Three Weeks Old

 

 

 

Meet Grandma

Being a trio has brought us an equal amount of joy and trial.We are so thrilled to be the parents of such a gorgeous baby girl and we feel God's goodness all around us. Doubly exciting, {more like a blessing} is that she is an EASY baby. So far she is pleasant and predictable. However, adjusting to a life with a newborn is sometimes anything but joyful - not to mention that we just bought a house so we are still trying to tell up from down. Left from right. A.M. from P.M. Paid bill from bills due. But, as usual, we are never alone. We have support systems that stand by us during the ups and downs.

My mom came in from WI following our return home. She wanted to be of help in any way possible while I was healing from the C-section. And, that she was! Truly, there is no one that loves you like your mother!!! My mom is a woman of service and hospitality. She makes herself available whenever she can, but what she's best at is just "doing." Mom never stops! She spent her days here cooking, cleaning, running errands, soothing Charlotte, but mostly she spent her time trying to convince me to rest and let others help me. Easier said than done. She raised three bold woman and some of us are more stubborn than others!

It was also a treat to have my older sister, Emily, and her two girls come for a couple days. We had a full house but it was overflowing with smiles, love, and laughter. Charlotte's first outing was spent at a Cinco de Mayo shin dig. She slept quietly in her car seat while mama bear said hi-hello's for about an hour. The next day Charlotte went with her cousins to the Tulip Time Parade downtown which was very special to me {Something I've never attended in my 8 years living in MI since I've always been working!} We also got to see an old friend from Hope College at the parade and at brunch the next day. It just happened, also, to be Mother's Day which was special {and tear jerking!} to spend with my family.

Dish soap fun!!

Once my family left we were on our own! Enjoying a quiet home was first thing on our agenda but it proved to be more difficult than we had thought. Apparently when you have a newborn everyone wants to see her/him {to know fault of their own}. This made sleep, privacy, housework, and sanity even more far fetched. And, what happens when your sleep {what sleep} is few and far between, your husband goes back to work, you turn into a milk factory with one very demanding customer, you forget to eat, your dog is being an ass, the dishes are over flowing in the sink, and your hormones are trying to stabilize.... the blues, that's what.

My first Mother's Day

It came on suddenly. Out of nowhere, really. Eric came home for lunch and as he was leaving my eyes swelled with unexplainable tears. The kind of tears you feel stupid for crying, so you cry more. The kind that stream down your face. The kind that freak out your husband because they were unprovoked. Yes, even in the midst of the bliss of being a mom to the most beautiful baby in town, I was struck with the baby blues. But, like anything else we are a team and we've been working on getting through this together. That doesn't mean it's been easy. I've had more melt downs about feeling like a milk maiden who stares at the walls all day. Eric has sought help from "been there, done that" friends but still had a hard time nailing his role as a partner to an emotional wreck of a wife. {It must be noted that he is doing much better!} Now, we're both doing our part to make this phenomenon a short-lived time in our lives. Eric is very attentive to my needs and I am working on getting out of the house more despite my new-found anxiety. What's been most helpful though, is the support from my friends.


Eric opened up to our girlfriends one night when I was at home with the baby. They were able to empathize with him and have since been very purposeful in helping keep my spirits high. After all, there is a beautiful new life to celebrate!!! These are the same woman that pulled through with a box of freezer meals to get us through the first weeks! These girls are my heart! It just means the world to me that they will come to my home just to visit and check in. They share their post partum stories, they come hold my sweet baby and keep my mind occupied, they get me off the couch for a Captain Sundae walk {who doesn't love ice cream!}, and they listen. I can honestly say that everyone's efforts {whether intentional or not} have made a difference. And, I'm very grateful for Eric who sought a way to better understand how to be a supportive husband.

Karen and Judy's "favorite" birthday present!

Little Charlotte has been so fun to show off. I brought her to work for snuggles and kisses from the ladies. She behaved herself and was wide-eyed for everyone! In fact, she's already famous at work. Her picture is proudly displayed in Judy's office and in mine. It was cute to see that kind of enthusiasm for our little peanut's anticipated arrival.

Charlotte {Charlie} has also enjoyed a park date, several trips to the old house, a bbq, an ice cream date, a thrifting trip, and a Memorial Day get together at our home. She's a social butterfly! We're hoping that our next local trip will be to the pub - the place where mommy and daddy met. I miss my co-workers terribly and I know they are all dying to meet this love bug. In fact, it was brought to my attention today that a new featured cocktail has been named "Charlotte Mae." How special! I'm so tickled and I can't wait to try it -- MMMmm gin! But, before I go catching a buzz off of a couple sips, we have to survive our trip this weekend to Wisconsin for Charlie's great grandma's 90th birthday party! Surprisingly I'm not too worried about the trip but I do know that it will take us longer than the usual 4 hours with a baby on board.

Randomness Updates:


1st piggy bank loot!!

