Bumpdate: 37 Weeks and Friday Favorites

Mixing up my 'Five on Friday' with the good old bumpdate this week. We are really getting down to the wire on this pregnancy!

1. Bumpdate
WOOHOO! We made it to full term. And yes, I know that 'full term' is most recently classified as 39 weeks, baby should keep baking as long as possible, etc. for all of you nay-sayers out there ;-) BUT, my hospital holds 37 weeks as the mark where a baby is no longer considered 'premature'. Jackson was premature by five days, and while he was perfectly healthy, this did result in him getting poked with a needle a few more times than he would have otherwise needed. So, I am celebrating hitting 37 weeks if only for the fact that, assuming all else goes well, baby boy won't need any extra glucose test pricks to his precious little feet :-) Of course, he is welcome to hang out for the next few weeks, I really don't mind. I am technically in new territory here as I didn't make it this far with Jackson, so I am curious to see how much more uncomfortable this final month of pregnancy truly is!

How far along? 37 weeks

Gender: A baby boy, who is getting squishier by the minute :-)

Total weight gain: 31 pounds

Maternity clothes? Yes, but unless the weather absolutely does not permit, I am rocking maxi dresses and skirts from here on out.

Stretch marks? I still think there is that one tiny one between my belly button and piercing hole, it it is a small little circle and just looks kind of odd. I know I have preached it before, but the Baby Belly Bar is the absolute best. It goes on thick but isn't sticky, and I will put it on at night and seriously still can feel it on my skin 24 hours later. It has saved me from dealing with itchy skin for sure!

Belly button in or out: I would definitely say flat. 

Sleep: Decent. I wouldn't say it has been as good as last week, but not terrible either.

Exercise: I am saying with quite a bit of certainty that I went for my last official run of my pregnancy last Friday. My hips and lower back were not feeling good at all after the fact, and by Friday evening it was seriously a chore just to lift my legs and hips to put on a pair of pants. Still doing arm workouts and going on as many walks as possible, though! And happy to report that the walking doesn't result in any hip or back pain!

Best moment this week: Passing 36 weeks 2 days, which means I officially made it further this pregnancy than I did my last! Did I spend a good chunk of Sunday morning feeling deja vu and praying my water didn't break? Um, yes...

Miss Anything? Laying on my back without getting dizzy. Not feeling super full after a few bites of food. And being able to keep up with Jax; sometimes it is impossible to say no to him and I lift him or do things that I realize pretty quickly I simply cannot do for the next few weeks.

Movement: Still lots, especially at night.

Food cravings: Anything sweet. All of the fruit I can get my hands on. And anything cold and fizzy. Yesterday at a work seminar they had Diet Dr. Pepper and oh my goodness, did that hit the spot!

Symptoms: Braxton hicks, which have definitely gotten more and more frequent, even to the point where I have started timing them. Still some lower back pain. Occasional crampiness.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really!

Labor Signs: Not that I am aware of! Braxton hicks are definitely picking up, but nothing painful yet, just uncomfortable.

Wedding rings on or off? On, it really seems to depend on the day in terms of if I feel swelling or not. I notice on rainy and humid days it fits a bit tighter, but I haven't had any real troubles getting it on/off.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, still just trying to get as ahead as possible on work/home things so we are ready for baby's arrival! 
Looking Forward To: My doctor's appointment today. I was at 1cm and 50% effaced last week, so I am just curious to see if I have progressed at all!  

2. Old Navy is killing it, as per the usual, with their new summer line. I shared my favorites yesterday for the perfect casual, go-to outfit. How perfect is this tank top!? And you can never go wrong with a pair of denim cutoffs.

 3. I am due for a Jackson update sometime soon here I suppose, but he still just isn't where he technically 'should' be for his speech. However, this week he has really started repeating things, including 'OH', 'pat pat', and letters, particularly 'T' and 'G'. It is exciting to see him finally taking an interest in repeating what we are saying and communicating through words. We have called him, more than once, our 'selective listener', and I am so happy he is finally choosing to chat a bit more!

4. I have started trying out lipsticks more in the past year or so, but more often than not I still feel a bit out of my element. I found this shade recently and it is perfect! It goes on smooth, gives my lips a pop of color, yet doesn't feel like I am wearing a lipstick that you can see across the room. And you really cannot beat the price!

5. When I am not focusing on my pregnancy and debating whether or not every sign and symptom is an indication of labor starting, I am thinking about our house! I shared where we are currently at with our building process, and even since then we have had more going on! I am trying not to get overly optimistic, but for where we are at currently, things are moving along well and moving is getting closer and closer by the day! My in-laws are great and I love them dearly, but I cannot put into words how excited I am to have my OWN HOUSE again! 

