Little Brother's room reveal

Once the painting was finished, it's amazing how nicely the room came together. It looks like a "real" room now, not just a catch-all for random things we didn't feel like hauling downstairs. 😉

It's probably been a little over a month ago now that I walked around and did last minute paint touch-ups, including scraping paint off of the floor that didn't quite make it onto the drop cloth. Harper helped me vacuum and mop the floor while Andrew ran to the store to find an area rug. Although navy and gray is the color scheme for the bedroom, I decided to go with a neutral tan rug for the floor. The main reason is because of price, but Andrew and I also thought if we did anything too colorful or busy on the floor, it would make the room look smaller and wouldn't necessarily coordinate with other patterned things I might want to put in the room. Once the rug was down, Andrew and Harper assembled the crib and moved that and the dresser/changing table into place. I was beyond exhausted at that point; I parked myself on the couch with my feet up and opened up the cloth diapers we bought back in September when we came across an amazing sale. I spent the next hour or so adjusting the elastics to the waist and leg size that I think will be the right fit for little brother. We will have to wait and see!

Besides the navy and gray color scheme, I wanted to stick to a rustic or woodland theme for this room. The room is a perfect size for a nursery: not too big and not too small. I didn't want to go overboard in the small space, so there are just a few elements here and there that make it feel "woodsy". The main project was the DIY curtain rod I wanted to make out of a tree branch. :) I came across the idea one day when I was scrolling through Pinterest, and I LOVED it. I think it's ridiculous how much curtain rods can cost, and since we definitely have an abundance of tree branches around us I'd be getting a curtain rod for free! Woohoo! Of course with the winter weather, I had to wait until the ground wasn't covered in snow before sending the kids out to hunt for the perfect branch. It sat on our covered porch for several weeks so it could dry out, and then last weekend it was finally warm enough for me to sit outside and scrape some of the bark off to smooth it down. While waiting for the bus one afternoon I managed to find two smaller Y-shaped branches to use as the brackets that would hold the rod. I could see it all coming together and just needed Andrew's help and tools to finish the job. We already had the perfect dark gray blackout curtains that Andrew had used in the Airstream before our custom ones came in, so Little Brother's window is finally finished!

Here's a tour of the room, going in a clockwise direction.

We all love the new rocking recliner! It is super comfortable, and both Ryder and Harper have taken turns reading in it, just practicing for when Little Brother is here.

a different angle of the chair, with the closet behind it

The frame between the chair and the window is just waiting for the cross-stitch birth announcement that my mom is doing for Little Brother. It has a tree with cute little woodland creatures, and she's finished except for his name and birth stats!

I'm saving the navy wall to hang the quilt that is being made for Little Brother.

Little Brother's first initial will hang above the hooks to the left of the dresser. I covered a wooden letter with a cool scrapbook paper I found, but it's in hiding right now until he arrives! :)

Above the changing table I still have two rustic floating shelves to put up to the right of the picture frame. I told Andrew his mission is to figure out how to hang them since they are literally just bark-edged boards I found at Hobby Lobby. He's up for the challenge! The picture frame is one we already had, and I printed out a free printable that says "Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Strong."

I still have a round mirror to hang on the thin strip of wall next to his closet, but I need to get the right drywall anchor and screw since there isn't a stud where I want to hang it. Otherwise, this room is ready!

Here's a "before" photo of how the room looked when we moved in.

I'd say it has come a loooong way!! 😊😊😊

Pregnancy update: 37 weeks

I figured I'm getting close enough now to Little Brother's arrival that I should do an update each week! Andrew went with me on Wednesday for the MRI and ultrasound that my doctor recommended. Although not an ideal "date", it was nice to have an entire day of just the two of us. That doesn't happen often and will definitely be even harder to do with a new baby in the house. Everything went well, and the doctor that we had a consultation with afterwards said he would categorize me as low-risk for having any issues with my placenta during my c-section. I didn't really realize I had been worried about it until I felt a huge sense of relief. Thank you, God!

waiting for my MRI in the fashionable gown they gave me to wear

On Thursday I headed back to my doctor's office for my weekly appointment. I had to wait for over an hour in the waiting room because she was running behind, but I enjoyed reading a recent Parents magazine from cover to cover. :) The appointment itself was super fast again: Little Brother's heartbeat sounds great and my belly is measuring right on track. I'm really curious to see if this baby will be the smallest of my three, or if he will play catch up in the next two weeks and be over 9 pounds like his siblings. I told my doctor about the outcome of my MRI appointment because she hadn't received the results yet, and she was relieved too that this should be an uneventful delivery!

