My 3rd 3rd Trimester

I should probably post a pregnancy update while I'm still pregnant, yes? It's weird to think this is my 3rd 3rd trimester. And no, it's certainly no more fun than it was the other 2 times.

But at least with this one I don't have to deal with carpal tunnel, swelling, or unknown gallbladder issues. Definitely an improvement from last time! My wrist only hurts if I spend too much time at the computer; but it would do that anyway. I'm still rocking the wedding ring at 37 weeks. And I no longer have a gallbladder ;)

But I have plenty of other discomforts. Oh yeah. Heartburn. Oh how I hate heartburn. And the waking up every 2 hours to use the bathroom. Yeah, that can go away now, thanks. Granted, I'll be up every 2 hours to nurse soon, but at least I'll be able to fall asleep again.

I have a huge belly that makes it hard to do things like brush my teeth or drive. I can't reach the sink without pushing on my tummy. At least I get out of dish duty this way! Driving is a challenge. I'm really short, so I have to be pretty close to the pedals. Which...doesn't work so great with a big fat belly pushing into the steering wheel. Thankfully, John usually drives when we go places anyway. It's when I'm going out on my own that I have to deal with it.

Not to mention the hormones. Oh boy. I've been crazy grumpy irritable psycho mom this whole time. Sleep deprivation makes it worse. Which, of course, happens frequently. I fly off the handle about the dumbest things. It's ridiculous. I'm trying to be patient...but it's so hard! Some days are better than others. And other days...well, let's not go there. I think my family will be very happy once these hormones are gone!

My son likes to push his butt or feet out. It hurts! Like his siblings, he prefers the right side. I'm mean; when he stretches out, I push him back in. If you're running out of room in there, you're welcome to come out...just sayin' ;)

But what I hate the most is ligament spreading. OH do I hate it! It hurts!! Getting up is so painful. Rolling over, walking, any type of position change - regardless of how small - hurts. I'm sore all the time. I'm so ready to be done with this!

Well...mostly. I have a big fat to do list that needs completing before he can make his appearance. Like finish Hyrum's baby book, clean my bedroom to make room for the pack n play, clean the car seat cover (it was in storage), finish updating my recipe book, give John and Hyrum haircuts, and get the blog up-to-date. That's not even close to everything. But I'm almost to the halfway point on Hyrum's baby book, I made significant progress on the bedroom project, I plan to give the boys their haircuts tomorrow evening, and, as you can see, I'm working on the blog updates now.

There will always be more to do than I can reasonably accomplish. As long as I get the high priority things done, we'll be set. And if not...we'll survive. All new babies really need are clothes to wear, food to eat, diapers, snuggles, and a place to sleep. Aside from the diapers, I've got everything I really need. All the same, I'd like to get more stuff done before he comes!

Health-wise, I'm doing great. I'm measuring perfectly, have awesome blood pressure, baby is right on track, etc. I've gained 22 lbs so far. So if I gain a pound a week like I'm "supposed" to, we're looking at around 25 lbs total. I gained 20 with Emma and 17 with Hyrum, but I also weighed less when I got pregnant this time around.

All in all, despite the many discomforts, everything is going great. We're so excited to meet our little boy!

Failure is Imminent

Hard drive failure, that is. Oh yes, I get to go through that again.

Thankfully, this time I had 1. forewarning, 2. a back up of the bad sectors, and 3. a valid warranty.

It all started when I tried to open my family pics folder...and it wouldn't open. It just hung and then tried to tell me that the drive wasn't formatted. Um, yes it is...the other folders worked just fine, too. Well, except for the friends pics folder. On the whole drive, those are the only sections I haven't been able to access. Good thing all those files are backed up on my external!!

I ran a diagnostic test on the drive. Or tried to. It stopped itself and said there were too many bad sectors to continue.

At that point, I looked into warranty info and thankfully it's still covered. Yay! So I get a replacement drive for free! Ish...I have to pay to ship the bad one to them. But $5 in shipping is a lot cheaper than buying a new 500 GB hard drive...

And then I backed up everything that wasn't already backed up. Thankfully most of my files were already backed up on my external. Phew! No data loss for me!

I'm also glad that if I have to lose a drive that it's my pics and digiscrap drive - as long as I've got everything backed up, that is. Which I do. I'm glad I don't have to reinstall Windows or Photoshop or any of my other programs. All those are on my main drive. I'll still have a functional computer while I wait for my replacement.

