Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you and yours, and Greetings from sunny Arizona!

Adam and I are in Arizona all week with the K-State football team and the rest of the travel party that consists of Athletics and football staff, administration, coaches, and families. We play Michigan in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl on Saturday. Adam's job takes us to the bowl game each year that we receive a bid, and this is officially our fifth bowl game together. It's so neat to think that next year our little girl will be joining us in the festivities. It has certainly been a non-traditional Christmas for us, and it has been tough to be away from family during such a special holiday, but we're having fun and soaking up the sun. We left snowy 10-degree Manhattan on Monday and arrived in sunny 67-degree Arizona. Talk about a big change!

I'm hoping to get caught up on baby girl updates during some downtime on our trip. Hard to believe we're already at 32 weeks--holy cow! Thanks for bearing with me.

We hope you all had a blessed Christmas surrounded by loved ones. May we all remember the true meaning of the season...the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! Happy Birthday, Jesus!

28 Weeks.

Oh dear...another belated post, but life has been busy busy!

Here's a recap of last week.

Adam and I celebrated Thanksgiving at my mom and dad's, and it was a blessed and relaxing time with family. It was nice to get out of town and back into the countryside. Going home is the best feeling, no matter how old you are.

Sadie, of course, made the trip with us and served as the co-pilot during the car ride. She loves going to see her grandparents, whether it's to my mom and dad's or Adam's. She always has a blast (and gets spoiled rotten) and comes home exhausted. This time was no different. I think she played ball about five gazillion times while we there and got to explore the two acres with her best buddy, my dad. Let's not forget her favorite part of the weekend...the Thanksgiving ham. All in all, she was one happy, tuckered out pup when we got back to Manhattan.

Come on Dad, throw the ball already!

p.s. isn't my hubby the most handsome guy? Seriously. I love this picture.

Mom and I braved the crowds on Black Friday and did a little bit of shopping in Salina and Manhattan. We weren't the crazy ones though...we waited until noon to start, so by that time it really wasn't bad. I scored a great deal on fabric bins for baby girl's closet, so I was excited about that. They were buy one for $4.95/get one free at Menard's. I think Mom and I depleted both Salina and Manhattan's inventory on those. I also got a great deal on boots from Kohl's. I wait all year for Black Friday so I can get a new pair of boots :o).

On Saturday, Adam worked the K-State football game in Lawrence, and Mom and I made a trip to Topeka to start tackling the baby registry. Who knew there were so many options for babies?? Goodness gracious! For someone who struggles with decisions, especially big ones, this was tough for me, but mom and I had fun ooh'ing and ahh'ing over the cute little clothes. I can't tell you how valuable it was to have her there to help me through the process and to help narrow things down. I sure do love my mama, and I love spending time with her. Makes me so excited to share memories with my own sweet girl.

We weren't sure if we'd ever see the light of day after walking into this store!

We made great headway on the registry after spending hours at Babies R Us (split up by a lunch break at Panda Express, yum!). Babies R Us made Target seem like a walk in the park. There weren't near as many options, so we had fun with that. By that time we were both a little delirious (our eyes were probably glazed), so we just scanned away without too much thought. I've since created an Amazon registry and have also been fine-tuning the other two online, all the while researching and reading review after review. If you knew the amount of research I've put into this registry, along with the absurd number of reviews I've read, I think I'd be pretty darn embarrassed. Adam says I'm making it more difficult than it needs to be, which may be true. I wish I could just pick items without putting much thought into it, but I'm too pragmatic (and in my mom's words, anal) for that. In my opinion, if we're going to register for things, I want them to be safe and to last, and I want them to be things that have already passed the test for other people. Thank goodness for Amazon reviews!

Between the baby registry and car shopping, there has been a lot of research going on in our household. I'm surprised the house hasn't gone up in flames! We've still been test driving here and there, and we've narrowed down the makes/models to just a few. We should be able to start doing some bidding here shortly. The deadline is fast approaching, so that has been motivating us even more.

What have the furry friends been up to, you ask? Oh, nothing new...same ol' story here in our house...

This week Sadie decided it was her turn to try out the pregnancy pillow. Maybe they're on a rotation.

What, Mom? Why are you taking a picture of me?

Doodles has taken to laying in the blanket/toy basket.

On to the weekly update and bump pictures!

28 weeks, Thanksgiving Day. I was freezing my buns off during these!

