Happy Half Birthday {and a Side of Christmas}

Holy Moley! I cannot believe that it's already December. Like FOR REALS. This year went by so quickly and I can barely wrap my head around the fact that Christmas is like a week away! I remember last December, planning and being excited about having a baby for Christmas 2013 and now that it's here, all expectations have been surpassed. I think that the best part is seeing my kid's face when she experiences things for the first time. She was nothing short of amazed when she saw Christmas lights and then the fact that they went on a tree?! MIND. BLOWN.

I am more than looking forward to her first Christmas and I'm sure I'll take a ridiculous number of pictures. A post-Christmas blog post is definitely in the future complete with photographic proof of how excited {or not} P is to open presents {minus her giant presents that she already got from Papa and Nana and her wonderful, loving, adoring parents}.

Something else I just cannot believe? P.G. is 6 months old!!!!!!! How can it be that she's half way through her first year on Earth? Wasn't I just pregnant? Isn't she still a newborn? It is. Nope. Nope. Each day is still an adventure but I love every minute of it.

In the last month she's learned so much. She can now sit up, she eats food, and she even sleeps in her "big girl bed" {ie: she sleeps in her crib in her nursery}. She's the cutest kid on Earth {obviously} and she is constantly making me laugh, smile, and cry - usually all at the same time. She's also started to practice her crawling by scooting herself around on her tummy. She hasn't quite got the coordination to put her knees up at the same time as her hands, so of course there is a lot of screeching in annoyance/frustration. I would be lying if I said I was looking forward to the day in which she can move around by herself. In fact, that thought is fairly terrifying.

I leave you with pictures from her 6 month photoshoot {nothing fancy} and this message to you, Miss P - I love you more and more every day and if I could, I would put you in a shrink machine and keep you small and deliciously nugget, like forever and ever.

The Sh!t No One Talks About

I recently came across an article that addresses what it truly feels like to be a working mom. While I no longer work full-time, it still resonated with me. It was a great {and short} read that really gets to the heart of... well, the heart. You can read the article here.

**Full disclosure: When I returned to work the VP of my department was 110% supportive and on board with taking my time getting back in to a routine as well as working part-time. Although this made my situation a little easier to handle, I still struggled with feeling like I abandoned my daughter each morning when I left for work. Each day it gets a little better but I definitely still count down the minutes until I get to go home and play with her.

4 Months

I didn't know what being a mom would feel like, nor what it is supposed to feel like. It's been an adventure every day and a whirlwind of missed sleep, cold food, and a lot of pajama wearing. But now that 4 months have passed I can say this:

I am tired. All. The. Time. And that's ok because I'm also in awe of this little human that knows me as "Mom". I'm happy to be tired because that means my daughter is growing up and developing her own personality. Over the past month I've come to the realization that growing up is harder on parents than it is on kids. I go through the back and forth of wanting her to stay little forever and wanting her to grow up faster so we can play together and I can hear her talk and we can share things. {like me and my mom. Hi, Mom!} I know it will come in due time and so I gently remind myself to take each day as a blessing and don't hurry or rush or take anything for granted. 

I'm proud too. Proud that she can roll over and hold her head up. Proud that she's mine. As she gets older I'm sure I won't always be proud, but here's to hoping. Pride in your child(ren) is interesting because it seems like you never know what to expect. You can give them the best tools possible and yet they still have the total ability to mess up. I know that my parents aren't proud of every choice I made growing up but they did the best to support me. I can only imagine how devastated they were when I made poor choices knowing that they "raised me better than that". And it's true. Unfortunately we forget that parenting, like growing up, is a learning process. There's no handbook or class on how to teach your kids morals. There's just you and the kid. But, I digress. I'm currently very proud of my daughter. {Peyton, you can remind me of this moment in 15ish years}. 

I'm so in love with this little girl. I wasn't aware that this much love was possible. Most mornings I watch her sleep when I first wake up and say a little prayer for her. Sometimes it's overwhelming and a single tear {or two} roll down my face. I pray that one day she'll know this feeling. She is my world {and I'm pretty sure she's Brian's too} and I can't imagine what life would be like without her. {Were we really a complete family before this?}

With that, I say, Happy 4 months, PG! I love you more every day and I am so excited to watch you grow even more!