I'm not exactly thrilled that I have to go through the whole RMA process and wait for my new drive. But considering what could have happened, it's not so bad. Just a minor inconvenience. I have to pull out the bad drive, put it in an anti-static bag, wrap it up in bubble wrap, find a box, slap my shipping label on it, slather it with my RMA number, and ship it out. Annoying, but certainly not the end of the world. Nowhere near as awful as losing all my files (been there done that, it sucked) or being without a computer for awhile. Or having to *gasp* actually pay for my replacement drive. With money I don't have, of course. So glad it's free!

In the meantime, I'll be scrapping off my external hard drive! I should reorganize my files while I'm at it; it'll make the transition from back up to new drive much smoother. Ha - if I can find the time to do it! I've got a billion things to do in the next 3 weeks before my due date! Sorting through 5 months of files isn't exactly my favorite activity...;) But it needs to be done. It's just not the highest thing on my priority list at the moment. Packing my hospital bag is much higher on that [extremely long] list and I haven't even started yet. I've still got time, right? ;)

In Want of A Yard

Oooh how I want a yard. We live in a small 2 bedroom apartment. With 2 kids and a 3rd on the way. It meets our needs for now I guess, but it is small. I desperately want more space. But in the summertime, what I want most...is a real yard.

Sure, there are a few grassy areas around the complex. But they aren't what I'd call ideal. There's a long, narrow, sloped grassy median between the 2 parking areas. When we play outside at our complex, that's where we go. But it's not the most kid-friendly place to play. See?


You can see we have no qualms about staying in PJs all day ;)





And there are a few grassy areas at the street side of each building. But that's pretty much it. None of those areas are as play friendly as a full on yard. Our complex does not have a play structure; I asked about the possibility once, but there's really not a good place to put one. Not to mention the liability issue on their part.

There is a fabulous park just 2 blocks away...but sometimes I don't really want to put forth the effort required for a trip to the park. Especially in the heat and while pregnant. Pushing a double stroller with 55 lbs worth of kids + heat + 3rd tri = exhausting. Yeah, not very fun. At least not for me. So, most of our park trips lately have involved driving...and John has the car during the day since he has to, you know, be able to get to work...

What I really want is a yard. A fenced in backyard. With a wooden privacy fence.

Imagine the possibilities.

I could take the kids outside to play all day long - and in my PJs, without having to worry about people seeing my ratty, unwashed hair and yesterday's leftover makeup. No having to get ready before we play. Gotta love that.

I could bring a book to read while they play, or do housework or yard work (depending on kid's ages and the yard's safety).

We could have one of those awesome playhouse swing set structures. I'd love for my kids to have one.

I could plant a garden. Not a huge one; just the right size for us. John and I have decided that we'd prefer a smaller, modest garden. I'd have some tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, green peppers, basil (mmm, loooove fresh basil), garlic, strawberries, cherries, apples...maybe a few other herbs, fruits, and veggies. Just things we'd use enough to make it worth the effort.

And of course some pretty flowers and trees. Roses, lilies, willows...stuff like that. I want a nice, shaded garden area with a comfy bench or swing. Something semi-private and romantically tucked away in a back corner, but where I could also watch the kids play.

We'd want a nice, big open grass area for the kids to play in. It'd also be perfect for mingling with BBQ guests and such. Or running through the sprinkler and filling up a plastic kiddy pool. Or water balloon and squirt gun fights.

There'd be a patio area with a BBQ and a large picnic table. We really like the hexagonal ones. Those are just cool!

But on glorious summer nights like tonight, what I long for most is a nice, comfy swing or hammock on the back deck and a good book. Doesn't that sound simply divine? Or, as the kids get older, for all of us to sit out back and just enjoy being together in the evenings. I just love love love summer nights. The cool, refreshing air is simply delicious. I could eat it. It's so invigorating. It's definitely one of my favorite things about summer.

If I had a decent (and private) porch area, I'd probably be out there now. As it is, I've got a window open behind me and 2 fans blowing that delicious air towards me. But it's not quite the same as being out in it.

Next summer, however...we will have a yard. This is our last summer here. We'll head out to grad school in April. Wherever we end up for it, we will have some yard space. It's one of the big criteria for me. We want to rent a 3 bedroom house/duplex/townhouse. We need more space, more privacy, and more of an outdoor play area. I'm sick of sharing walls. I'm sick of not having enough room. And I'm sick of not having a yard.

