38 Weeks / Leighton’s Nursery

Wow you guys! How has it been this long since I've posted an update? I guess all of you that told me this is just how it goes with the third baby were right, huh? 😂 It's hard to believe, but we are just 8 days away from welcoming Leighton into our family, so it's time I get this last bump date up and share pictures of her nursery, even if it's just so that we have for our own personal memories and records.

Third trimester thoughts....

Sleep is minimal (mainly from not ever being able to get comfortable) and my heartburn is at an all time high.

As for my emotions, those have been very high as well haha. I've definitely been feeling ALL the feels lately and have been really emotional, but I know that this is normal. The boys are acting very excited for her to arrive...Camden told me yesterday, "Leighton is going to come out soon and when she does-she's going to rip your shirt!" ha. Grayson has also been pretty emotional lately and pushing boundaries a bit-I've had some hard talks with him (that have ended with me in tears just because I want him to feel so loved!) due to the fact that he's definitely feeling that change is coming, and that he will no longer be the baby. Before bed, though, he tells me all the people in our family that he loves and he always says "I love baby Leighton!"

Discovered how painful lightning crotch can be this trimester (I never had it with the boys)

I just got put on a 5 day steroid in hopes that this will raise my platelet count so that I'm able to receive a spinal/epidural during delivery. Crossing my fingers that it works!

Baby girl is still super active in there and her movements/kicks HURT sometimes!

How far along: 38 Weeks (in 1 day)

Size: A honeydew melon 😀

Name Situation: Leighton Jane

Gender: Girl

Sickness: NONE...so thankful that this ended awhile ago!

Cravings: Anything cold and fresh - my shakes, salads, ice cream too!

Aversions: No real aversions but my appetite towards the end of this pregnancy has been so low
Nursery: I posted a few pictures below sharing her nursery, we are so happy with how it turned out. I love the flower decals on the main wall behind her crib (bought them off Amazon) and the gold details. I wanted it to be light and airy and girly without being "too much" :)
Heartbeat: 150 at my appointment this week

What I'm Wearing: Stretchy shorts and leggings are pretty much the only pants that fit! With summer ending and some cooler temps, it’s been a little bit more difficult to dress the bump or find things that work for this season (compared to summer when you can just wear maxi dresses everyday!)

Movement: She is SO active everyday that now her kicks have started to hurt! She’s busiest at night when I’m relaxing before bed. She also kicks every night when I read the boys books at their bedtime :)

Sleep: Tossing and turning all night pretty much and getting up 1-2 times to go to the bathroom

Weight gain: I've gained about 30 lbs with her so far which is similar to what I gained with Grayson

Workouts: HA - Chasing the boys has been exhausting enough, but I have tried the past few weeks to at least get some walks outside or on the treadmill in.

What we're most excited about: Meeting our daughter for the first time, seeing what she looks like, and introducing her to the boys... 💗💗💗

 Sources: Rug - All Modern, Chandelier - World Market, Dresser (switched out the knobs to these brass ones) - Wayfair, Crib (old) - Delta Baby, Wallpaper decals - Amazon, Gold Shelf - Marshalls, Wooden Sign - Hobby Lobby, Letter hooks - Hobby Lobby!

37 Week Bumpdate

How Far Along? 37 weeks ...FULL TERM! Woo woo! (this picture doesn't do my belly justice-I feel so huge)

Size of Baby: A honeydew melon

Weight Gain: 22 lbs

Stretch marks/Swelling: None yet

Symptoms: The complete opposite of the past few weeks because I've been feeling really good, except for being so tired at the end of each day. As of the past few days I've been needing to nap when Camden naps otherwise I feel extremely burnt out. I've had a lot of BH contractions and also some menstrual type cramping here and there (feels like I'm about to get my period) a couple times and my doctor told me she thought I would be dilated upon hearing that.

Labor Signs: At my 36 week appointment last week I was 1 cm dilated, 60% effaced. This week I'm 1.5cm dilated, 70% effaced. So not much change! My gut really tells me I might go early with this one, but now that I say that he will probably be late. :) I was barely 2cm dilated when my water broke with Cam, so who really knows?! I know that no matter what, though, dilation and effacement aren't true indicators of when labor will actually happen, so I'm trying not to get my hopes up into thinking he is going to come early!

Cravings: I've actually gotten to the point now where I have to force myself to eat often because I get so full so quickly. My appetite has definitely gone down and I'm not craving as much. 

Mood: Feeling much more relaxed this time around than I was at this point with Camden. I'm not second guessing myself as much and not as nervous about labor and delivery, even with the uncertainty with the epidural (if I will be able to get it or not due to my platelets.) I'm so looking forward to meeting our second son, and keep wondering how and when it'll happen! 

