36 Weeks

So on my 34 week post I said that something I was looking forward to was a friend having her baby any day and that my other friend was due at the end of the month. Well....both babies are here and healthy!! On January 12th Taylor had her beautiful baby girl, Amyx, after a rough 38 hours of labor and on January 14th by BFF Carly had her handsome baby boy, Luke, after having her water break the night before. She had such a quick delivery thankfully. Both babies are doing great as well as the new mommies and daddies. Now...I have to wait 4 more weeks! Seeing these two babies here makes me that much more excited!! However, I don't feel miserable at all. I actually feel pretty great aside from being exhausted so I am not too anxious for Baby Stu to get here. Although I wouldn't object to him coming to meet us a little early, I'm okay with him cooking a little longer.

35w1d    35w5d

I seriously feel like I have a basketball pumpkin inside of me! And I am supposed to continue to grow for 4 more weeks?! Oh Baby Stu, I am just not sure how your momma's belly is supposed to get any bigger!

Now that I officially announced that we bought a fixer upper in my post earlier this week (Babymoon), I can start sharing all of the exciting news with that. I haven't been able to help out as much as I hoped since much of the stuff I can't be around, to heavy to lift, or just too difficult with a basketball belly, but Ryan has worked so hard on getting the house ready and perfect to bring home Sawyer to. Ryan and I's dads have also put in so much hard work. This fixer upper would not be possible or able to be fixed up so fast if it weren't for these 3 amazing men. Like I said, Sawyer Lynn will carry the name of some of the most incredible men I know and love. While these boys have been hard at work along with some other helpers we have had along the way, my mom has helped me make countless Home Depot and Lowes trips. I am just about sick of those places so I am glad I have a sidekick to go with me!

How far along? 36 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 18 lbs.

Maternity Clothes? A mixture of everything--maternity, large shirts, Ryan's clothes, and lots of leggings.

Stretch marks? Ugh..I think a few have shown up this past week. Oh well, I am certain Sawyer is worth it!!

Sleep: Sleep? What is that? I sure hope I can get some good sleep soon because I know it will be even more nonexistent once Sawyer arrives.

Best moment this week: Last weekend when I got to meet baby Amyx and Luke!!!!

Miss anything? Currently, sleep!

Movement: Sooooo much! I honestly don't know what is going on in there sometimes. 

Food cravings: Milk and Sonic ice still.

Anything making you queasy or sick: BBQ and last night Ryan wanted to eat Chinese and that sounded pretty gross.

Have you started to show yet: Yes. My students aren't sure how I haven't had my baby yet. They ask just about daily when the baby is coming.

Labor signs: Still not sure. I have a ton cramping on my side but it isn't really anything you can time like BH or contractions. Once the pain starts, it continues for awhile. Other than that I have noticed that I have started to drop a little bit more.

Belly button in or out: It is pretty flush with my belly so I am sure in the next week or two it will officially pop out.

Wedding rings on or off? Still on, yay!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, but I have had my moments this past week. 

Looking forward to: My doctor appointment Monday. I am curious if I have progressed at all. 

Babymoon

After rescheduling and planning a vacation about 5 times, Ryan and I finally just took off for an adventure. This was originally supposed to be our 1st anniversary trip then 2nd anniversary trip and with other things that kept popping up, it never happened. We knew if we didn't just pack up and go, we would never get to take a much needed trip. Especially once Baby Stu arrived. We chose to go to one of my favorite places, Savannah, Georgia. It is such a quaint town with tons of historic charm. A perfect place to relax and unwind. Just what we needed before the hustle and bustle of the holidays. I hadn't realized how busy and stressed I was until we got there and I shut off my email and ignored my calendar that basically decides my every move. It was such a nice getaway where many sweet memories were made.

Savannah has 22 historic and beautiful squares. Ryan and I walked through a few one morning while sipping on our hot (decaf) coffee. It was the perfect fall day. I am pretty sure if we had Baby Stu with us in a stroller he would have loved it. So charming! Forsyth Park is probably one of my favorite places just because of how big it is and the beautiful water fountain.

One day we had planned to make the short drive to Tybee Island to see the lighthouse and eat breakfast. As we left we found out the bridge was closed. Talk about a let down. Instead we decided to be spontaneous and headed out to Nashville for the last 24 hours of our trip.

