Friday, April 29, 2016

36 Weeks

Officially in my ninth month of pregnancy! I feel lucky because I'm feeling really great these days. My back doesn't hurt hardly at all anymore and I simply feel good overall. I don't have quite as much energy as I once did but I'm kind of enjoying taking naps while Campbell does. I find myself really soaking up quiet moments, me time, or anything else that I know will disappear for just a little while once Bennett gets here. I don't know why but I just feel like I don't have much longer to be pregnant. A part of me hopes I'm wrong because I'm perfectly content and wouldn't mind enjoying another 3-4 weeks of life currently. However, we are all set and ready to go. So if Bennett is ready within the next (less than) 2 weeks or so, we are too!
Size of Baby: Around six pounds and 18.5 inches long, about the size of a head of romaine lettuce.

How I'm Feeling: I am currently suffering from the worlds worst cold. It started Sunday and has caused me to not be able to sleep and feel miserable. I decided I couldn't take it anymore and had my doctor call me in a Z-Pak today. These over the counter meds aren't helping at all. Being this pregnant and having a cold isn't a good combo and I need to feel better asap!
Cravings/Appetite: Plums. Give me all the plums.

Clothes: I went shopping this week for something to wear for Bennett's newborn photos. I'm looking for a specific type of dress but came up empty handed. Crossing my fingers I can find what I'm looking for! Regardless, it was fun spending my day shopping. I never do that anymore.
Movement: Big, gliding movements. I find myself soaking them up these days since it won't be much longer before he's on the outside instead of the inside. I take a bath every night and spend most of the time just watching him move around in my belly.

Changes In Me: I've been having contractions every day this week and sometimes they hurt like crazy. Every morning when I wake up I can tell he's dropped just a tiny bit more.
Baby Purchases: I've gotten Bennett a couple of new little things from Gap this week. I've said this before but I really haven't bough him many clothes since he has a pretty full closet already. Some things are just irresistible though! I love getting stuff for Campbell and Bennett that aren't exactly matching but coordinating. Beware of the future overload of photos!

Favorite Moment This Week: I had my doctor appointment earlier this week and confirmed that Bennett is head down. I was about 99% certain of that already but it was good to know.
Looking Forward To: My doctor appointment next week. Time to start seeing how things are progressing and I'm always anxious and curious to know what's going on.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

One Month

Bennett's due date is one month from today! It's hard to believe. This pregnancy has seriously flown by so quickly and I can't believe that we will be welcoming another little boy into our family so soon.
Scott and I are really excited about meeting the newest member of our family. We had a little anxiety for a while there and would ask one another all the time if we were up for doing this again. As if we really had an option! Campbell was the hardest baby ever and it's scarred us a little. Okay a lot. For the first half of my pregnancy I cried all the time. I wanted so badly to grow our family but I was so nervous and worried about having another hard baby again and all that it entails. I was sitting in my bible study one day and the speaker said something about worry stealing our joy and tears instantly filled my eyes. I started asking people to please pray for me and I know that these prayers have not only been lifted up on my behalf but have truly been answered. I have such a calming peace that only He could give me.
I'm not worried about having a hard baby anymore. I just want to have a baby and love another baby and that's as far as I'm going with it. I can't even imagine how wonderful it would be to have an easy baby but if I don't then I don't and there's nothing I can do about it. I just don't even focus my mind on that anymore. All I think about now is this sweet little boy and how fun it's going to be to have another. I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that I am going to love another person as much as I love Campbell. It fills my heart up with so much joy whenever I think about that.
It took us a while but we have officially decided on a middle name for this little boy. He will forever be known as Bennett Graham Johnson. Scott picked his first name and I picked his middle name. We got both names from my favorite baby name book, A is for Atticus. I think Campbell and Bennett sound nice together!
I could be wrong but I definitely don't think it will be a whole month before we meet this little man. I have a feeling that he's going to come a little on the early side like his big brother did. I almost don't want to even say that because I'll feel silly when June comes around and I'm still pregnant!! My mothers intuition tells me it's going to be sooner rather than later though. I guess we'll just have to wait and see! I'm perfectly happy waiting until he's ready to come. If he wants to come early, great. If he wants to come late, that's just fine too. I know things could change in a few weeks but I'm perfectly comfortable and content these days and unless it's medically necessary, I definitely don't want to be induced. It's fun going into labor on your own so I hope that's the path I get to take again.
One way or another, we get to hold him in our arms very soon and start our new life as a family of four. My heart is so very happy and excited about that. I'm ready to do this thing whenever Bennett is!!