Thanks for taking the pictures, Mom! Just think, next year she'll be celebrating Thanksgiving with us!

We're in the home stretch...officially the third trimester! I simply cannot believe how fast it has flown by! This week was the big gestational diabetes test and check-up at the OB office. I had to fast for 10-12 hours prior to my appointment, which wasn't a huge deal since it was at 10:00 in the morning. When I got there I had my blood drawn then had to drink a very sugary drink (I picked fruit punch flavor). I had heard from some people that this part wasn't going to be the most enjoyable, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Heck, it was a breeze! Probably because my brother and I grew up drinking Kool-Aid with two cups of sugar. Whoops! We lived on that stuff, and look, we survived! If anything, it prepared me for this test. After I drank that, we had our appointment with our P.A., Staci, (we alternate each time between her and my doctor) and got to hear baby girl's heartbeat. The sugar hadn't hit her yet because her heartbeat was still calm and relaxed. After the appointment, Adam went back to work and I sat in the waiting room for the two hours it takes to finish the test. The lab checks your blood sugar levels twice during this period to make sure you fall within the required range. I was excited and relieved to hear that I passed! My stomach was kind of upset the rest of the day, probably from the fasting and sugar drink followed by regular meals.

I ended up going to my primary care doctor the next day because I thought I was coming down with strep. I had been dealing with a sore throat for a couple days and had two red and white spots on the back of my throat. I didn't want to risk anything, especially over Thanksgiving when it would be hard to get in to see someone, so I scheduled an appointment. The doctor told me that strep can affect the baby, so I'm so glad I went. It turned out to be just a viral infection and not strep, so that was good news. It was worth going for peace of mind alone.

Other than this, no major changes this week. I did have my first experience of very swollen ankles. Adam loves making fun of my "kankles." They were pretty bad. Even my mom was a little taken aback. Fortunately they went back down after getting off my feet and taking my boots/socks off. Also sometimes when I walk my low back will seize up temporarily, and my leg will buckle a little. No bueno! That's when those chiropractic adjustments become a must!

As for baby girl at week 28...

Baby girl's stats for this week:

At week 28, baby girl weighed about 2-1/4 lbs. and was about 14.8 in. long from head to heel (supposedly about the size of a large eggplant). She can now blink her eyes, which have lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters through my womb (cool!). She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain (one smart cookie!) and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world. We can't wait to meet you, but keep growin', baby girl!

See you back here for your week 29 update.

Stay warm, my friends!

27 Weeks.

Better late than never! Here's last week's 27-week update. Sorry for the delay!

It was another busy week around here. Adam's 28th birthday was on Thursday, so I made dinner for him (Chicken Taquitos per his request) and one of his favorite desserts (Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars). The kitchen looked like a tornado hit, but we let the dishes sit for the night so we could relax and watch the movie The Internship. It was a nice break, and we had some laughs thanks to Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. On Friday we got to celebrate with his parents and grandma at Cox Bros. BBQ here in town. So yummy and such a blessing to be able to spend time with them. 

Adam isn't big on birthdays, but I refuse to let it pass like any other day. Hence the surprise candles on his birthday dessert.

Hey, at least I didn't sing to him. Once baby girl is old enough to sing with me, there will be no holding us back.

Doodles must have known it was his birthday. Her gift? Sitting on his lap. This never happens.

Doodles has also been cozying up in my pregnancy pillow. I can understand why she'd be drawn to it, so I can't say that I blame her. 

She looked so cute and comfy I couldn't bring myself to move her right away.

What's even cuter? This....

What else have I been up to? Loads and loads of laundry that look like this.

Yep, those are adorable little clothes for baby girl.

We have been fortunate enough to receive a ton of clothes already as hand-me-downs. I received about 6 bags from a co-worker who has three girls and a tub of toddler clothes from another friend. Talk about a huge blessing! The piles have been sitting behind our couch for well over a month just waiting to be sorted. I finally tackled this daunting project this weekend...first sorting by size then washing load after load after load, then folding and finally placing in the nursery. I'm still in shock over how many clothes she already has. It was so fun to go through all of them and oooo and ahhh over how adorable they are. I can't wait to see her in all the cute little outfits! How will I ever decide what to dress her in each day?

This is her closet so far....wow! Still working on the organization, but it's a start.

This doesn't even take into account the pile of pj's, bloomers, and hats in the dresser.

We are blessed, that's for sure!

We may or may not have forced Doodles to model a couple of the hats (before washing them). She was thrilled, as you can see.

