Everly is 2 months old! And it's Halloween!

Everly Rose is 2 months old!

Two months old already...where does the time go?!! I can't believe our sweet baby Everly Rose is two months old!! She loves to snuggle (especially with and on Mama!), eat, lay in the sun with Paisley, swing in her chair, and watch her light projector with the sound machine at night. She really doesn't like any clothes that have to go on over her head so she still spends a lot of time in comfy sleepers! No need to waste a cute outfit anyway if we're just lounging at home! She is getting stronger everyday and starting to really hold her head up a lot more on her own and she can rock herself from side to side...she has also flipped herself over twice now while doing tummy time when she gets mad and is over it, she gets her legs up and under her just enough to flip over! Her hair is getting lighter and her eyes are getting bluer by the day so I think she's going to end up looking more like me than people thought when she was first born! I love just watching her sleep and eat and nap and lay with Paisley...I find myself getting lost in her and my heart feels so full when I'm snuggling with her and especially while I'm feeding her. I totally get that unique bond that everyone talks about when it comes to breastfeeding and I'm so thankful that I am able to do it for Everly. She's somewhere between 8-9 pounds and is completely out of preemie clothes but still only wearing newborn stuff...she's still our sweet tiny Peanut who we love so much!

Happy Halloween from the bakers and our sweet treats!

We celebrated Everly's first Halloween by dressing her up as a cupcake! I actually made the costume by using a sleep sack we received in the hospital and then I added the frosting, sprinkles, and cupcake liner to it. My mom helped me with the hat by making the cherry on top! It turned out so cute! Paisley was a long john donut so I made that with some cardboard, batting, scraps of fabric, and the same felt that I used for the sprinkles on Everly's costume. I'm so happy that my parents live close by us because they got to come over to see her dressed up on her 1st Halloween and then we made a trip to Jordan's parents so they could see her too. We had to show off our sweet little cupcake afterall! I can't wait until next Halloween when she is walking and we can take her trick-or-treating! 

she is excited for another Halloween outfit!  

Happy Halloween!
I love those sweet little hands on the pumpkin

Daddy sure is under her spell...
and so is everyone else!

a 40 week transformation...

6 weeks pregnant
33 weeks pregnant
6 weeks post-delivery
total weight gain: 30 pounds
now back to pre-baby weight!

I've made the full circle of transformations over the past few weeks and months... and you can clearly see it! From starting at 6 weeks of being pregnant and clearly feeling sick with the flu (so awful...I've never felt more miserable or exhausted in my life!), to being 33 weeks pregnant, to finally 6 weeks post-partum and the delivery of our sweet baby! I'd be lying if I said I was never worried about the baby weight that I was gaining and what my post-baby body would look like... I actually would have several conversations with my sister and we would say "operation post-baby body" whenever I talked about working out or if I said I felt like I was eating/gaining way too much. I kept things in perspective because I knew I had to be gaining weight to have a healthy baby but I also didn't want to overdo it because all of that weight was going to have to come off one way or another! I wish I could add to this post some awesome workout plan that I've been doing since having Everly to help with the weight loss and to bounce back to my now post-baby body shape so fast...but I don't have any secrets. Well, I take that back. My secret to my post-baby bod started when I was pregnant. I ate a ton of fresh fruits and veggies everyday and walked at least 3-6 miles a day which was a huge help right there. I know some women use pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever they want to and to lay around being a bum (which trust me, I still had my days where I ate anything in sight and didn't leave the couch!) but I never let myself get into that mentality. I never said, "well I'm eating for two!" while other people would be quick to tell me that and give me permission to devour whatever was placed in front of me. I looked at it just like any other sort of healthy work-out and diet plan: everything in moderation. I knew I wouldn't be very happy with myself after having the baby if I was still going to be carrying around a lot of extra weight or had to continue wearing maternity clothes or buy bigger clothes so I always made a conscious effort to watch what I was eating, drank almost 200oz of water a day, and always tried to stay active and get walking at least! Everly was only 5 pounds when she was born so I had to knock off another 25 pounds to get back down to my pre-baby weight. A lot of that comes off easy because of the fluid/blood loss during delivery but the rest you have to work for! My other secret would be breastfeeding and pumping. That is a huge help with weight loss as it burns soo many calories, forces you to stay hydrated (I always have a water bottle with me!), and makes me reach for healthy snacks because I know everything that I take in, will eventually get to Everly. Regaining your pre-baby body after gaining 25-35 pounds doesn't have to be a dream like some women talk about...it is completely possible! And it starts with being pro-active and doing something about it while pregnant. A healthy mama makes for a healthy baby! Jordan and I hope to carry over these healthy habits as Everly grows so we can be active together and lead happy and healthy lives as a family! 