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Wordless Wednesday | First Farmers Market Of The Season

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Bennett's Nursery

Welcome to Bennett's nursery! This room is all set and ready to go. Now all we need is a tiny little boy to come and live in it! I had a lot of fun decorating Bennett's nursery. I knew the look I would want to go with very early into my pregnancy. Once you find out you're pregnant isn't one of the first things you start doing is looking at nursery inspiration? Or is that just me? I wanted something different from Campbell's nursery (you can check out his room HERE) but I also wanted them to coordinate in a way and not be too totally different from one another. I've always loved the Restoration Hardware Baby & Child look. It's what we did for Campbell and I knew I would want to do the same for Bennett.
Bennett has a fun and colorful room! I didn't want to get too theme-y but as you can see, trains play a big role here. I adored the train art from RH and the whole vintage feel of them so I decided to run with it and decorate the room around these prints.
I ended up going to a local flea market to find most of the accessories for Bennett's bookshelves. That ended up being my favorite part of the whole decorating process! It was so fun searching for vintage goods to fill up the space. I could spend hours in a flea market. There's so many neat and interesting items.
I ordered the art above the crib from Bassett and I scored the rug at HomeGoods for a ridiculously good price. I put Scott in charge of lighting and he found the sputnik chandelier which I think is really fun, especially with the Edison bulbs in it. The railroad sign is from RH and it lights up which I think is neat! Pretty much everything else is from RH as well.
All of those blankets used to be rolled up in a basket in Campbell's room. He obviously doesn't need them anymore and I found it to be super convenient to store the blankets like that so I decided to just move them over to Bennett's room. Campbell's basket is now filled with lovies and I like how it looks so much that I decided to do the same in Bennett's room. I think plush animals in baby's rooms are so sweet and are an easy way to decorate.
We still use Campbell's glider every day so I wanted to get a separate chair for Bennett. I ordered this rocker from a local baby boutique and I love how it turned out. I'm really hoping I didn't make a mistake by picking a cream fabric though! It's performance velvet which holds up well so we'll see. Sometimes I forget to be practical and tend to go for pretty instead. Whoops! The rocker is very soft and comfy and I'm looking forward to rocking my baby boy in it.
So there it is--Baby Bennett's little room! I hope he loves it as much as I do. It won't be long before he gets to live in it and I can't wait for that moment where I get to bring him in here for the first time.

Monday, April 25, 2016

On This Night A Month Ago...

One month ago, March 25, was Campbell's last night as a one year old and I wanted to make sure to snap some photos of him getting ready for bed. His last photos as a one year old! I shared one on my Instagram but never did share them on here. I thought they turned out so sweet and I'll always treasure them. Here's us doing our daily nighttime routine. Bath, pj's, brush teeth, get snuggled in bed. I love this sweet boy and he seemed particularly happy about going to bed and waking up the next day as a two year old!

Friday, April 22, 2016

35 Weeks

Size of Baby: Around 5.5 pounds and 18 inches long, about the size of a large cantaloupe.

How I'm Feeling: I'm really low on energy. This growing boy is taking it all away from me. I've taken a nap every day this week because I'm just so tired. Otherwise I feel good. My back isn't hurting me nearly like it was and some days it doesn't even bother me at all.

Cravings/Appetite: Fruit is sounding particularly delicious these days. The Farmers Market opens tomorrow and I can't wait to see what kinds of yummy fruit they'll have. My beloved morning cappuccino is giving me indigestion now so I think I'm going to say goodbye to it for the remainder of this pregnancy.

Clothes: Just enjoying my normal clothes and this awesome weather!
Movement: Bennett moves so much in the middle of the night and it keeps me awake. I just lay there waiting on him to stop because it's impossible to sleep through. Sometimes it takes two hours for him to calm down which means I'm just dragging the next day. I never wake up in the morning feeling refreshed or like I've gotten a good nights sleep anymore. I think it's part of the reason I'm running low on energy. A small dose of the reality that's about to be my life. Sigh....

Changes in Me: I've started to have some cramping/contractions. I can tell he's super low and the pressure can be shockingly painful at times, especially when he moves his little head. I still feel like I have to be so delicate when I toss and turn in bed because it will pull on my belly/stretch my ligaments if I make a sudden movement and it hurts like woah. I've been feeling extra clumsy lately and it seems like I drop stuff a lot. Annoying. Bending over to pick things up is the last thing I want to do these days. Overall I just feel like I'm in this daze. I'm constantly aware that life is about to change and it's pretty much all I think about.

