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Not going to apologize for the little hiatus...explanation is in the post! Hope you enjoy and will hopefully be posting some more soon!! :) Have some knitting and lots of pictures to share!
Week: 37 weeks and 2 days. Any day now!!!
Weight gain: 47 lbs so far...which is WAY more than I gained with Carmen.
Baby's sex: Team Pink!
Baby's name: Been decided but not announcing until after birth! Per Daddy. :)
Sleep: This has been tough. My hips go numb in the night and rolling over is a chore. I usually end up catching up on sleep throughout the day as night time is not always successful for me.
Movements: She is losing a lot of her room so the movements are different, however, she moves a lot. When we were in the hospital the first time with pre-term labor at 35 wks, I could tell a contraction was coming because she would kick right before it started.
Labor Signs: Where do I begin...on March 7th I was at work and I had been feeling contractions since the night before. After lunch I finally started to time them and they were coming every 2-5 mins. I called the OB and she said that I should go into the hospital triage. At this point, I was overwhelmed with that idea and started to cry. I called my sister who was leaving work at this point and she told me she'd meet me at home and take me in and to calm down. I texted Kenny at work and told him to stay there but that I was going to go in with my sister to triage to be monitored. When we finally got into triage that afternoon, the contractions were every 2-3 minutes. They checked me and I was 1 cm dialated. At this point, they decided to monitor me for an hour and see if the contractions slowed or if I was progressing. The hour came and they checked me and the contractions had not slowed and I was 2 cm. They decided to give me a shot to slow the labor and it was supposed to last 45 and hopefully slow them enough but they only slowed to 4 mins apart and once the 45 mins were up they came right back at 2-3 minutes apart. After that didn't work, they decided to try a pill. They would load me up on the pill by giving me one pill every 10 mins for 30 mins and then it would take another 30 for them to work...let's just say that did NOTHING! So, the nurse said she would wait until 9 pm and check me again...if I was progressing still I would most likely be admitted. We waited, she came and checked, and I was 3 cms at this point. So, I was given an IV and moved into a labor & delivery room.
Ok...so that was most the excitement for the night. My other sister went to the house to stay with little miss CGR, who had been put to bed by her daddy, and her daddy came and joined us. The plan was not to help things along and just to see how the night went. The nurse had warned that the IV may slow the contractions and they did. Once I was able to rest in the l&d room, my contractions started to slow throughout the night. When the doctor came in the morning and checked me, I was still a 3 and was sent home on pre-term labor precautions. At almost 36 weeks, it was too late for bed rest but she said not to do anything to provoke the contractions and to rest as much as possible. To make an already long story shorter, I have since gone back one night with painful contractions but weren't progressing me. I've been on maternity leave since March 8th and just resting and trying to keep this baby in as long as possible. We've hit 37 weeks so it's time.
Operation walk this baby out has started and I am really hoping that things progress soon but now that I'm not working, I fear I will still be pregnant April 9th on my due date. We'll see. I'm having regular contractions, lots of pain, but nothing that would count as labor yet.
Maternity Clothes: If it's not maternity then it's my husbands t-shirts and something very comfortable!
Big Sister Carmen: She has been a trooper! I'm usually the one who gives her a bath and does a lot with her but since I've not been able to, others and her daddy have taken over. I can tell she's noticed as she is a bit more of a momma's girl than normal. She gives the baby lots of hugs and kisses and I even have her asking the baby to come out and play. :) My daycare was closed yesterday so she stayed home with me and it was tough but we did it. She didn't nap and I was super sore at the end of the day but we had a good time and lots of cuddles, fun, and play were had. Love my big girl!
Past couple weeks: With being home now, I'm still exhausted all the time but not as bad as I was when I was working. My body is tired and sore most the time but I've been focusing on knitting, resting, and my family and that has helped. Baby will come when she's ready...but we are ready for her.
Doctor's Visit: Had a doctor's visit today. We are on weekly...so every wed I have one. The doctor today was distracted as there was another pregnant lady being sent to hospital from their office. All my vitals were great and baby's heartbeat strong. She checked me and I'm still 3 cm so she said just hang in there. She mentioned we could talk induction if I get to 39 weeks but I'm not ok with that. As much as I want to be done, I also want this girl coming when she's ready...now if we go past 40 weeks...then I'll be more open to induction. They did an u/s at last apt and baby was already measuring 7lb 4oz but as the doctor reminded me several times, that guess is usually wrong and I should not worry about delivering a huge baby. And that she is confident I can get through this. That helped.
Next Doctor's Visit: Next wednesday the 27th...hoping not to make it that far but the apt is there.
Looking forward to: Being comfortable again. Holding this baby girl. Carmen meeting her sibling! (Same as 2 weeks ago but it's the truth!)
Todos: Other than go into labor, rest, still need to sort through Carmen's clothes and everything else is done!
Overall, I am trying to focus on the positives! Just take things one day at a time and know that God has a plan for me and this baby. God knows this baby's birthday and when it's time he'll let me know. I have faith that everything is going as he planned it and I'm putting my full trust in his plan. Reminding myself often that he has perfect timing and he has had his hand in everything about this pregnancy and just trusting that.
Thanks for reading another baby bump update!!
Happy Wednesday! 
I came across this really cute idea for a link up on Counting Blessings blog. She just had a cute little boy and I love seeing all those newborn pictures so I thought I would join in this week! Hope you enjoy the extra pictures of my girl.
This weekend we went to Coast Guard open house at a local CG station. It was chilly and the walking around was a bit much for me...but Carmen had fun checking out the boats and especially the helicopter so it was worth it!
 We also got our hair trimmed! Mommy got her pre-baby haircut and Carmen got her bangs trimmed! They were getting in her eyes and so it was time! She did so good and had fun at the salon!
Lastly, we got her a potty seat! I'm still not ready to push the potty training as the idea of having a newly potty trained toddler and a newborn brings me a bit of panic. I am hoping once the baby comes and we get settled a little bit that she'll be ready to train but I'm not in a hurry and just plan to wait until she's ready. She does look TOO cute sitting here on her new potty on her fake phone! ;)
Well, hope you enjoyed the first week of Mamarazzi Monday! Can't guarantee this will be a regular post but it's an awfully cute one! :)
Week: 34 weeks and 3 days! less than 6 weeks to go!!
Weight gain: 45 lbs so far...another 5 lbs in the last 2 weeks. My belly has definitely shown this weight gain as well as my face.
Baby's sex: Team Pink!
Baby's name: Been decided but not announcing until after birth! Per Daddy. :)
Sleep: This is a hit or miss. I fall asleep fine since I'm so tired but I wake up throughout the night and usually wake up around 3am or 5am. Last night I woke up with a terrible leg cramp that had me in tears and hubby awake and massaging my leg. Hoping to drink enough water today to avoid that again!
Movements: She moves so much! Her movements are now a little restricted because she's loosing room but she does a good job and stretching herself as she wishes. :) It's fun to watch when she's moving around and you can see them on the outside. I've tried to get video but that's when she stops...just like her sister!
Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions have started to be a daily occurrence. Some of them have stopped me in my tracks and hurt, especially when she pushes against them.
Maternity Clothes: I've been all about comfort! Still loving the Blanqi
support tank! I still wear a couple non-maternity t-shirts and I've
started to wear some of SK's t-shirts because they are comfy and cover
the belly.
Big Sister Carmen: She is doing so good. She hugs my belly often and I've been trying to talk to her more about what's going to happen. I just don't know if I should tell her I'll be away for a couple days. I know I want her to come visit as often as she can but I just worry about telling her things like that. I feel it would be best not to point it out and just let it happen. The people who would be taking care of her are all people she's familiar with and spends time with regularly so I feel it's best to just let things happen and go with the flow. We have tentative plans on what would happen if I go into labor in the middle of the night or during the day. Need to remind those about what the plan is but it's been discussed. :)
Past couple weeks: I've hit my wall...I'm tired ALL the time! Usually the beginning of the work week I'm much more energetic but by friday, it's hard to keep my eyes open. I've been trying very hard not to plan much on weekends and let my body and mind rest. It's helped but it's not easy when you have a toddler who still needs lots of play and stimulation. She's been great though!
I did have a little bit of a scare last weekend. I was cleaning and I slipped on some water and fell right onto my leg that I've already been having trouble with. My belly hit my leg and so it wasn't a direct contact. I called the doctor and she assured me the baby and I were ok. I do think that Special K won't let me clean for anymore.
Doctor's Visit: My last doctor's visit was yesterday. As I mentioned, I fell this past weekend. I talked to the doctor about this and so she did a couple checks to see if I had any progression. I have none so that is good. All my vitals were good and baby's heartbeat nice and strong.
Next Doctor's Visit: March 13th with my favorite doctor! Can't believe we are into MARCH!!! My last 2 weeks before going to weekly doctor's apts. Countdown begins!
Looking forward to: Being comfortable again. Holding this baby girl. Carmen meeting her sibling!
Todos: Same as 2 weeks ago...since nothing got done! Sort through Carmen's current drawers and remove any
clothes she no longer fits into. BIG things that have to be done soon are to find and clean the cover on the
co-sleeper/pack-n-play and the carseat. Look into getting a rock n play sleeper and a Baby K'tan.
Overall, I am tired and somewhat ready to be done. I don't want babygirl here yet as I really know she needs at least another month of baking in there. People, strangers, family, and friends alike, seem to comment more and more on my belly which I didn't think was possible. I'm just going with the flow on that one. Babygirl has moved her bum off my back so my back pain as decreased a lot. I'm still waddling a ton and have some pains but not nearly as much as I did have. This has been good for my mental state. I feel so blessed to have made it this far and looking forward to the next couple weeks of what as Special K says is my last pregnancy so I'm working on enjoying it as well as Carmen's last weeks as an only child. Trying to focus on the positives!
Thanks for reading another baby bump update!!
Happy Wednesday! 
{this moment} – A Friday ritual from Soule Mama. A single photo (or several) –
no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special,
extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If
you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your “moment” in the
comments for all to find and see.
Week: 32 weeks and 2 days
Weight gain: 40 lbs so far...so...if you are keeping track that's 4 lbs in 2 weeks...guess she had another growth spurt!
Baby's sex: Another Team PINK!
Baby's name: The name has been decided but Special K wants to wait until the birth to announce this time.
Sleep: oh sleep...how I miss being able to go to sleep and sleep all night. Lately my trouble has been having to wake up to roll over and can I tell you the pains I feel while rolling over are enough to wake the dead! I try not to make any sounds when I roll over and wake up Special K but sometimes it happens. :( I've been going to be earlier to make up for the waking up in the middle of the night...that seems to help but I'm still exhausted!!
Movements: Still lots of movements! I can tell they are different now that she is losing more of her room in there but she is still moving a ton! Love it all!
Labor Signs: None.
Maternity Clothes: I've been all about comfort! Still loving the Blanqi
support tank! I still wear a couple non-maternity t-shirts and I've started to wear some of SK's t-shirts because they are comfy and cover the belly.
Big Sister Carmen: She is doing great!! I hope she stays healthy like she has been! She's been so silly lately and learning new things EVERY day! She's been reading, singing, kissing, and hugging the baby still and it's so adorable! Love how good she is with her dolls and really hope that she is as great with her baby sister.
Past couple weeks: As I mentioned 2 weeks ago...even though I was having aches, pains, and such I was still feeling overall ok...now I'm counting down. Exhaustion has hit and it's been a struggle staying awake throughout the day. I'm just getting closer and closer to being done. I'm focusing my thoughts on the prize here but I'm pretty ready to be done with being pregnant. I know I have at least 6-8 weeks left but I have a feeling it's not going to be a super easy road.
I visited the chiro last week and he couldn't really adjust me much, he did recommend getting prenatal massages for my overworked muscles through his office every week the remainder of my pregnancy which is COVERED under my insurance! He said I could start with 2 so naturally this week I had my first one on Monday and scheduled one for Friday too!! The first one was amazing and while it helped my hips and legs feel SO much better...it couldn't take all the pains away. It did help enough that I'm all for going twice a week for this week and next week and then I'll go once a week until I deliver! The lady was great and helpful! Gave me some things that Special K can do too!
Doctor's Visit: Today's apt was with one of the doctor's I usually say is my least favorite BUT today I really liked her. She was nicer than she's been in a while. She also said some supportive things this time and not the usually comments that come out of her. :) She asked me how I was doing and pretty much said that all looks good and that my pains are normal...which all the doctors have said but I still mention them because they are there. I had a little scare with really low blood pressure last week but she said that is ok and that it's nothing to be concerned about. My blood pressure was normal today and she said I've run low a couple times but nothing too low. She said if I start feeling faint then they need to know but otherwise not to worry. She also said my iron levels were great, which surprised me since I've been so exhausted.
When she measured my belly, it's measuring 34 weeks! She said that it's fine to measure a couple weeks bigger or smaller but if the measurement increases then they will want to do an ultrasound to guess weight. CGR always measured about a week smaller and she was 7lbs 4 oz when born 2 days late...so the doctor said be prepared for this baby to be bigger. The doctor and I both agreed the ultrasound guess weight wouldn't change my plan to wait until I'm in labor and try to go natural like I planned last time. I'm open to the epidural(which I got after 14 hrs of labor with CGR and no progression past 3cm in that time) but I don't plan to have it unless I feel I need it then. While she's not my favorite doctor, she knows that I don't want to be induced and will only ok being induced if it's medically necessary or if I'm still not in labor 10 days after my due date.
That being said...I do plan to start doing everything in my power to naturally encourage this baby to come out starting March 23rd! My sisters will all be off work/school that following week on spring break and I think it's a great time for this girl to join the family! Now...last time I swore CGR would be early since I had braxton hicks for over a month before she was born...but that girl held on! So, I won't really be surprised if it's April 9th and I'm still pregnant. Like everyone says, it's all in this baby's hands and only God knows when this baby is to be born...hope they are both listening!
