Week 29: Butternut Squash

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!

Summer is upon us...and this means the arrival of Baby C is getting closer.

Cash is going to begin some rapid weight gain over the next weeks, this week his/her weight is about 2 1/2 pounds and over 15 inches long.  The head is growing bigger to make room for their developing brain.  The human body is pretty amazing.

We had our 29 week appointment this week.  I went 3 weeks between visits because Dr. E is going to be out of town next week.  I'm not to keen on seeing the partners but in the coming appointments I am not going to have a choice.  They made all of my remaining appointments when I checked out this week.  Boy it made the arrival of this little even more real - this kid is coming!!  And of course my doc is on vacation the last week of July...

We are both doing well.  Cash is breech but of course still has time to turn into position for delivery.  Doc measured my fundal height (the size of my uterus) and I asked what my measurement was this time.  I am measuring 31 centimeters.  

This week has been a full week with pedicures with the girls, poolin' and grillin' with "The Ten", and spending today on Tim's Ford Lake.  It is a different experience when you cannot participate in skiing, wake boarding or knee boarding, but it was nice to be out in the sun and water.  I pray pray pray Cash is a water baby!!

Hope you all are enjoying your long weekend :)

xoxo,
CC

**Happy Birthday Dootsie ~ We love you**

Week 28: Chinese Cabbage

This week Cash is a bit over 2 pounds, the size of a Chinese cabbage...grow baby grow!!

I looked at the calendar this week and realized it had been one year since we said our goodbyes to our UK family, and luckily this week we got a visit from one of them.  Kristine was my cubemate and most days my lunch buddy.  She is incredible intelligent and the most logical person I know.  She became my confidant, my partner in crime, my friend.  She had also just moved to the UK a bit before me from Latvia.  Even though at times what we were trying to communicate to each other might need to be translated, we understood each other on another level that can really not be explained.

Kristine was in the states for business and flew down to Nashville before flying back to the UK.  It is very flattering for a friend to travel so far for a short visit.  She arrived Friday night and the hubs and I greeted her at the airport.  We went back to our home for a nightcap.   I was surprised with a care package from many of our UK family.  Kristine is a wonderful knitter and made Cash a blanket, some socks and gave us a book of fairy tales.  Cash will also be styling an adorable Union Jack onesie for awhile as we got 2 sizes thanks to Tracy and Jo, there we also some treats for us as well...the Team GB Olympic blanket is fantastic!  We chatted on the deck before calling it a night as Saturday was a full day.  We started with introducing her to Cracker Barrel.  We chose the Sunrise Sampler for her and I hope she enjoyed it even though she is not a big breakfast kind of gal.  We then went to a nearby mall for some shopping.  She had found a pair of Calvin Klein heels in Indy but did not have her size and we found them here.  Score #1.  We then went picnicking at Arrington Vineyards with our dear friends of the good ole US of A.  My husband had prepared a lovely spread and we just enjoyed the great weather and friendship.  We could not have asked for a better afternoon.

After freshening up, we took her to Stoney River for dinner.  We had never been ourselves and had been told great things about it.  It was a nice meal and having a medium steak was a treat for me.  We then took her downtown to let her see Nashville at night.  The honkey tonks were hopping.  We ventured in a few boot stores and stopped in Robert's for Kristine to have a Pabst Blue Ribbon and enjoy some music before calling it a night.  Again we came home for a nightcap and just more quality time together.  Today the hubs had to work, but Kristine and I still had a bit of shopping to do before she could fly back across the pond.  She wanted a leather jacket, and Wilson's Leather at Opry Mills delivered.  I am jealous of her purchase and you can get a great deal in May on leather.  Score #2.  We had some extra time so we ventured on through the mall and went in RCC for the heck of it.  And after some consideration, she ended up with a pair of Dan Post cowboy boots.  Score (and splurge) #3.  I was so proud to send her off in some nice boots :)

Saying goodbye was incredibly hard and I am not certain I said enough just how much it meant to see her.  (I am glad "tomato" season was over...haha.)  Next time I hope the visit is much longer and it will be a bonus that Cash will get to met Aunt Kristine.

I pray we will not have to go a year before we are together again my dear friend.  In the meantime, I will keep you in my heart...

Love,
CC

Week 27: Cauliflower

Cash is around 2 pounds this week, like the head of a cauliflower and about 14 1/2 inches long.  So far I am lucky that Cash does not move much in the night.  Any movements are not enough to wake me.  I think I am used to some of the smaller kicks and adjustments the kiddo does, unless it's very low and those are just uncomfortable.

