Time to guess!

Here is our set-up for baby #2. Cute, huh? He/she will share a closet and drawers with Lib but will sleep in our room.


Well, baby #2's birthday is coming up! Is the babe a boy or a girl? July birthday or August? Bigger or smaller than Libby? Here is your chance to guess! And just like last time there isn't really a prize, just the satisfaction of being right. :)

Gender:
Date:
Time:
Weight:
Length:

Here are a few "hints" (I have no idea how helpful they are :) Libby weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. and was 20.5" long at birth and was TEN DAYS late (please, oh please don't follow in big sister's footsteps, little one!). Like I said before, Lib was late, I started labor 9 days after her due date and she was born the following day. She was born at 11:23am on a Tuesday.
Today at my 37 week check-up I declined to be checked so I don't know anything really and baby is apparently a bit sideways or transverse. The mid-wife wasn't concerned at all and said if I go into labor they can move the babe around. She also said that second babies are typically a little bigger and come closer to their due date, whereas first born's are usually late.
Good luck!!

Edited to add: my EDD is August 3rd, Kacie. :)

Thanks for playing everyone!!! Here are my guesses:

Gender: girl! (I had a super vivid dream last night that we were having another little girl)
Date: August 5 (I really think this one will be around my EDD and will be an Aug. babe, plus that would be convenient for my to give birth at the beginning of the weekend! :) )
Time: 3:30 pm
Weight: 8 lbs. even. (I just have a feeling that this baby will be bigger than Lib)
Length: 21" (remember, baby measured long at the last sono I had)

Ok, so there we go!

Last time Todd was almost exactly right and with his guesses this time I wouldn't mind if he were right again! Go Todd!!
I really, really do not want the baby to come on our anniversary, so I hope you're wrong, Heather! I don't want to share. :)
Seems like my family really thinks we're going to have a boy! I guess we'll just wait and see. :)

Thanks again for playing, everyone. Can't wait to make our announcement!!

More than you ever wanted to know...

About CLOTH DIAPERS!!! Yes, we (or I should say I) cloth diaper Libby on the most part. I've been putting her in them during the day and while we're at home. And it's been working out really well! I'm actually going to start using them when we go out too. They're really not as difficult and gross as you might initially believe. There are a lot of great resources out there so I'll share those with you as well as telling you what works for us.
First of all: why? For me the main reasons are economic and health. Disposable diapers have a lot of chlorine and other chemicals in them (which is why they're so absorbent) and that is not good for a baby to be exposed to on a long-term basis. They're so much cheaper because you only have to buy them once! And they can be used for multiple children. I'm not sure what the exact numbers are but I've heard estimates that it can cost up to $2000 to diaper a child! So far I've spent about $200 on my cloth diapering supply and I'm hoping to get away with only spending about $50-100 more as she grows. Also, a lot of people are really concerned about the environment these days and honestly that's not one of my main reasons but it is a perk. It takes 500 years for a disposable diaper to disintegrate in a landfill!
There are definite pro's and con's to cloth diapering. It is more involved than simply using 'sposies as you have to wash and put away the diapers vs. simply tossing them out. Some people are grossed out by having to mess with the poop, but I really don't think it's that big of a deal. Breastfed baby's poop isn't too bad, although I'm not sure how grossed out I'll be when she moves on to solids! Also, babies who are cloth diapered tend to potty train quicker and easier because they can feel the dampness of a wet or dirty diaper more than in disposables. You do have to change CD's more often, and this is why I put Libby in a disposable at night. Maybe I'm lazy but I really don't want to have to change her in the middle of the night! Maybe I'll get braver with putting her in them at night and I'll just stuff them with more padding! :)
My set-up includes both pre-folds and one size fits all, all in one diapers. I'll explain that more and include a bunch of resources in the end.
I have 24 pre-folds in small (yellow) from Green Mountain Diapers and I also bought several covers from them. I really like the Bummis Super Brite but I only have two of those. I also have two Litewraps in sz. newborn (although these still fit Libby). A couple Super Whisper Wraps and a couple that aren't on that webpage anymore. That is my pre-fold and cover system and it works really well. You just change out the pre-fold each time it's soiled but the cover doesn't need to be washed every time, just when it gets dirty or every few wears. These should last Libby for a couple more months, I'm guessing. I don't think she's going to outgrow these diapers or covers any time soon.
Here are a few pics of Libby in her pre-folds...