OK, on to the (delayed) weekly update. As promised, here is the bump picture! I bet you thought I forgot.

27 weeks. Getting bigger, no doubt about it!

Of course Sadie had to be a part of the photo shoot. Proud sister.

No major changes last week...just more frequent trips to the potty. I think my poor bladder is getting squished. Still experiencing constant back pain and having lots of dreams each night. To add to the fun, I've had charlie horse cramps in my calves waking me in the middle of the night (talk about a rude awakening). I was giving Adam a hard time because I'm very dramatic when these strike, and he still doesn't wake up. I'm just grateful to still be sleeping through the night at this point. Baby girl's movements still catch me off guard at times. She has had a pattern of movement for quite a while now as I'm sure it follows her wake/sleep schedule. I absolutely love feeling her move--it's literally the neatest thing. I mean, think about it! I know I'll miss it after pregnancy, but it will also mean that she'll be here and in my arms instead!

Baby girl's stats for this week:

As of last week, baby girl weighed almost 2 lbs. and was about 14-1/2 in. long with legs extended. She's now sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and maybe even sucking her fingers. Her brain is very active now, and while her lungs are still immature, they'd be capable of functioning with a lot of medical help. Supposedly I'd be able to feel hiccups now, but I don't think I've felt them yet!

I'll be back this weekend for your 28-week update. I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving full of laughter, love, and tons of delicious food. Count your blessings--we are certainly counting ours and thanking God for everything He has given us!

Project: Nursery (Sneak Peek) + Weekly Update

Slowly but surely we're making progress on baby girl's nursery. I thought I'd let you all catch a little sneak peek of the progress so far.

I wish I would have taken a picture of the room before we ever started turning it into a nursery. It was a guest room/office combo that was a bit of a hodgepodge. The walls were tan, but thanks to my awesome sister-in-laws, the walls are now the beautiful shade you see below, Benjamin Moore: blue grass. 

This was before the new carpet was put in.

Adam hard at work touching up the paint on the trim. 

Now with the new-to-us free carpet, thanks to a remodel Dad was working on! The curtains aren't staying.

The very beginnings of one corner in the nursery. It'll transform even more as I add details!

The dresser/changing table is an old buffet table we found at a secondhand store in Salina. 

Mom and Dad were gracious enough to refinish it, paint it white, and add the glass inserts. 

You should have seen it before! Knobs still need to be added, hence the blue painter's tape that you see. 

I was so excited to find the perfect knobs at Hobby Lobby, half-off even! 

They fit our color scheme perfectly...yellow/grey/white accents with the blue/green walls. 

I can't wait to see them on the dresser!

I couldn't resist this cute switch plate, also half-off! I love chevron.

Another half-off bargain that will be part of the gallery wall collage I'm going to put over the dresser.

 

We have several more projects in the works, so I'll be sure to keep you updated as the room progresses. I know I still have some time, but my February deadline is looming and panic is starting to set in, especially when I think of everything else that needs to be done. Somehow it always comes together though. Deep breath, Chelsie.

***************

As for your 26-week update...it has been a busy week, so unfortunately no bump picture (next week, I promise!). As you can see, we've all been just a little pooped around here.

 No major notable changes on my end this week. Still tired and dealing with a lot of back pain, so I've been trying to be more consistent about getting my prenatal chiropractic adjustments (called the Webster technique) from one of the chiropractors at my office. I feel so blessed to work somewhere where I have access to this! It has definitely helped; it just seems that every other day I'm reversing the progress by lifting things and overdoing it (naughty, I know). One day I'll realize I can't (and shouldn't) do everything I could do pre-pregnancy. Sometimes this can be a very tough realization.

We did some more car shopping/test driving on Tuesday (the coldest night thus far...brrr!). We are slowly narrowing things down, but we still have a ways to go before anything is final. We continue to do our research at home and mull things over. This is a big investment! This weekend I went back home to and help Mom with her booth at the craft show, so that was fun! Sadie went along as my co-pilot and played in the leaves with Dad and explored their two acres. She had so much fun that she's currently passed out on the couch as I write this. Adam has had a full weekend of work with the football game yesterday and men's basketball today. With the win yesterday, we are now bowl-eligible, so the extra preparations that come with that have started as well. We'll have a small break tonight at our church's Thanksgiving dinner. Yum!

