Swim Party!

On Saturday we had a fellowship/devo with a group from church. It was also a swim party for the kids {and Brandon}. Both boys had a BLAST! I didn’t get in, but it was so HOT that I was wishing I had.

Ian loved the slide…Noah even went down it once {totally different kid from 2 weeks ago when we’d go to the pool}. I didn’t get a picture of him because I was having to help him up the slide. He didn’t cry, but I was told he had a look of total shock on his face the whole way down.

Noah had a blast jumping to Brandon…

… and actually went under a couple of times…we may have another fish on our hands yet!

Brandon even got him to let go of his hands and dog-paddle to him a time or two…

There weren’t any kids Ian’s age there, but he did a great job of hanging with the older kids or playing by himself. He did a great job of jumping off of the diving board and swimming to the ladder…

He {and Puppy} were down for the count by the time we got home ~

27 Weeks ~

1 year ago today Brandon and I lost our sweet baby. It’s so weird to think that we could actually have a 4 month old rather than me being 7 months pregnant. Although I still ache sometimes to hold that precious girl, I am so very thankful and excited about Elle being in our lives!

So, I was 27 weeks yesterday! Elle is so very active - much more than the boys were. She’s kicks off and on all through the day. As soon as I settle down in the bed for the night she starts going crazy. The other night I woke up around 2 and she was still going at it! Her kicks are so strong and we can now feel body parts pushing against my stomach - or see them moving across.

I saw Dr. M today. Everything continues to looks good. I had my glucose test today and should hear later in the week if I need to go back in for the LONG test (I had to do this with Noah but it was negative, so I’m praying that this one comes back negative the 1st time).

I mentioned to him how low Elle seems to be sitting and he said that normally subsequent babies tend to stay up higher, but that she’s probably just comfortable where she is. He said that if she had been high and then dropped then it would be something to be concerned about, but she’s always been low.

I also brought up the pelvic pain that I’m having. It’s gotten a LOT worse. I was starting to freak Brandon out because every time I stand up I have to clutch my tummy and he said that the look on my face is far from a “Man, I feel good” look. This, unfortunately, is normal as well. My pelvis is just spreading faster because it’s my 3rd baby.

Contractions are an everyday thing now, but they aren’t regular or painful - just uncomfortable.

We will go back on the 16th for our 4D ultrasound! And then see Dr. M in 3 weeks. After that we’ll see him every 2 weeks…WOW! Things are winding down…

**Don’t forget to register your guess as to when Baby Elle will arrive and what her stats will be! (Link is at the top of the middle column.)

BabyCenter.com Update:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She’s sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby’s brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don’t bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Star Wars ~

A few weeks ago the boys were invited to a Star Wars birthday party at the W.A. Gayle Planetatium. Brandon & I both visited the planetarium in elementary school for field trips - it was neat to go back there…almost nothing has changed.

I didn’t take many pictures, but here are some -

Noah during the show…

Darth Ian ~

Because of the time of the party, Noah didn’t get a nap beforehand. He was tuckered out by the time we left!

Girl Time!

My amazing blessing of a husband was off yesterday and he kept the boys while my mom & I went out for some girl time!

After a stop by the chiropractor for me we headed to Hobby Lobby to pick up some ribbon to add to Elle’s curtains. We also picked up some shelves and a piece of iron-work for her walls.

We then headed to Zoe’s for chicken salad and fruit, which is my current fave right now {I actually contemplated a trip into Montgomery the week before last just for that meal…a 45 minute drive!}.

Once we got back to Prattville we stopped by Claudia’s Cloth Barn and picked up some of this fabric for Elle’s room…

I’ll let you wait {and guess} to see where it’s going to go.

Then we headed over to another shop to pick up the diaper bag I ordered last week. I thought it turned out cute.

