Welcome to the World

Baby Girl! 

We are overjoyed to announce the arrival of 

Claire Elizabeth

born December 28, 2011

2:26 PM

7 lbs 4 oz

21"

39 Weeks

Even though Baby C isn't due for another week, and I went into labor on my due date with James, I thought for sure I'd have a baby in my arms by now.

 

I took most of last week off to prepare for baby (aka nesting mode) and had to continue adding things to my to do list since baby hadn't arrived!

laundry

clean humidifiers

wrap Christmas presents

organize walk-in closet

pull out nursing clothes

organize playroom

go through magazines and scan pages I want to keep

vacuum (isn't that supposed to spur labor?)

pack hospital bag

go on hospital tour

organize winter outdoor gear

oil change

clean inside and outside of car (again with the vacuum...didn't work)

organize dresser

pedicure

girls movie night to see Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Now I'm just hoping, and crossing all fingers, toes and legs, that baby doesn't decide to make an early arrival this weekend.  Assuming he/she cooperates, I'll be back at the doctor on Monday. 

A Nursery for Baby C

I feel like I'm ready for Baby to arrive now.  The nursery is finished, supplies purchased, and clothes washed.  Much of the nursery is the same as James had, with a few new additions on the walls.

Wall Color: Sherwin Williams Butter Up

Fabric: Cottontail Toile (custom made by Javis Davis, no longer in business)

Furniture: Bonavita Peyton Collection

Glider: Dutailier

Pony Rocker: Pottery Barn Kids

Art above crib: The Animal Print Shop

The frames above the changing table will be filled with a baby photo and an alphabet name print (James has one in his room too!).

Okay Baby!  Three weeks to go, but we'd love to meet you sooner : )

Baby Pool

It is December, and that means that Baby C #2 is due this month!  I would like to say that we're totally ready, however I still have not made one trip to the baby store, we have not toured the hospital where I will be delivering (we're switching from where James was born), none of the baby "stuff" (car seat, swing, etc.) has been pulled out of the basement, and I can't find an outfit I like to bring the little one home in (which is obviously not critical, but for a sentimental mom still important).  I still need to wash all the sheets and (gender neutral) clothes since they've been sitting in boxes for four years, but the nursery is ready for baby to come home to (pictures to come, its been very cloudy here lately), and I do have enough diapers and wipes to get us through a couple of weeks.  I'm pretty sure the only reason the nursery is ready is because it was painted when we moved in over a year ago and everything else, for the most part, we already had on hand and was set up. 

Pictures of me have been few and far between on the blog, so here are a couple belly shots from the last month. 

32 Weeks

36 Weeks (excuse the bare feet this morning)

Official due date is December 31, but this baby will be coming this year (accepting all good thoughts and prayers that it doesn't need to be medically induced!).  Feel free to comment your guess on gender and arrival date!  If you are guessing the baby arrives in January, you will be wrong : )  Weekly doctor appointments start tomorrow!  

A Happy Thanksgiving

Four years ago today I looked a little something like this:

Four years later I'm in a similar state, except that instead of delivering in five days I've got five weeks to go (give or take). 

(Yes, I am wearing the same top!)

Funny man here was my helper in making the pumpkin pie we took to our Thanksgiving dinner tonight.  We have been blessed with friends who have generously opened their family's gathering to us for a couple of years when we haven't traveled back to KC.  James gets to play with his buddy for an evening and we get a full Thanksgiving spread, without all the work!  

We are truly thankful for all the blessings that have been bestowed unto us this year, including our funny man James and the one on the way.  We are thankful for our families, and even more thankful for the few times a year we get to spend with them.  We are thankful for our friends, especially those who make this place feel like home for us.  We have much to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

29 Weeks

Otherwise known as "I went to the doctor for a 3D ultrasound, and all I got was this lousy view of the feet". 

To me these feet look huge, but both James and Tessa had big feet when they were born.  Baby was super uncooperative, facing towards my back, and no amount of turning, poking or shaking was getting it to turn.  Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come! 

Good news is that baby is head down (low), everything is measuring great (normal) and is weighing in at ~3 lbs. right now.  She thinks this will be about a 7 1/2 lb baby, which would be a little smaller than James. 

So?  Girl?  Boy?  I'm in the home stretch now, only about 10 weeks to go!

27 Weeks

I had a mini fashion breakdown last week (which when you are pregnant means you just cry) when I realized that I had three more months of wearing the maternity clothes I had on hand...most of which were leftovers from being pregnant four years ago with James.  So I went shopping.  Except for not having a winter coat, I should be set until the end of December (hopefully).    

Edwards Orchard - 2011

It's the time of year where we head out to Edwards Orchard, our fifth annual trip (year one / two / three / four).  This year looked a lot like last year, except for a few things: the boys are a little bigger; last year our friend Shanna was actually days away from giving birth to baby Emma, who will turn one on the 20th; and this year we're expecting Baby C #2, much like we were the first year we visited Edwards.

I am clearly pregnant as looking back at the last four years has me tearing up at all the good memories we have created with each other and our friends. We had the perfect fall day full of good food, pony rides (he's a natural, obviously), feeding the goats, picking pumpkins, stocking up on cider donuts, apple cider and apple butter.  I LOVE fall!

James is clearly almost four, as at least 75% of the pictures are of him making a funny face, which he thinks is hilarious!  But you know what?  That's okay.  Because this is who he is right now.  Full of energy and laughter and silliness.

See you next year Edwards (as a family of four)!

A growing family

We are excited and happy to announce that we'll be ringing in the new year with a new arrival! 

Baby C #2 - Due Date 12/31/11

I am 21 weeks along (tomorrow), and no, we are not finding out the gender of this baby either : )  Everyone will just have to wait until he/she is ready to make its grand arrival into this world.  I have had a co-worker tell me it is surely a girl though, and she is never wrong.  But then again, I had a stranger in the airport this week tell me I'm having a boy, and she has never been wrong either.  So it looks like one of them will be wrong this time around.

I have been feeling wonderfully from a physical standpoint, and have been questioning all along whether I am really pregnant (aside from this growing belly).  The mental side of pregnancy has been more of a challenge for me this time around, which I will elaborate at a future date, but right now I want to enjoy sharing the happy news that Baby C #2 is looking healthy and is growing right on track. 

When we told James that he was going to be a big brother he responded "I don't want to be a big brother" in his classic, pouty, 3-yr old voice.  Luckily he is coming around to the idea, and has told me that he has a baby in his belly too.  Chris has shot down the one name I have suggested, but he seems to be on board with James' suggestion of naming the baby Jellybean.  I guess that name works for a boy or a girl?  

Lots more to come over the next four months!  

Photo by Blue Lily / 15 Weeks