Baby girl's stats for this week:

The nerves in her ears are better developed and more sensitive than before, so it's likely that she can now hear Adam's voice as well. That means she can definitely hear Sadie's shrill barks! She's also inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which helps develop her lungs and is good practice for when she takes her first breath of air. She's continuing to put on baby fat and now weighs about 1-2/3 lbs. and is about 14 in. from head to heel.

It won't be long before my belly button is completely popping out...it's a little over halfway there at this point. This is so weird to me since I've always had an innie! Some of baby girl's movements have felt really strange this week...almost like she's turning over. Hard to explain, but it's a wave-like sensation. Who knows what she's doing in there!

Doodles is thoroughly enjoying my growing belly (at least someone is!) and seems to think it is the perfect place for cuddling. Admittedly, I think it's cute, and I'm still loving this sweeter version of Doodles.

I wonder what baby girl thinks when she hears the purring. :o) Hopefully it's soothing!

Alright, time to go make green bean casserole for the dinner tonight. Can't wait for all the yummy food!

Have a fabulous, blessed week!

Puppy-Luv

Perhaps Sadie is part bunny...because she sure loves carrots.

This was her sad little beggar's face at lunch today.

At least she wanted something healthy. That counts for something, right?

She wasn't the one dunking them in a veggie mayo/sour cream dip. That was me.

Cool, my dog is officially healthier than I am. I'll pull the pregnancy card while I still can.

So of course I indulged her (several times), making sure to cut the carrots into even smaller bite-size pieces. 

Good mommy practice.

Perhaps they should be called...Puppy-Luv? 

Even though this is blurry, it was just too cute not to share.

She may enjoy carrots, but apples are her first true love (if we're talking healthy eating). 

She'll come running into the kitchen as soon as she hears me slicing one, and every other bite goes to her.

Perhaps she's trying to send me subliminal messages that I need to cut back on the m&m's and eat more fruits and veggies. 

OK, Sadie...no promises, but I'll try.

25 Weeks.

Monday marked 25 weeks. Time sure is flying...

...and the bump sure is growing!

This is my "wow, look at that bump!" face.

Overall, I have felt pretty good this week minus your usual discomforts (back and shoulder pain) and sleepiness. According to my co-workers, my bump has finally "popped," but they still think I look small for how far along I am. Dad was here this morning to help with "Project: Nursery" and he said, "Yea, you definitely look pregnant now." Yep, you're right. I have definitely grown considerably in the past two weeks. I know, I know, you're probably thinking...that's nothing, girl! Just wait until you're closer to 40 weeks. You're right, I have a lot of growing left to do, but it's still a big change!

Sleep is getting more and more difficult as I struggle to get comfortable, and I know that will only get worse as well. I have also been having pretty vivid/weird dreams, which I have read is common with pregnancy.

I haven't had any weird cravings yet. I hear those typically come later. I do wake up every morning wanting orange juice though. We were always too cheap to spend money on orange juice pre-pregnancy (it's expensive stuff!), but you can bet your bottom dollar it's in our fridge now. Fortunately I've managed to get it on sale nearly every time.

The leftover Halloween candy is partly responsible for the bump growth this week. I refuse to tell you how many fun-size Snickers, Twix, and Kit Kats I've consumed since the 31st. Yikes. I'm grimacing just thinking about it. Adam did help a little, but let's just say I ate more than my fair share. I have never had self-control with sweets, so imagine what I'm like pregnant.

Adam and I started to get more serious about our vehicle search this week and have started test driving. I think we've both realized that time really is flying and that February will be here before we know it. Hoping our search is relatively painless. Time to get rid of the ol' Rally Sport that I've had since I was 14. We both have two-door cars...not a good mix with a baby + a carseat + a stroller + the million little things that must accompany said baby. Oh, and don't forget the 40-lb. dog that travels with us. Hence, the vehicle search.

Sadie and Doodles have been very sweet lately. Well, let's be real...Sadie is always sweet, so no shock there. The real surprise has been Doodles. She has been very friendly and has been sitting on my lap every day and has been more present. People say that our pets can sense when we're pregnant...so maybe that's what is happening. Whatever it is, I'll take it. They both like to follow me around. I like to think that they're already being protective of their little sis. I just had to capture this sweet moment the other night...

Just me and my girls. Sadie + Doodles + baby bump = love.

