{iPhone Rewind} :: July

We soaked up all the Grandma time we could!

I just love him so...

We ran around the Village Depot maze in Allen, and Eli and Maddie thought it was the BEST THING EVER haha. They just really liked running free and being chased by Daddy :)

When the twin tornadoes wear you out...

Brother Love :)

Buc-ee's stop...then and now :)

Mike had 2 little helpers while he put together Aiden's crib :)

Because why wouldn't you play under the bathroom sink?

Play date with our dear friend Cooper! I can't wait to watch these 3 grow up together :)

Getting things together for Aiden's room, and I just couldn't handle the cuteness of all the tiny things! It's hard to remember that Eli and Maddie were that small!

Eli had another checkup at the eye doctor...his prescription hasn't changed and his eye turn is still getting better!

Hanging out in boxes is super fun and cheap entertainment :)

It's not even August yet...

I have started amassing freezer meals for when Aiden arrives! Instead of doing one big cook day {or two}, I have decided to just start doubling all of the recipes I cook between now and when he arrives. Or at least until our freezer is full. That's a lot of extra cooking, but it's kind of the only way I can get things done these days haha.

He was so frustrated that he pushed a toy under the couch...and Mama's belly prevents her from being able to reach things under the couch, so basically, it just has to stay until Daddy can get it :)

This girlie loves baked kale...but she sure does make a mess with it!

My anniversary gift to Mike was a Salsa-of-the-Month club, and the first 2 arrived at the end of the month! These don't exactly scream "Mike salsas" to me, but hopefully it will be a fun experiment, and he will find at least 1 that he really likes!

#BumpDay

I finally got started on Aiden's nursery quilt...we'll see if I actually get it done before he arrives :)

#reallife

That's definitely the BLACK WIDOW spider that was living on our back porch for a couple of weeks...that we just ignored because we didn't know it was a BLACK WIDOW spider...

The aunt/uncle/cousin parade to the neighborhood pool!

35 Weeks

Oh yeah...that would be my idea.

How far along? 35 weeks

Days since transfer: 226 days

Total weight gain: +28.0 {so much for gaining half of what I did with twins haha}

Maternity clothes? Yep. My running shorts and t-shirts are still my go-to during the day, but my belly is definitely sticking out from underneath my shirts. It's SUPER attractive. I am smaller than I was with Eli & Maddie, but I forget that I was on bedrest with them for the last 6 weeks. And I basically wore Mike's t-shirts and stretchy pajama pants {or let's be honest, no pants, since I was at home haha}. That's not exactly acceptable in public :)

Sleep: Guess the insomnia is here to stay. Sigh. I have felt the need to nap in the afternoons, but just haven't been able to as often as I would like. This little guy just doesn't seem to understand that Mama has things to do! :)

Best moment of the week: Getting more of Aiden's nursery ready! I just have a few decor items to work on, but otherwise, it's pretty much done. That's such a good feeling! Also, Mike taking his last work trip until after Aiden comes. We can definitely manage for a couple of days on our own, but it is getting increasingly more difficult to wrangle 2 toddlers all day by myself without relief at night. So we're glad he's sticking close to home for awhile.

Cravings: Hard boiled eggs. And kale. 

Symptoms: More of the same...Braxton Hicks {especially when I do too much during the day}. Insomnia. Sciatic pain. Snoring. Waddling. Achy. Hot. General big-ness. My fingers are swollen a bit in the mornings, so I wonder how soon I will need to remove my rings...also, I haven't mentioned this yet, but let's talk linea nigra. I had it with Eli and Maddie, and it got super dark. It was just starting to fade when I got pregnant with Aiden, but it hasn't really darkened until now. Not quite as dark as before, but definitely more noticeable. Such a strange pregnancy thing.

Labor Signs: Just the Braxton Hicks here and there. Nothing consistent or worrisome. My body is also gearing up for breastfeeding, so I am hopeful that's a good sign for nursing this little guy!

Looking forward to: Checking in on Aiden next week! My OB appointments will start getting closer together now that we are getting ready to hit baby month! Also, a fun, full weekend: sweet missionary friends over for dinner and then swimming and lunch with family.