3 Months and Counting....

Welp, we survived! Peyton has had her first official graduation; she is no longer a newborn but rather an infant. Sometimes I wondered if we would make it through the {almost} sleepless nights or if she would survive our {possibly} sub-par parenting skills. But, alas, here we are, 3 months later and everyone is still kicking.

In the past 3 months I think I've learned more about myself as a person than in the last 3 years. Being a mama bear is a real thing. Should anyone dare-decide to criticize or speak poorly of my child, my husband, or my parenting abilities I will eat them alive. Now you might say, "Hey, crazy lady, that's a little over the top," but let me let you... If you spent almost a year of your life creating something that was initiated in love and respect with a co-conspirator and then some Joe-Schmo off the street told you that your masterpiece was really a piece of garbage, you would lose your mind too. {Also, my "masterpiece" is adorable and shares my DNA so I am allowed to get extra cranky}.

I've also learned that everyone has an opinion about how YOU should parent YOUR child. If I've learned anything {which I have, if you read the 2nd paragraph of this post you will remember} from the past 3 months it's that you have to do what works for you, your kid, and your family as a whole. So, hey, if I want to hold my baby while she cries instead of letting her "cry it out" {side note: Although this idea was introduced by Ferber, he never actually used the term "cry it out"} then I'm going to hold/rock/sing/bounce/sway to her all I want {and then I'm probably going to thank God that a) I'm not your kid and b) judge you}.

But, the most important lesson I've learned is to just laugh. If you're too serious you'll die. OK, fine, you probably won't die, but you won't have very much fun living because you'll be crying. A lot. Having a daughter {or child in general} makes you really realize that laughing is the only way to make it through the hard days. Sometimes your kid is going to cry all day and sometimes she's going to throw up on you right after you shower so you have to shower again, only to repeat the process like 3 more times. And you know what? That's cool and it's funny and even though it's been a short period of time, I can already look back and say, those were some good/crazy/memorable moments.

So, Happy 3 months to my little bear, the sweetest girl I know, my heart. Mommy loves you so much, Peyton. I can't wait to watch you grow!

Reflections

I can't believe it's already been one month since we brought our little Sweet P in to the world. It's been an adventure, to say the least. The memory of how painful labor was is beginning to fade {although I'm not sure it will ever go away completely} and I'm starting to believe that my body WILL return to its normal state.

I was re-reading past blog posts that I wrote while I was pregnant and I'm going to re-visit one as a means of my continued reflection.

Eating/Cravings: Sometimes it's hard to remember that I'm not pregnant anymore and so eating whatever I want, whenever I want, cannot continue. I know that breastfeeding burns like an extra 500 calories/day but I want to make sure that I'm eating healthy for both of us. Also, if you base your caloric intake on the recommended 2,000 I would need to eat SO much more. I would be stuffed full all of the time if I tried to do this. Not gonna happen.

Weight Gain vs. Weight Loss: At my final weigh in {a.k.a. the hospital in Labor & Delivery} I had gained 38 pounds and at my 2 week postpartum check-up I had already lost 30 of it - WHHAAAATT?! I know, crazy! I'm pretty sure that the majority of it was baby and water weight in my feet but it made me feel good that I only have 8 more pounds to go. I'm going to try and shred an additional 10 while I'm at it. We'll see how that goes.

Comments: "You had a baby?!" Yes. Yes, I did. "Did it hurt?" {in reference to labor} No, it was the best feeling ever. YES, IT FREAKING HURT! DUH! "When are you having another one?" Seriously? I just had this one. Can I get a minute? {Also, not for a while}.

Fears: Everything, but mostly germs. I am so scared that she is going to catch something. I mean, even a cold would be devastating for such a tiny human without any vaccines or immune system. Oddly enough, I'm not as scared of SIDS as I thought I would be. I thought I would be up all night staring at her to make sure she was still breathing, but, nope. Don't get me wrong, it's still a fear, I'm just not irrational about it.

General Mood: In general, I feel pretty good. Some days are better than others but I try to remind myself every day how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family. I have so much more than most people will ever have and remembering that is humbling. 

Things I Was Surprised By: How much of a mom I became and how quickly. I can already see myself being a "helicopter mom" so I'm glad that I married a guy that reminds me to chill out once in a while. I was also surprised how quickly I adapted to a minimal amount of sleep. Sleeping for 2-3 uninterrupted hours is now the best feeling and generally leaves me feeling rested. 

Things I'm Most Looking Forward To: Each milestone is going to amazing. I can't believe that we're already at one month. I know time is going to go way too fast and as hard as having a newborn is, I have to remember that these moments are fleeting. 

