36-Week Bumpdate

36-Week Bumpdate

Here we are! A month away from our son's due date - SAY WHAT?!!? We are now on a weekly countdown instead of a monthly - and let me tell you, A LOT has changed since last week. I'm feeling even huge-er (because I am) and more waddle-y (because I am). These are the precious moments of pregnancy.

The Progress.

How Far Along: 36 weeks

Gender: MALE.

Name: Everett Lee Hale

Sleeping? Ha. I was up EVERY HOUR last night. My nocturnal naps are punctuated by pee breaks.

Eats: I had some GOOD pulled barbeque sandwiches this week. Yes, multiple times. Don't judge it. Also - the ice cream craving has returned. And I really want it in a waffle cone. Oooh yeah.

Wearing: Guys, it's getting hard to dress myself. As in, I wore the same outfit three times this week because it was the only one that I felt good in. Stevie found me some of his most gigantic Puma pajama pants and, thankfully, that has made evening lounge time MUCH more comfy (and also, I have been deemed the family thug.) We are past the "this feels snug"-point, and we have entered the "everything is cutting off my stomach's circulation!"-point. It's a really special time.

Exercise: I am still swimming! And walking, although I've had a weird sensation down low in my belly when I walk in the evenings. Stevie and I try to take a walk post-dinner, but I almost feel like my belly "drops" throughout the day, so my evening walks have turned into sloooooww waddles. The other night Stevie put on flip flops instead of tennis shoes, and that made me realize... this really isn't exercise for him anymore. And it really is for me. How far we've come from our days logging miles around the reservoir in Central Park. I'll try to stop weeping and keep writing.

Emotional Check: I'm feeling good! My friend Jordan just had her baby this week, and it was a big "whoa!" moment for me. Like, the baby inside of me HAS A FACE. And little, distinct features. It's just blowing my mind. But as much as I am excited to meet him, I am not ready for him to come. Stay in there, man! Keep doing what you're doing! I just want as much time to prepare for him as possible.

Movement: It's like. A mountain. In my belly. That moves. It is the craziest sensation, I wish I had a better description for it. Also, two days ago a pain arrived in the small of my back. It won't leave. I'm assuming this has to do with my body prepping for labor, as well. Have I said it enough yet? PRECIOUS MOMENTS IN THE MAKING HERE.

Looking Forward to: Finishing our birthing class! This weekend we are in all-day Saturday Hypnobirthing sessions, finishing up our learning of the tools and techniques this method encourages. Also, I'm looking forward to finishing up all our purchases for him. And getting everything set up. We are almost there, but not quite.

Feeling Accomplished: Because, 1. I ordered the Medela breast pump through my insurance company, and it finally arrived this week! 2. The car seat we ordered arrived yesterday, and I'm hoping that the stroller/crib mattress/etc. items are heading our way soon! 3. We've been meeting with different pediatricians, and we are hoping to land on a practice that we feel awesome about. 4. Finishing up my water birthing class today! 5. Working on the birth plan.

Prayer Requests: An on-time (not early!) labor/delivery. And perhaps a few awesome nights of rest before this little guy makes his appearance. Also - this is a big one - our Canon SLR camera decided to stop working THIS WEEK. We are praying it magically turns back on, because I really want good pictures of my newborn! Ah! So prayers that our camera starts working again would be AWESOME.

Thank you!

Thanks for following along our pregnancy journey! Feel free to check check out the 6-month Bumpdate, 7-month Bumpdate, & 8-month Bumpdate :)

8-Month Bumpdate

// Left: About 34.5 weeks, at the friendly local Kroger, Middle: A midnight snack of PJ&J & this hilarious book, Right: We prom-posed for this one, celebrating our 7-year wedding anniversary! We did dinner. And then had a foot-rubbing session. //

The Progress.

How Far Along: 8.5 months (35 weeks)

Gender: Boy oh boy oh BOY (if you missed it, you can check out our Gender Reveal!)