Aren't they cute? As you can see, I have the pre-fold fastened with a Snappi, a great little invention. Although a lot of people forgo fasteners completely and just rely on the cover to hold the diaper in place. I like the snappi because it keeps the diaper snug and secure in place.
I also have about 9 Bum Genius AIO (all in one) diapers from Target. These are great because they fit snugly, are adorable, and grow with the baby. Since they're expandable you only need one size. They're also quite a bit more expensive so I was blessed with these as gifts. Although I found one on clearance randomly for $5 one day! Hasn't happened since then though.
The AIO Bum Genius diapers are a slightly different set-up but roughly the same idea. Here are a few pics of Libby in one.




As far as accessories and cleaning go... I have a normal trash can in her room with a waterproof liner that I put the dirty diapers in. I usually wash them every couple of days so they're not in there too long. I have some cloth wipes I made from cutting up and hemming some flannel receiving blankets (from the thrift store) and those work great. I keep the wipes in the bathroom and on the way to change her I just grab one and get it wet with warm water. I also have a diaper "potion" in a small squirt bottle that I can spray on the wipe to get her lil toosh nice and clean.
If the diaper is just wet I simply toss it into the pail but if it's messy I spray it off in the bathroom with this. Tim was able to easily install this on the back of our toilet. Then I put the rinsed off diaper into the pail. If the cover didn't get messy I just drape it over her crib to air dry for next time. If it did get a little poop on it I rinse it off and put it with her dirty clothes. You don't want to put the liners in with the cloth diapers for an extended period of time because it can effect the water proof liner.
When I wash a load of diapers I dump them all in and first do a hot rinse load. Then I wash them in hot with a small amount of All Free and Clear detergent. If they seem to need it I wash or rinse them one more time. (some people do a rinse with vinegar and I'm going to try that next time.) When they're clean I put the diapers in the dryer and dry them on a very hot setting. I do not dry the liners or the bag, they should just air dry. (The Bum Genius covers can be dried in the dryer if need be.) In the summer I am going to line-dry the diapers, and the sun will bleach them out nicely.
That is our system in a nutshell!! There are probably millions of different ways you can cloth diaper your babe. I think the pre-folds are the cheapest although I splurged on the nicer covers. (I really like the ones with the gussets on the sides so they're nice and tight - makes for minimal leakage). It has not been too difficult and I love the feeling of knowing every time I put in her a cloth diaper I'm saving us about $.20. That will really add up over her lifetime!

Cloth Diapering Resources:
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/index.htm - where I bought mine. A great company with a lot of information and helpful tid-bits!
http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm#pocket%20diapers - a list of safe detergents to use with cloth diapers. We use All Free and Clear, but a friend is going to share a bit of her Charlie's Soap with me to try.
http://www.diaperco.com/store/pg/82-Folding-Instructions.html - folding instructions
http://www.clothdiapershouston.com/ - A great resource and store located in Houston.
http://www.mycharmingkids.net/2009/03/cloth-diapering-101-giveaway.html - one of my favorite bloggers, she has a ton of info and is actually giving away a ton of great diapers! Go enter and if you don't want them, send them to me!! :)
http://mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=221 - diapering forum on MDC, a great place to learn all about cloth diapers.

Well, I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions but there are people out there who are way more experienced than I am! I just wanted to let you know what works for us and that it can work really well, just give it a shot. :)

Why my house is messy

I love this poem!!


Song for a Fifth Child.
Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

More cuteness

5 weeks!

