Today we have Kim posting for the Moms Make it Work series. Kim is a blog reader who contacted me and asked if she could post on the series even though she doesn't have a blog of her own (yet). I gladly agreed and love getting a peek into the lives of readers who don't usually share it on the internet. We are moving through the third month of posting on this series and I feel like each poster is still contributing something different, since we all have such different situations. Enjoy Kim's post and let us know if there is anything specific you want covered in other upcoming posts. One commenter wanted to know specifically how other moms handle meals/meal planning. Anything else I should pass along to our next posters?
Hi! My name is Kim and I am a full time music teachin’ working mama to my husband Greg, and our two kids, Ethan (2.5) and Meredith (1). I instagram @RaisinKanes, and am excited to start a blog very soon on raisinkanes.wordpress.com. I hope you’ll take the time to read when I start to post! I have been a blog lurker for years and until I wrote this post, I never realized how much work goes into the wonderful posts you all create. Thank you for taking the time to write your blogs- they have helped to reassure and inspire me!
Happily Eating a Vegetable!
What is your background story? What was your career/schooling before you became a mom? And now where are you?
Ever since 3rd grade, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I had the most inspiring teacher in third grade, Mrs. Brady. Looking back, I think her way of teaching grabbed my learning style just perfectly. I went through my schooling continuing to be inspired by my teachers, and in high school I had a group of music teachers that really took me under their wing and helped me discover that music education was the right pathway for me. So, I entered music school at a state college as a bass clarinet music education major. Yes, you read right, bass clarinet. I like to stand out. Just a little, to be noticed, to be something different. There are only a few bass clarinets in a band, and I was drawn to that. I loved all that music education had to offer. It was what I was meant to do for a profession. I added on a performance degree because, well, I was young, and didn’t have anything else to do in a town that averaged around 10 degrees for the high approximately ½ of the school year.
As if I wasn’t busy enough practicing 6+ hours a day on top of my regular coursework during my freshman year, I decided to volunteer on a committee that helped out with the audition days at the college for prospective music students. The volunteers gave college tours of the music school to the students before they went and auditioned. Since I was a freshman, I was paired up with an older, much more mature, senior student for the tour. Enter, MrGregKane.
Head cut off? Should have splurged on the other photographer!
It was January. Greg had just finished his student teaching experience so I had not come across him until this day. He stood there, in jeans, a dress shirt, and a tie, all which were probably from Structure, and probably are still in his closet, but that’s a different post for a different time (Title post- My Husband is a Walking Throwback Thursday, 7 Days a Week). Anyway, he had a travel mug in his hand, and as a freshman, I just thought that was the coolest thing. I nearly tripped over myself three times during the tour because I was so infatuated with this guy. I obviously was just some freshman girl that was nowhere near this guy’s playing field, and at the end of the tour, that was that. Until the spring semester started. After auditions that semester, I was placed in Wind Ensemble. There was only one other freshman in wind ensemble that semester and so I didn’t really know anyone in the ensemble. At the first rehearsal, I was sitting there, putting my bass together, when in walked MrGregKane. OMG. Thankfully I didn’t trip over myself this time because that would have been an expensive fall, but I knew this was some sort of sign.
We were both dating other people and Greg went on to graduate and take a teaching position downstate. The next spring, Greg invited me to “play a concert for his students,” and that was that. I worked extra hard to finish my degrees a semester early, and proceeded to move in with said boy. We dated for a few more years, and then tied the knot in 2007.
We eventually landed jobs teaching music in the same district, and completed our masters degrees, which are a requirement for NYS teachers. We built private lesson studios, and I started teaching Music Play classes for babies and their caregivers, a passion of mine. I also got involved in GIML and was nominated to serve as the Early Childhood Chair on the NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) Classroom Music Committee. We knew that we wanted to have children soon, so we started trying in 2010. After a loss at 7 weeks in September 2010, we became pregnant in December 2010 and had Ethan in August 2011. My platelet count was too low to have an epidural, so yeah, that was a day. We really like him.
