{bump} this.

Update written on April 15th. The last two pictures were taken after this update but you get the idea; I'm ready, oh so ready!

 

Has it really been a month since I posted an update? I try not to talk too much about the bump but gosh it feels like so much has changed since then. And to think I thought that felt like the final stretch at 33 weeks? Ha! With 2 weeks until my due date its crunch time! I swear that’s all the midwife needs to say is 2^nd babies come sooner than your first and you’ve got me thinking I’m having a baby tomorrow. According to my last two checkups my body doesn’t seem anywhere near ready for labor but as my Mom kindly reminds me she was checked with zero progression the day she has my sister so… God’s timing is perfect, right?

35 weeks

 

Physically: I’m tired. 9pm feels like 10pm and the simple task like straightening up the house is daunting because bending down to pick up 15 small objects creates heartburn for hours! I haven’t been to the gym in a week and I don’t see myself bumping around on the elliptical much more; possibly a few times in the lap pool but yall, I’m tired! Just this past week I started to have terrible carpel tunnel in both my hands specifically my fingers which makes me feel very old but also very useless. I also just got a linear line in the lightest brown tint which I was not expecting because I didn’t have it last time. It’s so crazy how our bodies change over these 40 weeks and then can actually somewhat go back to normal; God’s creations can blow your mind!

Remember how I talked about living in dresses? I wasn’t kidding. I bounce between 3 or 4 and wear them every chance I get even if the stripes make my belly look like a dining room table for 10.

37 weeks

My emotions in a nutshell: Ahhh yay whoaaaa weee ahhh yay. Mixed, so mixed. Am I ready to go into labor tomorrow? Not really. Am I ready to meet this little guy and feel reach for the starts over the fence world series kind of love? YES! Mostly I’m not ready because I’m feeling anxious about labor and what time or day it will be and where Moses will be and all those details you can’t control that I want to control.

Retrospect: I’m so very thankful how easy this pregnancy has been. I know so many people that struggle just to get pregnant then struggle with severe versions of the things I’ve slightly encountered then have complications and yeah…I’m blessed. So very blessed. 

39 weeks and Funny story about this picture: it's horrible. I had bedhead and felt nasty but wanted to document in case it was my last belly shot, ya know? As my loving Husband said "you know how some women get really fat noses when they're pregnant? You don't have one at all but this picture makes it look like you do"...THANKS HUNNY!

 

DIY Face Wipes

Well slap my knee and call me crunchy because well this is…crunchy! I’m all for saving money (turn OFF the lights when leaving the room) especially if it means the end result will be more natural or environmentally friendly (hello cloth diapers) so I was a bit surprised it took me this long to make my own face wipes.

 

I checked out a few internet recipes but found they weren’t working and here’s why. Yes it’s great to make 200 wipes at one time but I’m only one person and after about 30 days I noticed they carried an odor I did not want on my face. So I adapted and perfected the cheap, easy, crunchy face wipe! And yes all you skeptics, I’ve been playing around with these for months now so they've been tested and tested again and look my face is still wonderfully fresh!

Here’s the breakdown of what you’ll need:

• Water
• Coconut oil (please tell me this is already in your pantry because it’s the crunchy girls version of Greeks and their Windex)
• Gentle liquid body/face soap; I used baby shampoo but I’m sure any toddler or gentle brand wash would work great.
• A good roll of paper towels; don’t skimp! I went all high roller and got the $2 roll of Viva at Target because you need sturdy for this project.
• Small container with a lid.

Instructions:
Melt 1 tsp coconut oil.
Add ½ tsp of soap and 3/4 cp water to the oil mixture and set aside.
Cut paper towel roll in half…yes as in get out a knife and slice right down the middle. Put one half in storage for 6 months down the road when you’ll need to make more.
Pull off 30 sheets of paper towels and fold into squares (half then half again) and stack in your container. Its okay if they practically don’t fit because they still shrink down when wet.
Pour liquid mixture over paper towels, close lid, and flip around until it’s soaked through.

Price comparison

Store Brand:
I used to buy Target’s Up & Up brand which came in a pack of 30 for lets say $3 (I’m being super generous).
$3 x 12 months = $36/ year to wipe makeup off my face every night

My DIY version:
I had everything except the paper towels which costs $2 at Target.
1 roll of paper towels = 400 wipes (200 per roll and we cut the roll in half)
400 wipes lasts 13 months
$2 divided by 13 months = 16 CENTS a month

So $3 a month or 16 cents a month?

Not to mention you know exactly what’s going into your face wipes and your face still feels great! I take off mascara as well as wipe all over my face each night for an overall crunchy clean!

{bump} countdown

The curiosity and fears have started to creep in. Between nesting desires and budgets post baby and getting baby gear together I’ve failed to remember I actually have to give birth again. Ideally I want to try to go all natural like I tried last time but why is it just now dawning on me I might need to prepare for such a thing? I think all the memories of labor pains and contractions of pushing out a human are starting to float back into memory and my first thoughts are flee and run for help; it’s going to be "too painful" to "deal with" and I’m already counting myself out. Just recently I started reading natural birth stories and digging back into research and while yes they’re raw and maybe make me remember too much there is a common thread shared between all the stories and that’s empowerment. Empowerment over this incredible ability God’s given women to grow and then birth a child; taking your body into your control and being in tune from start to finish. In the end if it doesn’t work out that’s okay too but I want to feel brave and ready when the day comes. I’ve committed the rest of this pregnancy to be dedicated into getting my body and mind ready; practicing labor positions, reading more stories, reminding sweet Hubs how wonderful he was last time, and being present.

