To my sweet Griffin...you are TWO!

My sweet Griffin,

 

I can't believe that you are 2 years old today! I remember so vividly the day that you were born.  We were so excited to meet you & see the baby that would make us a family of 4. You were a tiny little thing & looked like a miniature clone of your big brother!

 

The past 2 years have quite literally flown by. It has been so much fun watching you grow up, learn new things, develop quite the big personality, & become best friends with your big brother.

 

I've said this once & I'm sure I'll say it a thousand more times: you may be little, but you are FIERCE. I mean that in a good way, I promise. You have such a strong personality & are such a tough little guy despite your petite size! You are strong-willed, confident, & fearless.  I can't wait to see how God uses all those traits as you get older. You make us laugh SO much every day. Your comedic timing is not only impeccable, but quite impressive for your age! You are also such a lover. You love people (and your dogs!) with every ounce of your being.  I can always count on you when I need someone to snuggle. I know one thing; you will do BIG things in this life, Griff. 

 

You have brought so much light, happiness, & laughter into our world over the last 2 years. You made my heart grow more than I thought possible.  You love your big brother more than anything & I can't wait to see you step up to the plate in just a week as we welcome your baby sister! I know you will be such a great big brother. You are very excited about "Sissy." Griffin, thank you for being you.  Your genuine love of life shines through in everything you do.  I hope you always know how much we love you, little boy. Happy 2nd birthday!  



38 weeks with Cheney

 

 

How far along?: 38 weeks. hmmm, could this be the last baby bump post??! I keep wondering if she will decide to come a little bit before our scheduled date. I must say, I wouldn't hate it if she did!

How big is your baby?: a watermelon. a large, kicking watermelon.

 

Total weight gain: up 18lbs total

Sex: sweet baby GIRL--Cheney Katherine

 

Maternity clothes: same old story. yoga capris & maxi skirts are my best friends. I can't wait to wear real clothes again!!!

 

  Sleep: The night after Griffin's party I slept a solid 8 hours and it was GLORIOUS. I don't remember the last time I wasn't just awake for a few hours in the middle of the night. It's hard to get comfortable and our room is just so hot.

 

Symptoms: Heart burn late at night, lots of pressure, the ginormous baby trying to claw her way out....that's a symptom, right?!

 

Movement: I am thinking that I am growing a very tough little girl. She is already stronger than her brothers were in the womb. Her movements are painful. I think she will do just fine with 2 big brothers!

 

Best moment this week: We celebrated Griff's 2nd birthday! We also finished up all the last minute details: washed pump parts & a couple bottles, installed the carseat, & my bag is pretty much packed! Little girl, we are ready!

 

Food cravings: Food is so blah to me right now. I am basically eating for survival.

Belly button in or out: Out.

 

Labor Signs: random pains that I often wonder are true contractions. I have no recollection of contractions since they gave me Ambien before my labor truly began with Grayson. I don't think I am getting checked again so I have no idea if C has made any progress. I sure do feel like she wants to come out!

 

What I miss: Being comfortable & having energy. I am feeling bad for my boys right now because I am just so zapped all the time. I am glad they have each other to play with!

 

What I'm looking forward to: celebrating Griffin's actual birthday tomorrow and meeting this sweet baby girl SOON!


So, this 3rd pregnancy is funny. The whole 9 months have been different than my other two pregnancies. At this point with Griffin, I was not trying to make him arrive. I was all about sticking to his scheduled birthday.  I also wasn't this uncomfortable. I am actually kind of hoping that Cheney comes a couple days early...for my own comfort AND because it would actually help with Ben's new work schedule. We'll see. I'm sure she will wait until her planned birthday next week!

We have also been making guesses on how big she will be. My doctor guessed last week that based on my size, she wouldn't be as big as Grayson (9lbs1oz). Griffin was only 7lbs5oz so it really could go either way! So, our family has made our guesses:

Me: 7lbs 8oz
Ben: 7lbs 6oz
Grayson: He said "69 8" so I lovingly changed it to 6lbs 9 oz:)
Griffin: He just said that she would be smaller than him. haha

We will see who is closest in a week or less! 

A Party for Griff

Well, it is officially Griffin's birthday week! I am having such a hard time believing that our current BABY is almost TWO. We celebrated our sweet blondie on Saturday afternoon with a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse/bounce house party! We kept it pretty simple & low-key but he had a great time!

