Bumpdates: Week 27-28

If you missed my previous bumpdates, you can check out weeks 5-12 here, weeks 13-14 here, weeks 15-16 here, weeks 17-18 here, weeks 19-20 here, weeks 21-22 here, weeks 23-24 here, and weeks 25-26 here! I've decided that at the very end of this, I'm going to make a book out of all of my weeks so Baby Cookie can look back and read through them someday. I also hope to make one giant blog post compiling all of my weeks together to see the progress.

How far along? 28 weeks

Size of baby?

27 weeks: cauliflower

28 weeks: eggplant

Total weight gain? One pound! Finally! Let's see if it stays there... I feel like it should now that Baby Cookie weighs over two pounds...

Gender? GIRL! You can read about it here! 

Maternity clothes? Yes - always! I ave a few of Dan's shirts that still fit me for sleeping, thank goodness, because I cannot stand tight fitting clothes when I'm in bed. Air Force PT shirts - Whatever works, right? 

Sleep? Dan was out of town for a couple nights at Boy Scout Camp last week, and I slept SO WELL then... I think it's because I had the entire king size bed to myself. I'm still having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep most nights, but I've been able to nap a little bit, which is helpful.

Work outs? At this point, I consider walking from one room to another or trying to blow dry my hair a workout. Painting my toenails leaves me completely out of breath.

Cravings? Nothing new here this time around!

Aversions? All the same. Heartburn is crazy when I eat tomatoes, but I did have spaghetti AND pizza over the weekend, and I didn't die.

Best moment of this week? We're heading to Missouri to see family and friends and have a baby shower for our little girl! We're actually already there...

Worst moment of this week? I went to the ER once again (well, I really go to Labor and Delivery every time now since I'm past 24 weeks) for fluids and kidney pain. They sent me home with a diagnosis of another kidney stone, so I took Flomax and Vicodin for a couple days... I slept well then.

Looking forward to? Our baby shower this weekend! :)

    

A Happier Spin on Fathers' Day

Fathers' Day is always rough for me. Well, it has been for the past nine years anyway. My own dad passed away unexpectedly when I was a senior in high school... way back in 2006. Then, Dan lost his dad last year. It's just not a fun day for us.

This year, however, I decided to make it fun. Since Dan is not quite a father yet (but will be in September!), I decided to spoil him just a little.

I made him a New Dad Survival Kit... I had seen the idea floating around on Pinterest, but I put my own spin on it and added a couple things. I LOVE how it turned out, and he got a good kick out of it. I added four (used - we don't buy new around here) books about dads for him to read to Baby Cookie, and I found a couple of cute outfits to put in there too.

Dan is a pilot, so one of them says "dad is my wingman" - it's a boys' onesie from Old Navy, so I got a matching headband/bow to go with it... and the other days "daddy's little cupcake" - which he's been calling her. I was so glad to put a happier spin on Fathers' Day this year, and I know next year will be even better with a baby!

I already have some ideas brewing for what Baby Cookie can do / make for Dan next year! Can't wait!


    

Decorations for Our Home

Do you ever start a project and then take forever to finish it? Well, that's where I was at a couple weeks ago. We moved into our house in Ohio LAST JULY... and I just finished getting the photo collages I had planned on done.

That said, they are still not hanging up anywhere in our home, and at this rate, they won't be by the time we move again in March.

I am so excited to have all five of them finished, though, that I had to share! The first three I made a couple years ago to use for decorations at our wedding. I just added the last engagement session photos and our wedding photos.

okokok

I can't wait to make a new one once we have our maternity photos taken in July and make one of Baby Cookie's first year later on. Soon, our home is going to be completely overtaken with photo collages... oops.

Where would you hang these? All together or separately?
Do you also slack on getting projects finished quickly?

    

A Colorado Springs Staycation Guide

Today, I'm guest blogging over on Hope's blog about the top ten things to do in Colorado Springs for a staycation... in my opinion! I may not live there anymore, but the four years I was fortunate enough to, it felt like home.

Be sure to check out the post here and give Hope's blog some love!


    

Anniversary Trip: Smoky Mountains

After we left Nashville and Lynchburg, Dan and I drove to the town of Pigeon Forge! It was... interesting. We weren't huge fans of the town itself, but the scenery nearby? Definitely worth going for. We have been missing Colorado like crazy for the beautiful mountains... and while the Smokies aren't quote the Rockies, it was just what we needed!

We spent most of an entire day driving through the mountains and stopping every once in a while to hike around, once up a gigantic hill that I thought was going to kill me - yes, pre-pregnant Janelle would have made fun of me. Ugh. But the hike was worth it for the views!

I'll stop talking now and just let the pictures finish...

Have you been to the Smoky Mountains?
Are you a mountain person like me?