Ethan is the happiest human being I’ve ever met. He is either laughing, making someone else laugh, or having a tantrum, because, right, he’s 2 ½. It took some time to get the sleeping thing down with him when he was first born, but by 4 months, we were getting things figured out and he finally slept through the night around 8 months. I owe it all to the miracle blanket, and Dr. Weissbluth’s book, “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.” I stayed home with Ethan until he was 8 months old. That year, it was extremely warm for Western NY and we hardly had any snow or days that were below 40. It was amazing. We were outside taking walks, I didn’t have to worry about bundling him up super warm when we would go out to the store, and he didn’t even get sick. I loved every minute of being at home. I love to cook and clean (yeah, I know, that’s annoying), and loved being able to take Ethan through the journey of solid foods through cooking for him. The other thing that Ethan likes to do besides smile? Eat. Holy crap, you guys. I don’t think he’s ever been full! He will eat just about anything and ask for more. He may have gotten that trait from me, so I can completely relate to him. Husband’s biggest pet peeve about me? Having a conversation with him about the next meal we’re going to eat while we’re eating our present meal. I chalk it up to my Italian roots. Hmmm. Italian roots? With cheese?
We got baby fever when Ethan was around 11 months and we welcomed our second child, Meredith in April 2013. We really like her too. :-)
Props to my husband's photo skills! You can follow him on flickr
Meredith was a very easy baby until she was 4 months old. She started sleeping through the night around 2 months and her morning naps would last 3 ½ hours. I’m serious. What the what?! We would put Meredith down for her nap and Ethan and I would play outside together for 2 hours. Then he would go down for his mega afternoon nap which usually lined up with another nap for her. Was this really real? How could life be so wonderfully wonderful? I felt so lucky and guilty that things were going so well for our family while I knew friends that were struggling with sleep or eating issues with their little ones. I could only take a few months off from school, including the summer, with Meredith because of seniority issues at school. So in September, when Meredith was 5 months old, I went back to school. You know what lines right up with turning 5 months old? Teeth, and a sleep regression.
The dream was over. Meredith started waking up 3-5 times a night with terrible gas pains, wanting only to nurse, and only me holding her. She also started breaking out of her swaddle blanket. She is a lonnnnggggg baby and would kick herself out of it. Sigh. Thankfully, Ethan stayed pretty par for the course, but guys, I was tired. Exhausted. Crazy? I didn’t even know how I was functioning some mornings. When Mere popped her first two teeth at the beginning of September, it all made sense why she was waking up so I was hopefully she would go back to her dreamy, sleepful ways. Right.
This continued on for 4 months. Most nights it was 3 wakeups, but there were still a few nights here and there where she would wake up 5 times a night. The teeth kept coming. 8 teeth by time she was 8 months old. And you know what she did with them? Bite me. She was so young there was no way I could figure out to get her to understand not to bite me while nursing. I turned into an exclusive pumper (aside from overnight sessions) when Mere was around 7 months. I pumped 2 times at home and two times at school. It took a lot of time. It was stressful. It was discouraging to hear my friends pump massive amounts of milk at a session when I was barely making ends meet. But I’m glad I did it. I stopped pumping at 10 months and I’m also glad I did that.
We finally let Mere cry it out about a month ago and she’s finally starting to sleep through the night again, although I’m pretty sure her molars are creeping up us on. This too shall pass. This too shall pass.
What are the best parts of your situation? What are the biggest challenges?
I think the best part of our situation is that both Greg and I have “summers off!” So I kind of still get to be a SAHM ¼ of the year…and so does my husband! It’s really pretty glorious. It is amazing to be on the same schedule as my husband. We have the same hours, breaks, and snow days (J). With this kind of schedule we are able to spend time together as a family quite often.