We rented a Disney bounce house because we knew Griff would flip if Mickey Mouse was on it! The party was from 4:00-6:00 but we actually had the bounce house all day.  The boys loved it & are probably wishing we always had a bounce house in our yard! It was a great energy burner! Being a thousand weeks pregnant, I wanted to keep this party as Pinterest-free as possible and it made it so much less stressful. We had a few Mickey decorations, balloons, pizzas, chips, fruit, & a Mickey Mouse cake. Easiest party food ever! I'll let the pictures do the talking, but it was a fun (and super hot) afternoon celebrating our almost 2 year old!

Can't believe there will be a new little person in our family picture next week! 

37 weeks with Cheney

 

How far along?: 37 weeks--hello, full term!!

How big is your baby?: a watermelon. She feels about the size of a watermelon, too.

 

Total weight gain: holding steady around 18lbs! I actually lost almost a whole pound last week. I almost fist bumped the nurse I was so excited.

Sex: sweet baby GIRL--Cheney Katherine

 

Maternity clothes: I literally have about 3 outfits that I rotate. Shirts are getting too short & capris are getting too hot.

 

  Sleep: I am thinking I will sleep better when the baby is actually on the outside. I am just so uncomfortable & hot. I'm too the point where she feels like she is clawing her way out & that there is a cinder block on my chest.

 

Symptoms: With this week came the AWFUL heart burn. It was really bad with Grayson and is about the same now with Cheney. Middle of the night is the worst.  I'm also feeling so much pressure. So. Much. Pressure.

 

Movement: Well, we are running out of room & girl loves to move. I have been really lopsided lately as she flips around. She is SO STRONG.

 

Best moment this week: The nursery is COMPLETE!! Bassinet & changing area has been set up in our bedroom. My bag is kind of packed minus things I still need out. Just need to install a carseat and we are ready!!

 

Food cravings: Literally all I still want is watermelon. I have zero appetite.

Belly button in or out: Out.

 

Labor Signs: still having contractions here and there but nothing consistent. Won't get "checked" again until 38 weeks. It's all a waiting game at this point to see if she sticks to her schedule & let's face it: girls are rarely early.

 

What I miss: I hate to say this but I am going to say it...I am so ready to NOT be pregnant and actually get to hold this sweet baby. 3rd pregnancy is no joke. I'm pretty miserable.  

 

What I'm looking forward to: Griffy's birthday party is on Saturday! So excited to see his face when he realizes we will have a bounce house at our house for him! 

a room for our girl

This post could also be titled: My Current Favorite Room.

 

 

One of my favorite things about creating a space is watching my ideas come to life. I have been thinking about a girl nursery for years.  My ideas have definitely changed over the years. After having a pretty bold boy nursery for almost 4 years, I was ready for calm & serene for Cheney. I love how everything turned out & can't wait for our girl to get to enjoy it!

 

This is what you see right when you walk in. I also catch a glimpse of that gigantic pink monogram when I walk down the stairs and it always makes me smile. I think that pink monogram makes the whole room! We decided to paint the room a pretty shade of gray (Woodlawn Colonial Gray by Valspar) and just use a lot of white & pink accents.

We put Grayson's bed back together as a crib because I still love the way it looks!

I never would have thought that I would choose almost all white bedding, but I love how it looks in the room!

 

 

This chair is SO comfy & was a steal! Our old glider was awful & I always regretted not buying a nice, plush chair from the beginning. A girl here sold this one to me on a local buy, sell, trade site for $100! Can't beat that!

I took the boys to downtown Franklin a few weeks ago so that they could pick out a stuffed animal for their baby sister. They insisted on this sweet pink Jellycat bunny! That will be Cheney's stuffed animal for her monthly pictures.

That little side table used to be in the boys nursery but the top was painted blue. I used some Annie Sloan chalk paint to make it more appropriate for a girly nursery! I also love those ruffle curtains, however, they were a HUGE pain to iron. Yikes. Better get used to it! 

Those pink frames will eventually hold some newborn pictures.

Sweet scripture hanging on her wall!

This little armoire was also a steal! Cheney's closet is sadly the smallest in our whole house. She really needed more storage so I scoured Craigslist for an armoire that I could refinish. I found this antique one for $40! All it needed was a fresh coat of Annie Sloan chalk paint & some new glass knobs. I love how it turned out & is now holding all of her sleepers, blankets, sheets, & towels. It has a ton of storage!