Although we only spent 24 hours in Nashville, we made every minute count. We hit up yummy places to eat, saw beautiful murals, visited historic attractions, and did I mention places to eat?! I can't wait to go again some day to go to all the food places we didn't make it to!

The first stop we made when arriving in Nashville was The Pharmacy.  I am not a huge burger person, but the burger and fries were delish! I had a yummy root beer to drink that I am sure would have made for one amazing root beer float.

For supper we ate at a place downtown just off the strip. It was a place that we just kind of ran into and for the life of me I can't remember the name. Ryan and I ended up ordering the same thing, mac-n-cheese with spicy chicken. YUM! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Whenever we get the chance to go back to Nashville, we will be finding this place again.

After supper we headed over to Bobbie's Dairy Dip to feed my ice cream craving. We heard it was the best and it most certainly was!! Ryan enjoyed watching me attempt eating the ginormous dipped cone. I ate every bite!

The next morning we stopped quickly by the famous Bluebird Cafe for a snapshot in the dark before heading to The Pancake Pantry for breakfast. Next time we are that way, I hope to stop by the Bluebird while it is actually open. For those that love the show Nashville as much as I do, I know you understand! Now back to food....at The Pancake Pantry I had pancakes with a pecan butter and syrup. Oh my did it hit the spot. Once again, this Nashville eatery did not disappoint and is another highly recommended place to stop by.

After breakfast we made the long trek home. Nashville, we will be back for you!!!

EXCITING NEWS!!!

We bought a house! This actually happened during the car ride home from this Babymoon adventure. It was very spur of the moment and spontaneous because we had just started the building process on our forever home on our land in the country. Ryan and I have always wanted to build our home in the country and our dream was just about to take root, but God had other plans. For now, the building is put on hold for the next couple years. We decided with having Baby Stu in short while, building a house would just be too stressful for the time being. On the way home my dad called us with a crazy idea of purchasing a home as a fixer upper that wouldn't take as long as a new build and honestly, the deal was just too good to pass up. I know God had a hand in bringing this opportunity towards us because the house we bought wasn't even for sale and everything has worked out perfectly in my eyes.

This house had been setting vacant for awhile in my parents quiet neighborhood (that happens to be a perfect place for a little family) because of a house fire. The house had always been a rental and since the fire, the owners hadn't done anything yet. Come to find out, when we called to ask about purchasing the home, they had plans to start fixing it up in a few weeks! Thankfully for us, they were willing to sell the home and make the process super smooth. Since the first week of December we have been doing renovations in the house just about daily. However, we officially signed on the home TODAY! So that is one reason I have been waiting to post this entry. I wanted it to be official, although in a small town like ours word gets around rather quickly and most people already know that we bought the house.

Some of the people that have found out have kind of acted like we were crazy to purchase a home that had a fire, but honestly it hasn't been too bad. Also, Ryan and my dad both work construction so they knew the what we were taking on when starting the process. The fire mainly took place in the garage with minimal smoke damage throughout the house, which made it easier to repair. But....if you are a HGTV and Fixer Upper fan like me, you would redo more than the minimal damage.  Ryan did put a halt to tearing down any walls (haha!), but I did get him to put a hole in the wall for a built in  cabinet! Even though we just signed the papers to make it official today, we have done a lot of work. Our original goal was to be in by February 1st, but it may be the next week. Ultimately, before Sawyer gets here so hopefully he cooks just a bit longer! Things are going really fast though and I can't wait to post some awesome before and after photos when everything is done. For now..a sneak peek because I LOVE our flooring! They haven't even put in the grout yet, but I couldn't resist snapping a picture. 

34 Weeks

Happy New Year!!!

We spent New Year's Eve dancing the night away at a brother-like friend's wedding. It was beautiful and perfect in every way! So many memories were made. I danced and moved around so much (in heels too) I am actually pretty shocked I didn't put myself in premature labor.

At the rehearsal Hudson was the favorite. Who am I kidding, he was the favorite all weekend. I sure love this little boy and can't wait to see him making memories with Sawyer like his daddy C.J. and I did. Hudson and Sawyer will be just 11 months apart.

Hudson's gorgeous mommy! I can't wait for her and C.J.'s wedding in February so I will officially gain a sister. They are eloping on a beach just the two of them. Hopefully Sawyer will be here by time they leave though.