What I Think Is Really Cool & Crazy: I pushed a baby out of me! I honestly doubted myself for a while, but I did it and I rocked it! Every time I look at her and think about the fact that Brian and I made a tiny human, I cry. She's absolutely perfect and I couldn't be happier that she's mine.

I'm sure I have a million more things to say but Ms. P has a doctor's appointment so I'll end this for now with some pictures...

The Mommy Diaries

Day 1... OK, well it's not technically day one of this child-rearing business but it is my first day alone, all day, with Ms. P and what a day it has been. I will start off by saying that she had the best/easiest night in her short 4 weeks here on Earth. She slept 10pm-3am, woke up, ate, and went right back to sleep. Peyton for the win! But today, TOTALLY different story. She is either making up for the sleep she got last night or she's got a case of the Mondays . Either case, I feel as if I'm being tortured very slowly today. I know we're both tired {I'm simply emotionally exhausted at this point} so why doesn't she sleep?! I'm pretty convinced that my daughter has FOMO {fear of missing out} which she no doubt inherited from her mother. All I can do is give it my best shot, right? Brian says I get a gold star in the mom department. Let's just hope Little Nugget feels the same way. Perhaps tomorrow we'll make it outside of the house. {Hey, a girl can dream!}

Best. Day. Ever.

Life has been busy for the past week so I'm behind on posting here but I promise I have a good excuse...

On Tuesday, June 11, 2013 we welcomed our sweet girl, Peyton Grace Aldrich to the world! She was born at 3:36pm and weighed in at 7lbs 8oz. {I'm so glad she wasn't 9lbs like we thought!} She has a mess of hair and it the cutest thing I've ever laid eyes on. Needless to say, Brian and I are completely in love and spend pretty much all of our time staring at her {yes, even if she's sleeping}.

Our schedule has been a little different each day but we're {slowly} getting the hang of things. She usually sleeps about 2.5 hours at a time which means we're more rested than we thought. Brian had to go back to work this week which left me at home with the nugget and her grandma. {Shout out! - Thank God for grandmas}.

It's true what they say, you've never felt more in love than you do when you finally have your baby. I don't think I've ever been more in love with anyone in my entire life. We're obsessed. More to come.

More Maternity Photos

Today I got a CD with all of our maternity photos on it! I was so excited it took me about 10 seconds to rip the envelope open and pop the disc in to my laptop. Below are some of my favorites. Thanks again, Kels!!!

              

The Countdown

The past few weeks have felt like they are dragging on and on. It's probably because I'm so excited to meet Tater but it could also be because I'm so uncomfortable. Yup, I've reached the stage of non-human existence. I'm still a member of the Mammalia species, but it's safe to say, I'm a whale. Walking is a thing of the past. I now waddle to-and-fro while Brian "quacks" behind me {No, seriously, he actually makes quacking noises when I walk}. And to be honest, even waddling is getting a little rough with the size of my ankles. {Check out the picture below}. I keep reminding myself that soon this will end and my body will once again be mine and I won't even care because I'll have a daughter and it will be AWESOME!

If my feet are this big, how big do you think the rest of me is?

In other news, I went to the doctor today {visits are now weekly} and had the last of my tests done. Today was the Group Strep B test and a cervical check. Let's just say, I wouldn't sign  up for the cervical check any time soon. I mean, comparatively {you know, to like, say, labor} it wasn't too bad, but it wasn't my idea of a good time either. He also did an ultrasound to double check that she's still head down and ready to go. Not only is she head down, she is like WAAAAAY down. While we were ultrasounding he decided to measure her size {weight, length, head size, etc.} Agreeing to have these measurements done was the biggest mistake I've made today. Turns out, our "little" girl isn't so little. In fact, she's off the charts! She's estimated to weight just over 8 pounds and her size is on par with a baby who is 41 weeks, 5 days! I don't know how much bigger she's going to get but technically we still have 3.5 weeks to go. Yeah, terrifying to say the least. Doctor also told me that I shouldn't expect to be pregnant too much longer, but we'll see how that goes.

Hurry up, Tate! We can't wait to meet you!!

