out and about

Can I just start by saying how much I adore her frowny, old man face in the third photo. All the heart-eyes!! Seven and a half weeks of being a mom and I can now spout off all the cliched things about how much I love it and her and how life is different...yada, yada, yada. It's all true. I get it now.

This past week we were out and about a ton. I took her to a Little Gym class. Ridiculous for a 7 week old, I know, but it was cute. I thought it would be nice to meet other moms with babies the same age. It was also nice having an activity that wasn't grocery shopping. The class was for 6 week to 6 months and babies were all at the top of that range. She is still in the stage where she mainly eats and naps. She will do tummy time for like 5 seconds before she starts crying.

Then I went to a mom's group that I found in Plano. I really enjoyed it, as the babies were closer to Gemma's age and many of the mom's cloth diaper too. Being able to chat with people who are in a similar place in life is so important. I am excited to go back next week.

I'm still feeling my way through transitioning this blog. It was a style blog for so long and then I started posting bump pictures. Now, I am not sure what to do with it. I don't know how much of my life and my daughter's life I want on the internet. Yet, I find that holding back and watching what I say results in me sounding choppy and stilted. I don't know. I will just continue to figure it out as I go.

jeans: Motherhood maternity...still :( partially because they are comfortable and partially because I am not sure which box my normal jeans are packed in...up in the attic. 

top: Old Navy

kimono: Umagee (from Paperline Boutique)

boots: Target

#ftm

Okay, I admit that this post is a bit deceptive. In the past 5 weeks, I have put on a dress exactly 2 times. I am in my pajamas until noon, if not later most days. I can count on one hand the number of times lipstick has happened. I am not even sure I remember how to do my winged liner. So, I confess that this is not my normal look these days. Not brushing my hair and rumpled PJ's...that is my norm.

But I did actually get dressed in real clothes and I brushed and braided my hair and I left the house. This warranted a blog post. So, here I am all dressed up and heading to Target and the grocery store.

Honestly, I leave the house most days, just not in a dress. I try to run errands during one of her naps since she sleeps like a champ in the car or in her Ergo carrier. Jeremie and I take walks with her most days. Other than that, maternity leave is super chill. I think I am going to have a meltdown when I am back in the frantic pace of the classroom. It will be an adjustment for sure. But I am getting ahead of myself. For now, I am going to enjoy this time at home with my baby.

bump week 40

This was March 21 and I went into labor that night. I was definitely ready for baby to come and I got my wish at 10 o'clock that evening when I began having contractions. 23 hours later, on March 22, Gemma Lynne was born. The past 5 (almost 6) weeks have gone by in the blink of an eye and I can not even believe it's about to be May. 

I was so huge at this point! I am happy to report that all my shoes and my wedding rings fit again. I loved being pregnant but I did not love having cankles. Now that my feet and legs are back to normal, I am doubly horrified by how swollen they were. 

I so enjoyed chronicling my pregnancy and I will miss these weekly posts. Farewell pregnancy, hello motherhood. 

dress: Target

cardigan: Paperline Boutique (not sure of brand)

shoes: Toms

bump week 39

39 weeks 5 days here. I had issues uploading photos, which is why I am just now posting. Today, today I am actually 40+2. That's right, the due date came and went. No baby yet. I had my 40 week appointment and all is well. I don't know if I've even mentioned that I am planning to try to have an unmedicated, intervention free birth. Try being the operative word. With that being the plan my doctor says we will just wait for her to decide to come. She will schedule an induction at 42 weeks if baby hasn't come by that point.

That will be March 31st, but I am hoping she comes sooner. Up until the 40 week mark, I was all about her staying put and making it to the due date. But as soon as Friday came and went, I flipped. I'm ready for her to come. It's time.

Friday night I freaked out b/c I thought my belly button was turning into an "outie" This doesn't happen to every pregnant woman and so far my belly buttoin has stayed inside. But I've been really worried about it...does it just pop out like those thermometers in a turkey? Is it a gradual thing? I'm very weirded out by either possibility. Turns out it was a false alarm.