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Size of baby? About the size of a carton of one dozen eggs, a 50 lb. rubber hex dumbbell, or a picnic basket

Development: He will pack on the baby fat until delivery day! His brain is developing at a rapid pace, though his skull will remain soft {good thing for Mommy}.

Heartbeat: Looking forward to hearing it again on Tuesday!

Movement: He is still moving all the time, though this week, his movements felt more violent haha. It almost feels like he is stretching out as far {and as hard} as he can in every direction and is somewhat frustrated with his lack of space :)  It is actually starting to hurt when he moves!

Current Position: Still head down. He likes to stick his little butt out on my right side...and then bounce on my bladder.

35 weeks- twin pregnancy

Summer Bucket List :: Paint with Water

Today was actually a little cooler than it has been the past week...at least before 9 am :) It was in the 80s, which felt like a cool front compared to the 100+ temperatures we have been facing.

So we took advantage of the "cooler" weather and spent some of the morning painting with water on the front porch! If anything, it was confirmation that my kiddos are NOT ready for actual paint haha. They were more interested in eating the paint brushes and drinking the water, so we'll avoid paint for a little while longer :)

34 Weeks

How far along? 34 weeks

Days since transfer: 219 days

Total weight gain: +26.0

Maternity clothes? Yep. But clothes are overrated these days. It's SO. dang. HOT.

Sleep: I have been sleeping a little better this week, but have just felt so tired. It has been hard to wake up in the morning; I feel like it's a struggle to get going!

Best moment of the week: My mama getaway! I got SO much done for Aiden while I had some solo time away, and I am in full nesting mode :)

Cravings: Lots and lots of ice water. 

Symptoms: Waddling, especially at the end of the day. I can't help it...I started getting some sciatic pain, so it just happens. The sciatic pain only seems to bother me when I get up from sitting on the floor, or if I am sitting in one position for too long. I also did something to my ribs. I don't know if I pulled a muscle or what, but it has been pretty painful. The first day it happened, I heard a pop and then could barely breathe or move. Thankfully it is getting better each day, but it has definitely been a nuisance. My feet haven't started swelling yet, but they feel pretty achy and tired by the end of the day. 

Labor Signs: If I do too much during the day, I feel more Braxton Hicks. Which is annoying, because I'm trying to get stuff done! Haha. Guess I'll have to be a little more careful...

Looking forward to: Celebrating our niece's Orangealicious birthday party this weekend :)  Getting more done in Aiden's nursery...it's coming along!

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Size of baby? About the size of a large bag of potato chips, a baseball glove, or a ukulele

Development: He closes his eyes when he sleeps and opens them when he's awake, which means he is starting to settle into a sleep schedule. And his fingernails are fully grown!

Heartbeat: It's weird to not hear it as often as I did for Eli and Maddie!

Movement: He's still moving all the time. He does seem to be sleeping a little bit more, but not for long periods...

Current Position: Still head down, though I think he moves transverse sometimes.

34 weeks- twin pregnancy

Summer Bucket List :: Read 5 Books a Day

This one hasn't been hard for my kiddos. They both LOVE books, and it seems like we read way more than 5 a day each. Multiple times a day. I really hope that they continue their love for reading as they grow! 

As much as they love books, they tend to still destroy them, so it will be awhile before we can join any summer reading programs at the library. Until then, we'll just enjoy our books at home :)

National Ice Cream Day

Yesterday was National Ice Cream Day, so we decided to take advantage of the silly holiday to enjoy some ice cream! Braum's is celebrating their 50th year, and they were offering a deal on ice cream, so we packed up after nap and headed over for a sweet treat :)

$1.00 ice cream sundaes. $0.50 single scoop cones. Yes please! So my kiddos have definitely decided they LOVE ice cream! After the hesitancy of their first tasting, they just dove right in haha. 

I think it's funny that my kids' personalities are reflected in their ice cream preferences...Eli loves vanilla, and Maddie loves chocolate :) It will be interesting to see what they choose and like when they're old enough to pick their own flavors!

There was a definite sugar high {and subsequent crash} afterwards...enough to make us question when we might be giving them ice cream again haha. But it was a fun memory and a fun summer afternoon treat :)