where are you baby?

I am off to see my ob/gyn this morning! What shall he have to say today?

weekend catch-up

Bags are packed and still no baby...

All weekend we feasted on fresh corn on the cob...

My little girl loves her heels and puts them on every opportunity she has...

The weekend was spent practicing for her brother's arrival...

We celebrated baby E's big day...

She looked absolutely adorable...

What's a party without sugar...

and good friends to share it with?!?!

40 weeks

Weekly e-mail update: His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.
How far along?: 40 weeks
How big is baby?: It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long.
Weight gain?: I have not gained any weight in the last few weeks. Since the begining I have gained 29 pounds.
Stretch marks?: Thankfully I still have no stretch marks, but my linea nigra is now visible.
Maternity clothes?: I have been lacking in the clothes department because I really did not want to purchase maternity clothes. I have to say that yoga pants and long tank tops have been my wardrobe lately.
Food cravings?: Anything cold!
Sleep?: Still not happening. I have been so hot and uncomfortable.
Gender?: BOY!
Exercise?: Lots and lots of walking this week.
What's been going on?: Well, the time has finally come where we are almost at the finish line. There are so many emotions running through me... I start to get anxiety when I remember what it was like to give birth; I am worried about Little Miss L. and how she is going to react to the change that is about to happen; I am stressed that we do not have everything prepared for this baby to arrive (such as having a name picked out); I am excited my pregnancy is coming to an end; and most importantly, I am anxious to meet my son. I met with the ob/gyn yesterday and she was just as surprised as I that the little man has not arrived. He is still in the perfect spot for delivery, and heartbeat is strong. Now it is just a waiting game and I really hope he decides to end this game soon. Hopefully this will be my last weekly pregnancy update... fingers crossed everyone!

40 week belly.

40 week belly.

40 week belly with pregnancy #1.

flowers always make me smile

Yesterday I received a nice surprise from the hubby, a beautiful bouquet of roses. I absolutely love love love flowers! Flowers seem to brighten any room, or in this circumstance, brighten my day! I have run out of energy, I am sick of complaining about pregnancy related symptoms, and just want this little guy to enter the world already.

Thank you hubby for making this preggo smile, even if it was only for a little while :)

i love love love olive oil, not stretch marks

Many pregnant women worry about stretch marks-I was one of them. Am I going to be prone to them? Are they genetic? What can I do to prevent them? If I get them, will they go away? These were just a few of the questions I had swimming about in my head. Like many, I started to search the internet, ask friends, and even asked my doctor about the topic of stretch marks. After doing a lot of research, I realized that I was not going to be able to completely prevent them from happening to me if that was in my deck of cards, but I would try to minimize them.

Women tend to develop stretch marks when they gain a lot of weight rapidly or simply they have a genetic predisposition to stretch marks. Then there are the lucky few who never develop stretch marks at all. During pregnancy, many women notice stretch marks on their stomach area, hips, thighs, and breasts. This is quite common because the skin is stretching very quickly to accommodate the baby and the milk stored in the breasts.

Once I started my search, I found there were many products on the market that claim to stop stretch marks from occurring. I soon realized a lot of the products found in drug stores do not have enough of each ingredient to actually make a difference. I then started searching for an all-natural solution - not to solve the problem - but maybe help me have better odds. Through a few friends, the internet, and talking to a few health care providers, I decided that using olive oil on my skin was the best option to help minimize stretch marks.

Olives are one of the richest sources of vitamins A, D and E, along with other essential nutrients and have potent antioxidant properties. You can drink the oil or massage it into your skin. If you apply it to the affected area, it will function as a softening agent or it makes an excellent product together with Aloe Vera.

Each night before I go to sleep, I rub my hips, thighs, and abdomen gently using extra virgin olive oil. You do not need a lot of oil, just a small amount. This helps to improve blood circulation and minimize stretch marks. I was worried about it being sticky and staining my clothes, but once I rub it in and wait a few minutes the olive oil soaks right in and does not rub off onto my clothing, and there is no odor either. I have also pushed myself to drinks lots of water because it not only is supposed to prevent stretch marks, but it helps to flush out toxins and improves the look and feel of your skin.

I know there are so many products out there and it seems like everyone and their friend has a different opinion on the subject, but this seemed to work the best for me. It made my skin soft, I never had an itchy stomach from my skin stretching, it was a lot less expensive to buy olive oil than to purchase several different products from the pharmacy, and it is an all-natural alternative. I liked the fact that I knew what I was putting onto my body - as I have said before, if I don't know how to pronounce the ingredient, then I probably shouldn't be putting it on my body. I plan on using it after giving birth as well because our bodies are still changing so rapidly.

This is not a solution for everyone but for you women out there looking for something besides cocoa-butter and all the other fancy products out there.. give olive oil a try!

what have i been eating?

I am on the home stretch and my little bundle of joy will hopefully we be arriving soon. I have come to the point in my pregnancy where I feel like my stomach is about to explode. The little one needs to stop growing because soon he is going to pop out of my belly button! With everything that is taking place in there, I have lost the ability to eat large meals. I have found that it works out better if I munch on a few small meals throughout the day. A few people have asked me what I have been dining on these days, so here is a look at my typical lunch:

• glass of lemon water
• handful of cherries
• an apple
• cheese
• handful of crackers

By the end of this meal - I am stuffed! What are you ladies eating these days? Are you able to handle a big meal or are you also munching away throughout the day on smaller portions?

boats...ribs...and more!

For the past few weekends, I haven't felt 100% and haven't ventured too far from home. This weekend I decided that it was time to get out of the house and enjoy one of our last few weekends together as a family of three. We packed up the car and headed to my parents' house for the weekend. It was big weekend in my hometown.

This weekend featured the local 1000 Island Poker Run - the largest in North America. The Poker Run race is a major highlight of the summer where many high-powered speedboats race along the waterway. Little Miss L. has fell in love with boating and loves hitting up the water. We spent the day watching the boats speed past as we hit the water for a dip. After our day on the boat, we also checked out another event happening in town - Ribfest!

The event is organized by Big Brothers Big Sisters and features some of the top ribbers from all over North America. We met up with our good friends and their niece who Little Miss L. absolutely adores. The girls loved feeding the animals, the blow-up slide was a hit, and we all loved digging into some scrumptious ribs. All and all, I am glad I got out of the house and enjoyed a beautiful weekend with my family and friends.

Everyone waiting patently for the boats to arrive.

Little Miss L. chilling on the boat.

Taking a swim with daddy. Please don't let go of me!

Wow, this is fun. Little Miss L. couldn't believe the animals would eat out of her hand without biting her fingers.

Little Miss L. made a new friend.

Little Miss H. loved the slide.

Watch dad, I am a big girl now.

Wow, such a pro already.

Everyone getting their ribs, chicken, and pulled pork.

They take their job seriously - look at all of those trophies.

Little Miss L. seemed to like them...

This face says it all... finger lickin' good!