Next Doctor's Visit: Feb 27th is the next OB apt. Massage apts have been scheduled for Feb 15th, 18th, and 22nd. :)
Looking forward to: The massages!! Oh they are so fantabulous! I'm also looking forward to getting closer to my due date. I've been trying not to rush the last weeks of Carmen being an only child but I often ponder what it will actually be like when the new baby is in our lives.
Todos: Same as 2 weeks ago...since nothing got done! Sort through Carmen's current drawers and remove any
clothes she no longer fits into. BIG things that have to be done soon are to find and clean the cover on the
co-sleeper/pack-n-play and the carseat. Look into getting a rock n play sleeper and a Baby K'tan.
Overall, I'm still feeling good. Getting more and more ready to have a baby in our lives and not be pregnant but I'll make it there. Just need to take it one day at a time and focus on the end goal. :)
I posted the following picture on Facebook 2 weeks ago but I wanted to post here too...this is a comparison of my 2 pregnancies. The left is CGR at 30 weeks and the right is Baby Rush #2 at 30 weeks...I can't get over how different they are!
Thanks for reading another baby bump update!!
Happy Wednesday!
Anyone have any guesses on my delivery date? I've given you as much info as I know...we can start putting out our guesses now. :)
Week: 30 weeks and 3 days
Weight gain: 36 lbs so far...that is around what I gained total with Carmen and I still have 10 weeks to go. What is so great is that it's only a little over 2 lbs from 2 weeks ago. Looks like my weight gain is slowing...could have been because I was sick over the weekend and not stuffing my face like normal....but I will take it!
Baby's sex: Another Team PINK!
Baby's name: The name has been decided but Special K wants to wait until the birth to announce this time.
Sleep: With Carmen being sick and with Special K staying up late doing work on the house, sleep has been rough. Also having pains in my sleep and having to switch positions wakes me up. Nothing to do but grin and bear it!
Movements: Lots of movement! She loves to kick and wiggle! I love her kicks and wiggles! :)
Labor Signs: None.
Maternity Clothes: I've been all about comfort! Still loving the Blanqi support tank! I pulled out some of my old maternity jeans from last pregnancy and while they are a bit big they are so much more comfortable than anything else. I have a pair on in the picture above. Also if you notice even my maternity tops do not cover my whole belly. Layering is key!
Big Sister Carmen: Poor thing has been sick on and off but she is doing great! She has felt the baby move some more and is so cute. When I'm reading her books at night, the baby in the belly moves over to give her room in my lap. It's pretty cute!
Past couple weeks: Between sickness, housework, work, and life...let's just say I'm not even sure what to say. We've made it through.
Doctor's Visit: Today's apt was with the nurse practitioner and I really like her! She's new and very nice. She felt around and confirmed that the baby's head is already down and she helped me feel it. Was pretty cool to know I was feeling my baby's head. She said that the baby has probably figured out already that she has a bit more wiggle room if she just goes head down. The NP also said that the baby has her spine along mine and that is causing the back pain I have been having. She gave me some exercises to try to encourage her to swing around and was happy to hear I have an apt with a chiropractor on Wed! Looking forward to feeling what he can do for me! I could use some relief. When NP went to hear the heartbeat it sounded so far away because of the position that the baby is in. It's a good strong heartbeat but we had to hear it from a distance. Little stinker! So, I'm glad all my vitals are good still and my weight gain has slowed a bit.
Next Doctor's Visit: Apt with Chiropractor on Wed and then OB in 2 weeks!! Feb 13th. All OB apts from here on out are already scheduled. So wild!
Looking forward to: The visit with the chiro! Really need some back relief. The support fixed most all my ligament pain but not all the back pain. Also looking forward to enjoying the last couple months of Carmen being an only child. She is just growing so fast and want to savor this time before she has a sibling.
Todos: Same as 2 weeks ago...since nothing got done! Sort through Carmen's current drawers and remove any
clothes she no longer fits into. Move twin bed into her room and
rearrange furniture. Figure out the diaper changing station I was
talking about and find and clean the cover on the
co-sleeper/pack-n-play. Look into getting a rock n play sleeper.
Overall, I've been feeling good and glad all is going well with this pregnancy. I have a full on waddle and I can't count the number of times that either people have commented on the "torpedo" belly or asked me if I was due soon...nope 2 months!!
Thanks for reading another baby bump update!!
Happy Wednesday! 
Hello my blog readers. The little impromptu break/radio silence was due to illness. The flu hit our family in several ways. Started with Little Miss Carmen having a thankfully short stomach flu bug, which only lasted about 3 hours. Then the following week she came down with the flu and passed it along to me. She was better within a day of starting the Tamiflu...but took me and my pregnant butt a couple days. We are thankfully both better but have been catching up with life and work.
Another reason for the radio silence was because work was being done on our house. I think I've mentioned before but we are hopefully closing on our house at the end of this month!! Please send good thoughts/prayers our way for a smooth close...there are lots still pending but we love the house we live in and really hope we are able to close on time.
Now for a knitting update since that is what this post is going to be about...stay tuned shortly for baby bump update.
Knitting:
As I mentioned in this post, my knitting mojo is back and with a vengeance. I'm loving it! I feel so productive when I'm productive with my knitting and spinning. Fellow crafters will totally understand what I'm talking about but when you see things flying off the needles/hooks/sewing maching or whatever really, it brings you such satisfaction.
You can also go back to that post for the first 5 finished objects of the month. Here is the list of the rest. :)
The Momma and Baby Monster is complete! I love how this turned out! I really think Carmen is going to love it! I used the Daphne and Delilah Momma and Baby Monster pattern by Rebecca Danger and some yarn from JoAnne's. I turned this into an HPKCHC class. Isn't it so cute?
After I finished this, I quickly crocheted up a dishcloth to turn in for the Headmistress Challenge.
Then I plied the yarn that was on my wheel and turned it into a class.
Last class I turned in was all the hexipuffs I knit this month! I managed to knit 8 between all the other stuff I did. I think I deserve a pat on the back for that one! YAY!
After getting 6 classes turned in, which is the most you can submit for points and doing all the extras I could for the month of January, I pulled out my Aidez cardigan that I started LAST January and figured out where I had made my mistake and started working on it! I forgot how much fun it was to knit. Right now I'm a sleeve away from seaming it up and turning it into Detention for Feb! I can do it!
Well, that is a quick knitting/spinning round up for January. I'll be back next week with a planning post for February and HOPEFULLY a finished Aidez cardigan! :)
Happy Knitting!
Week: 28 weeks 2 days
Weight gain: 33 lbs so far...this girl is growing!!
Baby's sex: Another Team PINK!
Baby's name: The name has been decided but Special K wants to wait until the birth to announce this time.
Sleep: This has been touch and go. I still need to update you all on the crazy that happened last week but let's just say for over a week no one in the house slept through the night completely. Two nights ago was the first time we could and I kept waking up anyway. Hoping to get more comfortable again and be able to sleep but with the way this little girl is growing...I'm not going to hold my breath!
Movements: She moves all the time! She's starting to lose a lot of her extra room so I can feel that the kicks are different but she is competing with her sister for the prize of best soccer player in womb! :)
Labor Signs: None.
