"My playground"

Apparently, Mac's first words to Joe yesterday morning had to do with his new playground.  He is beyond excited about it.  Yesterday, Mac went to pre-school.  Of course Erica and Amy posted pictures because they are awesome......Erica thought it was funny that all of the dad's came to hang out in her yard while picking up their kiddos.

I had the day to myself so I grabbed some books and a giant bowl of ice cream.  I think I have one bowl of ice cream left and then it is time to get some more.....maybe strawberry next time.  YUM.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous yesterday so I spent the entire afternoon on the back porch.  Which is where Mac and Joe found me.....We decided it was a great time to start putting together Mac's new playset.  Mac got super excited!  He kinda helped Joe.....for a little bit.

Showing off his muscles.

Mac also spent some time dragging some of his toys out of our shed.  That shed is in rough shape....probably will be replacing it this summer......Mac also enjoyed playing with his bubbles!

Mac also spent time playing with Heyward.  He would pick up Heyward's toy and chunk it (sometimes hitting Heyward in the head) while saying "go get it boy."  He is silly!

Here is an action shot of Joe at work....I have such a handy husband!

While Joe was working on the playset, I took Mac inside to give him a bath and put him to bed.  Then this pregnant mommy got in her bed.....and while I was sleeping Joe finished the playset!

Mac has not looked outside yet this morning.  I think he woke himself up earlier than he wanted because he was super snuggly......I imagine pretty soon we will be heading outside where we will spend the day!

The things I learn

Being at home, I now spend a LOT of time on the internet.  A lot.  I read blogs.  I pin food on Pinterest.  I Google random stuff that I hear on tv.  What did I learn today?  I learned that you can order magazine subscriptions on Amazon.  An entire year of Better Home & Garden is currently $5 for an entire year.  Serious.  This led me to looking at what other magazines were available.......Country Living, Us Weekly, Star, People, Flea Market, Storage......so many magazines.  Some of the subscriptions were for 2 years.  WhAT?!  Mind blown.  And yes, I really do get this excited every time I figure out something new.

I also spend a lot of time looking at new books to read.  I do read freakishly fast so I am constantly on the hunt for books.  I also discovered that you can buy books used on Amazon for WAY cheaper.  I think deep down my love of books comes from my favorite Disney movie Beauty and the Beast.  I want her library.  One day, when we are in our forever home, I will have a library.  I am talking floor to ceiling bookcases FILLED with books.  And not with just pretty books but books you actually read.  There also needs to be a fireplace and leather chairs.  I love books.  Some people swear by the tablet reader things but I just love holding a book.  LOVE.

This morning I had a doctor's appointment.  It was not super satisfying. Honestly, I love Dr. Hinkle but his doctor's office is getting too big and busy.  I haven't been able to meet with him for over a month.  I currently just feel like a chart that is getting passed along rather than a person.  That is not at all the experience that I had with Mac.  This morning I had to meet with a nurse practitioner that I really do not care for.  She didn't clarify anything for me about what I can or cannot do.  However, the baby is fine.  I lost 2 pounds.  I am now at 158.  That puts my total weight gain for this pregnancy at 25 pounds.  I need to fix that.  I honestly thought that by being at home that I would just pack on the poundage.  That has not been the case at all.  I think I probably should be at a higher weight gain at this point because I was so much smaller going into this pregnancy........

Security Camera

Yesterday, we headed out to Wasilla to pick up a window frame that Kelly (the owner of Alaska Picker) found for me.  It has a pink tinge paint on it.  We are going to hang it above Nora's crib.  We also got a wire basket to put on the wall near the changing pad to hold diapers.  As soon as Joe hangs up the window, I will get ya'll a picture.  I am pretty excited about it.  Right now the wall that the crib and the chair is on is pretty naked.  I am quite sure that I will be fixing that.

On the drive out to Wasilla, we had to pull over so Mac could pee.  We (and that means Joe) got his pants pulled down but he was almost peeing on himself.  What does Joe do?  Picks him up and holds him sideways so he could just pee.  I was about to pee myself laughing.  We are on this off ramp off of the Glenn Highway and my son is bare butt peeing.  Did I get a picture of this?  Yup.

Yesterday we also got a letter in the mail from HR informing me that they did not at this time accept my application for sick leave bank (translation: if I don't get approved, I lose a month salary).  Needless to say, my stress level skyrocketed.  Lots of tears and stress.  What did that lead to?  Another trip to the hospital.  I was having contractions but they were not super steady.  That was not a fun trip to the hospital.  I didn't care for the nurse too much and I just felt stupid.

This morning Joe picked up donuts for us.  I love donuts.  You know who else loves donuts?  Mac.

