Shake It Off

   You ever have that feeling of dread you just can't shake? 

   Today I just have a cloud of dread following me around. I'm not sad or in a bad mood or anything, but I can't shake the dread I feel right now. I am off today, so I don't have to go to work today. I still keep checking the time to see if I need to get ready for work though. I keep having to remind myself I am off today.

   I've written about having to work before, and I will probably talk about it again in the future as well. I don't want to be a working mom, but sometimes you have to do what is best for you and your child. What is best for my child right now is working.

   Since I've gone back to work, I've realized a few things. I'm going to have to really go back to work. I've been working shorter hours, which isn't gonna fly if I want to be a responsible adult. I'm going to have to start working more, which is so ominous in my life right now. The few short hours I work is already hard enough. 

   I've also realized that being a single mother is hard. It is going to be hard. I will always have this pull. The want to provide for my child and the want to spend time with my child. This is only going to become harder for me the older he gets.

   My one wish is to be a stay at home momma. The one thing I've ever really been so sure about is that fact. The fact that I want to be a stay at home mother. It is really hard that the one thing I want more than anything is the one thing that I really can't do right now. 

  Every day I think about when I need to work next. Even on my days off, I think about when I am going to have to work again. I struggle to put my baby down, because I'm gonna have to go to work and leave him for a few hours. I know that, honestly, I'm not missing too much, especially not now. I know that it isn't a big deal, but it is to me.

   I hope that one day I will get my wish. I pray that circumstances will play out so that I will have the opportunity to one day be a stay at home mom and take care of Ryder, and maybe even some more kids. Right now I will hold my child close to me, and try to fight this dread away. Today is my day off and that is all that matters right now. I get to be with my baby all day today. 

   I want to end this by saying that I have so much respect for single mothers. In my mind I don't consider myself a single mother. I just don't like those words together. They don't belong together. I guess I'm in a sort of denial, but I am a single mother. I understand how hard it is to be a single mother. It makes me sad that there are other single mothers out there, but I hope that we can lift each other up and encourage one another. 

   If you know a single mother, tell them they are doing a good job. It is amazing to hear those words from someone, whether a friend or acquaintance. 

   It is our job, my job, to be an encouragement to one another. Oh, and that dread, shake it off. 

xx

Eight Weeks and Responsibility

   Eight weeks feels like forever and yet it feels like no time at all. It seems like I just brought my baby home from the hospital yesterday. I cannot believe Ryder is eight weeks old. My little lanky baby is growing everyday. 

   When I say eight weeks seems like forever, I mean that I can't imagine my life without Ryder. I was happy before this little baby came into my life, but I don't understand how. I don't understand what I was doing before having this little baby. This baby that God gave me is my everything and makes me want to wake up every morning.

   He is smiling now, all the time. He reminds me of Toothless the dragon from How to Train your Dragon. He is lifting his head like a champ. He doesn't need help anymore unless he is tired, then his head starts flip flopping a bit. He grabs things now, such as my clothes and hair (ouch!). He is so aware, and he just takes everything in.

   He looks at me like I'm his world. I will be doing something, and I'll glance over, and he will just be looking at me. He will be studying me, and it just make me feel so proud and happy. It also reminds me of the responsibility I now have as a parent. Proverbs 22:6 states, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." 

   I have such a serious little boy!

   I am this little boy's mother. He will watch me as he grows up. He will be a mini me, and a mini of whomever he grows up around. He will see how I act and handle situations, and he will more than likely act and handle situations similarly as he grows and matures. 

   I pray I will always remember that, and that I will be a good role model for Ryder. I pray Ryder continues to be healthy. I'm so thankful for my baby boy.<3

xx

PS I'm sorry for my almost two week blog hiatus. It is a busy time with Christmas approaching. ONLY FIVE MORE DAYS !!! 

