I am going to try to get my scanner to post a fabulous (who am I kidding?) picture of me 34 weeks pregnant. I will keep trying until I get it posted so hold on...it will be here before long, I promise. =) I realize as of yet, I have only posted one pregnancy picture. That is pitiful! I will try to do much better in the coming weeks. I have just been, can you say,
overwhelmed?
34 weeks! Whew! This pregnancy has flown by, for sure. It has really been nothing but a blur since I found out about this wee little one in my womb. I am still in shock that I am having another baby. Many may not understand that, but for 7 years I did not really believe that I would have children or to be more accurate, I really did not let myself think of it too much. So, to be blessed with not only one precious babe but 3 in 3 & 1/2 years? I am still dreaming. Most of the time, it doesn't seem real that I can be living this life out. But I am. Thank God I am.
Claire is going through some temper tantrum episodes and man, those are fun! haha. Some days I feel like a prisoner of war in my home. Lily is becoming more and more sweet and affectionate but also more independent! And, she can throw some whopper temper tantrums, too!
So, all in all, in the midst of baby preparations and day to day life, we have our hands full! We hit the bed exhausted every single night but praise God, we do sleep through the night most of the time! Claire is up to go to the bathroom but that is usually it. Lily usually sleeps like a rock. I just hope it continues after baby Drew arrives! Those all night feedings are tough enough without the other two waking up!
Lily will be 15 months old next week and we are on the countdown waiting for baby Drew!!! I have been sorting through baby girl clothes and boxing them up. Which is bittersweet and hard to do. I am so very sentimental. I have been washing Drew's clothing and blankets and sanitizing his bottles and pacifiers and just trying to get everything in a neat little place.
Drew's room is just off the girls' room but he will be sleeping with us for a while to start with (well, not with us, but in our room in a bassinet). So, I am trying to go ahead and get his room ready for his stuff but it is not going to well. Right now, it is stuffed with storage boxes and books. So, I am going through a little of that every day and trying to get it organized and cleared out of there so we can paint this weekend and move in the furniture for Drew. =)
Charlie painted the kitchen and some of the living room last week. He is also working on taking down wallpaper and painting the bathroom. I am helping of course, just not with the paint. He has also been doing a lot of work on our pool and everything outside. He is exhausted but happy.
Any ideas any of you have for organization would be very appreciated! Anything that helped you with a new baby coming? Most of all, I know that I am just going to have to get in there and throw a lot of stuff away!!!
Right now, Drew is kicking all of the time! He has the hickups almost every night at bedtime which Claire & Lily did not do, so it is a new thing and it is funny but I feel sorry for him! I HATE the hickups! I also have so much more fluid with him than I did with the girls. I feel so huge and unbalanced!
Also, any recommendations on a good (not too expensive) double stroller? I am definitely going to have to have one with a 3 & 1/2 yr. old, a 15month old and a baby!!!! =) That and A LOT of prayers!! lol. =) Anyway, if you do know of some good ones would you please let me know? Thanks!
Cravings so far: Fruit (any kind) especially watermelon and strawberries! Ice water with a whole glass of crushed ice to suck on and crunch. For some reason, it soothes me. I did that with Claire, too! Chinese food (sometimes) and Peanut Butter and chocolate. Italian sandwiches, olive salad and pepperoncini peppers. (all my husband's fave things). That's just a few of the cravings I have. But now, it is mostly just ice water and fruit. Which is good and fine by me. I have gained enough weight! =)
I try to talk to the baby every night with Charlie. Sometimes, I read out loud the verses in the Bible that speak of Andrew, the first disciple. I really do love that name. Charlie has always wanted to name his son Andrew and I think it is such a wonderful strong name. It really just fits this baby boy. And I love the shortened form of Drew. Charlie's dad's brother was named Andrew and that is why Charlie always liked it. It also has the exact same meaning as Charles, which is great!
The middle name choices that we have are going to be kept quiet until the birth. We just like for that to be a surprise and actually, we usually aren't entirely sure until we meet the baby. Claire was Claire Elisabeth Rene(Reen, not Renee) until we met her and then she was Claire Victoria Rose (her birth and Wilma's death the day of my baby shower in some ways influenced the change). Lily was Lily Sophia Elise for a while and then she was Lily Charlotte Ann and then Lily Sophia Rene and then we decided to name her after Charlie in case she was the last one, so she became Lily Charlotte or Lily Caroline and we were not sure about the 3rd name!!! But, when she was born, she was just Lily Charlotte Alise!!! (Lise after my Mom's names and Alise, short for Allison and Alise, short for Alisabeth/Elisabeth/Elizabeth (all family names).
So, all that rambling to say, that we don't positively know yet but we will when we see little Drew!!! =) And no, I don't mind people asking me what we are going to name the baby, it's just that as far as middle names go, we really don't exactly know for sure until we see him! Hope that explains it better than I have been! =)
If it happens to be a girl, we have a short name list:
*Audrey(has been a top pick with all 3 pregnancies; LOVE it)
*Savannah(Love this, don't really know why)
*Raegan(after my sister and my dad)
*Anna(after my mother-in-law& I just love the name)
*Ava (biblical; pretty)
middle names:
*Elisabeth(grandmothers)
*Caroline(form of Charles)
*Catherine(grandmothers)
*Cate(same)
Third name:
No clue!!!! Truthfully!!!
So, feel free to make a girl's name suggestion if you have one!!! I always believe in being prepared but I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what to name this one if it's a girl (which I doubt almost 100% that it is ) but still, I like to at least have some good combinations ready!!! =)
Anyway, I guess that about wraps up this novel of things I wanted to say! Thank you very much if you are still reading and I promise to get my belly pics posted as soon as I can get the scanner to do it! *Definitely have to get a new digital before Drew arrives!!! =)
These pretty floor lamps!
New carpet for the living room and our bedroom, not sure about the girls room yet.
New tile for the foyer, dining room, kitchen, bathroom & utility room/half bath.