cutting back

there are many things i could write to talk about my spending habits, about what they should and shouldn't be.  what i want to talk about in this post is small sacrifices that add up.  we live a pretty modest lifestyle.  we dont have a lot of debt, we dont make a lot of big purchases, we havent had cable for almost 6 years, etc. in fact most of money goes to general monthly expenses, giving, experiences (day at the pool, date night, museum, pedicure) and food purchases.  

that being said, we are about to have two children which is going to make a difference in the way we spend money.  for a while we will have two kids in diapers which can cost a lot but our biggest expense will be childcare. although i feel like we have found a great solution/bang for our buck, it will still be our largest monthly cost, period.  

below are some changes i have made this month that i think really add up.  there might be a few i cant pull off or choose not to follow through with permanently but i think its a good start (note: i am well aware that i should have started this months ago so cut me some slack).  

1. starbucks - or as dave ramsey likes to call it "five bucks."  in may and june, our account reflects 12 starbucks visits, each of them being $2 to $8.  what i cannot track is the 9 times we might have stopped at the gas station to purchase one of those $3 starbucks frappuccino drinks. also, i think that the starbucks in target show up on your account as a target purchase so its hard to track those as well.  so far, july shows one starbucks purchase which was a meeting with a possible nanny.  i feel like i may have saved well over $50 this month on coffee purchases. 
2. target - lets just keep it real here.  i can spend at least $75 every time i walk into target.  and of course i "need" it all.  one of the places i hate most in this world is walmart.  the main difference here is that i will do anything to get out of walmart as quickly as possible ... that includes sticking to my list.  on the other hand, target is this wonderful place that i just love to be.  i used to take henry there on the way home just because i "needed" milk or whatever.  of course, i would stop by the starbucks and get me an iced coffee to enjoy while leisurely pushing an entertained henry down every isle.  the conclusion of this story is $80 to $120, every time.  so far i have only been to target once this month.  the total was less than $50 and we purchased mostly target brand diapers (which are kind of awesome).  i do not plan on needing to return before the month is out.  i may have saved us up to one million dollars this month by staying as far away from target as possible.
3. groceries - this is by far the saddest cutback i have made.  ever since i
   
   made the switch over to healthier foods with cleaner ingredients we spend quite a bit more on groceries.  i strongly believe that this is an investment in our health and overall well being.  i also believe that it is possible to purchase healthier, cleaner foods without spending an arm and a leg but it will require planning and effort that i am lacking right now.  this month, i have been getting our groceries from walmart which ends up with much more processed foods and junk food than i would like.  also, i have to say their produce has been disappointing.  it either lacks flavor or doesnt seem to last quite as long as it should.  the good thing is that i know i can fix this by finding other places to get better quality food without having to go to whole foods (aka one of my favorite places ever besides target). but right now, i am lacking the energy to make several stops a week with a toddler, 8.5 months pregnant so walmart it is.  
4. beauty products/services - im thinking about growing my hair out.  its well past the time for a trim so i think ill save my money and wait out the ugly stage while on maternity leave.  i mean, if im going to grow it out, it may as well be while im taking prenatal vitamins, right.  this will not only save money on the cut every 6 weeks but i will also save money on products.  since getting my hair cut short, i have been using good shampoo, root lifter, and hairspray everyday.  this stuff adds up.  i am sure i could find cheaper versions of these products but to be honest i havent found that they give me the same results.  so, i have decided to go back to the no poo method.  i tried this in february of 2013 and i didnt hate it so im giving it another go.  mainly, i ran out of shampoo this past weekend and i didnt feel like forking over $8 for another bottle.  as my
   
