Five on Friday!

Happy Friday!  Our week has been more of the same - packing, visiting, packing, playing, etc. with a trip to Burgaw thrown in the middle!

{one}
We had a terrific weekend with Aaron's family!  We had a good-bye party with family and friends, enjoyed time with lots of people, and Aaron preached on Sunday morning for his home church!!

Sweet MK!


The cousins made a choo-choo


Aaron with his dad and sister



{two}
Hello Starbucks!  I am obsessed with coffee.  Not just my regular cup-o-joe at home, but the good stuff -  ie: fancy, girly, sweet specialy drinks from coffee shops.  I try and be careful when it comes to spending, but especially this time of year, when they bring out the holiday red cups and the weather gets a little chilly...I just can't resist :)


{three}

Christmas Music!  I used to be a "wait until after Thanksgiving" girl, but it just can't get here soon enough!  I love Christmas music, movies, and decorating, and I want to start now!!  Of course, we are moving, so our decorating will have to wait for Oklahoma, but the movies and music have commenced, and the celebrating of our Savior coming to the earth as a baby so that he could live the sinless life that we couldn't and die the death that we deserved to die, so that we can trust in him and receive the free gift of salvation by grace through faith....well... that is something I just want to be reminded of daily.

This album is on my list to get soon:


And, this one looks really good:
 

Oh, and I am embarrassed to say that this album has been a favorite for years haha:


This one is probably an all-time favorite:




{four}

Friends!  We have had playdates, dinner dates, babysitting help, and packing help.  We have been so blessed by our dear friends here in Wake Forest and I can't even think about not living life along side of them.  It hurts my heart.  But, then I think about how gracious God has been to even have given us any time at all with these people, let alone over 7 years. Even though we are sad to leave, our good God is sovereign and provided for us like we couldn't imagine.  We have already began friendships in Oklahoma  - people have been so generous - and these friendships here in North Carolina will continue as well (just not in the same way), and we are so thankful.  It is a great thing to be able to leave a place sad, because some of your closest friends and family are there, but to also move somewhere where people are eager to love, serve, and live life along side of you.  We are truly blessed by both!

{five}
Aaron's last night of working third shift in seminary is over!! We are officially done being on opposite schedules and I am thrilled!  I am so proud of him and humbled at the way he serves and loves our family.  He has worked a third shift job since before Emma was born, and also been part-time staff at our church for over 7 years.  He works hard, and I am fortunate enough to stay home with our sweet girls because of his efforts.  I am truly blessed and looking forward to enjoying many more nights where he is not leaving after the girls are in bed!  :)

10 days left in Wake Forest, followed by 4 nights in Hickory, a 3 day drive, and we will be in Oklahoma!  I cannot get over it!

5 on Friday

1.  As of October 27th, we are officially moving to Oklahoma!!!

Aaron was unanimously voted in as the Associate Pastor of students and families for Capitol Hill Baptist Church.  We are thrilled!  God has provided for us yet again and we will give Him all the glory.  Of course, with this comes the reality of leaving our families, friends, and GBC church family.  If you know me, you know I am overly emotional, so I have been doing an ugly cry every time I  talk about saying bye to people we love.  I could go on and on, so I will make this another post :).

2.  This is what our house is full of right now:

3.  I am working on ordering Christmas cards this week!  I am determined to get them out, along with our new address, the day after Thanksgiving!!  There are so many choices, though.  Which company has the best deal???

4.  Emma is now wearing her Strawberry Shortcake bike helmet as much as possible.  Did I mention we don't have a bike for her yet??  Haha!  We have a "big-wheel" type thing, but when my mom visited the other week, she went ahead and got Em a helmet in anticipation of her "bike."  Ha - She LOVES it though and wants to wear it everywhere - except to use the potty!  This is the worst!  She cannot undo it, so several times a day I am being called into the bathroom to find my child ON the toilet, but refusing to go until I get her helmet off - ridiculous much??  Such is the three-year old life.  It is cute though :)  Until potty time :( ha

5.  Because of #2 - (the number 2 mentioned above, not anything to do with the potty - have you ever noticed that once you become a parent you end up using the same terminology you use with your kids in adult conversations :))- we have boxes everywhere which has allowed Molly to perfect the art of climbing.  Of course, she is only 10 months, so this is wobbly baby climbing and nothing can make this mommy's heart stop beating fast than walking into the room after being out for, I don't know, maybe 10 seconds and seeing my 10 month old trying to stand on a box on top of a box.  Molly is a gifted climber for a typical 10 month old, but not enough that I can leave her alone for a moment without first making sure no small "step-stool" boxes are around.