Maternity Clothes: I've been all about comfort! Still loving the Blanqi support tank and sporting the work out pants but it's comfy and that's all that matters to me!
Big Sister Carmen: She had a bit of a scare last week that I'll talk about in another post...but she is doing well. She's not a huge fan of feeling the baby kick but she does like to hug, kiss, sing, and talk to the baby. She even read the baby a book the other night.
Past couple weeks: Life has been crazy but it's been good too. I finally found the newborn-3 month box and did our first newborn laundry! They are so tiny and cute! I am waiting on the 3 month clothes because I'm not sure where her clothes are going to go yet so I don't want to do them quite yet. The kids(...yes...I said kids..so crazy...)are going to share a room eventually but the baby will be in our room for the first couple months. I've been thinking about setting up a diaper/clothes changing area for the new baby that is either in our room or the living room. That way at night when she needs changing I don't need to go into disturb Carmen. We haven't put the twin bed in her room yet but that is on the list of things to do soon. As soon as we get that in there, then we'll know more about what other furniture will fit and figure out where we want it to go. My friend has offered her small diaper changing table since with Carmen we just used a dresser with a contour changing pad on it and while I was hesitant at first I realized it would be a great idea to have that in our room or in the living room for changes. Thankfully with the new house we have room! :) I'll try to take a picture of the before and after but we haven't really decorated things fully yet since we knew that her room would change with the new baby's stuff.
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| Pictures comparing the growth in 2 weeks....WOW! |
Doctor's Visit: The doctor's visit today went well...sort of. I had my glucose test that now I just have to wait for the test results but they sort of forgot about me. I ended up waiting a long time and then I was going to be late getting back for a call so then they rushed me through. I had stuff I wanted to discuss with the doctor more but I guess since we start 2 week apts now I'll be back there soon. Nothing was really urgent. Baby is doing well with a strong heartbeat and my vitals were great. Blood pressure was perfect and weight gain while still going at an alarming rate for me...doesn't seem to alert anyone. :)
Next Doctor's Visit: 2 weeks!! Feb 1st.
Looking forward to: Getting the results from the glucose test. I hate wondering if I'm gestational diabetic...it's so nerve wracking. I wasn't last pregnancy and I don't think I will be this one either but you never know.
Todos: Sort through Carmen's current drawers and remove any clothes she no longer fits into. Move twin bed into her room and rearrange furniture. Figure out the diaper changing station I was talking about and find and clean the cover on the co-sleeper/pack-n-play. Look into getting a rock n play sleeper.
Overall, I'm still in a little shock we have arrived at the third trimester already. I'm SO glad we are that far along because I seriously feel like she is growing so fast and taking over my whole torso and pushing anything she needs to aside...especially my lungs! I'm also very glad we have time before she'll be here. We are getting things organized to God willing close on our house at the end of next month and then we'll need to prepare for her arrival shortly there after. It's a lot going on but we've had time to plan for all of it thankfully. Just hoping that baby girl can stay put and keep cooking until we are ready for her. My knitting mojo is still going great and I managed to spin some last night with no pain! YAY! So...overall...this preggo is doing good this week.
Thanks for reading another baby bump update!!
Happy Wednesday!
There has been knitting....LOTS of knitting! Sometime during the holidays, my knitting mojo returned with a vengeance! Again I would have to give a lot of credit to the Harry Potter Knit/Crochet House Cup for lighting a fire under me. I have spent a lot of time knitting by the Christmas tree, which I am not ready to take down yet. :)
The HPKCHC winter term started January 1st and I spent a lot of time the last 2 weeks of December planning, as you can see in this post, and prepping projects for the first month. As I mentioned in my planning post, I am hoping to be as productive as possible between Jan and Feb and then get some things turned in early March but not stressing about it. My first goal was to just finish one project a month and maybe a couple extra's here and there...BUT I hit that mark and more this month! I have begun this term with a bang and I hope it continues as long as I can keep it up!
The first day of the month I seamed in the ends and turned in my Detention post to WIP the First in true Gryffindor style! For this project, I knit a male version of Penelope the Empathetic Monster by Rebecca Danger for the 600 Monsters Strong for Connecticut. I think he came out great and I can't wait to ship him off.
I was also able to cast on and finish knitting another project on the 1st of the month! I was shocked I was able to do this as knitting mojo hadn't been strong but thanks to spending most the day at my FIL's and having plenty of entertainment for little miss Carmen, I was able to complete it. It also helped that it was a simple newborn pattern that knit up quickly! For Charms, I turned in a pair of Fingering Weight Baby Mittens by Christine Vogel. These will make great anti-scratch mittens for the baby and they are so tiny and cute! I can't wait for the baby to wear them!
The next 2 things I knit were also for the newborn baby coming in April! Let's just say, I really hope that the sonogram tech was right with it being a girl or all these pink knits will need to find a new home. For Divination, I knit a pair of Eviepants All in one booties by Marilyn Porter. I did the mary jane version of the pattern and they were so quick and easy to knit! No seaming, which is my favorite! I definitely plan to knit more of these in different colors and sizes! They were so fun! Then I knit a matching Aviatrix baby hat by Justine Turner to go with the booties to turn in to Flying. This is my goto baby hat pattern and I love how quick the short rows make this pattern and how cute it is!
For Quidditch, I quickly knit up an Owl as my mascot using the Owl Two ways (knit version) by Ana Clerc. This was a very quick simple knit and was just what I needed to keep me going.
So, that is all that I've turned in so far for the month. My base points thus far are 70 pts!! Feeling good about that. For those not in the house cup, detention is 10 pts, classes are 15 pts each plus possible bonus points awarded after the month, and Quidditch is 15 pts! I like the feeling that I'm already contributing so much to the house and hope that Gryffindor rocks it this year and brings home the cup! We were 4th out of 4 last term...and we do not plan to repeat that performance!
The project I'm currently working on is the Daphne and Delilah Momma and Baby Monsters by Rebecca Danger for Carmen. This will be part of her big sister gift when the baby comes. She's seen me knitting it but I'll have to hide when I go to seam and finish them. I think she is going to love them!
Hoping that I can keep up the productivity streak I'm on. Still have things on the planning post list to make as well as other things. I proposed my Order of the Pheonix mission but haven't heard back yet.
Hope you enjoyed the knitting post!
Happy Knitting!!!!
Week: 26 weeks 2 days
Weight gain: 26+ lbs but haven't weighted myself since apt.
Baby's sex: Another Team PINK!
Baby's name: The name has been decided but Special K wants to wait until the birth to announce this time.
Sleep: It's getting a bit better...still haven't trouble getting to bed at decent hour but I'm sleeping more soundly so that is helping a lot!
Movements: Still feeling her all the time! Thankfully! She gets calmer in the morning hours or if I'm running around but then I feel little reminders that she's there. LOVE IT!
Labor Signs: None.
