Another birthday celebration

Last week was so crazy that I never got a chance to blog. I had training all of last week.

Check out the text book we went through. Thankfully, we did not have to go through each individual page. However, it was a very tedious class! The great thing though is that I came away with a lot of knowledge that I can apply to my current job so all's not wasted.

J's birthday was last week Thursday. To celebrate, JOE and I baked him a cake. She was definitely a pretty good helper. But ummm...it is HARD WORK baking a cake with a toddler! Especially when pregnant. I don't know how many times I had to bend down to clean up a mess. In it all though, it was fun to bake for J with JOE. I cherish these moments.

 

The weekend before last, JOE picked out these decorations for her dada's cake. Yes I know, they are somewhat girly but she insisted and J didn't have the heart to say no.

Other ingredients that went on the cake. Did I mention that J loves peanut butter?

The end results. The placement of the flowers and chicks were all JOE's doing. She insisted on removing some and placing them in other places. And when she got chocolate on her hands, she insisted on her hands being cleaned BEFORE she did the next placement. Yup...it was a long process.

JOE was very happy with her accomplishment.

Clearly, J liked it cause he's had a piece every night since his birthday. JOE couldn't help but tell J about her adventures in baking when he got back from work. 

For his birthday, J got a customized birthday card book from JOE. JOE's childcare provider helped her make the book. It really turned out so nice and J loved his card. 

In addition to the card, JOE also made J a "masterpiece". I really love this because the fish is made from her palm print.

To continue our celebration, J & I went on our own grown up date (sans baby) to where else but Bertucci's? It is J's favorite restaurant. And he orders THE SAME THING everytime we go there. I am hoping that when he sees this post, it'll inspire him to order something else next time :-). I doubt it though.

 After all was said and done, I was SOOOOO tired. I told J I wanted to ride a motorized scooter at our next stop. I knew he wouldn't let me so I made him sign it on the box of leftover pizza and took a picture just incase. 

I didn't get a chance to ride the scooter that day but I did the following day :-). But then I felt ridiculous and JOE was looking at me funny so they both guilted me into returning the scooter. Not fair! My feet were swollen!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and are having a great week so far!

Pregnancy Update @ 37 weeks

I had a pretty good week pregnancy-wise. With the exception of the swollen fingers, feet and aches here and there, everything was OK.
I am now "full term" @ 37-weeks depending on what calendar you're using. I truly feel so blessed and happy to be itching towards the end of this journey.


How Far Along? 37 weeks. By the standards used when I was pregnant with JOE, at this point, I was considered full term. But according to new guidelines from last year, full term is now 39-weeks. I am completely fine with this. J & I would very much like for her to wait until her due date. We still have a ton on our plates to do :-).

Size of Baby? Now about 19-inches long (almost at her full length!). For comparison, baby is now about the size of a honeydew melon and weighs about 6.3 pounds! Since my appointment last week, I somehow managed to lose some more weight. My current weight gain to date for this pregnancy is 3.2-lbs. I guess I will definitely be staying under the 10-lb mark.

Maternity Clothes? Fully in them now but I am still able to alternate maternity clothes and pre-pregnancy clothes. 

Stretch Marks? So far, nothing new has cropped up. But I can't always see around my round belly anymore For now though, I haven't noticed any new ones.

Sleep? It has gotten somewhat better. I am now waking up 4-5 times as opposed to upwards of 6-times per night. I'll take it. A couple skipped pee breaks at night adds up to about 20-minutes more sleep for me. 

Food Cravings? ICE ICE baby! I posted a picture of the larger cup I was able to get from Walmart to ensure I don't have to make multiple runs to the cafeteria to fill up my ice. Yay!

What I Miss: Being about to walk around without wobbling. I feel like one of those wobble toys you find at amusement parks or play areas. The ones you can knock down and they keep coming back up wobbling. 
I also miss going up the stairs without being out of breath. I miss my regular sized feet. I miss being able to put lotion on my feet without having to use my bed rail as a step area. There's a lot I miss but at the same time, I am grateful for this precious child growing inside of me.

What I'm Looking Forward To:  My hospital bag is packed. We decided J will stay home with JOE when I stay in the hospital overnight. That way, JOE can have some semblance of normalcy. My mom will be staying with me instead. 
I was hoping I'd be able to get a maternity photo shoot in. Similar to what we did when I was pregnant with JOE but at this point, I'm not sure we'll be able to find the time to do it. I feel disappointed about that :-(.

Symptoms? Sleepless nights, swollen fingers and feet. Still no real food cravings but last night, I had ice cream for dinner. Does that count? It wasn't much but I felt like having something sweet.

Movement? YES! Much slower movements now. I guess baby girl is running out of room in there. 

Belly Button In or Out? Still very much in. It never came out last time with JOE's pregnancy so I don't think it will this time.

Labor Signs? Braxton Hicks!!! Still manageable. I plan on starting on the same raspberry tea leaves regimen I did with JOE closer to this baby's due date.