7 months

This week our sweet MK turns 7 months old!  How did over half of a year go by so quickly?  It really has been a big adjustment going from 1 to 2.  We are just now getting the hang of taking both of them out easily - I am still deciding the best way to have them both at the grocery store, haha!  Molly is about as sweet a baby as I have ever known!  Of course, she has plenty of fussy moments as all babies do, but she is generally happy, content, and very flexible.  I am much more flexible this time around too!  With Emma I had read every book, and did most things exactly the way the books/schedules/etc. said that I should; and, with Molly I am less worried about having the perfect schedule, and more concerned with just surviving each day!
By now I feel like we have a pretty good schedule.  Most mornings Molly and I have some quiet time and take care of her first feeding around 7:30 and wait for Emma to wake up (best sleeper award!) and Aaron to get off work.  After that we basically have a great eat/wake/sleep schedule every 3-3.5 hours until bedtime.  She is a pretty good night sleeper, but we will be doing sleep training this week and moving her into the girls' shared room, haha.  Hopefully she will transition easily since we are going to the beach on vacation shortly after.

At 7 months (tomorrow):
-She eats about 5 times a day, and we have started solids (sweet potatoes are a fav).
-She is in size 3 diapers
-She is in size 6-9 month clothes (Emma was in these around 11 months (wow))
- She can sit up, but not steady enough for me to leave her without a little cushion for the occasional fall
-She still has a paci (we took Emma's away at 6 months, but for some reason this one gets away with a little more, haha ;))
-She is still in the pack and play, but will hopefully transition to the crib ASAP
-Her feet seem to be in great shape (they were curved in at birth, but should adjust to normal as she puts more and more pressure on them and learns to walk)
-She is just the most happy baby, and such a joy to be around.

I am so grateful that the Lord has entrusted our two little ones to us to parent and grow in the admonition of the Lord and look forward to the day that He might allow us to adopt more children into our family.  God has been so gracious to us in giving us these sweet blessings and we pray daily that we would teach them well so that they may come to know and love Jesus!

In other news, our big girl is potty trained!  Some of you may know that I started potty training several times, but I was either very sick while pregnant, too large to clean up accidents at the end of my pregnancy, or had a newborn.  So, we waited.  Two weeks ago I took the plunge and this time it was easier than any of the times we had tried before.  I basically provided the potty, undies, and some incentives, and she decided to play along :).  The first day we had one accident and after that none.  If you want to know specifically what we did, let me know.  I think the fact that she has been going #1 in our potty off and on for the last year and I waited longer than planned worked in our favor.

Emma is also taking summer dance classes, and seeing all of these 2 and 3 year old girls in pink leos and tights is about the sweetest thing (almost as sweet as a freshly bathed baby in pjs.  Anyway - pics will be coming soon!

Welcome Molly Kate!

So, we are 3 weeks late on the new arrival post, but I think with a hospital stay, Christmas, New Years, and lack of sleep all taken into account I am doing pretty well!  With that said, on December 19th, 2012 at 1:19pm our sweet Molly Kate made her arrival.  Weighing in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces, and 20.5 inches long, she was much bigger than our petite Emma Grace.  We were thrilled that she was healthy and thriving and we were able to keep her with us the whole time we were in the hospital, from birth to going home!  This was a totally different experience from when I had Emma, and although that was such a sweet time, I can't explain how wonderful it is to not have to have your child in the NICU and be able to go home together and not have to leave without her!  I could cry just remembering how hard it was having Emma in the NICU - plus, thanks to all of the hormonal changes I am a little more weepy than usual, hah. 

These past three weeks have been an adjustment, but a wonderful one!  Molly is just such a sweet and easygoing baby (pray that this would continue), and has already gotten herself into a pretty good 3 hour schedule.  Although we have had a little more awake time at night than I would prefer, we are working on it!  She is nursing very well and gaining weight.  At her 2 week check she was 7 pounds 11 ounces! 

She looks like Emma in many ways, but it is hard to tell because she is about double Emma's birth-weight, haha.  She looks more like Emma at 2 months.  Speaking of the big sister, she has been so sweet with Molly.  She loves to show off her little sister and give her lots of hugs and kisses. 