   hair gets longer, i wont need to use other products either.  when its long, my hair looks the same with or without root lifter and hairspray.  its basically flat and boring but maybe i will be inspired and find some great ways to wear it.  if not, i know a great hairstyle so i will just chop it off again, no harm done.  something else i ran out of a couple of weeks ago was my face lotion.  its not super nice or anything but i didnt feel like spending $7 for a new bottle at target (see above) when i have a perfectly good jar of coconut oil.  that stuff is awesome and it is a great moistener for your face and neck ... well basically your whole body.  i have oily skin and yet it rubs in well and doesnt leave me too oily.  coconut oil has replaced a lot of my everyday beauty products.  at one point i started a post about it but then i realized every blogger in the world has done a post about coconut oil so i thought i would spare you.  the last thing that falls under this category is the fact that i have not gotten a pedicure in a while and i plan on doing my own as soon as i can reach my own feet easily.  pedicures are a luxury that i am willing to forgo for now.
5. general awareness - aka, common freaking sense.  our office complex has amazing food trucks that come to a parking lot nearby.  i used to watch the schedule like a hawk and plan my whole week around these $8 to $12 meals.  the worst part is that those meals are worth every penny and mamma loves to eat :)  for july, i have sworn off these purchases.  besides a milkshake or two (paid for with leftover birthday cash) i have not purchased anything to eat for lunch and actually ate what i packed.  i know peanut butter sandwiches and cheese nips are not the most delicious and nutritious lunches but i have easily saved $50.  another thing that seems like common sense but i dont always follow is to stay off sites like pinterest and etsy.  these sites tend to make me want stuff.  even DIY projects can add up.  basically, the goal is to be content in what i have for now and concentrate on things we really need to prepare for sister.  
6. communication - husband and i have always been pretty good at this.  i guess we tell each other about most purchases over $50 that isnt groceries or gas or surprises.  we communicate a lot about money but mostly i just let him pay all the bills and then he will let me know if i need to stop spending.  for the past couple of weeks we have been communicating a lot about spending and how to save and i check the account before my wonderful trips to walmart.  this helps with the "general awareness."
7. budgeting - we have kept track of our spending over the past few months and husband always tracks our main monthly expenses.  i guess our next big step is to create a good budget and stick with it.  i think it will help out a lot with planning and saving and just keeping things as stress free as possible. 

.... and we made it.  i was able to get through the month without a weekly starbucks purchase.  who would have known, right!  i think we might celebrate tonight with some chinese takeout :)

how do you cut back when you need to?  any small changes that make a big difference in your monthly budget?  

pregnancy update: 37 weeks

pregnancy update: 

• currently 37 weeks pregnant = 9.25 months
• sister should be about the size of a winter watermelon, right around 6 1/3 lbs and 19 inches long.   
• weight gained so far: about 35 lbs
• movement:  lots of hiccups lately
• food cravings:  maybe more sweet stuff.  almost every night this week i have had a swiss cake roll and a glass of milk.
• sleep:  not too bad.  if i get too uncomfortable i can take a tylenol pm.  however, i found out yesterday that i have been snoring like crazy so poor husband hasnt been getting as much sleep.  
• comfort:  this has been a big change in the last week.  i cant seem to get comfortable.  i am about ready to burn my bras and i cannot get up or down without letting out a grunt.  
• heartburn:  it got bad once this week but other then that, its fine.
• mood/emotions:  im feeling pretty good although those around me might say ive been a little dramatic than usual.  
• energy level:  lower than usual 
• belly button:  none.  ok, so something is there but its flattened out to almost nothing. 
• stretch marks:  no
• swelling:  some
• wedding rings:  i took off my rings this week finally.  i could have lasted a bit longer but there was no point in pushing it.  the last thing i want to do is have to get them cut off.  
• work days left: 8
• best news ever:  we found childcare!!!!!  this has been my biggest stress over the past 2 months and now i just get to be excited for the arrival of our sweet baby girl.  *whew*

high five for insta-friday

linking up with lauren and jeanett today for high five for insta-friday.  

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ONE:  some good friends of ours threw a big 30th birthday bash last saturday night ... with a photo booth :)  husband and i had a great night out catching up with friends and enjoying feeling like grownups for a while.  

35 weeks 

TWO:  henry climbs on (and sometimes jumps off of) everything these days.  i love how much he likes to explore even though i feel the grey hairs sprouting. 

THREE:  i have been doing another yoga challenge on instagram this month.  its been nice to have some form of exercise to partake in each day and gently push myself.  there are quite a few pregnant women joining in on the challenge so the sense of community and encouragement is fun.  

35 week baby bump

FOUR:  henry is crazy about his daddy.  he waits for him at the storm door and squeals with delight when he gets home from work.  he loves to climb on his back and sit in his lap whenever possible.  i heart them both!  

