One week to go!

Less than a week from now we will be a family of 4! We are scheduled for Monday January 30^th.  I can’t believe how fast this pregnancy has gone. I’m ready but I’m not!

We spent MLK weekend out of town with Aaron’s parents and had a blast. Aaron and his dad went fishing Friday and Saturday on the Guadalupe in New Braunfels. Aaron’s mom, Alex and I went shopping. We went to the outlets in San Marcos on Friday. I got an awesome maroon Coach cross body bag and wallet and Aaron’s mom got a beautiful grey Coach purse.  We had a nice lunch at Johnny Rockets (good music and food!) and then hung out at the hotel until the boys were back.  On Saturday we went to Half Price Books, had lunch and drove around. Once Alex was done with his nap, we took him to a park since the weather was amazing. He had a blast on the swing and I pushed him for around 40 minutes. The boys had a blast fly fishing and I think they both want to make it an annual trip.

To save money we all shared a hotel room! It was kind of tight with all of our stuff but it wasn’t bad at all. The only bad part of the weekend was that I forgot my pregnancy pillow at home. I knew I was sleeping better/not hurting as much this time around and I thought it was a combination of the pillow and the cooler weather. Now I know that the pillow does help me! I woke up in so much pain while we were away. With Alex I used 4 different pillows – one for my head, one for under my belly, one for my back and one between my knees. My hips would hurt me but for the most part I did fine that way. This time I got a huge U shaped pregnancy pillow. My hips still hurt but I have bad hips so I wasn’t expecting that to be magically fixed. I used 4 pillows while we were gone but they didn’t help much at all. I was one tired mommy by Sunday.

Another awesome thing about the weekend was really getting to test out my minivan. We were originally going to all ride together in Aaron’s dad’s truck but do to getting a later start leaving town on Thursday night, we decided that we would take two vehicles. It ended up being best to allow Aaron’s mom and I the freedom to not have to be back to pick them up. We were never gone that long but it also meant that we didn’t have to take them in the morning! So the minivan ROCKS!! I LOVE it! It was so easy to load; plenty of room for everything, comfortable and it was so nice getting Alex in and out. Getting Alex in and out of my car would kill my back (we still had him in the middle) and I was always worried about someone parking to close. When he was really small, I had a couple of times that I was barely able to get his carrier though the door because people had parked to close to me! Hitting a button and the door opening is pretty darn awesome too! I have a feeling I will be in a minivan for a while.  

This past weekend we did some stuff around the house (not as much as I would have liked) and Aaron traded kayaks with a guy to get a hybrid kayak/stand up paddle board. For now he can use mine if he gets to go out in the cooler weather but that likely won’t be happening for a little while! Friday night it was my turn to host book club and it was nice having all of the girls head out my way. I am the lone person on my side of town. Everyone else is either in town or the Pearland/Missouri City area. I’m going to miss getting together with the girls for a few months but I plan to read or listen to each book even though I won’t be attending. We also went to Babies R Us to get a couple of last minute things. I am praying she holds out until the 30^th because I still have a lot to do!

Alex before his haircut on Saturday

Looking much older after his haircut! I love my little man so much!

Christmas Pictures!

Picture time! We didn't get a lot of pictures over Christmas but here are a few. Enjoy !

Christmas morning. Aaron's parents got them matching pjs!

Alex got a table from Aaron's parents. Yep he also enjoyed pushing the girls stroller and using it to climb onto things.

Alex seeing Rebekah's car and wanting it but I was holding on tight!

Rebekah let Alex get in some. Thanks to 2 very special people, Alex now has a police car of his own!

Aaron was trying to get Alex excited about opening gifts at my parents house

My dad, Alex and Aggie

Alex with his new ball

Alex with Sam. This boy LOVES my parents dogs!

