The Pumpkin Patch

So yay having a 2 year old is fun! We took Ava to Orr's pumpkin patch this past weekend, she had a ball so much fun in fact she threw her first public tantrum when we went to leave.


She walked through the corn maze, collected her pumpkin, then we bought a bag of apples before coming home.

38 weeks....

Thats right almost there, I am a week away from the c-section. The nerves havent set in yet, I keep waiting for a rush of fear and panic but not yet. I guess it's because I am so behind in preparing her that I dont feel settled yet at home. I am growing, my belly is way bigger than it was with Ava at this point. I am in bigger maternity clothes, but since the swelling has stayed down I am still in maternity clothes instead of in Kenny's.

I have been having some contractions but nothing consistent. One night, I got very excited because they were in my back and about 10 minutes apart but after 2 hours they just disappeared, like they were never there to begin with. I was more upset that it happened at 2 am than anything. All that for nothing and I lost almost 3 hours of sleep on top of it all. And it was in the middle of the week, so I got no sleep and in to work I went with a full load of files. Sometimes it kinda feels like a contraction but I think its just Hailey running out of room. When she moves around sometimes its just tight.

Some good news though, she has moved off of my nerve that was causing me so much pain to walk so now my waddle is a little more normal. At one point it hurt just to sit because she sat on it all the time. I have had a few good days, lots of energy, and not sick on the stomach. I keep calling it the calm before the storm, whether she comes on her own timeline or ours she's coming in a week, so I feel like my body is preparing the way it should.

I cant wait to see my girls together. Ava does very well with other babies but not sure how she will be with a baby that will not be going away after a few hours. I guess only time will tell and that time will be in one week. This pregnancy has passed so quickly. It seems like yesterday we found out that we were pregnant and the morning sickness set in.

I must say that I am so thankful for the scheduled delivery this time. Ava wasnt ready to come out and wouldnt engage at all. She never came down and I took 3 days just to dilate to 9 only to stall. My body wasnt ready for the induction and wouldnt respond to any of the medications to help it do its job. This time, less stress for the baby, Ava's heart went through a bit while on the medications and laboring without any progress. Also I have had no progress at this point. By this time with Ava, I had dilated 1 cm and was thinning out and had lost my mucus plug. I joke that she received the memo and knows she will be coming on the 21st regardless so no point in doing a whole lot but fact of the matter is I think trying for the VBAC would stress me out because then I would be waiting and wanting the progress to happen. As much as I wouldnt mind going into labor a little early, I can wait until its time also.



So in a week, there will be 2 little bowers' girls in the house. It should only get more interesting from here on out. Especially with Ava's personality already.

Babyshower.....

So my family is loved by lots of people. My sister in law and sisters threw Hailey a wonderful babyshower then a few weeks later I was surprised at work with one for her. I must say it is a wonderful feeling to know so many people love me and my kids. I had insisted for months not to throw one, I am after all having a child within 2 years of the first one and having the same gender. I am good with clothes and really was just focusing on diapers, wipes, and formula. But everyone kept telling me we had to celebrate Hailey just as we had with Ava.

The showers were both great! I got to spend time with friends and family and talk with everyone. I couldnt ask for more for my kids. Ava even got a few gifts, which I thought was really sweet. 

Swelling

Have I bragged lately about the whole NO SWELLING. Yes, it is a wonderful thing. When I was pregnant with Ava, I began swelling around 25 weeks, couldnt wear my wedding rings, grew out of clothes and shoes, and it hurt to walk. I will say it still hurts to walk, lets face it at this point everything is hurting, you're just waiting for the end. But I just began swelling a little around 33 weeks. I must say it is a great feeling. I am still in full maternity clothes, even though I am growing out of pants quickly. At this point with Ava I was wearing Kenny's polo shirts to work just to look half descent and professional. I just took my wedding rings off for good this past week and my face is a little plump. The weather has cooled down a lot in the past 2 days and I am hoping this will help keep my swelling down, I still have a month to go.

8 months down, one more to go....

Ok so finally I am down to about a month to go. The c-section is scheduled for October 21st, sometime in the morning. I am really counting down. My energy level has never came back like it should in the 2nd trimester and I am just sore. It's a little harder with Ava. I love having my little girl but she has more energy than I know what to do with sometimes. I try to keep up but its hard. I am still pretty small at 34 weeks but she is stuffed in there. I can feel almost every move she makes. She stretches and I feel her from the pelvic to my ribs. The bigger she gets the more excitehd I am getting. I am waiting to see who she will look like and will she have hair. By the amount of heartburn I have been having any other woman would say she will have a head full but I know with Ava that that isnt always true. I had crazy heartburn with her and she was almost completely bald when she was born. I cannot wait to compare Hailey's baby pictures with Ava and see how much they look alike or maybe they wont. It's all in the air right now.