FIVE:  i guess a meltdown isnt one of my top favorite moments from the week.  its more about my growth as a mom and the patience im finding.  henry had an off night where he was just pitifully tired.  i put him in his highchair and he just cried because he was sad i wouldnt let him buckle himself in.  i knew better than to offer food in this condition because it would only end up on the floor.  so we sat there.  he, sobbing and me patiently waiting for him to notice me and let me distract him enough to transition into dinnertime.  

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

"sister"

this journey has been very similar and yet very different than it was with henry.  i expected we were having a boy because, like with henry, i didnt have any morning sickness.  i just assumed since my pregnancy was moving along in a similar way that i would be having another boy.  so we were pleasantly surprised to find out that we are having a girl.  then i braced myself for her "sucking the beauty" out of me.  but for the most part, i havent felt particularly unattractive (and if you think otherwise, keep that to yourself, please and thank you).  in fact, i feel very confident in my current condition.  when i was pregnant with henry i had no idea what to expect.  i did a lot of reading and research about what is/was going to happen and i ended up working up myself or anticipating things that never happened.  chasing around a 1 year old has kept me distracted but mostly i have been trying to take of myself and be confident that my body will do the rest.  we eat much healthier and cleaner than we did before henry was born and i have been doing some prenatal yoga this time around to keep myself a little more fit.  

30 weeks pregnant 
left: with henry in september 2012
right: with sister in june 2014

pregnancy update: 

• currently at 34 weeks = 8.5 months
• sister should be about the size of a cantaloupe, right around 4 3/4 points and 18 inches long.   
• movement:  she has been moving around a little less this week but i think she might be running out of room 
• food cravings:  nothing too bad.  i eat a lot of breakfast foods and i lean towards sweet.  we keep ice cream in the fridge and i eat a blueberry bagel (from the bakery at target) with loads of cream cheese every morning.  
• sleep:  i have been sleeping pretty good.  i wake up a few times a night to switch sides but i usually can make it through the night without a bathroom break.
• comfort:  i can tell my rib cage is expanding.  is it weird that i can feel the pressure? in the past week or two, i have just started needing to more assistance getting up and down.  playing with henry on the floor requires me to roll over and get on all fours before being able to stand up.  
• heartburn:  its there but nothing i cant handle
• mood/emotions:  i have been more stressed this week about figuring out childcare and a few other things but im pretty sure i would be the same amount of stressed even if i wasnt pregnant ... maybe a little more moody and dramatic.  
• energy level:  trying to keep this up.  i did an instagram yoga challenge in march and i started another one for july.  i hope this helps with my energy level.  i want to be walking but its too hot out to be doing that right now.  
• belly button:  in
• stretch marks:  no
• swelling:  just a bit starting this past week
• wedding rings:  still on for now.  (i had to take them off at 24 weeks with henry)

frequently asked questions/comments: 

1. was sister planned?  yes and no.  i mean, we did not sit down and decide to start trying and plan out how we could make it happen but i am very aware of how the birds and the bees work.  husband and i were feeling very nostalgic when henry turned a year old and we felt ready to have another baby in the house.  i am excited about them being so close in age.
2. 2 under 2 ... scary?  yes and no.  i expect the first six months to be a rather exhausting time of adjustment.  henry still needs a lot of direction and supervision but he is learning to be more helpful.  as scary as it can be, i am blessed with a very attentive, patient and awesome partner is this life.  i thank God every day for my husband!  
3. do we have a name picked out?  we have a first name but still deciding on a middle name.  i dont think we will share with anyone outside of our immediate family until she arrives. 
4. do we have the nursery ready?  we are preparing a shared nursery for the time being.  sister will sleep in the yellow crib that henry, myself and my brother slept in (see photo below).  for now henry is sleeping in another crib that was handed down from some friends.  i hope he continues to sleep in a crib for another 6 months or so.  the only things left to do in the nursery is find some coordinating sheets for them to tie the two spaces together and put up the collage wall.  
5. what does henry think of all this?  well, honestly, our little guy doesnt have a clue.  i try to tell him there is a baby inside my tummy.  sometimes he will even say "baby" and then he sees something shiny and couldnt care less.  i think he is going to be rather shocked when we bring sister home.  when we brought klaus (our new kitten) home a few weeks ago, henry was completely indifferent.  now, he cannot get enough of the cat.  although this usually involved him poking at his eye or pulling his tail.  needless to say, we will be watching him closely with his sister around :)

things you should know

1. henry is 1 and a half years old!  can you even believe it?  it felt like just yesterday that i was posting pregnancy photos.  life with a toddler is the most awesome and exhausting thing ever.  our little guy is developing such a huge, amazing personality.  
   
