Baby #3 - 32 weeks

Went back for another appointment on June 29th. I am 32 weeks - hard to believe. 

Little Blake's heartbeat was in the 130's. Funny thing about that - Avery's heartbeat was always lower like that. And when I was in the triage room at the hospital, in labor, I remember the nurse guessing that I was having a boy just by the fact that her heartbeat was lower. Hehe - she wasn't a boy. :)

I gained 2 more pounds at the doctor making my grand total to date - 8 lbs. 

I feel great, really I shouldn't complain, BUT I am having a hard time sleeping! I toss and turn all night...that's not fun..and it's hard to move with this big 'ole belly. And Blake moves a lot...it doesn't seem to be as painful yet but it can get pretty uncomfortable. 

Other than that. I am doing well. So happy to meet Blake soon. 

It's just hair!

My little girls decided they wanted their hair cut recently. Avery has been patiently waiting for her hair to grow as long as Rapunzel's but I often gently remind her that it could take years for that to happen and at the rate her hair grows it could take her lifetime! She also has a friend that we've known forever whose hair is dark, thick and all the way down her back, (It's pretty hair, but it must be a pain in the neck to wash - at least that's the mom thought in me!) and we are always referencing her beautiful long hair. 

Well, Avery's friend Anna Belle just got her hair cut. It's a cute little cut and Anna Belle looks so cute and summery. At first the girls did not want to cut their hair. They both said no way, we want "Rapunzel hair". Then a day or so later, Avery came up to me and said she wanted to do it. I think Riley agreed because she didn't want to be left out. :)

I was shocked. She specifically said "Not as short as Anna Belle's but just right to my shoulders.". Okay, I wasn't about to jump in the car and head to the local Fantastic Sams. I knew this needed a person I was familiar with because I think it was going to be hard for me to swallow. Her hair wasn't that long but it was getting there. She definitely needed a good trim so I agreed. 

We waited 6 days to see my hair stylist - Jenny. I'm so glad we waited because it was fun to talk through it with her. I needed some moral support. I don't know what it is about short hair but I knew the girls would look so much older - especially Riley (who was very much pro-haircut).  Here is their pic after the cuts. Riley looks so growny to me and I still haven't gotten used to it but I think they both look fresh and healthy. 

They can still wear pony tails - which was my only requirement. I like that they made this decision and they had to wait and make sure it was something they really wanted. It was a fun trip to the salon and the smiles and giggles they had after were so worth it! 

Cul-de-sac Fun

Today we came home from a morning of VBS and a fun trip to the park, with friends, for lunch. The fire hydrant at the end of the street was open and we just had to take the time to go play in it. The girls had an absolute blast. This is the 3rd time I think that hydrant has been opened and we've played in it. I bet it will be a fun memory for the girls. 

My favorite part of this picture is that you can see Riley getting completely wet - she went right in the water, with no hesitations. But Avery is just skirting the outside of the spray and hardly gets her body wet. It shows their personalities to a T! 

Our time was cut short, when Avery decided to go get her bike and ride through it. I think she got a little distracted and fell off her bike and skinned her toes and knee pretty badly. 

What's that old saying "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt". :(

Baby #3 - 29 weeks

Another appointment at the doctor today. I did have a concern about a lingering cough that hasn't seemed to go away. It exhausts me and keeps me up at night, tossing and turning as I hold my belly and cough. Ugh. Since I really hate to take medicine, I hesitated to say anything to the doctor at all, but I decided I should mention it. Dr. Bluementhal prescribed a night time cough suppressant that was also supposed to help me sleep. :) We will see if it seems to help and I can get a bit more rest to help fight this thing off.

Blake is moving around like crazy. He's been gentle on me so far and I enjoy feeling the little pokey parts that stick out at times. I wonder a lot about what he looks like in there. So amazing to know I am carrying a little boy!

