28 weeks

Our sweet baby girl is already settling into proper position for birth with head downward. Her punches and kicks are getting harder (and more painful at times) so I know she is getting bigger and stronger. She is about 2.5lbs. She can also blink and hiccup now. I haven't felt any hiccups yet but that is always a funny feeling and I am sure it will happen soon!


We had a nice weekend at home and didn't have to run around much...although we still stayed busy. Saturday morning we took advantage of the sunshine and cooler temps and played putt-putt. Carli surprised us with her putting skills and we all really had fun. Nick and I tied!! ha! We spent the evening at the Seymour's watching Ku-Fu Panda in 3D. The kids had a blast eating pizza and snacks. Carli fell asleep at the end of the moving and daddy had to carry her home.

Sunday, Nick got to play a quick 9 holes of golf in the morning and I got to finish painting the dresser and side table for the nursery. I am so happy with how it turned out. The paint is a perfect match to the crib. I FINALLY found curtains that I like and can't wait to see everything come together with the colors and textiles. It is starting to look more and more like a baby's room every week. Sneak peak coming soon....

Before and After...

I have been sleeping like a champ the last few days...such a relief because I was crazy tired last week. 



Nothing sweeter than early morning cuddles from this angel.

Time is ticking by and with each passing day we all get more and more excited to meet this new baby!!

We still need to take a shopping trip to Babies R' Us and pick up a few things....diaper genie, new diaper bag, and dual screen monitor (I want to see both my girls).

We also registered for a sibling class at Ohio State Medical Center. It will help prepare big sister, give us a tour of the hospital, and teach her how to hold a baby and help mom and dad. I know she will love it!



27 weeks

Hello third trimester!! It must be apparent that I am clearly pregnant because multiple strangers have made comments this week. And here I thought I have looked pregnant for a few months! ha!

Baby girl is putting on weight at a rapid pace and has even started to build some muscle tone from all that moving around. I have seen kicks and punches from the outside now too. I love it every time!

We are living the "cool" life and our A/C is officially installed and amazing! Thank goodness because temps were back up in the 90's this week.


We enjoyed a great long weekend and lots of fun celebrating 4th of July! The weather was a little dreary but that didn't keep us down. Carli loved the sparklers and the fireworks this year! She was so brave and the noise didn't bother her (a change from the last few years).

The nursery is completely painted!! I am going to re-finish a dresser and nightstand this weekend. I have been looking at window coverings, decor, and other sweet baby things to add. We also picked out a new rocker and got it ordered. It feels SO good to finally see progress there.

We have also been keeping busy with a few other home improvement projects that we want done this summer. I love checking things off of the list!!





How far along?  27 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 10lbs. I really haven't had much of a big appetite in the heat.

Maternity Clothes? everyday...trying to get creative.

Stretch Marks? no

Sleep: It has been a rough few nights. My hips are starting to hurt after laying on them for several hours and I am restless. I hope this isn't a new normal.

Best moment this week: Quality time with Carli on Monday when Nick played golf with his dad and brothers.

Miss anything?  Lots of yummy and creative drinks at 4th of July.

Movement: Every day!!

Food Cravings? Frosty's and cheese.

Anything make you sick or queasy? No

Gender: GIRL:)

Labor signs: I had a few Braxton hicks contractions on Thursday night. A little alarming but it has seemed to subside.

Symptoms:  Pretty tired at the end of the day....I am sure my restless nights are contributing to that.

Belly button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on...but they are snug some mornings.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Feeling so lucky!

Looking forward to: A beautiful weekend in the 80's with no major plans! Hoping to get a few things accomplished and have some fun family time.

26 weeks

Baby girl is now up to 2lbs and over a foot long.  Her eyelids are starting to open although there isn't too much to see in there. She is more and more active each week and I would love to get a sneak peak at her and how much she has grown but we don't have another ultrasound scheduled until August 12th.


I have been sleeping SO much better this week because the weather has cooled down....our new AC unit will be installed today and we are so thankful because the temps are climbing back into the 90's very soon!  It was hot earlier this week when we got home from work....so we hung out at the neighbors all night. We are so lucky to have great friends!

