32 weeks

I had a very uneventful 32 week appointment and everything is moving along just as it should. It's hard to believe we are in the homestretch! There are still days that I don't feel pregnant and I can't believe we only have about 8 weeks to go.

I am not even sure that having Nathan here will make it any more of a reality. We got to visit with the Bridges and their new little one last night and it still blows my mind that two weeks ago that baby was inside his mama, still baking. Pregnancy is such an awesome, amazing, mindblowing thing!How far along: 32 weeks

Size of baby: a large jicama (whatever that looks like), 16.7 in. and about 3.75 lb. Nathan is starting to gain about a half pound each week, so he's really bulking up!

Total weight gain/loss: +22 lbs on my scale, +25 lbs at the doctor. Boo! For the first time this whole pregnancy, I actually got "the talk" and was just told to be cautious. Not to change anything or freak out, but just know that I am the one that has to lose the weight after baby comes. I know, I know! Hopefully my pace slows down a bit in the next few weeks (but that would mean my sweet cravings would also need to stop!).

Maternity clothes: same - mix of maternity bottoms and dresses and regular tops. I broke down this weekend and bought the shorts. It's just getting too stinking hot down here already not to have something cooler than jeans to wear on weekends! I also desperately need to go bra shopping. I've held out as long as I could (even borrowing from a sister) but I am at the point where everything I have is too tight and it's so uncomfortable by the end of the day. Another shopping trip coming up!

Gender: a boy!

Movement: he has been really active this week! I am feeling Nathan more and more, and not just little flutters. Oh, no - those have long passed and now I'm getting full on jabs. The doctor thought he had flipped (thank goodness!) and that nice hard lump I'm feeling up in my ribs is his little bum. Some days he gets so far up in there that it hurts, but at least it's comforting to know he's moving around.

Sleep: Some nights are better than others. For the most part, I am so thankful I can still sleep a full night without too much discomfort. I just toss and turn a lot but still feel pretty good each morning!

What I miss: my more expansive wardrobe, including shoes. I feel like I rotate the same 5 things every week at work and it's getting pretty boring. I also miss mobility and not feeling like an 80 year old when I get up from sitting. I'm pretty sure I make a lot of noise (grunts and huffing/puffing) when I'm at home, moving about.

Cravings: sweets

Symptoms: nothing new

Best moment this week: my colleagues threw a shower for me at work and it was so sweet! They really did it up with all the food (and cake balls!) and gave such generous gifts. Ryan got to come for a bit and it was nice to celebrate Nathan again. We have been so, so blessed by the thoughtfulness and generosity of our friends and family throughout this process and I feel so lucky that Nathan will have such a great "village" to be raised in.

We also had a very pleasant weekend, running errands all day Saturday together and spending the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill on Sunday. At first I didn't think I could truck it around a golf course for 6+ hours in the 90-degree heat but I did and I am so happy I went! It was nice to be able to get some sun (although it did require SPF 70 because my skin is so much more sensitive now!) and be outside, walking around. It was probably good for my legs (which are still red), too, and we had fun with friends so it was a win-win all around!

31 weeks

We're one step closer to being ready for Baby M now that the nursery is done! It was such a treat to have my parents in town for a long weekend and I'm glad they could come down to experience a bit of this pregnancy with me since we don't get to see each other near enough.
Some days it still feels so foreign that I am having a baby. Ryan remarked tonight that it's crazy to think we're married, we have good jobs, we own a house, we're 30 (well, he is) and we're about to start a family. That sounds so grown up! I am so excited to be on this journey with such a wonderful man and I am so curious to see how we evolve as parents.

How far along: 31 weeks

Size of baby: a squash or four navel oranges, 16+ in. and about 3.3 lb.

Total weight gain/loss: +20 lbs (no change from last week). Oh, and while I'm thinking about it - I still have an innie belly button. It's much more shallow, but still has some room to go. Hopefully it won't get to the point where it sticks out!

Maternity clothes: same - mostly maternity, although I still sprinkle a few "regular" tops in here and there. As it gets warmer, I am wondering what I am going to do for casual wear because jeans are pretty toasty but I really don't want to buy maternity shorts.

Gender: a boy!

Movement: some days are more active than others but I am definitely feeling waves of movement and jabs here and there.

Sleep: I'm back to getting up at least once a night, sometimes twice. I also wake up on my back pretty often and have to houff myself over to one side, which takes a lot of effort. Overall, though, I am still able to sleep a full night and am so thankful!

What I miss: same as last week - mobility and greater lung capacity. I even get winded after talking for long stretches at work! It's ridiculous.

Cravings: definitely sweets! I also had a hankering for Tijuana Flats tonight so Ryan indulged me and we went out to eat for some Mexican. Yum!

Symptoms: nothing new.