Five on Friday // Oh Hey Friday! // Friday Favorites // Friday Favorites

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Your Old Navy Must Haves!

I know that I am not alone in my love for Old Navy. Over the past few years, they have knocked it out of the park every single season with their products. Cute, trendy, and best of all, affordable are words to describe what has quickly become my favorite place to shop. And, I know I have mentioned more than once my love of their tall selection online. For years, I would often overlook cute clothing because the sleeves were too short, inseams didn't even make it to my ankles, and things just didn't fit right. I honestly have a hard time shopping at places that don't carry things in tall anymore, because I finally know what it feels like to have clothing that fits how it is supposed to!

Now that we are finally seeing spring temps and summer is just around the corner, I threw together a little summer staple outfit below. Every single piece comes from Old Navy, and is incredibly affordable. Better yet, they have a sitewide sale going on right now. Non-cardholders receive 30% off of everything, and cardholders receive 40% off of everything. And that is no exclusions for cardholders! If you have been debating getting a card, the sale goes through this Saturday, so now is the time! It is not often that these no exclusion sales come up, so hop on it while you can!

Denim shorts // Sunglasses // Tassel Top // Bag // Sandals // Hat 

I am loving all of these pieces, mostly because of the simplicity of them all. I don't care how old I get, I am adamant that every girl needs a pair of cutoff demin in her closet for the summer months. And how cute is this tassel tank top? There is just something about a white top and denim that is so perfect in the summer against some sunkissed skin! The fringe bag is on point with all of the trends lately, and what summer outfit is complete without a floppy hat and some aviators?!

What are your summer go-to items!?

 Linking up with Annie and Natalie for Thoughts on Thursday today!

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What's Hap-pinning: House Status

Today I am linking up with Jenn, Jessi, and Holly to share what is going on with us lately. Of course, most posts tend to revolve around my son, my pregnancy, or our moving process.

Well... we are officially under construction! It was the longest time coming EVER (at least in my mind), but it is finally getting going and I couldn't be more excited! We closed on our loan about two weeks ago, and the next day the brush was trimmed and the space was being cleared. The following Monday, I drove by to see this most beautiful of sights:

 

Big old machinery on our lot! They were hauling dirt and moving things around and digging that hole I have been dreaming about for the past month! By the end of Tuesday, we had a driveway (and a port-a-potty!)

 

I don't have a great picture, and with this rainy and wet week we are having walking the land just isn't high on my list of things I want to do, but in less than a week we have all of our block in, insulation being placed, and as of last night we were informed the plan is to be pouring concrete next week!

 

I am so excited about the progress. I have been told it goes really fast in the beginning, and once they start working on the inside you obviously see less 'visible' process, but after waiting for SO long, seeing changes every single day right now is so much fun! My husband and father in law will actually be doing some of the plumbing and in floor heating this weekend/early next week, which seems crazy to me. After months of waiting, to all of the sudden be doing the things we discussed is both stressful and a 'pinch me' moment, all at once! 

In other house news, last week, we met up with our construction project manager, and we picked out our siding, trim, railings, door handles, roof shingles, and a list of other little things for around the house. It was crazy to knock so many things off of the list in one appointment! Our manager actually commented that we were making things too easy! Aside from going back and forth on the house exterior and colors, we really did agree on pretty much everything. Discussing beforehand and agreeing on the general style we liked (clean, straight lines for us; nothing with too much rounded edges or woodwork!) made it really easy to narrow down choices and go with the logical best options to keep our interior clean and consistent throughout. 

Next on the list will be picking out the stone for our exterior, meeting with the designer for our cabinets, and then little things like the garage door, getting our final few appliances, and whatever else pops up. Oh, and light fixtures, which I have my fingers crossed will be an easy and joint decision between myself and my husband ;-)

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Talk About It Tuesday [Linkup]

Hello ladies, and happy Tuesday! Jenn and I are back at it for another 'Talk About It Tuesday' linkup, and do hope you will join in!

Today, I am simply here for a little rant. I try not to get too carried away with my rants, but sometimes, a lady just needs to complain, right!?

So about six months ago or so, my husband finally upgraded his cell phone. He had a smart phone, but the thing was so old he was still grandfathered in under Verizon's 'unlimited' data plan. I had grown accustomed to my 2GB plan, and really had never had any issues with it. I tap into Wi-Fi all the time, and if I ever approached my limit I just turned off my cellular data until the cycle ended. With Mike's upgrade, though, he had to change his plan, and we ended up going with a 6GB plan. Nothing to complain about, as our costs actually went down a bit and I mean, if you split it 50/50, I was actually getting more data than I was used to! Except..