My son is REFUSING to poop in the toilet.  He told us that he would rather clean and nap than poop.  So what does he do?  He goes upstairs and gets in his bed.  No joke.

While he was "napping," Joe headed to a friend's house to take apart a playset.  We have been scouring Craigslist and online for a playset for Mac to set up in our backyard.  We got extremely lucky in that a friend just bought a new house that had one in the backyard and he didn't want it.  It is full priced like a $1500 playset and we got it for $300.  The slide alone is worth $500!  I don't know who is more excited about it....Mac or Joe.  Currently, a lot of pieces of it are just hanging out in the garage.  Our neighbor diagonal across the street (Ed) told Joe that he would help him set it up.  We live in an awesome neighborhood with awesome neighbors.

Because my husband is wonderful, he made us dinner.  We had a pesto salmon pasta.  You wanna talk about delicious!?  Oh my goodness.  It was incredibly filling so you don't eat a whole lot.  Bonus.  Mac DESTROYED it.  Lately, he has gotten much better about eating what we stick in front of him.  He has to take at least a bite of everything on his plate.  Usually if he doesn't want it, we just shove it in his mouth.  He eventually eats it.  Needless to say, his face had a large amount of pesto sauce on it so into the bathtub he went.  Look at how cute my little man is....

Joe took over bathtime after he separated the laundry and got a load going (awesome husband!).  I went to lay down in the bed.  I thoroughly enjoy listening to my men together.  I also enjoy watching them in the security camera......

I am not supposed to be doing anything so while I was laying in the bed I folded laundry.  I figured that was not breaking the rules because I was not standing up.  I folded and Joe put up.  He was not super happy with me though because I had to throw away his favorite green Polo.  He got brautwurst juice no it and the stain did not come out.  He is a little sad.  He is also a little sad because I keep throwing away his socks.  My husband will literally wear socks until there are giant holes in them.  Needless to say, he is losing a LOT of socks.  He is just so stubborn about getting clothes.  He refuses to buy new pants (even though his are too big), new socks (even though I am throwing them away because of holes), new Polos (even when they are stained), new belt (all of his are GIGANTIC), or new workout shorts (the majority of his have paint on them).......dear goodness.  That man.  I am sitting here with a grin on my face as I type that..........I think he might be pretty typical in refusing to buy himself clothes......

Etsy

Etsy is an awesome place.  I always feel good about ordering on Etsy because you are supporting individuals.  I mean, even Joe and my cake topper at our wedding came from Etsy.  I am also lucky in the fact that I have two amazingly gifted friends that have Etsy stores!  (Morgan should open an Etsy store and then I would have 3!)

The first store is called Glitzy Garbage (https://www.etsy.com/shop/GlitzyGarbage?ref=pr_faveshops). The owner of this shop is someone that I have known since high school as we took dance together.  She let me be her guinea pig.  I contacted her a couple of months ago to see if she made crib rail guards as I didn't see them on her Etsy store.  She said that she had been thinking of making them because of her own son!  So she created a light pink one for Nora's nursery!  It is so incredibly soft and adorable!  She also has other cute stuff on her store!  Below are some of my favorites.....

Tooth Fairy Pillow

https://www.etsy.com/listing/156573079/create-your-own-tooth-fairy-pillow?ref=shop_home_feat_3

Door Cover- she sent one to us that matches the rail guard

https://www.etsy.com/listing/182307198/uga-nursery-door-cover?ref=shop_home_active_21

Car Trash Bag- I probably need one of these as I just throw my trash in the floor board

https://www.etsy.com/listing/166538997/red-white-black-car-trash-bag?ref=shop_home_active_12

The other store is owned by my friend Lea Bouton (https://www.etsy.com/shop/LeaBoutonOriginals?ref=pr_faveshops).  We teach together at Dimond.  She literally just started her store a couple of weeks ago.  She is the wonderfully talented lady who quilted a receiving blanket for Nora and then gave Mac his new pillowcase.  Currently, on her store she has bibs (which are big!) and today she is adding pillow cases.  Her work is absolutely beautiful!  She is also available to do custom stuff.....

Dr. Seuss Pillowcase

https://www.etsy.com/listing/187749220/green-eggs-and-ham-alphabet-pillowcase?ref=shop_home_active_1 

Bib- How adorable is that?!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/185723744/full-coverage-quilted-teal-and-orange?ref=shop_home_active_7

Homemade things always make me smile and Etsy gives me a way to get them!!!!!!

  

To the hospital I went....

Yesterday, I was supposed to have a doctor's appointment so I decided to actually put on make up and kind of do my hair (it was huge and 80s sensation).  Right after I got dressed and we took belly pictures, the doctor's office called to reschedule my appointment for Monday.  

