Phoenix Art Museum

As an employee of J.P. Morgan Chase, Justin had gotten notification that we could visit the Phoenix Art Museum last weekend for free. Assuming Aspen didn't arrive, we planned to go because they were also having Kids Day that weekend. I am still pregnant, so Saturday morning we headed over to the Museum. As we pulled in to the parking lot she said, "this is going to be so awesome." I love how excited she gets about things and CAN NOT wait until Disneyland in December. We had taken her to this museum once before as they offer free admission on Wednesday nights for certain hours when she was around 15 months I think. The art is definitely not kid-friendly, but it is a good experience for her to walk around and have to be respectful and quiet, plus it is multiple levels and she loves going up and down all of the staircases. There was also a really cool dark room we went into that had a bunch of dangly lights inside and mirrors and you had no idea where you were going (and Justin even ran into the wall). Most of the Kids Day stuff was planned for the afternoon when Everly generally naps, but they did have Alice in Wonderland playing on a loop in one of the exhibit rooms and we caught the end of it and she loved it. Guess we are going to have to get that movie now. Here are a few pictures from our trip and one from when back when we took her that first time:



Little Evie

"He's stuck in his cage."

 

 

She had to jump on every single one of these carpeted dots!

 

Heading home!

Friday Night Soccer!

The past two friday night's we have been able to go watch my sister who plays soccer for Grand Canyon University. It is really nice because the school is in Phoenix and actually only about 10 minutes from my work and 15 minutes from my house. Two of my other sisters played soccer in college but they were both out of state so it is nice to be able to watch Katy play. The team has not been doing very good but Everly still has a blast going out to the games. The home games are still free too which is awesome because even her high school games cost money. Everly has been going to watch her Aunt Katy play soccer since she was just a few days old! Last fall we even made the 2 hour drive to Flagstaff to watch her play. She plays in Flagstaff again this upcoming weekend and I would love to go, but Aspen really needs to come soon if we even have a shot at going. If not, we will just have to catch more local games during my maternity leave. It is so funny too because I play in a women's league in the fall/spring and Everly is far more excited to go watch Katy play than she is to watch me play!

Literally less than a week old here. 

At Katy's final high school game!

In Flagstaff last fall. 

Justin couldn't go up to Flagstaff last year but he caught the game at home on TV! 

This past Friday night at GCU.  

A Baby First!

Yes, I am still calling Everly a baby because Aspen has not come yet to dethrone her from that title. A long time ago my sister painted Everly's nails (and never again) but I had never painted her nails. This weekend we did for the first time. I got a manicure and pedicure in preparation for the new baby last weekend (so much for that) and she has been really interested in how shiny my nails are so I figured it was a good time to paint hers. She did really well. It is not easy to maneuver around little baby hands, especially with a big belly, but she kept pretty still. Justin also helped speed up the drying process by blowdrying her hands and toes after I painted them. Little toddler painted nails is right up there on the cuteness meter with toddler undies! I said it makes her look grown up and Justin replied with, 'Wait until we see her next to Aspen." I don't get sad about her growing up because she is so funny at this stage but I do miss a lot of baby things so I am glad we get to experience that all again soon! I am trying to be patient but there is just something about hitting that due date that makes you REALLY ready to be done. Maybe Aspen wanted to give Everly a little more time as an only child before she steals away a lot of the attention. Who knows, but I am really grateful to have such a sweet little girl who is fun to spend time with and who is going to make an amazing big sister.

 

Pregnancy Update: 40 Weeks!

How far along? 40 Weeks

How big is baby? The size of a watermelon!

Total weight gain/loss:  They said I lost 2 lbs last week and while I actually think that all can vary so much depending on when they weigh me at least I am not gaining like crazy.

Maternity clothes? Yep. Can't wait to wear normal clothes again.

Sleep: Ok. Peeing 2-3 times a night is annoying especially when I don't drink anything right before bed and pee right before I go to bed. Where is it all coming from?

Best moment this week: The bedding came for the nursery so it is finally all complete!

Movement: More shifting and rolling and sticking out to one side.

Food cravings:  This week I have been craving homemade chex mix and I haven't gotten the stuff to make it yet so that needs to happen this weekend.

Food Aversions: None.

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs:  Not that I know of.

Pregnancy Symptoms:   A little bit of swelling but nothing even remotely like last time and it is only bad if I have been sitting for a while.