38 weeks

How Far Along: 38 Weeks
Size of baby: 19 1/2 inches long and weighs about 6.8 lbs. Molly Kate is the length of a leek!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained another 2 pounds - sheesh!
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: She is still moving around pretty well - getting those kick counts in everyday.
Sleep: I am sleeping ok. Just the typical end of pregnancy sleep that gets you ready for a newborn. :)
Symptoms: I am having really bad back pain, occasional nausea, uncomfortableness, and I am constantly going to the bathroom!
What I miss: Just sleeping on my stomach, bending over, and giving Emma baths easily. 
Cravings: Thankfully Aaron gave in and took me to Five Guys for my craving this past week!  He is so good to me!  Tonight we are going for what will be our 3rd annual dinner to the Angus Barn!  Woohoo!  There is a sweet man in our church that takes the staff and some other people for dinner every year and it is amazing!  So glad I can go before Molly arrives!
Best Moment this week: Being able to say that she will be here THIS WEEK!
What I am looking forward to: Meeting our daughter this week!  It looks like she will be scheduled to arrive on Wednesday (as long as she doesn't come before then)!  I had my last OB appointment yesterday and everything looks good.

I am super nervous about the upcoming week.  Worrying about whether she will be healthy and get to come home with us, wondering how Emma will do with the transition, and stressing over having the girls by myself as soon as Christmas....
But, I am choosing focus on thanking God for his incredible blessings to us in these girls, and trusting that He is faithful and will sustain us no matter what happens in the next week.  We have an incredible support of family and friends that we know will be here for us too!  God has blessed us so richly through our pregnancy with Molly Kate, and we are so thankful that He has allowed her to continue to grow in my womb for this long!  Please continue to pray for all of us this week!

37 Weeks

Full term!  I can't believe little Molly Kate has made it to 37 weeks!  I had delivered Emma by the time I reached 37 weeks with her, so this just feels like such a blessing.  And on top of that, everything is still looking good at my ob appointments.  I am going once a week now, but really I will only go one more time next Wednesday, then the following week we should be meeting our little girl!  Wow! 

With a second child, we have been much more laid back in the planning and preparation department.  It is starting to seem more and more real though the closer it gets, and I realized this week that I have completely forgotten what it is like to have a newborn - HA!  Seriously though, I think it is one of those times in your life that you are so sleep-deprived and everything happens and changes so fast that it is hard to remember.  So - I am busting back out all of the baby books that I loved with Emma, looking through all of her newborn pictures, and preparing myself for lack of sleep and lots of time with our boppy again!  Although I am nervous for baby girl #2 and going through the newborn stage again, I am eagerly anticipating her arrival and excited for how our family is about to grow and change.

How Far Along: 37 Weeks
Size of baby: 19 inches long and weighs about 6 1/3lbs. Molly is the size of a swiss chard!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again :)
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes, she is moving a lot, but I think it is getting pretty snug in there~
Sleep: I am sleeping ok. Just the typical end of pregnancy sleep that gets you ready for a newborn. :)

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, back pain, some nausea, tiredness - usual preggo stuff
What I miss: Bending over easily, sleeping on my stomach
Cravings: Last night I got a strong hankering for a Five Guys cheeseburger.  Maybe the hubs will make that happen soon ;)
Best Moment this week: Making it Full Term!  Spending some fun time with Emma!  And going on a movie date with Aaron!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting Molly soon, and doing some special things with Emma and Aaron before she arrives, oh and Christmas parties!

36 weeks

Since I am almost 37 weeks and have missed the last two, i thought I would go ahead and do a quick update from week 36.
Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 36 Weeks
Size of baby: 18.5 inches long and weighs about 6lbs. Molly is the size of a crenshaw melon!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again!  But still so thankful to be on the gaining side :)
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes, a lot of movement!  She especially loves to move in the evenings when I'm laying down.
Sleep: I am sleeping okay most nights.  Sometimes I have a hard time getting comfortable and I still get up several times for bathroom breaks.
Symptoms: Braxton Hicks contractions several times a day, back pain, nausea, I've also had trouble with my vision and headaches, but my blood pressure, etc. looks good so far, so hopefully preeclampsia will stay away this time.
What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach, being able to bend over, not getting tired so easily - all totally worth it though!
Cravings: I had Aaron get some Reese's cereal this week, haha - definitely a craving, but still yummy.
Best Moment this week: Hearing Molly's strong heartbeat and finding out that everything still looks good at my appointment this week after the scare with my vision.  I'm now going to weekly appointments!
What I am looking forward to: Getting the house in order and doing some special Christmas things with Emma before baby sister arrives!

