Baby # 3 - 24 Week Bumpdate

The hubby was making me laugh so hard - I was saying how I needed to pose differently because my left arm looks huge and he was telling me that's how it is, not just how it *looks* - it was so funny

Due Date: 8/8/2014

How far along: 24 weeks! 

How big is baby: Approx. the size of an ear of corn

Weight gain: Not really sure....

Sleep:  Still good for the most part, and definitely not as sleepy as I have been. 

Best moment of the week: Getting our floors done!!! And of course, spending Easter with my family 

Movement: Yep! But lately I haven't noticed as much because we have been so busy. 

Food cravings: A portillos chocolate milkshake and a portillos chopped salad, YUM

Food aversions: Nada

Maternity Clothes: Oh yes!

Wedding rings: Down to just my engagement ring!

Symptoms: Less heartburn this week, and more sciatica pain, oh my gosh does it hurt!!

Stretch Marks: None - praying it stays that way

Belly button: Not really sure, it's about even at the moment

Gender: A SWEET GIRL!

What I’m looking forward to: Seeing our remodel completed! Right now we have gorgeous new floors but still need a new kitchen & doors. 

What I miss: Being able to be on my feet for long periods of time without getting insane sciatica pain.  It brings me to the point where I am limping because my left side is just in pain from my lower back to my foot.

Next appt: 5/7/14

Thankful for: My in-laws!! They let us stay at their house while our floors were being put in.  They were on vacation so we weren't in anyones way and the kids got to spend extra bonding time with their Aunt Becca.  

Bunny Bash 2014

Our park district has a "Bunny Bash" every year that includes games, an egg hung, bouncy houses, face painting, arts & crafts, a picture with the Easter Bunny and more.  We went last year and had alot of fun that I knew I wanted to take the kids back this year, plus the idea of getting a picture with the bunny while they get to do fun stuff is way more appealing than standing in line at the mall.

The hubby stayed home to work on our house so my sister and nephew joined us, we had such a fun day!

The first stop was to the bunny because that is always what takes the longest.  Brayden was scared of the bunny (again) so we decided to make it a family portrait :) I just love these pictures!

After that traumatic experience, Brayden played all of the little games they had inside - he loves doing this stuff and I love watching him have fun!

Then we headed outside for some fresh air and fun.  They don't really do a traditional egg hunt, really it's just a bunch of eggs scattered throughout the outside area and the kids fill up their baskets, then turn the eggs in for candy, seems like a good deal to me!

Loving on his sister :)

OMG how cute is my nephew!?

 Trying to get a picture of 3 kids has got to be hands down the most difficult thing (ok, I'm exaggerating but it is insanely difficult and always ends in a fail!)

Next, we waited in line for the pony rides.  Originally I thought Brayden would want to do it but he chickened out at the last minute because they smelled bad, so Little Miss got to enjoy it.  She wasn't sure at first but ended up liking it.

Me & my special boy :)

Baby # 3 - 23 Week Bumpdate

Due Date: 8/8/2014

How far along: 23 weeks! 

How big is baby: Approx. the size of a grapefruit

Weight gain: I think I'm up around 15lbs

Sleep:  Getting plenty, and I'm even starting to be able to stay up a little later on the weekends! 

Best moment of the week: Hanging with my sister and nephew and of course my kiddos all day on Saturday - we went to our park districts "Bunny Bash" and we all had so much fun.  

Movement: Oh yeah! Love it so much 

Food cravings: This week I was craving wings and Poritllo's, which I was lucky enough to have both

Food aversions: Nada

Maternity Clothes: Yep!

Wedding rings: Down to just my engagement ring!

Symptoms: Tons of heartburn!!

Stretch Marks: None - praying it stays that way

Belly button: In, but looking creepy, ha ha

Gender: A GIRL!

What I’m looking forward to: Seeing our new floors on Friday!!!!! Goodbye linoleum and green carpet! 

What I miss: Being able to really play with my kiddos, like run around like crazy, jump & down, good old fun.  Right now I'm just so big feeling and I still need to watch what I do because of my low lying placenta. 

Next appt: 5/7/14

Thankful for: My hubby, he really is such a great guy and has been doing so much around our house lately! I'm very lucky :)

Kitchen Table Love

Now that we are sooooooooo close to remodeling our main floor (new floors and a new kitchen, yay!!) I have really been thinking about a new kitchen table.  I have known for months that I wanted a new one, but knew it could wait until after our remodel.

I am IN LOVE with a farmhouse table, like seriously swooning over it.  Part of me wonders if I'll always feel this way and of course I tell myself yes! :)

I found this table online from the very popular Ana White - gorgeous, right?!?!

Ana's site provides the plans on how to make this table and while it does seem do-able, I wonder where my sweet hubby will find the time.  I looked into the legs I would want from Osborne Wood and after pricing those out for a table and a bench (I want a bench for one side and then 4 chairs for the rest) it came to about $200, then I estimated what the wood would cost ($75) and then the paint and stains ($75) - this is all pure estimation, it could be more, or it could be less.  So to build the table would cost us around $350 for materials alone.  Then per Ana's instructions, you definitely need a power sander, which we do not have, so we could buy one for about $50.  

Now we're at $400 (or more, who knows) and we still need the most important factor to build this table...TIME.  Which we just don't have with working full time and taking care of 2 kids.  My hubby has already done so much around our house and will continue to do so after our floors get put in.  Plus the weather is finally becoming nice that I know he won't want to spend his weekends building this table and I won't want to wait months for it.  