I was able to get a little more painting done on Sunday morning before the heat of the day. I am loving the color and I am determined to finish the last two walls this weekend!

We attended a wedding  last weekend and remembered to snap a picture of ourselves all fancied up!

The next day Carli had a bday party to attend and we both crashed afterwards. Nick caught that on camera too!

I had my 26 week appointment yesterday. This is the fun one where I get to chug a super sugary drink and then have my blood drawn. The check-up went great! Strong heartbeat at 150bpm and growth is right on track. According to my doctors scale, I am up 10lbs...so we are going to go with that instead of the 14lbs that our broken, sometimes working....sometimes not...scale at home is telling me. My blood work came back with low levels of hemoglobin and RBC count. I am guessing they are going to put me on a iron supplement. From what I understand, anemia in pregnancy is pretty common since you have such a large amount of blood volume in your body. The iron just doesn't produce at that same rate.

Yum!! (yuck)





25 weeks!!

Baby girl is growing at rapid speeds. She is over a foot long and nearly 2lbs. She sleeps about 80% of the time and I always know when she is awake because she is becoming more and more wiggly! Her tiny nostrils have been plugged up until now, but are not starting to open. Her vocal cords are getting ready to roar too!

We celebrated Father's Day last Sunday with a fun day together. Carli slept in until 8:30 so that was her first gift to her daddy (and mommy) but once she was awake she was very anxious to give Nick his presents.

Our A/C officially kicked the bucket at the end of last week so we decided the best weekend resolution was a new pool! We all enjoyed it and kept cool. By the evenings, we had a nice breeze and ate dinner outside. We even snuck in a quick afternoon nap and family selfie!

Because of the hot house, we didn't make the progress we wanted on the nursery but the crib did arrive and I love the gray color! Trying to carve out a little time over the next week (after the new A/C unit is in place) to finish painting and get the crib assembled. In the meantime, Carli has been having a ball dressing her baby dolls in newborn clothes. She has already promised that she will help pick out "sissy's" outfits every day. 



I stumbled across this adorable book this week and can't wait to read it to our little miss and big sis!

Made a quick pit stop in Springfield this week and it only seemed right to come home with a sweet treat!





How far along?  25 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 14lbs....I am gaining exactly at the same rate as before

Maternity Clothes? everyday!

Stretch Marks? no

Sleep: Sleeping really well! The only thing that has kept me up is a crazy storm and a humid night with no air. Overall though, feeling very rested.

Best moment this week: A family day at the zoo!!  No crowds and lots of sunshine!

Miss anything?  Easily bending over....ha! Getting tough to shave my legs.

Movement: Every day!!

Food Cravings? More fruit...and Frosty's!

Anything make you sick or queasy? No

Gender: GIRL:)

Labor signs: no way!

Symptoms: I have noticed a little swelling in my ankles at the end of the day but nothing like they were with Carli. I can even still wear high heels!

Belly button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on...but they are snug some mornings.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy as a clam!

Looking forward to: Check-up with Dr. next week and a long 4th of July weekend coming up!

LESS THAN 100 DAYS!!!





24 weeks

This is a BIG week for our baby girl. At 24 the baby can first survive outside of the womb....obviously she needs to stay in there and grow for another few months, but I am very excited to reach this milestone. She weighs about a 1.5lbs and is the length of an ear of corn. Her little ears are getting sharper and she can hear loud sounds. Nick was talking to her last night...but she refused to cooperate and give daddy a kick. Her adorable little face is fully formed and complete with eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair.

We have been very busy at our house with improvement projects, baby prep, and summertime fun!

Carli and I got impatient to see the paint color of the nursery on the walls and broke out our paint brushes. We love it and now I am anxious to get the rest of the room painted...just have to find the time.



I had a work dinner this week at Hyde Park and was fortunate enough to get just a taste of this GIANT red velvet cake. Every pregnant woman's dream!!

Fun with Lily! The girls played so well together...it was a little sneak peak at how Carli will treat her little sis.  So sweet!

Nothing better than a sprinkler at sunset!

The crib should arrive in the next few days and we are shopping around for curtains, bedding, and other sweet baby must-haves. It has really started to sink in that this little one will be here in about 100 days! I can't wait to meet her!!