Just over 2 weeks until Molly's arrival (if not before)!!

Show us your life - Main Dishes

I am linking up with Kelly's Korner again this week for show us your life friday.  This week is all about recipes for main dishes.  I love to cook!  I especially love to cook foods that impress my husband and have guests asking for the recipes afterward.  Here are two of my favorites:

1.  Pepper steak

I don't have a picture, so this is a picture from Paula Deen's magazine of her version of pepper steak, and it will basically look like this.

This is one of my most favorite dishes that my mom would always make growing up.  It is always the dish my brother and I request for her to make when we visit.  She doubles this recipe, by the way, but this should yield between 2-4 servings.  I have started adding this to my cooking repertoire since  getting married and it has now become my husband's favorite dish as well.  It is an Asian stir-fry type of meal.  I have altered it a little and usually add in extra garlic powder.  Enjoy :)

Ingredients:
3/4-1 lb round steak (freeze for about 15 minutes and cube)
2 Tbs veg. oil
2 large green peppers (sliced in thin strips)
1 large tomato (peeled and coarsely chopped)
1 jar sliced mushrooms
2 Tbs soy sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 can beef consomme
Hot cooked rice (I usually make enough for 4 servings)

Directions:
1.  Cook steak in oil in a large skillet until brown - drain.
2.  Stir in green pepper, tomato, mushrooms, soy sauce, sugar, garlic salt, pepper, and ginger.
3.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
4.  Pour out enough consomme to add in the cornstarch and mix it up - then stir into steak mixture.
5.  Cover and simmer 30 minutes or so (I usually cook it until my peppers are no longer bright green and crispy.
6.  Serve over rice.
*When finished, combine the rice and steak mixture - it is great leftover too!


2.  Poppy Seed Chicken

I didn't have a pic for this either, so this is from a google image search, but it will look exactly like this.

A lot of people I know have their own version of this, but it is still one of my favorites and thought I would share for people that may not have a recipe for this.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts - cooked and shredded
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 sleeve Ritz crackers - crushed
1/2 stick butter - melted
poppy seeds -  around 1 Tbs, but I just shake them in to my liking

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350
2.  Lightly grease baking dish (you can use a 9x13 dish, but because I like my casseroles a little thicker I use a little smaller dish - I think mine is 7x11.  Often I make this as a meal to take people, so I do 2 8x8 pans)
3.  Put shredded chicken in an even layer on bottom of dish.
4.  Mix together the sour cream and soup and spread over the chicken.
5.  Mix together the crushed crackers, butter, and poppy seeds, and spread in an even layer of the top.
6.  Bake for about 45 minutes - top will start to get golden brown.

I usually serve this with green beans and roasted red potatoes.

*Just as a tip - If you are making a large dish or multiple dishes with shredded chicken, you can cook your chicken (I usually boil mine) and then throw them in your standing mixer with the paddle attachment on low for a minute or two = perfectly shredded chicken every time.  And, what a time saver! 

Enjoy!

34 weeks!

How Far Along: 34 Weeks
Size of baby: 18 inches long and weighs almost 4 3/4 lbs. Molly Kate is the size of a cantaloupe!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again this week.  The doctor didn't seem concerned that I was gaining too much, though.
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes.
Gender: Girl!
Movement: This week she has been moving a lot!  I just watched her move in my belly last night for about 30 minutes straight.  It is definitely one of the weirdest and coolest things about pregnancy!
Sleep: I have been sleeping pretty good.  Some nights I sleep like a rock, and other nights I go to bed late and am up several times, so it just depends.  One morning this week Emma slept until 8:30 or so which means I did too - amazing!  (She is normally up around 7).
Symptoms: Lots of back pain this week :(. 
What I miss: Nothing of real importance, but it would be so nice to be able to give Emma a bath easily, haha.
Cravings: Chips and dip, salad.
Best Moment this week: Hearing that everything looks good at my 34 week appointment!
What I am looking forward to: Getting the house cleaned and organized before she arrives, and also going on our youth retreat this weekend!  It will probably be my last overnight youth event until Molly is done nursing, so I want to enjoy it while I can.  Oh, and Emma will get to stay with my parents since our retreat is so close to them, so I know she is thrilled! 
Oh - and I am really excited to have a thanksgiving meal with my church family next week, visit Aaron's family over the weekend, and get our Christmas decorations up! 