Emma's family taught us the Wedding March. It was probably the best part of the night!! If you have never watched one happen at a reception, Youtube it! I ended up being partners with C.J. and Hudson so Huddy Buddy helped us make our tunnel.

The Original 5.

Brock, C.J., me, Keli, and Logan

Now 3 (almost 4) of us are married, C.J. has Hudson and will soon make Alissa official at their wedding in February, I will soon add Sawyer, and I am sure our group will continue to grow soon! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family of friends to grow up with. The memories we have made growing up together at church activities, family get togethers, trips, and other life events are truly priceless. I don't know how I could have ever survived some things without them. There is NEVER a dull moment when we are together. No matter where life takes us, we will always be together.

I now know what they mean when they say a beach ball belly. And it is supposed to grow for 6 more weeks?!

What are your New Year's Resolutions?! Mine? Figure out this baby stuff! I am certain that this will be one of the best years Ryan and I have had together!!

Washing my hair is getting real exhausting so I have been rocking a pony tale pretty constantly.

How far along? 34 weeks

Total weight gain/loss:  16 lbs.

Maternity Clothes? Still a mixture. In the shirt I have on in my chalkboard photo is an old one I've had.

Stretch marks? Still not yet--fingers crossed. I think they may be coming.

Sleep: Rough. My back is really starting to bother me.

Best moment this week: This past weekend at Logan and Emma's NYE wedding.

Miss anything? Hot dogs. This is the longest I have ever been without my favorite food, haha.

Movement: Lots! The other night I told Ryan to look quick because my belly was moving. He thought it was super cool for a second, then he said to cover it up because it was too weird! Haha. I would have to agree-weird-but pretty neat.

Food cravings: Milk and Sonic ice.

Anything making you queasy or sick: BBQ is all. I have never really loved BBQ, but I hope the feeling passes quickly after birth because I would sure love some Honey BBQ Wings from Buffalo Wild Wings!

Have you started to show yet: Yes, although I still get random questions from students..."Are you going to have a baby?" "Is there a baby in your belly?"

Labor signs: Umm..a few small signs. I am going to talk to my doctor on Monday about them. I have had several people tell me I look like I've dropped some. I feel like I have just a smidgen.

Belly button in or out: Innie still, but not sure how.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy

Looking forward to: My doctor appointment Monday and for my friend to have her baby ANY DAY!!! My other friend is due at the end of the month. I can't wait to get the word they are heading to the hospital to become a mommy for the first time!!

This past week Ryan and I also celebrated our 2nd Wedding Anniversary on December 27th. The two years since the snowy day we said "I do" have flown by. The saying, "...and I thought I loved you then," really is true. The love Ryan has shown me the past few months is more than I could ever imagine. I am just sure my heart will explode the moment I see him hold Sawyer for the first time. My life gets better and better every second married to this amazing man. The adventures we have taken on during this second year have been pretty incredible and I can't imagine taking on life with anyone else.

 "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." -Ruth 1:16

Thank you Ryan for being my rock, best friend, protector, strength, and partner for life. Year 3 will have many new trials to face, but with you by my side and God guiding us, there won't be a mountain too tall!

 

32 Weeks

Today I got to see our Baby Stu again through an ultrasound. It was probably the last time I will get to see him before he arrives because I got some great news at my appointment. They had been continually monitoring my placenta placement and it finally moved enough that I will no longer need an early c-section. Sawyer is also no longer breech. Yay! Although this is a healthier position to be in, it does make me a bit nervous. I am such a planner and always try to prepare myself for what is to come, so now instead of having an exact birthdate and plan of action I have to regroup my thoughts and now prepare for a normal birth. My mind was so geared up for one way, but now I will just have to roll with the change of plans. Isn't that what parenting is all about anyway?

During the ultrasound we had some pretty adorable photos of Sawyer, except the umbilical cord was right in front of his face the whole time. That didn't stop us from seeing his adorable little nose though! It is crazy how one tiny little feature can make your heart melt. The doctor told me he is still measuring in the 40th percentile and is weighing 4 pounds. If he keeps this steady growth he should be an 8 pound baby when he arrives. Hopefully he doesn't hit a huge growth spurt while he is still cooking.