My 30th Birthday

Ok, just writing that title makes me feel weird. And old. I can't believe I'm 30! So insane.

The funny thing is, I really don't feel any different. I don't feel like I've suddenly aged a billion years or anything. I feel pretty much the same. I don't feel 30. You're only as old as you feel, right? Right?

I had an awesome birthday, though. When John's boss found out my birthday was coming up, he let John have the day off. Yay! It's an unpaid internship anyway, so it's not like we're missing out on a day of pay. So I got to have my husband home on my birthday :D

First, I got to sleep in. Sort of...my body doesn't really let me sleep when I want to...but I got to lay in bed and relax while John and the kids made orange sweet rolls for breakfast. Mmm, breakfast in bed. Awesome.

We spent the morning just lounging around the house. Goofing off on Facebook, checking the weather forecast, watching kid movies, etc. John and Emma went to pick up my cake and a couple of other last-minute birthday foods during Hyrum's nap.

Lunch was a lazy "eat whatever you feel like" meal. I had PB&J, which of course my peanut allergy kids can't have. They had cheese, bread, egg rolls...something like that.

We went to the new water park after nap time. I was kind of bummed that the weather wasn't as cooperative as I'd hoped it'd be. It was a little cooler and windier than I'd have liked. But we still had a ton of fun! I loved feeling less pressure while in the water. That was definitely nice. Plus, it wasn't crowded at all. That was awesome. I just wish it'd been warmer. Good thing the water is heated.

After we got everyone de-chlorinated, I started on dinner. Yes, I cooked my birthday dinner. I made chicken alfredo (from scratch - canned alfredo sauce is nasty IMO) and garlic bread. We also had corn and sparkling cider. Yum.

Mom sent me a funny card that said: "Things I've learned: any pan is a no-stick pan if you no cook in it." Bwahahaha, awesome. Love it. The inside said, "it's your birthday. Don't cook." But I totally did anyway.

Tori and Adam (John's youngest sister and her husband) came over for dinner, cake, and presents. We had so much fun hanging out with them :) I love having family nearby.

I got some great presents :) My parents got me the blue and green necklace I posted about previously. I cheated and opened that one a day early so I could wear it to church on Sunday ;) John and the kids got me the Best Bites cookbook, a DVD, and some candy (which I uh, ate half of before my birthday...I wrapped it to keep myself from snacking on it pre-birthday...). Tori and Adam got me Dieter F. Uchtdorf's Your Happily Ever After book - awesome book, basically a prettified version of an amazing talk he gave to the Young Women. It's one of those talks every girl/woman needs to read. Several times. I'm glad I have it in book form so Emma (and any future daughters) can see and read it any time they want. And so I can read it when I need the reminder as well.

Everyone sang to me and I blew out the candle. Haha, the only candle we had on hand was a number 3. We joked that I was turning 3. Awesome. I'm the same age as my daughter now ;) The cake was yummy! White cake, raspberry filling, whipped frosting. Yum. And we had root beer floats. Mmm.

After the kids went to bed, I curled up and relaxed with a book. Perfect way to end an awesome day!

Oh, and I love the fact that I had over 40 "happy birthday" wall posts on Facebook, plus some texts, emails, and phone calls. I loved getting so many birthday wishes from friends and family! I felt so loved ♥

I did get some pics throughout the day, but I look like a beached whale in all of them (granted, I'm 35 weeks pregnant...). So, no pics this time. I'm feeling lazy.

All in all, I had a fabulous birthday. Good food, good presents, and even better time with family. What more could I possibly want? Aside from not being pregnant that is...;) 5 more weeks to go!

Upcoming Birthday and Baby Needs

Wow, did I really not post anything in July? It was a super crazy month, full of tons of fun family activities and more. I'll have to post about that soon.

But first...my birthday is coming up. And not just any birthday. My 30th birthday. It's less than 2 weeks away (15th)...and I have no idea what I'm doing. I think I know what I want for it gift-wise, but that's about it.

I'm pretty sure I want this necklace. But I also really like this one, this one, and this one.

Honestly, I'd love to have all of them...but that's not very realistic. At least not for my budget! But which one do I want most? Which one would you get?

I also want this book.