So we are looking at alternative options, AKA having someone build it for us.  My SIL used a local company called Rustic Elements Furniture for her table & chairs so I am in contact with the owner now. You can see on his website that his tables really aren't too bad, if you want a standard 6 person table, it's only $550.  It is an additional cost for the bench and the legs I want aren't considered standard so I am waiting to hear back on how much my table would be.  But, if it is anywhere close to the $550 I really think this is our way to go! It will save my hubby tons of time and we can just focus on spending time as a family on the weekends.  We have been doing so much DIY around our house that I think it's time we pay for something we want.

I hope it works out with Rustic Elements and I hope I can share my new table in the near future!!!

Baby #3 - 22 Week Bumpdate

Due Date: 8/8/2014

How far along: 22 weeks 

How big is baby: Approx. the size of a papaya

Weight gain: Don't even want to know

Sleep:  Still not an issue, just some tossing and turning trying to get comfortable

Best moment of the week: Going to Brayden's first gymnastics class! He was scared at first (we had to wait outside behind the glass) but after the hubs went in and gave him a pep talk, he was LOVING it! It was so fun to watch him enjoying himself and interacting with the other kids.  I like that this class only has 5 kids. 

Movement: Yep!! Love feeling those kicks! 

Food cravings: Oh gosh the cravings continue! All week I had been wanting a cheesecake and taco dip, I know, so random.  So Friday I made a cheesecake and Saturday I made a taco dip, and they were DELICIOUS! I also really wanted some chili cheese fries :)

Food aversions: Nada

Maternity Clothes: Mostly everything now

Wedding rings: Down to just my engagement ring!

Symptoms: - No back pain this week, thankfully! Just shortness of breath and lots of heartburn!

Stretch Marks: None - praying it stays that way

Belly button: In but I think it's starting to come out to be even with my belly

Gender: A GIRL!

What I’m looking forward to: Hopefully nice weather all week and taking the kids on walks and to the park, and also eating much healthier this week

What I miss: Working out actually - I use not care about overindulging at times because I always worked out, but now that I've been told I can't, I just feel huge

Next appt: 4/8/14

Thankful for:  My Mom - she took the kids for a few hours on Saturday so the hubs and I got to go out bumming around.  We did some house shopping at Menards and looked at some new couches then it was home to do yard work.  It always feels weird when the kids aren't with us, but we did enjoy the little break :)

Brayden's Soccer Class Re-cap

My little man is done with his first round of soccer classes.  He really loves soccer and is pretty good too (when he wants to be)

In the beginning I was a little nervous because this was Brayden’s first activity that didn’t involve a parent, just kids with the coaches.  I knew he would be shy/scared/reserved at first and I just hoped it didn’t last too long.  It took a few classes, but finally he was comfortable enough to get to class, grab a ball and go sit in the circle.  I’m not gonna lie, this pretty much amazed me as we started off these classes with him crying hysterically. I was thankful however, that he wasn’t the only one who did this, there were several other boys who didn’t want their Dads to leave them.  

Usually the hubs would take him to class but occasionally Ella and I went too.  I would be so happy to see how well he was doing and then all of the sudden, something would happen, and he would lose it.  One time, one of the couches told him to start listening and he immediately put his hands over his mouth and started crying, another time the coach asked him to wear a jersey and he just did not want to do it and that would result in him crying, another time his couch put him on a different team than his buddy and he started crying.  I hated to see my little guy like this and part of me really doesn’t understand how these little things can set him off so much, but I try and remember he is only 3!! And this is all new to him. 

Overall, there were definitely more happy moments vs tears and I know my little guy had so much fun in this class.  I know he was so happy to see his little preschool buddy there too.  I love that he had this bonding time with his Daddy and that it definitely has contributed to him coming out of his shell

This was his last class, his Daddy and him got to play together most of the time and I joined in for a little too.

Here are all the kids lined up to receive their medals! I had no idea they were going to give those out and it was really cute...

Except for the fact that Brayden was in a *mood* and he could have cared less when his coach put the medal around his neck #littlestinker

These pictures crack me up - here I am asking him to smile and this is the look he gives me 

Finally after pouting for long enough, he was so excited he got a medal and him and his buddy JohnLuca posed for a picture, of course my little guy couldn't smile so he went with his standard goofy face.  I love this boy!

A random weekday

A couple of weeks ago we got a taste of some warmer weather, which to us Chicagoans, is low 40's.

After the kids took an hour to eat ate their dinner, we headed out for a walk and decided to stop by the park.  It was still a little wet on the ground from some leftover snow but they didn't care.  Ella was having soooooooo much fun.  This is her first year experiencing the park.  Last summer I just stuck her in the swing or kept her in the stroller the whole time.

And my little girl is a climber, I think she climbed up these stairs 50 times and then I would go down a little slide with her.  She was in heaven.

Ella just loved walking around the park, exploring.  She is at such a fun stage, but also a very tiring one!

These pictures crack me up, she saw her brother on this riding thing so she wanted a turn, but still wanted to eat her cracker, the girl never passes up an opportunity to eat :)

On the way home, big brother wanted to push the stroller so bad, so I let him.  Of course I had to intervene at times because he was pushing her right into a snow bank, but overall he did pretty good :)  He kept saying, "I am a big boy now Mom, I can do this all by myself" Why are they growing so fast?!?!?!?

It was such a nice weeknight with my cuties, I just love being outside with them :)