Recently

 

These are some pictures from the last several weeks.  The first two are just before we took her to our town's Halloween Spooktacular.  We just told her it was a Halloween party and she was so excited to be able to wear her Minnie Mouse costume and see all of the other kids in costumes there.  We met her buddy Cooper and his parents there and the kids enjoyed playing the games, getting prizes, and jumping in the bounce house.  Our community puts on fun events for holidays, so we try to take advantage of those, especially when they are free!

The next picture in her jacket was on Halloween night.  It was Emma's first time to go trick-or-treating, and thanks to a Dora episode she saw, she knew all about it.  She had been pumped for this for weeks and her first time did not disappoint!  She loved getting to walk through the historic district homes and get candy, and then we went over to the Smith's neighborhood and she was able to trick-or-treat with Cooper.  I think she had an even better time going with her buddy in the wagon, and they laughed with each other the whole time.  Thanks Smiths for letting us join you!!

The last picture was taken in Blowing Rock.  Aaron and I wanted to do something by ourselves before little Molly Kate arrives, so we made a plan to visit my parents, leave Emma with them, and take a day trip to Blowing Rock and Boone.  We considered this my birthday weekend/babymoon/early anniversary gift, haha.  January will mark our five year anniversary!  We would have liked to do something bigger for year 5, but being so pregnant, and paying for the expenses of my sickness meant that we would have to do something smaller.  We loved being in the mountains though, and it was the perfect little getaway.  In any case, we would much rather have our little Molly Kate on the way then go on a nicer vacation anyway!  So thankful for my husband taking the time to plan a wonderful weekend for us, and of course Emma had the best time with her grandparents too!

In other news, I will be 34 weeks tomorrow which means that I have 5 weeks left - wow!  With the holidays, a youth retreat, and baby preparations, these next few weeks are going to fly by.  So I am busy making lists of everything that needs to get done, but also trying to make sure to savor this time with my sweet family before it gets a little busier with our new addition!  

Thankful!

Everyone seems to be putting up facebook posts, etc. on what they are thankful for, so instead of trying to keep up with something like that every day, i thought i would do a one time, short list.


What I am most thankful for November, 2012:
1.  The Gospel - the fact that by God's grace, He drew this sinner to Himself and turned my heart of stone into a heart of flesh is something I will never get over.  God has made me alive through Christ, and for that I am most thankful!
2.  Those two cuties in the picture above and this precious little one in my belly.  I'm so thankful for the husband that God has given me - he loves me with a sacrificial love and works so hard to provide for our family.  I still can't get over the gift of our biggest girl, Emma.  She is 2 and I still can't get over the fact that she is ours.  I am so thankful for a happy, energetic, talkative, and loving daughter.  And also, our soon to arrive little Molly.  I am thankful that God has knit her together in my womb and thankful for the opportunity to be a mommy to our girls.
3.  Family.  This includes mine and Aaron's biological families as well as our church family.  These are our support systems in good times and bad.  This year has been both wonderful and difficult and we have been so blessed by other people and I could never express how thankful my heart is to the people that have helped us through.
4.  My "job."  So, I am a stay-at-home mom.  I absolutely love it, and really can't imagine doing anything else.  I am by no means, a super-organized, always has a clean house and laundry caught up type of mom.  In some ways I wish that I was - I could better manage my time and my tasks almost every day.  But, I do try and love on, play with, and teach my daughter every day and use my time wisely.  I am so thankful for God's provision for our family that I am able to spend my days doing these things.

  Of course I am thankful for so many more things, but these are the ones on the very top of my list, and if I were to keep going this post would be much longer than anyone would want to read through.  :o) 

Favorite Side Dishes

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner today to share a favorite side dish of mine.  I love to cook, and this is a category I had a hard time narrowing down because I love to make casseroles for side dishes in the fall, but here is one of my favorites that is quick, simple, and delicious! 