one month of Mommyhood

Ever since having Everly, I am constantly hearing the same questions: "how are you doing? how is she sleeping and eating? how is Motherhood treating you? how are Jordan and Paisley adjusting?" It seems like everyone is always wanting to know the latest and then when I answer, they look at me with a raised eyebrow and surprised look on their face. When I answer them, "I'm doing great and feeling awesome! Everly sleeps almost 4-5 hours at a time usually and she eats like a rockstar. Jordan helps with nightly feedings on the weekends and after school...and Paisley is still crazy but just sniffs Everly, lays on her blankets, and doesn't ever try to bother Everly. I think they'll be fast friends and will get into lots of trouble together" it's like they are really surprised, think I'm totally full of it, or look at me like I'm delirious from lack of sleep and living in a dreamworld! So as I think back to the first month of Everly's life, I definitely realize that I am in fact not living in a dreamworld, but I am lucky that we are all living the way we are. 

This first month has went by incredibly fast - and doesn't everyone always say that, to enjoy them when they're young because they grow up way too fast?! And it's true. I can't believe Everly is already a month old! This month has been nothing short of emotional, overwhelming, incredible, challenging, inspiring, and more all at the same time. I am constantly learning something new about either myself, Jordan, or Everly, and how we all work together as one family unit. Everyone also always says how much your life will change once you have a baby and that is definitely true but I have been pretty surprised so far at how much it hasn't changed yet. Before Everly was born, I always envisioned Jordan and I walking around as zombies, never leaving the house, living off of take-out meals, not watching our shows, and just living a complete 360-different life than what we had been living. The changes that have happened because of Everly joining our family are all worth it, some expected and some unexpected, but definitely worth it. In one month, in the blink of our eyes, I've learned that there's nothing more exhilarating and terrifying than becoming a parent for the first time.

1. I will always be on Everly's side and her biggest supporter - I quickly learned while staying with Everly in the NICU that there is nothing more important than standing up for your own child, giving them a voice, and fighting for them. There were some nurses, physicians, and other hospital staff that would want do to things one way and I would say we are doing it another way that I knew would be more beneficial and helpful to her. I had to stand up for her to several hospital staff members and make sure things were done in a way that would make her feel safe and comforted. It's because of all of this, that I know now if you don't support your child and fight for them, then no one will. So Everly can always count on me to be there for her.

2. I can function off of very little sleep - At times I feel like I have reverted back to my undergrad days when I would stay up until 2 or 3 in the morning and then go a whole day on 4-5 hours of sleep. I don't walk around feeling like a zombie and Jordan and I still make time to watch our TV shows together...if it wasn't for his help and help from my parents, I might be a zombie though! We are lucky to have a baby who is a good sleeper and gives us 3-5 hours at a time of sleeping so we can sneak in a shower, some chores, a nap, or just time to sleep the whole time while she does!

3. It's important to be present in the moment - It's easy to get sucked into something and completely absorbed by a TV show, surfing the internet, playing games on a cell phone, or whatever else it might be...that it's easy to not let yourself be present. I used to spend hours each night clicking between Facebook, Pinterest, baby blogs, and various other websites and now that Everly is here, I find myself opening my computer maybe two or three times in a week total. I don't sit on the couch anymore with my phone or computer reading different things...instead I'm sitting on the couch, while feeding Everly or snuggling with her, and I find myself just staring at her, playing with her fingers, rubbing her cheeks, running my fingers over her head and hair, and just getting lost in her. When I do get on my computer or phone, it's usually very brief (have to keep my blog and Facebook up to date with pictures and everything for people!) and then I find myself reading articles about babies or finding the next craft project I can do with Everly. I know too many parents who have lost their babies...time with our kids is too precious and something that can't be taken for granted. 

4. I need my mom - Plain and simple, I never knew how much I needed my own mom until I became one myself. Not only that, but I have a huge new found respect for all mom's out there. If my mom wasn't living here with us, I am pretty sure that I would probably call her everyday and some days probably more than once! She has helped me out in countless ways right from the beginning of the pregnancy to the first few hours after Everly was born. She has given me advice, suggestions, and constant love and support at all times, and often times before I even ask for it. I feel comfortable asking her anything and she doesn't make me feel stupid or inferior. She has helped me to gain confidence in my skills as I become a mother and I'd be lost without her by my side through this journey. There's nothing like a mom's loving and I'm thankful to have an awesome one in my life and can only hope to become the same kind of mom to Everly. My mom is one of my closest friends and I hope that when Everly is my age, she can say the same thing about the two of us. 