Baby Purchases: I ordered a Woombie swaddle this week. I had one with Campbell. They're great for those first few weeks. The one we have of Campbell's is really better once they get to be a tiny bit bigger (10-13ish pounds) because it's a little stretchy. I wanted one without much stretch to be able to use right away. I should get it in the mail tomorrow and I'm hoping it will be pretty tight. Tight swaddle = better sleeping baby!
 
Favorite Moment This Week: We went ahead and pre-registered at the hospital this week. We did that with Campbell too and it's nice to just have it done and over with. It's getting real here!!

Looking Forward To: The Farmers Market tomorrow! I love going to the farmers market on Saturdays and have been looking forward to this opening weekend for a long time. I remember checking a few months back to see when it was opening and when I saw the date I knew I would be super pregnant by then. Here we are! I anticipate we'll be spending the remainder of our Saturdays at the Farmers Market until Bennett makes his debut.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Seasons of Life

I have a love/hate relationship with the kind of day I had today. The kind where I stay home all day and do nothing. I actually did get out and make a Sam's run (Campbell needs his food!) but otherwise we stayed in all day. I just can't really get around much anymore with Campbell because it makes my back hurt and really wears me out. In a way it's nice to be home all day but it also gets very boring. By the time Scott was done working I was itching to get out of the house so we all took a long walk around our neighborhood.
Bennett's movements kept me up for about 2.5 hours last night. When Campbell woke up I was so tired because I felt like I had just fallen back to sleep. As I was walking upstairs to get him I couldn't help but think that this is the reality that is about to be my life. I put my happy face on and accepted it for what it is. I made myself a big cup of coffee and knew I would just take a nap when Campbell did. I want to have a better attitude about my impending lack of sleep this time around because when Campbell was waking through the night as a newborn I was so grouchy and irritated by it. I'm planning on scheduling Bennett right away so hopefully he'll be a better newborn sleeper than Campbell was. Regardless, I know that it's just a season of life (hopefully a very short one!!) and I'm already giving myself pep talks and trying to get in the right frame of mind about it.
Besides, who couldn't get a smile on their sleepy face looking at this sweet boy in his cozy pj's enjoying his pancakes? Campbell eats his breakfast in my bed every morning while he watches his shows and I love it. Except when he smashes a blueberry in my sheets and I have to wash them but you know. That's life these days.

Monday, April 18, 2016

Simple Weekend

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a good weekend. We had a nice weekend around here. We didn't do much but managed to get a lot of nesting accomplished. Scott and I spent our Saturday night making freezer meals. It was nice having his help and definitely made it go by much quicker. So far we have about a weeks worth of meals and I'd still like to make some more. It just gives me a piece of mind to know that if we're having a crazy day we have some yummy, home cooked food in our freezer to fill our bellies. I was encouraged by some friends/neighbors to make freezer meals before Campbell was born and I never did it and wished so badly that I had. These will be nice backups.
We put Campbell through a little big brother training camp this weekend! Not really but we'll pretend like we did. This swing was in Bennett's room and Campbell put some lovies in it and covered them up with blankets. He loved playing with the buttons that make it play music and swing and he kept saying "night night." It was really so adorable to watch! It made me smile to see how sweet and gentle Campbell was being.
The end result ended up being 3 lovies covered up in about 15 blankets. It was so heavy that the swing wouldn't swing anymore. Haha! I think Campbell is going to be a really sweet big brother.
Later in the evening we spent some time outside and Scott and Campbell played baseball. I adore this photo of the two of them. Scott was soooo proud of Campbell because he actually swung and was able to the hit the ball several times.
We went to church on Sunday and spent the rest of the day laying in bed watching movies while Campbell took a super long nap. Not a lot to it but I'm soaking in the last few weekends we have like this as just the three of us.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Hair How To: Soft Curls

My most commonly asked question is how I get my hair to look the way it does so every now and again I like to repost this old video so the newbies to my blog can see how I accomplish the look. If you've been reading for a while then you've seen this video posted many times before. Sorry!
I'm currently using THIS curling iron and have been for about 2 years now. I really like it. It's a smaller sized barrel (3/4 inch) so it gives me tighter curls which helps me hold them longer. I use Big Sexy hairspray and THIS Aveda paddle brush.
Also, this is really the only way I wear my hair. I never leave it straight. So I have my hairstylist cut shorter layers in my hair specifically so it will look better curled. I like for my curls to start closer to my crown and the only way to achieve that is with shorter layers. So if you feel like your hair is only wavy on the ends instead of starting higher on your head like mine, that's probably the reason why.