Timing Is Everything

Last week was the pits! I spent the week in and out of the hospital and on bed rest. Turns out that 32 weeks is too early to have a baby. {Whoda thought?} I was having regular contractions so the doctor was worried that I was headed towards pre-term labor. We're still not sure what's causing all the ruckus {read: contractions} but they've slowed down which is a good thing. I'm going back to the doctor this week for another check-up and to make sure that she's good and stuck for a while longer.

In other news, it's been hotter than anything here so I pretty much feel like I'm melting all the time until today when it cooled down to 75 degrees today. It's supposed to stay warm for the rest of the week and weekend so hopefully I'll survive {even if that means sitting in front of the air vent in my under-roos}.

Hopefully we'll get a better estimate of when we should actually expect Tater's arrival at this week's doctor's appointment. After the past couple weeks I can't decide if she's more excited to meet us or if we're more excited to meet her! {7 weeks and counting!}

Baby Showers and Last Hurrahs

This past weekend {well really Thursday - Tuesday} Brian, Jake, and I soaked up the beautiful sunshiny weather that Santa Barbara has to offer. It was fabulous to say the very least. Unfortunately, it was also bittersweet. This was our last vacation just the two of us, the last time I'll see my family before Tater comes, and our last trip to SB for 4 months! We tried to get everything in that we possibly could,  but of course, the majority of the trip was bébé-centric.

While we were there my 2nd mom {Hi, Cindy!} threw me the most beautiful baby shower to ever happen on the face of the Earth. Seriously, the amount of love and effort that when in to this party is phenomenal. Just take a look at the invites:

Right?!

How cute is this cake? And it was delicious!

We have lots of adorable clothes to dress her up in... Now, if she would just hurry up and get here already! {Not really, Tate! Please take your time and finish cooking}

We also got the chance to do a maternity shoot with my amazing cousin, Kelsey Daffern. She is beyond talented and I couldn't be happier with the shots she captured. For the record, I was totally against the "naked" pictures {no one needs to see that!} but they actually turned out to be some of my favorite photos from the shoot. {Some of them are below}.

The countdown continues to d-day. Today we're at 9 weeks {or less} and counting. We've still got to finish decorating the nursery and now I have about 100 loads of laundry to do but we're getting there - slowly but surely. More pictures and another post to follow once everything is decorated. Can't wait!

Home Stretch

We've come to the 3rd and final trimester - WHAT?! I know, it's crazy to think about but we're here. I still can believe that in just 11 weeks {or less} we get to meet our sweet girl. A lot has been happening over the past few weeks. I'll try to break everything down and yes, even include some pictures!

So, first things first, my "mommy" came to visit last week and we bought all of the furniture for the nursery {crib, night stand, dresser, etc.}. I was nervous that it wasn't going to come in time but Potterybarn Kids really has their sh*t together and we got everything in less than one week! The crib is already together as is the nightstand but we're still working on the dresser and changing table situation. We're also still debating on the chair that can fit in the room and if we really want to sell a kidney {or 2} to pay for said chair. As D-day {delivery day} quickly approaches we run out of time {read: options} for the chairs we can order. I guess it's crunch time!

Crib and the infamous wall

The lamp that you see was inspired by this lamp from, you guessed it, PBK. I've been looking at this lamp since the day I found out I was pregnant; turns out, willing the lamp to appear on my doorstep for free didn't work. I kept thinking, "I could totally make that lamp!" So, while my mom was visiting she convinced me to do it. We went to Ross {such a hit or miss store, am I right?} and found a cute little lamp with a glass base for $14.99 {winning!}. Then we went to Michael's, my mom's second home, armed with our 40% coupons, and proceeded to buy every single pink/white rose on their shelves. Even though we bought every stem in the local Michael's, I still didn't have enough to cover the lamp shade! {Shout out to the mama and Auntie Jolene for pulling through and getting the rest of the flowers for me from all over the state of California!} I seriously cannot wait until this room is done. The nesting is beginning to hit HARD.

Even Jake likes the lamp!

In other news, we've been taking baby classes at the hospital which are going pretty well. Our teachers have been quite the cast of characters but we've learned a lot {everything from labor to bathing a small nugget}. Doctor's appointments are becoming more frequent and at the last one I learned that I had only gained 14 pounds so far! Now, I'm calling shenanigans on the whole thing {basically because this means that I was way bigger than I thought when I got pregnant}. I say we call it a wash at 20 pounds. Doctor also said he expects at least 10 more pounds! 10 MORE POUNDS?! 10 more pounds on a person my height is a lot, but, hey, anything for Tater. Not sure how I will be doing this {less her weight gain} because I'm back to having a normal appetite and heartburn like I ate at the greasiest of greasy spoons. But, don't worry, I'm sure I'll manage to do it.