5. Jordan and I aren't perfect parents (or people) but we are the perfect parents for Everly - Jordan and I have quickly learned from each other that we do things different from one another when it comes to taking care of Everly and I have had to learn that it is okay. As long as she gets fed, changed, has a clean diaper on, get some loving and snuggling, then it doesn't matter how it gets done. I had a head start on bonding with Everly for close to 8 months before she was born so Jordan has had to play catch up. I have had to learn to become even more patient with Jordan as he navigates his way through becoming a dad and working together with him as parents and as a the husband and wife team that we are. I love watching him connect with Everly and just in a month, I have seen him gain confidence when it comes to holding her and taking care of her. And I know there have been times where he has seen me not be fully prepared for something or not react quick enough and that's okay too. We both know we aren't perfect and we are both there for each other, even in the middle of the night when we wish all three of us were sleeping, but I wouldn't choose anyone else to go through this adventure of parenthood besides Jordan. He's the perfect husband for me and the perfect daddy for Everly.


I'm sure I could go on and on about what I have learned, what's different, what's the best and worst part of parenthood, and advice for future parents out there. But I have a beautiful baby and husband to snuggle up with for the night. But the more I think about it, the more things I realize that I have learned and discovered in the past month. Some things have changed and some things have stayed the same. A new chapter of our lives together has started and as we are closing in on month one, it sure has been a beautiful one. We have a new normal as a family of three (plus one crazy fur baby!) and we will make the most of our time together and love every minute of it. And maybe that's the most important thing I've learned in the past month: if you don't make time for those you love, then you can't be mad when it slips away. So make time for one more kiss. One more hug. One more book to read at night. One more snuggle. One more "I love you." And this past month has been full of nothing but love for us. And for that, I am forever thankful.

Everly is one month old!

happy to be playing dress up on Mama's wedding dress

Our sweet little Everly Rose is one month old already! How do we have a one month old?! I guess time has really went by fast since we spent the first two weeks of Everly's life in the NICU and we are so thankful that those days are behind us! Everly is filling out in the cheeks and her neck but she still has scrawny little chicken legs and arms. She loves to snuggle and cuddle, especially with Mama (and Grandma!), and is getting used to snuggling with her Daddy. She eats like a champ and either nurses for close to 30-40 minutes each time or downs 3-3.5 ounces in a bottle. No wonder she is gaining weight but we are happy to see that number on the scale go up so we can get her off the oxygen sooner! She is constantly moving, stretching out, kicking her legs, and squirming around. When we do tummy time with her, she gets her legs up under her and balances herself up on her toes and almost rolls completely over onto her side! If her one arm wasn't out to the side, she would definitely be rolling over so once she figures out that she needs to move her arm, she will be rolling! For being a preemie baby, she so far doesn't show any signs of being behind developmentally that's for sure! She is a sweet baby with a calm and relaxed personality - she can sleep through anything including Paisley barking and Jordan yelling at the TV during a football game! Sometimes I find myself just staring at her and getting lost in her...I can't believe she is mine and I can't believe that I'm a mom some days still. We are more in love with her than words can explain and I'm thankful to have such a sweet, loving, and easy going baby (so far and hopefully this doesn't jinx us!) and I already want time to slow down so we can savor every day and moment with her as she grows!

a daddy's kind of love

I knew after dating Jordan for roughly 3-4 months that I was going to marry him. I just knew. We were both completely open and honest with each other from the get go. It turns out the saying, "when you know, you know" was true for us. And I knew when we got married, that Jordan would be a great husband. I just knew. From his actions to his words, how he treat me, my family and his own, I knew I had a keeper. So when I found out I was pregnant, I knew Jordan would make an awesome dad. And fourteen days in, he definitely is. 

Everly and I have been living in the NICU anxiously awaiting her big day to be discharged and Jordan has been being super dad and husband by working full-time still, taking care of the house and Paisley, and coming to visit us each night when he gets done with teaching and coaching for the day. I love watching Jordan with Everly when he is at the hospital visiting us... He is so quiet and gentle with her. I just love watching him love on her. Nothing makes my heart happier than seeing Jordan with Everly. I know she is one lucky little girl to have him as her daddy. He's going to be able to teach her things I won't be able to do - sports stuff, math and science things, and other important life things. I can tell she already has him wrapped around her little finger And he is smitten over her. I can't wait to watch their relationship grow and develop over the years. I already have such a special and unique bond with Everly from being pregnant, to delivering her, to breastfeeding her, and being her sole caretaker and with her (almost) every minute since she was born. Because of that, I know Jordan at times feels like he has a hard time connecting with her but Everly's knows when it's her Daddy that's holding her. I can tell. They are going to make quite the pair. And I have never loved Jordan more until seeing him holding our daughter. There are few things sweeter than a daddy's kind of love... 

let the pictures do the talking...

Since we are still in the NICU, things around here are pretty crazy. There's always some sort of alarm or buzzer going off, nurses coming and going, and it's just always a sense of "being awake". It's never quiet and it's never calm. Thankfully I have my mom here to keep me company during the day because Jordan is still teaching for now and saving his vacation time for when we bring Everly home. The days are starting to run together already so I figured I'd let the pictures do the talking for this post...

mom and her baby with her baby! this was the day Everly was born
and right when my mom got to the hospital to see me and meet her new granddaughter

one of our first mornings together of snuggling

she knows how cute she is

kisses for my sweet girl

we finally got to dress her!