The hours that we teach at school line up with the kids’ schedules really nicely too. We’re out the door by 7:15 and home around 4:30. We have a 30 minute commute which is getting annoying (especially in the snow- blah!) but that’s going to change soon because we just received an offer on our home yesterday (eeeeeeeee!!!!!). Getting home at 4:30 is so nice because it gives us a few hours to spend with the kids before their bedtime.
One of the biggest challenges for me right now is daycare. We have a wonderful in-home daycare provider who has many years of experience. The kids love it there. There’s a new theme each week with crafts, snacks that are related to what they’re learning about, field trips, and toys that are constantly changing so there’s always something new. This causes me to second guess the type of parent I’m being. They learn so much at daycare and I think to myself, “I don’t think I would have thought to teach them that,” or “Am I doing enough at home to help my children develop at the rate they should?”
Then there’s the side of me that gets all “mama bear” when it comes to sleeping and eating. I’m a sleep nazi and I get really ticked when something or someone messes with my kids’ sleep schedules. Meredith doesn’t get the best naps at daycare because all of the other kids are on 1 nap and she’s still on 2. So while she’s napping in one room, there are 4 other kids playing and it results in a short nap. And then she’s overtired for her 2nd nap, so that’s short. So she’s exhausted by time we’re on our 30 minute drive home which usually results in a cat nap in the car, which creates a weird “when is bedtime now?” kinda thing, which usually results in an overtired child, which usually results in a child who wakes up at night. See? I’m way too crazy about this and need to relax a little bit, but I know she would be soooooo much happier if she was able to get the rest she needed at the right times of day. I just keep trying to tell myself that in a few months she’ll be down to one nap and things will be much better.
Is this how you expected it to be pre-kids?
I guess I had a more fantasized version of what it would be like with kids. Oh, the innocence. My parents were young when they had my sister and I and my mom stayed home with us. I envisioned the same thing for Greg and I, having kids as soon as we got married and being able to stay home with them, but our lifestyle and career paths took us down a road that would have us wait to have children for a few years. Looking back at the young, newly married me, I’m so glad that we waited. I needed those years to thrive at my position at school and learn who I was as a person.
Is this your ideal situation? If not, what is?
A friend of mine shared something the other that really sunk in for me; A job pays the bills, but a career makes you happy. Teaching music is not a job to me. I usually will refer to my job as going to school, not work. Teaching is something that makes me happy and I don’t think I would stop teaching 100%. If it were a perfect world, I’d teach part-time at school, teach early childhood music classes year round (I only teach in the summer now), and be home with the kids the rest of the time. I feel very fortunate to be teaching in a great district with colleagues that are more than just the people I teach with, and love that I get to teach with my husband.
Do you see yourself making a career change in the next 5-10 years, or is this current set up staying put for the long haul?
With the climate of public school education lately, who knows if they’ll even be music in schools in 10 years…isn’t that a frightening thought?! By returning to work when I did after having Meredith, it keeps my employment very secure. However, if my husband and I both lose our jobs, we’re going to open a restaurant. Anytime one of us makes something that’s pretty tasty, we say, “add it to the menu!” I can bake up some mean treats, but when it comes to chocolate chip cookies, I fail every.time. I’m sure that will be a blog post in the future.
Tips on how you make this work for you?
PLAN AHEAD. I have learned to become very proactive and try my best to stay one stead ahead of everything. I develop routines for everything, which is super annoying, especially if you’re my husband and try to help out by putting the dishes in the dishwasher, yet those dishes were supposed to be hand washed in 30 minutes after I finished cutting the fruit and why did you put the sponge facedown on the drying rack, OMG?! (Poor guy). I do have a little bit of a hard time letting go of control (you’ve noticed, haven’t you? I controlled you to think that way).