  

Six Weeks Post-Partem

   I had my doctor appoinment today. It was so weird being back after not going for so long. I am officially four pounds under pre-pregnancy weight (go me!). Now to just keep that weight off! I am healthy and everything looks good. I have felt awesome, so I would have been surprised if everything hadn't been good. 

   Ryder has hit the six week mark, and is growing like no other. He has learned so many new things lately. Because he is going through a growth spurt, he wants to eat all the time. Every two hours (sometimes less) he is hungry and wants to eat, and nothing else will do till he gets some food, otherwise, he is an extremely happy baby.

   Ryder has started holding his head up, grasping, and smiling. He still needs help when he holds his head up, because he gets tired after a short amount of time. He has really started grasping, like if I go to lay him down, he will have a handful of my short or hair. He does not like to loosen his grip either! My favorite thing he has learned is that smile of his. I am just a puddle on the floor when he smiles at me. His smile is like telling me that I'm doing something right. I adore it!<3

   Six weeks into parenthood and I'm still loving it. Things are so good, and let me be real for a bit. There are things about parenthood that are not fun, and are a little stressful. The other day, Ryder decided he was hungry while he was in the car. He cried almost the whole way home and I felt so bad. It wasn't a long ride, but it still tugs on my heart strings. Being a mom is such a responsibility, but it is also the best thing in this entire world. I love him so much! 

xx

   

35 weeks!!!

   I literally have a little over a month to go till I see my baby boy! My friend had her baby this past week and I got to hold her when she was only a day or so old. She was so little, and it made me that much more anxious to hold my little one!(: 

    My friend actually made me anxious to have my baby too! She is a little thing, and she went into labour, and four hours later, there was a baby! She went through her labour naturally with no epidural. She told me how glad she was that she did that, and I am really hoping I can go through birth naturally as well. Women's bodies were made to give birth, they have done it for hundreds of years! I guess we shall see how things go in another month or so!;)

   I loved my maternity pictures from last week, and everyone else seemed to like them too (they are in the last post or so). I can't wait to have pictures with and of my baby. I promise they will be even more amazing! 

   My week was a little boring other than those few highlights, and I got a canvas to put up by Ryder's crib. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday, and everything was good. I have another one in two weeks and my doctor will start checking my cervix. 

How far along: 35 weeks

Gender: Little boy !

Weight gain: 22 lbs. (I've gained four pounds since my last doctors appointment !)

Maternity clothes: the only thing I want is maternity jeans, I want some so badly and I am highly considering buying some.... 

Stretch marks: None

Belly button in or out: flat

Sleep: heartburn is keeping me up at night, (ugh). I can't seem to go to sleep when I should go to sleep, but I want to sleep during the day and at random times, it's not the most ideal situation..

Best moment this week: Holding my friends newborn baby(: Hands down(: and I got a couple cups, and my cutting board in the mail!(:

   I got this cup from @thelittlevinylsaur on ig. I won it in one of my loop games! It says "I sneezed on the beat and the beat got sickah." It's cute!(:

   This cutting board is seriously awesome. I mean, how many people do you know with a monogrammed cutting board. I feel like this would be a great gift for a newly wed couple (that is what comes to my mind right off the bat). @ohmgrownhandmade on ig makes them!(:

   I love my monogram cup! (I love monograms too much, I know!). @thecraftyengineer on ig makes them! I won mine in a contest, but they are only about eight dollars, and they are so cutee!<3

Miss anything: My hands and feet keep swelling, and when I've been on my feet, my hips start hurting really bad, so I miss when those things didn't happen!

Movement: Ryder has hiccups 24/7, I really do love him moving though.

Cravings: I've been craving waffles yet again, I love waffles, I don't know what it is(: and hot fries!

Looking forward to: My baby shower is Sarurday! I can finally put my hospital bags together, I can finish putting my room together, I will finally know what all I need, and I will finally be able to wash baby clothes. I am so ready for after the baby shower! I've been waiting to put things together for the longest time.