Our last stop was The Turtle Shell for school supplies! I’m am getting so excited about homeschooling! I started writing out lesson plans today. My plan is for August 3rd to be our first day of school. Our 1st 6 weeks will end September 11th and I’m praying that my doctor will agree to Elle making her debut that next week. We’ll take the rest of September off and then start back up in October. Of course, “the best laid plans…”.

We had a great day, and I managed to keep my energy longer than normal. I did start having contractions by the time we reached the Turtle Shell and by the time Brandon & I had gone to bed last night I had had about 4. They’re not painful, just a little uncomfortable.

BTW - after mentioning last week about my 7 diaper bags (3 of them I had with Noah), I thought I’d share the NEW ones you haven’t seen.

I’m thinking about having this one monogrammed, but haven’t decided yet…

And lastly, I just had to share this sleeper I picked up today at Target. I ran in to buy a baby gift for a shower at church and saw this on my way by - it’s a 6 months, but it was the last one in this style and it immediately caught my eye. Brandon rolled his eyes when I showed it to him in the car - I justified it by saying that it’s easier to buy 1 every now and then rather than having to go buy 8 all at one time…not sure that he bought it He loves me and humors me, though.

We went to a fellowship this afternoon and Brandon & the boys got to swim…pictures coming in the next few days from that!

Feed Your Stash Friday -

Saturday Swim ~

We went swimming up at Brandon’s parent’s house on Saturday. The water was perfect! Ian, as always, had a blast! Noah spent most of his time on the side splashing with his feet. We made him get in with us twice, which he wasn’t happy about at all, but we figure that’s going to be the only way to get him use to it.

I love pictures of our boys laughing…they’re made even better when I know that the laugh is because of their Daddy -

Our little fish - he can swim better underwater than above…

Chillin’ on the side of the pool -

Noah’s got some big shoes to fill…

*Noah DID have water wings & another “flotation device” on while the rest of us were in the water. Once I got out and sat with him we took the floats off.

26 Weeks…

I feel HUGE, but when I look at these pictures I don’t look as big as I feel…

Make sure to keep scrolling down for a sneak peek into Elle’s nursery -

BabyCenter.com Update:
The network of nerves in your baby’s ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner’s as you chat with each other. He’s inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he’s born and takes that first gulp of air. And he’s continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

A Little Sneaky Peek…

I was going to save all pictures of Elle’s nursery until it was complete, but I love it so much I just can’t keep it to myself…So, here’s a little peek into our baby girl’s room -

PINK walls -

Ottoman (to go with glider that needs to be recovered), lamp, crib skirt, crib sheets & candle…

I have the fabric for the glider picked out and am SO excited about it!!!!

Also, here’s a diaper bag that I finally remembered to pick up from the monogrammers yesterday (3 weeks after I ordered it)…The giraffe print looks black & white in the pictures, but it’s actually chocolate.

I counted and I have 7, yes you heard me…SEVEN diaper bags for Elle (including the green zebra print I purchased yesterday and am having monogrammed). BUT, in my defense, 3 of them are gender-neutral bags that I had with Noah, so only 4 of them are new. *Out of the seven, five of them have chocolate brown as a prominent color…*

This is a wipe case that I ordered to go with the diaper bag. I also got a paci clip in the same fabric…don’t you just love it?!?!?!?!!!!!!

Feed Your Stash Friday -

Hint to grandparents: you could always enter these cloth diaper giveaways FOR us

Water War!!!!

Not really…the boys were very sweet and did not “shoot” each other. They received a set of water guns as a gift, so we headed out one Saturday afternoon {SEVERAL weeks ago} for them to play.

Side Note: Noah is going to kill me one day for these pictures. He went out in a t-shirt and his big boy underwear, but after Ian took his shirt off Noah wanted his off too.

I don’t have a clue what Ian was doing…

We put water in our cooler for them to fill the guns up with - Ian decided he needed a bit of cooling off…

Yum…

I love this grin…

I’m telling you, he is SO going to hate me…

Okay, so maybe they did get a few shots in at each other -

Good ‘ol Summer Time ~