Baby girl's stats this week: 13-1/2 inches long, 1-1/2 lbs and is starting look more and more like a newborn. She is supposedly also growing more hair...unless she takes after me...then the poor thing will be bald until she's two. I read awhile ago that my uterus is now about the size of a soccer ball. For some reason that completely blew my mind. I guess that explains the bump!

Well, I do believe it's time for a nap...I have to take advantage while I can. If only you could stock up on sleep....sigh....

Until next time!

Part 2...

As promised, here is Part 2 of our gender reveal party...enjoy!

We finally got to see the "gender-revealing" ultrasound photo. I did not understand what I was looking at!

Still trying to figure it out. Good thing the ultrasound tech knew what she was looking at!

The proud parents-to-be!

Family shot, minus Doodles. Poor thing missed out, but we love her lots!

I love my Sadie baby! So glad she could be a part of the day.

The group shot...such special people!

Me and sweet Auds. Love this girl so much! I hope she and our babe can be great friends!

 

Sadie was watching us while we took pictures out front. 

Me and Dad.

Me and Mom.

A very happy ending to a very special day!

This was such a special day that I will hold close to my heart. I'm so so glad that I followed through on my dream of having a gender reveal party. It was incredibly special to be able to share such a big moment with people we love dearly. 

Reality didn't hit me until Adam and I were away from everyone and all the excitement. We were in the car driving back to Manhattan, and I just started crying sweet tears of joy. I was sitting in the backseat so Sadie could sit in the front passenger seat (1. yes, I realize how pathetic that sounds.  2. it's that or sit in the passenger seat and have a 40 lb. dog in your lap for an hour and fifteen minutes, while pregnant. no thank you.). I started laughing as I wiped my tears and exclaimed to Adam, "I'm crying!" He wondered why and all I could come up with is..."We're going to have a little girl...I can do her hair...!" It had finally sunk in that we were going to have a precious baby girl...that I too would get to have a daughter and share a special bond and friendship with her just like I share with my own mom, and that I would get to do her hair...and on and on...sigh...what a huge blessing from a loving Creator and Father.

We can not wait to begin this adventure with our sweet baby girl!

It's a....

GIRL!!!

I'm so excited to finally be sharing the photos from our gender reveal party! It was such an incredibly special and FUN day, and we were so blessed to be able to share it with so many people we love. This baby girl is one lucky lady. She is going to be surrounded by amazing people! We were fortunate enough to have one of my high school classmates as our photographer for the event, and I'm beyond grateful for the moments she captured. We will forever treasure these photos.

Because there are so many to share, I will do this post in two parts. Enjoy!

The reveal was at my parents' home. Here are some fun details courtesy of my mom. She's so talented!

Even Sadie got in the spirit! As you can see, she was conflicted on the gender.

So special to have my grandma there for the big reveal!

Chatting with the guests before the reveal.

Most of the lovely Lamas family! So grateful they could be there.

Oh, Auds. Love you! 

The men....looking manly.

Sister-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law. I think they were laughing at Audrey here.

A special friend and her sweet kiddos!

My mom was just a little anxious to get the show on the road and do the reveal.

The trunk that held the mystery balloons....dun dun dunnnn....

My mom's best friend, Diane, was gracious enough to be the secret keeper for us. She is like an aunt to me and my brother and has been a part of our lives since we were born, so it was extremely special to have her do this for us. After our sonogram we mailed the sealed envelope to her, and she prepared the big surprise for all of us. She was wonderful and never let it slip to anyone, even those who asked! Thank you so much, Diane! We love you!

After a little bit of chatting and an impromptu hair change for me (thanks to the KS wind), it was time for the big moment....cue the tummy butterflies...

Watching the balloons fly away...

And cue the hugs, high fives, tears of joy, and broad smiles... 

Me and my mama.

My mom and mother-in-law...two very excited first-time grandmas!

Adam and my dad.

My dad....now that's one proud (and excited) grandpa!

Adam and his dad. Another proud grandpa who was super excited it was a girl!

Me and my dad.

Me and my mother-in-law.

Me and my father-in-law.

Me and Diane...our special secret-keeper!

A hug from my big brother...he is going to be the best uncle! He'll spoil her rotten.

Joy!!!

Right after my godson (in the stripes) told me my baby was going to be his girlfriend. Too funny!

Sadie was so excited she rolled around in the grass for awhile! 

Watching the video that was captured.

Looking back on these pictures never gets old. I just love seeing the unbridled joy and the special moments and expressions that were captured.

Stay tuned for Part 2!