8 weeks left...

We are heading into the final stretch! With school... winter... and pregnancy. That means summer, 60's and a baby!

First I guess I'll give a school update. Things are starting to wrap up. I'm starting to get things ready for my long term sub and my kids are finally in the "I'm no longer a baby and can do things without being asked!" phase. I am enjoying it especially because there is a good chance I will not be teaching first grade next year! I've been given the opportunity to work 1/2 time and with little Baby A coming it sounds good! I will most likely be teaching 3rd grade or above and a part of me is excited to be in upper elementary again! It seems as though I will be taking off until November, and then starting November I will be working 12-4. We found a at home daycare that is 3 minutes from my school and both Mark and I feel extremely good about her :)

Additionally as school is coming to an end, I'm realizing how thankful I am for the parents at my school! At conferences, all my parents were so great  and I even got flowers to help brighten my cold conference week! My room mom is planning a little "present" for me, along with passing along tons of baby books, toys and blankets from her little one. It is much appreciated as for the most part our nursery is still empty!



But speak of the nursery, Mark and I were in "nesting" mode last weekend. We made a huge trip to home depot, and worked on a few projects around the house. First we put in blinds in the baby room (FINALLY!) and while Mark did that I put together our changing table/dresser! (Currently empty aside from a diaper cake Cathy gave me :) and changing pad inherited from a teacher at my school. Mark also worked on fixing a few small problems with our toilet, including putting in a handle that was not broken! *Hooray!

Current Nursery

Such a good carpenter :)

My work

Toilet handle :)

Practicing the baby carrier

Diaper Cake

Then pregnancy. GOOD, but definitely getting bigger and more tired again! I went to zumba this week and thought to myself, "this may be my last evening going to zumba". I was just so tired the next day and know that I am starting to get to the point where I should just start enjoying our "spring" weather and walk :) I know Cici will like that. And of course I can still do my daily yoga, which I think is why I still have 0 back or other body pains. I attribute it to that and using the foam roller every night.

29 weeks

32 weeks... yes I look morning tired :)

 As far as cravings go, I am loving good food, especially breakfast food. That and my baths/foot soaks are my way of pampering myself. I'm looking forward for more of that this coming week when I have Spring Break and my birthday! I plan on a lot of good alone time, craft time, a pre-natal
massage and cooking to prepare for the birth! 

Mexican Inspired Brunch

Breakfast cups

French toast with berry compote

Don't look good but chocolate oatmeal pancakes and eggs :) My fave!

The little stinker

I also hope to spend more time with family this week. We've loved spending time with sweet baby Henry, and I look forward to my family coming here this summer... In fact, my parents recently found out that an offer they put down on a little home about 30 min south of us was ACCEPTED! Which means they are now double homeowners and get to be close to baby more of the time! It is definitely a project, but it'll be so great knowing that they are so close and that they have their own little place in Minnesota.

Henry

March is Here!

Huge Icicles! 

March 2nd... the high did not get above 0. I looked at blog posts from last year for the coldest weekend of the winter, I complained about a day that it was 15 degrees.  Then I saw a blog from 2 years earlier... March 12th-60 degrees. What a weird winter!

We got a huge storm a couple of weeks ago. Piling 10-12 inches of snow on top of the crazy piles we already had! Cici was not very happy with it, but we had our first "snow" day here in MN (Not a cold day) So that was enjoyable! The tricky thing is the temperature has not gotten above 12 since the storm, so the roads are just ice sheets, not fun!

Notice how big the snow is in comparison to the dog

This past week was kind of nice because although the temperatures stayed low, the days are getting longer, and I was finally motivated to put away all our winter decorations. Now we have our springtime pictures up, our Easter signs out, green bows for St. Patrick's day, we will wish the Spring to come! I also did some work on the nursery! I put in contact paper in the closet, put together a little bookshelf (and filled it with all our children's books) and organized the few baby items we currently have. 