About the only thing that is bugging me right now is that I really dont feel prepared like I did with Ava when we were this close to delivery. I think thats just because I do not have the energy to get things ready. Just thinking about washing the clothes and standing on my feet to put them away tires me. It's weird though because we are settled in our house now, we have lived here for almost 3 years and with Ava we were packing and getting ready to move yet I feel like this. I keep going through my to do list and I just dont want to do it. I think I might just get her bassinett ready and do the rest when I am home from the hospital. I really only need to make sure a few things are in place for her home arrival. I guess we did so much preparing for Ava that it feels like we arent doing anything for Hailey, yet everything is actually done and we are just waiting.

At this point I would rather use the little energy I do have to chase after my active toddler than worry about whether crib sheets are washed. I know I will have plenty of time for that later. We are quickly preparing for Ava's 2nd birthday and celebrating that, so I am using that as a deadline. Once we finish with her birthday weekend, we will move the bassinett downstairs and I will get the blankets ready. I also want to go ahead and her stuff ready for the hospital. Even though we are having a scheduled delivery I am thinking of going ahead and packing a small bag for me just incase I would go into labor early. No one I know has confidence that I will make it to the end of October. LOL.

Life

Ok So I havent updated in a long time. We have been busy. Seems like every weekend is jammed packed with what can we do and where can we go. Ava spent a weekend in August with her Nanny and had an awesome time. It's nice to have your child be comfortable enough to be away from you even tell you to 'go' and you get some adult time. Kenny and I didnt take all that advantage of it I must be honest. We went to dinner and came home. I am pregnant, exhausted, and if I dont have to take care of her, then I just wanted to prop my feet up. We did though eat a dinner without having to share our food, eat it half cold, and actually spoke to each other. Usually we are keeping tabs on Ava, trying to keep her entertained while waiting on the food, then she decides she is done and we haven't begun. So yea going to dinner with a toddler is challenging but she's so darn cute. Kenny has been working, no more than usual, but feels like it. Maybe because I am just exhausted and he helps so much that I really miss it when he isnt home. There are days I wish he worked 9-5 monday through friday but then I think that would be harder on him and us. He wouldnt get the breaks and have the energy to be as helpful as he is. He would probably be just as tired as I am and we both would be fighting who gets to lay on the couch. LOL

Work for me has been busier than I could have ever imagined. I thought we were busy as contractors but now working for the government it has really stepped up. I love it though. I hate to admit it but what job can you have that you work independently almost at your own pace, wear your ipod to keep you focused on your work, and there is a kinship with some of my co-workers that is awesome. If I am not working, I am being 'the mom', which I couldnt ask for anything else. Some days I just count down until I am with my baby girl. It's so awesome to walk through the door and she's yelling 'mommy, mommy' and I get a big hug. It has been way more exhausting with the extra weight, hormones, and no sleep but she will do something that will just make me stop and smile.

Ava is a HOT MESS as usual. She is learning more and more and soon will be a BIG SISTER. Our little girl will be 2 in just a week. I cant wait to celebrate with her. She is spitting out full sentences and freaking me out about how fast she is learning. She has a wonderful personality, almost always laughing and loves to play. She is loving being at Becky's and playing with Alaya and Blake. She is not a good morning person but once she gets there, she is ready to play.

So life is busy, and yes in 5 short weeks it will be yet busier but I can't imagine it being any other way. This year is only going to get better with the addition to our family. We have a lot to look forward to.

Pickin

So not many people know and not sure if he cares if I share but Kenny and a few friends entered this years Pickin in the Panhandle. Kenny has been smoking shoulders and such at work so they decided to see how they would do in a competition. The only thing I can say I really complained about is that it fell on their weekend off and that meant a weekend away from home when I could always use an extra hand here. LOL.

But they set up Friday night and the weekend began. Ava and I went to their campsite Saturday afternoon and enjoyed the food, music, and time with everyone. Kenny started his cooking that evening.

Sunday, Ava and I made it back to the campsite for just long enough to watch the awards. Ok so they didnt place in the top 10 but for their first year I think they did well. Kennys pork shoulder tasted awesome too. We had leftovers and it tasted yummy, even though I got heartburn, but everything gives me heartburn. So I am not blaming Kenny at all.