- Charlotte will be one month old on Eric's birthday (June 4th)
- She has super loud toots and a hairy butt
- She's in the 90th percentile for height
- She has recently started fighting sleep.... by crying....
- She is a lazy eater and I have to tickle her feet or undress her to keep her awake
- We love bath time
- Eric is a baby whisperer
- I can finally wear my wedding ring again!
- I've got 5 pounds to go before I reach my pre-pregnancy weight

Time to run! My little piglet is demanding a meal!



I can't get enough of this picture! Haha!

Labor of Love! The Birth Story

She's here! Little Charlotte {Charlie} Mae entered into our physical lives on May 4th 2014 at 4:01pm. She weighed in at 7lbs 13oz and 20.5in. She's as healthy as can be and adjusting well.

To say that we are overjoyed is an understatement. But, her arrival was anything but easy compared the "cake walk" of a pregnancy that we had. It never crossed my mind that the labor would be difficult - let alone 40 hours. My mom and my sister both had very easy and speedy deliveries. Just goes to show that everyone's situation is unique. For those that have been asking, here is the story of her very anticipated debut!

It's quite lengthy. If you want general updates on the first couple weeks... stay tuned for the next post.

May 3: At 1:30 I felt a pressure and "pop" that seemed somewhat like water breaking but not quite. We checked into the hospital at 2:30am after being encouraged to get checked by the on-call OB. I was dilated 2cm but my bag of waters was in tact. At 4:30am we progressed to 4cm with contractions 5-6 minutes apart. It was then that I slept for about 2 hours until I could consult with the doctor. At 8am we decided to go home - Although it was clear we were in early labor I preferred to labor at home in the comfort of my bed. The nurses all thought I was crazy and said that most woman would stay and have their water broken. Not me! I was able to take a bath and nap for another hour but then my contractions were strong enough to hinder sleep. At 4pm I called my OB again because my contractions were 4 minutes apart but would sometimes jump to 6 or 8 minutes. She said to wait until 3 mins apart or a 9-10 on a pain scale. Okeedokee! So, what is a girl to do.... go to a BBQ of course! Although I was uncomfortable, I thought the distraction of Brendon's 30th birthday party would take the focus off of my discomfort rather than staying home. I was right! But, it wasn't always fun breathing through contractions while socializing, eating, and attempting to enjoy a bonfire. We went home at 9:30 and sleep at that point just wasn't possible...

May 4: Between midnight and 3am my contractions got much stronger. I tried several positions while Eric slept. Laying down, all fours, walking, sitting on the toilet leaning on a table, ect... At 4am Eric woke to me rocking the bed as I was breathing through a contraction. I told him I was "fine" and that I was stuck at 6-8 minute contractions again so we shouldn't go in yet. Thankfully he was level-headed because he trumped my stubborn ways and drove to the hospital anyway. My birth plan was to avoid an epidural if possible unless it meant gaining sleep. Well, over 24 hours of labor and only a few hours of sleep.... I needed the juice if I was going to push out a baby. Our nurse reassured us that an epidural was designed for this type of labor - as a tool to help a woman rest up for the hardest work a woman can fulfill. By 7am I had gotten an hour of sleep and my OB checked me. 4-5cm, 90% effaced, but slower contractions. It was then decided to get things moving. They broke my water and then added Pitocin. By 9:30 we were dilated to a 6. YAY! Two more checks, many contractions, and increased discomfort later.... no progress. We then tried using gravity by changing my position. Still no luck. By 3:30 we were still at a 6. It was then that our OB informed us that my uterus was tired, my body was swelling "below," and little muffin's heart rate was dropping slightly. Her head was simply too big to fit through the canal.

Eric and I didn't need to talk it over. We knew right away that a C-section would be best even though we had hoped to have a vaginal delivery. We made a couple calls to family and 20 minutes later we were in the operating room. {It must be mentioned that my husband looks unbelievably sexy in scrubs!}

Our sweet baby girl was pulled from my body and immediately handed to Eric. I was intently listening to everything from behind my sterile curtain. That moment when I heard Charlotte's first screams I swelled full of tears! It seemed like she was crying for 10 minutes while Eric was saying, "Oh baby girl" over and over in an effort to comfort her. Then he walked her over to me and I kissed her sweet face and the face of the man that stood by me and supported me every minute of the labor process and the last 9 months.

We were able to bond for an hour in the recovery room and little Charlie caught on to breastfeeding right away. What an awesome time we had being 3 instead of 2! Every pain, every ache, every hesitation was erased and I blissfully let myself fall into the awe of holding our daughter. We then welcomed visitors for a couple hours - which, in the future I will delay since we could have benefited more from sleep than commotion. Lesson learned. None the less, the visits from friends and family were warm and well received. Once everyone left Charlotte got her first bath and we were off to bed! Eric slept in my hospital bed with me - not only are those recliners only so comfortable - I just wanted to be snuggled by my husband.... even if I was in pain and a huge diaper. Haha!