2. speaking of pregnancy photos ... we are having another baby!!!  "sister" is due August 7th and we are super stoked.  
   
3. we have a cat now.  his name is klaus.  he is pretty much henry's favorite toy at the moment ... poor kitty!!! 
4. if you are wondering where i went, this post explains exactly why i havent been around these parts in a while.  

and that about sums up whats been going on these past 6 months.  i hope to post a bit more but im not making any promises :)  

happy july! 

oh, if you dont follow me on instagram, here is a photo dump of a few of my favorite moments you might have missed.

motherhood and body image

i wrote this post on march 20, 2012 but never clicked on the "publish" button.  i have several posts like this sitting in my blogger account.  there are many reasons why i have slacked off this whole blogging thing and many reasons why i want to pick it back up again.  so this is a start ... some thoughts and feelings that have been sitting here in virtual limbo for some time.  

________________________________________________________

like a lot of women, i have lived in a constant state of diet and fitness routine followed by "not caring" or "letting myself go" and then back to dieting.  round and round i went.  looking back, i cant really tell a huge difference physically, it was mostly a mental thing.  its crazy to look back at a photo and remember feeling "fat" that day.  i remember being self conscious and making the decisions to not care in order to move forward with my day or activity.  im glad that i was able to change my mindset into not caring what others thought and make the best of it ... but the point is, how did i let myself get to that mindset in the first place?  why did i feel the need to overcome the fact that my size 4, 6 or 8 self needed a pep talk to go the beach.  i cant count how many times i have said something like "ill just sit my fat ass right here and wait."  what the devil!  yeah, and the sad part is that i hear that same mentality all around me.  i have friends and family that refer to themselves the same way.  im not saying i learned it from them, its my own words.  i am sad that this type of conversation was my norm.  i put myself and my body down constantly.  i am surprised my body didnt just shut down from all the negativity.   

i am sure you have all read posts about the media's part in things like this.  i could talk about it all day long but i wanted to make this post a little more personal than that.  i want to talk to you about my journey and how motherhood changed my body image.  

today is the day i reached my pre-pregnancy weight.  awesome, right?!?!   i was so excited that i shared with a couple of people and it felt really weird to compliment myself ... talking good about my body feels foreign to me.  then i starting thinking about how much my body has done over the past year.  last year this time, i was about 7 weeks pregnant.  i was already at a size/weight that i wasnt ecstatic about but i could live with for the time being.  i had been through a miscarriage, the holidays and a juice cleanse (only to continue to not take care of myself).  during my pregnancy, i did not get sick once and everything tasted amazing.  i ended up gaining 55 lbs which as of today, i have lost.  after growing a person (still mind blowing to me), i then recovered from a major surgery while my body started to make milk that will nurture and feed my son long after he was born.  then after fully recovering from my c-section, this body of mine started strengthening one sit up, one jumping jack and one mile at a time.  now, i have completed a 60 fitness challenge and i signed up for my first 4 mile race and im feeling great.  my legs and heart feel strong and my mind feels clear.  

i cannot share this without giving credit to the way we have been eating.  at the beginning of january, i decided i wanted to eat bread with less ingredients.  while searching for information, i came across the 100 days of real food blog.  i read this post about really easy changes that make a big difference.  for the first time, it didnt seem overwhelming to make a lifestyle change.  this has had a HUGE impact on my body image.  i really feel great and when it comes time to run or take care of henry, i have the energy i need.  not because im counting calories or fat grams or anything just because i am making really healthy meals.  

i want to remember this feeling.  i know i wont always be this pumped, this size, this weight, but i want to remember feeling great about my body and being thankful of the life it provided for my son and myself.  i have heard women say they prefer not to have children because of what it does to your body.  let me tell you that it does more to your mind and how you view yourself.  i am happy to be a mother for too many reasons to count but i never thought about the positive effect it could have on my body image.  

growing baby bump 21 - 38 weeks

my bad! 

i just realized i never posted a recap of the baby bump weeks 21 thru 38.

