Bumpdate: 31 Weeks!

Ahhhh! I am seriously starting to freak out that I have (most likely) less than 9 weeks to go in this pregnancy! How has it gone by this quickly?! 

Madison is now over 16 inches long and weighs about 3.3 pounds! So big already! This month is a huge growing month for her and that explains why I have been so tired lately. My days are getting more difficult trying to chase after a toddler and honestly, at this point, I think having a newborn would be easier. At least I would have the "new mom" adrenaline to keep me going. Right now, I am just exhausted! Anyways, lets get to it before I need a nap.

I officially can't see my feet when looking down!

Belly is getting pretty big!

-Due Date: September 11 (my mom is convinced that I will have her on September 2)

-Weight Gain: +19 so far. Next doc appointment is at the end of next week so I won't have an updated number until then. Hopefully it's not too much more.

-Gender: GIRL!! Madison Kay.

-Nursery: Still don't have the crib put together but I plan on having hubby do that during his days off this week. And my baby shower is on Saturday so I will have plenty more to put in the nursery after the weekend.

-Movement: NON-STOP! Goodness gracious! This little girl moves constantly. I really love it most of the time...just not in the middle of the night.

-Clothing: All maternity. I actually just bought a few more things to get me through the rest of the summer. A dress for my baby shower and then a pair of capris and some new tops. I should be good!

-Cravings: Nothing in particular this week. I have been eating nectarines and peaches each day but that is mostly because they are perfectly ripe and amazingly delicious right now! I love summer fruit!

-Overall Feeling: Tired. I mentioned that Madison is growing a ton right now and that is just stealing all of my energy! It doesn't help that sleeping has been pretty terrible. I did get two good nights of sleep in a row so I am feeling pretty energized today!

-Fears: Again...getting everything done and ready. I obviously still have so much to do including getting things ready for Brayden. I want to baby proof the house a little more so EVERY cabinet is locked. I also want to get together a few quite items/boxes ready for Brayden so that nursing is a little easier when I am home alone with the two kiddos. And then I still need to do everything for Madison like wash clothes, put furniture together, wash covers for everything, and get a hospital bag together. Ugh. I am exhausted just thinking about it!

And just because he is so DANG cute...here is my #1 all messy from chowing down his spaghetti and broccoli!

Bumpdate: 30 Weeks!

I officially have about 10 weeks left and I can't even believe it! This pregnancy has gone by so fast and I am starting to freak out a little. Recently my uncle asked me if I was ready for her to come and my answer was a very firm "NO!" Haha...I am not ready at all! Hopefully after my baby sprinkle I will feel a little more ready since I will have some of the necessities. We do have the crib already so at least Madison has somewhere to sleep...we just need to put it together!

Let's get to it!

-Due Date: September 11

-Gender: GIRL! Madison Kay.

-Weight Gain: I am +18 so far. Not too bad but I don't want to gain more than 25 so I need to keep myself in check over the next 10 weeks. No more donuts for me!

-Nursery: As I mentioned above, we got the crib thanks to my mother-in-law! We still need to put it together but we finally got her room mostly cleared out. Now we actually have a place to put the crib HA!

-Movement: Well my doctor went to listen to her heart beat and gave me a really weird look because my whole stomach moved. Then my doctor called her feisty!! Haha. Needless to say, she moves all. the. time.

-Clothing: All maternity with the exception of a few things...some t-shirts, one pair of shorts, and a few skirts.

-Cravings: Still shrimp tacos but also desserts...it has become a problem! My husband actually told me I was not allowed to make brownies anymore. Oops!

-Overall Feeling: Pretty tired and having hip pain because sleeping isn't easy anymore. Hopefully I can find a sleeping solution but I am not counting on it. I just take what I can get and then try to lay low during Brayden's naps. Other than that, I feel pretty good for most of the day. I get wiped out chasing after Brayden but hubby is home a lot more so he gets down and does all the floor play with him now. So thankful!!

-Fears: Getting everything ready. I know 10 weeks is a long time but I am still afraid that it won't all get done in time. We have the whole nursery to set up, clothes to wash, covers to wash (bouncer, car seat, pack'n'play, etc). Hopefully I feel better after my baby sprinkle!

OC Zoo at Irvine Regional Park

Lately I have been trying to find new things to get Brayden and I out of the house in the morning. Hubby doesn't get home from work until super late/early so he is still sleeping when Brayden wakes up. In order to keep hubby asleep, I thought it would be best if we got out of the house so it was nice and quiet. Yesterday we went to a pirate park {it was just okay} but today my mom came with us to the OC Zoo at the Irvine Regional Park. 

It was a bit of a drive but not bad and the park and zoo are so cheap that it was totally worth it! Only $5 to park {$3 on the weekdays} and just $2 to get into the zoo! We got to see some awesome animals that our closer zoo doesn't have like mountain lions and a black bear. Brayden also got to pet and brush some goats which he loved!! Needless to say, we will be going back to this zoo and park. There is so much more to do than just the zoo! We also went on a train ride which was probably Brayden's favorite part!

