Belly Pics!!!!

I've done this with my other kiddos...so I must do it again. I take pictures of my belly every month to see how much I've grown. The problem the third time around was that I forgot to take them sometimes and had to do a lot of it myself (or enlist my 5 year old's help). It's also very depressing to see how much bigger I started off each successive time. For instance, at three months this time around, I look about what I was like at FIVE months pregnant with Addie. My muscles were definitely stronger back the. Anyway- enough complaining...on with the show:

 3 months

  4 months

 5 months

 7 months (forgot to take 6 month photo)

 8 months

9 months

Three days until DD! (approx 40 weeks)

I have to be honest: I'm much bigger this time around than I was with either of the girls. I'm not ALL baby...I'm pretty sure I induldged myself with too much food and not enough exercise to balance it out. Now, I will have to run a marathon to get into shape instead of the half I ran after having Eliza. I seriously have a lot of work to do to get back into shape. YIKES!

Here's how I grew with Addie and Eliza. 

So here's the lowdown on this baby boy:

• I'm due on Friday (1/27) and Doctor Adams is going to induce me @ 6:30 am.
• He still doesn't have a name---we are true procrastinators.
• His room is going to be cute...whenever it gets done. We are going to have guests until he's almost a month old and they will need to stay in his room, so I don't have it put together. I'll post pics when I can.
• I'm dialated to 3cm- weird- but nothing else seems to happening.
• I'm not as uncomfortable with the pregnancy as I was with Eliza. He doesn't seem to have dropped as much so I don't have the waddle thing going on.
• I'm not sleeping well- mainly because of just being pregnant, but also I'm stressed out about not having a name. It's amazing that our other two kids have one.
• I'm kind of scared to have three kids----that's a lot of responsibility and I'm nervous about managing it all. (I realize it's going to happen, regardless, but I thinks it's okay to feel this way.) I remember being afraid to be alone with both girls for the first time too. Some things take a while to get used to.
• I appreciate and am grateful for your prayers.We are having overlapping guests for weeks after the birth and I'm worried that I might become overwhelmed and frustrated with the prolonged visits. I hope the lack of sleep and space doesn't take what patience and grace I have left in me.

Okay...check in on us on Friday and we will have an important announcement to make!

Nesting

"Nesting" has always been a bit of a myth to me. It seemed like an old wives tale that people talked about toward the end of pregnancy...preparing for the birth of the baby. I'd never really experienced it anyway. But this past week...I think I might be, well, "nesting". I've cleaned out the car, organized the kitchen pantry & set up as much of the baby room as I can (family will be staying there for quite a while after his birth when they are visiting). I cleaned out the oven, the microwave and the fridge. Cleaned out the girls' closets...and our room- countless times- although you wouldn't know it if you looked at it. I've organized bath toys, organized my cabinet in my bathroom, the laundry room cabinet, and have done countless trips vacuuming up and down stairs (this seems to be an endless task. Perhaps the best improvement I've made is a new "in box" & filing system for all the junk that comes in the house and clutters up the kitchen counter. I now have an "In Box" a "Do Now" bin, and a "Do Later" bin.
 
Everything has a place in this pantry now!


The only thing I should probably tackle is our closet and the basement...but I REALLY don't have any desire to do these tasks without Micah. He should definitely have the joy of organizing those living spaces!!!

My lovely little girls are keeping me busy...as always. Addie Sue is making something all the time. She is constantly leaving out scissors, tape, staplers, etc. (Don't be surprised if a future post is about Eliza cutting her hair). She makes many unique creations, such as, paper purses (with staples), really long measuring devices made from paper and tape, binoculars, cards, necklaces, bracelets. The list goes on and on. She also LOVES my new Dance 3 game on the Wii. Both of them get their little booties shaking and it makes for quite a lovely evening of entertainment. BTW- I love Just Dance 3 and will be participating with 100% effort if this baby doesn't come by next week. It's bound to throw me into labor!