"no more pictures, Mom! I'm trying to snuggle with Grandma!"

Everly's Birth Story

I knew I wanted to be able to remember and recall every moment that happened when our baby was born so I'm thankful that I was thinking straight enough to be making little notes in my phone throughout the past few days and especially on the day Everly was born so that when she grows up and asks about her birthday, I can tell her every detail starting from the beginning of the weekend... **I apologize in advance for this being rather lenghty! But there is nothing gory about it!**

Jordan and I had our maternity pictures taken on Friday August 30th at 7:00pm. It was pushing 100 degrees with the humidity and of course we were having outside pictures taken. But we fought through the heat and got some really great shots (at least from the previews I have seen so far!) It was totally worth it though because I had been looking forward to our "bump" pictures for a while so a little heat was nothing! Jordan was also a real trooper and stood by in the heat and was helping me up and down through it all. I'm so happy we did the pictures when we did because we never would have guessed that less than 12 hours later we would be walking into the hospital labor and delivery unit...

After our pictures, we came home, had Jimmy Johns for dinner and then hung out with some friends that were in town for the Iowa football game the next day. It was a bunch of Jordan's guy friends so there was lots of football talk and other "guy talk" so I was emailing my sister some pictures and pinning lots of ideas for future crafts/projects on Pinterest. We all finally called it a night around 1:30 because we had big plans to wake up in the morning to go tailgating and enjoy a day of Hawkeye football!

I woke up around 2:30-3ish Saturday morning feeling like I was going pee so I got up to go to the bathroom and as I was walking there, some fluid came out, like I had peed my pants, so I kept going and hung out in the bathroom for a while. I had assumed it was my water that broke but refused to think that or admit it to myself because I knew I would start going crazy and freaking out! So, I laid back down in bed and went back to sleep off and on until about 6ish when Jordan woke up to go to the bathroom and when he came back to bed, I was laying there wide awake and finally said, "so I think I should call the hospital..." Of course he asked why and if something was wrong so I just calmly said, "well I think my water might of broken like 2 or 3 hours ago..." And that woke him up pretty quickly!! We debated back and forth about what to do because I wasn't feeling any contractions or any pain, no bleeding, or anything else besides some fluid still coming out every now and then. And again, I was just still telling myself I was peeing my pants because, you know, that's just what pregnant women do I've been told. We decided to look through the book we got at our birthing class (SO glad we went to it when we did!) and I went to the page about "Early Stages of Labor" that talked about when to call if you think your water breaks... Turns out that I met each and every criteria so we called and I felt like "one of those women" who call the hospital pregnant for the first time thinking they're in labor and then it ends up being a false alarm. The nurse told us to come in and get checked out and to bring a bag "just in case" so after hanging up the phone, Jordan and I just sort of stood there for awhile. Were we going to meet our baby today? It's six weeks early! This can't be happening! Then we stood in our closet just staring at everything...we didn't have a hospital bag packed yet (I KNEW I needed to get one ready, dang it!!) so we just grabbed our comfy sweats, some hoodies, the few nursing tanks/bras I had, and our bathroom stuff. Jordan's friends were awake when we left and I sort of laughed walking out the door and said, "you know we'll see you guys later to tailgate. This isn't really happening!" We finally got to the hospital around 7ish and the whole drive there I don't know why, but I was freakishly calm and Jordan was noticeably nervous. We talked about final baby names and what to do if we did have the baby today and who to call first... then we just stopped and said, "let's wait until we know what is happening..."

