31 weeks: harper's photo shoot

Alpha Mom Reports:
Your Baby:

• Blah blah blah 3.3 pounds, bag of oranges, sock full of nickels, etc.
• Enjoys yawning, sucking his or her thumb, kicking mom in the diaphragm.
• Turn-offs include: getting the hiccups, really loud noises and you trying to do all that boring “sleeping” at night.

You:

• Can totally round down your answer to “two months” when people ask you how much longer you have to go. DO NOT focus on the crazy week-to-month-ratio math at this point in pregnancy, particularly when there are breakable, smashy objects within reach.
• May be weirdly and inexplicably congested all the time. I, for one, appear to be allergic to my pillow. This is also prime time for pregnancy colds, as the toll on your body and immune system is getting higher by the week. Take it easy, slow down, take your vitamins and try try try to get enough sleep.
• Can now play everybody’s favorite game, Guess The Body Part That’s Sticking Out Next To My Belly Button! Elbow or heel? Head or butt? Did I seriously just maybe feel my baby’s BIG TOE?

I can't believe we have 2 months (max) to go. And then...all of a sudden...I just won't be pregnant anymore...weird. I feel like I've been pregnant FOREVER and only for a split second at the same time. I bet it will be like marathon training when it's over...even though it's not always fun or comfortable, I'll miss it when it's gone because I know I'm doing something super cool and the uncomfortableness and un-fun-ness of it all is SO worth it. I can't believe she will be HERE so soon...when we can hold her and see her and start to learn her personality. I'll miss my little partner in crime though, that's for sure. I love sharing every bit of my day with her. She is my workout buddy, my sing-along-with-the-radio buddy & even keeps me company through the night when I'm tossing and turning. I feel like she shares in my joy and laughter and also my sadness and tears. What a bond...


but i'm getting ahead of myself...we still have about 2 months to hang together.

we went to the doctor this week & everything is still great...actually "perfect" to use my OB's words :) doesn't get much better than that! 

the other big event of this week was our maternity photo session with the sweet and talented Jordan Palmer! She was so great to work with and after just one short hour (thank goodness, because it was COLD!), we had a whole collection of great pictures. I couldn't be happier with them! here are our faves:

xoxo,

K & Harper

30 weeks: shower # 2

 From Alpha Mom: 

Your Baby:

• Weighs about three pounds and is 17 inches long. Since most full-term babies are between 20 and 22 inches long at 40 weeks’ gestation, your baby will pack on more pounds than inches in the 10 weeks or so.
• Is starting to get a little crowded in there, but still has room to wiggle and roll and punch and kick.
• Despite all the movement, it’s still damn near impossible to tell what position your baby is in for sure (head down, breech, transverse, etc.), but it’s also still too early to be worrying about it. MOST babies settle into a head-down position around 36 weeks, and some still manage to flip themselves around after that.

You:

• May feel like you’re gestating a pissed-off housecat rather than a chubby wittle baby at this point, with some movement and kicks causing ACTUAL PHYSICAL PAIN. Some women experience kicks so sharp and unnerving they mistake them for uterine contractions, even if they’ve already been through pregnancy and labor and should really know better.

Harper is still practicing her gymnastics routine in there...no pain though. In fact, I was sitting in a meeting this week and noticed one of my male co-workers staring at my stomach with a weird look on his face....I looked down to realize H was kicking so hard that my scarf was moving and it looked like i had an alien trying to escape my belly. awkward!

I've still been feeling really great and I'm loving the fact that here I am in my 30th week and still able to workout pretty strong. Kickboxing, spinning, body pump, elliptical, yoga...it's all good. Of course I'm keeping a watchful eye on my heart rate & listening to my body.

We had another shower this weekend hosted by friends. I'm so lucky to have these girls in my life! I love that H will grow up surrounded by such great women and I pray that she will have friends as wonderful as I've been blessed with. Admittedly, I went a little overboard taking pictures but the decor was BEYOND adorable!! check it out:

nutella-filled cupcakes? pink rock candy? smores pops? heaven!

everyone wrote sweet wishes/pieces of advice for Harper that I can put in her baby book
(note to self: GET BABY BOOK! :\)

allison & nicole



Abby (2nd note to self: do not stand next to your tiniest friend in your 3rd trimester!)

Mia & Rhonda



Sharon & Rachelle



Hostesses with the Mostesses: Steph & Abby

As you can see, H and I are lucky girls to be surrounded by such love!

xoxo,
K & Harper

29 weeks: showered with love



Me & my sista



Here's where we're at according to Alpha Mom:

Your Baby:

• Is big and strong enough to resemble a sinister alien thrashing around your abdomen, as my husband kindly pointed out recently, upon noticing a rouge pointy elbow jabbing up and down around my belly button.
• Is sucking up every drop of calcium you can provide as his or her bones continue to harden and become more…uh…bone-like.
• DID I MENTION THE POINTY JABBING? WITH THE SHARP LITTLE BONES?

                                                                          You:

• Might start noticing a resurgence of first-trimester-type symptoms like heartburn and other gastrointestinal issues. Things are getting a BIT crowded in there, and the lack of room means slower digestion and more gas and constipation and woe.
• Are gaining weight. I don’t know or care to look up what the “recommended” amount is at this stage, but most likely you are starting to notice a steady upward movement of that little thingie on your doctor’s scale. If you’ve been using pregnancy as a dietary sweet tooth free-for-all, now might be a good time to start reining it in and focusing on healthy foods and portions instead of “BABY NEEDS CAKE AND A TUB OF FROSTING ON THE SIDE.”

...yup, sounds about right! Harper has given up soccer for full on gymnastics routines and the lovely nurse (eye roll) at the doctor this week had me get on the scale TWICE because (& I quote!) she could just "not believe I had gained THAT much weight since the last time". well believe it, sweetie. in my defense, it was cold out so I had an extra 2 layers of clothes on AND it was the Monday after Thanksgiving! sheesh.


Harper's first shower was this weekend! yipee!!! it was so nice and great to see everyone but a little overwhelming too. I remember feeling this way at our wedding showers too...I just don't love the extra attention. And I really REALLY don't like opening gifts in front of people so that was slight torture but I shouldn't complain one bit because we are SO BLESSED because I think it took me a solid two hours to open all the great gifts our family and friends got for us.

Great Aunts Cindy & Midgie and Cousins Liz, Rose & Kay :)






Honorary Grandma Michele, Grandma Sheryl (she wants to be called Mia), Great Granny Betty & Aunt Caitlin

Great Aunts JudyAnne & Terry and Cousins Joan & Erica

Great Aunt Corrine & Aunt Christina

 

The wonderful hostesses! My mama & her beautiful sisters.

hostess gifts - Cowgirl cookies via Pinterest

From here on out our schedule is PACKED with events, holiday parties & things to do. I have no idea how we're going to get it all done before Harper gets here!!! (freaking out a little....)

xoxo,
K & Harper