We are quickly outgrowing our house and with two musicians comes many instruments, music equipment, and many, many, many, pieces of music (don’t worry, we have spaces for soccer balls and baseball bats too). Our house can throw up in a matter of minutes and it makes me crazy. I stay calm by telling myself that “everything has a place,” and to “just keep moving.” I could stand there and stress out about the fact that there is stuff everything and this place looks like a pigsty, or I could take a deep breath, and know that at one point my house was clean, and it will be clean again. At our house we have the “midday cleanup” (nap time) and we clean again after the kids go to bed. I clean things in the same order (how did someone marry me?) and on those days when I stand there and tell myself that it seems like it will never be clean (I call this nap paralysis), I “just keep moving” and tell myself that even completing the smallest task is still better than not completing a task at all. There will be knick knacks or clothes lying around which would probably be just fine sitting there for another day but then it will bother me. “Everything has a place” and so I put it away. The house is clean and I feel good and when mama’s happy- everyone’s happy.
Now I know that sounds borderline cuckoo and you’re thinking, “why can’t this girl just relax?” and I’ve tried experimenting with letting go a little, but it’s just not me. And I think that’s what this series for. I respect and envy some of the lifestyles that you moms live out there and at the same time I feel like telling my story might make another mom feel okay for wanting to obsessively clean her house all the time. I’m learning it’s important to be the person you want to be for yourself and your family, and see that you carry out those expectations.
As far as dealing with all of the baby drama and sleep issues, my mantra since Ethan was a newborn was “this too shall pass.” Meredith won’t always wake up multiple times at night (she won’t right?), Ethan won’t always use a pacifier for sleeping, I don’t always have to change two kids’ diapers and buckle two kids in carseats...this too shall pass. And while I’m waiting for those moments to pass, I’m telling myself at the same time to stop and notice what good we have in our children and how the cuddles won’t last forever.
How do you handle mommy guilt that comes with each role?
When I’m at school I’m a music teacher, and when I’m at home I’m a mom. My kids at school mean a ton to me. When I’m there I give them everything that I’ve got and I strive everyday to not only help them reach their musical potential, but to provide them with the tools they need to flourish as outstanding citizens of the community and the world around them. I use the time that I have at school everyday to do as much work as I can to accomplish this goal. Whatever I don’t accomplish that day, will have to wait until the next day when I’m back in “teacher mode.”
The same is true for being a mom. When I’m with my kids, I give them everything I’ve got. Sure, there are times (too many lately) where my kids are playing and I’m on my phone catching up on Facebook or Pinterest, but I try to tell myself that I may regret this later on and I’ll have time to myself after they go to bed.
flickr
Advice for new moms struggling with returning to work outside of the home? Or struggling to decide if staying home is the right choice?
Try to make the best out of the situation you’re in. When I was forced to go back to work earlier than I wanted to, I tried to think of the positives. What would I look forward to by going back to work? There were adults! I would be able to eat lunch without sharing with my toddler! Bathrooms have doors? With the money I’m making by going back to work I can buy things! By lunchtime I would tell myself that I would be picking up my kids before I knew it.
Whatever choice you make, it will be the right one.
A special thanks to Julia for hosting this guest blogging series!
Today we have Rachel posting on the Moms Make it Work series, the first Canadian mommy lined up but not the last! I've always known that Rachel loves her gig as a SAHM but somehow I missed the fact that she babysits other kids at the same time, too! I'm excited to share our third pregnancies together and really enjoyed this post. Hope you do, too!
Hi! I'm Rachel! Wife to John and Stay at Home Mom to Henry (almost 3), William (15 months) and Ottilia (Due in July!). I am also a mommy blogger and blog over at Rachel and John. I met Julia through blogging and I am so honored she asked me to be part of this series!!
What is your background story? What was your career/schooling before you became a mom? And now where are you?
