The Ultimate Hospital Packing List

Okay, okay, so maybe "ultimate" is a little extreme, but I think this list comes pretty dang close to perfect. And it was requested, so here you have it.

I had a really hard time coming up with my packing list. How much do I need to bring? How early do I need to pack? Most the lists I found on random blogs and pregnancy sites were crazy. No, I will not take my own hospital gown. Waste. of. money.

Anyway, my point is that you don't really need to take that much stuff. Nor do you need to pack that early. You probably won't be at the hospital longer than two nights, and if you pack too early you'll just end up staring at that bag and getting all depressed that you haven't gone into labor yet. Or maybe that was just me.

{Bring This Stuff}

- Laptop (Yay for wifi at the hospital! Plus this came in handy for entertaining ourselves with The Big Bang Theory while I was in labor.)

- Camera

- Video camera

- iPod

- Cell phone

- Chargers

- Purse (with ID and insurance card)

- Glasses and contact case/solution (Unless you have perfect vision, in which case I envy you. A lot.)

- Shampoo/conditioner (The hospital stuff just doesn't cut it.)

- Body wash (Same as above)

- Toothbrush/toothpaste (Oh my gosh, the best feeling in the world was being able to finally brush my teeth after being in labor forever.)

- Hairbrush

- Makeup (Hello...visitors and pictures?!? Don't tell me that you don't care what you look like.)

- Chapstick

- Deodorant (After the mess of childbirth, you at least don't want to smell like b.o.)

- Ponytail holders

- Hair dryer (I'm so glad I took mine because the hospital didn't have one in the room.)

- Flip flops (Hospital floors...need I say more?)

- Snacks (Or better yet, just eat the ones that people bring you. Thanks, Mom!)

- Pajamas (You will get tired of that hospital gown. I learned my lesson with Avery. Just bring PJs that you don't mind getting, uh, dirty.)

- Nursing bras/tanks (Do NOT forget these if you're nursing!)

- Lounge clothes

- Boppy (This is SO helpful, especially when you're just starting breastfeeding.)

- Going home outfit (It doesn't have to be maternity like the books say, but keep in mind that you won't fit into your 6s right away. And if you do, I hate you.)

- Going home outfit/blanket for baby (We didn't do anything fancy, just cute onesies and matching socks/blankets.)

- Onesies/socks for baby at hospital (I didn't bring this for Avery, and I still regret not having cute outfits for all the pictures we took of her at the hospital.)

- Carseat (Install it before you leave the house.)

- Gift for sibling "from" baby (We kept it pretty simple. We gave Avery a drawing pad and some Tinkerbell art supplies.)

{Don't Bring This Stuff}

- Pillow (Save your packing space. Maybe bring your own pillowcase. It's not like you can really sleep with all the nurses bothering you checking on you every couple of hours.)

- Socks (I'm a flip flop girl though.)

- Books (I did read one chapter in a Kindle book, but there just wasn't much quiet reading time.)

- Breast pads/nipple cream (Your milk hasn't come in enough to need the pads at the hospital, and they can give you nipple cream samples if you need it.)

- Diaper bag (My hospital gives you a huge diaper bag [with an awesome fleece blanket inside!], so that was plenty big enough to take home all of those supplies that you're paying out the butt for and definitely need to take with you.)

- Extra underwear (Yeah, don't bother. Embrace the mesh panties; they are a blessing from God.)

Whew! I think that about covers it. And don't forget that (unless you live like an hour from your hospital) you can always send your mama or your man home to pick up anything you might need. It's the least they can do after you spend 11 hours in labor and push out a 10+ pound baby ;)

Happy packing!

Landon's Birth Story

I've been trying to write this all week (starting at the hospital), not because I think you necessarily want to read all of the fun details about Landon's arrival, but because I am finding that I cannot remember anything anymore and that is a problem. So this is for me. :) 

I mentioned in my last pregnancy post that I was going to be induced on Tuesday, May 31, which was only one day past Landon's due date. Even though I chose that date, I was really second-guessing the decision once it looked like I wasn't actually going to go into labor on my own.