Once Jordan and I got to the hospital, we made the long walk after getting parked to the Labor and Delivery unit. During the whole walk, more and more fluid kept leaking out and I looked like I had sat in a puddle. I was walking with some serious bow legs and have never wanted dry pants more in my life! When I finally got checked in and hooked up to monitors, the nurses said I was contracting every 4-6 minutes and was 4cm dilated already which I just could not believe. I looked at Jordan and said, "I thought everyone always said getting to 4cm was the hardest?! How is this happening?!!!" After they determined I was clearly in labor, I got admitted right away in a labor and delivery room. That's when I sort of lost it because then we realized we were having a baby THAT day 6 weeks early ready or not! We got settled into our room, which happened to be right across from Kinnick Stadium and we had a perfect view of the big screen too! That made us pretty happy and gave us a good laugh because we had tickets to the game! Shortly after being admitted, I got hooked up to the antibiotics and fluids but since I was contracting so regularly and consistently, I didn't ever need pitocin or any other fluids. Whewww thank god! I had always said I wanted as few of interventions as possible so I'm thankful my body was doing its thing and progressing naturally pretty quickly. I was doing great with just breathing, massage techniques, using the birthing ball, and Jordan's help that I didn't need any other pain management until I hit 6-7cm and I started freaking out. I think it was a combination of the pain and being so scared that it was happening so fast and that we were going to have a NICU baby. There was just way too many thoughts running through my mind that I couldn't relax and I couldn't settle down. Finally, I caved and I asked for an epidural and by the time it got placed, I was already at 10cm and ready to push...turns out when I had asked for it, I was in the transition stage and things were progressing fast. The anesthesiologist got done taping my back and I felt instant panic and said, "I feel like I'm either about to poop or have this baby like NOW!! There is way too much pressure for this to not be happening...NOW!!" So my midwife was in there already helping coach and checked me and was like "yep you just went from 6 to 10 in less than 30 minutes and you need to start pushing now...let's meet your baby!" Since things happened in such a whirlwind, the epidural wasn't in full effect completely but I think if it had been, I wouldn't have been able to feel the contractions and know when it push. It took the edge off that's for sure but I still felt in control and could tell when I needed to bear down and push. I pushed for about 45 minutes and between pushes, we talked about tailgating and football and then made guesses about the sex. And at one point I said, "I just have one last request, when the baby is born, I want Jordan to announce boy or girl" so it was a very relaxed environment and everyone stayed calm and helped me to stay calm and confident throughout the whole day. A few times my midwife would say, "you can do this and you're going to. It won't kill you and I know you're scared, but you can do this." Then 45 minutes later of pushing, our sweet baby was born and Jordan couldn't see because of the cord so I got to announce and say, "it's a girl! We have a baby and it's a girl!" As she was placed on my chest and wiped down then Jordan said, "we have a daughter and you're the strongest mom I know..." He was pretty awesome throughout it all even though I know he was just as scared but he kept it together so I wasn't a mess. During a few of my panic attacks, he would remind me that we were in the best hospital in Iowa and that we were strong people so our baby would be strong. Sometimes just getting a hug and him holding my hand was all I needed to calm down and relax through a contraction.

Everly was checked over by the NICU team right away but her APGAR scores were 9 and 9! Jordan went with her to the NICU for them to do the vitals and check her oxygen/respiratory system because the lungs were the doctors biggest concern. She has thankfully been keeping her oxygen level right at 100% so she isn't on any oxygen or any medications. She has just an IV for antibiotics and right now the only things we are working on is her feeding and trying to get her established enough to eat on her own. She has an NG tube and I get to nurse her every 3-4 hours then I pump and whatever I pump, they use that to feed her with her tube. The NICU staff are all being super supportive with breastfeeding and they make sure she doesn't get a pacifier or bottle to interfere with the breastfeeding and getting that latch/suck down. Thankfully her only cords are the leads on her chest for heart rate, pulse oximeter on her foot, and then the feeding tube so it's definitely scary and intimidating but I know it could be so much worse. Seeing them place the NG tube today made me cry and was really tough though...she fought it and it was just awful to watch because I felt so helpless! She is a champ and is being super easy going so far. We're hoping she keeps making improvements each day so we can get out of the NICU sooner than later. They're thinking a week for now at minimum but said that can change and hopefully no more than 2 weeks max. Once she gets the latching and feeding down on her own, the other things we need her to work on and do on her own will be regulating her own temperature so she can be in a crib, keeping her oxygen levels stable and high enough, and consistently gain weight. We have a few milestones and hurdles to get through before we can go home with her but for now, we will celebrate every small victory that she accomplishes!!

The whole morning (and day for that matter!) was a complete whirlwind. We walked into the hospital not knowing what was going on and then was quickly admitted into the Labor and Delivery unit. Once we knew our baby was coming early, we finally called our families and told some friends. When my dad answered the phone, he was expecting me to talk about tailgating and the football game so he was definitely caught off guard when I said, "well actually I'm at the hospital and we're having this baby...today." Panic mode set in for my dad and he kept asking how I was doing and the baby and if either of us were in distress. I could tell her was worried but I reassured him it was not a life or death situation and that we would keep him updated as the day went on. Jordan then called his parents and had a similar conversation with all of them as well. I knew both families would be worried when we called since the baby was going to be six weeks early but we kept telling them we'd update them and to not worry. Which is funny because somehow Jordan and I were both staying relatively calm while our family and friends were the ones freaking out.... and some of our friends didn't believe us that we were at the hospital to have the baby! Like I said, since things happened so fast, we never once updated anyone after the initial calls/texts that we sent out! The next time we called people, we had news to announce that we had a baby girl! I don't think you could have wiped the smile off my face if you tried and those phone calls were some of the best ones I've ever made. When I called my dad, he asked I was doing and feeling and I just said, "Well I'm doing pretty great...just hanging out and recovering because I had the baby and you're a grandpa again to a little girl." That's when I could hear a sense of relief from my dad and he told me that my mom had bought a one-way plane ticket and was on her way up to Iowa. I also found out that my sister was on her way from Milwaukee! I've never felt more loved or lucky to have two amazing women in my life and I was so thankful they both got to be there with me and my new little family on Everly's birthday!