Yesterday Libby and I went to her pediatrician for her monthly check-up. She is doing so fantastic! I had guessed that maybe she would have gained a pound from her last visit. She weighed 7lb 11 oz the last time so I figured she'd be around 8lb 11 oz or so. Nope! She sure surprised me! She weighed in at 9lb 15oz and is now 23" long!! That puts her in the 95th percentile for height and the 74th for weight! I am so proud of her! And of me too. :) She is exclusively breastfeeding and that is obviously going quite well. We have been very blessed in many areas and that is one of them. She eats about every 2 to 4 hours but mostly about every 3. When she naps and at night she goes longer but in the evenings she tends to cluster feed. She's messing a lot of diapers so I know she's getting lots of milk! Plus, she sometimes coughs and chokes and gets sprayed in the face so I know she's getting a lot. :)
Speaking of diapers...I know you are all so very curious so I'll tell you! We've been using cloth diapers more and more. Mostly part time right now. Pretty much during the day when we're at home. But I think we'll start using them at night soon too. I should take some pictures of her in them - they're just so darn cute! If you're considering using cloth I would highly recommend it, it's a little more work but so worth it to me. I have 30 pre-folds and 4 covers and 9 Bum Genius diapers. You can buy the BG at Target so I was blessed with a lot of those as gifts. They're not as absorbent as 'sposies but that's a good thing! One of my main concerns with using the disposables so much is the chemicals which allow them to absorb so much fluid. Plus, they're supposed to make potty training a lot easier so that'll be nice! Anyway, they're not super scary and if anyone is interested I can write a more detailed post about it along with some pictures.
One more thing, she is starting to smile so much more! It's really adorable! I'll have to try to get more photographic evidence of it.
And we had a lot more snow yesterday, probably about 6in. so that's really pretty but makes it a little more difficult to get out, and I really, really need to get to the grocery store! We've ploughed through my freezer food and had grilled cheese for dinner last night. Which is not too bad but I'm trying to get rid of some baby weight so grilled chicken and veggies is a much better option!
Have a wonderful day!

One month pics!

Here are some pictures of our sweet babe!
And a major update! Libby rolled over! I could not believe it! She did it the day before her 1 month birthday and I was so impressed. And she did it again on Sunday. So we're going to be working on that a lot this week! She also had some company! Kristin came to see us! And we had such a wonderful time! It's always fun to see family.
And now the little scrunchy is waking up so I'd better get going!

Libby's 3 week update

Happy birthday Libster!! Today marks three weeks since your birth. And as I write this you are happily snoozing away in your swing. So I should probably be cleaning the kitchen or starting some laundry but I'm not, that can wait. Although, its been waiting a long time, but that's another story. :) Apparently it's difficult to clean a house and take care of a baby (at least it is for me). Supermom might not have that same trouble!
I digress...today your umbilical cord finally fell off!! Yippie!! Actually when I changed your diaper this morning it was still hanging on by a thread but I'm sure it'll be gone today! That will be so fun to bath you in the sink! I'm really looking forward to that and I hope you like it!
So far your talents are: eating (a lot and very noisily), pooping (a lot, and again, quite noisily!), cuddling, and sleeping. You aren't sleeping quite so much as you were before which makes for fun awake times but also gives me less time to get stuff done. We both love you very much and it is so fun to see your dad snuggling and cuddling you! And he actually changed a diaper all by himself yesterday!! Quite impressive!
Well, that's about it. I know these little updates will get more exciting later on but for now this is it. :)
I'll take some pictures today and post them. I think we're going to venture out alone today!

