35 Weeks

How far along?  35 weeks, 4 days

How big is baby?   approximately a bit over 5 pounds

Total weight gain/loss:    1+ lb. in the last two weeks;  +14  lbs. total

Maternity clothes?  Yep.  :)

Stretch marks:  Yes, and yuck.

Sleep: Still sleeping well, for now.  I think I am so tired at the end of the day (whereas with Connor I would take a nap every day after school...what a luxury) that I can't help but sleep well.

Best moment this week:  Organizing London's room, I was reminded of the generosity of people who have shown us so much love: a blanket monogrammed from a precious mom of two, a carousel print from  a friend who knows by style better than I do, special outfits from Mom and Aunt MB, and two other friends who have so kindly let us borrow items for London, so much so that I haven't bought much clothing at all yet.  We do not deserve all this, but we are so grateful.

Movement:  I can tell she is running out of room, but she still moves often and forcefully.  :)

Food cravings:  Sweets, ice cream with sprinkles, chocolate Frosty from Wendy's, strawberries and raspberries.

Food Aversions:  Spaghetti

Gender:   girl

Labor Signs:  I may be imagining this, but I feel like she has dropped somewhat (I can definitely breathe easier), and a couple of days ago I felt some contractions, and since then my back has been hurting more as well.

Symptoms:  general discomfort, feeling huge all the time, but besides that, I can't complain.

Belly Button in or out? It is pretty much even at this point  :)

What I miss:  sleeping on my stomach, clothing options, being able to be as agile as I once was when playing with Connor

What I am looking forward to:  getting into a new "normal" routine with two kiddos...I am anxious but excited.

Upcoming appointments/events:  Next week starts my every week visits, so hopefully that means something will be happening soon.  :)

Weekly Wisdom:  Be thankful for a healthy, sweet boy, and a healthy pregnancy.  I am trying to remember thankfulness most, even in these last few uncomfortable weeks.

Photo comparison for this week:

                              36 weeks with Connor                                       35 weeks, 4 days with London

Sweet Soul

While I readily admit that I am biased, my son has such a sweet heart.

Recently, during one of his favorite parts of the day (a nice, long shower), he informed me of the following:

"Baby sister will be my best friend."

"I will hold baby sister, and I won't drop her.  I'm strong."

"I love baby sister."

"Baby sister is a princess like you Mommy...but not anymore; in those pictures you were a princess [referring to the wedding photo he found a few days ago and has talked about ever since]."

How could I not melt with such a sweet big brother for our London?

I am so blessed.

33 Weeks

How far along?  33 weeks, 2 days

How big is baby?   according to the ultrasound, she weighs 4 lbs., 10 oz.

Total weight gain/loss:    +2 lbs. in the last three weeks;  +13  lbs. total

Maternity clothes?  Yep.  :)

Stretch marks:  Still there on my lower stomach...Have I mentioned how much I hate my stretch marks?

Sleep: I am actually sleeping really well right now, which I am thankful for.  I get up once, at most, each night, unless Connor wakes up at 4 a.m. to tell me that his The Grinch Who Stole Christmas book is looking at him and needs to be removed from his room.  Yes, that really happened at our house.

Best moment this week:  Surviving the first week (well, partial week) back to school, particularly with my new classes.  It has been really good so far.  Praying that continues.  My year-long sophomore classes have been amazing the entire time I've had them, so that was a breeze as well.

Movement:  Lots of movement, all the time.  :)

Food cravings:  Sweets, bread, cheese, ice cream with rainbow sprinkles, and again with shaved ice, which is impossible to find in January.  :)

Food Aversions:  Spaghetti.

Gender:   girl

Labor Signs:  None.

Symptoms:  general discomfort, feeling huge all the time, but besides that, I can't complain

Belly Button in or out? In 

What I miss:  sleeping on my stomach, some of my clothes

What I am looking forward to:  putting the finishing touches on the nursery, seeing our baby girl in some of these adorable outfits from generous friends and family who have given and let us borrow several things

Upcoming appointments/events:  Next week is my last visit with two weeks in between...after it we start going every week, and that can only mean that we are getting very close to the end.

Weekly Wisdom:  Remember to enjoy and write down all the sweet things Connor says now about his baby sister...he may take them all back once she arrives.  :)

Photo comparison for this week:

                                33 weeks with Connor                                                               33 weeks with London

As a bonus, you also get a shot of London from her ultrasound on Wednesday:

Live Action

My son is slightly obsessed with Turtle Man, also known as Ernie Brown, who is the "star" of Animal Planet's "Call of the Wildman."  If you are unfamiliar with the show, you can find more information here.

We have Jason's dad Randy to thank (Thanks, Randy!) :)  for Connor's love of this particular program, although I must admit that I find myself entertained by the program...maybe it's a guilty pleasure.

My child, son of two English teachers, has taken to repeating Turtle Man's catch phrase multiple times per day, complete with accent (see video below).

It's honestly cute and bizarre all at once.  :)

Groupon Food Experiences

Those of you who know me well know how much I love food, and Jason is no different.  We love to cook at home, try new recipes, and eat in, we love to eat out (if only our budget were limitless), and we love to celebrate pretty much any occasion with food.

When we went to Savannah this summer with both Jason's and my family, the first thing Jason did was create a spreadsheet to map out the days we would be there according to where we would eat.  :)  This basically sums up how important food is to us.

We both also love trying new things/places, and we both love a good deal, so if we see a good Groupon deal, especially when we know we'll be in Louisville in the near future, Jason usually snaps it up.  So far, we have had nothing but good experiences from our Groupons, from The Fish Fry House to Superchefs, and now to the latest two places we tried while in Louisville for Christmas, Tom + Chee and Hillbilly Tea.

We went to Tom + Chee for lunch on the 26th.  It was freezing cold and flurrying outside, which to me is the perfect weather for grilled cheese and tomato soup.

I had the grilled mac + cheese sandwich, which is basically a grilled cheese with some macaroni and cheese added onto the sandwich.  It may sound like too much, but it was delicious, as was the creamy tomato basil soup.

Jason had a grilled cheese with pepperoni, and Randy had one with turkey, as well as creamy tomato soup.  I would definitely go back again after our first experience at Tom + Chee.


Our second Groupon was for a place on 1st Street, just off Market, called Hillbilly Tea.  I am not a tea drinker, so Jason would have to speak to the tea he ordered, which he said was delicious, but I can say that the atmosphere and food were outstanding.  We also spent basically the exact amount of our Groupon, so we both felt as though we got a great deal along with fantastic food.

I had the smoked hen and Jason had the smoked brisket.  We each shared with the other, and both were delicious, but his brisket with blue cheese spread may have topped mine just a bit.

In addition to the great food, I loved the rustic decor, the friendliness of the staff, and the small quarters.  It felt very welcoming and "homey."

I would recommend either of these places next time you're in Louisville, and if anyone sees any Groupon deals from either of these places (or Superchefs in Louisville) I would snatch them up.  :)  Happy eating!