I can't believe that it's already April. Next weekend Brian, Jake, Tater, and I are all going to Santa Barbara for a little R&R, our maternity shoot, and my baby shower! I'm so excited to spend my last allotted travel time with the people I love the most. Below is the most recent picture I've got and there will be plenty more in the next few weeks - don't you worry!

28 weeks, 3 days

Rock-a-bye Baby

Today I finally finished painting Tater's nursery! Now before you start judging me for tooting my own horn you'll need to understand that the painting scheme was a lot easier said than done. I had this genius idea that the wall behind the crib should be grey and white chevron striped. Like I said, easier said than done.

I googled directions on the best way to paint the stripes and found several sites with detailed instructions. I wish I had taken pictures of each step but alas, I did not. Basically the best way to do this is to make a graph on the way and then tape off the stripes. Well I made a boo boo and didn't tape off the stripes completely before starting the paint job. It caused a little problem but it was easily fixed with a coat of white paint. {Hence, the green tape you see in the picture}

This has to be the most time consuming thing I've ever done in my home. From start to finish it took me about 5 hours to paint 3 stripes! My advice to anyone who thinks this a good idea? Make sure you're patient and that you have the time especially if your wall is bigger than 9ft 8.5in x 7ft 9in.

I'm so excited that the painting is finally done so we can get on with the buying of furniture and hanging the decor. Obviously as the decorating is done more pictures will come but for now, here's the finished wall...

Just Some Pictures

I don't have anything witty or clever to say, I've just been getting flack for not having enough pictures, so here's a couple from last week.

23 weeks

2 Parts

I've got a lot to say so this post might be a little wordy but there are pictures at the end so it's totes going to be worth it! So I got the idea for the first part of this post from the wonderful and lovely Bridget over at tales of me and the husband plus 5 kids & a gracie. Bridget posted her feelings/thoughts/responses to pregnancy questions back in the summer of 2011. I've always loved her blog and I love this idea, so here we go...

Cravings: During the first trimester I wanted cheeseburgers. I tried many but all failed. Except one. I'm almost embarrassed to say this but Tater wanted McDonald's cheese burgers. I know! So gross, right? Well I'm glad that passed. Then, once cheeseburgers were over I wanted kiwis, pears, and apples. I ate fruit like it was my job. To be honest, I'm still apple obsessed and I've added oranges to this diet as well. And I'm the worst. My boss will spend her sweet time peel and separating her oranges and I'll walk by and eat them. I know, I'm the worst. {It's a good thing she likes me}. Also, as of about 5 seconds ago, grapefruit sounds delicious.

Weight Gain: I plead the 5th. Alright, not really. The last time I was at the doctor it was 18 pounds. Actually, maybe less, maybe more. I'm not 100% sure what I weighed before getting knocked up.

Comments: "Your bump is so tiny!" {Thanks, I think. I am still 23 weeks pregnant} "Do you have any weird cravings?" {I wouldn't call them weird} "You're due in June? You're so big already! You're going to be huge! Are you sure you aren't having twins?!" {DO NOT under any circumstances say this to someone} And then there's the one off crazy old lady at the grocery store that thinks it's OK to touch me {If you didn't put it in there, don't touch it!} 

Fears: Under-cooked meat, not being a good mom, labor, going in to labor early, etc... The first one, and to an extent the second, see highly avoidable. We basically eat at home so it's easy to avoid it but getting food poisoning in general just doesn't sound fun. I think that being a good mom is something that every mom worries about and I don't think that's something that goes away. My mom told me, "Being a mom is like having your heart beat outside your body in someone else." {One of the wisest ladies I know}. As for going in to labor or actually birthing this kid, yeah, that's terrifying. I think that this is something else that all moms worry about. You want to make sure that you're ready but as D{ue}-Day gets closer the scary/more realistic it becomes. It's a vicious circle.

General Mood: The first trimester, WATCH OUT! I was crazy. It can only be described as "Hulking out". One minute you're fine and the next your a scary big green monster destroying anyone and anything in your path. Yeah, crazy. Then I went into b*tch mode {sorry family that had to spend Thanksgiving with me}. I self diagnosed this/blame it on hormones and being hungry. Blood sugar levels can really mess a girl up! Second trimester brought more tears than usual for unknown reasons but then a calming. For the most part I love being pregnant and having a supportive husband is probably {read: really} helping.