His heartbeat was in the 130's today. I am measuring right on target at 30 weeks (I'm actually 29 weeks and 5 days) so it's not far off. I gained 1 more pound to bring the total to 6 so far. :)

Oh, we got our car seat the other day. It's so cute! Can't wait to put his little sweet baby boy body in it and bring him home.

I start going to the doctor every 2 weeks now. Seems a little ridiculous with my 3rd baby - I never have any complaints and my appointments with the doctor last all of 3 minutes. But I happy to be so healthy! Praise the Lord. 10 weeks and counting (Avery always says you can start counting down when it gets to 10).

Camping Trip to Myrtle Beach

A trip planned by Daddy must go down in the record books as one of my favorite. Ryan rented us a travel trailer from an RV place in Wilmington. We left on a Friday and drove down there in the truck to pick it up. From there, we drove to PirateLand in Myrtle Beach. We were originally going to only stay 3 nights but once we got there and checked in, we decided to go ahead and book 4 nights. We knew that only having 2 whole days would fly by and we didn't have any schedule to keep. So happy it worked out, because it was so much fun!

The girls could barely wait to get into the camper and start setting up our "house on wheels". We packed a ton of stuff! From sheets and flashlights to bikes and beach chairs. We had pretty much everything we needed. Once we got there, we headed to Walmart to buy a few snacks and food items. We didn't end up cooking much in the camper - we just did breakfast, lunch and snacks and then ate out. But that was really nice because we were usually all ready to get out and eat a good meal at the end of the day.

After dinner our first night, we were on our way back to our site in the campground. We came upon a "parade" of golf carts. Come to find out, each night at PirateLand they have a golf cart cruise line where you get in and cruise the "strip" of PirateLand. The girls were ecstatic! As soon as we got back, they hoped in the golf cart with Daddy and took off to cruise. We did it for 3 nights (it rained the last night and we had already turned in our golf cart) and Avery loved every minute of it. She looked forward to the "Parade" (as her and Riley called it) each night. It was a trip. I laughed so much when I went the second night. Whole families were packed on their decorated golf carts, jamming to music from sound systems blaring anything from rap, country to pop. WOW is all I can say now.

We took a few beach pictures one night before dinner. The girls cooperated pretty well. It was windy - as most beaches were, so we had fun battling the wind in the face pics but I think some of them turned out pretty well. My goal was to get a close up of each girl to hang in the playroom.

On Sunday morning we got up and went to "church". It was outdoors under some beautiful old trees and the weather was partly cloudy so it was so nice. The regular preacher was out of town so we just had a special music Sunday (I always looked forward to those Sunday's growing up - something a little different). What was funny is that one lady, literally came in her bathing suit...she wasn't even wearing a cover up! And a lot of people pulled up in their golf carts and just sat in them during church. We went ahead and sat on a wooden bench and the girls did pretty well. Riley of course was her fidgety little self but she did great.

That day ended up being our beach day. It was nice because it stayed cloudy all day. The girls enjoyed this time more than I thought they would. Riley and I fished for minows for awhile in this little pond area that led to a little lake on the campground. She held a real, but dead crab that some boys had found. Ryan and Avery had made a trip to Walmart and when they got back they did the same thing for awhile. I did manage to catch a sand crab and Riley thought that was super neat. In one of the above pictures she has it in her purple net. She was getting ready to let it go back to it's family. :) Avery and daddy tried to build sand castles. I liked the pictures of the two of them because it looks like they were having some good conversation, when I think it was only about how Avery couldn't get the sand castles "just right". haha

Our last full day we decided to play mini golf. It was a scorcher! Full sun and standing on the put put course...whew! The girls had little patience for playing the game as it's supposed to be played so we actually kind of breezed right through the 18 holes. But they did attempt a few "real shots" here and there.