Belly Button in or out? In.

What I miss:  Beer. The first NFL game was on last night and I was just sipping on my water....

What I am looking forward to: the next step. I don't know how my labor, deliver, recovery, or maternity leave is going to go, but I know I am done being pregnant.

Upcoming appointments/events:  Made an appointment for next Wednesday. If I make it to then (which is likely as I have not shown any signs of labor) we will probably discuss induction.

Milestones: Ordered a couple of last minute baby items. Thanks to some gift cards from my birthday, Justin's co-workers, and my mom we purchased a Bob Double Jogging Stroller. It is normally $670 which is just bananas but was on sale as part of Target's Baby Sale this week and then I got 10% off from my niece's boyfriend who works at Target, 5% from my mom's pharmacy rewards and 5% off for using my target red card for what the gift cards didn't cover. I think personally we ended up paying like $20 so it was worth the wait. I don't actually plan on jogging with it, but my sister has one and they are great for walks and the zoo and I know this thing will be a lifesaver at Disneyland in December. I also purchased a diaper bag I have been eyeing for a while as part of this sale. It is normally $64 and I got it for $42 shipped so I am pretty happy with that!

This was the last print we added into the gallery wall in the nursery
this week and I think it is a very fitting way to end this post!

Nursery Update

Yay! Aspen's bedding came yesterday afternoon. I ordered it from Lullabies and Lollipops on Etsy. I had already gotten a navy crib sheet from Target and I ordered a gold dot changing pad cover, crib bumper, and crib blanket from them. They also gave me a cute little matching burp cloth as well (you can never have too many burp cloths). I know it did not have to be here before Aspen because she will most likely be spending at least the 1st month in the bassinet, but what can I say, I am nesting and I like having things done. My sister also finished making a letter "A" for the art wall and we hung that last night as well but I still need to hang 2 more pictures. I also need to buy a hamper of some sort for all the little laundry. Other than that, the room is done. I love how it turned out. It is girly, but not too babyish and most important to me is that it is not "store-bought" so it is unique. Can't wait until she is here to enjoy it!

Add caption

Thanks for posing, Oscar.

 

The changing pad cover

The letter "A" my sister made.

Labor Day Weekend in Review

Wouldn't that have been cool if I went into Labor on Labor Day weekend? Yea, I didn't...but that's okay. It was a very nice relaxing weekend and I got a lot of things done that I wanted done before baby Aspen arrives. To start off the weekend we went to my sister's soccer game at Grand Canyon University on Friday night. Everly had a ton of fun running on the track with other kids and dancing to the music during half time. I had some heart burn I think so I was kind of uncomfortable and wish I could have enjoyed the game more. She has another game this Friday (my due date) and then a couple of games in Flagstaff the following weekend. I really hope Aspen is here and we are out of the hospital in time to be able to go to Flagstaff and watch her play. We went last year and it is such a nice break from the heat but we will just have to wait and see. This weekend was also the last weekend for summer hours at the zoo (as members we get in at 6 AM during the summer). We took advantage of that and headed out for one last summer zoo trip bright and early. Everly was kind of in a "mood" (this 3 year old attitude thing is joyful) but eventually she snapped out of it and we had a good trip. She picked out a stuffed toucan at the gift shop and we also got her some giraffe glasses and she was so cute as we left and said, "thank you guy!" When On Saturday I was able to get my hair trimmed and colored (just to cover grey's, nothing crazy) and it is nice to have that done as I know there will be lots of pictures taken once Aspen arrives. We went to church on Saturday night and out to dinner just the 3 of us and it was really nice. On Sunday we got our cars cleaned out (mostly Justin did it all) and loaded the bases in for the newborn car seat. I think there was like 6 pairs of Everly's shoes in my car and like 7 headbands and lets not even get started on the toys! It is going to be so funny to see them sitting next to each other in the car soon. On Sunday we also got to see my dad for a little while before he moves to Michigan this week. It stinks that he wont' be here to see Aspen but he will likely have to be back in AZ for work a lot so at least we have that to look forward to. On Monday morning I went on a walk with my Mom, nephew and my beagle. My sister met us at the park and then we had bagels after. Justin and Ev met us for bagels and then we stopped by my sister's to pick up some last minute baby items that she had for me. We got a lot of cleaning done on Monday and I got a mani and pedi thanks to a gift card from my sister for my birthday. Some people say that a pedicure can induce labor but that obviously doesn't work for me. It was nice having Justin home the whole weekend and it is nice that today is already Tuesday! Tomorrow is my last currently scheduled appointment with my doctor so hopefully we have some progress tomorrow. With Everly I was induced at 39 weeks and 3 days pregnant and had her the following day. I am exactly 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant today so this is all uncharted territory for me and I have no idea what to expect!