I have always loved kids. I babysat as soon as I was old enough to and it was my most frequent part time job. I did it part time during the school year, and full time in the summers. Right after High School I went to University and got my B.Sc Degree. still working as a babysitter (but now I called it nannying!) part time around my class schedule, and then full time in the summers. After I graduated I could not for the life of me get a science related job. So I got a nanny job instead and it was awesome. While all my friends had crappy entry level jobs that they hated, I spent my days at amusement parks and the zoo, or picking fresh fruit at local farms with the kids. But eventually I realized that as much fun as it was, I couldn't be a nanny for the rest of my life. So I looked into graduate school and after a whirlwind few months I had been accepted into a M.Sc program in Calgary (way across the country). My then boyfriend of 9 years John was totally into moving somewhere far away and just before we moved, he proposed. As soon as we were married 1 year later I wanted babies. But I had to finish my degree first. And maybe get a job that I could go back to after maternity leave (it's a year PAID here in Canada). After about 1.5 years of my 2 year degree it became apparent that my supervisor really enjoyed that I was cheap labour, and every time I would get close to being done my project, he would change it and make it more work. Which meant more time. So I did something crazy and got pregnant so I would have a final end date to my studies. We really wanted a baby anyways, we just moved up the start date. Of course this meant I wouldn't be able to get a job until after my sweet baby was a year old. I wasn't worried. "Degrees don't expire" was my go to response to all my concerned family members. I successfully defended my thesis at 37 weeks pregnant. 3.5 weeks later I gave birth to Henry.
As the months went on, when I would look for jobs, it became more and more clear to me that I wouldn't be happy anywhere but at home with my baby. So John and I decided that I could be a SAHM for a little while. It would take sacrifices, but it was possible. When Henry was just 10 months old we were lucky enough to conceive our second son William. If I was going to stay home for a limited amount of time, then why not have all my babies at once? When William was 10 months old we again conceived our third baby, a sweet little girl due this July.
As for work right now, I babysit 3 mornings a week. 2 mornings I just have 1 additional child but on the 3rd morning I have 3 additional kids, making me responsible for 5 kids under the age of 3 plus the one in utero...it's busy to say the least! It makes me feel better that my kids are interacting with other kids, and I get to make a little bit of money to contribute to our household financially. And hey, I still have my kids with me.
What are the best parts of your situation? What are the biggest challenges?
The best part is being with my babies all the time. I see all their firsts. I know how their days have been. I get to take them to the zoo and other fun places whenever they want to go. I get to control how much TV they watch and what foods they eat and how much time they spend outside. I genuinely feel that I am responsible for the people they are becoming. Including their bad habits and that time Henry started saying "oh s**t"...Oops.
The biggest challenge for me is isolation. We live across the country from most of our family and friends. My husband works long hours and lots of weekends to provide for our family and allow me to stay home. Isn't that a ironic? He works enough for 2 people so I can stay home with our kids. He also has to go on many work trips and being a solo parent is really hard. I have to make play dates for my own sanity.
Another challenge for me is thinking that John's job is not stressful at all. I occasionally will start thinking that he drives a quiet car to work, and sits in a quiet office getting stuff done without interruption all day long. He eats his meals warm, he has adult conversations and then he drives a quiet car home from work. I don't know why I start thinking that. I know for a fact he has a very stressful job. But I sometimes get wrapped up in the noisy chaos of my home life with the kids and I start thinking that he has it easy. It's so important to remember that we are both doing our parts and they are equally as hard/stressful.
Is this how you expected it to be pre-kids?
I honestly can't even remember what I thought it would be like pre-kids...It's probably better than I expected. Can you really even know how awesome kids are until you have them?
Is this your ideal situation? If not, what is?
Almost! So close to perfect. In a completely ideal situation we would live closer to our family and John would travel less, and work less weekends. And you know, money wouldn't be a worry! And maybe throw another baby in the mix...
Do you see yourself making a career change (whatever that means) in the next 5-10 years, or is this current set up staying put for the long haul?
I would love to stay home until my youngest child is in grade 1, or full time. That's the only part I'm certain of. I ideally would like to be a midwife...but that would require 4 more years of schooling, and it will depend on our finances at that point in time if it is even an option. If not, I will likely find a part time job that used my M.Sc. Degree. And I'm not completely against getting a full time job and having a nanny for the kids.