My husband actually uses a good chunk of data. He is not in the habit of tapping into Wifi, and it shows when I look at our breakdown of usage. Every single month, he has used more data than me. Not a big deal, because as long as I am not being told I can't use my phone because of his overuse, what does it matter, right? ;-)

Well, last week we got a text saying we had used 90% of our data. This has happened once before, but it has always been at the very end of our cycle. This time was no different, as we had two days remaining on our month. Or so I thought. Somewhere in those two days, one of us (or both of us, who really knows) managed to use up that remaining 10%. At 8pm on Friday, less than four hours before our cycle closed, we both received a text saying we had hit our data max for the month. So, we both immediately put down our phones for the remainder of the evening, and I even went into my settings to turn off my cellular data so I didn't get charged usage for a random e-mail or something.

Of course, I received our beautiful bill a day or two later, and we were charged $15 for overages, as apparently data was backtracked from earlier in the day Friday, accumulating to a whopping 0.01 GB of data used. They don't charge for the amount you use once you are on overage, but rather they just charge you for the whole darn extra GB. So, despite not being notified until 8pm on Friday, in those remaining 3.5 hours they went and automatically tacked on an entire additional GB, which in the amount of time we had remaining I don't know if we could have used up, even if we tried! I hopped on the phone with customer service, and was basically told once a billing cycle has ended there is nothing they can do. I expected this, as customer service for cell use has never been something I have been impressed by, but COME ON! If overage charges are going to be charged, shouldn't it not kick in until AFTER we are notified? If we both immediately turn off our data once receiving the text, shouldn't we be in the clear? Nope. I guess not. If it weren't a minimal $15 I would probably have complained a lot more, but am entirely unimpressed by the fact that I was charged for something, and three hours later I was onto a new cycle and that data I was just forced into purchasing is now obsolete and no longer available for use (because Verizon is cool and doesn't allow you to carry over unused data).

Long story short, I am watching our data usage way more closely, and my dear husband is going to have to adjust his habits and start using Wifi data at home, or a tablet. And for all that is good and holy, if you get that 90% used notification, just turn the data off. You will be glad you did!

Hope you ladies have things to talk about that are a bit more fun this week, I can't wait to see what you have to share!

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Bumpdate: 36 Weeks and Full Circle

This blog post really feels like coming full circle to me. To those of you that have been reading since the beginning, you may recall that I started blogging shortly before Jackson was born. My first real post was my 36 week bumpdate. Jackson was born the following day. So, needless to say, I have been feeling slightly paranoid this entire week, and will feel so relieved once this Sunday has come and gone and baby is still safely baking away. While having a 36 weeker showed me that they can be born perfectly healthy with zero complications (which I am so incredibly thankful for every day), I also have a laundry list of things that I still need to get done and I am so NOT mentally prepared for our little guy quite yet. Between wrapping things up at work, getting as much accomplished for our house as possible, and hoping to have a maternity leave that doesn't end until after Jackson's 2nd birthday (which is when he is technically able to start at daycare based on their regulations), I really want this baby to stay put! I have joked that me being so paranoid will probably result in this little guy going a solid week overdue! Despite my discomforts, I would be totally okay with that :-) 

Despite being a believer in jinxing things, I thought it would be a little bit fun to recreate that first post for this blog. Don't even ask me how emotional I got when I compared pictures and realized that adorable, smiling little boy wearing Darth Vader jammies in the middle picture is what made up my baby bump in the bottom picture. Cue the crying emoji face. Time is such a thief, and I cannot believe that I will have another little man to squish and love up on in the coming month!

Me and Baby Boy #2

Me and my darling, precious Baby Boy #1 who loves taking bumpdate photos with his mama

Me and Baby Boy #1, with our very first chalkboard. Let's also take a moment to acknowledge the wonder a little bit of color can do, and just how 'Minnesota White' we truly get here in the winter! This mama cannot wait to get a little bit of a tan!

Baby Boy #1, all of 24 hours after we took our bumpdate photo

 

How far along? 36 weeks

Gender: Boy

Total weight gain: My scale is saying 29 pounds

Maternity clothes? Lots of maxi dress, maxi skirts, and yoga pants, like always. Definitely not investing in a single item that is maternity for the rest of this pregnancy, so whatever I have will have to do!

Stretch marks? I THINK there may be a tiny little one, between my belly button and where my old belly piercing hole is..it's actually a spot that when I am not pregnant is technically probably 'inside' my belly button, so I really can't tell for sure, it's one of those where I look at it from twenty different angles trying to figure out..

Belly button in or out: Out/flat on top, just barely in on the bottom. It doesn't poke out like the typical pregnancy belly button, but it is definitely just strange!