Then last night I thought I got my first stretch mark on my belly. I've been very lucky to not get any stretch marks on my stomach yet. Actually, from what I've read, I have my mom to thank for that...thanks Mom. I was getting ready for bed and thought I saw a few on the left side. Turns out they were just creases from laying on that side. She's not too big yet, they estimated 7 lbs 11 oz. If she stays put another 2 weeks and my belly keeps growing and stretching, stretch marks are inevitable.

I'll try to post again this week for the 40th week.

skirt: Old Navy

top: H&M Mama

cardi: J Crew

boots: Target

bump week 38 + 4

 Still week 38 and I've found a nice balance between being busy and relaxing. I've graded and written lesson plans, baked two batches of muffins to freeze (banana oat and vanilla pear), continued to putter around in baby's room. I've also gone to the library and picked up a few books to read and taken walks with Jeremie. Slow walks because walking is definitely more difficult these days.
Spring Break is about half over, I should actually say I still have half of my Spring Break left. Between a doctor appointment, visiting with friends, and puppy sitting I have plenty to do and plenty of time to veg. Baby still seems happy and content to wait until March 17th and I am fine with that.

dress: Motherhood Maternity

shoes: Tom's

necklace: unpossible cuts

bump week 38

Friday is the day that I change weeks, so when I took these on Saturday, I was 38 weeks and 1 day. I went to a wedding that evening, which is why I was dressed up. I usually don't wear maternity clothes that flow or billow out. I feel huge with all that fabric and much prefer the more form fitting maternity clothes. I thought I liked this dress, but I was uncomfortable all night. It was short, it was tight in the wrong places, and I was not a fan.
I am on Spring Break and am struggling to relax. I am not used to having so much free time. I end up either filling my time with errands and chores or sitting around feeling bored and antsy. I need a good book to read. I was reading a baby book called, The Wonder Weeks, but I really disliked it and put it aside. I end up getting bored enough to start grading, which is good because I have a huge stack of papers to grade before baby comes.
The best part about Spring Break are the leisurely mornings. I really enjoy having these mornings with Jeremie to get up slowly and have breakfast. I am a morning person, so getting to spend mornings with him is the best! We should enjoy them since our leisurely mornings are numbered.

dress: Motherhood Maternity

boots: Target

tights: compression tights, not sure of brand

bump week 37

I think she grew a ton over night b/c I woke up feeling much bigger. People must get sick of me saying each week how much bigger I've gotten, but it's true. It's fascinating and super weird to watch your body change in this way and you can't not talk about it.

I got curtains for her room this past weekend though I am not sure when I'll put them up. My lovely best friend bought the rest of the cloth diapers I'll need. So many people have given so generously to us and words can't describe how that feels. We all feel so loved and cared for and supported. So thank you. Thank you for the kind words, sweet comments, gifts, help, gift cards, donations. Thank you! When I lived in Kiribati, I remember marveling at their sense of community and closeness, feeling like as Americans, we don't have the same feeling of community. We are too big, too independent, too spread out. But this experience is showing me that we do pull together and take care of one another, celebrate with one another, show up in countless ways. Its different, but it's community none the less.

Ha! Pregnant and emotional much?

Jeremie is ready for her to be here. We had agreed that we were pulling for her due date, but he has jumped ship and is ready to meet her. Sigh. I am still hoping for March 17th, but as I have no say in the matter, I'm just taking it day by day. She'll come when she comes. I've gotten much of my checklist done. Car seat in car, stroller assembled, diapers ready, sub plans mostly done, maternity leave approved, hospital bag started. Spring break is next week and I don't even know what I'll do with myself. Wait to meet this baby I guess.

Week 37 - Week 25

dress: Old Navy Maternity

sweater: Motherhood Maternity 

scarf: Target

flats: Target