The mountain lions were wrestling!

Brayden tried to grab the snake! Brave little boy!!

They also have pony rides but we didn't do that!

Waiting for our turn on the train!

Hahaha!! His face cracks me up!

Bumpdate: 28 Weeks!

Yikes!! I have only 12 weeks left (if I make it the full 40 weeks) and that means I am officially into the 3rd trimester. How has this gone by so fast?!

I know the next 12 weeks are going to fly by so I am really excited to have my baby shower{sprinkle} planned and to get some new, girly things for Madison. I am not so stoked on all the pink {it's definitely my least favorite color} but I am getting used to it a little.

-Due Date: September 11

-Weight Gain: I go to the doctor next week so I will have a new number then.

-Gender: GIRL! Madison Kay. I avoided purchasing anything for her this week, however, my sister bought her an adorable outfit from Target!

-Nursery: I don't think her room will have any pink and I am totally fine with that! I never understood how people could paint their nursery pink on every wall. I think I would barf just buying the paint! Like I said, I don't like pink. Anyways, I did receive the prints I ordered for the nursery so now I need to go buy some frames. I also need to make the mobile and then just wait for the baby shower to hopefully get the crib and dresser that I registered for.

-Movement: More and more movement from this little girl! She has a pretty regular schedule of movement right now and she goes nuts first thing in the morning and then usually again at night before I go to sleep. I guess those are pretty much the only two times that I am sitting/laying still for longer than 10 minutes!

-Clothing: I broke down and purchased two more maternity things...a black maxi dress and then a maxi skirt to wear for my maternity photos. I am pretty excited about the maxi dress because it will be great even after I have Madison to wear for the first few weeks when I am still pretty pregnant looking and the fabric crosses over in the front and will make nursing really easy.

-Cravings: Well I tried to get my shrimp fix from Taco Surf and ordered the shrimp fajitas but they were a huge bust. No flavor at all and they were overcooked. Ugh! Looks like I will have to get shrimp again this week from somewhere else!

-Overall Feeling: I feel awesome. So lucky to be feeling so great and the heat hasn't gotten too bad yet so I haven't had to deal with overheating. I am a little nervous for the rest of the summer but so far, so good.

-Fears: I am a little fearful for those first few weeks with a newborn and a toddler. Brayden is pretty attached to me during the day because I am usually the only one home with him. Now that hubby will be home more, I am hoping he isn't so bad when I can't pick him up or hold him because I am feeding. We will see.

Wordless Wednesday

Someone got a haircut today and is looking all grown up!!!

We usually just have a family friend cut Brayden's hair but our schedules weren't working lately and Brayden ABSOLUTELY needed a haircut before hubby's graduation from the academy and before Father's Day. We attempted this place right by our house (Great Clips) and it was pretty bad as soon as we walked in. They weren't super friendly and you could tell that it wasn't really a place for kids. Also, they had a 30 minute wait! Haha! We decided pretty quickly to leave and go somewhere else and that's where Rainbow Kids comes in. They were FABULOUS!! 

As soon as we walked in, I put Brayden in a chair and the movie Happy Feet was playing on a TV right in front of him. We just watched this movie for the first time yesterday and he loved it. It was meant to be! They the lady handed him a bucket of toys and action figures. He was a happy camper.

Usually he HATES the clippers but he got used to them after just a few seconds and really only complained when they were by his ears. They she used the scissors to cut the top and even added some styling cream. And then I think I melted into a puddle of cuteness. Holy goodness, he looks so big with his hair all styled! I just might have to go get some product for his hair so we can style it when we have a party or something. He just looks so dang cute! 

I can safely say we will be returning to Rainbow Kids for all his future hair cuts! I am one happy momma!

23 Months!

Holy mother of God...Brayden will be TWO YEARS OLD in just one, quick month. I am totally freaking out. How can I have a two year old?!?! 

My mother and I recently found a camera used when Brayden was first born and during his first Christmas and I can't believe how different he is. Obviously I have been through all the changes with him and I KNOW he is so grown up, but I look at those old pictures and suddenly remember how he used to be so small. How has he grown up and gotten so big so fast? Where has my little baby boy gone? 

Whelp, he has turned into quite the comical little toddler! He is constantly making us all laugh and is talks non-stop. Even random strangers at Target and the grocery store will mention how well he talks (because he is obviously talking the ENTIRE time we are there and they hear every word!). He is so much fun to have around and I am so incredibly happy that I get to be home with him. I get to experience all those funny moments during the day that I would otherwise miss if I was working away from home. Don't get me wrong, I sometimes need a break from this crazy little man but on most days, I get bored during his nap because he is so entertaining. Needless to say, we love our little monster like crazy and I can't wait to see him evolve into an amazing big brother. 