Sleep: Praise the Lord hallelujah Jackson has been staying in his bed almost every night for the past week until 5am or so, and if it is any indication of how sleep deprived I am from the past two years, 2 or 3 of those nights I did not wake up to pee. Not once. I have honestly had my first full night's sleep the past few days in as long as I can remember, and am actually feeling more tired! I think my body finally recognized what it needs and what it has been missing ;-)

Exercise: Mostly just walks this week. I am hoping if I feel up to it to maybe sneak in a run on the treadmill today, but we will see. So glad to be able to get outside though and enjoy a little exercise with my little guy on our walks.

Best moment this week: SLEEPING. You just never realize how much you will appreciate sleeping through the entire night until you never, ever, ever get to do it.

Miss Anything? My normal clothes. Especially as things are warming up, I so badly want to wear some of my cute t-shirts and tank tops, and I am dying to throw on my favorite jean shorts! And as always, I am counting down to when I get to enjoy a Mike's Hard Lemonade.

Movement: Yes, definitely more rolling, and the 'whole belly shaking' that is so creepy to watch. I have had multiple instances where he jabs super low and up in my ribs at the same time, which I assume means he must be getting in a good stretch, OR trying to bust out. Those ones take my breath away!

Food cravings: Still craving sugary cereals. Eating apples by the dozen. And give me all the Lemon Oreos.

Symptoms: Lower back pain. Just last night, I started having quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions too, nothing painful or alarming, but definitely way more frequent, about every ten minutes or so..eager to see if that means anything has changed in terms of dilation at my appointment tomorrow. Happy to say insomnia is totally not on the list this week, though!

Anything making you queasy or sick: I have just had random bouts of nausea here and there for the past week or so. I think it is the worst if I go too long without eating or don't get enough protein. Nothing that has been lasting long or giving me too much trouble.

Labor Signs: Nope, and hoping with everything I have to do we keep it that way!

Wedding rings on or off? On. Most days I really don't feel like I am swollen at all, although some days my fingers are a bit puffier than others.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy this week, but a bit stressed out realizing how many things I need to try and get wrapped up at work before I go out on leave! 
Looking Forward To: Checking in on baby today, picking out a whole bunch of things for our house this afternoon, and seeing our siding on our house hopefully go up in the next week or so! 

Five on Friday // Oh Hey Friday! // Friday Favorites // Friday Favorites

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What I Wore Wednesday: 36 Weeks Pregnant

As of lately, I am like, really pregnant. Like 36 weeks, big ole belly, pregnant. And I am thanking my lucky stars that the weather is finally acting like spring here in Minnesota, because I truly was at my wits end with wearing leggings and sweaters every single day. Throwing on a dress or skirt and a jacket the past few weeks has been such a breath of fresh air, and my comfort level is ten times higher than it was!

For this outfit, I stuck with booties, as we are still having some days that are chilly enough that I can't quite brave open toed shoes. This dress is a hi-lo Piko, and I cannot sing enough praises about it. I actually got it from my mom, who bought it and wasn't sold on it, but let me tell you, it is a pregnant woman's dream! The belt I am wearing is old and from New York and Company. It is stretchy, yet I have seriously had multiple people over the years as me if this is the belt I wore with my wedding dress. It is that pretty, and I get compliments every single time I wear it. I would buy it up in other colors in a heartbeat if it was still in stores! And finally, no spring look is complete without a light, cute, deconstructed jean jacket. I bought this one, again about five years ago, at American Eagle and wear it multiple times a week during the spring and summer months. If you don't own a jean jacket and have considered investing in one, let me tell you, worth it. I love mine SO much!

 

Piko Dress // Jacket (old, American Eagle) // Booties

Please excuse the belly button. It is still 'in' technically, but slightly popped out on top, flat in other areas, and all around just awkward. And when you are in your final month of pregnancy (due ONE MONTH from today!) you just really don't care!

Linking up with Sydney, The Pleated Poppy, Jen, Jessi, and Holly!

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A Day In The Life [Linkup!]

Happy Tuesday ladies! This week, Jenn and I are hosting another Talk About It Tuesday link-up, and we hope that you will join us! I am also hopping on for Momfessionals this week, because this week's topic is a day in the life, which was totally what I was planning to talk about today anyway! I always love reading these posts, why is it so interesting to see the mundane in and outs of other people's lives? I really wanted to document this now, before we throw another baby into the mix. It is always fun to look back and see how we spent our days before life changes and gets all sorts of crazy :-) Everything is a season, and one of the best things about this blog is being able to look back and reflect.

 

6:00am. Rise and shine. Some days I get ready and this little guy stays sleeping; other days he wakes up when I do and makes the whole hair/makeup process quite the challenge. On this miraculous morning, he stayed in his bed up until the minute I woke him to bring him to my mom's before work! 