   I will be putting up a few posts in the coming weeks. What is going in my hospital bags and the shower and all! I'm excited.(: 

xx 

34 weeks!

   Ryder can dream! I'm not sure what he would dream about, but babies start REM sleeping after 30 weeks or so. He is most likely dreaming about me and probably people I'm around a lot. Ryder recognizes voices and knows the difference between voices as well. He also recognizes songs that I sing or hum a lot. He will probably recognize a few books that I read out loud too (Like Moo, Baa, LaLaLa being that it's Cherith's favorite book, so Ryder will definitely recognize that book!).

   With about 6 weeks to go, Ryder weighs almost 5 pounds and is 16-18 inches in length. He is almost the size he will be when he is born. It is crazy to think that he will be born in such a short period of time! 

   I am so excited to put up a post of maternity pictures sometime this week. I had a friend of mine take my pictures, and she did amazing. I am so pleased with the end results. I will be getting a disk of my pictures, so I will put them all up later. My sister, Rebecca, came with me to help out, and we took pictures on a dock and in actual water.

How far along: 34 weeks

Gender: Little boy(:

Weight gain: 18 lbs. 

Maternity clothes: I wish I had a nice pair of maternity jeans, but at this point, I'd only be in them for 6 more weeks..

Stretch marks: None

Belly button in or out: Still flat, maybe it won't ever pop out.

Sleep: I have no real complaints about sleep this week, except if people keep calling the house phone in the morning time, I am going to take the phone off the hook before I go to bed at night. I have an old fifties phone in my room, and it rings very loudly (I'm gonna have to somehow turn off the ringer before Ryder is born for sure!!). 

Best moment this week: Taking maternity pictures and getting mail. I absolutely adore snail mail. Getting packages in the mail is one of those simple things in life that means so much.(: 

   I won these two beanies for Ryder, they are seriously the cutest! I adore the colors, and they are so soft too! Look up @twolittlekings on Instagram if you want to get adorable beanies for your baby.(:

   I won these two headbands from @violetboutique on Instagram. These are so cute. I got one for Cherith (my baby sister) and my other sister/mom/me. We will be able to match on gameday (Roll Tide!!!).

   I won these two bracelets from @mikayloveinc. I cannot wait to wear them, and this lighting does not do them justice. The colors are storm and oxblood. The lady who makes them is so nice too; I love it when shop owners are personable and sweet.

   This is my new favorite bracelet! I bought it and a matching one that says "Mimi" for my mom. I wanna buy one that says Ryder or has his initials eventually. This bracelet was made by @brinandbell.(:

Miss anything: I don't miss too much this much. Ryder is starting to press on my bladder more and more, thus more bathroom trips than usual. It's like first trimester all over again, except my stomach is slightly bigger..(:

Movement: Still a lot of movement, the other day it looked like he was pressing against the middle of my stomach, my belly looked pointed where he was pushing. He has been kicking my ribs quite a bit this past week as well.

Cravings: This week I've craved toaster streudals (which I've eaten too many of them this week!), Mediterranean food, and Waffle House.. 

Looking forward to: My baby shower, I'm so excited for it. I'm also just ready for it to pass, because it's my next goal moment I guess. I know that after my baby shower, Ryder will be here very soon. My room is almost all put together too. I just need curtains and a rocking chair, and the rest of what I need for my room are just small knick knacks. I also need to put some things up on the wall so that the walls don't look so drear. I'll put the crib together after the baby shower. 

   I feel like I've written a lot this post, hopefully y'all don't mind! I'm sure I'll have plenty to write about as the day of Ryder's arrival nears. I know I've left out some things, but I'm sure I'll cover them in the next post or so!(:

xx

   

Sleeping with your Baby

   When someone says "co-sleeping," most people picture a baby sleeping in the same bed as their mother. To be exact, 75% of mothers think it is only sleeping in the same bed as the baby (which is what I will be doing). Although the actual definition of "co-sleeping" is "sleeping in close proximity of your baby." Thus, a mother who has her baby in the same room as her is technically co-sleeping.