Best Moment of the Week? Hearing JOE talk about her baby sister and the many kisses she always gives her. I had my weekly appointment a few days ago and JOE had to come with me. While on the examination table being examined, I made a face during a not so comfortable check and JOE turned to me and said "momma, its OK. The doctor is checking on baby sister." It was just too cute for words.

Weekly Wisdom: Learning to say no to foolishness. I encountered a couple of things this week that should have made me say "stop it!" but I didn't. Oh well...I'll try to do better with that.

Pictures? Yup. Here are a few pictures below.

I know...not the sexiest feet but they are what I have to work with right now :-). Praying they go back to normal after baby arrives.

JOE's many faces at my last OB appointment. She did so well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A side by side comparison. Baby is still quite high up. I am guessing she won't be making her debut any time soon.

 

Hope you had a great week. I am ready for the weekend! Have a fun and safe weekend and remember to be kind to strangers!

Photo Dump Wednesday: Last weekend's activities

We had an awesome weekend as a family last weekend and we were able to get a lot done. We relaxed, J brought up and cleaned up items for the baby while I did the household shopping. Then I packed my hospital bag and put a few things in order around the house. 

On Saturday, JOE's child care provider cared for JOE for a few hours while J & I went out to an early dinner. We figured we might not get a chance to go for another one until baby arrives so we took full advantage of the situation. 

Our initial plan was to go to the Indian restaurant that recently opened not too far from us but by the time I was done giving JOE a bath and doing her hair, we missed their lunch time. I am moving slower these days and I think seeing all the baby stuff may have given JOE a bit of anxiety so she was in rare form on Saturday therefore prolonging the amount of time it took to do her hair. 

So instead of the Indian restaurant, we decided to go to the Nigerian restaurant not too far from us. J apparently, was craving some pounded yam and egusi :-). I kid you not! Scroll down and see :-D.

 

  

Apparently, I was interrupting JOE's iPAD time. She was none too happy about this picture.

  

Once JOE's hair was done, J and I went on our merry way! I had also washed my hair earlier and it was twisted hence the hat. I do like the hat though. It was one of the gifts I got from J for Christmas. I am also sporting a new shade of lipstick. I wasn't entirely sure about it at first but then I wore the hat and realized "oh, this works!" 

Well, we got to the restaurant and J ordered egusi and pounded yam.

 

 I ordered some jollof rice with fried plantains.

 

See what I mean? Homeboy couldn't wait to dig in! He actually was using his hand (the traditional way) and a fork to eat. It was so funny, I had to take a picture. At least he was a good sport about it :-).

At last, in the battle of Man vs. Food, food won! J gave up half way through the meal. But don't fret! He packed it up and had the rest for lunch the following day :-).

The meal gets his seal of approval. He was very satisfied :-D.

I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch too. I should add that J also ate some of my food which might be why he wasn't able to finish his.

 

 

After our late lunch, we headed to a nearby mall where I visited the candy shop there. These are my 2 favorite chewy candies and I loaded up. I even carried them in my pocket book so I wouldn't have to share them at home. HAPPY MOMMA!!!

That evening, after we got home, JOE and I cuddled up on the couch to relax. I decided to snap a mommy/daughter selfie with strained smiles :-). Don't blame me. She mimics what she sees on my face. This picture actually made me realize just how much JOE looks like me! I never saw it before until this picture.

This one is a random picture. JOE "painted momma's nail". Ummm...she missed the entire top half of my nail! And then insisted on taking a picture of it. How cute....

 

 

 
So while doing the household shopping on Saturday, I found this cup! Talk about a great find! Remember how I told you I am the ice lady? Well, this cup really meets that need. I don't have to make multiple trips to go get my ice. I can just make 2 trips per day. And it has thermal insulation. SCORE!!! My $2 find at Walmart :-).

 

 We had a nice weekend and so far, the week is going great. I know I am due for a pregnancy update. Hoping to take a picture of my bump and post either tomorrow or Friday. 

Enjoy the rest of your week!

 

TGIF: JOE's week in review

JOE certainly had a fun filled week thanks to the warmer temperatures we've been having and her new child care provider. Considering she was born in the Fall, my baby sure does love the warmer weather. I am glad because I am hoping to get LOTS of walks in with her once her baby sister arrives. 

So here's JOE's funny for the week. Conversation I had with her on Tuesday went like this:

Me: Since you're only using your bed as a play area, can we convert it back to a crib for baby sister?

JOE: No momma!

Me: But where will baby sister stay?

JOE: Baby sister can stay there (pointing to the house across the street) with Midnight.

Two things about this conversation. 

1. She was pointing to our neighbor's house. 

2. Midnight is their beautiful dog who JOE loves to play with whenever we're over there.

I am not quite sure of what to make of that conversation. Her child care provider tried to have a discussion with her about sharing her toys yesterday and I was told JOE pretty much had a variation of the same conversation above because she doesn't want to share her toys. Needless to say, I am now on the hunt for a book that will help her adjust to the changes that are about to occur.