Maternity Clothes: Still wearing some of my pre-pregnancy jeans but mostly I've stuck to work out pants. I also got my Blanqi support tank and can I just tell you I LOVE IT!! You don't feel like you have anything extra on but the support it provides has been amazing! I haven't had a lot of the issues I had been having. Still get pains and sore at end of day but that is so much better than the belly tightening I was experiencing.
Big Sister Carmen: I know I say this a lot but she is just the cutest thing ever! She has really gotten that the baby is in my belly more lately. She comes over and hugs my belly and needs to say good night to it before going to bed. She has started singing more and she sings to her baby sister...I love it! I'll try to get video but it's usually impromptu!
Past couple weeks: With the holidays the past couple weeks, life has been busy! With all the holiday plans and my MIL in town, we've kept busy but also managed to get lots of relaxing and knitting done! It was too short but the holidays were refreshing! My knitting mojo is back...check for post to come soon...and I just feel good! It's weird I'm getting the boost at the end of my 2nd trimester but I'll take it whenever I can get it!
Next Doctor's Visit: January 16th...also have my glucose test that day...yuck!
Looking forward to: Getting things in order the next couple months. Pulling out the newborn stuff and making sure everything is ready for this baby!
Todos: This weekend's baby todo is to find and sort through all the newborn-3 month clothes from Carmen and to clean and figure out where they will go. We may start re-arranging the kids room but haven't figured out exactly what we are going to do yet.
Overall, enjoyed being pregnant over the holidays...really wanted a sangria New Years Eve but that's alright. Life is good right now...I feel refreshed for the new year and am so excited that in 3 months we'll have another baby!! I'm slightly nervous with the details of the next couple months but I'm excited for it all!
Thanks for reading another baby bump update!!
Happy Thursday! 
This past year has been full of family, fun, milestones, loss, gains, moves, and so much more! Thank you for spending time with my family and me through this space. I appreciate each one of you as a reader and friend. I hope you all have a wonderful and SAFE New Years Eve! Wishing you all the best in 2013! We have so much to be thankful for and look forward to in the new year! I feel very blessed!
My MIL is still in town and we will be heading to my sister's house this evening for some family fun and shuffleboarding!
Happy New Years Eve!!!
I love lists and planning...most people wouldn't be able to tell because I'm usually forgetting something or scatterbrained but that doesn't mean there wasn't a list that got me as far as it did! I also love goals. I like to work towards things and strive to achieve a goal...usually it's when I am most productive. With everything that is coming next year, I figured it would be a good plan to make a list of goals in different areas of my life. And I thought I would share them with you.
Knitting:
1. Complete one project a month during the terms of the House Cup.
2. Try a new skill such as colorwork.
3. Knit these stockings for each of the 4 humans in our family by next Christmas!
4. Don't stop knitting for too long after having the baby...remind myself that it's mental therapy to knit and that while sleeping is always best, knitting is still important to my mental health.
Spinning:
1. Spin at least once a week for at least 5-10 mins.
2. Complete a long term project this year, for example another sweater worth.
3. Try a new skill.
Personal:
1. Try to have a natural birth but be open to whatever this baby needs.
2. Drink more water!!!!!
3. Keep active! (but rest when the doctor tells me to)
4. Get out and walk as soon as I can after having the baby...slow walking counts!
 Parental:
1. Help my toddler adjust to having a baby in the house. Be patient with her as she learns to be a big sister.
2. Spend some quality time with CGR each week with just the two of us.
3. Breastfeed the new baby.
4. Trust my instincts and remember to be the momma bear!
Relationship:
1. Tell my DH I love him every day...often more than once a day.
2. Try at least once a month or so to get out with just him and be a couple.
3. Be kind and forgive often.
4. Kiss each member of my family every day!
What are some of your new years goals?
The new winter term starts on Tuesday the 1st of January for the Harry Potter Knit/Crochet House CUP! I had been contemplating taking a sabbatical this term, since I'm due beginning of April and the term is Jan, Feb, and March...I'll be in my third trimester and while I was very productive at this time when I was pregnant with CGR...that doesn't mean I will be with this baby. However, I'm holding out hope that I can AT LEAST meet the minimum requirements of 1 class a month...so I put my name into the sorting hat! I will hopefully be playing again as a Gryffindor!!
That being said...I need to get my planning all done so that I can be prepared for the new term and HOPEFULLY meet my goal of 3 classes this term...with hopes of more. I haven't gone through my stash yet and figured out the yarn I have or need for these projects yet, but I have picked the patterns I can focus on once the class prompts go up on the first! I have a couple other projects that I want to get done but not wanting to post those patterns/projects here since they are gifts. Also...right now my knitting is all about whatever strikes my fancy that day. I haven't finished much so whatever I am wanting to knit I'm going to knit...so somethings are getting pushed around in my queue.
Potential Class projects for next term:
- a pair of Fingering Weight Baby Mittens for the new baby
- Daphne and Delilah the Momma and Baby Monster for Carmen’s big sister gift
- Baby-Love Sling for Carmen for another part of her big sister gift!
- a pair of Raindrop socks for Carmen
- a pair of Eviepants All in One Booties for the new baby.
- an Aviatrix hat that matches booties for new baby
- an Aviatrix hat that matches baby’s for Carmen
For my potential broom…this may change:
1. A pair of socks for someone special. This is a surprise so that's all you get. I'm hoping to have these done before I deliver but if not the person will understand. Normally I wouldn't say it would take me 2 months to knit socks...but since it's my third trimester...I have a feeling it will. :)
Detention project:
I have been working on a
Penelope the Empathetic Monster
by Rebecca Danger for the 600 Monsters Strong for Connecticut. I'm knitting all the pieces and getting it close to seaming up so I can turn in for WIP the first!
I'd also like to start spinning again but not sure where I'll fit it in yet so don't want to put it into my planning quite yet.
Hope you enjoyed these patterns and my planning post!
Happy Knitting!!
Are you playing in the House Cup this term? What house? Do you do planning like this?
Hoping you all had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends! This post is up a day late but I wanted to share our Christmas with you! It was quite busy and FULL of family...just like we like it! This is mainly going to be a photo dump with a bit of words so hope you enjoy!
Saturday night during my nephew's birthday party, we walked around the corner from their house and visited one of our neighbors, who sits outside his very decorated house dressed as Santa! Carmen loved seeing Santa and getting a little gift! She also enjoyed seeing the train and other decorations! This was a BIG hit for her and us! He says he does it every year and sits out there from 6-10 during this time of year! We will have to visit next year too!
Sunday after her nap. we walked across the street and watched Polar Express with her cousin...and then her Auntie!
After Polar Express, CGR helped her cousins, Auntie, and Uncle with decorating their tree! They were a bit late in putting it up but better late than never!
Monday was spent running last minute errands and then heading over to CGR's Papa's house for Christmas Eve dinner. We had a lot of fun and there were crafts for the kids and fishing for the men!
Christmas morning was amazing! I got very few pictures but CGR loved the horsie that Santa brought her! Special K made an excellent breakfast and then we hung out and played until it was time for more family fun! We also sang Happy Birthday to Jesus as a family and blew out a candle and ate cupcakes! CGR is a bigger fan of the icing than the actual cupcake. :)
All dressed up and ready to go, CGR was dressed in her little black dress and ready for party time!