The next day was spent recovering. I was happy to have my IV and catheter removed so I could move freely around our room. It was then that I realized that I truly had undergone major surgery. Just sitting up was difficult but Eric and our nurses were very helpful. I loved the quiet moments at the hospital - witnessing the first hiccups, breast feeding, watching her lift her little noggin off my chest with her strong neck, watching her "hold" her own pacifier against her tiny face, inspecting all of her fingers and toes.... so in love! And, I enjoyed the visitors too, but it was always so overwhelming -- maybe because there were sooo many people that came and went throughout the day.... including a jillion hospital personnel.

Papa!

Grandma Patti, Nora, and Mike

"Cousin" Miles

The night of the 5th our favorite nurse, Amy, told Eric that we were doing well and that if we wanted to discharge early, she would approve it. Heck yes! We decided to discharge on the 6th even though staying an extra day would have given me more time to heal. But, after such a long process I just wanted to be home. And, my dog wanted me home too! That same night Eric reported that Ported had gotten into all kinds of things in the house and destroyed them... all my things. I think that he was confused that Eric was home once or twice a day but I wasn't... and he could smell me. To him, I left in pain and I wasn't returning.

The morning of the 6th I had my 16 staples removed. We slowly packed our things and made sure everything was in order. Leaving those automatic sliding doors of the hospital was like stepping into the first day of kindergarten! So much wonder, eagerness, hesitation, excitement, and joy all in one. It was particularly excited since I felt as if I hadn't seen the light of day in a week. And, it was the perfect day. The sun was shining and the air was warm! I went into our home first so I could reassure my dog that I was still alive and well. He acted particularly strange - he didn't come to the door when I opened it or when I called. It was then convinced that he ate something and was hiding out of fear. I walked into my room to find him crawling on his belly on our bed  - now convinced that he had eaten something and was impailed and dying! Why wasn't he coming to me!?! Eventually I got close enough and he sprung up to kiss me. And.... then he proceeded to pee uncontrollably on my bed.... just like a puppy. WHAT!?! Oh well! I was happy to be home and see him. And, he was eager to meet the baby. He kissed her and laid beside her car seat. So sweet.

Stay tuned for a follow-up post about our first 2 weeks as a new family!

1 Day to Go! Can't wait to meet Muffin!!!

Our mortgage loan officer said it best, “Girl, you never slow down, do you?” NOPE! Never do! If I did, these blog posts would be more frequently updated.

We had one last shower in March – hosted by my soul-sister, Alex Russel. Holy little girl clothes! As usual there were smiles and good company - our closest friends, our tribe, our clan, our family. We are bursting at the seams with blessings and cute ruffle-butt outfits!

Other exciting events involved a bachelorette party and wedding shower weekend for Becca and Curtis. I couldn’t be happier that those two are tying the knot. They are already the goofiest family around {that little stinker Bryson has a giggle that will melt your heart!} The bachelorette party was a woot! This preggo was shaking her money maker on the dance floor just like old times {only 8 months pregnant!} Haterzz gon hate! In the morning I got to pick up our godson, Miles, so his mama could have time to travel back from the festivities. Eric showed him how to blow bubbles with his hands using dish soap. Miles ate it up! Gosh, Eric is going to be a great and fun daddy!

Let’s not forget about Ashley’s birthday party! Fajitas on the grill, mexi rice, guacamole, and a fire. Always a good time hanging out to celebrate one of the most selfless woman I know. It was quite an adventure frosting her cake in the back of my vehicle with Amanda!! {Oh, and all the pictures that you are getting to feast on have been snapped by Ashley! She captured some great moments!}

At our 37 and 38 week appointment we got news that there hadn’t been much progress made. Little muffin was still high in the uterus and no dilation, thick cervix, ect. So, doc gave Eric the assignment of “softening the cervix” with a wink! You should have seen his face! {We are good students and did our homework}. The 39 week appointment was better! She had dropped a little and I was dilated to 1 tiny centimeter. Hey, I’ll take what I can get. And, what better way to celebrate progress than a trip to Subs-n-More with my hubby-love!

Keep in mind that as ALL of this is happening my dear husband, his friends, and his dad have been working countless hours on the house {that we didn’t own!} The plumbing, electrical, code violations…. You name it, my handyman and his crew did it. My mom even drove in for a weekend of repairs and cosmetic fun! She was a huge help getting the nursery started and shampooing the carpets. She gets off on that kind of stuff. She’s like a little interior designer/home repairer. Her car looked like a cleaning and maintenance service when she rolled in.

Everyone’s HARD WORK paid off. We passed our second inspection/appraisal and were able to close on the house on April 25th!! HOME OWNERS!!! And, so much more worth it when you work your booty off to have something worth-while. So, on a whim we decided to move the next day since I was still feeling well. 4 pick-up trucks, 3 trailers, an SUV, and a car later we had 85% of the house moved in time for pizza dinner. {Again, none of which would have been possible without friends and family!} We ended the night with a little fire in the driveway… paradise!