If you have any questions leave them in the comments!

Friday, April 15, 2016

34 Weeks

Something about reaching 34 weeks always makes me feel like I'm a ticking time bomb, ready to have a baby at any moment. I don't know why but I remember feeling that way with Campbell too. I told Scott that I have 43 days until my due date and only 22 days until I'm considered full term. He just looked at me for a minute then said "that's not enough days. What else do we need to do to get ready for Bennett because we need to take care of it all this weekend." Ha! I'm kinda with him! I feel like the countdown is on. I've started washing Bennett's clothes and I'm wanting everything all set and ready to go before the first of May gets here. Time is seriously flying by so quickly. Here's my 34 week update!!
Size of Baby: Around 4.5 pounds and 18 inches long, the size of a butternut squash.

How I'm Feeling: I've started to not have quite as much energy lately. I've also been getting these horrible leg cramps that wake me up in the middle of the night and I always have to hop out of bed to get them to go away. Super annoying. Other than those minor things, I actually feel pretty great!!

Cravings/Appetite: Cappuccino for breakfast, big lunch, cheese/crackers/grapes for dinner. That's pretty much my daily menu. With some snacking on sweets thrown into the mix.
Clothes: It was cold for basically my entire pregnancy with Campbell so I never got to enjoy dresses and sandals when I was pregnant with him. I am definitely enjoying my maternity style way more this time around. It's so much more comfortable, there's so many more options of things to wear and I just feel better about my wardrobe overall. It makes getting dressed every morning really fun for me.

Movement: I've got a little foot living directly under my ribs which isn't the most comfortable thing ever. When I was at this stage in my pregnancy with Campbell, I used to just watch my stomach move around like ocean waves all night long. Bennett never does that--of course. He'll usually just pop up in one spot then go back down. It's always on my right side under my ribs. I had Scott feel him the other night and it was pretty amazing because we could basically trace his foot and leg with our hands. Some days it feels like he's down so low and I almost can't handle the pressure and think to myself "this is it, he's coming." Total dead weight. Then other days he's light as a feather and I hardly notice him. I am getting so anxious to meet this sweet boy but I am also just treasuring these last few weeks of him being in my belly. I will never get over how amazing it is that a baby is growing inside of me. I always miss being pregnant once it's over because I just think it's such a neat time.

Changes in Me: I can tell that now is the time for Bennett to start packing on the weight because I get woken up nightly from round ligament pains/my stomach stretching. My belly button is still in and since it never popped out with Campbell, I don't think it's going to this time either.
Baby Purchases: I finally found a baby book for Bennett. I've been searching for a while now. I've done a pretty good job of keeping up with Campbell's baby book and I hope to do the same with Bennett. I know it will be something they'll both appreciate having one day. Or their wives will at least.

Favorite Moment This Week: I had my final women's bible study on Wednesday for the spring semester. My small group all met up for lunch after the study was over and they all surprised me with the sweetest cards and gift cards. It was so nice of all of them to recognize me and Bennett and to shower us with some love. It truly meant so much to me. I've been so blessed to know these ladies and I will always remember that they did that for me.

Looking Forward To: My parents getting back from their oversees vacation, safe and sound. It would be a small disaster if something happened and I went into labor while my Mom was so far away. That will most likely not happen, of course, but I can't help but think what if!

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Easy Week

This little guy hasn't been home much this week but he certainly doesn't seem to mind! I think he almost prefers it actually. He gets bored being home all day and I can't say that I blame him. I'm the same way. He's pretty much had three MDO this week instead of his regular two. I must admit I'm looking forward to a lazy Friday where we lay around in our pj's until lunch time.
It's been a pretty easy mom week for me. Like I said earlier, Campbell has been at MDO three days this week (his regular two then my bible study had "extended day") so I've had a lot of time to myself. On Tuesday I sent out an SOS to Scott because Campbell was driving me crazy and I needed to get away from him. So Scott came home around lunch and I peaced out for the rest of the day. It was lovely. Me and the bump have been all over town this week. I don't think there's anywhere in NWA left for me to go.
My parents are out of town so Grace is staying with us. Campbell loves "Dace." He lays on top of her all the time to give her hugs and says "ahhh." Her eyes get huge and she gets completely still and doesn't know what to do. It's not exactly her favorite thing but she's sweet and tolerates it. Haha! It makes me laugh.
We spend most nights on our patio since the weather is so beautiful these days. Campbell loves being outdoors and so do the girls. It's a win for all of us really. I'm looking forward to many, many summer nights on our patio.