I got a van!! I never thought I would be excited about a minivan! It is the same year my car was (2004) but less miles and in great shape. Thank you dad for finding it and then finding someone to buy my car! The van is so much easier to get Alex in and out of and it is going to be even better once our little girl is here. I have a feeling I will be in a minivan for a while. It is nice to know that we will still be able to have people ride with us once baby girl is here which would not have been an option before!

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

How is it 2012 already?!? 2011 went by so fast! 2012 will bring three big events for us – the birth of our daughter, our 6^th wedding anniversary and Alex will turn 2.

Next week we will be scheduling my c-section! Scary and exciting all at the same time. Scary since it is major surgery and exciting because we get to meet our little girl. I have had laparoscopic surgery before for endometriosis but this will be different! Moms who have had c-sections, do you have any advice? I know I will need a cough pillow but any wisdom you care to share will be greatly appreciated. I can’t believe we are only 5 weeks out from my due date and 4 weeks out from the earliest day my doctor will induce! This pregnancy has gone so fast for me but probably really slow for Aaron! I am hoping my hormones will go back to normal or close to normal pretty quickly. Aaron has been amazing!

We had a great Christmas even though we all had allergies or were sick over part of our time off. Aaron had a double ear infection that required a second round of medicine just before Christmas. Thankfully he is feeling better but his ears still are a little blocked. On the 23^rd, I took Alex to the doctor and sure enough, my poor baby had a double ear infection. We started antibiotics and things were looking good. On the 26^th, we headed to my parents in Granbury and Alex had a really bad cough. It got better in the afternoon but started back up in the evening. The next morning it was still there so after talking to his doctor, I found one in Granbury to take him to for a quick look. We did a breathing treatment and got good news that one ear had already cleared. We took him to his doctor as soon as we got home on the 30^th and both ears were infected. Boo! We started a new medicine and talk of tubes has come up again. I pray he out grows this soon. I hate that is seems to always be on medicine but I don’t want him to have to get tubes. My allergies have been horrible but I can’t do much. Oh well! I am waiting on some pictures from my sister-in-law so I will have another post just for pictures of my sweet boy!

We still have so much to do before baby girl gets here. The crib needs to be put up, her room cleaned out and clothes washed. I took tags off of clothes this week so that is a starting point. We also need to move Alex’s car seat to the side and we need to get the bases for the infant seat installed before long. I need to get the pack n play ready in our room, get a bag packed (or make a list) and get all of my pump parts/bottles ready. So much to do and so little time!

We have been trying to prepare Alex by telling him that he is going to have a little sister and pointing to my belly. He will wave to my belly if he ask him if he can say hi to sister and he will rub or pat my belly. Sometimes he tries to lift my shirt! It is cute but I don’t think he really gets what is about to happen. I do know that he has wanted mommy a lot more. He is talking more and more every day and he is extremely active! The boy doesn’t stop. I love him so so much and I pray he adjusts well to having a little sister. We have also stopped his bottle before bed and we are taking the paci away starting tonight. I plan to breastfeed again and not offer baby girl a bottle she is around 6 weeks old to prepare her for daycare but there is no promise that she will nurse! We don’t want Alex wanting her bottle. Alex didn’t take a paci until he was 6 or 7 weeks old and I am hoping she won’t take one at all but we don’t want Alex taking hers if she does take one! Stopping the bottle went really well except for the first night I tried. I messed up by reading him a book in the chair in his room and then Aaron said good night and turned off the light. That was what we would do before and then he would get his bottle. He was expecting his bottle so he got really mad when he didn’t get one. Now we get him ready for bed and then put him straight to bed! I’m worried about the paci though. Prayers that taking it away goes smoothly would be greatly appreciated!

2012 is going to be an exciting and hard year as we welcome our daughter and adjust to having two small children. It maybe our hardest year yet in many ways but I am so thankful for the life God has given me. I have a wonderful husband who truly loves me, a wonderful son, a daughter coming very quickly, and family that is always there for us. I know several couples trying start or add to their families and I pray that 2012 is their year. Please join me in praying for these families.

I’ll have another post soon with pictures from Christmas. I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!