Name: Everett Lee Hale.

Sleeping? Oh sweet Everett. I fear you are nocturnal like your paternal grandparents. This kiddo comes ALIVE at 3am and wants to play soccer or dance or something in my belly - what am I going to do with you once you're outside of my body?? Play with you, I guess. I will just have to play with you. I am already completely baby whipped, people.

Also, sleeping isn't really a thing anymore as much as napping is. The naps I take throughout the night are interrupted by the incredible urge to pee almost every hour. That's not even the saddest part though. The most pathetic (and I'll admit - funny) part is how hard it is to get out of bed every time nature calls. It's like, really really hard. I am really really big.

Eats: Ha, not much has changed throughout this pregnancy. Give me protein! Depart from me, kale! Although I had a weird bought of calf spasms that spooked me in the middle of the night (I woke myself up howling, which woke Stevie up, and he started freaking out and I had to scream at him, "I'M NOT IN LABOR, it's just my CALF HURRRRRTS!!!" No drama in this family.) Apparently calf spasms are a 3rd trimester thing, and no one knows why. They hurt like a mother though! My fabulous doula recommended I get more potassium, so I've been chugging coconut water with lemon and putting banana slices on everything. As in, I have a side of banana with my nutella :) Priorities.

Wearing: While the bathing suit-and-tennis shoes combo has been winning the comfort award the past few weeks (though perhaps not the style award), I have actually found myself putting real clothes on because it makes me feel the most normal. I am actually enjoying the empowered feeling of the third trimester, because any/all sense of body shame has just vanished. I am big. I am a woman. I am ripening a child's life inside of me. Like, who can top that?? So... yeah. Feeling better about myself these days. Although putting on some fun jewelry really helps, too.

Exercise: I have been walking and swimming, mostly. I have yet to unpack my Tracey Anderson DVDs from the move... but during the interim, I am so thankful for my parents' saline pool! I am able to swim laps and then do some squats, lunges and stretches out in the yard. Its like being 12 again, except with a gigantically swollen stomach.

Emotional Check: It's finally happened. The incredible urge to nest. I personally loathe the term "nesting", because I am not a bird and it just sounds so DUMB. But I have a strong conviction that the concept is completely important and natural to the process of readying myself for Everett's arrival. I've been working on his nursery, moving boxes into storage, framing pictures, finding places for his diapers, washing onesies and blankets, etc. I can't wait until it's all finished!

Movement: He is moving more than ever. He is so strong that he actually moves my entire torso with his squirms. More than once, I have been in the middle of a conversation with someone, and all the sudden (when he starts to move), I am completely distracted because he just punched me in the ribs and IT STUCK OUT. It's pretty crazy to watch your own stomach convulsions.

Looking Forward to:  Our birthing class! We've had one session and are prepping for an all-day session next Saturday. Yes, we are a bit late to the game in terms of when we are actually doing this class, but in the midst of moving, we weren't left with much of a choice. We have chosen the Hypnobirthing Method as the way we want to prepare for labor and delivery, and all the classes I tried to get us into, post-move, weren't available. So we are going with a semi-private class with a couple of friends and, fingers crossed, we will absorb the material and feel much more confident once we are on the other side of the course.

Prayer Requests: I will take all the encouragement, positive advice and prayers you are offering! We are praying for a peaceful, healthy, normal labor & delivery, and most of all, a healthy baby boy!

Thanks for following along our pregnancy journey! Feel free to check check out the 6-month Bumpdate & 7-month Bumpdate :)

My Favorite Pregnancy Snacks

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My Favorite Pregnancy Snacks!

It's hard to know what to snack on when you're pregnant. Diet and exercise are SO IMPORTANT during this time when your body is forming a baby, so there seems to be a lot of pressure to eat healthy... while trying to balance some pretty wild cravings. I don't like using the fact that I'm pregnant as an excuse for things, but I will admit that there have been some moments when I was craving something and I just HAD TO HAVE IT. Like a really good deli sandwich. Don't judge me. Here are a few snacks/light meals that I have found to be incredibly satisfying without being all that "bad" for you. Snack away, ladies!