This wall hanger was something that used to be mine & was being used in G's room for his dress up clothes. I decided to use the chalk paint on it too & hang it over the changing table. That pink dress was mine and was given to me by my late Grandnana. Makes it so much more special! The white dress is also one of my old dresses and will be what Cheney will come home from the hospital in. It has some little bloomers & a matching bonnet too, of course:) Hooray for vintage baby clothes!

 

So that is Cheney's nursery....the last one that will be in our house! I had so much fun creating this space for our baby girl. Now we just need Cheney to join us!

 

Sources:

Wooden Monogram: A Charmed Nest

Fabric Garland: With Love, Kenzie Ann

Scripture Print: Elm St Studio Prints

Window Panels: Pottery Barn Kids

Crib Bedding: Serena & Lily



Six.

July 19, 2008 will always be one of my favorite days.

 

6 years ago I made one of the best decisions of my life when I became this guy's wife!

6 years later and I wouldn't change a single thing about that day. It was SO MUCH FUN! I still wish we could relive it every year for our anniversary!

 

 

In 6 years we have...

-started a new life in a brand new city

-bought our first home

-started 2 new jobs

-had 7 different vehicles (haha! that sounds CRAZY.)

-had two (good grief, almost THREE) children

-both changed jobs

 

...it has been a super fun, super busy 6 years. I am so glad that I get to do this adventure of life with Ben!  He's my very best friend & such a good daddy to our boys. I am one lucky girl! 6 down, here's to at least 60 more!

-



Friday Ramblings

If you feel like my blog has been lacking, you know, actual content, you are correct. I am at that stage in pregnancy where all I can think about is either BABY, BABY, BABY or "omg, I only have 2 1/2 weeks left with only my boys!!" Also? I am not nearly as daring this time around at the end of pregnancy. I took Grayson to the park pretty much every day until Griffin was born. Now we play in the front yard or at the pool...and that's perfectly fine with them! So, while I feel like I am constantly doing something, I don't really have too much to share.

The other day we went to a berry farm with some friends to pick blackberries & blueberries. Griffin loves food of all kinds (duh) & I am pretty sure he thought picking his own blueberries was a sport. He ate tons.  When I took the basket away he just started eating them straight off the bush. It was all fun and games until it later led to a tummy ache & yucky diapers. When Griffin gets yucky diapers, he gets the diaper rash from hell. It. Is. Awful.  He was pitiful for a couple days until he was all healed. Note to self: don't let your (almost) 2 year old eat a pound of blueberries in one sitting!

 

Remember that time our boys shared a bedroom? I even posted about it here. Well, friends, that time has come to an end.  I am throwing in the towel after a solid 2 months of trying to make it work. Between Griffin waking up for no reason some nights, G having random night terrors, taking forever to get them both asleep at night, AND Griff constantly waking Grayson up before the roosters....we are DONE. I just don't feel like dealing with it anymore; especially with a new baby set to make her arrival in 19 (eeeeeeeek!) days! So, it was fun while it lasted. Griffin will keep the completed room & Grayson is moving in to the guest room. I have already found bedding for him & will try my hardest to make it his room before Cheney's arrival.  Because, really, we have nothing else going on. Ha! I'm sure they will have slumber parties sometimes in the same room, but I think they are just too young to share full-time. Either that or I appreciate my sleep too much.

I have no other thoughts on this Friday except that this guy is THIRTY YEARS OLD today! That means Ben and I have now known each other for a decade....which seems insane. Happy birthday to our favorite guy!!

 



36 weeks with Cheney

 

 

How far along?: 36 weeks

How big is your baby?: the size of a cantaloupe. In other words: BIG.

 

Total weight gain: up 18lbs total

Sex: sweet baby GIRL--Cheney Katherine

 

Maternity clothes: I am dreaming of having a waistline again and wearing normal clothes!

 

  Sleep: I AM SO HOT. We have two tower fans, the air is on 68, & the overhead fan is on...yet I still wake up sweating. I'm just to the point that I can't get very comfortable so I am not sleeping well.

 

Symptoms: Back pain here & there...thankful that it hasn't been constant!

 

Movement: She is still moving a ton despite running out of room! I really feel her jump around when one of the boys is on my lap and when I lay on my side.

 

Best moment this week: Just spending time with my little boys. I am so ready to not be pregnant but I also know it will never be just the boys again.  I had a day date with Grayson on Saturday afternoon & we went to pick blueberries on a farm yesterday!

