29 Week Update!

Dear Baby Holler,

The last time I blogged, Daddy and I were about to leave for our Baby Moon to Charleston, SC.  It was amazing!  We had the best time!  We spent a lot of the trip talking about you.  You were definitely the main topic of conversation...We're just so excited that you're *almost* here!

I wish I had some nice photos to show you, but the problem is that Daddy has to be the photographer most of the time.  And as smart as he is, he cannot take a decent photo to save his life.  I wanted to have some bump photos in Charleston, but he managed to completely make me look like a huge walrus in every photo, so I don't have any pics of you and I handy.  I think there are some on the camera, but I haven't downloaded them yet.

I do have pictures of the souvenir I got you!  Daddy and I went to this fantastic Farmer's Market and I found so many little interesting booths!  My two favorites were a local candle vendor that uses recycled wine bottles from local restaurants to make candles that are scented with wine.  They're called ReWined candles, and I'll definitely be buying more!  I also found a really cute local baby clothes store that had a booth there, and all of the clothes are made from organic materials and were super cute...I'll show you!  Frankie was really interested in your souvenir, so I put it on him to model it.  I think he liked it!  If it's this cute on him, I can't wait to see it on you!

Dress and bow from Urbane Living in Charleston, SC

In other news, I am pretty positive that you were upside down for a while, with your head in my lungs.  I have had a really hard time breathing when I lay down, and my doctor said it's because you were on my diaphragm.  I felt a lot of movement this past Thursday, and suddenly I don't have the pressure under my sternum I was feeling, and I can breathe at night!  Yesterday morning I woke up and you had hiccups, and I felt them WAY below my belly button, so I know that's where your little head is now!  Thank you for being sweet enough to get off of Mommy's lungs!!!  It was just GLORIOUS getting to sleep these past few nights!

From today, there are just 70 days until you are scheduled to get here.  It's about 10 weeks, but I like 70 days better because it sounds much shorter.  You have grown A LOT.  I don't know where you are going to put the 3 or 4 lbs that you still need to gain before your arrival.  My tummy is already so big!
This is you and me yesterday, on our way to the gym:

29weeks 1day!

We are pretty ready for you!  We just have a few more things to get and prepare, but I feel pretty good about where the nursery is at!  I finally got the baskets and liners for your cubby so we can throw your stuff in there and keep it organized, and I love how it came out!

The Cameron cubby from Pottery Barn Kids and your new baskets and liners!

And finally, we had our maternity shoot on the beach a few weeks ago with Jamie Lauren Studios.  She did an awesome job, and I'm excited to get the prints in to put in your nursery!  Here is a little sample of one of my favorite photos:

So that's it from the outside, Baby Girl!

Daddy and I love you so much and we get more excited about meeting you every single day!!

Love,
Mommy

Dang it, Daddy!

Dear Baby Holler,

You and I have done a pretty good job of keeping active and going to the gym.  It's hard, and every week it gets harder. I am filled with dread, procrastination, and hatred.  The elliptical trainer is a torture device, and I feel pretty sorry for myself because I never see a SINGLE other pregnant person at the gym.  I also feel sorry for myself because I have still managed to gain weight all over, especially in my legs (I HATE THEM!) and I shudder to think of what I would look like if I listened to all of the pregnant advice I've been given that encourages me to "Just enjoy it!  You'll lose it later!"  I would apparently be 5'4 inches tall AND 5'4 inches wide!  My body just wants to be fat so bad - but the gym keeps you and I from being pregnantly obese:)

The other reason we have to stick to our regimen of 4 times a week at the gym is DADDY.  You see, you probably won't ever appreciate this, but Daddy is a pretty hot guy.  And he is very fit, and VERY active at the gym...I really would have appreciated it if he could have let himself go a little since I am pregnant and gaining weight - It really would have taken some of the pressure off me!  But noooooo.  Daddy continues to sweat, lift, and harden his 6-pack:




STOP IT ALREADY, DADDY!  CUT US SOME SLACK!!!

He doesn't even have a TINY bit of fat to pinch when he's sitting!  NOT FAIR!

Some may not care what Daddy does, but it's really hard to watch him walk around with his shirt off, his biceps bulging and his abs chiseled.  I don't want to be his fat wife, even if I am pregnant, so off to the gym you and I have to go.  We have to make sure that the only thing getting a lot bigger is YOU....And you totally are:


So even though we're supposed to be getting bigger, we're not supposed to be getting fat.  And I guess we should be glad that Daddy is so healthy, even if his perfect body puts pressure on us to hold it together as we waddle next to him.

(Sigh).  See you on the elliptical at around 5:30pm today, Harper....Dang it, Daddy!!!!!

Love,

Mommy

26 Weeks!

Dear Baby Holler,

We're officially past the 6.5 month mark!  This is our last week in the second trimester, or "mester" as Daddy calls it.  Next Friday, we'll be in the third tri- woohoo!

This morning we had our maternity shoot on the beach, and I'm pretty excited about seeing the proofs in a couple of weeks.  Daddy was not super thrilled about the early schedule, as the hair and makeup artist was at our house this morning at 5am...But I promised him we would go to The Pelican Grand for breakfast right after, which is the resort that we got married at.  Everything is always phenomenal there, and so that bribery worked and he was very cooperative this morning.  We took lots of photos, and then relaxed on the veranda at the Pelican and had the best breakfast that I can remember.  Good times!

A fed and content Daddy hanging out at The Pelican Grand...

We leave this Wednesday night for our Baby Moon in Charleston, SC.  That will be our last vacation without you!  We are spending the rest of the week there, and on top of relaxing and just enjoying the beauty of Charleston, we're also scouting out neighborhoods to see where we want to live...You have no idea, but Daddy and I are planning on moving there in the next year or so.  Many, many things have to happen before we leave Fort Lauderdale, but it's a definite that we'll be a family there by next Christmas.  On one of the first dates that Daddy and I ever had, he told me that after being stationed in Charleston with the Coast Guard for a few years, he felt like that was his home, and that he would raise his family there.  At the time, I had no idea that I would be that person he made a family with.  I was just the person he brought out on the town and drank top shelf margaritas with at Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar in New Orleans (where we met!).  So here we go...We're building our family, and about to set up our life in the place that Daddy's heart has always been:)

Speaking of Daddy, you should know that he passed his Chief Mate/Master's License test.  He now has the highest level of license that anyone in charge of a sea vessel can have.  As of Friday, he is officially a Chief Mate (second in command to the Captain), and after just another year of sea time, he'll be Captain and in charge of the entire oil rig.  That test was a gigantic accomplishment.  We are SO proud of him.  SO proud! 

And one other bit of important info to share...I had a doctor's appointment on Friday, and we actually were able to schedule your induction date, which is very exciting!  I will be induced on the evening of Sunday, December 2nd, due to Daddy's crazy work schedule.  So hopefully you'll make your appearance on December 3rd, and then you can spend some time with Daddy before he has to ship out:)  And of course, if you want to come a week or two before that, then that's FINE with us too!  We're ready for you!!!

So finally, here's our latest bump update!  26w2d...Our last one in the second trimester....Peace out, second tri!

Yeah, I know I'm wearing the same outfit as last week...But I had to wear something tight to show off the belly for the maternity shoot, and I was too lazy to change when we got home:)

That's it from the outside, Harper doodle!  We love you!!!!

Mommy