 

These next 3 pictures...all the attitude!

 

Because a picture is just out of the question!

 

And then she makes up for the attitude with cuteness. Also, meet Toco the Toucan.

 

39 Weeks!

 

Today I am 39 Weeks pregnant. Some people might complain but I know enough now that I should be grateful to be able to maintain a healthy full-term pregnancy. Also, I really don't want to deliver before my due date because then I have to go back to work right before Thanksgiving instead of right after (although I have no reservations about going back to work after maternity leave, no one wants to work the day after Thanksgiving)! At this point, however, I am just hoping she comes on her own and that I don't have to be induced. With my last pregnancy I was induced as part of a trial study. My labor actually went really well. No complications, I went home the day after I delivered Everly, and I barely felt any pain while I was waiting for my epidural. The thing is, those first 3 months after Everly was born were really hard for me. I know part of that is due to all of the hormones and a lot is also due to the shock of having to care for a newborn for the first time, but I think that part of my issues started with my delivery. I didn't really experience labor. I can't even tell you what a contraction feels like. I obviously pushed Everly out, but I don't know what that felt like. I definitely didn't work hard. After she was born, I really didn't connect with her. Of course, I loved my child immediately but I remember feeling guilty that I didn't feel more connected to her. Although I successfully breast fed her for 6 months, I am sure that the struggle with that the first couple of weeks didn't help anything either.

When we decided that we would start trying to have another child, I started thinking about the possibility of attempting a natural (drug-free) childbirth. In general I believe I have a high tolerance for pain and I kind of wanted to challenge myself. I didn't talk too much about it, however, because I didn't want to be embarrassed if I was unsuccessful. As I began to research more in my second tri-mester, I really was shocked by all of the information I was reading. I was shocked to know that 1 in 4 births in America are done by C-section. That's crazy to me. I began to realize that it was kind of crazy for me to be scared of failing at something that women's bodies have been doing for centuries. I also realized that my "clinical" and "scheduled" delivery with Everly was very mechanical and likely lead to some of my post-partum issues. I became more interested in really committing to delivering naturally. I read Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way and really feel like it helped me a lot (I would have liked to take the classes but they are 12 weeks long and kind of expensive). I also watched a documentary called The Business of Being Born and read a lot of birth stories. I am still reading some in Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Justin watched the documentary with me and has also read a lot about what to expect with the labor as I know I will need/want his support throughout all of this.

It is really crazy how much I didn't know before and after I had Everly and it wasn't like we hadn't planned that pregnancy. We both took classes at the hospital, and I had a birth plan, but this time my plan is much different. A lot of women who choose a more natural delivery method tend to go the home-birth or birthing center route. I have always been happy with my care at my OB office and had fantastic nurses at the hospital that I delivered at (and really they did most of the work) so I decided to stick with a hospital birth. The problem for many people can be if your doctor or hospital sets a lot of guidelines around your birth but I don't believe that will be the case with me. Some of the things in my birth plan this time include the ability to go into labor on my own, the ability to move around and labor in different positions (as opposed to being hooked up to a monitor and stuck in bed), and the ability to delay typical newborn procedures done immediately after birth so that I can have that time to bond right after delivery. Both my doctor and hospital have been supportive in those requests, assuming that the health of myself and my baby remains well, which is really all I can hope for. I know that although I have a birth plan, things are likely not going to go exactly how I planned, but I feel I am more prepared for that now. I feel like with the support of my husband, I can do this. Sometimes I still get a little scared, but then I force myself to remember that this is how it used to always be and that I will be fine. I also remind myself that all ways of birth are amazing and that ultimately a healthy mom and baby is most important. Only God knows when/how baby Aspen will come, but I feel like I have done my part in ensuring the best possible outcome. My doctor will induce me if she has not come by 41 weeks so at most we have 2 weeks left as a family of 3! As of Tuesday I was still showing no signs of labor, but that could all change overnight so we shall see! I have a hair appointment and a mani/pedi this weekend so I won't be sad if she lets me get those things done before coming.

