34 weeks

6 weeks until emma taylor's due date.

3 weeks until I am technically full term.

I bought her stroller this past weekend.

I can't wait to put her car seat in the car.

Does that make me a dork?

I still really want this play mat.

I have washed almost all her clothes/linens.

Her room is coming together.

I think I've got most everyone calling her Emma Taylor (not just Emma).

I'd be lying if I didn't say that I am feeling tired, big, and hot.

My feet are swelling and I have to wear flip flops to work.

I am already planning to try some wives tales/labor inducing techniques once I am done with work on June 30th!

bbq bacon sliders

I made these this weekend. Another great Pioneer Woman recipe! Although, I used cheddar cheese, turkey bacon, and added caramelized onions. I think regular bacon would have made them amazing since it gets crispier than turkey bacon, but I went with the slightly healthier option. I think these would be great for a dinner party. They are just small enough for those people who don't want a gigantic burger or if you are really hungry you can eat a few. Plus you can customize them with toppings!

Multitude Monday, Week 56

648. lunch with old friends
649. summer fruits and veggies
650. emails
651. sermons
652. deep discussions
653. still being able to get some excercise in
654. unexpected presents
655. having all of emma taylor's stuff
656. glen's day off
657. we get to spend the afternoon together
658. our table is being stained today

Week 55

the last shower

I had my last baby shower this past weekend, and I forgot my camera. I realized after someone else had mentioned that the left their camera at home that I didn't even think to bring mine. What is wrong with me? Pregnancy/mommy memory maybe? Who knows!

Anyways, I had a blast with all who could come and was overwhelmed by the generosity of my friends! Thanks for everything. Emma Taylor is going to love all her stuff!

Here is the only picture we got...with an iphone...

neighborhood cookout

We have been scheming for a couple of months now with our neighbor about having a neighborhood cookout. Something where we could better get to know the people we near and start relationships beyond the occasional "Hi" as we are working in the yard. What better way to get to know people than over food? So last night we had our first official neighborhood cookout. We had a decent number of people show up and can only hope for it to grow the next time we do it. It's refreshing to really know who we live with, and I hope that we can keep those relationships going. We are always so busy living our lives outside of our house that many times we come home and stayed closed up all to ourselves in our own house. I feel like that is the way that many American neighborhoods are, but I hope that ours will change and grow for the better!

pregnancy happenings

1. We finished our hospital (preparation for birth) class this past Monday. We are now apparently ready to have Emma Taylor.

2. We are less than 7 weeks from our due date.

3. We have all our necessities (crib, car seat, ect.) and a ton of clothes!

4. The girl at chickfila told me (as she was handing me my DECAF coffee) that I shouldn't be drinking coffee. It's bad for the baby...

5. I officially got a handicap sticker so I can park next to my building at work.

6. Its blazing hot outside and its not even June. I thought I wouldn't be dying of heat until a little later.

7. I officially feel enormous.

Multitude Monday, Week 55

637. baby showers
638. generosity of friends
639. 7 weeks left
640. air conditioning
641. grilling out
642. sundresses
643. free seminars
644. our last hospital class
645. shady front porches
646. friendly neighbors
647. a relaxed work environment

Week 54

almost defeated...

...by the pack n' play. So we got this pack n' play free a while back from a day care that was going out of business. We put it up in the attic until we needed it. I decided that we should probably open it up, put it together, and do a little disinfecting since I don't know where all it has been or what has been on it. Plus it has a bassinet add-on feature, and I wanted to see if it would fit in our room for when we first got home from the hospital.

It sat in our dining area (which still has no table) for almost 2 days. I tried to put it together by myself one day thinking it would be no big deal. It almost did me in.
It has directions which I followed (or somewhat followed) and apparently to get the top rails to lock you have to lock them before you lock the bottom rails. Good to know and good to know we weren't defeated by the pack n' play. However, it did give me quite a lot of trouble trying to collaspe and repack it.

Glen, the engineer, deemed it a bad design which makes me feel a little better about how long it took to figure it out...

Oh baby!

I am very excited about this weekend! I have my last baby shower which means we can really start getting together all we need for the nursery, and I think it will be a super fun one!

Also, we are going to an event put on by the Palmetto Health Hospitals called Oh Baby. It's for new or expectant moms. Both Glen and I will attend the Baby 101 seminar, and I will get to go to the Breastfeeding Basics seminar (I am not dragging Glen to that one). I also found out that our potential pediatricians office will be there as one of the Venders! I am glad that we can go meet them and not have to make a separate appointment for that (I already go to enough appointments as is). They have chances for you to win stuff if you register with them, and the best part is the whole thing is FREE! So whether the seminars are helpful or not (although I think they will be) we won't waste any money on it!

Things are coming along, and I am truly starting to count down until we get to meet our little girl!

3 girls

I grew up with three girls. By the end of the summer we will each have our own girl, totaling 3 girls! They are going to have so much fun together and Alexis (who will be 3 by then) will have a blast being the one in charge!