This past weekend I had some close friends throw me a small, but sweet, baby shower for Sawyer. It was on the coldest day of the year, but there were still some pretty special people that braved the cold. Sawyer sure is loved dearly already. He got some of the most thoughtful and sentimental gifts. My hormones have stayed in tact during the majority of the pregnancy, but opening some of these gifts made me tear up. Ryan's mom gifted us with a sack filled with several pairs of adorable shoes that then uncovered a bundle of books, which was when I realized they were all Ryan's old things. Ryan's mom then gave us a quilt that had several of Ryan's old outfits and bibs incorporated into it with a tearjerker poem. At this time, the tears started to fall. My best friend had a quilt made for Sawyer that had part of her bridesmaid dress that she wore in Ryan and I's wedding sewn into it and wrapped up in the sash she wore around the dress on our wedding day. Could she be anymore thoughtful?! Sawyer also received many other thoughtful gifts from people that love him already. I can't wait to share with him the stories behind each of those gifts.

These two made my day extra special by showing up. My cousin Madi has been living with her dad in Hawaii and Danny has been off in Georgia in the Army and so I haven't been able to see them in awhile. It was also the last time I will be seeing our Danny boy until August or September because in a few weeks he will be shipped overseas to the Middle East to do what he was born and raised to do. This last January I got to fly out to see him graduate from Basic Training and this January he will be flying off to fight. Out of all the "see you later's" I have had to say to family members going off to fight, this has definitely been the hardest. I am so very proud of you Danny and love you more than you will ever know! Sawyer will be so excited to finally meet you when you arrive home.

Good thing the best gifts aren't found under the tree because Ryan and I's gift is on backorder until February.

How far along? 32 weeks

Total weight gain/loss:  16 lbs.

Maternity Clothes? A mixture

Stretch marks? Still not yet.

Sleep: Sleep is starting to get pretty rough.

Best moment this week: Today getting to hear Baby Stu's heartbeat and seeing his precious face.

Miss anything? The ability to bend down or put on shoes without being out of breath.

Movement: Yes! Still a little creepy for me at times, but I do love being able to know he is doing well in my belly. It is a reminder of how thankful I am that God blessed Ryan and I with such an incredible gift.

Food cravings: Milk and sweet things have been sounding pretty good lately.

Anything making you queasy or sick: I got a whiff of BBQ sauce that Ryan was using tonight at supper and it made me queasy still.

Have you started to show yet: Do I need to even bother answering this question anymore? On Tuesday, my mom and I finished up our Christmas shopping and I think at least one person in each store we went in asked me when I was due.

Labor signs: I think I was feeling some Braxton Hick contractions on Sunday, but nothing bad.

Belly button in or out: Still holding on to my innie.

Wedding rings on or off? On, but I can definitely see some swelling in places.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! It is almost Christmas, how could I not be?!

Looking forward to: Christmas!!! It is my favorite! Christmas music has been playing in my car since the week before Thanksgiving.

Merry Christmas from our growing family!!!

30 Weeks

Last weekend I was telling my mom how hard it will be to go back to work since Thanksgiving break was so busy. When I said that, I did not expect what happened next. Ryan and I had been moving and I had started to realize I had been overdoing it. I feel so great all the time, I forget there are things you shouldn't do while pregnant. Like moving an 80 pound box from a truck to the garage. Oops, my bad.

Well on Sunday (11/27) I hadn't slept well through the night at all and just blamed it on being pregnant and uncomfortable. When I got out of bed I had major pain in my back. After attempting to eat some breakfast, I started feeling sick so I decided to lay back down in hopes the pain would go away. I assumed I just pulled a back muscle from moving and doing so much. I felt better after a few hours of laying down so I got back up and finished my day. I felt pretty good again.

Fast forward to right about 4:30, the pain came back and fast. It nearly brought me to my knees and I started getting sick. I couldn't believe how big of a baby I was being over a stupid pulled muscle. I always thought I had handled pain fairly well so I was getting pretty upset with myself for acting this way. I finally started wondering if this back pain was false labor but it was a constant sharp pain. It never let up. After much convincing, I decided to go to the ER because of how much I was getting sick. After a few hours, it was decided I had a kidney stone. Worst pain of my life! The nurses in the birthing center were the sweetest! Whether they were being honest or not, many of them were telling me that passing a kidney stone was more painful than childbirth. Hearing that made me feel much better. After a little over 24 hours in the hospital they gave me the option to go home or stay for a procedure to remove the stone. I chose to go home! Luckily, I passed it that next morning!! What a relief! It is crazy how such a little object can cause SO MUCH PAIN!