Things I Was Surprised By: How nervous I was to tell people {yeah, Bridget and I are on the same page here}. I was scared to tell people even after we went to the doctor got the 2-thumbs-up, and waited until 12 weeks. I was so paranoid that something was going to happen to Tater {still am a little bit}. Also, TMI, the stretch marks on the girls. That's right, the ta-tas have gained a lovely shade of purple/blue/red lines. Just a few in a small region, but still, this was something I tried very hard to avoid. Oh, and the chestne {like acne on your chest}. From the articles and books I read I thought it might happen, but boy did it ever. Nothing like putting pure rubbing alcohol on your chest twice a day. {Yes, I know, this is not the best beauty regime but it's the only thing that works!} And last but not least, the audacity of strangers. Grandma Mimi said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

Things I'm Most Looking Forward To: Meeting our sweet little girl. I cannot wait to hold her.

What I Think Is Really Cool & Crazy: There is a human inside of me. Said human is growing bones and organs and other crazy sh*t. I've said it once and I'll say it again, science is so flipping cool! {God totally knows what He's doing}

Most Embarrassing Moment: I don't think I've had any public embarrassing moments, yet. However, TMI, pregnant lady gas is NOT a joke. 

Alright, that was fun. Now, for a little update on life...

Yesterday Brian and I both had the day off work so we did the standard dog park visit, had lunch, and then painted the nursery. I feel like I can call it a nursery now without it being weird because it's painted and none of our stuff is in there. We're not "theme" people so we went with a color scheme instead. 

During lunch I decided that Tater and I needed to do a little tanning so I sat out on our back deck and caught some rays before we headed upstairs to paint.

22 weeks, 4 days

Below are some before, during, and after shots of the room.

  

Before

Before

 Handsome hubby. Go, Daddy, Go!

We're getting there

After - one of the "Barely Pink" walls

Another one of the "Barely Pink" walls

And last, but {hopefully} not least.........................................................................

22 weeks, 4 days

I'm so happy to have the room painted but there's one more step that needs to be completed before the room is finished. This coming weekend we'll be adding stripes to the non-pink {not pictured} "Billowy Cloud" wall so that it's grey and white. I'll be sure to add more pictures when that wall is done.

It's all coming together so stay tuned for more soon!

Daddy on Board

Last night Brian finally felt Tater kick. I'm not sure if that makes things more real for him, but it was nice to be able to share something that I've been feeling for weeks. At first he said he couldn't tell if it was really the baby moving for his own heartbeat in his hand. POW! POW!

More pictures when I'm not trying to fight off sickness.... Pregnant lady DayQuil is my new dream.

I'm a Dragon

Like a stranger in the night it attacks. Creeping its way up my stomach, playing in my chest, and dancing its pretty little way in to my throat and mouth. Trying to exhale CO2 is silly because I've become a dragon. I can only breathe fire.

The 2nd trimester heartburn has come on full force. I could eat the most bland foods on Earth and yet the burning continues. I eat Tums like candy and sleep sitting up. All I have to say about it is, it sucks and this little girl better be real gosh darn cute to make this up to me. {Not really, I'll love Tater no matter what}. Only 137 days to go!

D-Day

D-Day might be a little dramatic, but today is a BIG day. HUGE! Today we are going in for our 1/2 way check-up AAAANNND we get to find out whether Tater is a boy tot or a girl tot. I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED! {Can you tell?} We also get to see that all of Tater's organs and bones are in the right places and growing on schedule.

I'm feeling great; we've registered for all the stuff, we went to the baby clothes swap {we scored a whole lotta stuff for $10}, and we're starting to clean out Tater's room. I can't believe that we're already at the half way mark. It feels like I just told Brian and then I remember that was the beginning of October!! 

Can't wait to find out. Yay!!!

*UPDATE*

Well, I was surprised and Brian "knew it". Tater is a.…………… GIRL!!! We couldn't be more excited and I will now be spending the rest of the night looking at baby girl stuff. Can't wait to hold our little princess!!!!!! Our new due date is back to the original of June 12th.

Baby Girl. She is just the cutest!

For the record, I've been trying to work out more to make things easier on everyone.

Also, I'm glad I don't just look fat anymore. This was 18 weeks, 3 days.