 I will add this random thought here...you will NOT see me this pregnant in the middle of summer ever again, ha. Definitely not my favorite!

Nursery: Shared pictures here.

Sleep: Getting harder and harder to switch sides - my hips haven't really ached at all this pregnancy up until now. I'm also up going to the bathroom 1-2 times per night now. Getting up out of bed with this big ole belly isn't easy!

Workouts: Trying to get some decent walks in everyday and of course, chasing Camden around is a workout in itself. 

Best Moment This Week: Just making it to 37 weeks is a celebration in itself! I'm SO close and just very ready for him to make his debut! Everything at home is ready and taken care of, too. Our bags are packed...the car seat is installed...and we have plans set up for Cam and Rocky for when I go into labor. 

Looking Forward To: MEETING BABY BOY! Please don't be late like your brother...mmmkay? (And I'm really excited to be able to call him by his name, too! This has been WAY too hard!) My only true hope and wish for my labor this time around is that I will be able to get an epidural, but aside from that all I care about is a healthy baby and mama!

So...any predictions? Will I make it to my due date or will baby #2 come early?! What do you think?

PS: THANK YOU all in advance for hanging in there with me during all these huge transition phases in my life. I know I haven't been the most consistent with my posting, but I do plan to continue blogging so please keep checking back for updates! I really apreciate all the support and getting to know a lot of you over the years! :) 

34 Week Bumpdate

Before I get into my bump date...

1. My girlfriend Angela just had her baby boy, Jacob Joseph Kurtz, this morning! How cool is his birthday?! 6/16/16! I couldn't be more excited for her! We've gone through our pregnancies together so it's very surreal to me that her baby boy is here because that means one thing...I'm next!

2. My heart is broken into pieces hearing about Lane Graves, the 2 year old boy who was grabbed by the alligator in Orlando. Me and Billy have actually stood right in that same water where that little boy was, years ago when we vacationed there. We just keep thinking about if that were Camden and how absolutely horrifying it would be. Words can't describe how my heart aches for this family.
_

Onto my bump date...

How Far Along? 34 weeks, 2 days! 6 WEEKS LEFT!

Size of Baby: A cabbage

Weight Gain: About 20-21 lbs I'm guessing...next appointment isn't until next week

Stretch marks/Swelling: None yet! I luckily don't have any swelling yet, but that could change especially with this heat! 

Symptoms: I'm not going to lie, these past two weeks I've been really uncomfortable. Baby is head down and VERY low, so I've been feeling a lot of pressure and just overall feel heavy and huge. I didn't feel like this until I was like 38 weeks with Camden. I'm on my feet practically all day when I'm home with him because he is so busy, and my legs just feel like bricks by the end of the day.  Physically I feel like I'm ready to have this baby now, but obviously I know it's best he keeps cooking! (I wouldn't mind though if he was say...a week early :))

I also got news at my last doctors appointment that my platelets are low (just like how they were when I was pregnant with Camden) which means I will have to be put on a steriod again for the last 4 weeks of my pregnancy in hopes to get them up before delivery. However, even if they do get them up they could still drop during labor like they did with Camden and if they go low enough then I won't qualify for an epidural. I've been TRYING not to freak out about this since I can't do anything about it, but it's a little unsettling. I NEED THOSE DRUGS! Just praying that when the time comes I will be able to get one.

Cravings: Any and all desserts

Gender: Still a boy

Mood: Getting very excited and like I mentioned the other day, my nesting is at a whole other level (thank you for all your advice!) I'm going around our house cleaning and organizing everything. Next on my list is installing the car seat base in my car and playing around with the double stroller! 

Nursery: Done! Shared pictures here.

Movement: All the time...baby boy is very active! I can feel all his hiccups now too! 

Sleep: Still been good sleeping, except as of lately I typically have to get up once per night to go to the bathroom.

Workouts: Surprisingly enough I've upped my workouts the past few weeks - I've been walking and jogging more often which I've found actually makes me feel a little better. Especially when I focus (and remember to) stretch a lot afterwards!

Anything making you queasy or sick: No

Best Moment This Week: It wasn't this week, but it was the other week when we had our 3D ultrasound. Getting to see baby boy was AMAZING because he was in the perfect position and was showing off for us! He was smiling, resting his hand on his face, and we found that him and Cam look SO much alike! It was so sweet and the ultrasound technician gave us like 30 pictures!

 

Looking Forward To: We have our hospital tour this Saturday (because I'm delivering at a different hospital this time) and my parents are actually babysitting Camden all day so we have the entire day to ourselves! We are so excited to have a whole day together and to do whatever because it'll probably be the last time we have this opportunity for a LONG time... :) 

Happy Thursday! 