Best moment this week: did I mention we finished the nursery?! By far the best moment was taking a step back and soaking up the gorgeous new room for Nathan, thanks to the hard work of my parents and husband. I might just spend time rocking in the chair and staring at how beautiful it all is. Aside from all the work, it was also great to spend time with my mom and dad walking around Winter Park and grabbing a couple meals outside in the lovely weather.

Project Nursery: Complete!

Well, the hard part is done at least!
My incredibly handy and talented parents came into town for a long weekend to be weekend warriors and help us make my vision for Nathan's nursery a reality. It took some long days and lots of effort between the four of us (mostly my parents) but the room went from being an empty blue office to a gorgeous gray and white nursery with navy and yellow accents!
I started with three different grays on the walls to determine which shade would work best with our lighting.
We painted the top half the middle gray (thanks to the help of my friend, Lauren, who came over to consult before my parents got into town and picked Sabre Gray from Benjamin Moore to try). Then the bottom was painted a semi-gloss white and we installed board and batten. What a project! It took all four of us, but it was so worth it and the look is fantastic!
The old closet doors were only half on the frame, so we replaced those with new ones, painted a fresh coat of white.

And here is the finished result...I. LOVE. IT!!!
We moved the furniture around a bit so when you first walk in, you see my rocker/recliner and the dresser.

Another view, which shows the cornice boards my mom made using an awesome graphic fabric we found.

They go so well with the wall color and I love how sophisticated it looks!

Once you turn into the room and turn left, you see the crib and some storage. I received one of the navy canvas baskets at my shower and found more of them at Target. I love how they look a bit like giraffe print, since we picked a giraffe fabric for the crib bedding.

Back around to the left is a perfectly coordinating yellow bookshelf that my mom's friends got me for my shower. It matches the fabrics exactly and fits just right in its new home! It also holds all the great books that we received at the shower.

Not only is my mom dangerous with a paintbrush and miter saw, she is an amazing seamstress and offered to make all of Nathan's bedding. It's still a work in progress, but she already finished the skirt, one bed sheet and one of the bumpers. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I love how it all goes together and that it's so custom just for us.

It's almost all put together minus some accessorizing I will have to do over the next few weeks. I am so thankful for all the hard work Ryan and my parents put into to making this space such a beautiful room! What an incredible support system I have!!

Having the nursery this much closer to completion makes the fact that baby is only 9 weeks away (give or take) even more of a reality and I am so grateful to say that now we're ready for him! (Almost...)

More of Nathan in 3D

Since he didn't want to show us his face much in the last ultrasound with all those hands and feet in the way, we were able to come back for another try and Nathan did a bit better (although still keeping an air of secrecy for when we meet him face to face).
As soon as I laid down the tech knew he was breech and wasn't going to be the easiest to view. She had me get up and walk around for 5 minutes before trying again. Then I had to roll practically on my belly so she could try to get a good angle. Nothing seemed to help so I was up walking around again to try to get him to shift.
By the end, Nathan still wasn't in the best position but I was pleased with all the shots she got and I think he is just the most adorable little squishy face there is! I can't wait to see how he compares in real life and who he really looks like - it's just too hard to tell right now.

In this one you can tell how bent up he really is - the arrows point out not only a hand near his face but a foot, too!

Toward the end, the tech surprised us and confirmed she could see hair on his little head! So crazy to think that Nathan is just this tiny person growing inside me. I wonder what color his locks will be?!

30 weeks - 10 more to go!

Our dear friends, Mike and Lindsay, welcomed baby Parker into the world today and I couldn't be more excited and full of joy for them! Not only can I not wait to meet the little guy who is destined to be great friends with baby Nathan, it makes me realize how much closer we are to meeting our own son. Lindsay has been such a great preggo companion and now she's not pregnant, she's a mom - which only means I will soon be, too! What an amazing adventure God has taken us through and I am so grateful to have someone else sharing the same experience!
How far along: 30 weeks

Size of baby: a head of cabbage, about 15.75 in. and almost 3 lb.

Total weight gain/loss: +20 lbs (I considered waiting another day to see if my weight fluctuates down, but I am recording this to be honest so there it is - I've made it to the low end of the range my doctor thought I'd gain for the whole pregnancy and I'm sure I'll keep going. Oh, well! At least baby M and I are healthy and growing as we should.)

Maternity clothes: same - mostly maternity, although I still sprinkle a few "regular" tops in here and there

Gender: a boy!

Movement: I love feeling Nathan move throughout the day! I sense some patterns but nothing too concrete yet. At the moment, I think he is still head up with his legs folded all the way up by his face (at least he was in the ultrasound last week) - sometimes I can feel where what I think is his head is but for all I know it's his little bum.

