33 Weeks!

I will be referring back to this picture when trying to get your advice on where to hang things in the nursery.

Well for the past couple of weeks I have convinced myself that leaving the house at 8 am and coming home at 5 pm on my days off probably isn't considered "relaxing" while pregnant. I have been doing this for the past couple of years and I just enjoy staying busy on my days off. I always feel so stir crazy in the house but I better get used to it because a December newborn baby probably means staying in for quite a little bit. I have now put all of my energy into online shopping---which is REALLY bad news. I must open up 12 different windows and keep going back and forth and playing with ideas and jumping around from topic to topic most frequently shopping for baby gear.

First up ...what do I do on the wall to the left of the crib? Do I put these shelves below in white and place a couple of decorative things on top..do I get one that has the jacket hooks and hang 2 of his most adorable outfits?!

Or do I opt for the book shelf...which one of Brad's friends says is very useful and handy? Or a piece of art with his name or initials on it? Or leave it bear for now!?

Next up, I just love a nice big rug in a room..but it is too much?! Would it blend with out tan carpet?! Can I not get a rug if I don't have wood floors in the bedroom?

Ok so since I have chosen a photographer for Crawford's newborn photos...the new thing is to use "photo props" to make your newborn look even that much more adorable. My photographer Gena Murphy --a look at some of her newborn work click here: www.genamurphyphotography.smugmug.com/Babies/newborn will be shooting this special day anywhere between 4-10 days after he is born. She told me she would be bringing some of her adorable props but to add some of my personality I may want to buy some too..I mean add some of my personality I was thinking uhhhh I don't know that's why I hired you...but it has been fun and I did already purchase a little Santa crocheted hat for his photo session. In addition, I am in love with these newborn cacoons. The problem is which one!?

I don't know why I am so in love with this monkey one but I seem to keep going back to it.

I mean could this little baby look any cuter in his bear cacoon?

I know we will just have a ball with our football rivalry next year and to have Crawford pictured in a football so soon in life just seems so tempting as well!

How appropriate would the snowman cacoon be for the winter time?! I need your suggestions which one will make the cutest photo prop for little Crawford?!

As you can already tell I have been shopping for nursery decor, photo prop items, clothing for his "take home" outfit and now bath towels..Well of course Pottery Barn Kids decided to email me about their bath sale and how can Crawford now have his very own monogrammed towels. I had selected 2 sets of green towels with his name and had them in the shopping cart when Brad peeked over my shoulder to see me about to fork over $52 for 2 sets of bath towels..he said "NO WAY" ...I said awww man and kept them in the shopping cart and secretly want to purchase them.

Then I came up with a new idea for lighting in his room. How could would this pendant be hanging as his main light source in the center of the room? We had originally planned to hang a fan but I started looking at different light fixtures and fell in love with this...again is it too much will it look weird hanging down the center of the room? Of course on Restoration Hardware Baby website it does not! What do you think?!

So now you might understand why I am 4 weeks behind on my tv shows...wayyyy tooo much time devoted to the arrival of Crawford..the sad part is none of these are the essentials. These are just items I WANT what about the things Crawford needs like his pack n play and carseat maybe I should be splurging on those items first!? Ahhhh!

Well since I can't imagine what I "used" to look like I decided to look back to the past 2 Octobers...both great great times.. This one is in 2008 on our Honeymoon in Riviera Maya...oh to think that I felt soo big and overweight back then..

This was also from the honeymoon after the only day of sun...note to any beach goers out there...never go to Mexico between mid-August and November (it rains like every day!)

Last year was equally as fun as we planned a great anniversary trip out to wine country. I mean it was amazing..we had a spa day, went up in hot air balloon, visited San Francisco, and indulged in delicious wine! I think it was my favorite trip of all time! I'm already planning Brad and I's first vacation away from Crawford ...Is that bad?! I mean we both love to travel and there is one trip that we both have been really wanting to go on...We would like to visit Seattle, Portland, and Oregon wine country followed by a trip to Vancouver..not sure if this is possible all in one week but I have already started bookmarking hotels out there...I always have way too much research going on!

Well here is the latest nursery addition. Our glider is finally in! I am soo thrilled and happy with its yellow color!! I was soo worried that I would hate the yellow...or that I would be sad that I did not opt for a $1000 boutique glider...well I couldn't tell you how much happier I am that I saved a ton of money and chose a more affordable glider in a great color to compliment the nursery!