37 weeks and very torpedo-like!

Pregnancy update--36 weeks

It's so hard for me to believe that I'm in the home stretch! When I found out I was pregnant, and even in the fall prior to our move, April sounded soooo far away. And now it's here, which means Little Brother is almost here too. Time is a funny thing. (His room is almost finished, but I want to get the curtains hung up before I take pictures. That should be the next post I do!)

I had both an ultrasound and a regular prenatal visit last week. I love these late-pregnancy ultrasounds because it's fun to be able to check in and see the baby looking like a real baby! The technician said he was measuring 6 lbs. 8 oz., so he's right on track with his due date. I'm just curious to see how much weight he packs on between now and the 19th.

5 of his kissable little toes

The technician took a few important measurements and then switched to the 3D/4D mode. I was amazed at how clearly I could see the baby's adorable little face. He was sleeping at first, but then he started waking up and we got to see him smile for the camera. It was precious! 💙 Just based on this picture, I think this little guy might look like his big brother. He even has just the tiniest bit of fuzzy hair on his head. But we'll have to wait until we meet him in person to officially decide!

Little Brother's sweet face!

36 weeks

I haven't done any bare belly shots, so I thought I'd add one to the mix!

Harper offered to take one of my whole body, so I let her be my photographer. 😊

I'm still feeling pretty good overall, but I'm definitely at the peak of being uncomfortable when it comes to sleeping. I toss from side to side all night, and I'm definitely more comfortable when I'm alone in bed so I can sprawl my legs out without kicking Andrew or our spoiled dog. Ha! This baby must be pretty long, because even when I'm on my side I feel like I'm squishing him! In the ultrasound he was stretched laterally across me: his head on my left side and his tushy on my right. So that would explain why even my sides feel lumpy!

I haven't experienced any swelling in my legs or feet with this pregnancy, and that's probably because I'm able to sit most of the day with my feet propped up. It's pitiful watching me try to stand up from a seated position though, especially if I've been sitting for a while! I look like I belong in assisted living--it is slow-going!

According to my 2 recent ultrasounds I have a low-lying placenta. At this point there is no cause for alarm, but my doctor is sending me to get an MRI this Wednesday to get a clearer view of the placenta's position. She wants to know exactly what she's dealing with prior to my C-section so we can anticipate and avoid any complications. Andrew and I are totally on board and want to do anything we can to ensure a smooth delivery for a healthy baby and momma!

A Waterpark Weekend

We have been looking forward to Steve, Alison, and Maisie's visit for months, and it did not disappoint! The kids were THRILLED just to play together again; I don't think it even would have mattered what we did. They arrived on a Saturday afternoon, and we let the kiddos play for a little while before heading out for an early dinner.

On the way to the restaurant I turned around and saw the kids all cuddled up together in the backseat. They sure love each other!

I had set up the air mattress in Harper's room, and all 3 kids decided to have a slumber party together. They maximized their space by sleeping sideways on the mattress--so smart! Ryder and Harper took turns reading books to Maisie, and eventually the whispering and giggling stopped and they fell asleep.

Several months ago, Steve (a.k.a. our "activity director") had reserved a suite at the Kalahari Resort in the Poconos for all of us. It's only about an hour and a half from our house, so we headed out late  Sunday morning and were there by noon. Dave, Traci, and the girls met us there, and to say the kids had a blast would be a HUGE understatement. Our kiddos have never been to an indoor waterpark before, and they went from one activity to the next, not even stopping to eat or drink anything for nearly 5 hours. I was super impressed with the fact that Ryder and Harper wanted to try every ride and slide they saw--even the "scary" ones that I wouldn't do as an adult, let alone as a 6 or 8 year old!

Ryder had fun soaking kids as they came down the water slides. The little stinker!

Ryder really wanted to do "Flowrider", and he patiently waited in line for probably 45 minutes before it was finally his turn. I was proud of him for sticking it out, and he did a good job staying on the board!

This slide was a straight drop! Ryder did it first, but I missed getting it on video. Once Ryder did it, Harper wanted to try it too, of course. In the video Dailyn goes down first, and then you'll see Harper at the top of the slide around the 20 second mark. When she got to the bottom she told me how much fun it was and that her body wasn't even on the slide for part of it. 😳😲 No thank you!!

Maisie, Dailyn, and Harper

I wouldn't necessarily recommend going to a waterpark at 8 months pregnant, but it was so much fun watching the kids. Andrew kept me company and made sure I had plenty of water and food as I waddled around the park to see what the kids were up to. I'm pretty sure I walked more in one day than I have in months! I'm still grateful that Little Brother didn't make an early appearance that night. 