(see 13 thru 20 HERE)

pregnancy weight

what do you get when you have a growing pregnant woman, with no exercise routine, no morning sickness and zero food aversions?

this lady right here

total weight gain: 55 lbs

yup, i have decided that i am officially not embarrassed about the amount of weight i gained during pregnancy. it took me a while to be ok with it.  i finally realized that i did not throw up once when pregnancy and EVERYTHING tasted yummy.  in fact, the only thing i couldnt really enjoy was spaghetti because it gave me bad heartburn, and even that only lasted about 2 weeks.  that alone would allow me to gain a few more lbs than your average woman with child.  

i know that a 55 lb weight gain during pregnancy is not unheard of.  my doctor told me several times that it was fine.  i guess i started feeling a little self conscious because of some of the blogs i read and just general comparison to other women i know that were recently pregnant.  some of these women gain only 20 lbs or so (which is also a healthy weight gain).  it wasnt until after i had henry that different parts of these stories stuck out.  they often spent the first trimester queasy and turned off by a lot of different foods.  some of them had an awesome exercise routine and was able to stick with it through most of their pregnancy.  so, while i might wish i had been working out before we found out we were pregnant, i sure am thankful that i didnt spend the first 3 months hugging a toilet.  

the best thing i did to loose weight was breast feeding.  i lost 30 lbs those first 6 weeks.  these past 15 lbs have been a bit more stubborn (5 weeks) but i really didnt start doing anything special until about 3 weeks ago.  since january 1st, husband and i have been doing this workout routine.  i love how it slowly introduces exercises, increases the intensity and the time it takes, at a steady pace.  i have done it before and was able to make it almost all the way through (i even stuck it out during vacation).  when we moved into our new place, i was so tired and overwhelmed and very slack when it came to keeping up with my workouts.  i just started level two and im looking forward to getting my run on (for those of you that know me well, yes, i just said that).

in addition to breast feeding and the new workout plan, i also signed up for the fresh 20.  i mentioned it in my high five for friday post i couple of weeks ago.  they offer meal plans for the week, with 20 ingredients for 5 healthy meals.  each meal is without preservatives, processed foods or frozen ingredients.  i have only been doing this for 2 and a half weeks and i am loving it.  i have never really spent a lot of time in the kitchen, so i am getting used to the time it takes to cook 5 meals a week from scratch.  the plans include a shopping list and prep guide.  on sundays, i cook most of the meat and cut the veggies for the week so dinner only takes about 30 to 45 min to prepare.  i love how these recipes get me out of my comfort zone without being too intimidating.  the best part is that i have only eaten fast food once this year because we always have left overs to eat at lunch.  

i have also been keeping track of my calorie intake using myfitnesspal app.  the daily calories are set at 1800 and i try to have no less than 1500.  the great thing is that my fresh 20 meals are perfect for this plan.  i eat real food that fills me up and offers plenty of nutrients for nursing without going over my calorie intake.  also, its amazing how much less i graze during the day or go back for 2nds since i hold myself accountable.  i usually eat a snack of almonds or greek yogurt and drink a lot of water. 

in conclusion  i have lost a total of 43 lbs in 11 weeks and 4 days.  i am tracking what i eat but i am way more concerned with what type of food i am eating.  i havent bought one item that is "low fat" or "diet."  instead, i am concentrating on eating meals made of real food that comes from a farm instead of a lab.  i feel great and im excited to be serving meals that will improve/maintain the health of my family.  i have started exercise routine that fits my goals and lifestyle.  although i only have about 10 more lbs to loose, i still carry around a belly bump.  i hear this is harder to get rid of after a c-section but im up for a challenge.  

one last thing ... i am setting a goal to run a 5k this year.  my sister is a runner now and i think it would be fun to do one together.  :)

do you have any post baby weight loss secrets? 

one month ago

on the morning of november 4th, i woke up having what i thought were contractions.  i quietly and quickly downloaded an app that would help me time them and track their consistency.  after an hour of 1 minute contractions about 8 minutes apart, i woke husband up and we decided to call the doctor.  if henry had not been breech, i would have labored at home for a while, but seeing how i could see the top of his head sticking out from under my ribs and i had not eaten or drank anything yet we went in around 8 am to prepare for a c-section.  

we were absolutely giddy with excitement.

in only a few short hours we were in the operating room and they brought in husband to sit with me.  i remember it all happening very fast but not in a frighting way at all.  

before we knew it, henry allen was here.  

i cannot believe that a month has already gone by.  