It's funny to look back now and think that at 19 weeks I thought I was so large and big...

Fast forward Week 31...guess he really is growing!

Ewww..34 week shot officially getting SWOL! AHHH someone help me now!

33 week update!

*How far along? 33 weeks

*Total weight gain? 25 pounds oooh man the pounds are packing on! Crawdad better be a big baby!

*How big is the baby? close to 20 inches and almost 5 pounds (I weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces and was 19 and 3/4 inches ...Brad weighed 7 pounds and was 20 inches long) he is the equivalent size of a pineapple!

*Maternity clothes? Bought a couple of warm sweaters for the next month or so and hoping that is my last splurge on maternity clothes as they are so useless here shortly!

*Sleep? Still sleeping just fine (I truly feel blessed that I sleep through the night because it seems like many pregnant women are not this lucky!) However, I usually wake up feeling sore and uncomfortable from some awkward position I have gotten in.

*Movement? Oh does he move! He moved some much in the past week that he is now BREECH! thanks little fellow now you are going to worry you mommy if you do not decide to flip back around! The doctor said there is nothing to worry about yet as he still has time to flip back around. His head was on my left side down towards my bladder and how he is under my left ribs. The coolest thing ever happened this morning as I was waking up and feeling what I generally feel in the morning-- almost like little thuds of his heartbeat..well after Brad and I had fun feeling this little thuds I realized that the poor little guy was having the hiccups..I mean it was darling! Although this is the same feeling I get almost every morning from Crawdad so he must not like the positions I am in poor little thing!

*Food cravings? I always forget to mention how much I have really craved soup this last trimester..I always wonder is it because it is loaded with sodium and I KNOW I shouldn't eat it..or is it a craving I am really having? Either way..soup always sounds delicious but I really try to limit my intake to once a week at lunch so that I don't become extremely bloated.

*What I miss? Well let's just say Brad and I went on an hour walk this morning and Brad is suffering from a toe injury and was hobbling along and was still strides ahead of me..this is the guy that I am jogging way ahead and now he is walking faster than me...something isn't right about this picture..I picked up the pace and made sure he wasn't gonna stay ahead of me on our walk!

*What I am looking forward to? Reaching the full term mark at 36 weeks..it is soo close and I can't imagine the motherly mode I am going to go into when that time hits

*Milestone? feeling Crawford hiccup...sooooo cool!

*Is working out harder? Well apparently walking is..but I still have been spinning and doing combat and doing the elliptical..it will be interesting to see the intensity level I am able to work out post baby because I truthfully didn't think I had lost my work out stamina that is until today's walk..sigh...

*What has been unexpected? That I can't keep my silly iron up. I mean I think I am pretty well nourished I take my medicine like I should to a T and somehow my hemoglobin still is in the 10's. Although the doctor's don't seem concerned it's annoying to me that I am not as healthy as I need to be for the baby.

*Nursery? Well all of the furniture is in..I just have decorations left to do and would love your help and ideas to finish the nursery up!

*Doctor's visits? Well since I go to the doctor so frequently I thought I should add a question about what happened at this week's visit. They pricked my finger, weighed me, measured my stomach (measuring 34 weeks), and listened to his heartbeat. Then the doctor explained that I needed to stay as comfortable as I could at work and really suggested I invest in some prescription strength thigh highs..well this lady wasn't kidding when she said "invest." I was planning on having a "Christen" day today and enjoying a nice prenatal massage...that is until I took the thigh high prescription to the pharmacy and got measured and ready to go to have my uncomfortable and dreaded socks ordered...Yes maam we require that you pay ahead of time for these was the young man's request as he swiped my card for $120 !!!!!!!!!!!! I mean was this a sick joke I am purchasing thigh highs (ONE PAIR) for $120 ..this had to be a joke..but no it wasn't he said she wrote for such a high strength (as in the pressure of them is 40-50 mm Hg) and they were that expensive indeed adding on that I may want to buy some rubber gloves to get them on...oh will this be a sight to see.. In other news I felt so great after this appt. I felt like I have gotten so far in my pregnancy and have remained as healthy as can be and that at my next appointment I will be days away from being "full term" this is just nuts!!! soooo exciting...well gotta go get ready for Nick and Ashley's wedding but can't wait to hear your suggestions and advice about the nursery and I am soooo excited about my second baby shower on Sunday that Cathleen (Sister) and Janet (Brad's mom) are throwing for me!!!!!!!!!