Nursery Updates

A few more slight updates in the nursery. I filled in the tassel garland with more tissue and I think it looks much better now. Also, one of the last projects I wanted to get done was the gallery wall area. I had bought some gold frames at Ikea, we had spray painted some other old frames gold and then last weekend I bought a cute mirror at Kohl's on clearance. My sister is also making a letter "A" for this area just like she made a letter "E" for Everly's nursery (and it is still in her new room). I was kind of stumped for a while on what to put in the frames. I had found some cute prints and ideas on Pinterest, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money so I was torn. I ended up printing a couple things that I had pinned, and I also printed a picture that Justin and I took when we were in Aspen on our honeymoon. It is not done yet, but at least it is a lot closer. Also, I got the email notification yesterday that bedding we custom ordered from Etsy was shipped and I can't wait to see it. At 9 days away from my due date today I fully understand we are cutting it a lot closer than we did with Everly's nursery, but being that this is my second I am also fully aware that she won't sleep in there for at least a month anyways! I loved Everly's nursery and although it is much different, I also really love Aspen's nursery too. Maybe she is waiting to come until I finish it...haha. I am not showing any signs of early labor yet, but I know that it can change overnight so we have started to pack a little. I put aside some things for Everly and Justin and I both have a bag started, although it is kind of hard to fully pack because I use my toiletries and electronics daily as well as still wear a lot of the clothes I want to pack. I did make a list, however, so when the time comes I am ready to finish packing.
 

Filled in tassel garland

 

progress!

A print for the wall from Pinterest

Another print for the wall

A photo we took in Aspen on our honeymoon that I got printed

totally not helping...haha.

packing lots of big sister shirts

all the nursing tanks!

Nesting, Swimming, and an Urgent Care Visit

Sunday was a weird day. It started out very productive. I got up and headed to the gym. After the gym I went straight to the grocery store and knocked that out. I came home and had breakfast and coffee before we started getting some cleaning done. Justin hung a few things that we have been meaning to get to in the laundry room (hooks, etc.). We took a break from cleaning to get in some swimming before lunch time. We got Everly to let go for a little bit and swim on her own and it got her nice and tired before nap time. We had lunch before she went down for a nap and she went down really well. Justin and I continued cleaning and we even cleaned in her room while she was sleeping and she didn't wake up. It was pretty funny. We were done cleaning and Everly was still asleep so I ran to Kohl's and picked up a cute mirror for the nursery. When I got back and Everly was awake, she was not in a great mood. She had gotten a couple of bug bites the day before and they were bothering her (the monsoons have brought a lot of bugs around and we are not used to them). We put some cortisone cream on them and then Justin started cooking dinner. After dinner I got a glimpse of one of her bug bites and it just did not look good so I called the pediatrician's after hours line to talk to a nurse. About a month ago Everly had and allergic reaction to a bug bite and itched it so bad that it turned into a staff infection so we were worried it was happening again. The nurse confirmed what we were thinking and suggested we go to urgent care right away. We didn't even know that they had special urgent care's for kids only but luckily there was one just outside of our subdivision. I realized we are probably pretty lucky that we have a pretty healthy kid to the point that we didn't know that. Everly was in a pretty good mood about going to the doctor. She was even more excited when we got there. We got called back as soon as we finished the paperwork and she immediately told the assistant that she got bit by a bug which was funny because she is normally more shy with strangers. She loved sitting up on the bed in the exam room, probably because normally it is me sitting up there with all of my prenatal appointments lately. The doctor said that it was an allergic reaction and that it was not infected yet, yay! She was being so good and so cute I decided to take a video of her while we waited for the nurse to come back in with a prescription for some stronger anti-itch cream. She proceeded to tell us she was there because she farted. We couldn't stop laughing. After we left we picked up her prescription and some Benadryl and still made it home just shortly after 8 p.m. I realized I was very grateful that all of that had gone so well and not taken overly long. I also realized that I am very grateful that I have a husband that does half (if not more) of the chores around the house and that after all of that drama, we came home to a clean house. At 38.5 weeks pregnant, I am not afraid to admit that I can't handle much extra so it was nice to not have to worry about a messy house or loads of laundry. Also, it was really nice to have a toddler that made us laugh the whole time. We really lucked out with this one!

Squirting papa.

Too sunny!

 

such a good patient!