   Co-sleeping has been a bit controversial in the past, but recently thoughts as well as attitudes have changed about the subject. Pediatricians actually recommend it 7 more times today than they did 2 years ago, and 3 out of 4 mothers actually co-sleep with their baby. 

   The top three reasons women co-sleep are because of attachment to the baby (43%), closeness to the baby (68%), and breastfeeding (69%). Most mothers are very attached to their babies, especially first-time mothers (I know I already am!). I want my baby close to me, and I also plan on breastfeeding. So all three reasons apply to me!

   (I hope you enjoy this throwback;) )

   There are pros and cons to co-sleeping. Some pros are the fact that both parties (momma and baby) get more sleep, both parties bond more with each other, there is simple soothing involved, and there is a decreased risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). 

   

   If a mother is breastfeeding, co-sleeping can be such a help. When a baby wakes up in the middle of the night crying, it's much easier to just pull a baby close and start breastfeeding. Neither mother nor baby lose much sleep because of the proximity and minimal movement/disturbment. That is also where simple soothing comes into play. If baby starts fussing, a mother just has to comfort her baby by patting them; again, saving sleep.

   There are a few cons as well. Parents get less rest, less freedom, and sometimes the baby can become over-dependent. If the baby gets used to sleeping only when mom or dad are asleep, then parents can sometimes lose freedom of being up while baby sleeps. 

   I know around the town I live in, there are a quite a few billboards that say, "don't ever sleep with your baby." There are some people who shouldn't sleep with their babies in the bed with them. People who are heavy sleepers, smokers, and drinkers. 

   Some people are heavy sleepers, which can be a problem because they aren't aware. I used to be a heavy sleeper until I became pregnant. Now I wake up if I hear the lightest noise. 

   Some people smoke and drink. That is the lifestyle that they have chosen, and they need to make responsible choices. If someone passes out, they are obviously not aware. Not only are they not in their right mind, but they have then become a heavy sleeper as well.

    When babies are in the womb, they're used to the mother's heartbeat, breathing pattern, and even smell. If a mother chooses to co-sleep, it is good for the baby because his breathing and heartbeat will match the mothers. Being right next to the mother regulates both,  and being so close to mother makes many babies feel more safe. This is one reason the risk of SIDS decreases. In a few studies that have been done, babies who co-sleep often cry less than babies who sleep in a different room as well.

   I hope that I will stay a light sleeper after Ryder is born. I'd love to co-sleep with him, and have him in the bed with me. I'm planning on breastfeeding, and as long as I am aware, it will be much easier with him so close. 

    I hope I was informative, and if anyone has questions, let me know! If I don't know the answer, I will gladly do some research and figure it out. If you read all the way through, thank you for reading my somewhat boring post!;) Y'all da best!

xx

33 weeks(:

   I am 33 weeks today, and I started my day off eating toaster streudals (and they were the best things ever!!). This week has been such a good week. I took maternity pictures, I got a crib, and I went to the doctor yesterday.

   

   I am so glad I got the opportunity to take maternity pictures. When Ryder is older and I can look back and see what I looked like when I was pregnant with him will be fun. My photographer was amazing, she was super sweet and the whole shoot was so comfortable. She had never shot maternity pictures before, so I was happy to help her get some practice. I'm hoping she can take pictures of Ryder when he is born as well.(: She is editing pictures this week, but I'll be able to put up the final pictures in the next blog or two!

   I got a crib this week! Which is amazing after having a few things with furniture and housing not work out lately. I wrote a small (at least I think it's small) blog post about my crib, so I won't write too much in this post. I love waking up and seeing a crib in my room. In just a few short weeks, there will be a baby in there!(:

   I had a doctor appointment yesterday, and I am seeing my doctor every two weeks now. My doctor said that everything looks good, and his heartbeat is perfect. I don't think I'll be getting another ultrasound the rest of my pregnancy, which is kind of sad. I really want to see my baby again. 