Now that the move is “over” and boxes are still everywhere…. Muffin is teasing me with the thought of being released! I’ve been feeling a lot different since Sunday night and I’m hoping that means she is on her way soon. Soon, however, is a relative term. When I say soon I mean “when I’m ready for her.” Mentally I’m ready to be a mama but my house is upside-down! Not to mention there are still many things at the old house! Moving 5 days before your due date is not recommended, but I wanted to do it before I had a newborn in tow. We’ll just keep plugging away!

*Recent Add* - Just got back from our 40 week appointment - Doc said she dropped and was excited to check my cervix for dilation. Then the tone changed. Seems that little miss muffin has plans of her own. No progress, reverse progress actually, and she is now "sunny side up." MAN! So, ultrasound later today to see what's really going on! She wants to check my fluid level, ect. ... stay tuned I guess.

How Far Along: 39 weeks, 6 days.

Size of Baby: Size of mini watermelon, approx. 20 inches, and weighing over 7 lbs

Belly: “I never knew your belly could get so big!” – weekly quote from Eric, and no, I’m not offended. I, myself, caught my reflection in the truck the other days and was instantly like “WHOA!” I’m still mostly carrying forward and round round round {from behind I just look bootyliscious!}

Movement: Some days more than others! I’ve caught myself cursing under my breath to her when she really gets a good kick or two in there.

Symptoms: Up until this weekend I was still feeling really well. I didn’t know it was possible to be 39 weeks and feeling good/great. Ever since Sunday night, however, I’ve been super tired, pelvic pain, pressure, general aches, ect. But, I’m still sleeping like a baby! {When I do decide to sleep!} There have been other indicators that the end is near but I’ll spare you the details ;)

Mama LOVES milk!!

Food Cravings: Strawberries, Mexican rice, and rice krispie treats.

Gender: I need to finish the nursery for this baby girl. Big time! I still need to finish painting, set up crib, put away boxes of clothes…. Poor thing doesn’t even have a room yet.

Moods Ups and Downs: I’ve maintained a pretty good attitude up until the last couple days… I think. I've enjoyed being called a "trooper" on a couple occasions when all I wanted to do was hang out until 2am at a bonfire with everyone else.... so I did! But, the news from today's lack of progress has me all upset.

Weight gain: Now that its the end of the end, I am proud to announce I gained 28-30 lbs. of muffin and cellulite. My stinking thighs have stretch marks! Must be a DuPont {my mom's side} gene... big ole hips!

What I miss: Gracefully doing anything…. Getting off the couch, picking something up, getting in the car, opening a drawer without shanking myself in the gut….

What I'm looking forward to: I’m looking forward to meeting our baby girl, of course! I just want to see her pretty little face! And, I’m looking forward to Eric holding me together! He’s already doing a great job! This whole crazy winter/spring has been so jam-packed with baby prep and house prep that I didn’t have any time to think about the BIG EVENT and how it’s going to go down. Just the other day Eric asked me if I needed to go to the hospital and I started to tear up because it hadn’t even been a thought, anxiety, fear,…. anything, until then. Now it’s real! I’m not looking forward to labor, per say, but I’m not worrying about it either. It will happen how it happens – hopefully drug-free {unless it’s turning out to be a long day and I need to save my strength... or if I have fricken back labor since she flipped!!!}…. I’m no hero!

Milestones/Moments: ONE MORE DAY {til due date anyway!}I have a feeling she will be here on May 3rd though!

I love this picture. Perfect for the garden-lover in me!

Weeks Change to Days: 35 Day Countdown!!!

Jiminy Cricket! 35 is the magic number! Today marks 35 weeks which also means only 35 days to go!

It has been pretty quiet lately. HAHA! Psych! As usual, we have a plate full of things that we are diving into. But, I think we've been taking it all with stride thanks to level heads and support from loved ones.

We recently made a trip to the Great Dairyland! It's always nice to cruise around Lake MI to the Milwaukee area to see my parents and siblings. And, this particular trip was full of family fun. To kick start things, my lovely mom planned a baby shower for me. And, to end the weekend, she also planned a surprise retirement party for my dad. {No wonder I have such a great hostess gene!}

The drive was great! Snow was finally starting to melt, spring in the air, sun peaking through the clouds... And, as usual we stumbled across some Journey just as we were heading into Chicago! Life is good. {DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'} I must admit, my husband is becoming quiet the experienced Chicago driver -- thanks to his navigating wife. We make a good team. And, we love road trips. We have some of our best and most thought provoking conversations when we drive. Helps pass the time and so does belting music when things get lame.

The shower was lovely. It was touching to see close friends and family. Some we haven't seen since our wedding and others even longer! We were "showered" once again with gifts, hugs, and well wishes from everyone. Baby muffin is already so humbled. Mom is so good to us! And, thank goodness for brothers! My brother Matt, brother-in-law Grant, and Eric all hit the road to Milwaukee for the Sprecher brewery tour. Eric is a bit spoiled from his production experience at New Holland so he wasn't too impressed. But, it was special to hear that he enjoyed "cackling" with the guys more than the tour itself. I'm glad those dudes {all very different} can entertain one another in good clean fun.