Tips on how you make this work for you:
We are a team. A parenting team. Yes I do most of the parenting because I am home during the day, but as soon as John walks in the door at night, he jumps right back into it. When he is gone for trips (like 10 day trips!), I have to get us out of the house: Play dates, activities, walks, just a car ride...something. And it took me a long time to think I deserved it but I started hiring babysitters so I could still go to my prenatal yoga, or take a cake decorating class, or do something alone while John is away. Here is where having some family around would be helpful and cheaper!
How do you handle Mommy Guilt?
I feel like I have minimal mommy guilt...maybe because I'm really good at blaming situations for things that are really my fault. Example: "My house would be cleaner and organized if our basement was finally finished and I was able to use our storage room." I also have a few awesome mom friends and we are constantly telling each other how awesome we are as moms and not to feel bad. If I feel bad my house is messy, someone is always telling me theirs is too and that's just life with little kids. I've also been pregnant or nursing since July of 2010 so the whole "I'm keeping a person alive" is something I tell myself to ease any guilt I feel. It's tough work and sometimes people don't take enough credit for it. I probably take too much credit for it, but that works for me.
Advice for New Moms:
Trust your gut. If you think staying home is the best thing for your family, then try to make it happen. Go through the budget, make sacrifices. Maybe it won't work forever, but you might be able to make it work for a few years. If you have to go back to work, then find the right child care for you. I was a nanny for a long time and I honestly loved it and all the kids I watched. Was I as good as their mom? No, but I took GOOD care of their kids. It's OK to trust others with your babies! (thanks, Rachel! Find the rest of the series here).
Viability day, baby. Such an awesome milestone. We are in no rush to meet you, sweet boy, but I can't believe you are big enough to have a fair shot outside of the womb should that happen. Baby #3 is apparently over a pound for weight and a foot for height. Adorableness. He's a strong little bugger who still seems incredibly active to me. Watching my belly jump from the outside will never get old. Pregnancy is freaking mind-blowing sometimes.
Summary of my week: a growth spurt in the belly. Another round of sickness in our house. A mom with a bad attitude most of the week. Oh, it's been a ball of fun around here and I'm already annoying myself as I write this post.
This week I was sick with a stomach bug that my eldest so lovingly gave to me. Therefore it was a pretty rough string of days since I also had strep a week before this. Being sick and pregnant is so freaking awful, and then caring for a child who is also sick? While juggling work demands and solo parenting a fair amount since Nate is working extra by teaching? The opposite of fun and it's safe to say my patience has been worn down to frightening lows. Cecelia also had the most horrid diapers I've ever witnessed last night and early this morning and so help me God, if she is getting a bug. Looks like more loads of laundry are in my future.
I didn't have an appetite at all last week, which was startling and new;) I couldn't drink my coffee, didn't even have lunch for a few days there---you would literally think I was near death compared to my appetite of weeks prior. Then when I would eat I would get that horribly FULL feeling really quickly. One night I even had a hard time taking a deep breath, and could only breathe fully if laying down. WTF? Am I 24 weeks or 38 weeks right now?? The breathing issues and lack of space in my stomach plus general fatigue really freaked me out a bit. I have a long time to go! I can't be feeling this awful this soon! I'll chalk it up to a weird few weeks and hope that I can get my pregnancy mo-jo back soon.
Sleep has been amazing though--both kids have been exhausted and have slept for nearly 12 hours a few times. Nate and I even got 10 hours in.a.row. one night and I've had to wake T and C up for daycare lately. Let it be known that my children never sleep past 6:30 am, but the past few days? Easily 7-7:30. Thank you, God. I know it will never last but we needed this! And I haven't been having any weird early-morning wake ups either. Out like a light and loving it. Keep it up, children!