   I finished my heart afghan for Ryder this week. I adore it, and I love how beautiful I turned out! I'm not gonna be working for about 12 weeks because of maternity leave. I think I'm going to make some afghans to sell. I'll be selling them for about $65 for a 27x30, and $115 for a 40x43. I enjoy crocheting, and it will help me pay bills while I'm off work.(:

   This kitty really liked my blanket too!(:

How far along: 33 weeks

Gender: Boy

Weight gain: 18 lbs. is how much I've gained according to the doctor's scale yesterday

Maternity clothes: I have two full drawers of maternity clothes, and I'm having to wear the pants now. My stretchy pants are getting kinda snug now..

Stretch marks: No stretch marks

Belly button in or out: Flat !

Sleep: I'm sleeping, Ryder keeps getting the hiccups and moving a lot which wakes me up and keeps me up too. I love him moving, but it would be nice to sleep a bit more too !

Best moment this week: Getting my crib, and I received goodies in the mail.

 

   I got this teether and star tag blanket this week. They are both so cute, I can't wait for him to use them. If you follow @sew_much_love on Instagram, she is who made these for me, and she did such a good job.(:

Miss anything: I'm not missing too much this week. I just wish I wasn't so tired, which I know that isn't going to get any better as the weeks go on.

Movement: It is insane how much he moves. I wish I could catch it on camera, but he knows when I turn on the video, it's uncanny really, haha.

Cravings: I craved a Philly cheese steak sandwhich earlier this week, maybe I'll get one this week. Me and my sister got five guys the other day, and it was seriously the perfect burger. I've been craving toaster streudals this week and I have five boxes of them in my freezer..... But they are made with real fruit.. At least that's what the box says!;) 

Looking forward to: Invitations were sent out this past week for my baby shower. I'm so excited for my baby shower. I'll start washing his clothes and putting our hospital bags together the day after my baby shower! 

   I know this is a seemingly silly request, but pray I find a nice, pretty comforter for my bed. I also need a rug, side tables, and curtains. Just pray that I will find the perfect finishing items for my room (and pray I don't spend too much money!). 

xx

   

A Blessing in a Crib

   I know this doesn't look like much, but I needed a crib. I thought I had one, but it was broken and unusable once we put it together. I was very happy to have had a crib, but now I was crib-less..

   I had talked to my mom a bit about how I didn't necessarily need a crib at first. My mom has the bassinet that she used for me. We figured we would keep our eyes open for a crib, and I could use the bassinet while he was little. I was completely okay with the idea of using the bassinet for a few months, but I figured I'd go look at cribs to know what I was dealing with.

    So while I was looking at cribs and prices, I got super discouraged. I wanted to cry because I didn't have the money for the type of crib I was wanting. I got into my car and gave myself a pep talk. I started praying that I'd be happy with whatever I ended up getting. I had come to terms with that as long as I had a safe crib, it didn't matter about other things (like the fact that it might end up being the ugliest crib there was). 

   God is good though. He knew I was struggling with this seemingly small problem and He provided. I found this insanely nice crib and got an amazing deal on it as well. I know God knew what I wanted and needed. This crib makes me so happy, and it is going to be a constant reminder of how blessed I am every time I look at it. God doesn't always provide what we necessarily want, but He did this time for me. 

   I can't wait to put everything together. I'll be getting a mattress and sheets in the next month, and in about two months, there will be a little baby boy in it. Y'all don't understand how happy I am right now.

xx

31 Weeks

   I know I am a day late, but it has been a rough last few days. It was a bad week, it just wasn't the best week either. I worked quite a bit, which is gradually getting a little bit harder. There are no sit down jobs, so I am on my feet the whole time at work. By the time my shift is over, my feet and hips and back just ache. The good thing about being on my feet at work though is that I am constantly moving, thus I am exercising. 