Sleep: some nights I get up to use the bathroom and others I make it almost to my alarm before having to get up. I'm still sleeping pretty well, thankfully, and know I need to get more rest but it's so hard when there's so much to do each day!

What I miss: being able to move with more ease (it's getting more and more difficult to bend over and do other simple tasks) and not getting winded so easily.

Cravings: nothing specific but I still enjoy my sweets.

Symptoms: same as usual - back pain, Braxton Hicks, redness in my calves. I'm also back to enjoying some heartburn and bloatiness. Nathan has been poking up by my ribs, too, so I'm definitely feeling that!

Best moment this week: we went for a "make-up" ultrasound to see if Nathan would cooperate a bit better than last time. He did, and we got some great pics! I'll post those separately. We also took a preparation for birth class and while I didn't have the highest expectations it was actually really enjoyable and informative. Our instructor was helpful and funny and the group we were with asked some really great questions. It makes the big delivery day all that more real and definitely stirred up some anxiety but I am glad we went and learned what we did. I think it made it more real for Ryan, too, and I loved seeing him get emotional over the birth videos we watched. He is going to be such a great support on the big day!

Shower in Atlanta

After celebrating Carter's first birthday with a huge crowd, it was our turn to be celebrated. My sisters and mom threw an amazing shower for me (and Nathan) while we were in Atlanta and I felt so truly loved to have friends and family gather to welcome our little munchkin.
It was held at my parents' country club, St. Ives, in the same room that my bridal shower was held, so it was a special location. They decorated the room in beautiful flowers and adorable diaper cakes, which I am sure will come in very handy when Nathan is here!

Everyone got necklaces to wear and couldn't say "baby" or would have them taken away. While we waited for everyone to arrive and for lunch to begin, everyone just mingled and talked - it was great to have time to visit with friends and family that I don't get to see often enough!

We feasted on an Asian-inspired menu, with spring rolls and dumplings to start and then chicken lettuce wraps for the entree. It was all delicious and such a pretty presentation!

For dessert, my amazingly talented sister made cake balls (a special request and she did not disappoint!) and onesie cookies were served with Nathan's monogram iced on them. So cute!

The day passed all too quickly and I didn't even have a chance to say hello to everyone that came (I feel so bad about that!) but it was such a lovely time and I am so grateful for all the work that was put into making the day special.
Here are some of the details...they did such a great job putting it all together!

My mom and aunts made the favors - wine charms with a golf or tennis theme. So creative and cute! If only I could use them now...

My Grammy knitted blankets for all of us when we were born so she carried on the tradition and made two for Nathan - yellow and white to match his nursery. They are so soft and match perfectly!My mom's "Gal Pals" got together and had this bookshelf made to hold all of the books we requested in lieu of cards. It was so thoughtful and just what I needed for the nursery. I can't believe how well the yellow goes with our fabrics!

Thank you so much to Alex, Kelly and my mom for making me feel so doted on and for thinking of such special details to make the day perfect! I had a great time and I know Nathan appreciated it, too!

29 weeks

We're getting closer to the end! I know I'm growing and I can tell my belly is bigger but it doesn't really hit me until I see pictures. There's a baby in there!
I am so blessed to be able to share this time with family and friends and I am so thankful we got to celebrate with them this past weekend. More on that later as I gather photos from all the different camera-owners. In the meantime, here is my weeky update...

How far along: 29 weeks

Size of baby: a butternut squash, about 15 in. and about 2.5 lb.

Total weight gain/loss: +18

Maternity clothes: mostly maternity, although I still sprinkle a few "regular" tops in here and there

Gender: a boy!

Movement: Nathan is definitely moving in there! I still feel Braxton Hicks every now and then but I know it's just my body practicing for the real thing...which is still 11 weeks away, so stay put for now little guy!

Sleep: My hips have been hurting more each night after being on one side for too long. Thankfully I am so tired at night that I usually still get a good night's sleep. I'm still taking advantage of all the zzz's I can.

What I miss: being at home for the weekend with lots of celebrations definitely made me miss wine again. It also made me miss seeing my family and Atlanta friends more often!

Cravings: definitely sweets and chocolate in particular. Despite the sugar intake, I am very thankful that my test results came back and my glucose test was "normal"! Phew!

Symptoms: same as usual - back pain, Braxton Hicks, redness in my calves. Nothing too out of the ordinary.

Best moment this week: so, so much! I went to say good bye for now to my tennis team and they gave me a very generous gift for Baby M. I will miss seeing them each week! Ryan and I also took a long weekend and went to Atlanta to celebrate our nephew Carter's first birthday (not to mention my sis, Kelly's, birthday, too!) and to be celebrated with a fabulous shower thrown by my sisters and mom. I'll recap in a separate post since it involves so many photos but it was by far a highlight of this pregnancy to be able to spend time with family and friends. I love them so much and am so grateful God surrounded me with such wonderful people!