1. Grapefruit

- Since the first week I found out I was pregnant, I have wanted citrus. Lemons, limes and especially grapefruit have been a huge staple of my pregnancy diet. Just slice it in half, and eat it ice-cold - mmm SO YUMMY.

2. Green Juice

- I've share my green juice recipe with you before, but I have to tout its benefits again. It is so energizing! Just a wonderful mix of spinach, kale, carrots, an apple, lemon, ginger & mint. Voila! Stevie keeps trying to make me drink this instead of coffee in the morning... good luck with that, bud.

3. Popcorn

- I only make my popcorn on the stove, in a bit of oil, with a pinch of sea salt. Just like my mom makes it. Of course, it's really fun to add sugar to make kettle corn or to add butter and pretend like you're at the movies. But mostly I've just snacked on it simply, with sea salt and a side of La Croix :)

4. Yogurt, Granola & Berries

- Yum, this is a fun one. It can be eaten as a hearty dessert, too! Just top some low-fat plain yogurt with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and granola (I also add a bit of honey and a sprinkling of cinnamon) and you have yourself a sweet, satisfying treat! For some strange reason, Greek yogurt has really bothered my stomach during this pregnancy, so I've taken some time off from it. But if you like Greek yogurt, there are even more benefits! 

5. Peanut Butter & Banana on Ezekiel Toast

- I switched from whole-grain wheat bread to Ezekiel Bread when I really started gaining weight during this pregnancy - the numbers on the scale started to freak me out! Ezekiel bread is an excellent bread substitute because its made from a sprouted grain instead of flour and refined sugars. It is a complete source of protein, and is packed with fiber, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Talk about a super food. Lately, I've been toasting it, then topping with crunchy organic peanut butter and a half (or whole!) banana. It's super filling and energizing.

6. Vita Coconut Water with Lemon slices

- While I would prefer a poolside cocktail, this has been what I've been guzzling since summer has hit its heat peak. I prefer the plain flavor of Vita Coco and then squeeze about a half a lemon into a tall glass of ice. It's tart, sweet (but not too sweet) and super refreshing. It's also really helpful with all the muscle cramps (especially the crazy calf spasms!) because this beverage is loaded with potassium. Yes please.

7. Avocado Ezekiel Toast

- Avocado toast is so trendy these days. Just type it in on Pinterest and you'll see. As much as I hate following trends, this is a pretty delicious one. I like to use toasted Ezekiel bread, smear it with a bit of Veganaise, sprinkle some paprika and load up 1/2 a sliced avocado on top. It's really good because it's savory and filling, the perfect 3pm snack :)

8. Wholly Guacamole

- I actually make a really mean homemade guacamole... but you wouldn't know it since I got preggo! I'm a lazy cook these days. Wholly Guacamole is SO delicious, and just the easiest thing to spread on pretty much everything. Blue corn chips, whole wheat tortillas, burgers, my morning eggs... the list just goes on and on. It's worth the purchase price.

9. Strawberry-Nutella Crepes

- OMG Nutella. I could cry just thinking about it. Why is it tasting so good lately?! Yes, it's wondrous on crepes (or a heated whole-wheat tortilla!), but don't let me fool you. There have been many an evening when I have found myself sauntering into the kitchen at midnight and scooped out spoonfuls of Nutella, along with some strawberries and blueberries. I didn't say everything on this list was healthy. I just said they were my favorites. 

10. Chicken & Whole Grain Mustard Pinwheels

- This is a brilliant Giada concoction. Also an excellent, quirky lunch option. I swapped out honey mustard for whole-grain. You can make the chicken salad ahead of time, refrigerate and then eat it for lunch for a few days in a row!