Anyways, here are some pictures from JOE's week. 

Here she is cheesing it for the camera as she writes on our front walk.

 

"JOE's work of art" :-).

And my little princess at the library. I think we need to work on her cheesing smile :-). 

 

 

And here she is riding her Dora Mobile. J & I got this for her for her birthday last year. She NEVER once showed interest in it until her friend played with it during their play date on Saturday. I guess that's one way to get kids to enjoy their toys.

 

 

And here she is on her way to a kid's jump place. Her child care provider took her there. It is a place where kids get to jump to their heart's content and also play basketball. 2 things JOE is absolutely loving right now.

By the way, my daughter LOVES wearing her sunglasses. If it is sunny out, she'll quickly turn to you and say "my eyes! I think I need sunglasses please." Yup, that's my little diva.

 

 

 

Jumping, jumping, jumping!

 

 

JOE's godfather and his wife got her an absolutely cute Minnie Mouse dress up kit as well as a mat puzzle piece. The gifts totally made her day last night when she received it. She's been playing with it ever since.

 

 

And of course, no week will be complete without a trip to the mall. 

 

 

Clearly, this girl had an awesome week while momma and dadda worked. I am glad she's having a great time. It warms our hearts to see how much she is thriving and taking in the world and we are thankful and blessed to have found someone who cares for her and takes her on these adventures when we can't.

This weekend will be spent making preparations for baby and going on a date with J. Yay!!!

Hope your week was as fun as JOE's. Have a blessed weekend and remember to be kind to strangers!

Photo Dump Wednesday: A weekend of fun activities

I am so glad the middle of the week is here. I know I was complaining about the snow last week and now its stopped. I am GRATEFUL for that but can we please get some sunshine with the higher degree temperature? Sure would be nice :-D.

Last Friday, I came home to JOE's lovely craft. I love when I get home and she excitedly tells me about her day in addition to what she accomplished during the day. Below are some of her craft/artwork from her day on Friday.

 

 I especially love this one below because it is one of her hands and her foot :-).

 

What can I say? My baby loves happy faces :-).

Last Saturday, JOE had her first tea party/play date. She had a fabulous time with my friend's daughter (her new friend). My friend M and I were engaged a week apart, got married a few months apart and had our first babies a few weeks apart so of course our daughters are destined to be friends :-). 

I figured I'd make it light and fun for everyone. Since both are girly girls, I wanted something that will appeal to them. Usher in the tiaras, necklaces, rings, mirrors and such. Yup...I spent quite a bit of time at the dollar store :-).

I also made some light snacks for the girls and used a cookie cutter to make heart shaped cheese and turkey slices. I really wanted a star but realized at the last minute I don't own a star cookie cutter and stores often don't carry them after Christmas. Oh well...my goal is to get some this year at Christmas time.  

Don't let the look on JOE's face fool you. She absolutely was having a blast. I couldn't get her to stop long enough to take a picture.

I also printed out some artwork for the girls to color. These crayons were leftovers from her first birthday party. Yup. Nothing goes wasted in our household :-).

JOE had so much fun that she immediately fell asleep when we got in the car to run an errand shortly after my friend and her daughter left. I mean, we hadn't even turned off our street when she fell asleep :-). I count it as a successful playdate/tea party.

Last Friday, I had a sudden craving for Nigerian food. Truth be told, I have had a lot of cravings for Nigerian foods with this pregnancy. More than I did with JOE's. Some of the items I had made but not all. 

Well, when I got home, it was late and J was tired. He asked me what I wanted for dinner and I told him. He said it was too late but he would go out and get me the meal the following day. 

True to his promise, on Saturday, he called the Nigerian restaurant that's about a half hour drive from our house and ordered the food.

1. I love my husband and really appreciate him for making sure this craving was satisfied. 

2. The food, HIT THE SPOT!!! I mean, if you haven't had this meal, you wouldn't understand but eating it felt like it was the best version I have ever had. Does that make sense? 

It was a lot for me though so I was able to get 2 meals out of it. Now, you'd think my weight would go up after eating this massive meal on Saturday and Sunday for lunch right? Nope. At my last appointment, I had lost a little over a pound bringing the total weight gain for this pregnancy to 5.2-lbs. Oh well...we're almost there...

For the readers who don't know what this is, it is pounded yam, fried beef and egusi (melon and spinach soup). YUM!!!

And here's our weekly mommy/daughter selfie. We took this on Sunday evening. We're both pirates. Can you tell? :-).

I just had to take this picture of JOE. Check out how she was sleeping. Her leg is on my pillow. As in the pillow where my head would normally go if I was still in bed. SMH!

I hope you're having a good week so far. I am looking forward to the weekend because I need some rest. My ankles have been swollen quite a bit this week. Can't wait to just lounge around and stay off my feet. J and I will likely be going out on an adult date to check out a new restaurant that opened up not too far from us. YAY!!! I do so enjoy those. More on our date next week.

Enjoy the rest of your week!