 

6:45am. Hit the road to head to grandma's. We still get there earlier than we need to, and spend a half hour or so having a cup of coffee and relaxing before I head off to work for the day. 

 

8:00am. Finally feeling spring temperatures means ICED coffee to start off this work day.

 

9:00am. For whatever reason, shakes have been my go-to lately. Super easy and quick, and I love chocolate, so there's that. **Don't worry, this pregnant lady also throws in an apple, a ton of water, and usually is snacking on a Clif bar shortly thereafter. 

10:00am. Professional blog work. Maternity leave is coming up sooner than I realize, and I am really working to get the work blog as prepped and ahead of schedule as possible so that my coworkers can simply hit 'post' on a collection of articles that are prepped and ready!

 

11:00am. True life is that I ran to Wal-Mart with my coworker because she needed to copy a key, and my heating pad died and my pregnant back was having a meltdown in the twelve hours that I was without it, so we made a Wal-Mart dash. This was followed by swinging through the New Dunn-Brothers and trying out their peanut butter chocolate iced coffee. It was absolutely as delicious as it sounds.

12:00pm. No picture here, because I simply have a hard time figuring out how to snap a casual selfie at a business lunch. But, my coworkers and I had a debrief lunch out of the office to go over our work event from last Friday. Mexican food for the win. Again, being totally transparent I spent a good portion of the meal getting up to take walk breaks because my back is dying. This baby is kicking my booty the past few days!

2:00pm. Post meeting, my coworkers all wanted coffee. Our sweet admin offered to buy, and I am just powerless to free coffee, so an iced coffee was on the agenda. I swear, almost NEVER do I go out for coffee twice and lunch all in one work day. But you know, sometimes, I really can't complain ;-)

3:00pm. Editing images for the work blog. My work days really do vary; sometimes I am in and out of meetings with community partners, other days I am managing programs and budgets, and some days like this one, I kick back a bit and enjoy the fun that is blogging on health and wellness topics :-)

 

4:30pm. Booking it out of the office and heading home, laptop in tow.

 

5:00pm. My parents took the Jax man on a late walk, so I met them up the hill to greet this smiling face. Bare feet and shorts have this kid all kinds of happy the past few days.

5:30pm. Dinner. As I am the last one home most days, typically my mother in law cooks dinner. One of the perks of being homeless, I suppose ;-) No pictures of dinner, as we do our best to leave the phones put away during dinner time.

 

6:00pm. Playtime (or bath time every other night). This little guy has been loving pushing the limits lately, climbing on the coffee table and backs of the couch. He literally stops and looks at us, smiles, and it is so obvious he is thinking 'how long until you come and pull me down'. He is definitely testing his boundaries! With that face though...it is so hard to get mad at him!

 

7:30pm. I put Jax to bed 4-5 nights a week, but on this night Mike did, so I was doing a bit more work from home on this night. This is not particularly 'typical' of me, but as I am really trying to get as ahead as possible regarding my social media schedule, it doesn't hurt to squeeze out some work on my blogs. And, sometimes the creative juices start flowing at home and it makes more sense to tackle a new post when the content is coming to mind! 

9:00pm. Bedtime. Nothing has changed on this front. Our tired booties are in bed by 9:00pm just about every night. I am soaking up as much sleep as I can, as I am fairly certain that when the time comes for my next 'day in the life' post, I will be sleeping MUCH less ;-)

Looking forward to seeing how all the other mamas get through their day to day!

In addition to Talk About It Tuesday, don't forget to link up for Show and Tell Tuesday!

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Bumpdate: 35 Weeks

Only five weeks to go! I know, I know, I sound like a broken record, but I cannot believe how close we are getting to the end of this pregnancy. Realistically (and hopefully!) we have a solid month to go, but after my first go-around with pregnancy, I am having slight moments of panic when I realize I was only ONE WEEK away from meeting baby at this point when I was expecting Jackson. My bag and baby's bag are both packed and ready to go. My bag is even stocked with snacks and Powerades for dad (how nice am I?), pants, bobby pins, and a spare toothbrush. I feel so good knowing I was able to get all of that planning done and know I will have a well stocked bag no matter when baby boy decides to arrive. With that being said, we have a house to build, and for purely selfish reasons I am begging this little guy to stay put right up until May 20th! 

How far along? 35 Weeks

Gender: Still a boy, as far as I know!

Total weight gain: 28 pounds at my appointment last week..darn Fruity Pebbles are throwing off my game.

Maternity clothes? Yes, but now that we FINALLY have some spring weather this week, I am back to busting out the flowy dresses and feeling ten times more comfortable!

Stretch marks? Not yet, but I am officially about as big as I was when I delivered Jackson the last time, so from here on out I am entering uncharted territory for size..we shall see.