30 Week Bumpdate + My Baby Sprinkle

(dress here)

How Far Along? 30 weeks, 1 day! My last bump date was at 23 weeks - a lot has changed since then! I can't believe I'm only 7 weeks away from being full term and will soon have 2 kiddos...insert happy feelings with a side of a slight panic attack.

Size of Baby: A cantaloupe

Weight Gain: 17-18 lbs depending on the scale I go by, I can tell baby grew a lot the past few weeks! 

Maternity Clothes: Just waiting for this weather to be consistently warm so I don't need to squeeze into jeans and pants anymore! Bring on the stretchy maxis!

Stretch marks: None yet. I did want to note the linea nigra finally decided to show up. It's a lot lighter this time around than with Cam, but it's there.

Symptoms: Acid reflux round 2 - such a joy! It's been pretty bad the past few days. I just went back and read my bumpdate with Camden at this time, and it looks like that's when my acid reflux started with him too! I also have some broken veins in my right leg which looks really pretty when I wear dresses and shorts! Other than that, I feel good and my skin has never been clearer and my hair remains super thick (for both pregnancies actually-huge perks!) Oh, my belly button is definitely in a half popped position. Cam likes to pull up my shirt and poke it and laugh! ha! 

Cravings: Frozen cold treats of any flavor, please.

Gender: Boy! Any guesses on his name?

Mood: As it's getting closer and closer to my due date, I've been getting more excited to see Camden as a big brother and to meet this little guy! I'm definitely starting to get a little nervous too, though, about how we will adjust going from 1-2, but I still feel way more relaxed and laid back this pregnancy. 

Nursery: COMPLETE! Pictures will be up on the blog next week!

Movement: Everywhere and all the time! He's pretty active just like his big brother. 

Sleep: Eh, getting comfortable is more difficult and switching sides is a harder task but once I do fall asleep I sleep really well throughout the night. I go to bed early a lot because I'm trying to get as much sleep as I can before he comes!

Workouts: Running after/picking up Cam 20+ times per day + 1-2 "real" workouts per week :) 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Best Moment This Week: My sprinkle (details below) and finishing up the nursery

Looking Forward To: We scheduled a 3D ultrasound next week, so I can't wait to see him and compare his features with Camden's 3D pictures that we had at the same point during my pregnancy with him. Really looking forward to sharing pics of his nursery, too!!



Now about my baby sprinkle! 

This past Sunday afternoon, two of my girlfriends threw the most generous and adorable nautical themed sprinkle to celebrate baby boy. I kept going back and forth about if it was necessary or not, but after my girlfriend Angela offered to host it at her house and we talked about keeping the invite list small (just close friends and family) I got really excited about celebrating baby boy #2!

The invitations they sent out were adorable - this picture doesn't really do them justice. In fact, I already have it framed in baby boy's room because it matches his decor perfectly. Since I didn't want people buying off of a registry for us, I love the line they included at the bottom about the gifts. I actually had to cut the last part of that line off to fit in the frame, but it read "Bring diapers, wipes, or a gift card for the essentials. Just little gifts to share in her joy!"

The menu consisted of warm ham and cheese sliders, a ton of bite sized appetizers, veggies, chip dips, crackers and cheese, and so on. We indulged in a half almond, half red velvet cake with ice cream for dessert! Normally I say the food was my favorite part for pretty much every event, but this time just spending the afternoon laughing and listening to a ton of crazy labor stories with my closest friends was by far my favorite part!

My mother in law, sister in law, and soon to be sister in law all drove in from Cleveland for it which was so nice of them.



For the favors, they filled these adorable bags with swedish fish (get it?) and attached cute little anchors on them.



Another one of my favorite details was the "message in a bottle", where they had everyone write baby (or us) a special note that we can put in his nursery. Camden has a jar with notes from his shower and I still love reading them, so it's really special to me that baby brother has his own notes too!

We received some of the cutest summer outfits, generous gift cards to Babies R Us and Target, diapers (so needed since I haven't bought any yet!), bibs, books, etc. And both sets of our parents gifted us the last of the larger items that we needed...his mattress (thank you parents!) and another camera for the baby monitor (thank you to my in-laws!) So sweet!

I didn't take enough pictures as I would have liked, but the whole day was really special and it was really nice to celebrate this baby. I can't wait to introduce him to all the awesome people in our life! And to Lindsay and Angela, you girls are the best. Thank you for always supporting me and for the most perfect baby sprinkle!

23 Weeks Bumpdate

{shirt from here-it's very soft!}

How Far Along? 23 Weeks, 1 day

Size of Baby: A bunch of grapes - weighs about 1 lb now!