41 Weeks

Still here! And still pregnant. :)
On Friday I went in for a fetal monitoring test and our little one tested out great! While I had the belt strapped to my belly she moved a ton and it was quite entertaining for us! Mom and Tim were both there with me and that was really nice. The appointment went great although it was the last time I'll see my doctor (hopefully!). She left early the next morning for vacation. Of course I would rather have her deliver Libby but I'm not hung up on having her there. She refers to another doctor who is very like-minded and I'm confident that we'll be well taken care of!
However, if I don't go into labor within the next week she is going to induce on the 5th. So please be praying that this is not necessary.
We still have a few days left until the 31st so that would be ideal! :)
Mom and I are having a great time! It's so fun having her here. We played Scrabble today (and I actually won!!) and went on a brisk walk around the lake. Tomorrow I have another monitoring session and then mom and I have a very busy day planned. Lots of walking. :) Hopefully that will start something.
Well, I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and is looking forward to the New Year! Tim and I had a nice quiet Christmas morning together, it was really nice. Hopefully our last holiday 'alone'!! :)
Happy New Year!!!

40 week appointment

Well, I had my 40 week appointment today and it was pretty anti-climatic. No progress so far, no dilation or effacement. She did say the baby was dropped and low so I could pretty much have her whenever. Some people stay dilated for weeks and some progress really quickly. So who knows!! I'm cool with it and just enjoying my time with Tim and my long, good nights of sleep!! My mom was pretty happy! She hedged her bets on me going late by buying her ticket for 5 days after my due date and it looks like she made the right decision. :) My guess has been the 27th for the last month or so and that would be great! I would really love to have her before the end of the year for tax purposes, we could claim her as a dependent for the whole year! That would be quite helpful! :) But again, I want her to come at the right time! So please pray that my attitude remains good and everything tests out okay.
Oh yah, and I'm going in Friday morning for a fetal monitoring test and again Monday. As long as the baby is fine my doc won't induce until I'm two weeks late.
Anywoo, that's my latest! Merry Christmas!!!

40 weeks!

Today I'm technically 40 weeks and 2 days. Woo-hoo. I guess. I don't feel any different! I guess my body is getting used to having a huge belly and stretching bones. Yeah, I've so got the 'waddle' going on!! Not much to report but I have my doc appointment tomorrow so that should be interesting! I'm curious to see if I have any progress to show.
I don't have any pics to share but we did go over to Vincent and Christina's place where I made a snow angel. It was quite comical so I might share it with you. Vincent was determined to get a pic of my belly in the snow, and I wanted to make a snow angel so we captured it on film.
Speaking of snow...we got a ton!! It started Friday morning around 10 and didn't stop until 6 that evening!! Tim got sent home from work after 12 and it still took him 2 hours to get here! He almost didn't make it over the mountain in his little car but just like the engine who could, he did! I'll devote a whole post to snow pics but I left the camera out in the car so I'll have to get that later. This morning when we woke up it was 9 degrees! Unfortunately its supposed to "warm up" on Wednesday so the snow might melt. :( That would be sad because obviously it would be our first White Christmas ever!! (Do you think I could trick Tim into watching that movie with me?)
Today I'm going to clean up a bit and try to get things organized. Amazing how messed up the house gets after the weekend. :( I really do not want to go into labor with a messy house!
Mom is coming up on Thursday evening and I am so excited about that! Please pray that she has a safe and drama-free trip! Thankfully the big snows are over and hopefully things are straightened out before Thursday. She almost came on my due date and I'm afraid that would have been a problem.
Well, I'd better get cracking! The sun is shining on the snow and it looks so pretty!! We brought the kitties inside because it was so cold out and I like having them in, I just don't enjoy their litter box. Blah!
Merry Christmas!!!

39 1/2 weeks!

Well, peeps, we're still here! I'm still huge and Libby is happily squished inside of me. I'm thinking she's going to be a nice sized little baby and that's fine with me! I do wish she would stop kicking my ribs though, I feel like I've been in a UFC fight! (Tim has me hooked, what can I say, they're cute!) ;) Oh and can I just say how excited I am to see Frank Mir and Antonio Nogueira fight on the 27th?! (Mir is going down!!) Did anyone else watch the Ultimate Fighter reality show this season?? Okay, maybe I'm the only one but it's actually quite good! These guys are super talented. Although I don't like the punching fights, I am more of a fan of the jujitsu take downs.