Maisie, Dailyn, Harper, and Ryder

Haydyn and Maisie

I loved the elephant towel "sculpture" in  the bathroom.

On Monday morning we headed to Perkins for breakfast so the kids would have full tummies and energy to play at the waterpark for a few hours before heading back home.

Ryder and Harper recruited Steve to do this raft ride with them. I think if you zoom in you'll see them waiting at the very top landing!

Jackpot!
We were literally on our way out of the resort when Steve and Ryder stopped at an arcade game that someone had just walked away from. There were some credits left, so they played a few turns and then the machine started spitting out tickets! Ryder cashed them in and was able to shop the prize store. He chose candy, of course, and was sweet about sharing with the rest of the kiddos.

Garcia sure loved having company for a few days! You'd think he never gets any attention the way he kept crawling up in Alison's lap for hugs.

Dave and Steve took over my kitchen on Monday afternoon and made some delicious taco salad for dinner. I felt guilty just sitting on the couch watching them cook, but Alison convinced me we should just enjoy it. 😊

Garcia brought out all of his toys to play with Maisie. 

Maisie and Garcia watched out the window while the kids and I waited outside for the school bus.

Pregnancy update--34 weeks

I'm several days behind on this post! Last week was actually pretty busy. I didn't feel well at the beginning of the week--I think I caught whatever Ryder had the week before. 😞 Thankfully since I'm not working right now I could sleep as much as I needed to during the day, and within a few days I was feeling much better. Andrew and I finally made it to the DMV to transfer our licenses and get new plates for my truck. I guess now it's really official that we live in NY! (That still hasn't sunk in yet). I made a trip to Walmart one morning to buy some stuff for little brother's room, and I learned that walking around for an hour and a half is about an hour and 20 minutes too long for me at this point in my pregnancy. I was literally leaning on the shopping cart like it was a walker, and I can't tell you how many elderly people passed me as if I wasn't even moving. I really should have gotten one of those little riding scooters--it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other! I had another super uneventful doctor's appointment on Friday, and then I hit up the baby section of Burlington to stock up on some more baby stuff. That trip wasn't quite as exhausting since the store isn't as big, and I got some great deals. I treated myself to Chipotle for lunch and then drove home without a coat on and the windows down because it was in the 60's! 😊 It was a beautiful afternoon and there was a lot of snow melt going on. Spring is on the way!!!

34 weeks

organizing Little Brother's dresser drawers

Last weekend, before the warmer temperatures hit, Harper was finally able to make some snowmen!

That's my girl!

Doing what he likes to do best on a cold afternoon. :)

On Saturday morning, Harper helped Andrew with some yard work outside. It was only fair that he give her a manicure in return. 😂

Looking festive in her St. Patrick's Day outfit, Harper went through a box of board books with me to choose some for the basket in Little Brother's room. It really hit me how much she's grown because she could read all of the books to me. The last time these books were on her shelf it was so I could read them to her! My baby girl isn't a baby anymore! 

The baby swing has found its place in our living room. Harper wanted to see how the mirror and lights will look from the baby's perspective. I'm just glad she understands that she's too heavy to actually get into the swing!

34 weeks, 4 days
I keep telling Andrew that I don't think I look as big as I did with Ryder and Harper. After seeing this picture of me, I retract that statement. Ha!!

Pregnancy update--32 weeks

Thankfully my doctor's appointment was yesterday and not today. We woke up this morning to snow on the ground and a 2 hour school delay--again! It's March now and I'm ready to be done with snow and ice. Unfortunately there's another system headed our way this weekend, so I don't think March will be off to a warm start around here!

At my appointment my blood pressure was nice and low, baby's heartbeat was fast and strong, and the best news was that I passed my 3 hour glucose test! I could have called the office about a week ago to get the results, but I decided that ignorance was bliss. I would keep eating the sweets I crave (in moderation, of course) until the doctor specifically told me not to. 😊 I made sure to get a copy of the results, and I noticed that each number is higher than it was when I kept track during my pregnancy with Ryder, but the numbers are all still within the normal range. Maybe it just has to do with being 8 years older?

Glucose 3-hour test results:
Fasting: 81
1 hour: 158
2 hour: 160
3 hour: 126

I went ahead and scheduled my next four appointments, and that takes me right up to the week before my scheduled C-section. Aaaahhh! I left the office with a renewed motivation to get little brother's room finished. Sorry, Andrew, but the pressure is on now! Mama is nesting!