The campground had some fun activities. They had a coloring contest, kids bingo night, ice cream eating contests, VBS etc. We did a few of them here and there. The girls enjoyed bingo, we were a little disappointed not to win a prize but it was a good time. It started raining that last evening but we managed to grab some pizza and make a trip to a new yogurt shop we saw called Sweet Frogs. Come to find out, one is opening up in Greenville soon (just what we need...another one!). But the franchise is cool Frogs stands for (Fully Rely On God) and they play Christian music in their store. Yay!

I had to snap a few pics the last day. You can see the puddles on the ground from the rain the night before and that morning. We packed up in between rain spurts and the girls got to get some energy out before our trip home. Avery LOVED the freedom of riding her bike. She hardly ever rode in the golf cart those few days. She would take off in front of us and "lead the way" to the pool, or camp store, or just taking a cruise around and we would follow in our golf cart. I'm so thankful we had that cart because there is no way I could have walked around that campground...stuff was so far away! We were so proud of her though. She only took one minor fall but after some ice and a rest, she was back to being our bike guide.

Ryan did a great job taking care of all the camper needs. He grew up camping in his grandparents camper and he is quite good at knowing what to do with all of the camping "how to's". So thankful for that!

That's all the pics I have. I loved, loved the camping atmosphere. The one thing I took away from the trip besides the need for a real mattress next time, was how much I enjoyed just relaxing. I don't think I realized how much you can just chill while camping. I loved seeing people riding bikes and walking. I loved smelling bacon being cooked in the mornings for breakfast. I loved seeing clothes being hung out to dry from fun times at the beach or pool. And I loved spending that sweet time with my family. The girls loved every second of the trip and I think they would love to do it again!

Let's get this little boy of ours here first then we'll discuss camping again. :)

Riley Kate - almost 4

Riley Kate - I've been meaning to write a post about you and what you have been up to lately...so here it is. (You are a little less than 3 months away from being 4!)

Yesterday you came into the kitchen, where I was, and said "Mommy will you hold me?". It's getting much harder to pick you up these days and hold you on my big belly, but I can't help but do so. I know that soon you won't be my littlest anymore and I'm trying to hold on tight to you! So, I picked you up and you said "Can I tell you something pretty?" Of course! You said "I love you a lot". Oh, my...melt your heart moment! It just made my heart smile knowing that you thought that was something "pretty" to say...only from the mouth of a little girl.

Riley you are at such a fun age! I have so enjoyed the 3 mornings we had to ourselves this year, while Avery was at school. You were my little sidekick! Most days, if I was busy doing something like folding laundry, or working on embroidery, you had to be right in the same room. You would just be in there playing with toys or talking to me. I remember thinking as the days passed that it was our last time by ourselves...next year on your mornings off from preschool, we will have your brother here too. As much as I am looking forward to that, I will miss my sweet time with you. But I am sure glad we got that time!

You LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to get a pair of my high heel/ wedge shoes and put them on, while carrying around one of my big purses, pretending to talk on the phone and wearing my sunglasses! You are way more stylish than me, my dear! Oh, I am going to get a picture of this soon and post it here. When most of the time I have to tell you sister to pick up her toys in the living room, for you, I have to tell to put Mommy's shoes back in the closet! You love to put on chap stick or lipgloss and say you've put on "my makeup". "Don't I look pretty, Mommy?" you say.

Today we sat on the porch for a good 20-30 minutes. You sat in my lap just talking to me. I kept asking if you wanted to go play with your sister but you just looked at me and said "No, I want to stay with you". You talked to your brother, in my belly. We played patty cake and laughed at each other as we took turns wearing your sunglasses. I love that you want to be with me so often.

On the other hand, your hardest times are getting in the car and buckling up! haha It seems so silly but you get so distracted when getting in the car. You can point out 10 things, or want some gum, or ask what I brought to the car, or worry about what your sister is doing and walk back to her seat...all this before entering your seat!! You've learned how to buckle yourself but haven't quite mastered the unbuckle part...we will be practicing in the next couple of months. It sure would make it easier once your brother comes if you could do it all by yourself. :)

Well, that's all I can think of right now. I'll write more later. xoxo