34 Weeks & Growing...

I'm starting to reach that point.... the point of I'm ready to hold my baby, I'm ready to begin the craziness of a family of four, I'm ready to be comfortable again, I'm ready to have energy, I'm ready to be under 150 lbs (lol), I'm ready to get the inevitable over with, I'm just READY!  I have been way more patient during this pregnancy than the last... I remember around 25 weeks with Christian I started counting down the days.. haha!  This time I really wanted to take all of it in and enjoy every minute of it - but let's face it, there comes a point where it's just no longer comfortable and I'm there.  I also love the comments I've been getting lately... some of my favorites:  "Wow you are ready to pop!", "Gosh, you have such a short torso, I don't know where you're holding that baby!", "You're so tiny.. will you have to have a c-section?" - odd. and my favorite... "You don't look big enough to be in your 3rd trimester - Is that healthy?" LOL Seriously?!! How can I look ready to POP to one person and not healthy to another??  And how do people really have the nerve to say these things?  I can not imagine!  Just to answer these amazingly thought out questions.... Yes, I do feel like I'm going to "pop" but that's not exactly how it works.... I have an extremely short torso but babies are in a fetal position in case you have never read a book or watched a video.... I realize I'm a petite person but I made it though the first delivery just fine and I think I can probably do it again ;) Nor do I think it has anything to do with having a c-section.... And to answer my favorite, I am far from tiny... This belly is sticking STRAIGHT OUT and it's large and in charge!! But again, I'm pretty sure this has nothing to do with the health of the baby....    Okay, I feel better now!  By the way, I'm talking about complete strangers.. I am not at all offended or surprised in any way by the things that come out of my friends mouths.. That's just how we are! lol ;)

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Harrison weighs between 4-5 lbs and is about 18 inches long now.

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His fat layers - which will help to regulate his body temperature once he's born - are starting to fill him out and make him rounder.  His skin is also smoother than ever now.  His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well.  I also read this week that babies that are born anytime after 34 weeks are usually fine and only need a short stay in the NICU but normally do as well as full-term babies.  (This is a relief to hear just in case something does happen!)

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We had a doctors appointment today.. Update:  blood pressure great, H's heart beat was in the 150's and he was moving around so much he could barely get a reading, total weight gain - 27 lbs, and baby H is measuring around 31-32 weeks, which is about 2-3 weeks behind.. He said that was still perfect and everything looks great!  I have one more bi-weekly check up and then it's every week until Go time!!! =)  People have started asking me if I want to go early... The answer is No.  I want to go when God feels like it is time, but ideally I want to be completely FULL term.  I had C at 37 weeks and a few days and he was just perfect, but I would be fine if H decides to stay in a while longer.  We still haven't made a decision on inducing if he isn't here at 39 weeks but definitely leaning towards going into labor naturally as of now.  Nothing can replace the excitement of not knowing one minute when you'll have your sweet baby and then you are rushing to the hospital the next!

Fall Festival

This past weekend was perfect!  Friday night me, my mom, and Christian went shopping... and finally got a house full of groceries!  One thing I hate is being out of food - especially while pregnant! ha!  Saturday morning, Corey and I got up and took Christian to Neumeier's Fall Festival.  We have been the past three years so it's going to be our thing every year... It is always so much fun!  The first year we went there I was pregnant with Christian and we picked out his first little pumpkin!  He had a lot of fun this year running around the pumpkin patch!!  He wasn't as big of a fan of the horses this year as last but he loved them before they started moving and he made it a couple of laps - he was really not a fan after the first lap though.  After the festival we went and had lunch at Friday's and then did some Christmas shopping.  We got two of C's presents from "Santa" and some ideas of other gifts we want to get him and H!  I also found the perfect book that I've been looking for.  I wanted to give Christian a book the day Harrison is born from Corey and I that we are both going to write in.. I found one that is called "Big Brother" and it's just perfect!  I thought it would be special for him to get a gift that day and it be something he can keep forever to remember that day. It makes me teary eyed just talking about it, geez!  

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Sunday was also a great day... We went to church and then came home for a bit and ate left over chili that I made Saturday night, put C down for a nap, then we just rested until I left to go to Amanda's baby shower for baby Graham.  It was a great shower and decorated so cute by some talented ladies! =)  Baby Graham is due 2 weeks after baby Harrison and I could not be more excited about this... His momma is one of my best friends and it will be so much fun raising our boys together!!  I went home after the shower and Christian was still napping so I hung out with Corey - while watching football, of course!  I did a little work in H's room getting things cleaned out to where you can now see the floor.  C's nana came and got him for dinner and I was just super lazy other than cleaning the kitchen and doing a load of laundry.  When Christian got home it was bath time and bed time.  I feel like I didn't get to spend much time with him and I'm missing him REALLY bad now!  Corey and I watched a couple of our shows last night and I barely made it through the last one before falling asleep - I can not stay up late anymore... I guess I'm officially old and pregnant! ;)  Speaking of.... Baby time is getting REALLY close!!! ahh!!  Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend... We sure did! =)

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The pic on the left is our first year when I was pregnant with Christian, then C's first time to go, and his pic from this year... Gosh, time flies!!  He has changed SO much!

