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Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Baby #2, weeks 34-35


35w2d

4 week from yesterday Lucy Joy Hart will be born! That is unless she decides to come beforehand but if she is anything like her brother, she'll say nice and cozy until then.  I kept telling myself April 1st is when it will feel real and that is tomorrow. Does it feel real? Not at all. My poor body is feeling it and more than ready to shed the 30lb basketball I am carrying opposite my bad back but I still can't believe I am almost done with my second pregnancy. Didn't I just find out in August? Whoosh that flew by. I am so excited to spend the next few weeks with Ford at the park, music class, soccer, and just fun time at home playing one on one with him!
  • 24lbs gained 
  • I had an appointment this morning and our big girl measured 6lbs 1oz! Doctor said she'll probably be high 7's/low 8's at birth. I had my first cervical check and I am not dilated and doctor said the chances of me going into labor pre April 27th are slim. Yay. I also got another full panel blood test and should know within the next 2 days how my blood platelets are looking. I have appointments every week until I deliver and will get them tested every week so we can come up with a game plan for delivery. 
  • Zofran at night and sometimes in the morning... still getting sick about once a week, yuck. 
  • I realized a few weeks ago that I have no la linea negra this time. With Ford I had one both above and below my belly button (that didn't line up). I guess the hernia makes up for that.
  • Lots of lower back pain, comes with being 9 months pregnant.
  • Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, some more painful.
  • She dropped over the weekend and now I have a lot of pressure in my pelvis area but relief in my lungs where she used to crush. If you see me walk, please don't laugh.
  • I got my first prenatal massage last week and it was heavenly. It is probably a good thing I waited this long to get one because I can see myself getting addicted.
  • Jon, Ford, and I all got our haircut in the last 2 days... checking off the pre baby list. Other things include oil changes for the cars, hang some new light fixtures, etc.
  • I got out all of my nursing gear (tanks, pads, covers) to wash and prep. I need to get out bottles and sterilize those too. 
  • I stocked up on disposable diapers for both babies when Target had a killer deal. Ford was in disposables for 8 weeks before we started cloth so I assume we will do the same with Lucy. Ford will be spending a lot of time at Mimi's when she is born so I got him disposables too. 
  • Ford is now obsessed with his 2 big brother books. He says "BIG BROBBA!!". So cute. 
  • I've set out all of Lucy's hospital bag items and just need to find a bag to pack them in. I had such a hard time choosing what hair accessories to bring and settled on 5 headbands and a hat :). I am going to work on my hospital bag and Ford's Mimi bag soon. 
  • The sonogram below is a face shot of her... her lips!






Friday, March 27, 2015

Make ahead meals to prep for baby

A month from today our little Lucy will be born meaning our lives will be turned upside down. I kind of doubt I'll have the time (at least for a few months) to leisurely make dinner every night while Ford plays quietly with puzzles or magnets. Knowing how much work having a newborn was before, I am prepping myself for total chaos when we have a newborn and a toddler. One thing that Jon and I love to do is eat.. duh. You'll find a gaggle of delicious and easy recipes posted on my blog along with carefully organized Pinterest boards of meals I plan on making. Meal planning is my MO. I get a rush from sitting down and making my grocery list, looking through what we have stocked in our pantry and thumbing through the grocery store flyer to see what meat is on sale. I love trying new recipes too. We have a few staple meals that I'll make more than once but trying new ones is thrilling for me. A few times a week my sister and I text each other new recipes to try... yep we are old ladies. So where is this post going? We are a month out from baby day and meal prep has begun. I stocked my freezer with about 10 homemade frozen meals before Ford was born and between those and friends bringing meas, I remember not having to make dinner until he was 2 months old! What a relief. As much as I love cooking, it is kind of the last thing on your mind as a new mom. You grab a protein bar for breakfast and maybe manage to eat a sandwich standing up in the kitchen while bouncing your fussy baby in the Ergo so one solid meal a day is vital for sanity and survival. I went to the grocery store yesterday and carefully planned my menu for the next week and will be doubling a few recipes to store in our freezer. Last week was operation "clean out the freezer" so Jon was so sweet to not make a complaint about the random sausage, salmon burger, frozen veggie, pasta meals I threw together with what we had.