We enjoyed spending the afternoon at my sister's house. We did a White Elephant gift swap and opened presents and ate some yummy lunch! I didn't get a lot of pictures but here are a couple of CGR and me posing...she is just too silly so I joined her!
After a late nap for CGR, we went back to her Papa's house for more gift opening and Christmas celebrating. It was a nice way to end the holiday!
Overall, the Christmas holiday was just right. Watching CGR learn the new traditions, start new family traditions with her and just get lots of time with her, her daddy, and our family was amazing! Three of the new traditions that we started this year that we plan to repeat are as follows: wrapping the books to open each night during advent, getting new Christmas pjs to open Christmas Eve...getting them for Special K and I next year too, and then also singing Happy Birthday to Jesus on Christmas day! Those were my favorite new ones and hope to keep them going!
I have to head back to work for Wed and Thursday but then I'll be off until the 3rd! CGR's Grandma is flying in from OH today and can't wait to spend some time with her! Looking forward to more family time and more holidays!
Wishing you all a VERY Merry Christmas and hope the spirit of Christmas and Jesus, the reason for the season, stay with you all year!
Merry CHRISTmas from the Barknknit Family to yours!
{this moment} – A Friday ritual from Soule Mama. A single photo(or a few) –
no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special,
extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If
you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your “moment” in the
comments for all to find and see.
ps...dollhouse is a Christmas decoration at her papa's house...but this momma has already requested that her daddy make his girls one for next Christmas!! :)
4 years ago today at 3pm in front of our family and friends, Special K and I made a promise and vow to love, cherish, and support each other and became husband and wife! It's amazing that 4 years has passed since that day...feels like yesterday.
 Our wedding was my 2nd favorite wedding I've ever been to! The first being my cousin's wedding in Austin...hands down the best wedding I've been to! Special K will agree with me...that was the best wedding ever and we never expected or tried to top it!
Our wedding was a reflection of us. We had some traditional things but overall, I really wanted it to be a wedding that reflected who we were as a couple and who we are. I also wanted it to be laid back and fun, which I feel we accomplished both...how can you go wrong when you plan a Cubs themed wedding on the beach in Florida! I didn't want to be a stressed out bride and I didn't want to worry about anything once it started. I made it a point to say to myself right before I put on the dress that whatever happens from here, I did my planning and it will just go as it does and I'll enjoy it. And enjoy it I did!
We were married on the beach by our Pastor Dave, who was the same pastor who baptized Carmen and who is someone important to me. I'm so glad he was able to marry us and his short "sermon" was perfect! He used our Cubs theme and took the letters from Cubs to define a good relationship. If I recall correctly it was C for Commitment, U for Union, B for Blessed, and S for Sacred. I don't remember every word he said but I remember loving the sentiment.
Our marriage has been far from perfect but perfect for us. I'm proud of the things we have gone through as a couple and I cherish his love. We are both stubborn and are known to argue but we also know how to forgive and how to work through things. I've learned a lot about myself and my husband in the last 4 years and I'm sure will learn more as we grow together in our relationship.
Dear Special K,
Thank you for loving me and for being you!
Love you,
Gnat
Some extra favorite pictures of Family...starting with the wedding party...yes it was quite large!
My sisters and dad...
Special K's family...
My daddy and me...
We will be celebrating our 4 year anniversary as we have celebrated the last 3...with some Kentucky Fried chicken! Yes there is a story behind it! The days before our first anniversary, we planned to drive up to OH for the holidays and go out in Pittsburgh for dinner. We left Friday night and spent the night in Charlotte, NC and woke up at 7 am and got on the road with Jackjack along with us. We had heard that there was some snow expected but we didn't realize we would end up stuck in the mountains of WV for over 6 hours! There was an accident up in the mountains and while the accident was being cleared, which took a long time, the snow backed up on the roads so they had to get plows and ice trucks through the traffic and ahead of it to clear the mountain roads. Thankfully we had brought along some food in a cooler and water and
drinks. Jackjack, who had never seen snow, wasn't sure how to potty in
it but after a couple trips he figured it out!
When the traffic did finally start moving, you could see that people had spent their time stuck building snowmen on the side and trying their best to enjoy themselves. We drove to the first town that had gas and filled up. We then figured we'd try to make it to the next big town after the mountains and see if we could stay the night...yeah...we were kidding ourselves! There was not a room in the whole place! After some frustrations...it was 1 am, Special K decided that he would just get a big cup of coffee and we'd keep going. We FINALLY got to his sister's house at around 6:30-7am the morning of our anniversary! We said our hellos and quickly fell into bed. Once we woke up, we both looked at each other and decided that neither of us wanted to get in the car that day...so they went and picked up Kentucky Fried Chicken and that was our celebration dinner. :)
The following year, we had just had Carmen and so we figured we'd just have it again...and that started our Kentucky Fried Chicken anniversary dinner. We aren't big on fast food and I'm pretty sure we've probably only eaten there 5 or 6 times in the 4 years we've been married but it's our tradition and we'll stick to it as long as we can. We do also usually go out to a nice dinner on another night as part of the celebration...at least we did last year but not sure if we'll have time this year. The holidays are approaching quickly!
Thank you for reading!! Happy Thursday! And a Big HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my husband and father of my girls!
Do you have any anniversary traditions you do with your husband?
Announcing the byvik ink Letterpress Giveaway Winners!!!!
Alicia won the set of Patridge Cards! And Channon won the holiday gift tag set!!
Congrats to both our winners and thank you all for entering the giveaway!!
The winners have already been contacted and their prizes will be on their way shortly! YAY! 
Week: 24 weeks
Weight gain: 26 lbs!! 10 lbs in a month!! It is strange to know that I am only 6 lbs heavier right now than when I got pregnant with Carmen! I just hope I don't weigh the same at delivery this time than I did last time! Doctor mentioned to watch my weigh...guess I should lay off the cookies...AFTER the holidays that is!
Baby's sex: Another Team PINK!
Baby's name: The name has been decided but Special K wants to wait until the birth to announce this time.
Sleep: I'm having pains when I move position in my sleep but overall I'm sleeping well and that helps.
Movements: She is very active baby and I love feeling all her kids and punches and general movements! I'm starting to be able to see her movements from the outside! So fun!!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button: Hard to hide. The maternity pants with the full panel semi hides it but otherwise...it's out there!
Maternity Clothes: Have trouble wearing pre-pregnancy jeans to work as they are just too uncomfortable to sit in all day, but I can wear them about as long as it's short periods. I think it's time to trade the maternity jeans I had before that are too big for a smaller size.
Big Sister Carmen: She is doing so well. She has this knack of elbowing my belly when she is sitting in my lap but we are working on that. She still loves to give kisses and hugs to my belly! She also has sung to my belly!
This past week: I've been trying to take it easy overall. This isn't an easy thing to do with a toddler and plans but managed to do ok. I've been still having the tightness when I walk that goes go away until I relax and I've been having general aches and pains.
