Maternity Pictures

Here are our maternity pictures from Rosemary Beach, FL!  We're SO incredibly happy with how they turned out.  The same photographer, Melanie Resch, will be doing our newborn photos too.  I don't think we've ever had so much fun at a photo shoot because we this was our first shoot with our little girl.  Enjoy!

Those are mom's combat boots!

This was a pose I suggested.  I wanted Kit to have something of Norah by himself!

I suggested this pose too, had to have her name somewhere!

Just Norah and Daddy

Peek-a-boo!  I thought this would be funny!

Couldn't live in Florida and not have maternity pics on the beach!

The next time we get in front of her camera there will be three of us.  Unbelievable.

Bumpdate: 31 Weeks

Fresh out of the shower!

Size of baby: Pineapple

Pregnancy Symptoms: BH contractions daily if not hourly, hard to breathe when slouched or laying on my back, "lightening crotch", severe pain in hip flexors, breasts leaked for the first time EVER!

Things that make me nauseous: Nothing

Cravings: Lemon anything

Sleep: 6-8 hours/night

Exercise: CrossFit 3 times and walking 2 miles/day

Baby Movement: First time she kicked me and it hurt!

Total Weight Gain: Haven't weighed

We've reached that point where we're at single digit weeks left!  EEekkk!  Where has the time gone?  I tell my husband all the time that it feels like I just surprised him with the news in Tulsa.  I counted and I have about seven weekends left before my husband comes home for the summer, so this week I was hard at work on my to-do lists.  We finally put a deposit down for the placenta encapsulation and got that squared away.  I got the last of the nursery decorations ordered or bought to make, pictures coming soon!  We decided on a pediatrician as well, so that's another big rock off my list.  Lastly I finalized our birth plan and sent copies to our OBGYN, doula and hospital for their file.  I feel very accomplished this week!  I'm working on assembling my husband and I's hospital bags now with the help of Pinterest and advise from friends and family, so if you have any good tips please leave a comment below!

This week I've had severe pain in my hip flexors, mainly my left.  I read up online about it and it's common for some women to experience pain in their hips/hip flexors due to everything stretching and prepping for a watermelon to squeeze through.  I think I  may have done one too many thrusters in CrossFit and pulled my left one though.  I can't even stand on one foot to put on my pants.  I really want to get this healed ASAP, so lots of rest/ice for me this next week.  Also my BH contractions feel like they're getting stronger.  I read that they can't get stronger, that they're just one strength throughout the pregnancy but I'm calling bull$hit on that one!  I used to barely tell I was having one, but now sometimes it feels better if I just stop walking or doing what I'm doing until it passes.  There are some nights where I'll have too many in one hour, but I'll call my husband panicking and he'll tell me to drink even more water (I'm up to 120oz/day!), lay on my left side and chill out.  Luckily they've stopped after that, but sometimes a girl just needs a reminder!

Since we only have about two months left my "nesting/to-do" drive has been in full force.  We don't know when she'll make her arrival, so while I have the energy (and the ability to still bend over) I want to tackle my lists while I can.  I know we'll never really be 100% ready for our world to completely change with her grand entrance, but I can have our lives organized and ready for her when that time comes.  I don't want to have to worry about our disorganized office filing cabinet (been on my list for a year to sort through!), catching up on last year's photo albums (I'm SO behind) or cleaning out messy closets.  The picture organization is a big thing for me because I take many photos of our life as it is, and I know when she comes that will only triple.  I want to have all our photo albums finished, pictures backed up and space ready for many more to come.  These are all things I can do now while I don't have a sweet cuddly baby in my arms, so these are all taking priority over the next few weeks.  It will feel so good to have these things completed.

As far as work goes, I feel like it's time for me to start finishing projects, making back-up plans in case I'm out for long unexpected periods and winding down.  I plan on working through as long as I can, but I'm mentally preparing myself to probably be on home rest for at least the last 2-3 weeks just to be safe.  That means I only have about 6 weeks of work left.  After she's born the military gives me 6 weeks of maternity leave, and I've done a good job of saving about 6-7 weeks of my personal leave too over the last year.  In total I should be able to stay home with her the first 3 months of her life.  I'll treasure everyday home with her that I can.

31 weeks down, 9 (ish) to go!

Thrifty Baby

I've blogged before that we're into saving as much money as possible with the new baby coming along.  I wanted to sum up after the baby showers were through, all the items we've scored second hand either from Craigslist, an online FB selling site or Goodwill.  Some items we insisted on buying new, like the car seat and breast pump.  Mostly everything else we have for our daughter was either given to us (so grateful for all the gifts!) or bought second hand.  I encourage new moms to not be afraid of heading out to your local Goodwill or scanning Craigslist (make sure you're safe when you meet folks of course) to score some deep savings.  Yes, some of the items you find need a good rinse of bleach or lysol haha but if you can save hundreds of dollars, then it's well worth it in my book to put a little elbow grease into it.  We never paid full price for any of our daughter's clothes, blankets, burp clothes, or swaddlers.  This allowed us to splurge a little on the decorations like the custom curtains/blanket we ordered from Etsy, a soft fun rug for her room and we bought her crib/dresser new as well (but with coupons!).  Before we purchased a second hand item we always crossed checked with Amazon for how much it was new, just to make sure we were getting a good deal or if it was worth just purchasing new. Here's what we've spent on major items we bought second hand: (what we paid / Amazon price)

Bumbo (Lilac) - Free / $48 ( I asked to purchase one from someone on a FB site I'm part of, and a lady just offered it to us for free!)