Anyway, back to more important topics... yesterday was my 39 week check-up and everything was good: weight, BP, HR, pee, size, etc... She still hasn't checked my progress yet (for which I am very grateful!) but from feeling around on the outside she said that the babe's head is low and engaged! And I told her about the other night when I had some really strong BH contractions and she said "good!! you might go this weekend!" So whoo-hoo! Of course, since I'm so far along I could, in theory, have her at any time. It was just encouraging to hear that from a professional. :)

Today is Emily's guess for Lib's bday because her second-born, Wick, was born today. And a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my man Wick!! MISS YOU!!!! Don't think it's gonna happen though, bummer!! But maybe this weekend! My doc is going to take off Christmas Eve and Christmas morning so I pray that she doesn't come then! I would so much rather her NOT be born on Christmas. So I need all my prayer warriors praying for that, k? :)

This weekend my sweet Tim helped me get the house entirely clean! Yep, it was so encouraging! He cleaned off his desk area and then followed behind me and mopped the entire house after I swept! (Wood floors and ancient linoleum are not for the faint of heart!) It was so wonderful for him to spend some time helping me out, I was most grateful. So now with my house all sparkling clean I feel a lot more ready to bring a baby home to it. And I started freaking out because I realized people might actually come over and have to trip over the dust bunnies in order to see the baby!! And I think we can keep it clean for EIGHT MORE DAYS which is when MY MOM is coming. Nope, I'm not excited, not in the least. ;) And Vincent, our wonderful landlord, has promised for weeks he's going to fix the fireplace and he's going to do it on Saturday!! Which will be totally fantastic, I'm so excited to have a real fire in the fireplace.

Last Friday my neighbor, Christine, had her baby! Little Natalie was born around 2:45 am after only 3 hours of labor! Christine hardly made it to the hospital on time, I'm sure her husband, Rob, was most grateful. :) Baby Natalie is so sweet and precious and it's been a lot of fun to hold her and feel her little newborn squirms all the while feeling my own babe inside me!! She weighed a little over 8 lbs at birth and was 2 weeks early!

Well, I'd better scoot, I have some thing I need to accomplish today and I have to run an errand this afternoon. Please be praying for us about all the changes in our lives and for the changes that might be occurring. Just pray that the Lord gives us wisdom as we try to decipher his will. Thank you, my friends!!

And I promise to post at least one more belly shot before I pop! On and the time is way off on my blog somehow, I did not post this at 5:30 or whatever, I was happily snoozing away at that time!

38 1/2 weeks!!

Just a quick update while I take a little break. I just cleaned the kitchen and am now going to make dinner, yah me!

I had my 38 week check-up yesterday and things are looking good! My doc said she's moving down and that she turned anterior! So that is good, we want her to stay that way. :) No major "signs" just general pressure and soreness. Nothing too bad and it's nice to feel a little pain for a purpose. :)

I've started to have trouble sleeping at night. One night I woke up at midnight bright eyed and bushy tailed and didn't fall back asleep until 4! That was not good! But last night I only woke up once and slept like a log until 7:30, it was wonderful. Hopefully I'll have more nights like that one! I think the next time I can't sleep I'll just get up and clean or something to make myself tired. Insomnia is pretty common from what I've heard, just my body preparing for no sleep with an infant. :) I wish it would do the opposite and get all rested up though, that would be way better! (in my humble opinion)

I haven't cleaned the house like I've wanted but I have cooked a lot of meals for the freezer. So far I have some beans, and two types of soup frozen. I also have some chicken breasts and two whole chickens waiting to be cooked. I'll probably cook one of those and freeze the meat and broth for something like chicken and dumplings (one of Tim's fav meals). And I'm planning on making some spaghetti sauce as well. Tim's a big pasta fan. :) As well as one more type of beans. One good thing about preparing to have a baby in winter, soups and other hot foods freeze and are re-heated quite easily!