Doctor's Visit: I had my doctor's apt today. The baby is doing great! Strong heartbeat at 158 b/m. My blood pressure and the other stuff they do each visit was all great! My belly is measuring a week ahead...as Special K said "So, we really might have an April Fools day baby?" Who knows but that would be interesting. :) She also said that I need to get a belly support since I've been having all the lower pressure and the aches and pains! She said that the belly tightening when I walk is semi-normal and that if it doesn't relax when I sit down or it starts acting like contractions that I need to call. She said my muscles and ligaments are all looser this time and that I need to try a belly support and that I may just not be able to walk everyday with this pregnancy like I did with Carmen. She suggested yoga, swimming, or Pilates. We'll see.
Next Doctor's Visit: January 16th...also have my glucose test that day...yuck!
Looking forward to: the holidays!! Having time off with my family and then my MIL coming to visit! I know we'll be busy but it will be great to spend the holidays at home with family! YAY!!!
Overall, I am a little in shock about the weight gain because I don't feel it's shows overall other than my belly is just getting huge! I really am worried about not being able to walk...I know that seems silly but I really enjoy walking the dogs. Not being able to walk them would be sad but I know it will be worth it once we have a little baby in a couple months. Someone pointed out that I'm 5 months pregnant...I've been keeping track in weeks and it feels so far but 5 months means 4 months left...and that doesn't seem so long. I have one more monthly apt then I start going on bi-weeklies! This pregnancy is going fast and I know I just need to savor it! Need to remind myself to sit, just be, and feel her move more often.
Thanks for reading another baby bump update!!
Happy Tuesday!
Giveaway winners have already been contacted...and will be announced tomorrow!
This past week has been busy! Between trying to rest more, saying good bye for now to CGR's "sEE-Pa" aka my dad, and working...I haven't had time to post much! So instead of a this moment post, your getting a catching up post with LOTS of pictures!
Let's begin with Friday night of last week. CGR, some of my family, and I did the Jingle Bell Run aka Jingle Bell Walk because none of us ran it. This is an annual event and it's always a fun time! I wasn't sure I could walk the 3 miles this year as my belly gets tight when I walk and doesn't release until I rest. We brought the wagon for little miss Carmen, who never wanted to get out of it, and that helped a lot! It was so fun to see the lights, people, doggies, and walk with everyone. We had a great time!
Saturday, was spent baking, cleaning, and trying to convince a little girl who had just said bye bye to her bobo(pacifier) that it was time for nap! Then we went to get her very first haircut with the hairdresser that my whole family has been going to for over 15 years! I was really worried about how this would go as on the way there we had quite the little tantrum but as soon as we got there she was ready for us. Once Carmen sat on her daddy's lap and Shawn started cutting her hair she was GREAT!
And then some pictures I got of her new bangs! I was originally hesitant about giving her bangs but I LOVE THEM!! She can see!! Especially since she won't let me put her hair up anymore!
Sunday morning before my family's wafflepalooza, I had to make more cookies for my family holiday cookie exchange. I tried a new recipe and well...first batch I burned and had a hard time forming them. I used this recipe I found on pinterest for caramel chocolate cookies! Special K went fishing with his dad, so I had a little toddler running around as I tried to make the cookies. She saw the flour I seemed to be having a great time playing with so she wanted some of her own! I set her up next to me with her own flour and she had a blast playing with it! She made a huge mess but it was worth every speck of flour on her, the floor, and the pups! She has been asking to do this again so we're already planning more baking with her this weekend!
Sunday night, the family went to dinner and then headed downtown to see the lights! Carmen had to bring the wagon again, which was fine with me as my back can't handle holding her for a long time and she loves her momma. It was great to see her expression when looking at the lights and the horsie!
The sad part of the week was having to say good bye to my dad, who flew back to Panama this week after spending 3 weeks with us. Every morning, Carmen and I would pick him up from my sister's house and we'd drop off Carmen and then my dad and I would go get coffee on my way to work. He borrowed my car. Carmen loved to see her "see-Pa" as she calls him everyday! I'm so glad they got to spend lots of time together. We are going to miss him a lot but he's already planning to come back in May to meet the baby and be here for my nephews' graduations. YAY
And just because I can...a couple extra cute pictures of CGR!
Hope you enjoyed this pretty long picture filled catch up post!
Happy Friday!!!
PS...Don't forget to enter the Giveaway, today is the LAST day!! 
Week: 23 weeks and 3 days!! (picture was taken at exactly 23 weeks.)
Weight gain: 15+ lbs! Still haven't weighed myself...
Baby's sex: Another Team PINK!
Baby's name: We have a name that we both love but are trying to make sure it's the best one. :) We actually had a name compete with our favorite name for a second but then we are back to our favorite again. Once it's solid, we'll announce or we might just wait until delivery...I'm not good at keeping things like that secret so we'll see.
Sleep: I've manage to make it to bed early a couple times, which has really helped. I've also been walking the pups in the morning and I think that has been helping me sleep more sound when I do fall asleep. I'm still tired but not nearly as tired as I had been. YAY!
Movements: This baby likes to move a lot! I love it! The little kicks, punches, and rolls are so fun to feel! It's also been great to share her movement with more people! Grandpa got to feel her before he left!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button: I feel like it's so far out there that it's trying to escape my body! It's a running joke in my family and a lot of people mention it. I get that it looks like an alien trying to get out but there is nothing I can do about it. :)
Maternity Clothes: Same as last week...all maternity with some non-maternity tanks thrown in. Been sporting the sweatpants a lot lately because I just am so uncomfortable if I don't!
Big Sister Carmen: She loves to give the baby big squeezey hugs before bed!
This past week: My belly is growing at a very fast rate! I can tell I've reached that stage in pregnancy when my belly is just going to grow in leaps and bounds! Several people have mentioned that they felt like I just popped one day...umm..your telling me? I've had more lovely pregnancy symptoms lately and when I called the nurse she assured me that it's all normal. She reminded me that every pregnancy is different and while I was able to walk every day during Carmen's that I may need to slow my walking down to a slow walk for less than 30 mins a day with this one. I've had a lot more aches and pains recently and I know that I just need to rest my body. I forget that even at rest my body is doing more than normal.
Next Doctor's Visit: Next apt is Dec 18th. I had to reschedule this because of a training at work...it went from seeing one of the other OBs to seeing my least favorite again. Please please PLEASE start praying now that I go into labor and deliver when my ABSOLUTE favorite doctor, Dr. T is on call! She delivered Carmen and I really really really hope she delivers this next baby too. She is the most like a midwife you will get in an OB and she was so great at supporting my birth plan and even questioning me when I decided to change it! She is down as my primary so if for some reason I have to be induced this time than they would schedule on a day with her. Also pray I don't have to be induced!! Thank you in advance for those praying!! :)
Looking forward to: meeting this little girl but I'm very willing to wait until she is good and ready. I had told myself after last pregnancy that in my mind I would make our due date a week later so that I wasn't like I was with Carmen those last couple days after her due date. I just wanted her OUT! With this one measuring ahead of schedule though, I'm having a hard time convincing my brain that I'll still be pregnant April 9th. I'll be happy if we make it past April 1st and ecstatic if we at least make it past March 25th. I might be singing a different tune when I'm so big and uncomfortable I can't stand it but for now...in my mind my goal is March 25th.