11. Terra Chips

- Hahhhaaha what can I say. Yeah, they're pretty much potato chips. Freakin' awesome ones.

12. Mini Eggplant Pizza

- I really love these, but my husband does not. However, I still stand by the fact that this is a healthier way to get that pizza craving satisfied. I personally like this recipe.

Things I've been snacking on that aren't pictured? Kind Bars, eggs (scrambled with cheese or over easy), peaches & nectarines, oatmeal, black beans, orange juice & mozzarella cheese slices. Any suggestions on other healthy snack choices? For all you pregnant ladies out there, what has been your favorite pregnancy snack so far?

7-Month Bumpdate

7-Month Bumpdate!

Well, Happy Memorial Day, folks! I hope your weekend has been splendid :)

We are currently driving down to the beach for a fun family vacation - I can't wait to put my feet up and soak in some rays for SIX DAYS IN A ROW.

I can't believe I am 7.5 months pregnant. I felt like I was stuck at the 4-month mark for quite a long time... and yet here we are! The belly is growing fast, I have a crazy line running down the middle of my abdomen, and this little one inside of me has decided to take up kickboxing as his first sport. More like kickmommy.

The Progress.

I love how Jenny over at Jenny Highsmith has been doing baby bump updates during her pregnancy. Here's mine:

How Far Along: 7.5 months (30 weeks!)

Gender: Boy!

Name: Everett Lee Hale. Ahh I just love typing it!

Sleeping? Yes, thanks to my handy-dandy new pillow that I lovingly refer to as "my leach baby". It grosses Stevie out like crazy, but the brand is literally called Leachco (find it here!), and you know me, once I get a schtick its reeeeal hard to let it go. Beat that dead horse and such. I held out for SO LONG on buying a pregnancy pillow because I knew it wouldn't fit in our queen-size without someone getting kicked out of bed (Stevie, duh), so I kindly deferred purchasing. Well, things changed. I started waking up angry, feeling robbed of my sleep for weeks on end. Which resulted in a sleep-deprived, panic-stricken flurry of Amazon Prime purchases, one of which was this gigantic, larger-than-a-human, snake-like pillow. You know. My leach baby.

Eats: Trying to eat healthy, but it seems that my taste buds have shifted again. Salad is the enemy. I wish everyone would stop trying to feed it to me. I KNOW I should be scarfing down tons of greens at this point, but I detest salad. I caught a whiff of kale last night and gagged. Trying to add it in other ways, like green smoothies and homemade kale chips. In the mean time, I just really enjoy berries. And pizza. Burgers with avocado. Tacos. Yeah okay I see why everyone keeps trying to feed me salad.

Emotional Check: Doing pretty good, especially since I am still in the midst of processing the fact that we are moving this month and having a baby in less than 3 months. Oh, and we have to buy a car, figure out a childbirth class and you know, prepare for the babe. I currently have one package of diapers. Yikes.

Movement: ATHLETE. That's all I have to say. Because the twirls, twists, kicks and just overall stature of this child is seriously my entertainment. Gross details? Okay. At the end of every night, I roll up my shirt and just watch my belly dance. I'm not bellydancing, I'm watching my belly dance. Because clearly this is the time Everett chooses to exercise. He really knows how to put on a show.

Looking Forward to: Decorating his nursery! I have literally bought ONE THING for my child (this custom-made name print by Jenny Highsmith). I don't know anyone who has waited this long to begin the "nesting" phase of their pregnancy, but I truly haven't had the space to store baby gear of ANY kind in this tiny NYC apartment. After we move to Atlanta, I am really looking forward to putting together his sweet little baby space (let's be honest, the nursery is going to be more like MY ROOM), and letting myself shop a bit for him :)

I hope you have the happiest, sunniest holiday ringing in the superior summer season.

XOX

A Hometown Baby Shower.