 


Eliza is such a loving, funny  toddler. She is always saying, "I want to hold you." "Give me a kiss". "You okay Mommy?" She blows kisses to complete strangers and melts their hearts with a quick "Have a nice day!" That being said, she's not all Miss Congeniality. She puts on a good show when she doesn't want to do something we tell her to do. Dinner is full of crying and time-out because she doesn't like to sit in her chair. She also insists on wearing shoes around the house, which her daddy cannot tolerate. This often leads to tears. But- overall, she's a joy & I pray she transitions to Miss Middle with grace. I can't imagine her not loving this baby to pieces, but I just want her to feel loved and not pushed off to the side.

 Eliza played with snow INSIDE!

Addie played with the snow OUTSIDE!

Lucas plays whenever and with whoever gives him attention- poor boy.

The doctor said he'd induce me this Friday...not because there is any medical reason. Don't really know why...I guess because I asked him if he'd consider inducing me at some point. He said that I'm 2 cm and a great candidate for induction and put me on the books for this Friday am. He told me that when I go in for my appointment on Wednesday, I could let him know if I still want to go on Friday. After talking it over with Micah, I think we're going to wait until my due date, Jan. 27th (next friday). It doesn't seem right to evict the little guy before 40 weeks. I have a few last minute details to take care of with Thirty-One. Plus---I'm painfully aware that, as my mom says, this baby is a lot easier to take care of now than he will be when he's out of the womb. 

38 weeks

I'm about two weeks away from delivering this little boy and I'm full of mixed emotions.

Sure, I'm uncomfortable. Don't want to bore you with the list of all the physical discomforts of this pregnancy. But, I think I'm more uncomfortable with everyone's comments to me about my belly. The comments are all over the board. Seriously,  within one hour I might get a two comments that are so conflicting (these are actual quotes):

• "Whoa! I don't see how you can get any bigger!"
• "I was waaaay bigger than you are! You're not very big."
• "You look miserable!" - actual quote from the store clerk at Dick's
• "You look great. I was hardly able to walk at this point."

I try to take their comments with a grain of salt, but sometimes, it just gets to me. Why must people say anything regarding my size or my appearance? How about, "I'll be thinking of you." Something thoughtful and encouraging. 


Just venting. I try to remind myself that this is my last pregnancy and I should enjoy every moment. Soon, it will be over and I won't have the joy of feeling a baby stretch in my womb or rub my palm across a cute little bum. I won't be okay with my husband playing with my belly button. And I certainly won't want my children to lift my shirt up and kiss my belly. I just have to learn to shut out comments that irk me in the next two weeks. Maybe I should just stay inside until then.

Anyway-
Here I am...full term.

Feel free to leave a comment...but hopefully, after reading this post, you will refrain from negative comments about my size. Every woman is different..as is every pregnancy and every child. 

Right now, I'm dilated 1 1/2 cm and baby is head down, ready to go. I'll keep you posted!



Side note-- I hosted a Thirty-One open house on Sunday because it's our annual Thermal Tote sale. I'm planning to close it on Wednesday so if you're interested in buying a tote, you still have time. Go to www.mythirtyone.com/bethhunt to order. I'm so close to have a $500 party and would appreciate any extra orders to up my hostess benefits!

Happy NEW Year!

 I'm 36 weeks folks! That means that if I go into labor this week, the doctor will let me! Not that this would happen...but hey, it's a milestone! It's not pretty, but since I've taken belly pictures in my other pregnancies...I had to post it. 9 Months:

We celebrated New Year's Eve with Sue and Kevin Brown. The oldest kids made it all the way to midnight...and joined in welcoming 2012.

Yes...I know it isn't flattering...but hopefully the double chin will go away after baby!

Sue and Kevin

Kalani, Savannah, & Addie

 Both the girls started the new year off with a new skill. Eliza enjoyed painting (with the genetic tongue sticking out- A and I do it when we concentrate too!)
 Eliza counted to 12 all on her own yesterday. And Addie learned to tie her shoes!!!!