(Back story, I was induced at 41w2d with Avery, and it was not a pleasant experience. I was in labor for 19 hours, pushed for 2, had two epidurals, threw up a lot, was thisclose to having an emergency c-section but my doctor is awesome, had major tearing, and couldn't hold my baby right away because the NICU nurses took her because her heart rate was crazy low. She ended up being just fine, but it definitely wasn't the birth experience we were expecting.)

Back to Landon. My mom came and stayed at our house on Monday night (she was keeping Avery on Tuesday) since we had to leave so early, and we made it out the door to be at the hospital by 6:00 am. They took us back right away, and I filled out paperwork while they got me hooked up to the little contraction monitor thing and set up my IV (eek). I was already contracting quite a bit on my own, but they weren't as regular as they needed to be, and I was already dilated to 4 cm. I asked if, instead of starting the Pitocin right away, Dr. D could just break my water and see if that would help get things going. He was down, so after he broke my water at 8:30 (which, by the way, might be the grossest experience ever), Matt and I started walking laps around the postpartum wing. For the record, we made 14 laps and made friends with the postpartum nurses (which definitely came in handy!). We went back to the room to watch some Big Bang Theory and nap a little bit, but by 11:00 am there wasn't enough progress, so they started Pitocin at 11:15.

I got my epidural at noon. I'm not even ashamed. It was awesome.

I progressed pretty slowly, considering how dilated I was when we got there, so around 2ish Dr. D wanted to see if Landon was in occiput posterior (OP) position (aka "sunny side up") since that can make labor take much longer. (Avery was OP also.) Sure enough, he was. My (amazing) nurses decided to try to move me into different positions to try to get him to move on his own, but somewhere in the process, Landon got moved into a position that he did not like because his heart rate just plummeted. All of a sudden, I had an oxygen mask on, Landon had an internal fetal monitor, and the nurses and Dr. D looked really concerned. I overheard one of the nurses make mention about getting an OR ready just in case. After a scary few minutes that felt more like hours, we heard Landon's heart rate pick back up, and we breathed a sigh of relief. They turned off the Pitocin for awhile and kept me on oxygen to give Landon some time to recover.

I was super nauseous through the second half of labor (pretty sure it was because I was starving) and was finally able to throw up right before it was time to push. Aaahhhh. Lovely, right?

Anyway, after 25 minutes of pushing, I heard Dr. D chuckle as he said, "Well I was a little off; that's a big boy!" Landon was placed on my chest at 7:24 pm, and the scale proved that he was, in fact, a big boy at 10 lb 6 oz (as opposed to the 7.5 lb that Dr. D estimated)!

Landon got cleaned up and I got some food (Sonic burger and fries...mmm).

And Landon finally got to meet his big sister (who is just smitten with this little boy).

Landon's first hours of life were also spent with Grandma and Grandaddy, Uncle Aaron, Aunt Chelsea, and Aunt Allison (Uncle Nick was camping in Minnesota but assures Landon that he'll make it up to him).

We just love this precious baby boy and are so thankful for our family of four.

40 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 40 weeks! Only 0 more to go... oh, wait.

Size of baby: About 20 inches long and 7.5 lbs

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 28 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: Tired of them. Although, I did wear one of my maternity cotton sundresses yesterday, and now I'm wondering why I haven't been wearing those every single day!

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: I got pretty much no sleep last night, but the few nights before that have been okay. 

What I miss: Feeling normal. That should encompass the multitude of things I miss.

Cravings: Nothing anymore. Well, I guess Chick-fil-a counts since I eat that multiple times a week. It's only a little embarrassing. At least I alternate locations so they don't think I'm too crazy. :)

Symptoms: Ugh, I've had so many early labor symptoms, even to the point of timing contractions and thinking we're SO close. And then it just all stops.