Another good gift option would be the only Sims 2 stuff pack I don't have yet, Kitchen and Bath stuff.

So, if you're interested in getting me a gift, any of those options are good ;) Or there's always cold hard cash. That's always useful. Feel free to check out my Amazon wishlist for ideas ;) Just keep in mind that a good chunk of what's listed there is for the kids. I don't want the dress up, Legos, or cars and trains stuff for myself ;) Well, maybe the Legos... Books or movies are always good.

Now, how to celebrate my birthday? Cake, obviously. I'm going to order a yummy cake from my favorite grocery store bakery. I'm thinking white cake with raspberry filling and whipped frosting. But what to do for the party itself? My birthday lands on a Monday. John will be working all day now that he started his internship. He'll get home around 5:30 or so. During the day, it'll be just me and the kids.

Originally, I wanted to go to Olive Garden for dinner that night. I still do. But...we can't afford it :( Maybe we could go to the new water park? They have some specials on Monday evenings. Maybe get pizza? Or make my own special birthday dinner (which is what I usually do because no one else knows how to make my favorite meals the way I like them)? Or go somewhere cheaper for dinner?

Oh I don't know. I want my birthday to be something special this year. After all, you only turn 30 once. There are so many family birthdays in the 2 months preceding mine that my birthday tends to get glossed over. Seriously, there are 16 family birthdays in the 2 months before mine. 16!! So by the time my birthday comes around, everyone is all birthday-ed out. That, and most of the family lives 800 miles away...

Last year, my birthday was a total bust. It was a Sunday, we all had colds, and I still had to direct the choir number at church. Lame. So I want this year to be FUN. I did at least get to have a yummy dinner (homemade lasagna)...but I made it myself. The cake, an ice cream cake from the grocery bakery, was a disappointment last year, too. So, this year needs to be NOT lame. It's bad enough that I'll be huge and uncomfortable on my birthday (34 weeks 6 days). I really want a good birthday this year. But I don't know what I want to do for it yet! Gah! And of course I have to figure that out before I can make it awesome.

John keeps asking me what I want to do, and I hate having to tell him I don't know. Everything I can think of costs money we don't have. This time of year is the hardest financially for us - especially this year with John's unpaid internship. Financial aid and such will come in soon ish, but not until 2 weeks or so after my birthday.

Switching gears a bit here...

We're getting closer to having 3 kids. Crazy! I'm now 33 weeks along. Can you believe that in just 7 weeks (or less) we'll have another baby? It'd be awesome if he decided to be a due date baby like his older siblings. I'd laugh hysterically if that happens. But I certainly wouldn't complain if he decided to be a week or 2 early...;)

We have most of what we need for him. The biggest thing we needed was a van and we got that back in March. We got the dresser for free and got it all fixed up and stained. I washed all the newborn and 0-3 month clothes immediately after we put the dresser in the kids' room. We just got a replacement swing for the one Emma broke. It's a travel swing, similar to the one we used to have. I got it used for a great price. All it needs is batteries.

There are a few more things I'd like to have but don't necessarily need. They'd be very useful, but I could live without them. I still want them, though ;)

First, I would really like a new diaper bag. I didn't buy one at all last time around. I mostly used the free one from the hospital. It worked ok, but I'd really like something that zips closed and has more pockets. Trenna gave me a Mary Kay bag and it's nice, but it's too big for everyday use. We use it as our church bag. I'm thinking about this bag. I originally picked out the black and avocado, but now I'm thinking about the black and turquoise as well. I think I'm currently leaning more towards the turquoise. What do you think?

I'd also like to get a few new outfits. I have found a few "new" secondhand items, but I'd like him to have at least a few brand new things. I'd particularly like to get him some of those cute appliqued tie onesies. I'm not good at sewing type projects, so I'd have to commission/buy those.

I'd also like a new pouch sling. I had one for Emma, but it was pink and black. Very girly. And I was bigger than I thought I'd be postpartum so it was kind of too snug. I lent it out to a family member, but I'm not sure if she realized it was an on-loan kind of thing...oh well. I'm too fat for it and having a boy anyway.

Other than that, all I need is to stock up on diapers and wipes. Oh, and maybe a few more hooded bath towels. Maybe a couple more cute blankets? I have a lot of stuff already. The benefit of already having one of each ;)

So if anyone is in the mood to get birthday or baby gifts for me...that's what I'd like!