Libby's room is completely ready! But I have misplaced our camera so I can't take new pics. I found the cutest rug on Target's website and after stalking it for a couple of weeks it went on the "free shipping" list!! I also had an e-credit from them because of a mix-up with a carseat I tried to buy a couple of weeks ago so I combined that with giftcards to buy the rug! I also did an online search and found a code for $7 off my order. :-D I'm turning into quite the deal hunter so I was very proud of myself. Woo-hoo.

We met with a pediatrician today and were quite happy with them. I think we're going to go with this group. They've been there forever and have a great group of doctors, both young and old. Tim and I both left feeling very confident about them.

Anyway, better get back to cooking, I'm making a quiche for supper so I'd better get going on that!

37 weeks!

I don't have any pics for you, just imagine that I look the same only bigger and rounder. Yeah, I feel like a whale and there's no end in sight. Well, I guess there is but I just don't know when it is!

Technically I'm 37 1/2 weeks today but who's counting? Ha. So I had another doc appointment yesterday (every week now!) and everything looks good except one thing. I tested positive for Strep B. Which pretty much means I need to have an IV of antibiotics as soon as I arrive at the hospital. My doctor was really nice about it though and said it shouldn't effect things too much. I won't have to stay attached to the IV and I'll still be able to move around and get in the shower if I want. That made me feel a lot better! As Tim said, we want everything to go perfectly but we need to be prepared and be flexible if things change. She also said that the baby feels a 'little' posterior so I'm hoping she moves into a better position. I'm supposed to just keep sitting on my exercise ball and pray she moves! :) My SIL, Mindy had a posterior baby and it was a rough time for her! And my doc said that of her three kids it was the worst and she wouldn't have been able to survive without an epidural. My plan is to not have one and to rely on other natural relaxation methods. So please pray that she moves into a better position!

No contractions or anything so far. My doc doesn't do 'checks' so I don't know if I'm dilated at all. I'm so glad to not know because its so deceptive. Most everyone I know walked around for the last month at least 1 cm dilated and it didn't cause them to deliver any sooner. She might check me at my 40 week appointment if I haven't gone into labor by then but might not. I really love my doctor and I really appreciate how hands-off she is. She really considers child birth a natural, common practice that has been occurring without doctors and hospitals for thousands of years. I really feel like in ways she's a mid-wife with an MD. Which is great for me! I feel very confident in her opinions and expertise.

I made an appointment for a consultation with a group of pediatricians near us. A nursing mom's group I joined recommended them so I'm very positive about going to them. We have a few things to clear up first so hopefully we'll see eye-to-eye with them. :)

Libby's room is practically all ready and I will post pictures soon! I have one last thing I'm waiting on that I got shipped from Target. My Target giftcards have been a huge life-saver!! Those are really fabulous gifts!! Between Target, the thrift store, and craigslist we've been able to get everything we need (and a few wants too). :)

These last few weeks I'm trying to clean the house (slowly but surely!) and have some meals in the freezer. We have some standard favorites that freeze really well so I know that will come in handy. Tim is a fabulous husband but not gifted in the kitchen! So simplicity is key!

All in all I'm starting to feel ready but not rushed at all. I'm really enjoying resting and hanging out with Tim. It's hard to imagine how much my life is going to change in just a few short weeks so for now I'm just content to enjoy each day. Life will never be the same again!!

28 Weeks!!

I'm sitting here in my pj's drinking a cup of tea and writing this post. At the moment I do not have a decent picture to share of my growing belly but I promise one soon! I do want to give a little update as to how things are going and all that. So if you're easily bored go read this blog and you will be much more entertained. Someone else pointed out that they wanted to write things down on their blog as a type of diary to remember how things were at a certain time. So seeing as I have roughly less than 3 months childless I should do the same!