Best moment this week: It's been a decent week, but we are SO BEYOND READY to meet this wiggly little boy!



I debated even posting this next part, so judge all you want, but this is my last pregnancy post (for baby #2 anyway!) because I'm going in tomorrow morning to be induced.

I was so anti-induction with Avery (and I suppose I really still am), and we waited until 10 days past my due date with her before they induced. This time around when Dr. D asked me how long I wanted to go past my due date before we started talking induction, I really struggled with the answer. I guess I really didn't think I'd even make it to this point since I'd had SO many contractions and other signs (I had absolutely nothing with Avery), but I told him I didn't really want to go much past the 30th.

And yes, part of it is because VBS is only 2 weeks away and I'm in charge, so I'd rather not have just gotten out of the hospital when it starts. I know that there are plenty of capable people helping who would handle everything, but the control freak in me took over and said, "How about Tuesday?"

Sigh. So now I'm totally second guessing that decision because one day past my "due date" is really not "overdue," but we're gonna go with it and pray that it's a smoother delivery than we had with Avery.

We're excited to meet baby Landon!

Maternity Photo Shoot: Win.

Okay, so most of my blog readers have already seen these on Facebook, but I wanted to post them here for the few of you who might not know me in real life.

I know I always talk about how stinking talented my sister is behind a camera, but I'm only speaking truth. She's amazing! I didn't even really want to take these pictures in the first place, but then she comes up with all these crazy ideas (uh, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, YES!) and makes me so glad I went along with them.

So without further ado, here's a little teaser. You'll have to go to her blog to see them all. So go! Go!

Don't you want to hire her to shoot your wedding, engagement, family, baby, or whatever pictures?!?  I thought so. You should call her.

p.s. Shout out to Kati, who provided my wardrobe. :) I seriously don't know how I would've gotten through these 9 months without her clothes!

39 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 39 weeks! Only 1(ish) more to go...

Size of baby: About 20 inches long and 7 lbs

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 29 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops on occasion

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: Getting comfortable in general is really difficult, so finding a way to fall asleep is no exception. Just a couple more weeks though! I do remember how much better I slept after Avery was born (yes, even interrupted sleep!), so I'm very much looking forward to that. :)

What I miss: Feeling normal. That should encompass the multitude of things I miss.

Cravings: Coke and Rice Krispie Treats (why can't I crave fruits and veggies?!?)

Symptoms: More heartburn lately, constant back pain, tons of contractions (that lead absolutely nowhere), and OH THE HORMONES!!! My poor husband.

Best moment this week: It's been a decent week, but I am SO BEYOND READY to meet this wiggly little boy!

For the record, I was still only 2.5 cm dilated but now 60% effaced at my 38 week appt. last Monday. While I'm pretty sure that's farther than I ever got with Avery pre-induction, it still means virtually nothing. I have my 39 week appt. tomorrow, and then I'm just praying I don't even make it to my 40 week. Sigh, a girl can dream, right?

38 Weeks

Okay, seriously, can I get any bigger?!?

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 38 weeks! Only 2(ish) more to go...

Size of baby: Over 19.5 inches long and around 7 lbs

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 29 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops (today's picture is proof)

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: Getting comfortable in general is really difficult, so finding a way to fall asleep is no exception. Just a couple more weeks though! I do remember how much better I slept after Avery was born (yes, even interrupted sleep!), so I'm very much looking forward to that. :)

What I miss: Feeling normal. That should encompass the multitude of things I miss.

Cravings: Coke and Rice Krispie Treats (why can't I crave fruits and veggies?!?)

Symptoms: Constant back pain, tons of contractions (that lead absolutely nowhere), and OH THE HORMONES!!! My poor husband.

Best moment this week: It was a pretty good week overall, but now we're just playing the waiting game! I feel like I still have lots to do before Landon gets here, but the major stuff is pretty much done (and he now has a clean car seat!).