33 Weeks & Growing...

7 weeks left or 6 if we decide to induce!!! =)  I am getting sooo excited to meet our new little man and even more excited for Christian and Harrison to meet for the first time!!  I keep thinking about how amazing that moment is going to be when Corey brings C into the room.  I'm starting to feel VERY pregnant.... I have back problems when I'm pregnant and geez it hurts so bad!  I'm also starting to feel a LOT of pressure, so much that it almost hurts to walk.  I'm hoping that if I do have him early, I can at least make it to 38 weeks.  Ideally I would like to make it to 39, but I didn't with C so I'm kind of doubting I will this time, too.  We had a doctors appointment a few days ago....  Blood pressure was great, weight gain was great, H's heart beat was great, and that's about all there was to it!  We go back next Thursday and I'm pretty sure the weekly visits will start soon!  We also had a wonderful church shower on Sunday... we got a lot of great stuff and a TON of diapers and wipes (YAY!!)  However, his room looks a crazy mess with bags, tissue paper, gifts, and hangers, and tools that Corey is using to build the shelves EVERYWHERE!!!  I'm not lying when I say the only part of the floor you can see is the part the door swings open and under the crib... LOL!  My weekend is going to be dedicated to getting his room cleaned up and organized! =)

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Harrison weighs between 4-5 lbs and has passed the 17 inch mark!

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He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening.  The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance. - Yes, that was my child!!  I wasn't sure his head would go back to normal... he has his daddy's head for sure!  Sure enough, a few MONTHS later, he had a perfect head with a perfect head of hair! :)  I'm wondering if Harrison will be the same way... If so, it won't bother me a bit this time! :) 

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32 Weeks & Growing...

It was a very busy week and weekend so I feel like I just finished posting my 31 week post and it's already time for a 32 one.  I feel like things are starting to change... my body feels different, my belly feels much tighter and heavier, it even feels like he's dropped a bit but maybe he has just finally flipped to head down (praying).  I'm still sleeping really good and I'm feeling pretty good other than just being tired.  I wish there was maternity leave before and after the baby so I could get some rest before he gets here!  Overall, I'm feeling pretty great considering I'm 32 weeks pregnant, working full time, and have a 20 month old toddler to chase around! =)  My next doctors appointment is tomorrow - I have a lot of questions so I hope he's ready.  I usually have no questions or comments and they last a total of 5-10 minutes so I plan on getting my moneys worth this time. ;) 

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Harrison weighs near 4 lbs and is between 16-17 inches long.

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He will gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb.  He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz).  His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

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Two Under Two...

It really hit me today that we are coming to an end in this pregnancy... Today is October 1st which means we can officially say that we will be welcoming baby Harrison into the world NEXT MONTH!!!  I can not believe how fast it has gone by and it makes me kind of sad.  Sad that life goes so fast and before we know it, I'll no longer be pregnant... we won't be enjoying the excitement of feeling him move around in my tummy and the excitement of "when will it happen and what will we be doing??" will be over.. Don't get me wrong, the excitement of having him here with us will be so much greater.. It's just sad that it goes by so stinking fast.  And last... it makes me very sad to know these are the last weeks we will spend as a family of three.  Christian will no longer be an only child and our time will have to be split in two... I know that once Harrison gets here none of that will matter but right now it does  make me sad to think about.  I hope that is normal.  Christian is my baby, my angel, my absolutely pride and joy... I pray every night that he doesn't feel left out or ignored when the baby gets here.  We try to talk to him about "bubba" a lot but the truth is, he's just not old enough to truly understand what's going on.  I'm warning everyone right now... so if you are a close friend or family member reading this - It will NOT be all about the baby... it will be all about BOTH of my babies... or else, don't come visit! haha Just kidding - kind of. ;)  I want Christian to feel included in everything and not that he has been pushed aside because all of the attention is on the baby.  However, I do think he is going to be beyond excited about having a little brother!!  He is such a loving, gentle, and caring little boy and he will make the best big brother in the world!!!  Harrison is sooo lucky to have him! =)  

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So, let's talk about how insane it just might be having TWO baby boys under the age of two!!!  I mean, we planned this, but sometimes I think we are crazy! ha!!  It was important to us that they grow up together and hopefully are super close.  I would love to have a baby girl someday (we will see...) but honestly we really wanted two brothers close in age.  If we ever do have another it will be later... not this close together!  It seems crazy that it's all coming true... that we will have two precious little boys, only 21 months apart!  Things may be chaotic at times but I know the memories are going to be ones that we never ever forget.  I can not wait to start our life together as a family of four!!  It sounds so weird saying that!  If you are reading this and you have little ones that are that close in age - boys in particular - I am open for any kind of advice and suggestions! ;)