My lower back has been pretty steadily hurting for a couple of days but I didn't say anything because I was supposed to have a doctor's appointment.  However, when my appointment got canceled I said something to the nurse on the phone about my back and she immediately put me through to Triage.  I had to leave a voicemail.  They called me back like 20ish minutes later.  After explaining the pain and how I have been feeling, the Triage nurse said that I needed to head into the hospital to get checked out because she thinks I was having contractions.  AAAAAHHHHHHHH.  Mac was still napping at that time so I told Joe to just stay at home until we knew what was really going on with me.  So I drove myself to the hospital.  I got checked in and weighed.  I am currently at 160 which puts my weight gain at 27 pounds.  Then I got strapped up to the machines again.  Turns out....yes, I was having contractions.  Every four minutes.  As I am 35 weeks and 2 days pregnant, my questions were more about if they were going to stop the contractions or what the plan would be.  I am a week and a half off from being considered full-term (or where it would be safer for her to make her appearance).  I absolutely adored my nurse and I really want her to be my nurse when Nora decides to come for real.  I went to the hospital prepared with my ipad and my charger and a book.  I wasn't sure how long I was going to be there and I was determined to not be bored.  Nora spent a lot of time hitting my cervix area....turns out that she was head-butting my cervix which was kind of causing my contractions.  GET READY FOR TMI: The nurse had to check my cervix to see if I was dilating and I was.  I was at 2 cm (10 cm is where it is go time and the baby is coming) and 40-50% effaced.  Effaced means the percentage at which your cervix is thinned.  The bigger the number the closer you are to being ready to have the baby.  Nora was super super low.  As in that was the first thing the nurse said as she was checking me.  As my nurse was checking my cervix, she literally poked Nora's head.  Nora did not care for that at all and gave me a giant kick.  Let me tell you, that check was PAINFUL.  In fact, I am still incredibly sore from it.  I got a giant list of things to look out for.  I was also told what I can/cannot do.  They did let me go home though.  I think part of the reason was that I have a doctor's appointment on Monday.  Then I drove myself home.

This entire process has been a little stressful.  By a little stressful, I mean a lot stressful.  It is hard to force myself to relax.  I am such a goer and doer that forcing myself to just seriously lay on the sofa is going to be incredibly difficult.  I read so incredibly fast that I know that I am going to run out of books.  There is only so much HGTV and Food Network a person can watch.  AAAAAHHHHHHHHH.  I did ask the nurse though when she thought Nora might make her appearance based on everything going on.  She said that they were really wanting me to get to week 39 but more than likely that she would be here around or before week 38.  Me at week 38 puts me around the 14th of May (which is the next full moon and when Joe and I have always thought she would come).  

Things I am not allowed to do:

Walk a lot

cook

laundry

clean

grocery shop

stand on me feet too long

sit up for too long (apparently that puts pressure on my cervix which is already feeling pressure)

Pretty much they just want me laying down.  They are not officially putting me on hard core bedrest yet....but I am on what they call "couch rest."  Dear goodness I am going to go insane.  

      

And the recap

These past couple of days have been a little jam packed.  I was in a super nesting mood the other day so I worked on my planters next to the front porch.  My Junipers are currently budding but the flowers that we planted in between them last summer are looking a little rough.  I fertilized them so we will wait and see if they decide to come back.  If they don't then I will just plant more Juniper!  I LOVE the look of Juniper.  I am going to convince Joe to build me a front porch bench and then put planters on the sides of it.....probably with Junipers!  Although, I have been seeing Mosquito repellent pins on Pinterest lately that have me intrigued......

Yesterday, Mac and I were hanging out at home.  Mac was giving me kisses and doing kissy faces.  I was cracking up laughing.  He is a mess.

The other day I also did some Nora laundry and put the clothes up.....Check out that closet!  (Keep in mind that it does not include the clothes in the dresser....)

This morning my boys made me breakfast.  They made Monkey Bread.  DELISH.  Not the most healthy of meals but whatever.  It was good.

Mac also did some jumping.  He is LOUD.  His jumping probably seriously registered on the Richter Scale....

Still Sleepy

I am still sleepy.  I did not at all sleep well last night.  Joe got back yesterday from his Cali trip around 12:30 but he was sporting a massive cold.  This massive cold led to massive amounts of snoring.  I would have gone downstairs to sleep in the guest bed but there is currently stuff on it (maybe I need to add that to the to do list?).  It also did not help that this baby has lodged herself in a super uncomfortable position and REFUSES to move.  I have NO idea where she gets that stubbornness from.........But seriously, when I try to push her to move, she gets annoyed and pushes back.  Joe even tried to push her and she did the same thing.  So she stays.  Lodged up under my right ribs to the back.  It's fun.  Today, I go to the doctor so we will see what's going on with her then!  Until then, here are some random pictures......