{from the family baby shower- thanks Rach for the photo!}

32 weeks

Only 8 weeks left...hopefully. I had a doctors appointment today, and it went well. She is positioned correctly and should likely stay like that until born. The doctor also estimated that she weighed around 3 1/2 lbs and she should gain close to 3 more lbs by my due date. Oh my! She already feels big enough as is. I can't imagine how she is going to fit by the end.

For the most part, I am feeling good. I am still keeping active by walking Abby almost everyday and still walking from my way too far away parking lot for work. I am starting to feel a little more tired (like what I felt the first trimester) and am feeling a bit sick at night when Emma Taylor refuses to take a break from moving.

sisters

Carrie threw Rachel and I a joint sister shower this weekend in Augusta. We had our family along with families-in-law and some friends. I got a lot of clothes (of course, everyone likes shopping for little girls) and some stuff I really need (i.e. the pratical stuff). I was so excited that even two of my friends from highschool, Palmer & Allison, were able to make it. I am so glad yall could make it!

 I can't wait for Emma Taylor and Hannah to grow up together! Thanks Carrie! It was great!

Later that afternoon/night we had a family cookout since both Rachel and I were in town. It was a good, family filled weekend!

{Rachel~28 weeks, Me~32 weeks}

{at the family cookout}

Multitude Monday, Week 54

618. my sisters
619. titus, caleb, alexis, and all their antics
620. my soon to come niece hannah
621. pregnant friends
622. summer storms
623. a clean dog
624. new grass is growing in our back yard
625. emma taylor has lots of new clothes
626. generosity of family at my baby shower
627. roughly 8 weeks until my due date
628. God is strong
629. God is sufficient
630. glen and i are not alone in this upcoming parenting thing
631. it was cool on my walk to work today
632. our table is fully sanded
633. our house is on its way to being clean
634. the nursery is coming together
635. i am still feeling really good
636. good news

Week 53

youth shower

This past Wednesday Glen and I had some awesome ladies throw me a youth shower during our usual youth group time. The food was awesome, and the company was great. Thanks for all the hard work you all put into it.

{me & the hostesses}

{everyone}

we're working on it

We have been without a table for awhile now, but this past week Glen started sanding so that we can refinish it soon. We also found some benches and chairs at a local wood store than we can stain to match the table. We hope to finish it in the next couple of weeks, but we have yet to decide on what color stain to use. We will keep you updated!

afternoon nap

It's getting hot outside so in the afternoon Abby has been coming inside to nap. However, I don't see how she thinks the positions she has chosen are comfortable.

canning day

This is my second year in a row making strawberry jam and it went smoother the second time around. I might try making blackberry or raspberry this year too if I can get my hands on enough of them.

Multitude Monday, Week 53

606. going to both Sunday school and church with no interruptions
607. picnics
608. day trips
609. sunshine
610. my sunburn feels better today
611. time in the afternoon to rest
612. glen started working on the table
613. upcoming baby showers
614. having friends in the same boat as me
615. clean laundry
616. cassaroles that last us a week
617. brownies

Week 52

picnic in the park

In honor of my first mother's day, Glen packed a picnic for us in the park! We finished off the day with some ghiradelli dark chocolate brownies that Glen baked while I was gone to Charleston on Saturday.

1st mother's day

Charleston

I am headed to Charleston tommorrow for our annual Jr High mother/daughter beach trip. Aren't you jealous?!?! I can't wait to hang out with these girls...

{2010 Mother/Daughter Beach Trip}

30 weeks + i passed!

30 weeks! Only 10 to go. I am gearing up for a few busy weekends coming up in May including a Charleston day trip with our youth and the rest being centered around Emma Taylor. Then comes June when I hope all we have to do is rest at home and finish getting ready for baby girl's arrival.

As of late, I am feeling great! At my most recent doctor's appointment everything was on track. Even my blood pressure was better than it has ever been. I had failed the 1 hour glucose test and had to take the 3 hour one yesterday. I am so glad to report that I passed it with flying colors! That's great news because it was miserable. Now I can eat some dessert again and not be afraid of my blood sugar levels.

Multitude Monday, Week 52

593. a weekend away
594. amazing weather
595. safe travels
596. great doctors visits
597. another beach trip this coming weekend
598. classes at the hospital
599. friend's babies safe delivery
600. a day off to recooperate
601. nights at home with glen
602. being silly in the car
603. free dog sitter
604. informative books
605. walks after dinner

Week 51

at botany bay

at the beach

Crabbing

This past weekend Glen and I headed down to Edisto for the weekend with our friends Andrew & Elizabeth. We have been wanting to go crabbing for a couple of years now, and it finally worked out. The weather was awesome all weekend. It was just warm enough but not summer heat quite yet. Here's some pics from our crabbing adventure...

{first crab caught by Elizabeth & I}

{homemade crab lines}