1.  Corn Casserole
This is so delicious and easy and it seems people always ask for the recipe.
Ingredients:
1 stick of butter - melted
2 eggs - beaten
1 pkg corn bread mix (I use the Jiffy corn muffin mix in the small blue and white box)
1 can whole kernel corn - drained
1 can creamed corn
1 cup sour cream

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350 and grease a round or 9x9 baking dish
2.  In a bowl, combine all ingredients and pour into dish
3.  Bake for about 45 minutes - top will be golden brown

 

This photo is just from a google image search because I didn't have a picture, but this is exactly what it looks like :)

33 weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 33 Weeks
Size of baby: 17 inches long and weighs almost 4 lbs. Molly is the size of a pineapple!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again at my last appointment.  I am definitely already larger than I ever got to be with Emma, but I am so thankful!
Maternity Clothes: All maternity!  I have even started to wear Aaron's t-shirts at home to be most comfortable, ha!
Gender: Girl!  Molly Kate!
Movement: Some days it seems like she moves non-stop, and others I really have to focus on counting kicks (supposed to get at least 7 kicks/movements in a 2 hr period)
Sleep: It depends on the day, but most of the time I am still sleeping well - just with the typical bathroom wake-up calls.
Symptoms: Less nausea this week, but having lots of back pain every afternoon and evening and some heartburn and tiredness too.
What I miss: Nothing really - but maybe bending over easily, sleeping on my stomach, and having energy past lunchtime are all things I won't mind being able to do again!
Cravings: I got to have 3 of my craving foods this week!  Pimento cheese sandwiches (thanks to Caroline for bringing them to my shower!), fried mushrooms (we used some of my b-day money to eat at a local place that serves them - yum!), and a Toblerone (thanks to Kristen!).
Best Moment this week: So many...hearing that everything was great at my appointment, along with a great baby shower from the ladies at my church, my mom being able to visit, working in the girls' room and getting the clothes organized, receiving some baby gifts in the mail (thanks to my wonderful aunts!), taking Emma trick-or-treating last Wednesday, oh, and not to mention setting a date for Molly's arrival!!!  Of course this date is set for around 39 weeks, so it is a definite possibility that I may go into labor before that, but we shall see!
What I am looking forward to: Getting the girls' room completed!

32 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 32 Weeks
Size of baby: 16.7 inches long and weighs almost 3.75 lbs. Molly Kate is the size of a large jicama!  Although during my ultrasound this week, the tech said she was already around 4 lbs.  I can't believe it because Emma was just over 4 pounds when she was born, so I can definitely picture what she looks like right now!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again :/ - but so thankful to be eating still, so it's worth it!
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes all the time.
Gender: Girl!  Molly Kate!
Movement: Yes, she is moving a lot!
Sleep: I am sleeping okay, just uncomfortable and have to wake up often.  Emma has been sleeping later recently, which has been an unexpected blessing for a little extra rest too!
Symptoms: Tiredness, a little nausea, reflux?
What I miss: Bending over easily, and not feeling miserable after large meals.
Cravings: I've been enjoying coffee again, so I crave iced vanilla lattes most of the day, haha.
Best Moment this week: Emma got to go trick-or-treating for the first time last and that was a blast, but hearing at my ultrasound that everything looked good and Molly was growing like she should was also wonderful news!
What I am looking forward to: Finishing up the girls room - i have a lot of organizing to do, and I also have a baby shower this weekend!  I am so humbled and thankful to be given a shower from some of the ladies at our church.

We also have a date for Molly Kate's arrival, so unless I go into labor before then, the week before Christmas will be a very special one for our family!!

31 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 31 Weeks
Size of baby: 16 inches long and weighs almost 3.3 lbs. Molly is the size of four navel oranges!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I go to the Dr. on Friday, so we will see, but I'm sure I'm still gaining.
Maternity Clothes: Basically all maternity
Gender: Girl!
Movement: She moves a lot, but some days I start to worry because I won't feel her move very much.  If I lay down on the couch at night we can usually see her moving all around.
Sleep: I sleep great once I can get to sleep - been staying up later recently.  Still wake up for bathroom breaks, though.
Symptoms: Even though I still take nausea medicine, morning nausea has hit many times recently.  I've also had some reflux i think, and am very tired during the day.
What I miss: Getting up quickly, bending over, etc.  haha
Cravings: This weeks' craving was the Pioneer Woman's guacamole - which I made and ate for dinner one night, haha!
Best Moment this week:  It's been a rough week because Emma has been sick, but we took her to the state fair last Thursday and we all had a great time!  I especially loved the food!