Belly button in or out: Flat, with a slight edge towards still being in. Pretty sure that thing is going to pop any day here.

Sleep: Still average at best. I did have a pretty great night of sleep this week, only getting up to use the bathroom once, and I was out like a light until 2:30am when Jackson woke us up. Is it sad that that constitutes a good night's sleep?..

Exercise: Still trucking along..runs 2, maybe 3 times a week, but going slower. And finally getting out to enjoy some walks now that the weather is behaving!

Best moment this week: Just simply enjoying a 60 degree day! After a few weeks of constant snow flurries, wet, damp weather, and needing to be back in winter clothes, a little bit of sunshine and warmth on bare skin does the soul SO much good.

Miss Anything? Sleep. Being comfortable. And I am just really in the mood for a cocktail to toast spring finally arriving.

Movement: Yes, still in the upper right side, I can tell it is getting cramped in there because it is less frequent big movements now, the days of the little jabs are long gone.

Food cravings: Give me ALL THE CEREAL. I am still craving Fruity Pebbles, but really any cereal will do. I had a huge bowl of Raisin Brain this week, and that strangely was way more satisfying after dinner than ice cream or a brownie. And, I have been going through apples like it is my job, I cannot get enough.

Symptoms: Insomnia, lower back pain, not sure if it is a symptom but holy BOOBS do they hurt..pretty frequent Braxton hicks in the last few days especially.

Anything making you queasy or sick: For whatever reason when I drank a glass of water one morning this week I got super nauseous, but it passed quickly, and I am back to drinking water by the gallon.

Labor Signs: No, and hoping it stays that way. I have SO many reasons to want this baby to stay in as long as possible, and while I am ready to be more comfortable, I really truly am hoping I can go all the way to our due date!

Wedding rings on or off? On. I definitely notice a difference in how tight it gets depending on what I eat and if I have had enough water, so that is good motivation to lay off the salt!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Pretty happy this week!
Looking Forward To? We close on our construction loan today, and will break ground in the days following! This is truly like the day you hope and plan for forever, and never think will actually arrive (so kind of like having a baby?) Let's build us a house!!! 

Linking up with Annie and Natalie for Thoughts on Thursday today!

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Talk About It Tuesday [Linkup]

Hi ladies, did you all survive Monday okay? Getting going with a new work week is never fun, but for some reason I always love when Tuesday rolls around, because after all, we are the furthest away from Monday we are going to be all week, right? ;-)

Join Jenn and I today for our Talk About It Tuesday linkup! Feel free to share anything under the sun. A fun Pinterest find, a DIY project you tackled, or simply what's going on inside of your head today! Grab the button below, insert it into your post, and link back to Jenn and I so we can see what is up with you. I always love the new people that linkups allow me to find, and hope this will serve that purpose for all of you, too!

Today, I am putting a question out to the mama's out there. So those of you that aren't mamas, don't plan to be mama's, or simply aren't interested, feel free to scroll to the end of this post :-) Wubbanubs and Loveys. Are they worth it? I really, really, cannot decide! With Jackson, while he would occasionally take a pacifier up until around when he was six months old (when he started outright refusing them), he was never good with it. It was constantly falling out, getting lost, requiring cleaning..I will never forget when he was about a month old, we were taking some photos with my family on a bridge, and he managed to pop that baby out right into the creek below. And yes, my husband did jump in, get wet up to his ankles requiring a stop at Target for new shoes before running to our next appointment that evening, and retrieve the thing.

My research has told me these little gadgets help with the weight to keep it in baby's mouth, are a little 'comfort' item for your child, and let's be real, they are also adorable. I have my eye on this one, this one, or this one. What have been the experiences of all of you mamas out there? Did your child have one? Did you notice a difference having one versus not having one? Did it make it harder to take the pacifier away down the line? While I am glad we never had to go through that battle, I have also wished MANY times that Jackson had a comfort item, because he really doesn't! No blanket he is attached to, no stuffed animals, no pacifier..as I have mentioned more than once, his way of soothing himself to sleep is by playing with hair (usually mine, even at 2am he can tell if it's dad's hair, which just isn't good enough), and I have lost one too many strands to go through another child using my head as their cozy item!

I can't wait to hear what you ladies think about these things; the good, the bad, and the interesting!!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Weekending: A Trip To The Farm

Happy Monday everyone! It is once again chilly and winter-like here in Minnesota, but that is okay! After tomorrow, the forecast for the foreseeable weeks is all in the 60's and 70's, and I am doing the biggest happy dance! Which probably looks silly at nearly 35 weeks pregnant, but I just don't care. Spring is finally arriving for good, and I couldn't be more thrilled!