   I had a really nice pool day with my sister a few days ago. It was so enjoyable, and the sun felt wonderful. A few of my friends joined us after a while and we grilled out for dinner. 

   Monday morning I didn't feel good at all, and neither did my little sister. We ran some errands that needed to be ran, and I tried to help my mom by watching my sister a bit. I think we both are just having an icky beginning to the week, because neither of us feel good today either. 

   I went to the Dr. on Monday and heard Ryder's heartbeat again. I adore hearing his little heartbeat.<3 

How far along: 31 weeks

Gender: Boy

Weight gain: 16 lbs. I've lost about four lbs. in tha past week or so. I was kind of surprised when I stepped on the scale at the dr. yesterday. 

Maternity clothes: Half the week I wear regular clothes, and the other half is maternity.

Stretch marks: No stretch marks or varicose veins (thank goodness)!

Belly button in or out: Flat still, I wonder if it will pop out or not..

Sleep: No better. I shouldn't complain too much because I sleep, just not well.

Best moment this week: There were no best moments really, I enjoyed my pool day a lot, oh, I felt Ryder hiccup for the first time. It was one of my not-so-good days, and I was just moping when I felt him hiccuping. It changed my mood immediately and made me so happy(:

Miss anything: I miss being able to move without my back hurting

Movement: He has gotten to where he does flips and moves all around, I really do love it so much.

Cravings: Abita root beer, seriously, it's so good! And I will probably go to steak and shake this week, because I've been craving a good burger, fries, and milkshake.. (Let me know if you wanna join!) ;)

Looking forward to: Having this baby out (I'm probably going to say this every weeks from here on out). I'm looking forward to having my room done and getting the rest of Ryder's things together as well.

   I got a lot of comments about how big I was from strangers this week (which I don't feel like I am thatt big..) but I am glad people notice, I like talking about my baby. Hopefully the rest of this week will be better than the first half! 

   Pray that my sister and I will both feel better. Also pray that Ryder will stay healthy and continue growing! One of my friends had her baby this past week as well. Her baby girl is beautiful, and I am so happy for her! (But goodness, do I really have to wait nine more weeks for Ryder!? Ha)

xx

30 weeks !!

   I am 30 weeks today! I cannot believe I have finally hit 30. Only 10 more weeks to go. I really want time to speed up a bit, but at the same time.. I have so much to do!

   I am renovating my room, which involves painting, a new bed, and setting up a crib. It also involves getting rid of some things and putting other things away in boxes. I hate getting rid/packing up things, because everything has a meaning and I am so sentimental. 

   I am super excited though, because I've come across super nice furniture for a great deal. So although I don't really have a place to put furniture right now, when I get my own place, I honestly shouldn't have to buy almost any furniture. I know I'm probably putting the cart before the horse, but I think I'm making some great decisions and will be thankful when I get my own place and have furniture. 

   I bought a fujifilm instax camera this past week. I love the idea of having one chance to take a photo. It just feels so much more real. I got the camera for the pregnancy and for after Ryder is born. I wanted real pictures that I could hold in my hand!(: 

   Ryder is around 3lbs. this week and around 15 in. or so. I feel him move so much now. My sister is actually laying her head on my stomach and feeling him move as I write this.(: 

How far along: 30 weeks

Gender: Boy(:

Weight gain: 20 lbs. I go to the doctor on Monday, hopefully I haven't gained too much more. I did a really bad job with the soda this week... I might have had more than one or two sodas... Whoops!

Maternity clothes: I found a bag of maternity clothes that had been misplaced early on, so I have some new pieces added to my maternity wardrobe.

Stretch marks: None

Belly button in or out: Flat as a pancake

Sleep: One day I will be able to sleep again. Ryder moves so much now, and it will keep me up. It is increasingly getting harder to get comfortable as well.

