35 weeks & a hospital visit

                    

Weight gain: 19 lbs 

Maternity clothes? I've been wearing NZ's hoodies and t shirts once I'm home for good each afternoon. The tightness and shortness of my maternity shirts has gotten annoying. Why don't they make maternity shirts longer?! Yoga pants are a staple, and jeans have been stored away. I'm pretty much over it and ready for my "normal" wardrobe again. 

Stretch marks? Don't think so, but my skin is itchy and still stretching. 

Sleep: Decent. Lots of trips to pee, but otherwise okay until about 5:00 am when Carla has been waking. She and I find a corner of the sofa to snuggle into and enjoy feeling each other's breath as we doze back off together. She's had a cold, so I think this snuggle phase will pass soon. Hopefully in time for baby brother to join! 

[ 14 hours later-turns out he was joking]

Best moment this week: Feeling the love as we had to put our "when labor starts" plan into effect. My father in law made it over in less than 10 minutes, we made it to the hospital in 27 minutes and my sister was able to get down here to watch our kids all day after I was admitted due to preterm labor on Wednesday night. It truly takes a village to raise a child. I'm so thankful for friends who have also offered to be on call for us. Thankfully after 14 hours of having contractions 5-6 min apart and being 3cm dilated, nothing progressed and contractions slowed. I was discharged shortly after and told to go home and ride it out til our son decides it's really go time. At this point, they won't do anything to stop labor, nor will they do anything to speed it up. It's just a wait it out game.

Miss anything?: I miss being able to lean over my bathroom vanity to do my makeup. I also miss being able to paint/ do my toes!

Movement: Yes....he's contorting himself into lots of uncomfortable positions.

Food cravings: chocolate milk and ice pellets/ice water. Food? Not so much. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: I feel quesy around dinner every night, no matter whether it sounded good when I started cooking or not. Lots of indigestion.

Gender: Boy

Happy or Moody? Moody. Anxious. Ready.

Looking forward to: Meeting our little guido and picking a name. Looks like it may be happening sooner than later! Hoping to hang on at least one more week of not two. But seeing as I'm walking around, picking up/carrying kids while 3 cm dilated, I'm guessing our time is limited. 

Nesting

                              

I unearthed our newborn clothes and I think we're ready!

If the pile looks small, that's because it is.

But it's plenty.

I've pared down the stash to our absolute favorites. 

After having two other newborns to dress, I've learned that--although cute--the multi layer, multi piece outfits just end up sitting in our drawers unworn. My kids live in one piece sleepers for the first couple of months, so I ended up donating all of our unworn items to a mom in need.

Sal helped me pick a drawer in our kids' dresser, and we spent a few minutes putting them away and talking about how little the baby will be. I showed him a photo of himself wearing the polar bear sleeper pictured up top as I explained that these clothes used to be his.

             

        

He exclaimed, "ohh, dat's a weally cute baby!" 

Yes, Sal. You were (and still are). 

A date with Sal

Our life has been full steam ahead since our return. I don't think either of us anticipated just how much work repatriating and remodeling would turn out to be. 

Last weekend we took a break and went to the beach with the kids. It felt good. We've talked about doing one on one dates with our kids for a while, and since both NZ and Carla have been sidelined with terrible colds this weekend, I decided that I'd take Sal on a one on one date today and leave the sickly at home. 

I told him we could go anywhere he wanted today. Without skipping a beat, he tells me he wants to "go to da mall". I ask if he's sure that's where he wants to go and he says yes. I asked what we would do on our mall date and he said "we will share a lemonade". 

So, that's exactly what we did. 

We did a little walking and window shopping and ran around the playground once or twice before heading to the bookstore to read a few books together. After the bookstore, we headed to Wetzel's for a pretzel and lemonade. 

We happily devoured our pretzel and lemonade and headed back home to take a nice long afternoon "rest". 

Watching my big kid sleep always reminds me that he is still in fact-my baby. In a matter of weeks his life will change yet again, as he will have to share his mama with yet another sibling. But for today, his mama was his all his. 

Beach babies

Last weekend Nick and I were both burnt out. We've been going full throttle since his return to the states back in November--tag teaming kids and errands and marking things off the to-do list that still seems never ending. 