Overall, I'm enjoying being pregnant through the holiday season and so ready for some time off! Last year, I was able to take 3 days off and get 11 days total off but with having very little vacation time left I'm only able to take one day. I will have a 4 day weekend and then work 2 days and then a 5 day weekend...so I can't really complain. :) Tis the season!
Thanks for reading another baby bump update!!
Happy Thursday!
PS...Don't forget to enter the Giveaway, which ends tomorrow! 
{this moment} – A Friday ritual from Soule Mama. A single photo –
no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special,
extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If
you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your “moment” in the
comments for all to find and see.
Week: 22 weeks and 3 days!!
Weight gain: 15+ lbs! Still haven't weighed myself...
Baby's sex: Another Team PINK!
Baby's name: We have officially picked a name but Special K is not ready to announce. We may wait until birth or we might do a fun announcement! Haven't decided yet. :)
Sleep: Still not making it to bed early enough because life has just been busy but I need to get more sleep for sure! Last night I was actually in bed and asleep by 10pm! First time in a long time and while I woke up a couple times with lovely pregnancy dreams, I slept great!
Movements: When she is awake, this little girl likes to move and kick! It's so fun feeling her all day! Several more people have been able to feel her kick and it's amazing to share the feeling!
Labor Signs: None!
Maternity Clothes: Pretty much all maternity now other than some jeans worn with my belly belt and long tanks with some pre-maternity tops. Pretty sure I have to stop wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans and get some more maternity ones. The pre-pregnancy jeans are just not comfortable anymore.
Big Sister Carmen: Every week I feel she is understanding more and more that there is a baby in momma's belly. She gives her hugs every night before she goes to bed and lately has been throwing in a kiss and a song! I often ask her what she wants to say to her little sister and she usually says something or starts singing. It's pretty cute. She did tell her she loved her the other day and my heart burst! Looking forward to watching them together grow up as sisters!
This past week: I feel like my belly has grown so much in the past week. I catch glimpse of myself and I feel like I already look huge! As a been there done this mom, I know that this is nothing compared to how huge I will be. :) I also haven't been walking as much as I was and I can definitely feel it! I've been staying up too late so I haven't been able to get out at 6 am and walk the dogs like I had been. I need to get back to this as I feel that my body needs it. Yesterday, I was also just uncomfortable! I felt like my belly was just not comfortable with the clothes that I was wearing and it made me have pain at the bottom of my belly. Thankfully it's gone!
Next Doctor's Visit: Next apt is Dec 19th
Overall, still feeling very pregnant but I'm also feeling better. Other than my overall exhaustion, I'm feeling good. I'm looking forward to my next apt even thought we won't get another ultrasound for a long while. More holiday fun is coming this month along with our wedding anniversary! Need to make sure I get some rest and eat well. Still so amazing that in a couple months we'll be parents to 2 little girls! So exciting!!
Thanks for reading another baby bump update!!
Happy Thursday!
PS...Don't forget to enter the Giveaway! 
I have mentioned several times that my sister Cristina owns a letterpress company that she runs with her husband Kevin. I'm so excited to announce we have finally come together to do a giveaway! YAY!!
 My sister Cristina is a very talented illustrator. Her and her husband started this company together a couple years ago called Byvik Ink Letterpress. My sister designs all the amazing work they do and her husband does all the printing and general day to day operations. They are the ones who designed our baseball themed save the date coasters and our elegant baseball wedding invites. I love those designs and you are able to order your own wedding packages from their site! They also have available a Football and a Big Wave wedding invitations.
Their shop mainly consists of hand-printed, ocean friendly, stationary along with some beautiful prints and extras. There is so much I could share about their shop but really you just have to go check it out for yourself here! The quality of their craftsmanship is amazing and I love the feel of letterpress. They also offer wholesale orders, custom stationery, and letterpress printing.
I'm so so excited to announce this giveaway! I'll be using the handy Rafflecopter widget to keep track of the entries but there are many ways to enter! The mandatory entry is to visit their site and come back and comment on this blog post what is your favorite thing you saw on their site. After that, you'll be able to enter the giveaway in multiple ways!
The prize you ask? Well, for starters we have 2!
The first prize will be a set of 6 Partridge in a Pear Tree Cards!
And the runner up will receive a variety pack of 6 Holiday Gift Tags!
Good luck and Happy Giveaway!!
Giveaway will close at midnight on December 14th!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Carmen's birthday weekend was a huge success!! We got a good nap and the party went really smoothly! I'm happy that all went well! Thanks again for all those that came and helped celebrate my baby girl turning 2!! Now for some pictures since that's the best way to show off the birthday fun!
Her party was a Tinkerbell party! We bought all the decorations since honestly this year I have not had the energy or motivation to make them. My sister's MIL made the cake and it came out beautiful! And since we were doing Tinkerbell and Miss Carmen's Halloween costume was tinkerbell we put her in her tink costume for the party and she loved it! How cute is she?!?!
We had to stop at the grocery store that morning and since it was her birthday I let her pick out a balloon...even though they had a Tinkerbell balloon, she saw this HUGE Minnie Mouse and had to have it instead! :) We had several crafts for the 2 kids that came. I cute out little paper crowns for them and they got to decorate them, as well as some other drawing activities. I wish I had planned a couple more game type stuff but the 2 girls still had a lot of fun together!
Her daddy and I have been practicing her signing 2 for weeks now and
just this past week she really got it! She was so cute saying and
putting up her 2 little fingers!
 Blowing out candle is fun! :)
She got a lot of great presents, including the adopted Teddy Bear Genna she is sitting next to that was from her friend Miss Thea and the new apron her Aunt G made her!
 That morning before her party, we hung out with her Grandma up in OH and she got to open her first present which was an awesome kitchen! Carmen was so excited to both see her Grandma and to open the kitchen! She had fun playing with it all weekend and I see this being one of her favorite toys.
I really enjoyed watching Carmen celebrate her birthday! She has grown so much in the last year and she is such a sweet loving 2 yr old! Can't wait to see what this next year brings for her and watching her learn to be a big sister! Love her and feel blessed that I get to be her momma!
Happy Weekend Love! Thanks for stopping by!
PS...an awesome giveaway will be posted tomorrow! Come back and check it out and then pass it along! So excited to share this giveaway with you all!
2 years ago today, Carmen Grace decided it was time to join us! She waited until 6:35 pm two days after her due date but she was/is perfect in every way! I'm thankful every day that she chose us to be her parents! When people talk about how having children changes you, you never know what they mean until you look into your babies eyes for the first time and know that from that moment on everything is different. I could write a whole post about what I feel about that but today it's her birthday and we'll keep it short.
Today we will be off preparing for and then celebrating Carmen's 2nd birthday! I promise to share pictures but for now here is a slideshow of pictures I put together of some of my favorites from her first 2 years with us! Enjoy!
Happy 2nd Birthday to Carmen! 
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