All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better birthing and labor experience. It happened naturally and quickly, just like I had hoped and I had very few medical interventions. Jordan was an amazing husband as always and made a great coach, supporter, and teammate for me. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else by my side and even when he wasn't saying or doing anything, just the comfort of him beside me was enough love and support for me. I had a super easy pregnancy and felt good the whole time, minus a few aches and pains on various days here and there, but overall, I really had few complaints throughout the past 34 weeks. I can't believe it's over and that now I have a sweet baby girl. I've never felt an instant love for anyone or anything like I did the moment I saw her and when we first locked eyes. I knew in January when I found out I was pregnant that my life was going to change...and I knew in a second when I saw Everly that my life has changed for the better. Jordan and I are so in love already with her and can't wait to see where our adventures in parenthood take us.

SURPRISE! She is here!

On Saturday, August 31st, Jordan and I got the surprise of our lives when we welcomed with love our daughter, Everly Rose, into the world! She was eager to meet us and arrived six weeks to the day early! Mama is doing great and Everly is currently in the NICU at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. She is going to be here for at least 10-14 days. For being six weeks early, she is a fighter and is super healthy - she has no lung or respiration/breathing issues which was the biggest concern. Before she can come home from the NICU, she has to be feeding 100% on her own, controlling her temperature, and go seven days without an apnea/breathing spell. We are in for the adventure of our lives now that we are parents and we couldn't be more excited... or more in love! We love you little Peanut and can't wait to bring you home!

33 weeks

33 weeks update: We had our first baby shower and it was a huge success. Peanut and myself got very spoiled with lots of awesome things including some must-have items and then some other fun and cute things that will be great to have around. It was so fun seeing all my family and friends together in one place to celebrate Peanut's impending arrival! The heat this week has been wicked hot and humid out so it's been a struggle to breath but I know everyone is feeling that way and not just me for being pregnant! It has made my walk to and from the hospital each morning and afternoon interesting...I feel like a hot sweaty mess before I even get to work and then I'm definitely a hot mess by the time I get home! Jordan and I have tickets to go to the first Iowa football game of the season this weekend and it's going to be a hot one! Hopefully I don't melt or go into early labor from being so hot at the game! Either way, we are hoping for a good game and a big win for the Hawks! And if anything does happen, at least the hospital is right across the street from the stadium! We are going to have a houseful of guests this weekend with some of Jordan's friends staying and also my brother and sister-in-law so I'm looking forward to a weekend of Hawkeye fun and good times with our friends and family!

a baby shower filled with love!

Daddy & Mama to be!

the cutest little Baby block cake!

sisters!

"my baby is having a baby!"
love you Mom

Yesterday we had our first baby shower for Peanut and it was a huge success in so many different ways! Jordan and I feel blown away at the amount of family and friends that we had show up to come celebrate the arrival of our baby and took the time out of their day to see us and spoil our baby. Peanut got A LOT of really nice, useful, and awesome things that I can't wait to get organized and use! I'm so thankful especially that my parents were able to be here for the shower and also that both my sister and brother drove from Wisconsin to spend the weekend with us and be part of the shower. It was also a fun weekend back home in Webster City seeing old friends and catching up with all of our old neighbors. Some things just never change and being back home is one of them - the good ol' days and it's great being around people where you can pick right up where you left off from the last time! Now that we are finally back home for the weekend, I can't wait to go through everything from the shower again later this week to get it all unpacked, play with it, and daydream about when Peanut is here to use it. I can't wait to meet our baby and now the shower made it seem so real and so close to the day we get to meet this baby!

32 Weeks

32 weeks update: Well there has been A LOT going on lately around the Easton household to say the least! We got moved into our new home and we are slowly getting unpacked and settled in. We also did our day long childbirth class...we learned a lot and definitely saw a lot! Jordan and I had some good laughs together during the day and by the time we got home, we were on information overload and both settled in for a nap. The class was definitely helpful though and now hopefully we just remember what we learned when delivery day gets here! My parents also have been here this week and so far they've been a huge help - when Jordan and I both got home from work today, we were surprised with a beautiful crib that they bought and had put together and already set up in Peanut's room! My mom and I also have been setting up a few other things in the nursery but the crib was a total shock...lots of happy tears! Other than all of that stuff, I have still been feeling pretty good even with the heat being ridiculously high this week! I can tell that I'm starting to slow down and can't quite walk as fast but I've been trying to stay as active as possible because that seems to be the one thing that helps with my swollen ankles and keep any other aches and pains away! Now I'm just really looking forward to our baby shower this weekend - can't wait to see everyone and for my family to all be together! It makes my heart so happy to know so many family members and friends are driving from near and far to come celebrate our little Peanut at the baby shower! Jordan and I are pretty lucky with the people we have in our lives!