2 weeks old

3 weeks old

happy one month henry!

coming soon:

• one month stats (after our dr. appointment on friday)
• thoughts on my c-section
• how breast feeding is going for henry and i
• nursery reveal
• my favorite and most used things from the first few weeks

week one photo bomb

sorry for the week long silence. mister decided to come a few days early so we have been a bit busy the past few days.  i will have more to share this week.  but until then, here he is, in all his glory ...

henry allen

born november 4th

6 lbs 14 oz

20 inches long

38 week pregnancy update

happy november!!!!!

husband and i spent last saturday night at home giggling and being silly. 
i thought it was only appropriate that mister join in on the giggles.

update:

• 38 weeks = 9.5 months
• expected birthday: november 7, 2012 ... aka 6 more days :)
• movement:  i still feel his head under my left ribs.  we go for our doctors appointment this afternoon, so they will be able to confirm his position.  
• my movement/comfort:  my stomach is really hard these days.  it doesnt really give which makes getting up and down rather difficult.  for the most part im sleeping well thanks to my tylenol pm.  i still wake up at least once, maybe twice, a night to use the bathroom and flip over.  
• energy level:  about the same as it was last week.  im tired a lot so i rest a lot but i also have short burst of energy that helps me to get things done.  
• belly button:  in but completely flattened out (see above picture)
• stretch marks:  none
• nursery:  i refuse to buy anything else for the walls.  this weekend i will get the changing table pad and baby tub.  these are the last two items on my list before mister gets here.  
• other:  tomorrow i reach the 39 weeks mark.  it is very likely that i will not post a 39 week update, seeing how next thursday i will be a mom.  i plan on taking my laptop to the hospital in case i have time to kill but of course, i make no guarantees.  i will make sure to post a photo or ten to instagram (@mebenfield) and twitter (follow me here).

wanna see something funny?

here is a reminder of how the outfit above fit about 20 weeks ago.

37 week pregnancy update

update:  

• 37 weeks = 9.25 months 
• only 15 days away from our due date now.
• full term:  mister is fully cooked!  its officially ok for him to make his grand entrance into our lives.  im getting more and more anxious to meet him!
• his movement:  about the same as last week.  although, we are hoping for a big move soon.  we found out last week that mister is currently in the breech position.  our doctor advised us to go ahead and schedule a c-section and between now and then hope he flips over.  i have been doing all sorts of things to coax him into the proper position and im hoping it works.  {note - adjusting my mindset into being ok with a possible scheduled c-section was not something i took lightly.  husband and i thought, discussed and prayed and we are making the decision to trust my doctor and pray that mister turns or doesnt turn ... whatever God has planned.  so please, if you have something negative to say about this choice, keep it to yourself.  i choose to share this on my blog as a way to update our family and friends and to be open and honest as to what this pregnancy has been like for us.  please be respectful of this. thank you in advance for your kindness and support!}
• my movement:  even though im moving slow and steady, i have been doing a lot of stretches, yoga poses and positioning myself in different ways to get this boy to flip.  as far as i can tell, his head is still right under my left rib (which might have something to do with the discomfort i was having).  
• energy level:  not much change here.  still having a lot of days that i would love to nap and then short burst of motivation to mark something off the to do list. 
• belly button:  in
• stretch marks:  none
• birthing class:  ... was pretty awesome.  i feel more prepared for delivery no matter what it looks like.  husband and i learned a lot of different ways to help get through contractions.  i also feel a lot more knowledgeable  about my options and how to talk to the staff.  all in all, the videos and the class were very informative and helpful.  i am glad we signed up for it. 
• nursery:  im not longer stuck :)  cynthia came over last week and helped me decide on the final layout.  i was able to get the collage wall started this past weekend so all the prints and what not are up off the floor and on the wall!  the only thing im waiting for is my re-covered rocking  chair cushions ... and mister of course :) 
• other:  this weekend i will start packing our hospital bag.  feel free to share some bag packing advice if you have any ... maybe you forgot something really important or packed an item that you were REALLY glad you thought of.  

