Next Appointment: May 3

10 on Tuesday

1. How many blogs do you read every day and what are they? (I’m talking the ones you NEVER miss)
I check my reader almost every day, sometimes every two or three and there's probably three or four blogs that always update. 

2. How many “best friends” do you have? Do you have different “besties” for different areas of your life?
That's a toughie. I've got different ones for different areas of my life for sure. My best, best friend is definitely my husband though. <3 

3. What’s your daily make up routine?
Moisturizer right out of the shower then the following about 10 minutes later: powder foundation, eyeshadow, waterproof mascara. If it's a good day I'll curl the eyelashes and maybe throw on some bronzer too. Probably takes all of 3 minutes. 

4. What is your ideal girl’s night?
Maybe dinner out or just hanging out at someone's house. 

5. Do you keep up with your nails/toenails or are they au natural?
Toenails are always painted, even if it means they are chipping away. Fingernails are groomed, but not usually painted. I would love to get a mani/pedi every couple of months, instead it's usually just DIY. 

6. What’s your best roommate story (assuming you had a roommate at some point in your life)?
Oh gosh, I have no idea. I’m sure there are some good ones.

7. What’s your “go to” outfit that you wear more than anything else?
Probably jeans and a cotton t-shirt, or if I'm lounging at home it's yoga pants/capris. 

8. Do you have a beauty secret?
No, but if you've got one to share then I'm all ears!

9. Did you read Seventeen magazine growing up?
Who didn't?

10. How did you learn to put on makeup?
I'm still learning!!! 

Happy 3rd Birthday Aidan!

Wow. I can't believe my little man is three years old already. Three. 

This glorious day started bright and early, right around 4:15 I heard whining on the monitor (yea, he's 3 and we still have the baby monitor on...so what?). I thought he'd go back to sleep, but instead he crawled into bed with us and cuddled right up to me, arms wrapped around me and everything. Let me tell you-ceiling fan on, minimal pjs, no covers, and a little heater wrapped around me-great sleeping conditions. I'll be honest though, I enjoyed his cuddles and about three years ago the pain of the induction had me up right around the same time too. I guess he was just trying to remind me of that day. As Sean's alarm went off a little after 8, I realized my little guy had moved over to cuddle with his daddy. What a priceless sight.

After a little pillow talk, Aidan and I got out of bed and moving to head out to the zoo, just the two of us.  With very little traffic and clear skies we made it there with no problems, well, except for when the Zoo Balloon was out of sight. We walked around the zoo for a couple of hours, and Aidan had a few must-see animals on his list: gorillas, monkeys (specifically meaning the orangutans), and the bunnies and chickens. He had a great time seeing all the animals and even went for a pony ride. Last time he was there it was for Boo at the Zoo in October, and he's grown so much since then. He was telling me where he wanted to go, what to see next, and when we could and couldn't leave exhibits. He didn't grow up too much though since he stayed close and even wanted to hold my hand when he wasn't cruising in the stroller. He and I had a blast despite the almost 90 degree weather and fairly decent crowd for a weekday.

We enjoyed some time at home where sleepyhead finished his nap he started in the car and then Aidan opened his gifts from Mommy and Daddy. We got him Cars and Toy Story kites, a Cars sling back chair for the beach, a Cars playmat for his little Match Box cars, and a set of junior golf clubs. He was very happy with everything and couldn't wait to play with it all.

Our yummy dinner was at The Pop Shop. He turned very shy when they sang to him, but had a great dinner and dessert overall.

What an awesome day for an amazing three year old blessing.

My thoughts on life right now:
Tomorrow is my birthday, but the best gift was given to me today: I was able to spend all day with the best little boy in the whole world and give him a birthday he really enjoyed. 
Very blessed. 

Terrific Thursday

Ah, hello Spring break, a much needed five days off. My morning started off lovely, sleeping in until 8am. Got up, got showered, got Aidan dressed and fed. Then it was time to take the little man to preschool. I LOVE doing this and so wish I could do it every time he goes. Of course I was running a couple of minutes late (which actually meant getting there right on time) because a road was closed due to the crazy rain we had a few days ago and I forgot that the ride would take a few extra minutes. Dropped him off and then ran to Home Depot to get two more bushes for out front that now need to be planted tomorrow before it rains. I was able to get a couple of things done around the house before heading back to pick Aidan up and chatting with the other moms before the kiddos came out to greet us. Loved seeing his smiling face when he saw his mommy was there too. It's adorable how he interacts with his friends and I love hearing how chatty he is after school.

Next stop was at my mom's. Aidan has been asking to go to Mom-mom B's house for a while now, so he was thrilled to spend the afternoon with her. So thrilled that he refused to nap for her because he just wanted to play. At least he was a happy boy all afternoon. And, lucky for me, my mom agreed to watch him a little extra longer than first anticipated since I scored an appointment at Toppers Spa to finally use a gift card that Aidan got me for my birthday/mother's day last year.