This week the hubby had a much needed break from school/work and did some work in the garden and nursery.  We had an accident with a shelf but nothing that some putty couldn't fix and at the end of the week the hole was patched and a new shelf was built and hung on the wall.  I also received news that I passed my glucose test, but have low iron and I need to take a supplement.  I have heard horrible stories over what iron will do to my already slow system, but I'll take it anyways if it is what the baby and I need.

We spent his last day/night of his break with breakfast at Cracker Barrel and running some errands.  When we were headed home from our errands, we passed a truck in the Target parking lot with a sign that said "Kittens"  First I am allergic, but I am a sucker for a cat and I miss having one around the house.  I insisted we just go home and do not stop, but the hubs turned around anyway.  He does all he can to make me happy...so we stopped and there were two left, a male and a female.  We would have taken them both but another couple showed up and took the male.  Our new baby is a brown tabby.  Per the previous owner, she is around 7 weeks.  Right now I am concerned because we think she does not know how to eat cat food but she will get there.  She is using a litter box we provided so that's a plus.  I do not want to be cleaning up messes all over the garage.  We are throwing names around - Lyra (because it was a girl's name we had wanted to use) or Arya Stark.  After getting the kitty settled in and doing some much needed organizing of the guest room closet, we finished our day with some Mexican food and The Avengers.  If you haven't seen it you should go.  It was excellent.  Oh how I love thee Iron Man...

Today I celebrated my mom and grandmother with lunch at my mom's house.  We had homemade salad with a copy cat Olive Garden dressing, Pioneer Woman lasagna, and a yellow cake mix, chocolate and peanut butter dessert I found on pinterest.  YUM.  It was a good day minus the normal family drama.  This is why you pick your friends ;)  

I've had a few Happy Mother's Day comments, some cards and mom got me a cute dress but even if I am growing a life right now, I do not feel like a mother yet.  Being a mother and what kind of mother I want to be is not something that is truly defined in my mind and I do not think this will take shape until Cash born.  I know this will change and adapt in all of the stages of his/her life.  My hope for my child to learn who they are along the way to adulthood.  I hope to give them the tools to accomplish this - help them explore interests, constantly learning, and evolving.  I am a believer that children learn by example, therefore I just hope to set the best example I know how for my child.

What lessons did you learn from your mother, grandmother, the most influential woman in your life?  What do you hope to pass along to your children?

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers out there.  Hope your day is full of love...

Candace

**Here's the only pic I have been able to get of our new family member.

Week 26: English Cucumber

This week Cash is approximately 14 inches long, or the length of an English cucumber.  Now this veggie I have had and do love.  I like this variety even more because it contains the word English :)

My 26 week check up was this week, including the glucose test.  The orange glucose drink was not bad but I am glad I ate an egg an hour before drinking it.  It did make me feel a bit lightheaded and nauseous and I had to stop and grab some food immediately following my appointment.

Dr. E says everything is looking good.  I have gained a total of 14 pounds, Cash's heartbeat was strong and even kicked her a two times while the doc listened, and she measured me this week for the first time.  In regards to my gallbladder, she thinks what I am doing with eliminating foods that cause the pain is the best solution.  At this time she does not see a reason for an ultrasound as they would not want to remove the gallbladder unless absolutely necessary.

I also brought up episeotomy at this visit since it was mentioned to my hubby.  Poor thing had to learn about this from an old high school friend who asked our "stance" on the subject.  I honestly have not really thought about it.  Doc said if I had a strong opinion on it she would respect my wishes but ultimately it would come down to how things look at delivery.  Her suggestion is if she sees I might rip she would prefer to cut a small amount than have me rip.  She also said in the moment most mom's are up for whatever as long as it gets the baby out...either way it will be painful but totally worth it.

My super creative hubby completed some art work in the nursery and it looks AMAZING.  I also began working on the dust ruffle for the crib and bought curtains to try in the room.  I am so excited and ready to get the rest of the room in order...we plan to work on it more this coming week.

 I am trying my best to take in every day and not rush things, but being a planner I like to think ahead and boy do I have a busy few months ahead before Cash's arrival.  The time will come soon enough and I will be blessed to experience our family becoming three with my uber talented best friend and hopefully have memories captured like the ones she documented for a family's birth this week.  

She is truly amazing!

On a side note - I finished Catching Fire (2nd book in the Hunger Game series) It's my fav of the series so far.  ~  I wish the hubs was home tonight to watch Game of Thrones but I have to patiently wait to watch on Tues night.  ~  I am so happy it rained today and I got some time with 2 of my best friends - just wish it was the 3 of us together.  ~

Happy Sunday!

xoxo,

CC