31 Weeks

31 weeks update: holy smokes we are down to single digit weeks until Peanut's due date! Where have the past 31 weeks went?! It is so exciting that we are getting so close but also pretty terrifying because we have A LOT to do and get before we meet Peanut! I keep having the same dream several times now that involves me waking up and thinking either I have peed the bed or my water has broken then I wake up in real life and have to go pee that second. I think I am just getting really paranoid about where I will be and what I will be doing when my water does break! Jordan laughs but I think I am going to start putting together some stuff for a hospital bag because I am too much of a planner and organizer to not have some stuff together already! Other than that, I thankfully have still been feeling really great. I have obviously never experienced pregnancy before but this has been a lot easier and more enjoyable than I ever imagined and than people keep telling me it should be...so I am counting my blessings and am beyond thankful to have had a really normal, boring, and easy pregnancy so far! The countdown is officially on now...these next 9 weeks are going to fly by!

Happy 4th Birthday, Kemper James!

Happy 4th Birthday, Kemper James! I can't believe that you are already 4 years old! You are such a little dare-devil, fearless, hilarious, sweet, smart alecky, and fun loving boy! I am so lucky to be your aunt and am thankful to be part of your life. Your Uncle Jordan and I both love you so much! 

I'm super bummed I had to miss Kemper's birthday party today.... for the first time, I woke up last night around 4am with either heartburn or something going on where it felt like I burped in my sleep and something came up (totally gross, right?!) and then I couldn't fall back asleep for a few hours so it made for a rough morning and didn't leave me feeling too hot the rest of the morning and early afternoon. I can't wait to see you in a few weekends at the baby shower!

Happy Birthday Kemp! I hope today is full of fun times celebrating with your friends, family, and that you are spoiled rotten with fun toys and awesome gifts!

30 weeks

30 weeks update: Another week down and we started our bi-monthly appointments with our midwife!! Peanut's heart rate was 136 which was the same as the last appointment and Peanut is still head down...the midwife thinks back out too which is really good and apparently "the ideal" birth position! Way to go, Peanut! For being 30 weeks pregnant, I have been feeling pretty good, but then again, I don't have anything to compare it to! I am able to make it through the work-day at the hospital and don't feel like I need a 1-3 hour nap each day when I get home (although, I don't turn one down if I have the chance to sneak one in!) and just my right ankle/foot gets a little swollen by Thursday or Friday but it goes away by the end of the weekend after a day or two of relaxing! I've still been able to sleep through the night and Peanut is sitting high enough that my bladder isn't affected too much yet so I haven't had to be making bathroom trips every half hour or so! I can definitely tell that Peanut is going through a huge growth spurt though because lately I have constantly been feeling hungry and I think that might have something to do with the fact that I don't always have room to eat a big meal in one sitting so I feel like I am constantly snacking! The good news is that I have only gained 22 pounds so far which means that I am still in the weight range I should be for total weight gain. Other than all of that, things have still been pretty boring and normal for the two of us so I'm continuing to count my blessings about that! 

an anniversary celebration

Yesterday Jordan and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary! I can't believe a year has already flown by...it went by so crazy fast! Our year was filled with the expected joys, a few unexpected setbacks, and some surprising news! We are thankful that we had a year full of love and laughter, lots of special time with our families and friends, and we can't wait to welcome our first baby into our lives in a few weeks! We were able to enjoy the whole day together by relaxing and sleeping in then we had a delicious dinner and dessert at Chili's followed by a round of 9 holes of golf. Jordan is going to be such a wonderful dad and coach...he is so patient with teaching me to golf and helps me with lots of tips and tricks! My ultimate goal is to become good enough at golf so that we can golf together in a couple's league! 

Happy One Year Anniversary, Jordan! Thank you for being an incredible husband day in and day out! You are my rock and I would truly be a crazy person without by my side to keep me sane! Here's to our 2nd year of marriage...let's rock this thing!

Happy 1 Year Anniversary, Mr. E!

Then

By: Brad Paisley

I remember

Trying not to stare

The night that I first met you

You had me mesmerized 

And three weeks later 

In the front porch light 

Taking forty five minutes

To kiss good night

I hadn't told you yet

But I thought I loved you then 

(Chorus)

And now you're my whole life 

Now you're my whole world

I just cant believe 

The way I feel about you girl

Like the river meets the sea

Stronger then it's ever been 

We've come so far since that day

And I thought I loved you then 

And I remember

Taking you back 

To right where I first met you

You were so surprised 

There were people around

But I didn't care 

I got down on one knee right there

And once again 

I thought I loved you then 

(Chorus)

And now you're my whole life 

Now you're my whole world

I just cant believe 

The way I feel about you girl

Like the river meets the sea

Stronger then it's ever been 

We've come so far since that day

And I thought I loved you then

I can just see you 

With a baby on the way 

And I can just see you

When your hair is turning gray

What I can't see

Is how I'm ever gonna love you more

But I've said that before 

(chorus)

And now you're my whole life 

Now you're my whole world

I just cant believe 

The way I feel about you girl

We'll look back someday

At this moment that we're in

And I'll look at you and say

And I thought I loved you then

And I thought I loved you then

Happy 1 Year Anniversary, Mr. E!

