OY! KRISTEN

// 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 :)

6-Month Bump-date.

What a great weekend! The sun finally came out and shone down us us, FINALLY. Praise the Lord, there is still a sun in the sky. After this never-ending winter, I wasn't so sure anymore. But it has been the happiest weekend of reconnecting with old friends (that's not a metaphor for the sun, we had actual friends in town, too). And in the midst of so much wonderfulness, I have reached an epic 6-month mark in my pregnancy. My oh my, this child has GROWN. It was like he started kicking and then all the sudden I realized how incredibly long he is! I can feel him kicking way down low (if you know what I'm saying) and then I feel him punching up in my ribs. That's a wide expanse! He's really taken up residence inside of me and now he's requesting that I add on. Also, my belly button is weirdly half-out. Stevie felt it last night and squeamishly said to me, "Your belly button feels weird..." Yes, dear, I know it does, BUT YOU DID THIS TO ME. Then I made him rub my feet.

My sweet sister came to town and was kind enough to take these semi-awkward pictures of me and Stevie. We don't get too many pics together. Why awkward? Well, everywhere we go these days, Stevie likes to announce to our environment that HIS WIFE IS PREGNANT. "Excuse me sir-on-the-street, my wife is pregnant." "Hello, restaurant hostess, can we have the best table? My wife is pregnant." On the phone to the pizza guy, "Well, let me check on that ingredient with my 6-months-pregnant wife, just a moment." So when Rachel whipped out the camera and he knelt down on the street to kiss my belly IN PUBLIC, I decided to draw the line. You just can't. Do that. In public.

// Silly sistas. //

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: 6 months (24 weeks)

Gender: Boy!

Name: He's got one! Check back later this week for his name reveal :)

Sleeping? Ish. I've been waking up a lot at 3 or 4am, unable to fall back asleep. And then by 10am I am ready for the mother of all naps. It's an odd little schedule that I've stumbled into. I guess it's prepping me for those all-night feedings!

Eats: Everything. I like eating, and I have throughout this entire pregnancy. The urge for tons of protein hasn't worn off, but I'm sad to admit that my sweet cravings have increased over the past month. I'm trying my best to not to give into every craving, but lately, cupcakes and lemonade and Pinkberry have been taunting me. It's dangerous to live in a city where EVERYTHING DELIVERS. I shouldn't have so much access.

Emotional Check: I am. Emotional. But especially at night. Stevie keeps trying to have these deep conversations post-9pm and I just can't handle it.

Movement: Like I mentioned earlier, this kid is moving and kicking like crazy. Sometimes he wakes me up early in the morning with his kicking, sometimes he won't let me fall asleep because he's so active. It's kind of started to interfere with my normal routine (hello, wonderful world of children!), but my sister gave me some excellent advice. She said that in order to get the baby to change positions, get on all fours and do the "Cat-Cow" yoga move. My sister is a total guru because THIS WORKS. And I've been able to fall asleep more easily since I started doing this little move. Thank you, genius big sister. I wish the whole world had one of you.

Looking Forward to: Warm weather! I'm ready to retire my boots and jeans and wear more comfortable clothing. Cotton dresses, this rapidly-expanding belly is ready for your ease!