We literally had to shoe {shoo?} some of the gals from the shower out of the house to make it to the car dealership for one of mom's great plans. You see, my dad's retirement gift to himself is a new Toyota Tacoma {Much deserved!}. So, mom made a pact with the dealership that they would call her when it was in and if dad inquired, they would say it wasn't in yet. Mean, just mean. But, it allowed us women to meet the guys after the Sprecher tour and take a picture with dad's new truck. It was quite the adventure and "a beautiful thing" as Dad would say.



The whole Seib-family! Growing each day!

Dad's surprise retirement party took place at the Fox and Hound restaurant. An awesome setting tucked back in the woods. Just a small group of his closest friends, coworkers, and some family. Unfortunately he was feeling under the weather but mom convinced him that the family needed to celebrate his achievement over brunch since all the kids were in town. Let me tell you, the love and the energy from everyone must have perked him right up! He was surprised by all of the people that traveled a short distance and also with the fun gifts that he received as recognition for his hard work. You see.... dad is a private guy. A hard working German man. The kind of guy that always worked 2-3 jobs - jobs he didn't even like and shifts that caused him to sleep in 3 hr increments at a time. He is an inspiration -- not many people can comfortably retire at age 55 nor do they stay employed at a company they don't like for 30+ years! But, my dad did and it brought him to a great place. I'm so proud of him! And, over all of the years he was able to keep a strong faith in God. In fact, I'm sure that's what got him through it all. {One of those lengthy conversations on the ride back to MI!}

---------------------------

On the homefront - we got good news about the house. So, Eric has spent the last week going there for a couple hours at time to work on plumbing repairs. Next step, FHA appraisal/inspection. Then repair more according to their standards. Then inspect again. Tentatively scheduled to close on the house end of April {Conveniently, a week before baby is due}.

Our 34 week appointment was a breeze. Muffin was all jacked up on something because she was moving around so much we could barely hear her heartbeat. All is well. She's not measuring as big as anticipated {Good grief, thank goodness!} and I got a high five for only gaining 2 lbs in the last 2 weeks. Head is down but cocked a little to the right side and her little butt is always popping out from under my rib. So, she's in a decent position now, she just needs to wiggle down.

Holy roundness!

How Far Along: 35 weeks

Size of Baby: Size of a honeydew melon. 18 inches and 5.5 pounds of cuteness!

Belly: Fricken stretch marks are creeping in! I'm not sure when they took up residence on the underside of my belly... but Eric pointed them out the other day. Oh well. Still loving the tumtum! Eric said to me this week, "Babe, is it weird that I can't even picture you without your beautiful belly?" He is so sweet! But really.... what did I look like?!

Movement: Not a whole lot of room to move these days. No more summersaults. Just some rolling movements and some kicks. And, man, do those hard kicks make me jump sometimes. I enjoy watching my belly morph as she moves. She's getting big!

Symptoms: None? Is that possible at 35 weeks?!! The only symptom I have {other than frequent urination which is.... duh!} is occasional swelling of the feet. I'm feeling pretty good these days.

Food Cravings: Nothing in particular. Loving me some watermelon from time to time and I drink milk like its going out of style.

Gender: Getting excited to make her woodland animal themed nursery in the new house.... eventually

Moods Ups and Downs: Because I've been feeling so great, my mood is great! I think I'm more pleasant now that I was pre-pregnancy. No joke.

What I miss: As much as I miss late nights, conversations with human beings {you know, someone more interesting than my dog}, beer, adventures, ect... I'm content these days. I'm happy just to be comfortable, functional, sleeping well, and still able to do many things on my own {Though, telling Eric that I can't do laundry anymore because I lost my balance and nearly feel down the stairs is probably the best thing yet!}

What I'm looking forward to: Last baby shower tomorrow! I'm not going to lie, I'll be glad when it's over - I'm tuckered out. But, I'm excited to see the tribe and more family. Hopefully muffin will grace someone with her presence. She is so dang shy around the belly touchers! Oh, and I'm excited to go get a pedicure with my girl, Alex! She's hosting this shower at her home and she deserves a little TLC too. {Thanks to my friend Jordan for the pedi gift certificate! Just in time for warmer weather and a round belly!}

Milestones/Moments: So close to being less than a month away!

Whip out the flip-flops, Michigan. It's supposed to be in the 50s soon!

32 Weeks 5 Days: Things are "rounding" out nicely ;)

Greetings ya'll!

Oye! I wrote this last week and my draft fell victim to the outer space of the immense intraweb.... so here's to trying to remember what I wrote about...

Almost 33 weeks! In fact, tomorrow will be just 50 days til our due date. Holy buckets! Time is just surging past us day by day. And, soon our corner won't look like this....

6ft snow walls lined the roads earlier this month.... safe to turn the corner no prob!

Our 28 week appointment went well. The glucose test has been rumored to be “gross and terrible” so I was a little apprehensive. The drink itself wasn’t too bad {This from a girl who is known to like flat soda}. Personally, however, I think the gut-ache following the chug is what is unpleasant. And, lucky me, I passed! The remainder of our appt. was just taking measurements and checking vitals. According to our OB we should expect a huge baby, but she is healthy.