Yesterday, we took a much needed break and drove up to The Ventura Pier with the kids and Nick's dad for a beach day. 

This was Carla's first "taste" of being mobile on the beach. The only other times we have taken her, she was in the stroller or ergo carrier for the majority of our visits. 

                           

She loved it. 

Especially digging with her brother when he'd share our only kid's bucket. Now I've got good reason to make a Target trip this week. We NEED more sand toys. Sharing is not one of Sal's strong points as of late. Please let this phase be a quick one.

                            

                                note to self: I'm like reeeeeaaaaly pregnant. Whoa. 

Sal made lots of castles. He's quite the engineer in training. I think he could've spent all day digging and building, and had very little interest in actually going in the ocean. 

                            

We stopped for lunch on our way home, and talked about how we need to make a better effort to slow down and take more beach days. Not everyone has the luxury of the beach in their backyard...we would be stupid not to take advantage of this beautiful area we call home. 

Chores can wait another day, right?

32 weeks pregnant

                     

                            [celebrating a college roommate's baby-to-be last weekend]

   

Weight gain: 16 lbs 

Maternity clothes? Yes! Hello dresses! Thanks to some warm weather, I'm sporting my pasty white legs under some maternity dresses which are so incredibly comfortable. 

Stretch marks? Couldn't tell you. Can't see south of my belly button.

Sleep: Better. Ever since we moved back into our house, and our amazingly comfortable bed, I've been sleeping pretty well. I've had a few difficult nights here and there, but overall, doing alright.

Best moment this week: Spending afternoons in our backyard, watching the kids play (and eat dirt) while enjoying some sunshine. 

Miss anything?: Being able to breathe. I am always short of breath these days. 

Movement: Yes....he's at the point where movement has gone from cute little kicks to "oh my God you've got to stop kicking my bladder before I pee my pants!". 

Food cravings: chocolate milk. I've had seven in a week and am already craving another one..so make it eight by night's end. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: The smell of microwaved popcorn. Sal requests popcorn daily, and Nick likes it at night, so I feel like it's some cruel joke the universe is playing on me. 

Gender: Boy

Happy or Moody? Moody. I've got quite a lot of tears and they appear randomly. I have a melt down at least once a week out of complete exhaustion. 

Looking forward to: Getting one week closer to my due date! 

Carla is ONE!

Before I'm an entire month late writing this post, I'd better get to it!

Carla turned one a few weeks ago.

                   

I have to say, this last year has flown by...with her birth, a couple great vacations, moving back to the USA, then back into our house...plus this whole new baby being added to the mix...Carla's first year was full of change!

We had her one year check up last Friday. 

Girlfriend weighed in at 20lbs, 6oz and measured 30.5" tall. I was so proud of her, standing so patiently on the big kid scale to be weighed! Where'd my baby go?!

                  

     

She had her vision screening, and braved her one year shots like a champ. With the recent outbreak of measles in our local community, I was eager to get her first round of the MMR done so she at least has some fighting chance of resisting it if we've gone somewhere she may be exposed to it. This whole outbreak scares the sh!t out of me, although I'm sure we were exposed to some nasty stuff in China, but just didn't know. This too shall pass, right? 

Carla has a handful of words--dada, bah (ball), dah (dog), mama & baba. She also makes vroom sounds when driving Sal's matchbox cars around the house. Her favorite toy these days is her new cozy coupe that her aunt and uncle gifted her. She climbs in and out, opens and shuts the door, and Fred Flinstones it around the yard. 

                   

    

Her walking has progressed from a drunken sailor to being able to walk with direction....she even dances and walks in circles if we play her jam. It's super cute.

We've been waiting on more teeth since October--she still has only six chompers. Every time she is grumpy, or wakes in the middle of the night, I claim she must be getting teeth, yet, there are none to be found. Sigh. 

My favorite part about Carla turning one? 

                             

  

Watching her and Sal play together. It's still cooperation one minute and beat downs the next, but I absolutely melt when they play together in the yard, or when she follows Sal around trying to imitate whatever he is doing. I've got hope that one day soon, they will be best buddies.

                       

                    

 Happy one year, lil bit! We are so lucky to have you to call our own.