Next appointment --> Friday, March 15th

32 weeks

Andrew bought an old tractor about a week ago that he and Ryder are super excited about! It came with the snowplow blade, and he's now searching for the attachment to turn it into the perfect riding lawnmower...once all of the snow melts, of course. Ryder got to take it for a little test drive and was one happy boy!

Harper has been battling a cold/cough off and on for about a week now. Fortunately she has only missed two days of school because of a low fever; otherwise lots of rest has been the perfect medicine, and she's definitely getting better.

Garcia knows how to take care of his girl!

Pregnancy update--30 weeks

It is getting real around here that there will be a baby in the house soon! I received a phone call last week from my doctor's office, and we set a date for the C-section. Yikes! I chose Friday, April 19th for a few reasons. The main one is that it is almost a full week before my due date, which makes me feel a little more confident that baby brother won't show up on his own before then. (Fingers crossed!!) I also thought 4-19-19 would be an easy birthday to remember. And since that also happens to be Good Friday, maybe I can bring the baby home in an Easter basket! 😜 Once I wrote the big event on the calendar, though, I started getting super nervous! There is still a lot to be done in the next two months. The weeks are literally flying by right now.

I went for an ultrasound last week too, and Andrew took the morning off work so that he could go with me since he hasn't had a chance to see the baby on screen. Wouldn't you know the weather decided not to cooperate, and the kids' school had a 2-hour delay. That meant they wouldn't be getting on the bus until the same time my appointment was supposed to start. I was so frustrated! I headed to my appointment alone, and once Andrew got the kids off to school, we met up at Target and then went to a local pizza place to have a lunch date together. So things worked out just fine, but I was disappointed for Andrew that he missed out yet again on seeing baby brother in action. And boy did baby brother put on a show! Not only did he blow bubbles (as you can see in the picture below), but when the technician was measuring my amniotic fluid levels, we watched him pee! We had a good laugh over that as well as the cliche boys will be boys!

bubbles!

Now here's a sign I haven't seen since living in Virginia! Where we were in Florida, there were handicap parking signs as far as the eye could see, but definitely none for new or expecting mothers.

We bought some primer, paint, and paint supplies this past weekend so we can get started on the baby's room! Ryder and Harper are so eager to help, so one evening before dinner Andrew got them all set up and let them start priming the walls. The two walls you can see here are now primed and ready for paint! Goodbye, ugly brick and ivy wallpaper!

This week I had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday, and once again winter weather was an issue. Fortunately we knew on Monday night that the kids wouldn't be going to school and Andrew wouldn't have to go to work. So on Tuesday morning all four of us hopped into Andrew's truck (the only 4 wheel drive vehicle we have right now) and headed into town. Andrew and the kids dropped me off at my doctor's office and then killed some time at Starbuck's and the mall before coming back to pick me up. Only about an hour and a half had passed, but when I walked out of the building I couldn't believe how much the weather had changed! Snow was falling heavily and the roads were covered. We stopped at Walmart to grab a few things we needed for dinner and then decided to go to Chipotle for lunch. The kids picked the table right by the window and had a great time watching the snow fall and the plows try to clear the parking lot. It was slow going on the way back home, and I was so thankful Andrew had driven me. There is no way my truck would have made it back up the mountain roads! Overall my appointment went well: baby's heartbeat sounded great, I had only gained 1 lb. since my appointment 2 weeks ago, and I got my tetanus/whooping coughing vaccine. Unfortunately I found out my 1-hr. glucose level was on the high side and I have to go this weekend to do the 3-hr. test. 😩 I remembered doing the 3-hr. test with Ryder because my mom was in town at the time and kept me company, but I had completely forgotten I had to do it with Harper too. Thank goodness for this blog and all of the memories I've recorded! So I guess this is just part of the routine for all 3 of my pregnancies. First thing Saturday morning I'll head to the doctor's office with books in hand while Andrew entertains the kiddos at home. Hmmm, maybe they can get the baby's room painted while I'm gone!

Even Garcia enjoys a good snow day, as long as he is indoors!

Andrew helped Harper color her hair...with Kool-Aid! 

She was happy with the results!

Harper loves reading to her baby brother, and he definitely moves around when he hears her voice!

30 weeks
Baby brother is about the size of a cantaloupe now--approximately 17 inches and 3.5 pounds

Upcoming appointments:

3-hour GTT --> Sat. 2/16

Prenatal visit --> Thurs. 2/28