Here are some new things he is doing: 
-Drinking out of a big boy cup (not sippy cups)
-Practicing sitting on his big boy potty (hasn't gone potty yet and we aren't actually potty training, just getting him used to it)
-Swinging on the big kid swing
-Jumping off small steps and ledges (he just started this at the park yesterday and although it is scary, it's pretty cute. And he doesn't jump off anything high {yet} so he can't hurt himself too bad if he falls)
-Sitting at a regular chair to eat (we just did this earlier today while eating breakfast at Panera and he did great! He didn't try to get down once and sat eating his breakfast like a big kid!)
-Chores; not cleaning the bathroom or anything but he has to help put all his toys away before going to bed each night. This helps to get the house picked up and I try to make him feel super great for helping Mommy and Daddy. He also puts his dirty clothes in the hamper after we get him changed into his pajamas. Hopefully he continues to enjoy helping us!

Notice how all these things are "big kid" things?!?! Yeah, he is definitely becoming a big kid.

Likes: 
-Movies (all Baby Genius DVDs, Tangled, Ice Age, Happy Feet, Up)
-Pretty much all food and drinks
-Books
-Puzzles
-Being outside
-Swimming
-Music class
-Baths
-Running
-Wrestling
-Helping out
-Being on Mommy and Daddy's bed
-Cartoons (Mickey, Sofia, Super Why, Elmo, Hugglemonsters, Jake and the Neverland Pirates)
-Ice cream

Dislikes:
-Berries (for some reason, he won't even try berries or grapes)
-Being in the car for long periods of time
-Being told "no" {obviously}
-Not getting to watch his DVDs {or not being able to take them absolutely EVERYWHERE!!}

Pretty excited about his ice cream sandwich!

His first big boy cup!

Playing on GiGi's iPad! The only one he ever gets to play on.

"peek-a-boo"

No more baby swings for this kid!

Taken by Brayden himself!

Helping out by mixing the pancake batter!

So there you have it! Brayden at 23 months in a nutshell. I can't believe that when I write this post next month, he will actually be TWO! I guess it's time to start getting things ready for his party. Here's a clue....ARRRRGGG!!! Check back in a couple weeks for some DIY projects I will be making for his party.

Bumpdate: 27 Weeks!

Only 13 weeks left to go (maybe) and it has been flying by! Madison is really growing a ton and her movements are getting much stronger. She is almost 2 pounds and about the size of a head of cauliflower. Good news is...if I so happened to go into labor, Madison would most likely survive with A LOT of help from doctors! This is obviously not on my radar at all but it is a comforting fact that her lungs are matured JUST enough to survive if she had to. Let's just make it at least another 12-13 weeks!

-Due Date: September 11

-Weight Gain: Same until I visit the doc again at the end of the month. +14 pounds total so far.

-Gender: GIRL! Madison Kay. And I have discovered that I have a shopping problem. I bought her 3 more outfits. I really need to stop because I haven't even had a baby shower yet and I know my family is dying to buy some girl stuff so she will get a ton!! But aren't they so cute?!?

-Nursery: (New topic!) We have started clearing things out of Madison's room to get the nursery ready. The only thing we have in there so far is a bookshelf that we already had but I am pretty excited to start decorating. I recently bought some prints from Zulily that will be the main focal point of her room and I also found a super easy mobile that I am going to make to hang over her crib. The "theme" is nature I guess if I have to label it. Lots of colors too!

-Movement: A whole lotta movement going on around here. It seems like she is constantly moving (already trying to keep up with her big brother!) and I love every bit of it!! Hubby is also less freaked out about it so he has been feeling her move more.

-Clothing: I am wearing all maternity clothes and I just bought another maxi skirt from Target that will do wonders for me over the summer. It is lightweight but it also crosses over in the front so I get a good breeze through the little gap in the fabric.

-Cravings: I don't even think I let myself crave the shrimp tacos this time because I had them again. I could probably eat them 2-3 times a week! So freaking delicious!

-Overall Feeling: I feel great!! I think a little insomnia has kicked in because I was awake from 3-5 in the morning but other than that I am pretty good. I am so lucky to have such easy pregnancies and that I am still able to play with Brayden and get down on the floor with him. I am also SUPER excited. Hubby graduates from the academy this week and then we will have him at home for a solid 3-4 days a week! I can't wait for all the family time we will get to spend together and do fun things like the park and the zoo and the aquarium. Things I don't really take Brayden to do by myself (except for the park) and things I know hubby is really looking forward to doing with Brayden. I am also going to be signing Brayden up for a new class of some sort (his music class ends after Wednesday) and I want it to be a class that hubby takes Brayden to. I think it will be excellent bonding time for them!

-Fears: Ugh...blame it on the early morning TV shows that are available (not many) but I am nervous about giving birth again. I remember it being painful obviously but that isn't really what I am worried about. I am worried about the things I cannot control...like if something goes wrong. I just need to stay positive and know that my doctor is amazing and that everything will be fine. Stupid baby shows that get me all nervous about things I never even thought about! Lesson learned: don't watch the baby shows while pregnant!