Another change is that the skin on my belly is starting to feel tight and I have one of those hot spots that is incredibly painful to light touch. I remember this with Truman's pregnancy, not sure about CC's---but the sensitive skin spot is crazy painful and right above my belly button. Especially in the evenings and only laying down helps the pain. I've never had stretch marks before (knock on wood) and don't think it's starting now, but it's just some weird nerve sensation of a stretching belly, I guess. Very odd. Also: My belly button has totally popped this week. Earliest yet! Hello, inappropriate nipple-like outie. Will be sporting you for four more months, I suppose!
(clean the mirror, woman!)
Aside from not eating much and generally feeling miserable, baby boy somehow managed to have a huge growth spurt last week. His host might have been pathetic but my boy figured out a way to multiply in size over night it seems! I picked the kids up from Lori's one day in a light jacket, unzipped. Immediately Lori said, 'Wow! Look at that!' like she had forgotten I was even pregnant until that moment when my belly was sticking out. Nate and Truman also mentioned that I am looking very 'big', which of course is a relative/sensitive term. I realized that I'm still wearing a pair of regular pants to work and all of my regular yoga pants at home, so I can't be too big just yet. Bigger, yes. But not BIG, I guess.
(my beloved regular work pants (seriously 10 years old) and a bare belly, six months pregnant!)
I feel like the belly is incredibly round and I like it. I just can't imagine it getting *that* much bigger but history shows it will. I really did read back over those linked 38 and 39 week posts with Cecelia to be sure that yes, in fact my belly will get even larger. Duh. How is that for momnesia? Looks like I wasn't totally miserable even at the very end of pregnancy so that's reassuring. After looking at old belly pictures I have decided that I'm officially a lot bigger this time around than the others. I mean, here is a bare belly shot of me at 33 weeks with CC. Comparable to now, no?
(Third time around: bare belly at 13 weeks versus 24 weeks. Yep, big changes have already happened but even more to come.)
Comparison of pregnancies: here is my hilarious and cringe-worthy update from Truman's pregnancy at 24 weeks, and here I was with Cecelia. Mmmm, I forgot about how amazing mandarin oranges have been this week, much like with CC's pregnancy. Actually she and I both have been eating those oranges like there is no tomorrow recently;) Also: I bought not one but two Heath bars last week despite my lack of appetite. I have decided they are the most amazing things ever to touch my lips and want more more more. I guess my appetite is back, huh? Don't think I exercised once, really not feeling it this week.
Plus, I've decided that I only want to wear Nate's giant zip up sweatshirt from here on out. I'm totally over my fitted 'cute' sweatshirts and would actually prefer about 3 more of these babies. So comfy! I'm sick of my maternity clothes and sick of trying to wear regular clothes. Thus, I might not ever give this back to my husband. Sexy!
That was a lot of selfies for one post, huh? I got really into comparing belly shots this time, I do apologize.
Stranger comments: two separate people/patients have given me the old 'you are going to have your hands full' comment this week. The best part is that neither of them actually noticed I was pregnant, but it somehow came up in conversation related to how many children I have right now. I guess when I answer 'A four year old son, a daughter who will be two in May, and I'm due with a boy in July' it does sound a little wild. It's still pretty fun to shock people with a pregnancy announcement when, apparently, they cannot see my baby bump without me wearing a flashing sign that says, 'I'm pregs.' So I will gladly inform them if they ask me anything about my kids. The 'hands full' comments mean well, I'm sure ...and it just makes me want to say, 'Yep, we have a lot of fun in our family.' It will be crazy but it's going to be fun, too, darn it. Full hands full heart and all of that stuff. (Or clear eyes, full heart, can't lose for those FNL fans out there. Yes, that it what I'll say from now on: Clear eyes, full heart).
One more random/crazy fact: I have my 24 week appointment this Friday and then start with the every TWO week visits after that. Woah. Also Baby Center sent me an email saying something about 'only 16 weeks left.' Why does that sound a lot sooner than 4 months?