Best moment this week: Nothing in particular this week. An all around good week. I felt better (yay for no longer feeling sickly), I had good work days, I enjoy everyone I work with, my days off have been spent in peace, and I finished my big afghan. I have accumulated furniture, and I also won another Instagram contest (I seriously love Instagram contests). I won credit to an etsy store that sells really cute bracelets, I'll have to put a picture up after I get them. So again, pretty good week.

Miss anything: Just the usual; sleep, not having heartburn, etc.

Movement: So much movement. I absolutely adore how much he moves, it is one of my favorite things about being pregnant!

Cravings: Not a lot of cravings, although I did eat whataburger for three different meals..(no judging!) 

Looking forward to: My baby being here! And I'm ready to have everything ready for him to be here. I can't wait for the baby shower, which will be mid-September; or my doctor appointment, which will be Monday.

   I have a lot going on the next ten weeks (and actually many weeks after as well..). I want to start blogging more than once a week, and write about some things I plan on doing and why (such as breast feeding, baby-wearing, and co-sleeping). I can then blog again about whether I did everything I wanted to do or not, and why it did/did not work later on.

   Pray that my appointment will go well, and that Ryder is growing perfectly. Pray I find a place to put everything, and that I am smart in organizing and getting ready for Ryder to be here. Again, I can't thank you enough if you read my blog.(:

   This picture is in honor of Ryder being as big as a pineapple last week!(:

xx

29 weeks!

   29 weeks, about 11 to go.

   7 months, about 2 1/2 to go.

   203 days, about 77 to go.

   About 200 tums (between me and my dad), and who knows how many more tums we will consume!

    

   I am to the point where I kinda want time to speed up a bit. I can't wait to have a little baby in my arms! Ryder is about the size of a pineapple this week and he is only getting bigger. I bought a pineapple when I was at the store today because it looked really good (and because my baby is the size of a PINEAPPLE!).

   A lot of people have been commenting about my tummy this past week. Everyone wants to know when I'm due and what I'm having. I've had conversations for the first time with some people I've seen come into where I work for over a year! It's fun.(: I love talking to people about my baby, and everyone says I have a glow (which who doesn't wanna be told they are glowing!).

How far along: 29 weeks

Gender: Boy

Weight gain: 20 lbs. I did really well in not drinking soda this week. I went to the movies with my dad and he offered to buy popcorn and soda.. So I got a coke (which I was not gonna turn down such kindness from my father!). Other than that one coke.. I did not drink any soda this past week!(:

Maternity clothes: I'm wearing maternity clothes, but my jeans still fit at times. Sometimes they fit when I first get dressed and halfway through the day they end up unbuttoned.

Stretch marks: Still no stretch marks.

Belly button in or out: Neitherr, it is flat!!

Sleep: I have been sick this past week, so I kept waking up because I couldn't breathe through my nose. I even took a little bit of Benedryl this week because my sinuses were so bad, and I still didn't get good sleep:( 

Best moment this week: This week went by smoothly, I have a lot coming up though. I have no favorite or best moments this week, it was just a good week. (Besides being sick..)

Miss anything: Sleep, and I miss when I didn't have to take tums. Heartburn and indigestion are awful!

Movement: A lot of movement. I haven't felt him hiccup yet, and I really hope I will feel that before he is born.

Cravings: No cravings this week, except I have craved a good burger two or three times this week. Not a McDonald's burger, more like a Whataburger burger!

Looking forward to: Packing the bags for the hospital and having my baby shower and getting my room ready for my baby and I. 

   I feel like this week was kind of boring.. A very uneventful week, but still busy. I worked a lot, and there are a lot of changes happening at my work. Pray that all the changes going on will be better for the store and the people who work there. Also pray I get everything done and stay calm. I want to do so much, but I need to remember to enjoy time and take things in stride. I don't need to make more work for myself than necessary.

   I will leave y'all with how big Ryder's hand is this week!(:

xx