How did I come up with the meals I plan on making and freezing? I carefully combed through Pinterest and the recipes I've already made to find things that would stay good in the freezer. Soups and pasta freeze and thaw really well and so do Mexican dishes (tortillas, meat, cheese, etc). I also wanted to make sure that the meals were hearty and full of protein, knowing that nursing gives me the appetite of a college linebacker. Here are a few of the meals on my "to make to freeze" list:

1. Slow cooker chili
2. One pan cheesy chicken, broccoli, and rice
3. Parmesan meatloaf
4. Green chili, sweet corn and chicken enchiladas
5. Sweet potato and black bean chili
6. Crock pot shredded beef enchiladas
7. Crock pot quinoa, sweet potato, and chicken fajitas
8. Turkey and veggie meatloaf
9. Crock pot beef and broccoli
10. BBQ meatloaf




I may not get around to all of them but this is the plan over the next few weeks! My sister gave me the wise advice to have breads and muffins on hand for a quick breakfast or pick me up so I will probably make some pumpkin and banana bread and pop in the freezer. I love knowing that a little extra preparation now will allow me to relax and focus on my family and healing when Lucy comes. Do you have any recipe recommendations that freeze well?

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Supermom

Supermom. We all have those women in our lives who just have it all. They show up to 8am meetings or breakfasts in full makeup looking like they've gotten a full 10 hours of rest and their kids are perfectly behaved. Their cars are free of cracker crumbs and melted crayons and their houses are immaculate and for lack of a better word, not sticky. They talk about their ravishing sex life and how their family eats only organic, homemade meals every evening.

I don't know about you but I think I am a pretty good mom to my son and yesterday I did laundry and folded 5 pairs of yoga pants and finally washed my favorite fleece pullover I have been wearing for days. My son refuses to eat any meat except for turkey hot dogs so that's what he gets every night for dinner. The most perfect shag rug we have in our family room sheds like a Labrador and I am pretty sure I could stuff a queen sized mattress with the pieces floating around my baseboards. My counter tops need some serious sparkle and I can't seem to get this gross black ring from the toilet bowl upstairs. But we are happy.

So you're telling me I can't watch a 5th episode of Bubble Guppies mom?


I wasn't always OK with letting the chaos of parenthood happen before my eyes but I am becoming more relaxed as a mother and more comfortable with the mess of life. There are days where my to do list and kitchen sink put me into a minor panic attack and I find myself listening to the little voice in my head telling me I am a failure of a mother because of it. Being a homemaker is a lot of work. A lot of dirty work to be exact, and the endless job duties can haunt and consume you. I feel like I get all the dishes cleaned and put away and bam, it is time for another meal. Parenthood is very seasonal and some seasons can feel like the movie Groundhog Day. Eat, sleep, diaper change, chores, repeat. It's hard not to feel the heavy weight of other mother's success as you are in the trenches of raising your children. Sometimes we aren't even comparing ourselves to other mothers! Sometimes we compare ourselves to what we used to be and what successes our pasts hold and that somehow our roles as mothers just don't measure up anymore. The most freeing thing I have embraced as a mom (especially as worn out and pregnant toddler mom) is to ask for help. A PSA to moms to be... there is no such thing as a supermom. Yeah that mom I described up top doesn't exist! And if she does, she is one in a million (or has a nanny, maid, chef, therapist, and a million dollars). Remove supermom from her pedestal and let's be super mom's to our littles. Now I am not suggesting that to be a great mom we should all go out and hire help, wrong-oh (although a maid would be nice!). I am suggesting to offload your duties to the friends, family, and community who surround you. You know they say it takes a village to raise a child and that couldn't be more truthful. Why is it so hard for us to cave in and accept the help? That dang supermom figure in our heads is telling us help is admitting defeat! That neighbor who tells you every time she sees you walking the stroller that she'd love to babysit, take her up on it. Your husband tells you he will cover bath and bedtime so YOU can have a bath, do it! I don't doubt that there are people in your life that love you and love your children enough to want to help save your sanity by pitching in. And if help isn't offered, ask for it. One thing I've learned in my marriage is that my husband cannot read my mind. I doubt I am alone in this one and as much as I wish he could, it ain't gonna happen ladies. Sometimes our husbands need direction. They don't know the day you've had or the stress you've endured. This isn't a free pass to bitch about your children or unload mommy drama but ask them to pick up an extra chore tonight or take the kids with him to the hardware store so you can sit and be alone. I find it funny that I get nervous to ask my husband to do too much when he is more than willing to pitch in wherever needed. It feels silly to ask for their permission to have alone time because I can assure you my husband does NOT ask me if he can go to the gym alone or have lunch with a friend. Voice your needs to your "people", I promise they will listen.

So ladies let's start the new year fresh by removing that manicured, tanned, and toned supermom from our minds and start living our own perfectly imperfect lives. You've got this!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Waiting for Lucy

I call these photos our "waiting for Lucy photos" because I feel like we are in that limbo stage right now. Our baby girl still has some time to chunk up and grow but for the most part we are just waiting for time to pass until she is here. Her room is complete and I catch glimpses of it every time I put Ford to bed, he also loves going in there and playing. Physically I am more than ready to meet our little girl, somehow it is hard for me to believe I was pregnant for 41 weeks with Ford. Ouch. But emotionally, not sure I will be ready until they put her on my chest. I am not alone as a second time mom to be in being anxious about loving another baby but I hear it will come easy. My heart won't 'make room' for her... it will grow and stretch in ways I never knew it could. That is encouraging to hear from moms of 2, 3, 4, 5 children because now my heart is just swollen with love for my Ford. We had the chance to take these photos 2 weeks ago with Mallorie Owens and I don't think I've looked at them without crying since. Knowing that these are the last few moments of our family of 3 is bittersweet and exhilarating. She captured the sweetest moments between our family and I love that Jon and I finally have decent pictures of us, sans babies. I still can't believe I get to parent with him...a son AND a daughter?! Life has been really good lately. I'm trying my best not to get overwhelmed by the changes to come in less than 5 weeks but enjoying these days where I get 10 hours of sleep and know the territory. One day soon, Ford will no longer remember life as an only child and we will probably look back and think, wow we had it easy with one! And these pictures I will cherish to remind me of this season. So sweet and so fleeting!


























If you're looking for an Austin photographer I can't recommend Mallorie Owens enough! I mean the pictures speak for her talent alone. Mention my name when booking your session to receive $100 off!

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Baby #2, weeks 32-33


We are less than 6 weeks away from welcoming Lucy into our family! I have officially hit the "I am kind of over this pregnancy thing" stage but staying busy chasing after Ford and finishing up last minute projects and organizing the house. Don't get me wrong, I am not emotionally ready for her to be here but physically, my body is ready! The pictures below were taken Sunday, 33w1d. It's kind of funny how many of my maternity pieces are horizontal stripes, definitely not slimming!


  • I went to the doctor yesterday for a routine visit and I got good news and bad news. My blood sugars are looking great (thanks to my diet) and I don't have to be put on medication to regulate. I just have to get my fasting blood sugar tested at my next few appointments and we should be fine. Bad news is my blood platelets are low again. If you recall, I had low counts with Ford which required me to be put fully under during my surgery and Jon couldn't be with me. Long story short, there is nothing I can do about it right now because the shelf life of platelets is just a few days so we will test in a few weeks right before my surgery. If they are low, we will come up with a plan, either steroids or a possible blood transfusion, in hopes of bumping them up so I can be awake during my surgery. Even though I've been through this before, I feel sad and discouraged because there was only a 1% chance of it happening to me again. I know whatever happens is in God's will for me, I am praying Jon can be with me for Lucy's birth. I would love your prayers too.
  • I got to see my sweet girl in an ultrasound and everything looked great. She is measuring 4lbs 13oz and the doctor thinks she will be in the high 7's at birth.
  • I've gained 22lbs total
  • We took our family/maternity pictures last week with Mallorie Owens. I can't wait to show them to you!
  • Taking Zofran twice a day instead of just at night, boo. I feel like I am getting sicker the more pregnant I get :(. I was completely off of Zofran at week 34 with Ford, and prior to then was just taking it as needed.
  • I think I wake up about 5-7 times at night to pee and have been struggling to go back to sleep. Thank goodness for naps!
  • Lots of sharp movements from Lucy as she gets bigger and runs out of room in my belly. 
  • Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, some are even pretty painful.


I've kept a list of things I wanted in "girly" prints ever since we found out we were having a girl. I am a huge fan of hand me downs but some things a girl has got to have of her own and one of those is swaddle blankets! Ford still uses his swaddle blankets for comfort/security at night in his crib so I knew I needed to get Lucy some of her own. These Weegoamigo muslin swaddle blankets could not be more adorable and are the perfect addition to Lucy's collection. The colors match her room and they are oh so soft. I plan on wrapping her up in the pink one for her newborn photos too! I love that the blankets are 100% natural muslin and super light making them versatile to use throughout the hot Texas summer (as a nursing cover, carseat cover, light swaddle when we are outside). 



Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Mama, airplane!

I may be biased but Ford is just super cute and fun these days. He is so vocal and physical, learning tons of new words a day and exploring his abilities as a little boy. He still plays it pretty safe but has been really enjoying spending most of our days outside now that the weather is nice. His recent obsession is airplanes and anytime he hears one in the sky he says "MAMA! Airplane!" and covers one ear (he actually does this when he hears lots of noises- mowers outside, cars driving by, etc.). And airplane sounds like "pair pain". He flaps around so excited and waves hi and by to the planes. Last weekend the weather was beautiful and we were grilling burgers on the deck and he had a blast jumping on our outdoor sofa and waving to the airplanes. He just cracks me up! Last summer he basically lived in a diaper and I look forward to my diaper booty boy this summer! There is a video below of him playing, he is a party of one. 








Friday, March 13, 2015

#8takePHX

I have been meaning to write this post all week but just like a scene out of a movie, Ford got the tummy bug and couldn't quite make it to the bathroom so I became the trashcan. What a lovely welcome home after a life changing weekend! We battled his tummy bug and of course I got it so we've been hunkered down at home watching way too much weird Nick Jr. and PBS TV but today we are back out in the world!

If you follow me on Instagram you would have seen my #8takePHX photos last weekend. 8 ladies, sans babies, from all over the country met in Phoenix. These are my people, my tribe, my soul sisters in every sense. Who are these women? 10-15 years ago if I would have said I met them on the internet, everyone would have freaked out, but these are my girls that by the providence of God through the WWW, connected. Exactly 1 year ago we met face to face in Dallas as roomies for the Hope Spoken conference and it didn't take more than a few minutes to know that this group was God ordained. It's not often you have a bunch of people in your life who just 'get you' and these girls get me. For the past year we've been growing as a group, praying for one another, sharing lots of deep stuff, and group texting basically all day. These are the people I've told things I have never told anyone else and they were the first I told I was pregnant with Lucy (sorry Jon, I needed a girls take on the faint line of the pregnancy test). This group of girls has been through a lot, it's insane. Birth, death, moves, job change, marriage crises, family drama. Sometimes I raise my fists at God and ask why we all couldn't live in the same area but it is simple. The Lord has us out on mission in all parts of the US yet we are deeply knitted together as friends and sisters. So we had planned on making the Hope Spoken conference our reunion but when tickets sold out in a matter of minutes, we decided a girls trip was needed and Phoenix was born.

(one of our girls couldn't make it and we didn't want to leave her out of the hashtag so you'll only count 7 ladies!)






We stayed 3 nights in Tempe, AZ, right in the middle of ASU campus with easy access to Phoenix and Scottsdale. We had 2 rooms next door to each other and it felt like I was at cheerleading camp all over again. Late nights pouring our hearts out and snacking on our beds (and y'all I am not lying when I say late nights... 2am is the latest I've stayed up since I had kids!). We didn't want to jam pack our days because we wanted to spend quality time being present with one another and it couldn't have been more perfect. Basically we ate our way through the trip, shopped, got pedicures, and had a blast. We even went to a ghetto mall parking lot carnival one night and rode the ferris wheel. We laughed and cried, it couldn't have been a more perfect weekend. It was very surreal to be away on a girls trip since I've never really done one before. Jon is a pretty awesome travel buddy but it was so special to be with all women last weekend and indulging on myself. We are already planning our 2016 getaway!









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