33 Weeks 1 day

How Far Along: 33 Weeks (7 Weeks left to go!)
Size of the Baby: Baby girl is the size of a honeydew melon (about 4.5 pounds and 19 inches)
Stretch marks: Not yet - but I've also been told that your stomach grows the most at the very end - so it's possible they are still in my future.
Weight gain: 30 pounds
Sleep: It is still interrupted a few times a night to pee, and then ten or more times to switch sides - which takes considerable effort now. Otherwise, I'm good :-)
Best Moment of the Week: I had all of last week off for the Thanksgiving holiday and it was heaven! I got to sleep in, take it easy and finish so many errands. I noticed that my feet weren't as swollen and my back got a break too. Sitting confined to my work chair is torture! Movement: I'm pretty sure she can now reach my ribs. Out of nowhere I will feel like my ribs are expanding and it's not very comfortable. She's been pretty good about moving when I push back on my stomach. I also think her head is now firmly resting on my bladder - I pee a million times a day! Last night I watched my stomach move like there was an alien inside haha.
Gender: GIRL! Although I had a dream that I went in for an ultrasound and they saw testicles. Now I'm paranoid I am actually having a boy.
Belly Button in or out: In...wondering if it will pop sometime soon?
Anything making you queasy or sick: When I sit for too long of a period my stomach feels too scrunched, like I can't breathe, or like I ate too much.
Labor Signs: No
Wedding ring on or off: Off! I'm so crushed. My fingers are just too swollen. I tried to take them off a couple of days ago and could not get them to budge. Brandon made me soak my hand in a bowl of freezing water, and we tried liquid soap and nothing would work. I waited a day, and then we tried again and managed to get it off - but my finger is still sore. I guess I can do without it for 7 more weeks :-(
What I miss: Lately I have wanted to sleep on my stomach so badly. I also miss wearing cute heels and wedges. The only thing I can wear are flip flops :-(
What I am looking forward to: Meeting her! I know she still needs to cook for awhile, but we're getting so excited to see her face for the first time. I really, really want to do an elective 3D ultrasound to see what she looks like. Brandon thinks I'm impatient...and I am!
Nursery: Just trying to get everything organized after her shower! I promise I'll share pics soon.
Emotions: I've been a little more emotional lately. I cried the night before my shower because the dress I had planned to wear (that I had tried on a few weeks before) didn't fit very cute anymore - a ridiculous reason to cry! I just feel so large. I don't like seeing my puffy face, and enormous feet. I want to have a waist again, and wear cute clothes! But don't get me wrong, it is ALL worth it. :-)

Avery's Library Themed Baby Shower

Saturday was our baby shower and I feel absolutely overwhelmed by everyone that came to spend the afternoon with us and shower our baby girl with love and generous gifts. My best friend Kandi and my mom hosted the shower at mine and Brandon's house and we decided to go with a library theme :-) We found the invitations on Etsy and they were made out of old library cards that used to go inside the front of the books. 

We asked everyone to bring a book instead of a card, and now we have quite the little library started for her!

Now for picture overload

My dad was caught sneaking food before anyone had arrived

A picture of my mom when she was pregnant with me

We had the taco man come and cater all-you-can-eat tacos, and they were delicious.

The amazing hostess Kandi who not only put the whole shower together with my mom, but also gifted us not one, but TWO Bumbleride strollers.

The red one is lighter weight and breaks down smaller than the turquoise jogger stroller. Could we be any luckier?

 It might just be pregnancy hormones, but I get teary-eyed every time I think about how blessed we really are to be surrounded by such amazing friends and family. I keep thinking about how lucky little Avery will be. Our little family is so lucky.

I'm also thankful for Brandon's mom who snapped the only picture I have with Brandon before the boys left.

8 more weeks baby!!

31 Weeks

When people ask how I'm feeling lately my honest answer is, "good, really good." And I almost seem surprised by my own reply. I guess I assumed I would be miserable this late in the game. I know I still have nine more weeks, and things can change over night, but for now I'm very grateful. Yes, my hands and feet and ankles are swollen, and yes my feet kill if I have to stand for more than 20 minutes. Yes, after I eat I feel so full I want to burst. Yes, I feel.so.tired.all.the.time. Yes, I wake up a million times a night to pee, and it takes me a good minute to wiggle, and manuever out of the bed. But I find myself happy anyway.