Before diving in, remember to link up with Jenn and I tomorrow for Talk About It Tuesday! Share whatever is on your mind, and talk about it! We can't wait to hear what is going on with you!

This weekend was pretty busy for us, but it was all fun stuff! Friday I did some work from home and ran errands with my mom and the little guy. I haven't shopped with my mom in quite some time, and it was interesting to observe her figuring out that there is a reason I am able to book it in and out of Target in record time, every time. Jackson just isn't the best shopping buddy as of lately, he would much rather run up and down the aisles than be required to ride in the cart! Friday evening was low-key, and we just hung around the house and relaxed.

Saturday, I attended a bridal shower for my soon to be sister in law. Her mom and sisters hosted, and it was a brunch shower, complete with mimosas (which I sadly had to pass on), egg bake, homemade muffins, and lots of fruit. It was all delicious, and I left stuffed. I am so surprised how in less than three years, there are SO many cool things you can buy for the home and kitchen. I definitely have a few things I have added to my shopping list for the new house that she received, some of them are just brilliant!

 My MIL, Sisters in law, and soon to be newest sister in law!

Saturday evening, Mike and I decided to take Jackson to run some errands, and we managed to make it through Target without any major meltdowns. Mike is not a fan of taking Jackson out to eat whatsoever, but I convinced him to head to Old Chicago for our favorite buffalo chicken pizza. And, of course, since it is a 'custom' order that isn't on the menu, the new chef in back screwed up our order and it took forever to get our food. And forever feels more like eternity when even your cell phones are no longer entertaining to your toddler. Our waitress was just the sweetest though, apologized, and without us even saying anything, told us we wouldn't be charged for the pizza. WIN. And, despite his supposed screw up, our pizza came out PERFECT and was one of the best we have gotten there in ages. So, a few minutes of Jackson meltdown waiting for our food ended up being totally worth it!

On Sunday, we headed out to the farm to celebrate Mike's grandma's 80th birthday. Fully equipped with fields, cows, and a Ranger for rides, Jackson was in heaven. He got to pet the cows for the first time, and to my surprise wasn't scared at all.

 He literally 'frolicked' in the fields as long as we would let him, chasing the dog, falling to his knees, just to giggle and get up to do it all over again. That sweet boy is happiest outside, that is no question.

Sunday evening, we ALL took naps, ate leftovers, and watched the season premier of Fear The Walking Dead. I must say, after last week's The Walking Dead finale, this premier just didn't feel all that exciting. It is always nice to end the weekend with a fun show though, and just kick up our feet and relax!

This week for work we have our big event that has been pretty time consuming for the past few months, and I am already counting down to Saturday when it is over. I keep telling myself that after this week, it is smooth sailing until baby comes! :-)

Linking up with Meg and Biana today!

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Bumpdate: 34 Weeks

Happy Friday ladies! Another week down, putting us that much closer to meeting our little guy. I am still hoping he doesn't come any sooner than he needs to, though. While I found myself secretly hoping for a earlier rather than late delivery the first time around, this time I really would be content if this guy stayed in all the way up through his due date! Being uncomfortable a little bit longer will be totally worth it if it means being able to move into our new house while I am still on maternity leave! I am linking up with my favorite ladies today for some Friday fun, check out the links at the bottom of this post for more info!

Kimono (sold out, similar here)// Top // Tank // Leggings

How far along? 34 Weeks

Gender: Baby boy

Total weight gain: 27-28 pounds.

Maternity clothes? Mostly still getting by with these tank tops, these leggings, and these sweaters. These cold and wet past few weeks need to end so I can get comfortable in my dresses and skirts!!

Stretch marks? Not yet.

Belly button in or out: Pretty darn flat. Depending on the day, the top part is just barely starting to stick out..so weird!

Sleep: Still not so great. And still thanks to my first child. Will I ever sleep again!?

Exercise: Yes. Still squeezing in runs or walks about 3 days a week. Definitely have modified my runs though, cutting back from 3 miles to more like 2, and walking as much as I can to substitute. Also, still going strong with my arm workouts, let's see if I can get those babies toned up in time for tank top season!

Best moment this week: Getting our home appraisal back and setting a closing date! We will officially be starting construction SOOO soon!

Miss Anything? Breathing normally. Sleeping comfortably on my back. Just feeling normal, I hate feeling 'limited' and unable to do things physically!

Movement: Lots, as always up under my right ribs. I spend a lot of time pushing little knees and feet back in and away from my ribcage.

Food cravings: This week, I have been all about the Fruity Pebbles! I could literally put down an entire box in one serving, however I have refrained from doing so. As always, nothing beats a cold, fizzy Diet Coke.