I feel spoiled rotten. Last weekend, Stevie & I took a quick trip down to Atlanta to celebrate our two wonderful friends marrying each other and we snuck in a super duper fun couples' baby shower, too. The weekend was jam-packed, beginning with a most-necessary, 11pm post-flight visit to the Original Chick-fil-A Dwarf House (I was craving those nuggets!) before heading to the in-laws and dropping directly into bed. Over the course of the weekend, I had the privilege of spending some much-needed one-on-one time with my mom that included fish tacos, pedicures and maybe a bit too much laughter. My mother. Ugh she's just the best. I got to see some sweet friends from our time living in Boston, as everyone congregated to celebrate a glowing wedding. And one of the most memorable parts of the weekend? The delicious, decadent baby shower that my best friend, sisters-in-law and mother-in-law threw for me & Stevie. It was a smash, to say the least.

Dinner, Drinks and Bewitching Dessert.

My mother-in-law Lindy and sister-in-law Lauren know how to throw a party. These brainy women could probably do it in their sleep, with their hands tied and their eyes blindfolded. They are geniuses at planning, estimating and producing an immaculate event at a moments' notice. All the years they've invested into putting on mega church events and conferences really paid dividends, I can selfishly say, in this party, because it was just AWESOME. On their dinner menu? Yummy taco salad with all the fixings, some kind of fun alcoholic beverage for the non-preggos and fancy sparkling limoncello for me (and the 6 other pregnant gals who were there!) Dessert was pretty much enchanted. My sister-in-law Katie baked a multi-layered blueberry-lemon cake that was truly TO DIE FOR. I can't wait to get the recipe from her. It was seriously magic cake. Magical and beautiful, because she decorated it showcasing Everett's sweet name. Thank you, Katie!! And Lauren! And Lindy! The women in my family, whew, they are where it's at! They're party girls.

// Hey party people. Look alive! //

// There she is. The master of the dream cake. //

The Hostess with the Mostess.

My BFF Tricia is truly a gem. She is the kind of friend who takes notice of the little things, always keeping her eye on the details that transform an event into the truly spectacular. Along with caring for her precious daughter (whom she proudly wore in her fancy Ergobaby carrier!), she took care of me all night long. She made sure I always had a fresh drink, had eaten enough, and was getting quality time with all the guests. While we opened the gifts, she constantly (and inconspicuously!) kept arranging the presents so that they were easily within arms' reach. She did all these tiny little things that made such a huge difference and made me feel so special and loved. She continues to amaze me with her generous heart and constant servant-hood. I want to be like her when I grow up. Her biggest flaw? She skillfully avoided the camera all night (for the record, I am NOT PLEASED.)

// The fancy baby monitor. I like to call it our newfangled spy machine. MOMMY IS WATCHING. //

// Sweet REI baby backpack. I guess now we have to take this kiddo camping. //

Oops.

Somehow, I didn't get pictures with anyone! Oops! We were having so much fun... but I realized at the end of the night that I didn't get one single photograph with any of amazing ladies who threw the shower, our parents (both sets were in grand attendance), or our siblings... how silly. Well, we just all REALLY enjoyed ourselves. Thankfully, Tricia ordered my dad to take some pictures on our camera, (in his words, "The little one told me to take pictures!"), so we came away with a few great shots of the action :) Bless her, that little one.

// How cutie are these burp cloths? It's a really good idea to make gross, necessary items extremely cute. Baby spit up? Not so adorable. Graphic whales and mustaches on burp cloths? Geez so mega cute.  //

// Practicing his "hold". //

Thank You!

Many, many thanks to everyone who joined us in celebrating our sweet Everett's upcoming arrival! We LOVED seeing so many dear-hearted friends and getting the pleasant opportunity to open his presents (one of my favorite things to do IN THE WORLD)! We can't wait to bust out all this sweet gear and get to using it - but we will wait. Well, except for the baby monitor. I think that we've gotta play with this little spy machine a bit before E's arrival. Watch out!!!