My afternoon of pampering started with the Revival Facial. It was an hour-ish of total treats to my face and it was fantabulous! The pregnancy hormones, while kinder to me this time around, are still screwing with my skin and I've always dreamed of that smooth even texture. Next treat, the Mommy-to-be massage...ahhhhhh. That was just wonderful. Well, it felt like it went too fast, but it was still wonderful. My sciatic nerve has really been bothering me, so it was a treat to get a good rub down. My last bit of pampering included a Signature Pedicure. Trust me when I say that my toes were in complete winter shape and should not have even worn flip flops out today until after this pedicure. I love the way my feet feel after a good scrub, poke and prod at the nails, and then a great polish. The only cons to this afternoon of treats was the intermittent construction noise during my facial that turned almost constant during my massage. Apparently they're renovating the store next door to make a bridal salon. Unfortunately the noise was louder than the spa music which was a little bit of a bummer.

I did enjoy all the pampering, did not enjoy the traffic getting back to my mom's, did love seeing my little man again, and even made dinner. On to Friday, day before the birthday party, and day of getting many things accomplished. Why do I always manage to add tasks to the to-do list the week of our parties? This time: plant 5 bushes out front, weed the side flower beds, and make Aidan a sand box under his play house. Crossing my fingers the rain holds out for me, especially since tomorrow is story time at the library too, and I'd love to be able to take Aidan to that.

Oh, and my night couldn't have ended any better:

 {listening to baby sister}

 {trying to wake up baby sister~"wake up *babyname*"}

{giving baby sister a kiss goodnight~then said "goodnight *babyname*"}

My thoughts on life right now: 
Pedicures should be mandatory once a month.
Facials should be mandatory every 3-6 months.
4 days until my little guy is 3, wow.
I would love to be a stay at home mom, or at least a part time SAHM. 
Yes we've picked a name, and it's not *babyname*. No I won't refer to her by name until she's born. 

What a weekend!

So this crazy busy weekend started with a haircut that Aidan begged and cried for on Thursday afternoon. Yes, my kid loves getting his hair cut and sits there with more patience than some adults. He especially likes his Miss Chrissy. After getting extra handsome, we went out for a birthday dinner at Nifty Fifty's for Cait with the fam. She turned 17 and got her license! That makes me feel really old since I remember watching her first grade play in elementary school and now she's driving. Aidan had a great time winning the jackpot (800 tickets) on one game and then shooting some hoops with Daddy as Pop-pop cheered him on.

Friday night Aidan joined me, Meg, Cait, and Kelsey for a chilly night at the Phillies. It was windy and cool, and we left a little early since they were losing and we were cold. Well, and Prince Aidan said he was ready to go home.

Saturday morning I wanted to get up bright and early and run a whole bunch of errands to get ready for Aidan's party and a few other things, of course I slept in until 9am. I seriously can't remember the last time that happened. Felt good and I knew that the to-do list was going to stay pretty long, but it would still be a good day. Aidan and I started our day at the library where he participated in an egg hunt. Thank goodness it was inside since it was raining off and on and only got worse as the day went on. He had a blast looking for eggs in between books, on shelves, and under things. His favorite part was checking out all the goodies inside the eggs!

After the hunt we headed to Deptford for a couple of errands before forcing him to nap in the car. The conversation went a little like this:
Mommy: Aidan close your eyes.
Aidan: They are closed. 
Mommy: If you don't close them you won't get to see Connor.
Aidan: Are we at Connor's yet?
Mommy: Close your eyes. Take a nap.
Aidan: My eyes closed! 
Mommy: Well then close your mouth too. Take a nap or no party. 
Yes, he was squeezing his eyes shut and still trying to talk with me. He finally fell asleep and got a nice little cat nap in before heading to Mrs. B's 60th birthday surprise party. He had so much fun playing with Connor and Taylor. She was quite surprised and the party was great. After the party we stopped by Meg and Colb's house to watch some sports and Aidan did some more running around, this time with their two dogs. Needless to say, we all slept great Saturday night.

Sunday was also one of those mornings we should have gotten up early but our bodies needed the rest. Once we got moving we headed over to one of Aidan's friends houses for an Easter party. The hosts are a really cool couple that own Wagonhouse Winery. They held the party at their new property where they plan on having a tasting room. We're super excited about it and can't wait to do tastings there. We love their wine and I already have a few bottles waiting for the day I can drink again. Enough about wine Back to the party...They had a moon bounce set up and later held an egg hunt. Aidan had a great time playing with two of the boys from his class, one being his bestest bud and the other a newer buddy. He also really enjoyed playing with his friend's brother. There were so many boys there!

We ended our day by checking out some big boy beds at a local furniture store, but still have to figure out some measurements and practicalities of that room of his. I can't wait until we find something though. Two non-committal people searching for furniture is never a good thing though. lol. We then headed over to the mall and surrounding areas to pick up Aidan's birthday gift, Easter outfit, and grab some dinner.

A very busy, but fun family weekend.