Oh, and for the record, I was 2.5 cm dilated and 50% effaced at my 37 week appt. on Tuesday. While I'm pretty sure that's farther than I ever got with Avery pre-induction, it still means virtually nothing. I have my 38 week appt. today, so we'll see.

37 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 37 weeks! Only 3(ish) more to go, and now I'm officially considered full-term!

Size of baby: Over 19 inches long and a little over 6 pounds

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 24 lbs. (I gained zero between my last two appointments. Like, down to the decimal. Weird.)

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: Getting comfortable in general is really difficult, so finding a way to fall asleep is no exception. Just a few more weeks though! I do remember how much better I slept after Avery was born (yes, even interrupted sleep!), so I'm very much looking forward to that. :)

What I miss: Feeling normal. :) Laying on my stomach. Everyday tasks are getting more difficult (argh, I hate having to bend down to pick up stuff. I'm glad Avery likes to help clean her toys!). I just feel awkward.

Cravings: Nothing really lately. I'm just not even that hungry anymore, probably because my stomach is being squished!

Symptoms: OH THE HORMONES!!! My poor husband. Plus, the constant need to pee, trouble falling asleep, this huge belly, really sore ribs, lots of contractions (Braxton Hicks, but I never had anything with Avery) and other stuff that you probably don't want to know about.

Best moment this week: Getting lots done around the house!! All the baseboards in our tiled areas are clean, Matt painted our guest/kids bathroom, my hospital packing list is complete (although I haven't packed yet), and I finally got Landon's room cleared of all the stuff that was in there. Don't get me wrong, I still have a pretty extensive to-do list, but I think we're getting closer!

36 Weeks and Landon's Shower

Woo! Horizontal stripes make me look even bigger! And yes, I'm wearing a hoodie in May. Good thing I'm used to Texas weather being completely ridiculous.

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 36 weeks! Only 4(ish) more to go!

Size of baby: Over 18.5 inches long and almost 6 pounds

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 24 lbs. (I gained zero between my last two appointments. Like, down to the decimal. Weird.)

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: I decided to try sleeping without the body pillow, and that was the best decision ever. I've been sleeping SO much better now! Now if only I could wake up without searing back pain, that'd be great.

What I miss: Feeling normal. :) Laying on my stomach. Everyday tasks are getting more difficult (argh, I hate having to bend down to pick up stuff. I'm glad Avery likes to help clean her toys!). I just feel awkward.

Cravings: Nothing really lately. I'm just not even that hungry anymore, probably because my stomach is being squished!

Symptoms: OH THE HORMONES!!! My poor husband. Plus, the constant need to pee, trouble falling asleep, this huge belly, really sore ribs, lots of contractions (Braxton Hicks, but I never had anything with Avery) and other stuff that you probably don't want to know about.

Best Moment this week: Right now I'm finishing up washing clothes and other baby stuff, so that means I'm getting really close to having his room in working order. And for the record, this is going to be one really well-dressed kid.

Yesterday my friends Kyndra and Kendra (confusing?) and practically-second-mom Darla threw us a shower, and it was such a blessing! Since it was an open-gift shower, I was able to talk to everybody there instead of making everybody watch me open presents. Everything was set out in Kyndra's dining room so people could walk around and see all the fun little boy goodies. Seriously, I was so spoiled, and I'm so thankful for the generosity of my family and friends. Anyway, here are some pictures. I wasn't able to get pics of everybody who came because I forgot to get out my camera until it was almost over. And I also don't have pictures of the adorable (and yummy!) baseball cupcakes that Darla made; I'll have to steal some from my sister's camera.

Some of the girlies from church :)

My sweet neighbors, Brooke and Whitney

Um, Allison is now very tan.

Hostesses! Kyndra, Kendra, and Darla

Some of the young moms from church (Shannon, Adrienne, Kristina, Iris, and Tara!)

I totally wish you could see how cute this little baseball outfit is! It even says "Landon" on the booty. Matt's gonna kill me :)

Miller girls! (I'm still so sad that they're moving!)