Symptoms: Lower back pain and pelvic pressure. New in the last week or so, for the first time in either of my pregnancies, I have been getting very lightheaded when lying flat on my back. Since it has never been an issue I seriously don't even think about it, until all of the sudden I just feel funny and realize I definitely need to reposition to one of my sides.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Labor Signs: No. I was checked at my appointment this week, baby is still high and no dilation happening yet at all, which is good to hear. While I am pretty over being pregnant, with our whole moving situation, I want this little guy to stay put as long as possible!

Wedding rings on or off? On, from what I can tell I don't have too much swelling happening.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Just kind of 'eh' this week. It is April, it has been wet and cold and even a little snowy, and I am just ready for some sunshine and enjoying being outside! 
Looking Forward To: I know it should be all about the baby in this section, but let's be real, we are about to start building our house! I am pretty sure I am going to cry when I first see the hole being dug.

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Confessions

Another week, another round of Confessions with Caitlin at Confessions of a Northern Belle and Jess over at The Newly. Can I just say how much I have come to look forward to this post? What a great way to get everything off your chest. As I have found a great deal of bloggers are busy mamas, I know we all have a lot to say and share, and this is just the perfect place to do it!

I confess..

We have a SUPER long work day next Friday for an event, and I may have asked my doctor yesterday indirectly to write me a note saying I should only be on my feet if necessary. No one is forcing me to do manual labor or anything, but I just feel a bit more justified sitting on my butt and essentially being worthless when the doctor told me to take it easy. 35 weeks pregnant and on my feet for 14 hours? NO THANK YOU!

I try really hard to eat healthy in the days leading up to my doctors appointments (you know, they do make you step on that scale..) because there is nothing worse than getting weighed the morning after a super big meal and dessert to see the scale jump up five pounds.

..I also admit that after yesterday's appointment, I swung through the clinic bistro and grabbed one of these babies. Don't worry, don't worry, there are only 1170 calories in it. I checked. And I ate it anyway.

I order a wubbanub for my little guy on Amazon last week with my Prime, and as of yesterday it still had not even shipped. Even though I don't need it for at least another month, the fact that I have paid for my Prime and that free 2-day shipping and after five days the item still hadn't shipped, ticked me off. So I canceled the order out of spite. I call it the universe telling me I didn't need to buy it.

I am so ridiculously sick of this weather. We have been having snow flurries on and off the past week or two. Nothing that accumulates, in fact the grass is greening up and the trees are starting to bud despite the chilly temps. But I'm just over it. Next week the forecast is finally back up in the 50's and even a few days in the 60's, and that is the only thing keeping me from packing my bags and driving south at this very moment.

I am proud of myself for really watching my spending. I have been working on it for the past few months, but after trying to 'get ahead' by stocking up on things for Jackson and baby, and a few summery items for myself, I really feel like I am at a place where we don't 'need' anything. Also, signing 500 documents for a construction loan will scare you out of spending money real quick.

After my son refusing to say anything besides 'dada' for the past few months, he is finally saying mama again when he looks at me. I never thought having my 20 month old say mama would bring me to tears, but it is seriously one of the sweetest sounds I have ever heard.

I compared pictures of myself at 33 weeks with this baby vs. Jackson wearing the same dress, and have determined I REALLY need some highlights, and I REALLY need a tan. The hair I can fix, but come on summer, where are you!?

What do you ladies have to confess today, I always look forward to getting a few good laughs!

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Talk About It Tuesday [A Linkup!]

The day is here; time to launch our first ever Talk About It Tuesday! Jenn from Crown Me In Glitter and I are so excited to be hosting this for the first time, and do hope that you join us! You can literally share anything that is on your mind, whether it be a new product, something personal that is on your mind, a home project, new recipe, really it can be anything! Try to keep it to one focused topic, and have fun! Simply grab the image below, link back to us from your blog, and linkup at the bottom of this post. 

Today, I want to talk about the most fabulous deal that I snagged on Groupon over the weekend. It is no doubt that there are always awesome deals to be found on Groupon, but for me this one takes the cake. For $5, I was able to get a $10 gift card to Starbucks!  

That is literally free money to one of my favorite places, ever. The only bummer is that they cap it at one for your purchase, meaning you can't go buying $100 worth of gift cards for $50. Which makes sense I suppose, because you know us coffee crazies would be all over that! I purchased mine as soon as I came across the deal. Once you purchase, you receive a confirmation e-mail bringing you to a link for an e-gift certificate. You can then access it through your Groupon account, and if you have the Starbucks app, you can load the card directly onto it. It was super easy, and made my day! Unfortunately it looks like the deal wrapped up yesterday, but if you never use Groupon you need to check it out, they have some AMAZiNG deals going on all of the time!


I can't wait to see what you ladies have to share today, and am excited to see who participates!

An InLinkz Link-up

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