My thoughts on life right now:
Life is good.
Aidan is funnier every day "I can't go to sleep. I'm excited about my party. {5 minutes later-referring to his loveys} I can't go to sleep. There's too many animals."
Lots to do this week!
Wait, is my baby really turning 3 in a week? And he's got a little sister on the way? wow. 

Ten on Tuesday

1. If you work, do you drive to work or take public transportation?
I drive to work after dropping Aidan off at my mother-in-law's. Commute takes all of 15 minutes probably. 

2. How often do you get your haircut? Do you go to the same person every time?
Around every 6-8 weeks since I wear it down now, before I just went whenever. I do go to the same person and love how she cuts my hair. 

3. Do you read the newspaper? If so, a hardcopy or the online version?
Yup, generally on Sunday morning I read almost the whole week's local paper before reading the Sunday edition. I'm always reading yesterday's news...actually skimming headlines for anything of interest. Daily I skim the Yahoo headlines. 

4. What is the best book you have read this year?
Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Wells was very good. I need to get back into reading. I think I read 5-6 books in Dec/Jan and haven't picked up one since returning to work after winter break. 

5. What is the best movie you have seen this year?
Oh geez, I have no idea. Toy Story 3, but that was last year, right? I don't even remember the last movie Sean and I saw since I generally don't tune in until mid-way if we're watching at home. 

6. Do you tend to crave sweet or salty foods?
Sweet. I love candy, especially chewy candy.

7. Do you eat breakfast every day? If so, what do you have?
Absolutely. Usually yogurt, cream of wheat, oatmeal, dry cereal, dry blueberry waffle, or mini bagel with cream cheese.

8. If you celebrate Easter, what Easter treat/candy are you most looking forward to?
I love jelly beans. 

9. How late is “sleeping in” to you?
I'd just like to make it to 8am nowadays. I was up at 6:15 last Saturday. I guess I'm prepping for those sleepless days and nights. 

10. Where are you going on your next vacation?
We're going to Disney!!! :-)

My thoughts on life right now:
So much to do, so little time. 
Can't wait for Spring Break in a week. 

20 weeks-halfway there!

{Can I just tell you how much Sean loves taking these pictures and how I have to fake a smile to get through his whining or making fun of me? :-P}

Pregnancy: 20 weeks

Weight Gain: 5 pounds, seriously. :)

Sleep: Eh, could be better. Getting up at least once a night to pee and waking up to toss and turn at least once too. I also feel the need for a nap after work but Aidan doesn't seem to agree. 

Gender: It's a girl!

Name: first name picked, middle is under slight discussion

Feeling: Blessed, tired, a little moody, and the need to get things in order with the kid's bedrooms and no idea where to start...if I could find a bed for Aidan that didn't cost an arm and a leg, the process probably would have begun already. 

Health: Blood pressure is normal still, which is a big concern for me, but it didn't get higher until almost 30 weeks with Aidan. All blood tests came back great, except we're keeping an eye on my thyroid levels which came back a little low. I had three sinus infections over the Winter, so I hope this isn't the outlook for my Spring allergies. 

Movement: inconsistent flutters becoming a little more frequent in the last couple of days

Belly: Can't hide it but it's so tiny still!

Next Appointment: May 3

It's a Girl!!!

Wow! I mean, my intuition already told me that, but still. How exciting?!?!

Today was my anatomy scan, as well as Sean's birthday. After a minor wait and a blood draw to check my thyroid levels again, we were called back by an ultrasound tech I had never seen before. I was secretly hoping for the one tech that I love, but was a little disappointed when I saw it wasn't her. However, I couldn't have been happier with how the ultrasound and the tech turned out. The tech talked us through every single measurement, even of my ovaries. The baby looked magnificent, and was head down. At first glance, I thought I saw girl parts (only knew what to look for from seeing so many darn u/s pics on message boards I frequent), and then told myself that I certainly couldn't be sure. The tech measured everything and it all looked great. Things measured anywhere from 18w4d to 19w5 days, which is normal, especially since we weren't 100% sure on dates from the beginning. After getting all the necessary measurements, she went for the between the legs shot and the legs were crossed with no intentions of moving. After a little belly wiggling, she saw girl parts and said she was almost positive, but would have the doctor check again when he came in. She printed us off a bunch of pictures, a really cool one being of the bottoms of both feet. When the doctor came in, he said that everything looked great and when I asked if he'd double check for us, he said he was 98% sure it was girl, which is the most he'll ever guarantee.

So happy birthday Sean, I got you a "daddy's girl". But most importantly, we have a healthy baby on the way.

Oh, and Aidan was excited when we told him. His response was something like "really? wow." And he promised to be a good big brother and help take care of her. He even said he'd share with her, just not his bears.

My thoughts on life right now:
Thank God for blessings like these.
Another little one that will be lucky to have a daddy like Sean. 
Aidan is going to be an awesome big brother!

Baby Guessing Game

Well, we did this for Aidan, so we've got to give it a go again...



We find out this Thursday, Sean's birthday, what we're having. We're super excited but really just hoping for a healthy baby!

My thoughts on life right now:
Exciting time this week!