Teresa and Brittany! (Brittany's one of my former soccer players and is dating my youngest brother)

This is Dana, probably the most genuinely sweet person I know.

Mom and Allison :)

Thanks again to everybody who came!

35 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 35 weeks! Only 5(ish) more to go!

Size of baby: Over 18 inches long and 5.25 pounds

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 24 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: I decided to try sleeping without the body pillow, and that was the best decision ever. I've been sleeping SO much better now! Now if only I could wake up without searing back pain, that'd be great.

What I miss: Feeling normal. :) Laying on my stomach. Everyday tasks are getting more difficult (argh, I hate having to bend down to pick up stuff. I'm glad Avery likes to help clean her toys!). I just feel awkward.

Cravings: I think I ate a turkey sandwich every day last week. 

Symptoms: The constant need to pee, trouble falling asleep, this huge belly, really sore ribs, lots of contractions (Braxton Hicks, but I never had anything with Avery) and other stuff that you probably don't want to know about.

Best Moment this week: Getting Landon's finished Texas Rangers quilt from my mom! I love it and will post pictures soon.

34 Weeks

Yep, this picture is pretty indicative of how I feel today. Bleh. But don't worry, I speak whale.

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 34 weeks! Only 6(ish) more to go!

Size of baby: About 18 inches long and 4.75 pounds

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 24 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear a few regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: I decided to try sleeping without the body pillow, and that was the best decision ever. I've been sleeping SO much better now!

What I miss: Feeling normal. :) Everyday tasks are getting more difficult (argh, I hate having to bend down to pick up stuff. I'm glad Avery likes to help clean her toys!). I just feel awkward. 

Cravings: I've had a major sweet tooth this pregnancy, but today for lunch all I wanted to eat was a turkey sandwich. So I did and it was yummy. Oh, and last night all I wanted for dinner was a salad. What's up with me? I think my stomach is running out of room. I have been craving Rice Krispies Treats since I made them for a kids activity at church, but we have no marshmallows. Or Rice Krispies. :( Bummer.

Symptoms: The constant need to pee, trouble falling asleep, this huge belly, and other stuff that you probably don't want to know about.

Best Moment this week: Finding out that Landon's already head-down (which was a huge relief since Avery was breach until the very last minute). I took Avery with me to my appointment on Tuesday, and she was an angel. We've had a really good week (since my last post), so I'm very thankful for that after the last few weeks of terror. 

I still haven't finished Landon's room yet. Sigh. It'll get done. We did get a couple more boxes out of the attic the other night, so maybe I can get some baby stuff organized soon. Maybe. 

33 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 33 weeks! Only 7(ish) more to go!

Size of baby: 17 inches long and a little over 4 pounds

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 21 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: What's that? I don't sleep very well these days, even with a body pillow. However, I somehow managed to sleep through a major storm last night (tornado sirens included), so I guess my few hours of sleep were quality, haha.

What I miss: Being skinny :) Okay, so that's a little vain. Sorry. Yesterday at church I bumped into no fewer than four different people because I no longer realize the size of my belly. I also miss being able to bend over like a normal person. Everyday activities are getting a little awkward. Hey, I can still see my toes though.

Cravings: Pretty much anything sweet. I'm making these tonight. Just try to stop me. 

Symptoms: I have to pee like all the time. TMI, but annoyingly true. And I'm pretty sure I'm starting to waddle. I feel like a whale these days. Please tell me I don't have 7 whole weeks left...

Best Moment this week: Finding out some exciting secret news last night. :)

Avery is having some major almost-two moments these days. She will just be the sweetest thing one minute, but then she'll go all Hyde on us and throw a full-fledged, screaming, hitting tantrum. Unfortunately, these are not restricted to when we're at home; I've started getting nervous anytime we have to go anywhere in public with her (church, the store, wherever). She's also going through a picky phase with her food, when she's always been a great eater. And bedtime? It has become a nightmare. I ended up just leaving her room in tears tonight and she eventually fell asleep.

