37 weeks

I am nearing the end of my 37th week! Again, nothing new.. still feeling good, not getting uncomfortable or anything. Just trying to *patiently* wait on baby. Progress hasn't changed much since my 34th week check-up but my dr keeps reminding me things can change fast and I still have 2 weeks till my due date. I am trying to hang in there :-)
So not much to post about the pregnancy right now... I do keep this updated, so check back and maybe there will be more progress or even a BABY!! :-)

37 1/2 weeks



That's all for now....

First Day Of "School"

Avree offically had her 1st day of PDO (Parent's Day Out) on Tuesday. She wasn't too sure about going when she woke up that morning. She was kinda whiney and didn't want to have anyone talk to her.. not a morning person! But once we ate breakfast and got dressed, we told her to get her Dora backpack so we could go outside to take pictures. Then she was all about the camera and school.
I had Matt come with me to drop her off so he knows the routine for school, just in case I can't bring her cause of the new baby. I think Avree liked having both Mom and Dad there :-)
Well when I went to leave her classroom, she started bawling and wouldn't let go of me. Her teacher went to grab her and she just went limp and did her "spaghetti arms/body" and just slid to the floor. (What a stinker). But I didn't look back as I walked out the door and kept walking to the car :-) I knew she would stop soon after I left so I wasn't too worried about it.
That afternoon when I was about to walk in her room and she spotted me and got the biggest smile on her face and she just ran to the door with open arms! :) It sounded like they had a very fun and productive day. She didn't nap though (which I was afraid of), but I am hoping she will start napping there..

Walking into school...


Not so sure about this...







I think she enjoyed herself and I just keep telling myself "this is good for her.. and me!" :-)

A Little Fish and A Little Monkey

Not sure if you knew, but Avree is part monkey and fish. She has loved to climb on things since she was a baby and has always loved water.
I got some pictures to prove it...

We went to a friends house the other weekend to go swimming and Avree jumped off the diving board!! She did it a couple times with Matt catching her and then ALL BY HERSELF! She really enjoyed herself and would have swam till dark if we would have let her!





Then she can turn into a monkey..

Meet and Greet at school!!

We had an open house this morning for Avree's school. We got to meet her teacher (and teacher's aid), and her class room. When we first walked in to her room, there were a bunch of kids running around and playing with the toys. Avree started whining and grabbed onto us right away cause she thought we were leaving her. (The school is at our church, and the Sunday School rooms are the school classrooms during the week.) So I am sure the first thing that popped into her head was, this room looks familiar and I always get left. But once she realized we were staying, she started being more relaxed.
We then had to head over to another room to have a new parent/family meeting. So we decided to leave Avree in her classroom while we went to the meeting. When we were leaving the room she started crying and one of the teachers had to come grab her as she was pulling onto Matt's arm/shirt. :( (That is going to be the hardest thing for me.. seeing her bawl and have to be pulled off of us) But they said she was fine a couple minutes later and got down to play and colored a picture (which we knew she would calm down after a couple minutes but it is still hard to see/hear).
I think PDO (Parents Day Out) will be great for Avree, as they do have a structured day just like actually being in school/preschool. I am sure the drop offs in the morning are going to be hard, but I know she will calm down right after we leave. I am hoping 9-3, two days a week isn't going to be too much for her. :S
Hoping Tuesday (her 1st day of school) is an uneventful day and that she enjoys herself. :-)

Professional Pregnancy/Family Photos

We tried to get some good pregnancy photos with Avree and my belly last week, but of course she wasn't cooperating and wanted NOTHING to do with the camera. So we only got 3 good photos out of the night.. bummer! But Matt did a great job and he is looking forward to getting some more family/pregnancy photos taken. (Hopefully this weekend)

Sweet Tooth

Well, I think it's official to say that Avree has a sweet tooth... just like her mommie! (And I got my sweet tooth from my mommie :) Who doesn't love sweets every now and then??!

Here Avree is enjoying an ice cream cone.. all over her face! (This is after she ate her all of her supper, don't worry)



Then here is Avree enjoying her slurpee/icee after a day of playing at Oceans of Fun...


The other day, Avree decided to make a "bed" on our ottoman. She had "Mr. Pinky" (her BIG pink dog), her blankies, baby doll, stuffed lamb/sheep and then had to be covered up by her big blankets/quilts.