Stork glider/ottoman - $85 / $185 (Craigslist)

Activity Center - $5/$55 (FB)

Chicco KeyFit 30 travel system: carseat (bought new), extra base and compatible stroller (bought used off FB) - $260 / $435 (if bought all new)
Vibrate seat - $15 / $63 (FB)

Infant tub - $8 / $16

Blooming bath - $12 / $40

Baby hangars (20ct) - $2 / $12 (Goodwill)
Bottle dishwasher basket - $1 / $8 (Goodwill)
Pregnancy horseshoe pillow - $20 / $60 (FB)

Diaper Genie Elite $10 / $30
6 swaddlers $10 / $42

Spent: $428
Would have spent buying new: $994
SAVED: $566

Again that's not counting all the clothes we've purchased for her for $0.50-$3/piece.  We haven't spent over $3 for a piece of clothing for her yet.  We didn't get too many clothes as gifts, so we've had fun picking things out ourselves!

I've never bought a new nursing bra yet.  I've scored about 5-8 from Goodwill for about $3-$4 each.  I also never bought a new nursing camisole, only used at Goodwill for $4/piece and maternity shorts too ($5/pair).  My  husband has been really impressed at the maternity clothing I've scored from Goodwill.  I promise, it's worth the digging.

Tips: Don't be afraid to offer a counteroffer.  Many people just want something for their item rather than giving it away for free, so most are open to knocking off a couple dollars if it means not having to donate it later.  Worst case they stay firm and you still score a deal!  Also try not to be too picky with colors.  As you can tell many of our items are blue or gender neutral.  The baby isn't going to care and neither should you if you're out to save some money.  If we have a boy next, he'll be just as happy in a lilac colored bumbo! Haha

Again parents, don't be scared of second hand items!  It definitely saved us a ton!

Spring Break 2015

Hello Spring Break.  Finally.  The plus side to my husband being in law school!  My husband drove up to spend the week with us in Florida, and it was wonderful.  We slept in, snuggled, played in the ocean, visited Seaside, ate at our favorite restaurants, and enjoyed our daughter's every kick and wiggle in my belly together.

Reunited!

Breakfast in St Andrews

Dinner in PCB

Mornings are my favorite with these two...feeling her kick

Seaside and Kit spotted dolphins right off the shore!

Heart melting...

Beach day at Tyndall Beach

First wild sand dollar I've seen!

I was lucky enough to have some pass days/vacation days still available to take, so I only worked one day while he was here.  Together we got to meet our doula again, tour the hospital that we'll be delivering at, attend a Lamaze class with me and he even got to come to another doctor's appointment with me with another ultrasound scheduled!  We never thought he'd get to see two ultrasounds, so this was such a special treat.

We also had our maternity pictures taken while he was here!  He looked so damn handsome.  I'm a sucker for a man in suspenders and a bow tie.

We also managed to sneak in one last trip with just us two!  Hello Orlando, FL!  We stayed in a fancy resort hotel with a view of the water, and three pools.  Then we got to do something my husband was dying to do.  Finally see an Atlanta Braves spring training game, and it happened to be against the Yankees!  Bonus!  Then for my fun part, Seaworld.  I've never been, and I insisted while we lived within driving distance and while we could get in for free (military discount).  When in Rome!  We had a blast on our mini vacation, and I'm grateful for our many getaways.  I love our adventurous spirit, and that we're not that couple that is content with just living out our days at home in front of the TV in the same awful daily routine.  Life is meant to be lived exploring and taking advantage of the time we're given.

View from our balcony

Baseball Time!

Lawn selfie

We didn't want to leave

Breakfast by the water and I could watch him read the newspaper all day

Walking the grounds

Seaworld cherry popped!

Waiting for Shamu

We had a blast!

I can finally use my bump as a table!

Afterwards we just enjoyed the rest of our time together at home!  We even got our car seat in the mail, so of course the new Dad had to see if it fit.

Not a good habit to get into Dad...

It's so crazy to think the next time he'll be home we'll be just weeks away from the birth of our first child!  It really blows our minds.  We had a wonderful time together this last week, and it was full of deep laughs, kisses, hand-holding, funny moments where we both say the same things at the same time, and just pure happiness.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, life is just so much more amazing when we're together.  I already miss my best friend.  We're both hoping these next two months goes by quick, but I'm content too just to soak the time up and enjoy the calm before the storm.  My life will never be like this again.  His life will never be like this again.  Ever.  All in all, best Spring Break we can ever remember having!  Although I'm betting next year's might take the cake :)