Crafty Tuesday

A felt Christmas tree that James can rearrange all he wants! Total cost: $6

 Utensil holders for Thanksgiving/other dinner parties

Total cost? $10

 Here's a preview of some pictures that my dear friend Sammi took. She's trying to start her own photography business so we gave her an opportunity to practice!

BOOM! Are you thirsty for more?! :)

Steps

Step 1:

Invite your adopted college student over for a spend the night party. Fail to mention that we REALLY just need his muscles to help Grey move the freezer and install come cabinets. :)

Step 2:

Move the freezer to the garage and take out the cheap crown molding

Step 3: Bring some cabinets in, make 'em level, and screw 'em to the wall

 Step 4: Presto! The granite lady comes on Monday to take measurements!

 Step 5: Do a celebration "under the legs" dance with Daddy

**We had small group tonight where we discussed thankfulness and where God has brought us over the past year.  Every time someone read a bible verse, without prodding, James decided to yell out "AMEN!" afterwards. 
That kid :)

Pee Pee

James.
A 22 month old toddler full of raging energy

Like his momma, he runs around like a crazy person and then crashes at naptime and bedtime.

One month ago, he asked to sit on the potty and he pee peed.

Grey and I have talked about not potty training until later since I've read a lot about toddlers regressing when a sibling is born. 

But. 
For three days in a row now, the kid has randomly asked to go and every time, he has peed including a #2 in the potty today.

Welp. Here goes nothing. 

Thanksgiving prep

With Thanksgiving approaching, I've been planning and cooking up a storm!
The menu consists of:
Turkey and ham
Mac and cheese (family recipe)
Green bean casserole (crock pot recipe from pinterest)
Sweet potato casserole (pioneer woman)
Baked cream cheese corn (pinterest)
Crescent rolls (pinterest)
Stuffing (a box :D)
Squash casserole (southern living)
Apple pie (family recipe)
Chocolate pie (pioneer woman)
Pecan pie (pinterest)
Chocolate chip cheesecake (pinterest)

Hate me if you want. But I've already got everything prepped, frozen, and ready to cook/bake but the corn, Mac and cheese, and cheesecake.
Get. Your. Eat. On.

One for the WIN!

Bath Paint!

A 1:1 ratio of baby shampoo and cornstarch plus a little bit of water to make whatever consistency you want and some food coloring...this stuff keeps James entertained for consistently an hour each and every time. WIN WIN WIN! (Plus it washes off with just water and no scrubbing)

 I made my own butter! And it was pretty amazing!  Plus I got real buttermilk out of what was left. I feel like I'm a real pioneer woman :)

James LOVED it and ate up two pieces of bread smothered in it.

I had my 28 week appointment today! My blood pressure was good and my glucose numbers are good but they're going to have me testing every day since my fasting numbers have been giving me trouble the past 4 days. Understandable!

Baby's heart rate was in the 130's!  I got both my flu shot and my TDAP. From here on out, my appointments are every two weeks which makes it seem like its quickly approaching. 

Let me tell you,

I'm (kinda) ready.

I'm ready to meet this kiddo and see if it's a boy or girl! I'm ready to not be pregnant. I'm ready to sleep on my back. I peed my pants over the weekend when I sneezed. I'm ready to not have to struggle to bend over or get up off the floor. 

I'm NOT ready to try and breastfeed again. I'm NOT ready to try and wrangle a newborn and a toddler. I'm NOT ready to be up multiple times a night. I'm NOT ready to have my two hour blessed break when James naps be taken up with another child. 

But. Ready or not, it's coming. And the Lord has gifted me with this child. 

So here we come! They mentioned inducing about a week early if everything looks good, so here's to about 10 1/2 weeks left!

27 weeks

Hellooooooo third trimester. 
This pregnancy had FLOWN by. This time with James, I had the nursery completely set up.

This go around? We have a room for baby.
No crib, no moniter, no curtains, no car seat for James to move up into, no diapers, NO NAME...
Along with that, I've got thanksgiving dinner for 12-15 people to make, 15 gingerbread houses to make and assemble, freezer meals to make for after baby, and homemade Christmas goodies to make as presents. (Along with everyday cleaning, laundry, meal cooking, and toddler watching)
I'm going crazy and I love it. 
Seriously. All this baking and meal planning? It's right up my alley. 

Anywho, 27 weeks!
Baby is happy and well- I'll have my next appt next week.
Gestational Diabetes is going well. They're allowing me to test every other day as long as I promise to keep up with my diet and exercise on my days off. They said my fasting numbers were more of an indicator as to how I was doing, so as long as those stayed good, they'd allow me to continue doing what I was doing.
Weight gain? Eh. Next question please.
Cravings? None right now. 
I've been feeling some stronger movement. Last night at dinner, I swear I could feel the outline of a tiny hand or foot by my belly.
Will you hate me if I tell you I put on a pair of regular corduroy pants, zipped them up, and wore them to church on Sunday?
I have days where my feet are swollen at the end of the day. I'm struggling to bend over or put James in his crib for nap time.
Other than that, we're doing well!
Here is my 27 week pic with James

And for your enjoyment, I'm wearing the exact same shirt! 27 weeks with baby #2

Woo yeah!

Halloween!

James dressed up as a lion (again)!

Because:

1. I got lazy

2. I didn't have time to go thrifting for a costume

3. He still fit into the lion from last year!

Win. Win. Win. :)

Refusal to look at the camera, 

 Refusal to put the apple down, 

 And refusal to let momma finish drawing the third stripe on his left cheek = the definition of "Toddler-hood." :)

Next year, we're going big...FAMILY COSTUMES! All 4 (God willing) of us!