36 weeks pregnancy update

update:

• 36 weeks = 9 months (22 more days until my due date)
• mister should be about 6 lbs and more than 18.5 inches
• his movement:  crazy.  i have really started to notice a shift in my stomach if he stretches out or leans a certain way.  
• my movement:  i feel like i am officially starting to waddle.  its cool though ... its part of the process i guess :)
• sleep:  better!  my doctor told me a couple of weeks ago that i can take tylenol pm or benadryl if i want to.  i havent been taking it every night but i have used it and i think its making a big difference.  i tend not to wake up just because im a little uncomfortable and it also helps with my racing mind. 
• comfort:  i have been having a lot of discomfort around my ribs.  i know its pretty normal but it was really really hurting on sunday and monday morning.  the actual ribs being pushed out causes this numbing sensation that is just kind of annoying but i started getting these sharp stabbing pains under my left breast.  i called the doctor and they said it sounds like it has to do with my ribs and that i can take extra strength tylenol and use a heating pad on low and let them know if that doesnt help.  luckily, since i called, i havent had to take the medication because the stabbing pain stopped for now.  i plan on bringing it up at my next appointment. 
• energy level:  highs and lows.  we had a pretty busy weekend that included walking all around the state fair.  i was able to get thru the day without slowing down the non-pregger peeps.  but i kinda paid for it because sunday i was wiped out and got nothing accomplished i wanted to. 
• belly button:  in
• stretch marks:  none
• birthing class:  we attend the actual class this saturday afternoon.  we have been watching the videos that lead up to the class and have really learned a lot.  i will say that a little of me thinks my ignorance was bliss.  not that i dont like to be prepared ... but i have gone through this entire pregnancy without thinking or focusing on the end result ... as in a human is coming out of my body one way or another.  there is no getting around it so just have thought about having a baby instead of HAVING a baby.  im not getting scared but the videos are forcing me to think about the how and what which allows for a little anxiety to surface.
• nursery:  im stuck!  in order to move forward, i have to commit to a furniture layout/placement.  after opening up our video monitor, i realize i need to take that into consideration and my brain refuses to put together a new placement for things.  luckily i have some friends that are willing to help me out with my silliness.   tonight, cynthia is coming over to get a new set of eyes on the room.  hopefully, by the end of the night, i will have committed to a plan.  
• other:  i am looking for a good app that i can track contractions.  any suggestions?  

35 week pregnancy update

update:

• 35 weeks = 8.75 months
• 29 days until my due date ... as of tomorrow, i only have 4 weeks left.  what the what!  
• mister should be about the size of a honeydew melon, measuring up to 18 inches long and weighing in over 5 lbs.  however, i look like i have something much larger then a honeydew in my belly. 
• mister movement: things are getting a little crowded in the ole' uterus so the movements havent been as large as they were, but just as often. 
• my movement: in a word "elegant" or maybe even "graceful" LOL!  ok, i just pulling your leg that feel asleep.  whats that?  your legs arent falling asleep every 30 minutes ... maybe its just me.  HA!  lets just say that i have felt quite large and awkward these past few days.  and yes, i know, its only going to get worse. 
• sleep:  waking a few more times during the night this week and finding it a little harder to get back to sleep.
• comfort: well, i finally went bra shopping.  i was able to find a nursing bra that seems to fit pretty well.  if anyone else is having a hard time, i decided to go with the brovado brand (thanks for the suggestion kristi).  
• energy level:  about the same as last week. 
• belly button:  in
• stretch marks:  none
• birthing class:  i signed up last friday and went by to pay and pick up any materials needed for the class.  since we will be doing the 1 day class, we have several videos to watch before we go.  i have only gotten through the first two and have learned a lot and i think husband is getting a lot out of them as well.  so, the videos alone have been worth the effort and cost of the birthing class.  im not sure i would have put this much effort into it if i had not heard such great things from my readers.  thanks ladies!  
• nursery:  i finally have my area rug and i started putting together the collage wall.  i plan on organizing a lot this weekend and find a proper place for things instead of shoving it up on the closet shelves.  i think i will wait to do a nursery reveal post instead of showing any more random pictures ... so stay tuned!
• other: i had a doctor's appointment this morning and everything seems to be right on track.  from here on out, i will see them once a week. 
• also:  we had our final baby shower last saturday afternoon.  my aunts hosted it at my mom's house.  it was really great to have a bunch of family friends i havent seen in a while.  i know i have mentioned it on here before, but we have just been overwhelmed with generosity, love and support from everyone.  

here are a few photos from the shower on saturday.