Although no one ever wants to stay in a hospital, I was kind of glad I did. I got to meet some of the nurses that will possibly care for us when Sawyer comes. I can't say enough nice things about the sweet, sweet ladies. I felt like they were all trying to bend over backwards and go out of their way to help me have a pleasant stay. They also talked with me about what to expect when I went there to have Sawyer and even showed me around some before I left--too kind. It kind of makes me excited to check in Freeman to have Sawyer because I know my care will be excellent. I also learned a lot about my loving husband. Mostly that his bedside manner needs some work. Ha! We can laugh about it now, but I am pretty sure even he agrees...he was not the best. Let's just say that before I checked out of the hospital, he was complaining of how much his hand hurt from me squeezing it while they were making multiple attempts of putting in an IV. Ummm...he's got a lot more squeezing to get used to come February!!! Nonetheless, I really do have a super sweet husband and I am sure hoping he does better the next go around at the hospital. Haha.

On a lighter note... The weekend before Thanksgiving Ryan and I had some photos taken for a few Christmas cards. I seriously can't believe how great they turned out! I really wanted a few with Abby, but had no clue how they would turn out. She did great. Seeing Abby in the pictures melts my heart. I also wanted just a few photos to remember this precious moment of my life. Lauren Dainty Photography did an awesome job capturing exactly what I had hoped for. Here are just a few many more. How am I to choose my favorites though?!

Side note: The photo above is in the exact spot as my cover photo at the top of the blog. This place is kind of our spot. The cover photo was an engagement photo, so we have changed just a bit.

I love doing life with that handsome man in the photos above. He is going to make one amazing daddy to our precious gift from God. Sawyer, you are incredibly loved!!!! 

Now onto my grungy chalkboard photo...
While Ryan was watching his team, the Chiefs,  on the TV in the other room, I was sneaking in this photo with the Denver Bronco themed chalkboard. Sawyer is going to look so good in blue and orange!!! I can't believe he is already so big inside of me! In two weeks we get to see his precious face on another ultrasound. At my appointment Tuesday, my doctor said she will continue to monitor my placenta placement through an ultrasound until delivery, but it still looks like a cesarean birth is in the future. If that stays the case, my doctor said she will take Sawyer about the 9th of February. That is in just TWO MONTHS people!!! EEK! Aside from my placenta placement and my kidney stone mishap, my doctor says I am doing great on all accounts. Praise God!

How far along? 30 weeks

Total weight gain/loss:  15 lbs.

Maternity Clothes? Well I did manage to find a few pre-pregnancy shirts/sweaters that fit this week so that was exciting!!

Stretch marks? Still not yet, but I am sure that won't last much longer.

Sleep: The pregnancy pillow I bought is pretty great, however I can only use it when I nap, which pretty much never happens. Our bed is too small for both Ryan and I and the big pillow lol.

Best moment this week: Pretty much every day. I am just so thankful to not be in the hospital and in pain. I am definitely trying to enjoy every day before baby Stu arrives.

Miss anything? Not too much this week.

Movement: Yes! He is pretty active every morning and night, but I am starting to notice more movement throughout the day.

Food cravings: FOOD! The other day at work I went to our cafeteria to see if they had any left over cinnamon rolls from lunch because I was so hungry. haha

Anything making you queasy or sick: This past weekend I found out BBQ still makes me sick.

Have you started to show yet: Uh..of course. Usually when people find out I am not due until February, I get a glare. Some days I am not sure how my belly is supposed to continue to grow!

Labor signs: No, although when I was being monitored at the hospital they did tell me I was having a few contractions. Luckily for me, I couldn't tell at all.

Belly button in or out: In still!

Wedding rings on or off? On, but I think I am starting to notice some swelling in my ankles. Oh noooo!!!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy

Looking forward to: Ryan's work Christmas party this weekend. It is in Arkansas so it is always nice to get away for a night or two.


Ryan and I still have some exciting things happening in our lives, besides Baby Stu, that I can't wait to share. I have started that post, but after the hospital stay and trying to get caught up on everything else I haven't found the time to finish. Hopefully this next week!