Trying to hide from the camera..



Pregnancy Update:
36 weeks this weekend!! Crazy! Feeling a lot more sluggish. I can definitely tell my body is getting ready for this upcoming event...Just the way I have been feel with lots of pressure from baby, more braxton hicks and my chin keeps breaking out. I start going to my weekly appointments this week, so we shall see if there is any progress.. at my 34 week appt I was 1/2 cm dilated (which is huge progress from my 1st pregnancy.. I think I was maybe 1 cm at 41 weeks!)

35 weeks

35 Weeks


If some of you are wondering.. Yes, I did get a new "mommie do". I was getting sick of my long, dark, boring hair and decided it was time to pamper myself and give myself a little self esteem boost before baby arrives. :-) It feels great and I am so glad to get all the dry, split end hairs cut off.

Enjoy your last weekend in August!!

Time for an update...

Last week Avree and I got to spend some time in Pella, while Matt worked in the Quad Cities. That was our last trip back to Iowa for a while until baby comes. It was nice that Avree got to see/spend time with the grandparents, great grandparents and her cousin Kaiya. She kept busy all week. By Saturday, I think we were all ready to get home. We didn't get home till LATE saturday night (more like Sunday morning) but it was nice to have a relaxing Sunday before our week started back up again.

Well I am toward the end of my 34th week and I can't believe how fast this has all gone. Everything is still going well. Sleeping well, not getting swollen anywhere and I still have some energy to do/get stuff done. I have been having braxton hicks (mild, sporadic contractions) since the end of July. Which I NEVER had/experienced with Avree, so we could have an early baby or atleast on time, this time around. (Avree was a week and a day late!) But again, you never know and I have no control over when baby will join us. I just hope this baby doesn't come the week of Labor Day. Avree starts school (Parents Day Out) the day after Labor Day and I want to get her adjusted/use to going to PDO 2 days a week before baby arrives.

34 Weeks (pregnancy 2)

34 Weeks (pregnancy 1)


I can't believe Avree is almost 2 1/2 years!! I can still remember the day we brought her home and how tiny she was!! (I know that will all change when we bring the new baby home. She will seem HUGE!) She has such a fun personality, stubborn, but very loving, caring and so sweet. She talks all the time, but we still have some trouble understanding some things she is trying to tell us. She is such a copy cat and will repeat/do anything she hears and sees. She is still pretty shy which we are really trying to work with her on. Hopefully school will help her open up and be a little more vocal around other people. She still thinks she can do everything herself.. "No Help Mommy" is something I hear ALL the time. She still is a monkey and climbs, jumps on everything. Another new thing she has started doing is... screaming/yelling. She pretty much only does it out in public..Awesome! She knows she's not to suppose to do it, cause everytime she does scream her facial expression afterwards is "sorry, but I want that or I wanted to go with you" kinda look. Ornery!!
She is starting to be "everyones' girl". One minute or day she just wants mommy and mommy to help, then the next minute or day she just wants daddy. Last week while we were in Pella, she was all about "Nana" (Matt's mom) and "Nana's store". She is so funny.
We really think she will be a GREAT sister and we think she is ready. We got our double stroller in last week and set it up. We let her pick which side she wants to sit on and then we told her the other side was for the baby. So now everytime to gets in the stroller (it's sitting in our living room for the time being) she keeps saying "baby come sit down". Then runs over to my belly, lifts my shirt and tells the baby to come out! :-) I think I am more concerned with her wanting to help out with the baby ALL the time. Changing, feeding, dressing, laying the baby down, holding the baby, etc. So we shall see how she acts towards me since I will be with the baby all the time and doing most of the things for the baby and having to tell her "no, you can't do that". :)

Here is a picture of Avree and her friend, Wesley, playing at Chick-Fil-A play area.


We decided to go with a "boring" color for the double stroller. I am kinda weird about things matching, so we went with the black stroller to match our black car seat. :-) (The car seat will snap into the stroller) But we did get Avree some pink for the stroller. (We all know I LOVE pink). We got her a pink "snack Pack" that snaps into the stroller and a pink foot muff. :) I am excited to get the stroller out of the living room and actually use it!!

New double stroller (Avree's pink "snack pack")



Enjoy your last days/weeks of summer!