23 weeks

Baby girl is moving all the time and I LOVE it. Carli and Nick have both gotten to feel her kick. It offers me piece of mind that she is growing and getting stronger when I feel her wiggling all over the place. She is really starting to pack on the weight now and will start to fill out those onesies and cute dresses soon! In the next 4 weeks, she will double in size.

I have started making a list of things that we need to purchase, plan, and organize over these next few months. I feel ahead of the ball but ready to start crossing things off the list.


Nick and I spent a day together at the Memorial Golf Tournament last week. It was a beautiful day and I was chugging bottled water like it was my job. We walked the whole course....a pretty serious job even without a baby in tow. I did pretty well but we didn't need to park ourselves under a shady tree a few times to take a break. We have been spending our weekends playing outside in the sprinkler, having bonfires with friends, and last week Carli and I hit up the strawberry festival. Nothing better than sweet summertime!


We did family photos this week and I am so happy with how they turned out. I know we will do them again very soon, when we become a party of 4.  Just a few of my favorites...

 How far along?  23 weeks

Total Weight Gain? our scale broke....what a shame! ha!

Maternity Clothes? I bought a few pairs of cute (relative term) shorts and I'm still wearing a lot of maxi's.

Stretch Marks? no

Sleep: I haven't slept very well this week. Getting up to use the restroom several times and can't seem to get comfy. Hoping this is not a sign of the next 3 1/2 months.

Best moment this week: Having Nick and Carli feel the baby kick.

Miss anything?  I have been to two sporting events in the last week....a beer would be nice at the Memorial Tournament and the Clippers game.

Movement: Every day!!

Food Cravings? Grapes this week!!

Anything make you sick or queasy? No

Gender: GIRL:)

Labor signs: no

Symptoms: No hiding that there is a baby in there!  

Belly button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: Fun summer days with friends and family the next few weeks.

22 Weeks

If you must go back to work after vacation...which we all must....do it on a short, holiday week! Luckily the week has gone by very quickly which says a lot considering we didn't have a working air conditioner for 3 days in 90 degree weather. Our A/C needed Freon and all the heating/cooling companies were swamped. We were not above using the "pregnant with a toddler" excuse and we were able to get someone out fairly quickly. Thank you to the repair guys that stood out in the rain at 9pm working on our unit!


Baby girl is weighing in at a whole pound! I can tell she is growing because movement is getting stronger every day. She now has eyelashes and eyebrows but her irises still lack pigment. Wondering if we will have another blue eyed girl?! Her sensory system is developing and she is learning her sense of touch by rubbing her face, neck, and belly.


The numbness in my right leg has seemed to improve. I still get it occasionally but it is less frequent which is great news! I have noticed a little swelling in my ankles and feet at the end of the day. I am hoping that I can chalk some of that up to the high temperatures lately....but honestly I don't expect those to cool down any time soon since we are entering prime summertime!
Speaking of summertime...the warmer weather has us all ALWAYS up for an ice cream cone or popsicle. Somehow I feel less guilty indulging when I can enjoy my treat with a 3 year old.

I had my monthly check up today and everything was perfect. She said I am measuring right on target and we heard a nice strong heartbeat. I was in and out in less than 20 minutes! We did schedule a few appointment ahead. Starting in July, I will visit bi-weekly. Crazy how fast the days... weeks...months are flying by!

I thought we had decided on a crib several months ago when I fell in love when one I saw at Ikea during a shopping trip with (Aunt) Megan. I loved the gray color and the drawers on the bottom. The only reason I even did a quick online search recently was because I wasn't sure when we were going to pencil in a day to get back to Cincinnati to Ikea and the shipping cost was ridiculous ($100).  I am SO glad I kept looking though. I found one that Nick and I both think is better suited for a little girl and super cute. Bonus that it the crib is cheaper and has free shipping! Here were our final two options....we chose the top crib!

I am so excited to see her room come together. We are also doing a little re-decorating of Carli's big girl room. It is getting a fresh coat of "Princess Pink" paint, a new ceiling fan, and maybe some new wall art...including a fancy mermaid clock we brought home from the beach!!