I know these things are all normal at this age, but it's making me a little anxious for how she's going to adjust when she's not the center of attention at home. Who knows, maybe it'll be a good thing. And maybe her teeth are just bothering her. Sigh.

I've started feeling more pressure to get Landon's room finished (7 weeks really isn't that long!), and I'm just waiting for that whole nesting instinct to kick in. Right now I'm just trying to have enough energy to keep up with the normal housework. Maybe I'll have some progress to report next week. :)

32 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along: 32 weeks! Only 8(ish) more to go!

Size of baby: About 16.7 inches long and about 3.75 pounds

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 21 lbs.(only 4 since my last appointment, which was a relief because, while I'm not against gaining weight [duh, I'm supposed to], I gained a LOT in short increments of time the last two visits, so I'm glad it's evening out now)

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: What's that? I finally got out my trusty body pillow, and the verdict is... it doesn't help at all. I take forever to fall asleep, and then when I do finally drift off, I end up waking up multiple times a night because my back hurts, I have to pee, or Avery fell out of bed and I can hear her on the monitor (fortunately the last one only happens about once a week).

What I miss: Being skinny :) Okay, so that's a little vain. Sorry. I also miss being able to bend over like a normal person. Everyday activities are getting a little awkward. Hey, I can still see my toes though.

Cravings: Pretty much anything sweet

Symptoms: I have to pee like all the time. TMI, but annoyingly true. And I'm pretty sure I'm starting to waddle. I feel like a whale.

Best Moment this week: Washing and organizing Landon's clothes! I haven't gotten them all put away yet, but that will happen today. I got out some of Avery's neutral stuff (i.e. white onesies, green blankets, etc) from the attic, and I've been gradually building a collection from garage and consignment sales. I haven't washed any of his new stuff yet, but everything else is organized and ready to put away!

I also start two-week appointments now, so I go back to the doctor next week! That means that we're getting really close to the end! Hopefully that'll motivate me to start nesting. Maybe?

31 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along: 31 weeks! Only 9ish to go!

Size of baby: Over 16 inches long and about 3.3 pounds (the size of 4 navel oranges)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 17 lbs. (give or take a lot; I don't own a scale, so I'm going by my last appointment, which was like five weeks ago)

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: What's that? I told Matt to not let me go to bed without getting out the body pillow tonight. I haven't slept well in about a week.

What I miss: Being skinny :) Okay, so that's a little vain. Sorry. I also miss being able to bend over like a normal person. Everyday activities are getting a little awkward. Hey, I can still see my toes though.

Cravings: Pretty much anything sweet

Symptoms: I have to pee like all the time. TMI, but annoyingly true.

Best Moment this week: Um, it was a good week? I can't think of any pregnancy-related highlights to add today, but I am excited to (finally) go back to the doctor tomorrow. I somehow got off on my every-four-week schedule, so five weeks feels like forever between appointments.

I did decide though that I need to wear my navy long sleeved maternity shirt every single day. I got stopped at church a kajillion times yesterday by people who told me I looked too small to be as far along as I am. They are obviously mistaken; I blame the shirt.

And I'm guessing that now that I'm getting closer to the end, I need to brace myself for all kinds of comments. That was my least favorite part of pregnancy the first time around. Why is it that people feel the need to eliminate their filter when speaking to a pregnant chick? Sigh, that's another post for another day.

30 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 30 weeks! It sounds so much closer to 40, but 10 weeks is a long time. Sigh.

Size of baby: Almost 16 inches long and three pounds (the size of a head of cabbage)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 17 lbs. (give or take a few; I don't own a scale, so I'm going by my last appointment)

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: This baby is very active. All the time.

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay for now once I actually get to sleep. I really need to bust out the body pillow.