We have had more ups than downs this year

and it has been quite the ride!

We make the perfect team together

and I can't wait to see what our future holds!

The best is truly yet to come for us!

All my love, KE

29 weeks

29 week update: Just typing "29 week update" is crazy enough...I just can't wrap my mind around the fact that we are almost to the single digit weeks already (plus or minus a few days!). It is both super exciting and super terrifying at the same time. Jordan and I have SO much to do and get done in these next 11 weeks and they are definitely going to fly by! I have still been feeling really good and usually by the end of the week on Friday afternoon, my ankles have quite the swell going on. I guess that's what happens when I'm at the hospital for 40 hours a week and am constantly on my feet running from one treatment room to the next. But I'm also thankful that have semi-swollen ankles is one of my biggest complaints! Every now and then Peanut will be moving around and get positioned realllllly high up by/under my ribs on my right side and it's definitely not the most comfortable thing. I try to stretch my back out and twist to the side to give Peanut some more room! Because I'm carrying Peanut so high, usually the area right below my bra line is numb/tingly throughout the day from all of the pressure but I'd rather have that then Peanut sitting really low and making me feel like I need to constantly be running to the bathroom! Next week we have our 30 week appointment and then that starts our appointments that will be every two weeks.... We are still working on agreeing on a boy name and then coming up with a middle name for either a boy or a girl but I know we will find the perfect name eventually! And I'm pretty sure I felt Peanut have the hiccups a few different times now so that is exciting, just a steady rhythm of little taps! 

28 weeks

28 weeks update: whoo all great news again from our latest appointment with our midwife! First off, Peanut's heart rate was strong and stead at 136 and I just love listening to that...it's so sweet! My belly also measured about 5-6 days behind but our midwife wasn't too concerned about that since that can change throughout the day depending on what I eat and drink, how active I am, or how bloated I might (or might not!) be! So if she isn't worried, then I'm not worried! The other exciting news is that I passed my gestational diabetes test! I was definitely pretty paranoid about this since I have such a big sweet tooth so I am pretty pumped that I passed it! I know I was low risk and not likely to have it but still, you never know! And Jordan was so sweet to wake up this morning at 6am on his day off to make me a high-protein breakfast of scrambled eggs and turkey bacon. Nom nom, so good and he is just so sweet! I love that he woke up early to make sure I had a healthy breakfast before the appointment and blood draw.... and I'm thankful that at the end of the night, he will rub my back and my belly then talk to Peanut. He's going to be such a great dad and I already can't wait to see the relationship he has with our kids. It's hard to believe that we are almost down to single digit weeks... holy smokes! I've been feeling great and am happy the weather hasn't been tooooo hot or miserable anymore. It definitely makes things more comfortable but I haven't been as miserable as everyone was making it seem like I would be so I'm thankful Peanut has made this easy on me this far!

27 Weeks

27 weeks update: welcome to the 3rd trimester!!! Wow!! Is that possible?! I don't even know how we are in the third trimester or where the past 27 weeks have went...they have definitely flown by that's for sure! It helps that this pregnancy (not like I have anything to compare it to!) has been relatively easy on me the whole time....minus a few episodes of nausea and a few aches/pains here and there, I think I was expecting things to be a lot worse! I'm just thankful that I'm healthy and that our baby is healthy as well! Sleeping is even getting comfortable again now that I have figured out how to arrange my numerous pillows and once I situated, I am able to sleep through the night which I am definitely enjoying for now because I'm sure once I get closer to the end, that will change! We are slowly narrowing down our "boy name" list, yay! We don't have middle names yet for either girl or boy but at least we have first names pinned down, for the most part. And we have also signed up for 3 different classes: childbirth preparation and labor class, breastfeeding class, and a cloth diapering class! Whoo whooo... I'm thankful to such an awesome and involved husband who is looking forward to taking these classes with me and learning all he can about how to be a good daddy and parent and how he can help out during labor. I feel pretty lucky to have such a loving and supportive partner and husband to be experiencing this with! Next week is our 28 week appointment which will include the gestational diabetes test and I'd be lying if I said I'm not nervous for it! But I definitely can't wait to hear our little Peanut's heartbeat again and hopefully get nothing but good news from the appointment!