I do have to admit that I feel much better on the weekends when I am not confined to my work chair for EIGHT HOURS. My chair at work is quickly becoming a torture chamber. I used to be able to make it until noon before my back started to ache. Now it's more like 10 am. And I try and take breaks and walk around the building which feels like an instant relief on my back, but then my feet start to pound and they get even fatter. I'm wondering how this chair will feel six weeks from now? My plan is to work through the first week of January. If all goes to plan, January 4th will be my last day at work! Our due date is January 15th :-)

Baby Pics

Kandi asked me and Brandon to gather some of our old baby pictures for our shower this Saturday. I got such a kick out of seeing the difference between Brandon and myself! What is our little peanut going to look like? I was born with a head full of jet black hair, and he had blonde peach fuzz. 

He eventually grew to be a tow-headed, blue-eyed toddler, and I stayed brown haha.

Our little one could take on any combination and I cannot wait to see what it is.

30 Weeks

How Far Along: 30 Weeks - Ten weeks to go!
Size of the Baby: Baby girl is about 18 inches long and three pounds
Stretch marks: Not yet!! (fingers crossed)
Weight gain: 25 pounds so far
Sleep: It's getting slightly uncomfortable around these parts folks. I can't even count how many times I go back and forth between my left side and my right side. I think I'm starting to keep Brandon up too :-/ Not to mention that I have to pee at least twice each night.
Best Moment of the Week: I FINISHED MY PORTFOLIO! That's right, I have officially completed my Master's program. Hallelujah!
Movement: Oh, yes. A couple of weeks ago, the doctor had me start my "kick counts", which basically means that I am supposed to feel her move 10 times within an hour. It usually takes about ten minutes. She's a wiggle worm in the evenings - I think it's because her dad is home and she likes to play with him :-)
Food Cravings: Still no cravings - but my stomach sure is running out of room. After I eat a big meal, it physically hurts. I have to remember to slow it down, and eat half the amount. (Ha, yeah right).
Belly Button in or out: The belly button is standing its grounds, and remaining in.
Labor Signs: No
Wedding ring on or off: On, but question for you "been there done that moms". Should I take it off? My hands are swollen but with enough lube I can get the ring off if I want. The thing is, I don't mind if it gets tight - can I just leave it on? Or have any of you experienced a huge amount of swelling at the end that would cause it to cut off circulation?
What I miss: Being able to sit at my desk at work for eight hours comfortably. My back and hips starts to ache by noon. 
What I am looking forward to: My baby shower is next weekend! 
Nursery: We are almost done!! We just got the fabric we ordered to cover our glider, and we're still on the look out for a bookshelf, but the whole thing should be ready for reveal by my shower. 
Emotions: Feeling very happy :-) But very spacy...I seriously feel like I'm losing brain cells daily. It's a good thing I finished school when I did.

Baby Skeleton

It's November! I cannot believe how fast the last part of the year is flying by. Last night was Halloween and the first time Brandon and I have lived somewhere that gets trick or treaters! I made chili, and we had a couple of close friends over. The plan was to watch scary movies but we just ended up chatting and handing out candy to the adorable children of the neighborhood. Seeing them all in their costumes killed me - I can't wait dress up our little pumpkin! This was our costume this year :-)

 I found my shirt on Etsy from Babytalk Designs for $25 (I think)

There is a lot to look forward to this month! I'm assuming it will go by just as quickly as last month.

NOVEMBER

November 3 - Little Lucy and my niece Sofia turn 5

November 9 - My portfolio for my final class is due! I WILL BE A FREE WOMAN!

November 10 - Our close friends are getting married - Mann/Ogilvie wedding

November 16 - my best friend Brittney flies in from London for a 3 week visit

November 17 - MY BABY SHOWER

November 22 - Brandon's birthday and Thanksgiving day