What I am looking forward to: We have an appointment on Friday that includes another ultrasound (please pray for continued growth), and then we are off to Hickory to hang with my folks, and Aaron and I are planning to celebrate my birthday/babymoon/ early anniversary all in one in Blowing Rock.  I have a birthday in the same week as my mom and dad so we will get to celebrate with them too!

30 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 30 Weeks!  I can't believe we are in the 30's now.  I feel like we are in the home stretch and I am starting to get in nesting mode (thankful for little spurts of energy to start to do some of these things)!
Size of baby: 15.7 inches long and weighs almost 3 lbs. Molly is the size of a head of cabbage!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained even more at the doctor last week - still within the recommended weight gain limits, but I don't know how I will go 9 more weeks without putting on too much, haha!  Here's hoping that nursing will help me lose the weight quickly like it did with Emma :)
Maternity Clothes: Yes, all maternity except for the occasional t-shirt and exercise pants.  FYI, it is much nicer to be at your largest when the weather is cooling down!
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes, she is moving all the time! Especially if I have any caffeine at night (hey now, a little is allowed).  She has also started moving a lot around my hips and ribs, which is a little uncomfortable, but I love to feel the movement.
Sleep: Some nights it is great, and other nights I can't seem to sleep at all and have to use the bathroom several times.  Trying to enjoy it while I can!

Symptoms: Still some occasional nausea if I wait too long to eat, aching back, tiredness, and some swelling - all of these are pretty manageable though.
What I miss: Maybe sleeping on my stomach and having more energy.
Cravings: I've been craving my friend Caroline's pimento cheese sandwiches, haha!  I even got the recipe from her so I can make them - maybe this weekend :)
Best Moment this week: Taking Emma to Hill Ridge Farms on Friday and getting a good report from my appointment that morning.  So far my belly is measuring great, and we are so thankful!
What I am looking forward to: We are going to the NC State Fair tomorrow - I can't wait for Emma to really enjoy everything this year, and, of course, the food!  We will have another ultrasound next Friday to check on Molly Kate and see if she is continuing to grow well, please continue to pray for our littlest girl!

Fall Fun

Fall is definitely my favorite season of the year, and also my favorite season for fun family activities.  This past weekend we went up to Hill Ridge Farms in Youngsville.  We had a great time, and Emma could have stayed all day.  If you live anywhere around the North Raleigh area, you should definitely check it out and plan to stay for half of a day.  Emma's favorites were definitely the hayride to get the pumpkins, the giant slide, and the bounce houses.  I'm so thankful for all of the fun activities we can do this month, and really spend a lot of time having fun with Emma before Molly gets here in (hopefully) December. 

The bounce house was the first thing she did, and we quickly realized that after the sun came out it would be too hot for her long-sleeved turkey outfit, so we made a quick-change.

 She also loved playing in the sand pit!

 Emma and daddy feeding the goats.

 Fun on the slide.

Cheesing with our pumpkins!

Oh, and I finally finished our fall wreath a few weeks ago.  I think it turned out really cute and was pretty inexpensive to make.  I may put up a tutorial so i will remember for the future or if anyone wants to know how I made it.

Happy Fall everyone!  This week we are going to the State Fair!!

29 weeks

How Far Along: 29 Weeks
Size of baby: 15 inches long and weighs 2.5 lbs. Molly is the size of a butternut squash!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still gaining - hoping it will slow down a little these last few weeks.
Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes! She is moving a lot, and it is getting to that somewhat uncomfortable point where little elbows and feet are poking my hips and ribs.
Sleep: Sleep has been really good lately, except for the middle of the night bathroom runs, of course!

Symptoms: A little nausea now and then, tiredness, and swelling of the feet.
What I miss: I don't miss much as long as I am not really hot and tired :)
Cravings: I made pecan bars this week just because I wanted them, and I am still craving Chick-fila for breakfast.
Best Moment this week: Having a great OB appointment this morning, and enjoying some family time at Hill Ridge Farms (post to come)!
What I am looking forward to:  In two weeks we will have another ultrasound just to check on Molly Kate's growth, so although I am nervous, I am looking forward to see that sweet girl again!  Also, that same weekend we are dropping Emma off with my parents for part of the weekend and enjoying some time for my birthday/ our babymoon/ our early anniversary celebrating in the mountains!  So excited to have a weekend to spend with Aaron and to also see my parents again before baby girl arrives!