What I miss: Being skinny :) Okay, so that's a little vain. Sorry. I also miss being able to bend over like a normal person. Everyday activities are getting a little awkward. Hey, I can still see my toes though.

Cravings: Pretty much anything sweet

Symptoms: I have to pee like all the time. TMI, but annoyingly true.

Best Moment this week: Getting Landon's room painted! Matt finished last week during his spring break, and it looks SO great! We painted one wall red and the other three are a caramel color. The furniture is all in its proper place now, so all I need to do for the room is figure out wall decor, buy and paint his name letters, empty out his closet (currently where all sorts of random junk is stored), and encourage my mom to finish the bedding (haha, just kidding; I am incredibly excited that she's making it though, and I can't wait to see it!).

I feel like this last week a ton of people I know had babies! Seriously, it's been like 10 people this month, and even more are due in the very near future. Babies everywhere! And every week I keep hearing of more of my friends who are pregnant, so it's fun that Landon will apparently have tons of built-in friends. :)

29 Weeks

 

(If I look tired in this picture, it's because, well, I am.)

 Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along: 29 weeks

Size of baby: A little over 15 inches long and two and a half pounds (the size of a butternut squash)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 17 lbs. (give or take a few; I don't own a scale, so I'm going by my last appointment)

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Introducing.... Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: I feel lots of movement all the time; surely he can't be as active as Avery, right? I think I might be in trouble. You can seriously see my belly moving now, and it still creeps me out!

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay for now once I actually get to sleep. I might be busting out the body pillow soon though!

What I miss: Being skinny :) Okay, so that's a little vain. Sorry.  

Cravings: I have a major sweet tooth these days. And I crave milk. Seriously, I'm drinking more milk than Avery.

Symptoms: I have to pee like all the time. TMI, but annoyingly true.

Best Moment this week: Getting Landon's furniture moved into his room! It'll be painted this week, but we needed to move the baby furniture out of Avery's room so we could move her to her big girl bed (which has been a huge success, btw!).


Matt and I are going to register today at Babies R Us and Target, essentially so we can have a list of baby things we need to buy, but mostly so we can get the registry completion discount closer to the due date. I'm excited to look at baby things again! Good thing we don't need much because I think I would definitely go a little overboard if we did. :)

28 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along: 28 weeks (THIRD trimester--woohoo!)

Size of baby: About 15 inches long and two and a quarter pounds (although he was measuring over a week ahead at my last appointment, and while that doesn't always mean anything, Avery was a pretty big baby, so I'm terrified that he'll be even bigger!)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 17 lbs. 

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Introducing.... Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: I feel lots of movement all the time; surely he can't be as active as Avery, right? I think I might be in trouble. You can seriously see my belly moving now, and it still creeps me out!

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay for now once I actually get to sleep. I might be busting out the body pillow soon though!

What I miss: Being skinny :) Okay, so that's a little vain. Sorry.  

Cravings: I have a major sweet tooth these days. And I crave milk. Seriously, I'm drinking more milk than Avery.

Symptoms: I have to pee like all the time. TMI, but annoyingly true.

Best Moment this week: Hitting the third trimester mark. Although I know the time will just crawl toward the end, I like knowing that I'm in the final stretch!

The closer we get to meeting Landon, the more excited I get about Avery having a little brother. I find myself watching little siblings interact (and how excited Avery gets whenever she sees any baby, haha), and I just look forward to seeing them grow up together. I wonder what his little personality will be like, and how having another kid will change our family dynamic. There are lots of unknowns, but it'll be a fun ride.

27 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along: 27 weeks

Size of baby: About 14.5 inches long and two pounds (although he was measuring over a week ahead at my last appointment, and while that doesn't always mean anything, Avery was a pretty big baby, so I'm terrified that he'll be even bigger!)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 17 lbs. Um, yeah. I gained nine pounds between my last two appointments. That is outrageous for one month! Oh well, I've caught up to average now, so here's to hoping these gains slow down a little in the future. My appetite seems to be decreasing a little, and I remember being so not hungry when I was pregnant with Avery in the last couple of months. We'll see.