Puzzle I made for baby's room

Closet

Bookshelf I made

Going home outfit from hospital :)

Mark and I also tirelessly spent one evening putting together our two new bedside tables so they finally match our bedroom set! (and do not have scratches and missing shelves. We also got a furniture for the loveseat in the living room. Slowly but surely we are furnishing this house :)

This week was Susan's birthday so I made cupcakes (actually the cupcakes were for myself... I made her cookies!) And they brought Henry over to visit! He is growing so fast, now about 6 weeks and he's starting to seem more baby-like. He smiles and holds things and focuses on objects around him! The only person who did not like the visit was Cici... Makes us worry for what she'll be like in a few short months!

sorry it's sideways

Cici wanted love

Smiling

Speak of a short few months I am now 28 weeks, In my 7 month of pregnancy. Baby is supposedly around 2 pounds and mostly developed! I hate to be repetitive but I still feel pretty good. I do get tired more quickly (which I realized after spending the weekend in Afton celebrating Marcella our niece's baptism, with 20 of Mark's side of the family) but overall I feel good. I'm still enjoying my morning yoga, going to zumba a few days a week, and even taught a fitness class last weekend! (Though I was VERY sore the next day!) I'm hoping that this means 3rd trimester will just be more of the 2nd???? Though my growing belly tells me otherwise. The solice is that I am really starting to feel sweet baby boy move and enjoying making Mark jump by placing his hand on my belly when it happens. 

28 weeks

Last Valentine's As 3...

I'm including Cici of course. I will start of by saying this post has little to no pictures and for that I apologize.... boring, I know. Mark and I have been super busy this week: conferences, a cold, after school meetings, professional development, Valentine's Day parties, etc. etc. Needless to say we were VERY ready for a 3-day weekend!

3rd Wheel :)

Valentine's Day was special in our own little, we don't care a ton about gifts, kind of way. I stopped off at Papa Murphy's and got Mark a heart-shaped pizza and cheese bread; and he got me 2 cupcakes and a piece of cake from the gluten free bakery up the street. We enjoyed those with Cici and watched a couple of the newest season of House of Cards (which started off with a BANG!). We also received entirely too much candy from students, but that we gave away Saturday at Mark's party...

Gf treats :)

Heartbaker

Speak of Mark's party, we had Mark's 30th birthday party this weekend! Yes, he turned 30 last month, but with my Mom here, and Henry being born, we just didn't find a right time to have the party. So, we had it Saturday. It was extremely fun. We spent all day Saturday cleaning (it's always nice to have to have an excuse to get the house in tip-top shape) and then waited for people to arrive! Most of Mark's friends were able to make it and we had fun talking, eating snacks, playing Cards Against Humanity and "bro-ing" out *Just kidding... boys club does not bro-out. I was appreciative of not being in my first trimester this time, and actually found myself enjoying the party and getting to stay up until past 1 am and see people. I felt much more human this time :)

Today we are enjoying not having to have had to commute in the 4-6 inches that has been falling since 4 am... it is beautiful but I do have to say that with this extra-cold, extra-snowy winter all of us are ready to see some thaw. It is supposed to be in the upper 30's this week, so hopefully that will happen (Otherwise there is a good chance we will only be able to see SNOW outside of our windows downstairs it's piling up so much!). We don't have many plans for today, other than my blood-glucose test at the doctor this afternoon to check for gestational diabities.