Crockpotalooza 2

With fall and winter approaching, not to mention a newborn on the way, I love to start breaking out my slow cooker/crock-pot this time of year and find new recipes that make a few of our dinner times a little easier.  Last year I linked up to Crockpotalooza at Kelly's Korner and shared some of my favorite crock-pot recipes - you can find the link here for my recipes for crock-pot Chicken BBQ and Chicken Nacho Dip - so yummy!

Here are two other meals I make in the crock-pot:

1.  Salsa Chicken
It seems like a lot of people have their own version of this, but this is so simple and so easy to make a large batch to use for taco salad, quesadillas, fajitas, etc.
Ingredients:
3-4 Chicken breasts
Your favorite salsa
1 pkt taco seasoning

1.  Place chicken in the crockpot
2.  Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken
3.  Cover chicken with salsa
4.  Cook on low around 6 hours - I usually shred the chicken with an hour left to cook


2.  Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
I originally found the recipe at allrecipes.  It works great when making mashed potatoes for a crowd and tastes really yummy!
Ingredients:
1.  5 lbs red potatoes, cut in chunks
2.  1 Tbs. garlic, minced (If you cook with fresh garlic much, you have to get a garlic press - makes it so much easier!)
3.   3 chicken boullion cubes
4.  sour cream (8 oz)
5.  1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz) softened
6.  1/2 cup butter
7.  salt and pepper to taste

1.  In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the potatoes, garlic, and bouillon until potatoes are tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving water. In a bowl, mash potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, adding reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.
2.  Transfer the potato mixture to a slow cooker, cover, and cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.


Be sure to check out Kelly's Korner to find lots of other slow cooker recipes!

28 weeks

Lots of things going on recently, but I will start with my week 28 update:

How Far Along: 28 Weeks

Size of baby: 14.8 inches long and weighs 2.25 lbs. Molly Kate is the size of a head cabbage!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Definitely gaining, I think I'm 10 pounds up from pre-pregnancy weight, but considering the earlier weight loss I think I have still gained plenty, haha.
Maternity Clothes: All maternity, except t-shirts and pajama pants
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes! She is moving a lot. We can see the movement without touching my belly now so that is fun.
Sleep: I have not been sleeping very well.  Two nights this week I just couldn't sleep at all and would lay in bed wide-awake for hours.  It makes for exhausting days.  I'm also now getting up between 1-4 times a night to use the bathroom - lovely :) 
Symptoms: I had a night this week that I felt very sick, but my amazing husband let me lay down and took over Emma's nighttime routine for me.  I also have noticed more swelling in my feet this week.
What I miss: Iced coffee drinks and sleeping for more than 2 hours without getting up - but it is totally worth it :)
Cravings: Chick-fila breakfast and last night I had a strong craving for a Toblerone, haha.
Best Moment this week: Our ultrasound!
What I am looking forward to: My mom is coming this weekend, and we also have a youth lock-in and a baby shower.

This week was great!  I was nervous about my ultrasound on Friday, but everything looks good.  They weren't looking at her organs, etc., but they did measure her and she is growing just as she should be and the placenta still looks good - Praise the Lord!  We will have another ultrasound in 4 weeks, so please pray that Molly would continue to grow well and there would not be problems with the placenta this time.  

Poor Emma has had a tough last two weeks with sickness coming and going.  We started potty training, and day one went great but on day two she had an upset tummy so we decided to put it off for two more weeks.  We are doing the three-day potty training method, and I think it will work well for Em, but she just needs to be well and I need to have everything I need at home so we won't have to go out.

This morning she woke up and she felt hot all over.  We got her some medicine and a freeze pop, and she said "I feel very much better," haha!  We will see how the day goes, but hopefully we won't have to go to the doctor later.  So, she will be missing her MDO for the second week in a row (she really misses playing with her friends there) and church tonight - but we will be having lots of snuggle time on the couch reading books, watching movies, etc. until she feels like herself again.

This weekend we are having a youth lock-in at church.  I have not been at a lock-in since I was in youth group (haha) and I have not stayed up all night since college, so I am pretty sure I will pass out sometime around midnight - we'll see!  It should be fun though!  My mom is coming down and will be keeping Emma for us - thanks Mom!  Grammy is pretty much one of Emma's most favorite people, so I know she will have a blast this weekend too!