Weight Gain: 13 lbs, with Camden during this week I was up 13 lbs as well but this time my belly seems (and is) so much bigger! 

Maternity Clothes: Wearing a bunch of maternity tops, but still rocking the belly band on pants and I actually have a pair of AG jeans that are stretchy around the waist that I can still wear normally. Prior to pregnancy, I was constantly having to pull them up in the back (which I hated), but they are perfect to wear now.

Stretch marks: None yet & still no sign of the linea nigra

Symptoms: Lots of Braxton Hicks! My headaches have seemed to stop the past few weeks (knock on wood!) which has been SO nice. I'm running out of breath more easily and sleeping is getting a little bit more uncomfortable...I find myself tossing and turning all the time. Other than that, I feel good overall except for the fact that I just feel huge. 

Cravings: Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts and carbs! carbs! carbs!

Gender: Boy! It's getting really hard to not be able to call him by his name...

Mood: Happy!

Nursery: The nursery is finished being painted and right now we're just trying to figure out the best set-up for the crib, dresser, and glider. The room is an odd shape so it's making it difficult to figure out a layout we love. I've found a rug that I just need to order and the only decor we still really need are some shelves, so it's definitely coming together. I also cleaned out the closet (which had more of my clothes in it), and hung the outfits I've bought him so far! We're getting there!

Movement: Starting around 21 weeks, I started feeling him kick and move all the time! Finally! They aren't huge movements yet, but enough for Billy to feel them and to see them from the outside too. 

Sleep: Tossing and turning a lot, but good.

Workouts: Still averaging about 3 per week, but running is definitely getting more difficult. My belly just feels heavy so it's harder to keep up a good pace. I'm doing lots of walk, jog, run intervals now which I did last pregnancy too. 

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Last week I got a stomach virus right after Cam had his! It wasn't food related, but I couldn't eat keep anything down for about a day and it was hard to stay hydrated. Glad it's over! 

Best Moment This Week: I had a doctors appointment the other day where I got to hear baby's heartbeat and see that I'm measuring right on track (for now.) Easter was also so much fun because I imagined having TWO little boys to dress up and celebrate with! My friends are throwing me and baby a little sprinkle in the middle of May, so I'm really looking forward to that. It'll be nice to "celebrate" the baby a bit - I feel like I've had some guilt this pregnancy because I haven't boasted/vocalized about the small things as much...it is just different the 2nd time around, but it's still so special to me.

Looking Forward To: A date night with Billy on Friday and our trip to Florida in 2.5 weeks! Can't wait!

18 Weeks Bumpdate

How Far Along? 18 weeks, 2 days! Crazy that I'm almost halfway

Size of Baby: A sweet potato

Weight Gain: 6-7 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Busted out the belly band this week and I'm wearing a few maternity tops (like this one pictured above), but mainly my regular clothes still.

Stretch marks: None yet. Also, one thing I did have with Camden that I haven't had (yet) during this pregnancy is the linea nigra.

Symptoms: I feel good most of the time, but getting a lot of headaches that seem to stick around for-ev-er. They are so not fun! Other than that, feeling good. 

Cravings: It's really pathetic how many sweets I've eaten this pregnancy...ugh. Let's not even talk about it.

Gender: Boy! We are so excited to give Cam a little brother! (he does have a name but we're keeping it a secret until his birthday)

Mood: I feel like I've been much more pleasant this pregnancy compared to last, but I guess you'd have to ask Billy to know for sure. Or maybe I will just stick with that. :)

Nursery: We've made great progress in baby boy's nursery! This weekend his crib and dresser will be put together, and we have a paint color picked out for the walls! We've decided to do a nautical theme (you know how much we love boating in the summer) and I've found some really great things the past week, so it's all sitting in his room waiting to be hung/arranged! We hope that when we start visiting the cottage to go boating early this summer that we can find some local things to add to his room, too. 

{little brother onesies are both from here, heir to the throne onesie from here}

Movement: I found out this week at our ultrasound that I have an anterior placenta, which is why I haven't felt him as much as I did with Cam. I was starting to wonder because I felt so many kicks early on with Cam! But, I do still feel him (it's even better when I do) and I'm sure in the next few weeks I will start feeling him more and more!

Sleep: I don't remember the last time I haven't fall asleep on the couch before 10pm. Sleep is no problemo over here...

Workouts: 3 per week and still keeping me sane

Anything making you queasy or sick:  No real aversions

Best Moment This Week: Having our big anatomy ultrasound the other day! Doctor reassured us that baby looks perfectly healthy, nothing to be concerned about, and measuring right on track. Music to our ears!

Looking Forward To: Getting his nursery set up and feeling more kicks! 

A picture from my 20 week bumpdate with Camden: