25 Weeks!

25 weeks today...only 15 more until 40 weeks (hopefully he won't want to hang out in there that long) and only about 5 more baby books to read, a nursery to paint and accessorize, 3 baby showers to enjoy, numerous thank you cards to write, and the upcoming holiday season to prepare for. Thank you, Lord, for Zoloft! In all seriousness, I am overwhelmingly blessed by such great family and friends. They've already done so much in preparation and celebration of Hudson's arrival.

Yesterday was another ultrasound day and Hudson finally cooperated and let us see his heart - which is JUST FINE! I was so concerned because they couldn't get a clear picture at the last appointment. My baby boy is growing and is healthy and I am so thankful. I also told the u/s tech that his heart looked like a talking tomato. I think she thinks I'm a little crazy. But it does.

AND in nursery news:
We are still waiting on our glider to arrive from the factory and have yet to paint the nursery. I feel so slack. But I have been finding some amazing ideas that I want to use like this:

I really love the wall decor over the crib and am pretty much going to copy it, including using moulding to make a "frame" around the shelves and letter. Actually, Chad is going to do that with his miter saw. He's handy.

I also found an artist on Etsy who is absolutely amazing and just sent me my finished product - a custom ABC painting that will hang over Hudson's dresser/changing table. She did this painting within a week to coordinate with our PB Kids nursery bedding and it turned out so well. I can't wait to hang it! For more of her product listings, go to her Etsy shop, Owen & The Princess. This painting is huge - a 24x30 for about $100. Can't beat it!

(See his name on the "h" block? Love!!!)

Have a great week/week end!

24 Weeks & Lessons Learned

Hmmm...interesting things this week? I don't really have many, except I found some amazing artwork for Hudson's room on Etsy (soooo addicting) and a side table to go beside the glider at HomeGoods. It's red and I'm a little in love with it. Also, I had a GNO with my mom, my bff, and my mom's bff. We went to see "The Help" and it was amazing, but the book is even more amazing, so READ THE BOOK FIRST! There are so many complex relationships in that book - mother/daughter, daughter/housekeeper, friend/friend...it's definitely a movie for women of all ages & races! I actually walked away feeling like I had seen something worthwhile. Also...we watched "Soul Surfer" on Vudu (it is changing our life) this past weekend with my step-daughter. Talk about an inspirational movie! I was in tears, my husband was in tears and it was a movie that incorporated the family's unshaken faith and it displayed it proudly. I think that's amazing.

Okay, so things going on at 24 weeks:

- Hudson is the size of a papaya. I'm not familiar with this fruit, but I may go by Whole Foods to check it out and get some perspective.
- I have massive heartburn after I eat anything worthwhile. I pretty much just take a Pepcid before I go to sleep now. It's much better than waking up feeling like my chest is on fire.
- Chad finally felt Hudson kick - very exciting!
- I am going to be a worrisome mother. Hudson kicked a lot this past weekend and then was quiet for a few days. I considered going to the ER. I am nuts.
- All I can see when I look down is my belly. It's weird.
- My belly button has stretched sidewise, but hasn't popped out. I'm hoping that it will go back to its original shape after all this is over.
- I have a weird patch of skin on my wrist. It was like a rash and itchy, but now it's just dry. I also have a patch on my back like that.
- I really want to clean all the baseboards in my house but am afraid that if I sit down on the floor I won't be able to get back up.
- I have not signed up for a childbirth class and feel like someone will take me away for being a bad mother if I don't go. But I really don't want to go.
- I did contact a lady about learning how to sew. I had planned on doing this a while back, but didn't go through with  it. Childbirth class or sewing class? I pick sewing.
- I bought a Halloween decoration at HomeGoods. I have issues because it's definitely above 90 degrees today - NOT Halloween weather.

The End.

Kicking

My sweet husband FINALLY felt our little guy kick over the weekend...at around 4 am on Saturday morning to be exact. I was awake and feeling him move and it felt like his kicks were stronger than they had been so I woke up my husband and he put his hand on my belly and FINALLY our little booger cooperated! A little note for the memory books...

Back From Vacation & 23 Weeks...

I was so sad to come back from vacation yesterday...actually, again this year we had a "staycation." It was our last week together before Chad started his new job as an 8th grade science teacher, which means that our next time off together will be in December, after Hudson is here. We didn't do a whole lot - we visited my mom & step-dad's new lakehouse on Keowee (which is amazing!), did some things around the house (including finishing Hudson's closet, which looks great!), visited Chad's school to see his room, and watched a whole lot of "Friday Night Lights" on Netflix.

Chad started his new position at the school yesterday and I came back to work. Both of us were pretty tired last night, but are trying to get on a "parent" schedule, instead of just a "married couple" schedule. We ate dinner early, spent some time together, watched some more "Friday Night Lights" and did our "chore" for the evening...I actually made a list of the things we needed to do every night so that cleaning house doesn't get overwhelming or just fall to one person to do, since I don't have a house husband anymore! So we tackled the bathroom together, which was Wednesday night's chore. Tonight it's sweeping, vacuuming, cleaning the kitchen (like for real, not just putting away dishes), and laundry. I'm hoping that if we get in the habit, our house won't look like a disaster area when Hudson arrives and we're busy with him.

I'm also planning on tackling our den, which is still a hot mess. We still need to take several things to Goodwill (I was planning a yard sale, but couldn't do it) and take some stuff to store to my parents'. Thank goodness that both sets have extra space and are willing to let us use it so we don't have to rent a storage building!

At 23 weeks preggers I:

- am still really really hot and keep watching the weather for any sign of upcoming fall weather
- am convinced that my unborn son is hiding from his daddy...every time he starts kicking, I put Chad's hand on my belly and then Hudson stops moving around...little stinker!
- feel that Hudson's movements are more pronounced and he's continued his "schedule" of moving. I feel him every day.
- have a weird love for soft drinks...I've never been a big soft drink fan, but lately, I just love fizzy drinks. I'm trying to only indulge in diet, though.
- keep rubbing my belly like its my own personal genie
- chew ice a lot (yes, I'm taking iron supplemented prenatal vitamins - I'm just hot, y'all!)
- am super emotional and a little moody...okay a lot moody!
- am in mostly maternity clothes, with a few pre-preggers dresses still hanging in my closet!
- Hudson is the size of a mango this week and he evidently he can hear and distingish my voice from Chad's - AMAZING!

22 Weeks (Almost)

Okay so I'm cheating this week. I'll be on vacation starting tomorrow and will miss my usual weekly blog-in, but I am NOT planning on doing much of anything while I'm off work, including blogging, so just pretend that it's Thursday, okay?

It's hot. Like 100 degrees or something hot. And I am miserable. To all you moms who deliver/have delivered in August - my hat goes off to you because I am not even 3rd trimester big yet and I am about to have a heat stroke, even in the air conditioning. We have a little house and our A/C is a few years old and it was just NOT cooling off this past weekend. So my husband put beach towels in the windows. Because we are 'neck like that. We also went out and bought 2 more fans...and now our house sounds a bit like an airplane taking off. But guess what? I DON'T CARE BECAUSE IT IS FREAKING HOT. And I have a husband who is putting up with a very pregnant, hormonal, and did I mention HOT wife and I feel really really blessed because I think any other man would not put up with my craziness.

Did I mention that I've become semi-obsessed with organizing? My mom says I'm nesting, but I think I'm just nuts because it's too early to be nesting. I want everything to be organized. But then I look at the things that need to be done and really want to organize and then I realize how hot I am and just grab an Edy's fruit bar and sit back down on the couch. And continue to obsess. I think the heat has fried my brain.

However fried I feel, baby boy is doing just fine! He's still moving around quite a bit, so I take it that he's healthy and happy in utero doing flips and such. He is causing me to have more heartburn than usual, but that's a small price to pay for a happy boy. Also Pepcid helps. :)