 

I spent the beginning of that weekend playing with babies {and their moms} at “finger paints and pizza” night at Ashley’s. It also marked the start to Alex’s birthday weekend… which her mama drove all the way from WI to surprise her!!! How sweet is she! I had a great night {Harley themed!} but had to turn in early. I just can’t hang like I used to.

 

Eric’s Aunt Cookie turned 60 this month. Her birthday party happened to be at New Holland so I flew solo since Eric was working. It was nice to see so many people show up to celebrate her! Patti {my mother-in-law} even brought a baby blanket for Mini Muffin that Cookie knit for Eric when he was born. It is in great condition and her attention to detail was evident. She was even scanning it over for loose ends when she saw it! Then, Eric showed up out of nowhere! He took his lunch break to see his Aunt. How sweet is he?!

 

 

The house-buying situation consumed much of this month {again}. Unfortunately things slowed to a hault mid-month due to a change in bank negotiator… blah blah blah…. Long story short, things will be moving as slow as a typical short-sale {average of 3-4 months to close} for us. So, our realtor suggested that if we are really in a hurry that we keep our eyes open for other houses on the market. Hey, we don’t have too much to lose! But, we came to the conclusion that at this point we will just plan to stay put. We love our house and we have very understanding and flexible landlords. So, if something comes up in the near future, great. If not, we have a roof over our head for our little nugget! Unfortunately I had already starting packing…. A strategy to ease my burden when I’m a basketball. Now all the boxes have to find new homes….

 

 

 

 

 



Looking forward to warm weather and sunny skies!

Valentine’s day came and went. We didn’t have any plans since we are on opposite schedules. That’s life. The flame still burns the other 364 days of the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m getting the itch to start my garden. Don’t ask me why. I know very well what type of conditions the weather must be in order to do this. But, we’ve had more sunny days lately which makes me want to just dig in the dirt {barefoot and without gloves!}

 

Cory’s 30^th birthday just passed. I enjoyed putting together a little giftbox of all of his favorite things with Eric's help.... Monsters, jerky, vitamin water, Cabela’s card, gas card, gun shells… everything short of a fishing pole! I think he liked it! I volunteered to DD to the Embo that night. What a great turnout! There had to have been 25 people there to celebrate our charming, selfless, and funny friend! The end to the evening was one to remember. Steve, DD#2, locked his keys in his truck and it took 7 guys 30 minutes to break into it {Thanks to my “hoarding” tendencies, I had a wire hanger in my trunk}. Just when everyone’s buzzes were killed, Steve got pulled over for having a headlight out on our trip back to finish the evening off. Unbelievable! But, Cory had a great night and it was definitely one to remember.

 

Cory and I during Eric's 30th bday party... Old men.

 

 

 

We are so fortunate to know people who have recently had kiddos. I spent countless hours sorting through bags and bags of little human clothes passed on from co-workers, friends, ect. It was an overwhelming challenge {mentally and physically} but I finally have everything labeled in boxes for every quarter of her first 18 months! During this process I could feel my house caving in on me and my good friend, Ashley, came over to help ease my burden. We might not have done much, but just reorganizing boxes, moving totes around, consolidating all the baby donations… It all gave me peace {if only for a couple days….}

 



Sushi at a baby shower. YES!

We had our first baby shower!! My lovely family at New Holland Brewing Company made me feel so special with the “Allison’s Favorite Things” theme. Katie Jo is the baby shower master! There were Doritos, Kit-Kats, walking tacos, sushi, Twix bars, fruit, fruit snacks, cheesecake bars! She really knows how to make a girl feel special! It was a collaborative effort by many of my favorite people. Andrew McDonald even pre-made about 100 little mini-pepperoni pinwheels {I’m sure it took him at least an hour!}. I can’t explain how tickled that all made me feel. Then, there was the gift opening…. I made the girls save and fold all of the tissue paper {freak!}. Haha. We got lots of wonderful things to kick-start the sweet life of little muffin-butt! Generous gifts, of course! These girls just love and give. I can’t wait til it’s my turn to be the giver again {I’ve been feeling rather “take take” lately since we’ve had wedding showers and baby showers in the last 6 months.} It’s humbling.

 

 

 

Childbirth class was this past weekend. Of course, we sat in the back row and snickered back and forth for most of it! It was insightful and we both learned a lot. I'm hoping our presenter, Debbie, will be our nurse when the time comes. She is more chill than our OB!

 

30 week appt was sometime this month, 32 week appointment was today. Thumbs up all around. Her head is perfectly positioned {today} and her little rump is always poking out under one rib cage. My uterus continues to measure high. 2 weeks ahead these days {She said it could mean that I'd go a couple weeks early but I don't want to get my hopes up}.

 

I started leaving updates in the bathroom for Daddy :)

 

How Far Along: 32 weeks 5 days

 

Size of Baby: Muffin is the size of a Bok Choy. What?! She is 4lbs and almost 16.5 inches long.