Happy Birthday Carter and Kelly!

It's hard to believe that exactly a year ago, Ryan and I spent an all-too-quick weekend in Atlanta welcoming our nephew Carter into the world.

We got the call on a Thursday night - I was already dead asleep (so what if it was only 11 pm) and thought I might be dreaming when Kelly told me her water broke. I don't remember much of the conversation (again, sleeping) but I do know that the next morning may have been the first time in a long time that I didn't hit snooze when the alarm went off. We had to get up! We had to pack! It was time to go meet our nephew!

As I was getting ready for a few hours of work, I got the call. He was here! The whole time I spoke with Kel, I was beaming from ear to ear. I could hear murmurs of a baby cry in the background and I started crying myself. I was so proud of her and so joyful to be an aunt!

I still don't know how we managed to go into work for a few hours before hitting the road. It was probably the longest car ride to Atlanta we've ever taken (at least it felt like it), wanting to make it before the hospital visiting hours were over. Thankfully we made it and got to spend some time with Baby C and his new proud parents before settling into town.

It's been an incredible year and we've been fortunate as aunt and uncle to see Carter every couple of months to watch him grow. And now we're back in Atlanta celebrating his first year with us - what a big event!

So happy, happy birthday Carter Lewis Hamilton! We love you so much and are so thankful to have you in our family!Did I forget to mention that Carter made his debut on a very special day? It happens to be my beautiful sister Kelly's birthday, too! What a fun gift to have a baby on your own birthday!! We'll see if Nathan and I can repeat this phenomenon - he is due on my birthday! So crazy!I love you so much, Kel, and am so thankful to not only have you as a sister but as a best friend, too. Happy, happy birthday!!

Updates from the Doctor

I had my 28-week appointment on Tuesday and it was a busy visit! Upon arrival, I had to drink the yummy glucose drink (at first I didn't think it was bad at all! What's all the fuss about? By the end of the bottle, I was feeling ill and had enough of that orange sugar drink!). Then, while we waited for the 4D ultrasound room to open up, we met with the doctor.
I always have a laundry list of questions that I gather the days before my appointment so I can be sure to ask everything on my mind. My biggest concern this time was some discoloring in my legs that I've noticed over the past few weeks. He seemed a bit worried about it (how comforting) and said I needed to keep my feet propped above my chest after work since there wasn't much I could do about it while in the office. While I am at work, I need to try to wiggle my toes a lot so I've made a Post-It reminder to help me do this while I'm sitting at the computer.
On top of that, he also said I need to drink more water (seriously?! I could drown I drink so much already) to keep the fluids pushing through my body. For the past two days I've tracked my intake and I am definitely hitting the one-gallon goal each day that he set (and then some!).
Once I'd gone through my list it was time to see Baby M and what he was up to! I had been so excited for this part of the appointment and thought surely the sugar coursing through my body would wake Nathan up and get him dancing for us. Not quite...
He seemed so cuddly and snuggled inside, with hands and feet (and even the umbilical cord) blocking his face for most of the time. We were in there a good 30 minutes and only ended up with a few decent shots.The good news is that he is looking healthy and I definitely caught a glimpse of his beating heart, which is always such a comfort. I can't tell who he looks like but as long as he is growing strong and on track I don't care!
We are scheduled to go back in next week to try again so hopefully the munchkin will cooperate better and show us his adorable little face a bit more. Then the following week I start my every-two-week appointments. We're getting closer and closer to the end!

The Chair

I've had a few folks ask about the chair we got for the nursery. It's made by Little Castle and I found it on Target.com. It's a combination glider/rocker/recliner - I opted for the recliner versus a glider/rocker with an ottoman for space and so far I think it was a good decision!
My mom has a similar chair so I was pretty confident that this would be a good pick but it still made me nervous to order online sight-unseen. Thankfully, the color turned out perfect for what I wanted and it is super comfy to sit in.
Hope that helps!

Nursery furniture

It's here! The nursery furniture got here a month earlier than expected (how different is that for a furniture order?!) and we got it this past weekend. I love it!
We found Bonavita pieces through a shop in Atlanta and the closest store that sold it near us happened to be a Buy Buy Baby near Tampa. I placed the whole order over the phone and I am so impressed with their customer service! They did a great job answering all of my questions and I felt very confident in my purchase.I picked white because I thought it would be more unisex for any siblings Nathan might have down the road. We were also concerned that dark furniture would make an already small room feel tiny.

I don't like the knobs on the dresser so as soon as I took the photos I took them off so they wouldn't leave a mark on the wood. Now I just need to figure out what I want instead.

After it was all set up, Jax just happened to sit in the center of the room and "pose" for the camera. I think she approves!