Maternity Photos 4.18.21

I am so happy that Joe suggested we get maternity photographs to document this time. Our last pregnancy with our last addition. Minus the all day morning sickness the first trimester, I think this has been my favorite pregnancy and I definitely feel that pregnancy glow. I think I am just so appreciative of the moments with this being my last. But I am also in the best shape, and have put on the least weight! I have worked out consistently throughout this pregnancy and I physically feel so much better because of it. I haven’t experienced constant Charlie horses and sleeping pains because I am eating and drinking right, and resting when I need to! I also know how to position myself with pillows at night to make myself as comfortable as possible for being so pregnant.  I’m not swelling. This pregnancy is awesome, I wish I had figured some things out the first couple go around. I guess third time was a charm!

Besides physically feel better, sharing these moments with my little family has been absolutely amazing and I am really cherishing it all. The kids understand what is going on because they are old enough. They kiss and love on my belly all the time, and blow raspberries! (haha) Bran has been giving us an endless list of name suggestions which is hilarious. I know trying, tired times are coming. But I think in the long run taking the leap to add a little more chaos, and a lot more love is going to be totally worth it. Brannock and Amelia are going to make the best big brother and sister.

Laurel Coffey Photography took our photos at Glacier Ridge Metro Park. These are some of the favorites. I can’t wait for her to take newborn photos!

Excited to meet and officially welcome into the family Baby L 3.0 in 5 weeks or less! 

34 Weeks

34 Weeks. Baby is the Size of a Baseball Glove

Total Weight Gain/Loss? 24 lbs.

Stretch Marks? Nope

Sleep? I am sleeping okay, minus getting up to pee. I had one night I had a Charlie Horse, but it hasn’t happened since. I probably just needed more water.

Best moment this week? Amelia’s Frozen birthday, Bran sports. So many proud Mom moments.
Miss Anything? Not having to pee in the middle of the night
Movement?  Yes, often very if movements. I have trouble telling what parts are where.
Food cravings? I have been loving Oreos and milk

Anything making you queasy or sick? No
Gender?  After looking at side by sides of my 32 weeks bump photos from each pregnancy, all of my college friends are guessing boy because I am carrying very similar to how I did with Bran
Labor Signs? No, but lots of Braxton Hicks
Belly Button in or out? Out as it can be
Wedding rings on or off? On
How is mama feeling? I am slowing down a bit, but still working out and feeling generally pretty good. I just need to take a little more time to kick my feet up every now and then.
Looking forward to? Some quieter weekends, we have been very busy!

I am officially starting to feel very pregnant! I am getting tired more quickly and feel like I need to nap to keep up with these other two kiddos. My back gets tired and I occasionally experience some mild pelvic pain. My lungs are also feeling very crowded. I have continued to do some low key workouts and walk the dogs. I actually feel better staying active. I am just taking this all in stride. I am honestly in disbelief I only have 6 weeks left.  It is very bittersweet knowing this is the last time I will be pregnant. I love my pregnant belly and feeling all of the baby kicks and hiccups. It will be sad to leave this chapter of my life behind.  It has played such a huge role in the last 6 years of my life. 

The kids are so excited about their new little brother or sister. Amelia apparently told her teachers I was having a girl! I had to inform them we actually have no idea, they thought that was pretty funny! Bran loves to suggest names, the latest being Draco Malfoy (Brannock and Dada just finished reading the first Harry Potter). When I walked into Bran’s classroom to pick him up the other day 3 or 4 of the other kids swarmed me! This is the first time any of them had paid much attention to my big belly.  They had a lot of questions about why it was so big and kept touching it.  I think his teacher felt bad but I assured her they weren’t bothering me. 

I am starting to feel the nesting urge.  I really want to get the nursery settled, and the clothes washed. And I really need to make Joe sit down and think about names with me. It’s getting close!!

Bran had a big sports week! They surprised us by pulling him aside at Aquatots when we were there on a Thursday evening for swim lessons to test him. He had to successfully swim the full length of the pool doing both freestyle and backstroke. He passed and was graduated to level 5, he was so proud! Now he will be swimming the full length of the pool at every lesson, he is going to be one tired little guy! I can’t wait for him to learn some new swim skills and get more endurance/efficiency in the water. So now Bran is going to have swim lessons on Thursday evening and Amelia on Saturday mornings. I hope we can get them at the same time again because this calendar is filling up quickly with a newborn on the way!

Brannock also had his first day of little sluggers baseball.  He was actually a little nervous on the way there, it was really cute.  But he settled in quickly and had a great time learning to run bases, field balls, and bat without a tee. It was so funny watching all the little kids play.  They would all go running after the ball, and most of them forgot to run and/or drop their bat after hitting the ball. He can’t wait to go back!

In BIG news, Amelia finally get to have her first official birthday party!!! It’s the running joke that she has never had a party since she spent her first birthday in Florida and Covid ruined her second birthday. So we gave the birthday girl a Frozen party with some close friends and family. She LOVED “my birthday!!”.  The girl couldn’t stop smiling when we were singing “Happy Birthday” It really was great to celebrate her. I am starting to see how quickly she is growing up and blossoming into a sweet little lady.  Her language is changing so much! She is gaining independence, and emulates her big brother.  She is obsessed with dresses, shoes, and hair accessories. But then she jumps right in the dirt to play.  She is a perfect mix and I wouldn’t have her any other way. I am so excited to see her as a big sister. It will be a big adjustment for all of us, but I really think she will do great in her new roll (once she figures out how to share Mama a little more). Happy 3rd birthday my sweet sassy beautiful fun loving baby girl!!!

I witnessed and narrowly dodged being involved in a pretty bad car accident the other day.  It was only me (thankfully!) in the van and it honestly felt like it all happened in slow motion. A car right in front of me turned left on green at an intersection where traffic was backed up, and ended up being hit by an oncoming car (neither of them saw each other). The driver that had turned jumped out of his car and did not put it in park after being hit, and it immediately started heading back across 4 lanes of traffic almost hitting me and causing multiple other accidents before going up over the curb and stopping on the other side of the road. It was a mother and probably two year old boy in the other vehicle. It was terrifying to watch the cars hit and air bags deploy, I was shaking watching that car come back at me. I am just so thankful I was no more involved than being a close witness, and although the vehicles appeared to be totaled, everyone seemed ok. I just felt so helpless and was so scared of being hit while being so pregnant. I was so scared of hurting this baby when it was completely out of my control. I am still a bit fearful driving, but I am hopeful I can move past this anxiousness. I just want to keep ALL of my babies safe. 

The last excitement of the week was the Indorfs came and spent the night with us. We hadn’t seen them in over a year! The kids are getting so big.