 

Belly:  1 little stretch mark on my hip. I check it multiple times daily haha. It is about half and inch now. Oh well. Belly Belly Belly!! I just love the thing and so does everyone else! It’s getting much harder to make my non-maternity clothes work….  

 

Sleep: The tiredness is coming back. I've talked myself into going to bed earlier but it’s hard not seeing Eric at night.

 

Movement: Tiny Dancer!!! This baby loves to move! She’s still very active at night 11pm to 1am. But, that doesn’t mean she isn’t moving all throughout the day too. I think she sleeps for an hour and then parties hard again. The spot she kicks the most legitimately feels bruised and tender. But, she likes to hide from all my friends. Not for long!!

 

Symptoms: Mild ligament pain, dizziness, frequent bathroom trips, back ache, trouble positioning {but not yet having trouble sleeping! Wahoo!}  

 

Food Cravings: Chocolate {Oh my!}, specifically Hershey Kisses. Pineapple.

 

Gender: Little girl clothes ARE so cute! Especially ruffle butt things!

 

Mood Ups and Downs:  I’m a little ornery these days. Mostly if I get annoyed I just keep getting annoyed. No tears. Thankfully Eric just takes my ups and downs in stride. He always seems to be in such a good mood… why is that?!

 

What I Miss:  Putting on socks and shoes without becoming winded. Well, doing anything without becoming winded!! I took Porter to the dog park and only “managed” to walk 3 laps around the park. Pathetic! But, in my online yoga workout I learned that your heart enlarges 12% when you are pregnant. No wonder we ladies are feeling so tired, breathless, and out of shape!

What I'm Looking Forward to: Shower in WI this weekend!!  And, dad's retirement party.

Milestones/Moments:  50 days! I'm going to start a little journal of letters to my precious daughter!

 

Be good everyone! I leave you with this photo of a man and his possessed dog!

 

 

 

 

 

28 Weeks: A Guide to Surviving an "Arctic Blast"

Third Trimester.... Here we are!

Dear Readers: This post was intended to be written 4 weeks ago! Thankfully I've been keeping notes on a sticky note. As per usual, life has taken many twists and turns resulting in a delayed post. {Kudos to you if you make it to the end of this weeks novel!}

Well, on January 1 I turned 26.... that's all. Haha! It was nice to go to breakfast and dinner with friends. And, Eric bought me a "replacement" ring since my fingers are becoming little sausages...

Eric switched from 1st to 2nd shift at Harbor Steel after the first of the year. Who would have thought that the grumpy "big boss" would have offered Eric this opportunity since he and his wife don't believe in outside childcare!?! Big K has a heart! It is reassuring to me that Harbor is a company that supports it's employees and cares enough to spare us the cost of sending our little muffin into a strange home or agency... not to mention the financial backhand that goes along with it! Needless to say, it's been an adjustment getting used to the new schedules. Some days get lonely sitting here cleaning the kitchen and doing laundry. But, it makes me appreciate the weekends with my hubby and the times he comes home for dinner. Porter and I have even delivered some hot meals to our favorite steel worker! And, the occasional date or adventure we get to take together reminds me how important my best friend really is to me. Even he can turn a trip to Home Depot into a good-time!

:: Picture me literally paging through my day planner as to not miss a beat::

I also started a babysitting gig after the New Year to supplement some income to pay for un-paid maternity leave. I'm still trying to decide if my body needs the workout and the stress of overseeing two very adorable {but painfully dramatic} little girls. I've never in my life {many years as babysitter, nanny, sister, aunt} seem a three year old have such intense tantrums. Thank goodness its only 8 hours a week of such torture... I mean, training.

Our 24 week appointment went well. They gave me a little goody bag {re-usable!!} of formula, pamphlets, and that glorious glucose drink everyone raves about. Unfortunately, days later, Porter decided he was thirsty and drank the glucose test. I got a phone call from Eric that started like this, "Babe, you need to call the baby doctor..." Ok.... {Why would he know that I need to go see the doctor? What does he know about me that's wrong... that I don't?} He proceeded to explain the situation and that I needed to call to get a NEW bottle of friendly orange sugar syrup. No problem. Porter on the other hand was curled up in a ball on the bathroom floor for quite some time. {That is his "safe place" that he retreats to when the boys are shooting guns or bows in the backyard. What a ninny}. And, Eric reassured me that the vet said he should be fine. Everyone is back to normal!

Our good friends Steve and Amanda got engaged mid-month! We are so excited for them and their son, Hunter. Steve is one of Eric's oldest friends. I love hearing their stories! And, I'm so glad that Amanda came into the picture. She is a warm soul with a little sas and attitude. I love that she is a spit-fire like me. I can't wait to celebrate their eternal promise to each other.

First sunny day in weeks. The drifts and snow piles will just get worse!