My belly is getting rounder almost every day it seems and there is no hiding the fact that I'm pregnant! I think I'm normally sized although people still ask if I'm 4 or 5 months and then get surprised when I tell them when I'm due. Two sweet Hispanic ladies in DC were convinced that I was having a boy (because of the way I'm carrying?) and weren't sure if I knew what I was talking about when I said "nope, a girl!". I know that everyone carries differently but I'll take anything that will help me avoid getting stretch marks! Oh and if you're preggers or when you are you have to use Burts Bees Mama Bee Belly lotion. It is the best! If I don't use it or if I use something else then my skin gets dry and itchy within an hour. But this stuff is fantastic! Who knows if its actually helping me avoid getting them but I think it does. :)

Libby kicks and very hard! Last night I couldn't sleep so I went and laid down on the couch and watched "What not to Wear" and the Sunday Night Football game. Yes, I have very varied taste. :) And I could see her moving and kicking even with a blanket wrapped around me! Also, after she finally relaxed my insides were a little sore! Maybe my sister is right, maybe she is a future soccer player. :) Another interesting note about her kicks is that I usually notice them in the same place! Anyone else experience that? She's usually kicking way down low or to my right. I hardly ever feel her kicks on my left side. Don't know whats up with that! Its fun to see her move around and I hope she's good and jumpy for my family next month!

My appetite is about the same although I'm trying to eat more protein and veggies so that gets tiresome. I've gained a good amount of weight, right in the middle of the range they say I should be at. My doc says I'm doing fine so I'm not worried about that. I don't want to blow up like a balloon but I also don't want to become overly concerned about my weight so I don't eat the right things for Libby's development.

My youngest sister, Amy, and the oldest boy of my family, Nathan, are coming up to visit a week from Thursday! I'm extremely excited to see them and I know we'll have a blast. They're 18 and 21 respectively so I'm sure they'll have a lot more energy and get-up-and-go than I do at present! So I'm just going to drop them off at the train station and let them explore the city a little. Saturday I think we'll all go in together and I'm really looking forward to that! I wonder if NYC in the fall will be like it is on "You've Got Mail". And now I have an overwhelming desire to watch that movie. :) The weather has been very rainy and humid since Friday so its been a bit dreary without being too cold. I'm really hoping that its bright and sun-shiny and chilly when Amy and Nathan come! They'll really appreciate that!

Tomorrow is my Gestational Diabetes test at my doctors office so hopefully everything comes back normal and I don't have to deal with GD. I haven't had any "symptoms" so maybe that means I won't have to worry about it!

Well, I guess I'd better get some stuff done around here! Hope you have a fantastic day! I think I'll watch "You've Got Mail" today, seems appropriate!

Holy cow, I "popped"!

Here's a quick pic I just took with my mac's camera. In all my make-up free glory. ;) Gosh, I look huge!! I keep meaning to take a new one, or get Tim to but I kept forgetting. So here's one from 25 weeks and 2 days! :)
PS Doesn't Maddie look cute? She's asking me what on earth I'm doing and can I please stop and play with her? :)

Love it!

Okay, I think I like this one now! I bought some polka dot blankets a while back and when I pulled them out again I realized how much I liked them. They're super cute and not too girlie. But with this one I can accent with a little pink and red to make it slightly more feminine but without going overboard. Plus, her room is very dark and has all wood floors, walls, and ceiling (feels kind of like a coffin, actually!). So this set will really brighten it up. Opinions?



Oh and its also at Target and got great reviews. Everyone says how it feels like the expensive stuff but isn't! Plus, since its from Target it won't be too expensive and it will be easy to accessorize. Am I over-analyzing this?? :)

Colors

So I keep going back and forth with the color scheme for Libby's room. I'm not a big pink person but I love the soft yellows and blues of this one.



But then I think maybe I'll want pink. :) My mom and sister sent me some adorable little booties and a pink rubber ducky even! They are soo cute so who knows. :) We'll probably go to Babies R Us in the next few weeks and then I can feel the textures and see things in person. But until then, what do y'all think?