 

Food cravings: Watermelon. Ice cold watermelon. I have no appetite for real food & really no room to store it!

Belly button in or out: Out.

 

Labor Signs: sporadic contractions when I do too much, not dilated at all, cervix has softened! So curious if this girl will stick to our schedule or come on her own!

 

What I miss: Walking up the stairs and not feeling like I am going to die.

 

What I'm looking forward to: We just have one more thing to add to the nursery & then it will be complete! Hoping for a good mail day some time this week! 

35 weeks with Cheney

 

 

How far along?: 35 weeks...we are officially at the LESS than a month countdown!

How big is your baby?: the size of a cantaloupe. Roughly 5lbs! I'm starting to get so curious about how big she will be!

 

Total weight gain: up 16lbs total

Sex: sweet baby GIRL--Cheney Katherine

 

Maternity clothes: Skirts & my Old Navy workout capris are my favorite right now because they don't have the annoyingly hot spandex panel.

 

  Sleep: We are sleeping through the night. ALL THE PEOPLE SAID "AMEN!" But, seriously, sleep is a beautiful thing. Let's pretend that I don't have to have a fan blowing inches away from me & I don't toss and turn all night from hip/back pain.

 

Symptoms: holy moly!! I had my first awful bout of sciatic nerve pain for a few days this week. OUCH. Thankfully Miss C seems to have shifted because it hurt so bad to move. Movement is pretty key when taking care of small children. So thankful my back feels better!

 

Movement: I think she has been practicing her high kicks. She has some super strong movements! Grayson & Griffin had fun feeling her shake around the other day before naps while we were reading books.  

 

Best moment this week: The nursery is THIS CLOSE to being ready. I have to get some things hung on the walls & finish washing a few things, but otherwise it is ready! Every time I see that big pink monogram on the wall I get giddy.

 

Food cravings: Watermelon still & really just fresh fruit. I am not really hungry for real food other than fruit. Drinking tons of water, too.

Belly button in or out: Out. Womp, womp, womp.

 

Labor Signs: LOTS of Braxton Hicks contractions. My stomach has been rock hard a lot.

 

What I miss: I am so, so ready for regular clothes that fit.

 

What I'm looking forward to: Having the nursery DONE & prepping for Griff's 2nd birthday!

A Room for Our Boys

I assumed as soon as we found out Griffin was a boy that he & Grayson would at some point be sharing a bedroom. I expected that they would be the best of friends (and they are) and that it would be fun for them while they were young.  So, naturally, when we found out we were expecting little Miss C, our plan was to move Grayson and Griffin in together so that we could have a nursery and a guest room.  I really wasn't all that worried about it. Grayson has always transitioned so easily & I thought Griff would love it. Well, let me just say, the transition was not nearly as easy as we had hoped. In fact, after nearly 2 months of transitioning Griffin is just now getting settled! But? They are actually sleeping in the same room AND Griffin has been sleeping through the night. Hallelujah!

 

Even though the transition has been hard & we were exhausted (see also: I needed an IV of coffee sometimes all the time), they love being in the same room. They really are best friends and have so much fun together. I love hearing them on the monitor as they wake up or as I get ready in the mornings. Those boys can make each other laugh SO hard! They won't be in the same room forever, but I'm glad they can share right now. It's still fun for them!

 

Now, onto the fun part. Pictures of the room! I kept the same "theme" that was in Grayson's room. He had a lot of navy blue, red, & trucks. I don't do character stuff (I'm sure I will eat my words on this eventually) but I can handle some trucks!

The beds are my favorite! We had thought about bunk beds with stairs but I am not ready to trust Griffin alone with those! He's a safety hazard--ha! Ben's dad made these awesome twin beds for the boys and they turned out just how I had envisioned them. I wanted a more rustic look & they look amazing! Griffin's bed is the one with about a gazillion stuffed animals. I made the same "G" canvas over his bed as Grayson had in his old room. I just switched out the colors...easy wall art!

 Griff's side & a better look at the bed. Aren't they perfect?!

This is Grayson's side of the bedroom.

 Both the bookshelf & this dresser are from a local furniture store in Franklin called Rooster Tails. I highly recommend them!

 

 

 

 I love this bedroom & the fact that they are now actually both sleeping in it! Let's hope that trend continues!!