 

As if the country hasn't already heard, Michigan has recently been punished by Mother Nature. The "Arctic Blast/Frozen Tundra/Polar Vortex" {Also known as a b.l.i.z.z.a.r.d. where I hail from in WI} recently graced us with its presence. It has been a rough year to live in the middle of four corn fields. I will be telling mini-muffin for years that it was the worst winter I've seen in my entire lifetime. A series of stormy, windy days so bad that it kept her daddy away from her mama one night because a 4ft drift across the road and dozens of ditched cars came between us. It also happens to be the year that two plow trucks went off our driveway into a ditch, a neighbor's tractor broke down and sat for days in the storms of our yard, and the mailbox hasn't been seen in over a week. The snow on the side of the road is a good 4-5 feet tall. The stop sign on our corner looks like it's floating in a snow-bank. Through all of it we have been supported by friends and neighbors. Cory has braved our driveway many times. I will be making his a gift-basket full of all of his favorite things. We appreciate him more than he knows. Hopefully the major storms are over and we won't find ourselves stranded for days {again}. I'd rather not use my earned-time-off on snow days.



Our back door



Same yard... another storm.... snow wall after plowing.

 

The bulk of this post's delay is due to the stress-free, non-consuming nature of house hunting. ;)  We've been in search of a home since October with the hopes of weaseling our way into a different pad before the baby comes. Earlier in January we found a great house and our offer was accepted! But, because we refuse to take the easy road in any situation, we are dealing with the joys of a short-sale. Fortunately for us it's moving faster than most short-sales but it doesn't mean there are less hoops to jump through. We've been busy scheduling home inspections, plumbing repairs, appraisals, signing mortgage paperwork, ect.... Its been stressful.... and we don't even know when we will be able to close the deal. Our realtor and mortgage loan officer are shooting for mid-March. Nothing like being 8 months pregnant and moving into a new house! But, the up-side is that I can sit here and dream about all of the possibilities of making the house our home! It will be years before all of the repairs are done but we have to start somewhere. For now we'll stick to making the home up to code! We'll keep you posted. :)

Our potential house!!!

Now for updates on the little buggy!

How Far Along: 28 weeks

Size of Baby: Muffin is the size of a large eggplant. She is 2.25 lbs and almost 15 inches long! She can sense light and is busy packing on some fat. And, her cute little eyes now have eyelashes.

Belly:  No stretch marks yet! But, I feel so large already... I just keep telling myself that I don't have the length in my torso for her to go anywhere but OUT! Joys of the belly - I'm loving all the belly rubbing from my co-workers when I waitress on the weekends.

Sleep: I haven't been napping at all and I've been up very late. My body might just be prepping for motherhood or I might be subconsciously waiting for Eric to get home from work so I can see him for 10 minutes a day....  Regardless, I've realized the need for a pregnancy-body-pillow. When I roll into a position I rarely move in my sleep all night. I've been shoving pillows in between my legs and behind my back to keep me on my side.

Movement: We've been feeling outside kicks since week 23. Since then she has gotten much stronger! Eric has been able to catch a couple good kicking sessions at night. She tends to be very active between 11pm and 1am {wonderful for those trying to sleep}. Just this week I've noticed a little bit more of a pattern to her activity and I enjoy catching glimpses of my belly move out of the corner of my eye. I'm getting to know her already, too... she likes to wiggle and kick after I eat clementines.

Symptoms: Some ligament pain from growing baby and back-pain when on my feet too long. Insomnia. 

Food Cravings: Strawberries and clementines. I can't get enough of fruit! Just this week I started wanting chocolate too...... {GREAT!}

Gender: Baby girl! Working on names.

Mood Ups and Downs: Oh. My. Gosh. This has not been a problem for me for some time. Week 27 was just a mess! I cried everyday last week, sometimes multiple times a day! The worst was Wednesday. On Tuesday I ventured out to shovel {I was feeling like a worthless member of society and I wanted to play in the snow!} After several 15-30 minute shovel sessions I had cleared enough space to turn my vehicle around so I could safely leave the next morning. Then the storm came!!! Wednesday after work I barely made it in the driveway in 4-wheel drive and then proceeded to struggle through 3 drifts. I started balling. And then, I couldn't turn it off for almost 45 minutes! But, my husband came to my rescue in the work plow truck and saved the day! 

The news from work that my hours may be cut soon due to The Affordable Care Act and lack of funding was a shocker. Thankfully Eric held me together during my break-down in the kitchen that night. He's been working 12 hour days to keep us afloat and he still manages to be strong for me. I don't know what I'd do without him! I literally sat on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck like a little kid and watched TV after that and then retreated to bed.

The rest of the ups and downs have been less severe. The new Budweiser commercial with the puppy and the horse... don't get me started!

What I Miss:  My wedding ring {had to take it off last week so it wasn't stuck forever!} The ability to easily bend and put on shoes/boots.

What I'm Looking Forward to: New house and a nursery! 28 weeks appointment!  

Milestones/Moments:  We've officially hit the 3rd trimester! 86 days to go...

Bundle up, friends! Mr. Groundhog saw his shadow.... 6 more weeks of God's humor on the way :)