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Introducing.... Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: I feel lots of movement all the time; surely he can't be as active as Avery, right? I think I might be in trouble. You can seriously see my belly moving now, and it still creeps me out!

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay for now once I actually get to sleep.

What I miss: Being skinny :) Okay, so that's a little vain. Sorry.  

Cravings: I have a major sweet tooth these days. 

Symptoms: I have to pee like all the time. TMI, but annoyingly true.

Best Moment this week: Getting my glucose test over with. I haven't heard anything from the doctor, so I think at this point I'm clear. Woohoo!

At some point this week, I'll hit the 3rd trimester! I almost can't believe it's gone by so fast, but looking back it also seems like forever since we found out I was pregnant.

I also finally finished clearing out Landon's room (excluding the closet-- eek!) this week, so once we get it painted, we can start the big furniture switch!

26 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 26 weeks

Size of baby: About 14 inches long and a a pound and two-thirds

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 8 lbs. If you're keeping track, that means that I gained seven pounds between my last two appointments. Yikes! That's one huge jump. So now I'm just trying not to repeat that this time, but check out how huge my belly got in the last few weeks!

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Introducing.... Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: I feel lots of movement all the time; surely he can't be as active as Avery, right? I think I might be in trouble.

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay for now once I actually get to sleep.

What I miss: Being skinny :) Okay, so that's a little vain. Sorry.  

Cravings: I have a major sweet tooth these days. 

Symptoms: I have to pee like all the time. TMI, but annoyingly true.

Best Moment this week: Picking out paint colors for Landon's nursery! We bought the paint and everything, so now I just need to clear out the rest of the stuff that's in there so we can get started.

And just for the record, I'm totally dreading my glucose test on Thursday. The only good thing about it is that it means I'm thisclose to the third trimester. One more week!

25 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along: 25 weeks

Size of baby: About 13.5 inches long and a a pound and a half, the size of an average rutabaga

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 8 lbs. If you're keeping track, that means that I gained seven pounds between my last two appointments. Yikes! That's one huge jump. So now I'm just trying not to repeat that this time, but check out how huge my belly got in the last two weeks!

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes because I don't want to stretch out my "real" clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Introducing.... Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: I feel lots of movement, especially at night

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay for now (I'm definitely not big enough yet to be uncomfortable; I know I'll get there though!)
What I miss: Being skinny :) Okay, so that's a little vain. Sorry.  

Cravings: I have a major sweet tooth these days. 

Symptoms: I have to pee like all the time. TMI, but annoyingly true.

Best Moment this week: Okay, so this isn't really pregnancy-related, but the sun came out this week! It's been in the 60s and 70s since this weekend, and I'm loving being able to play with Avery outside. It makes me more active (hello, walks!), so I feel better, too.

24 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along: 24 weeks

Size of baby: Almost one foot long and a little over 1 pound, the size of an ear of corn

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 8 lbs. If you're keeping track, that means that I gained seven pounds between my last two appointments. Yikes! That's one huge jump. So now I'm just trying not to repeat that this time, but check out how huge my belly got in the last two weeks!

Maternity Clothes: I'm in mostly maternity clothes, but I still wear some regular tops.

Gender: We're having a boy! Introducing.... Landon Matthew. :)

Movement: I feel lots of movement, especially at night

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay for now (I'm definitely not big enough yet to be uncomfortable; I know I'll get there though!)
What I miss: Being skinny :) Okay, so that's a little vain. Sorry.  

Cravings: Now that I don't have access to it anymore, I really miss the cruise hot chocolate. I can't find a decent replacement!

Symptoms: I have to pee like all the time. TMI, but annoyingly true.

Best Moment this week: Strangers can tell that I'm pregnant now, so it's fun when people ask questions about the baby when we're out and about. Although I remember getting really annoyed with that when I was pregnant with Avery, so this probably won't be a "best moment" for long.