The pregnancy is going pretty well still. This week was kind of neat because I got to see Baby A move for the first time in my stomach (Yes, I mean that my stomach was moving from the outside, like I had an alien object in me trying to get out....weird). But he's been VERY active this week which is comforting, and helps make up for the extra pains he's starting to cause as I head into this last trimester. I'm 26 weeks pregnant right now, and have less than 14 weeks to go! I'm definitely getting bigger; Paul came over last night (hadn't seen me in a week) and said "hello stomach!" haha. But I still don't feel overly huge and my energy (aside from my cold) is still staying strong. If I could just get the pelvic pains that happen every time I get up or turn to go away, I'd essentially be normal :) Mark and I are getting more and more excited, but I can't say we aren't a LITTLE scared. This week I was feeling him kick around like crazy and then had the thought "Oh God, he has to come out at some point!" I'm sure I'll be ready the bigger I get, but currently with our empty nursery and the cold snowy weather, we'd like him to stay put for as long as he can :)

With that I'll leave you with my early morning pre-gym photo that I tend to look Oh so tired in... Next time, I'll be in my Third Trimester!

And in two weeks i'm in my 3rd Trimester!

WOW! What a whirlwind it has been since my last post. I can't believe we are already to February (especially since it is less than 0 outside.... this arctic freeze winter is NOT my favorite).
This month has been very special because of a few different events. First my brother and Susan got married.... and then they had their sweet baby boy Henry! He gave us a little scare and had to be in ICU for a few days but after he learned how to live outside the womb, he has been a little angel :) And my mom has LOVED being here to take care of him! She leaves tomorrow, but she will soon be back for when my little guy decides to make his appearance.

Wedding

Trying to burp a sleeping baby

He makes great faces

In ICU

Burping a sleeping baby

My little guy was kicking like crazy here

Speak of my little guy I am 25 weeks! I can't believe it! I am definitely getting bigger and starting to feel some of the normal pregnancy pains-hips hurt when I sleep, getting sciatica on my right side, pelvic pain, feet hurting..... BUT I'm still loving being pregnant. Sounds so cliche, but it's neat to know that he's always there with me! I don't feel it too often yet, but he kicks throughout the day, and at night I definitely notice when I finally sit down for the evening. Mark even felt it a few days ago.... though he said it was "weird". :) I'm still able to work out ok, doing my Zumba classes and my daily yoga. Hopefully the yoga will keep my body from getting too many pregnancy pains, fingers crossed. Now, if you don't like pregnant belly pictures, do not look at the following, BUT for my own records :) Picture of me at 24 weeks. Yes, I look tired, just woke up on a Saturday, about to go to Zumba.

24 Weeks

With the other man in my life, it was Mark's 30th BIRTHDAY! Yes... I have been giving him a hard time about it for a while, saying he is an old man, but I still celebrated with him by getting tickets to the Timberwolves Game (which they dominated) and then we stayed in a hotel downtown so we were able to walk to dinner, and back to the hotel instead of having to drive ALL the way to Eagan that night :) Needless to say it was a nice little getaway.

Sunset view from our hotel

T-Wolves Scoreboard

A little selfie.... yes our seats were awful

In every day news, I am still enjoying being a homeowner. We are still slowly furnishing our house and getting things that make it seem more like a "home". In addition, thinking about projects we want to complete before baby comes (like get a freezer/fridge for the garage, and hardwood the main floor). Hopefully we get around to these things, I think we will :)

A funny thing about being almost in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy is that I eat a TON now. I'm always hungry! But I've been trying really hard to keep it healthy, and make sure that what I'm eating is good for me and the baby. Like this berry covered french toast :) I also made some DELICIOUS lentil/beef burritos the other day from a new cookbook I got the "Drop 10 CookBook". No I'm not trying to lose weight but I recommend it just for the quality of food and recipes that are in this book. They use all whole foods, and lots of healthy fats to make delicious filling meals! I also made a Quinoa crusted salmon from there that was delicious as well as a kale pasta dish!

Berry French Toast with banana and nutbutter

Delicious!

I'm also finding time to craft before baby comes. Made him his first stuffed animal this past week on a "cold" day we had no school for. A sock monkey! I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, just using directions from Pinterest! Not bad for one of my first times using the sewing machine! Thanks again Grandma :)

All the pieces sewed

She helped me stuff him

Reggie is all done!