24 weeks

As for a physical update: I feel huge. My weight gain has been slow and steady (up a total of 27 lbs at my 33 week apt yesterday) but lately I feel like the belly and extra weigh are starting to take a toll on my body. The simple things like getting out of bed or sleeping comfortably have become a challenge. And the peeing, oh the peeing. With Moses I’ve never experienced being large in the warm months and after a small taste of 80 degree weather this month I started to freak out. I have nothing to wear, I’m going to melt, and I can’t survive the 90’s that are coming! I plan to live in dresses the next 7 weeks and the rest of the post partum summer and I can already tell my daily mantra is going to be: you just had a baby, give yourself a break.

25 weeks

 

We’ve pulled out most of the baby gear and I kid you not I died over the cuteness of little baby outfits at least 17 times while unloading a storage tub. First it brings up wonderful memories of Moses sporting those same outfits but then I kept saying "no way will the baby be that small" or "no way there is really a difference in 3 or 6 month outfits" which I know firsthand there are. The tub and pump and Boppy were less eventful but it feels great to know we have about 80% of the things we need and now I just need to find a place for everything in a tiny house!

30 weeks

Overall, this experience has been great. We talked labor prep and just labor in general at my appointment yesterday and it all just felt surreal. We are in the home stretch, 7 weeks left, and we’re having another baby.
Two things: I need to take a 33 week picture and add it because this last one does not do the belly justice...objects in mirror are wayyy bigger than they appear! And another thing: I swear I don't wear black all the time! It just so happens I'm wearing black a lot of the weekends when I've been taken pictures but in reality I only own 1 black tank and 2 black tops :)

my weight loss and small babies.

My one month checkup happened last week but since my weigh-ins are not until Saturdays I had to wait to share the news.

I’ve lost 10 pounds.

That’s a baby. That’s 10 numbers going down on the scale. That’s half my goal.

Well actually my In Caroline’s Head “goal” is 25 pounds but when I first wrote The 25 I thought writing 20 was scary enough that there was just no way I could make it to 25. But here I am, already halfway to that 20 and well on my way to my goal. Honestly, my goal is to feel better on the inside and out, to be healthy, and active, and happy, and heck, put on clothes and feel good how I look in them!

Most importantly, I’m feeling great! The first 10 days I was down 5 pounds of mostly water weight (because who really loses 5 pounds in 5 days) and then after that it’s been determination and praying that’s got me to where I am. See I’m not just plumpy from “genetics” or “big boned”…I’m plumpy because I freaking love food. Staying on course has been a daily choice with the first 2 weeks literally being an hourly choice. The best part about the program is in all honestly I can eat whatever I want. I was really craving Starbucks last week so I worked my entire day’s points so that I could enjoy 6 points through a green straw. My saving grace has been dark chocolate; 1 little piece is 1 point so in the afternoons if I just HAVE TO HAVE IT I’ll have 1 and be done.

I keep the house stocked with foods I enjoy and that I can eat so I’m not tempted and I’m not spending 2 hours every night planning out my eating life. SkinnyTaste.com has never been more important to me than it is now because it has graciously already calculated all the points for me AND I already know how delicious her recipes are.

Making good food choices has been helpful but for my mental sanity I’ve formed this small support group that keeps me going every day. We are always asking each other how it’s going that day or give each other motivation or share recipes; it’s been wonderful!

This coming month the most important thing for me is to not lose focus. I understand the weight will not come off as easy anymore and some weeks I may only lose .5 pounds BUT I have to keep going every single day. I have goals and a few things on The 25 list requires me to be at a different state physically (a bikini in this current body, no way!) making this weight loss journey even more important to me.

This blog and particularly these post make me very transparent which is not always the most comfortable thing to put out there HOWEVER if my journey gives just one person the inspiration to start loving yourself more than doughnuts then it’s worth it! From a girl who loves food more than shoes I promise YOU CAN DO IT!

Just let run where I want to run.

And yesterday was a perfect example of why friends don’t let friends blog when they’re on drugs. I don’t know how this sickness crept up on my without even knowing it but I this flu- like bug hit my square in the face and took me out hard. I’m feeling better today but yesterday, oh yesterday, was a testament of drugs and forcing myself to work even though my insides were still loopy.

I’ve read so many people say this and I must echo their words saying Pinterest has changed my life. Yes, it waste a lot of my free time because half the stuff I look at I could have never seen in my life and been okay with that. But the other half has jump started my imagination like I didn’t think was possible. Life has become routine filled with excuses, to do lists and family; all that creative bugs I used to hold in my mason jar have escaped over the years. Pinterest has brought them back. It helped solidify décor ideas I doubted myself about and gave me boards upon boards of inspiration for future household ideas. It’s only given me style ideas, DIY ideas (hello saving money) and food cravings out of this world. Last night for whatever reason breakfast food kept showing up on Pinterest and right after work I loaded my shopping cart with eggs, bacon, crispy bread, and milk because I NEEDED to eat those pictures. It’s such a simple concept yet so brilliant; it takes hours upon hours of scouring the internet and puts in all on one page like a grocery store of ideas. My biggest fear is what if they get smart and start charging people to join? Charging per pin? How much would you pay to your beloved Pinterest? 

Weekend advice.

Having had a husband for a few years now (and that automatically makes me an expert, right?) there are some things I’ve come to learn about men.

 

They don’t understand/like/know why/ rather us not “get” certain items that we may find fashionable:

Rompers

Long rompers

High waisted shorts

High waisted pants

Puffy sleeves

Turtle necks

Trending and a few long term styles such as:

Bright lipstick

Teased poofy hair whether it is the “back poof”, “bang poof”, or “front poof”

Side ponytails

Our obsession with braided hair

Pigtails

Chopped ankle boots

Single ladies, if you want to impress your girlfriends—wear something trendy; if you want to impress a guy –wear something classic. And of course if you want to impress your husband –wear nothing.