Violet: One Month

Weight:

You were 9 lb. 5 oz. at your one month checkup last week (a week early!). That is the 66th percentile

Height:

21.25 inches, or 67th percentile.

Clothing Size:

You have quickly outgrown all your newborn clothes, which lasted all of about 3 weeks. You are now easily wearing 3 month.

Diapers:

You've been using size 1 for a week or so. They fit perfectly.

Feeding:

You mainly nurse, but you get about one bottle a day. You'll drink anywhere from 3-4 oz. at a feeding. You do great whether it's nursing or using a bottle.

Hair/Eyes:

You have the same amount of hair as you did when you were born. Your eyes are still blue!

Sleep:

Very inconsistent. I was so worried about getting your sisters on a schedule, and I just don't have time to worry about that with you. You're growing, happy, and content most of the time, so that's all I worry about! At night you'll wake up every 3-4 hours still to eat. I think it's because you are so lazy when you wake up you do about a half a feed and fall back asleep. You sleep like a champ in the bassinet which hopefully will make the transition to your crib easier in a month or so.

Your sisters are obsessed with you. Emery has transitioned to big sister so easily and is really enjoying the responsibility of her new role. Caroline loves to sing you songs, change your diaper (yes, really!), and rock you in your rock and play. You sleep through ANYTHING - dogs barking, kids screaming - and are such a perfect addition to our family. We love you so much!

Five on Friday: Holiday Fun!

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While we haven't been getting much rest in the house with a newborn, we aren't letting that stop us from having lots of holiday fun!

__one__ Wednesday, the older girls skipped daycare and I took them to the mall to see Santa. The mall was dead, and there was no one in line to see Santa. It was great! Caroline showed Santa her list and then both girls gave him big hugs and had a great time talking to him.

__two__ Speaking of Santa lists, Caroline's top picks include a cotton candy maker  and a watch (I found this Sofia the First watch on Amazon for super cheap!).  For the girls' big gift, my plan is to get them a Power Wheels jeep.



__three__ We have been soaking up all the family time with little Violet and she is settling into the family seamlessly. It's amazing how when a baby comes, you can't imagine life without them anymore. She's been eating like a champ (every 2-3 hours) and is generally a content babe.

__four__ All 3 of the girls were laying in our bed the other morning, and we heard a big bang. Caroline asked what it was, and I didn't know and didn't go investigate. Fast forward an hour when I let the dogs out - a tree took out part of our fence and their brand new swing set we got back in August. I was devastated - but thank goodness for homeowner's insurance. Also on the to-do list - get the rest of the dead trees removed.

__five__ Bless this sweet baby's heart. We kept her home from school two days this week because she had a fever but no other symptoms. I went to check on her after feeding the baby, and she had fallen asleep in the playroom on the floor. She's still not quite herself, but the fever is gone and I'm hopeful we can have some fun this weekend anyway!

Welcome to the world, Violet

After (unrealistic) expectations that baby #3 would come into the world early, I resigned myself to the fact that we would induce. And while I didn't have a horrible experience being induced with Caroline, I was REALLY dreading it. Emmie's birth was so easy that I figured the only way to experience that was if the baby came on its' own.

So, the weekend before Thanksgiving, I cleaned the house like crazy, took lots of long walks, gently bounced on the trampoline....did everything I could think of to get the baby out.

And, wouldn't you know, nothing worked. Thanksgiving passed, and I came to terms with the fact that we would be proceeding with the induction on the 24th, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Before leaving the house at 5:30 a.m. that morning, I took one final picture of my bump. It was bittersweet, knowing this is our last babe, but I was also so excited to finally meet this little person that had been growing inside of me for the last nine months!

We checked in at 6 a.m., and by 7:30 a.m. they had the pitocin going. I was still only 1 cm dilated when I showed up, so I was expecting this to be a long day. Nevertheless, I asked if I could get my epidural before they broke my water, just in case. The anesthesiologist came in around 9:00 a.m., and I was already 3 cm dilated. He gave me my epidural, and my doctor came in right after to break my water.

By 10:30 a.m., I was already 5 cm dilated. This labor was moving super fast! The epidural was quite honestly the best out of the three labors I'd ever had. I didn't feel A THING this whole time. The nurse kept changing my positioning every 30 minutes to encourage the baby to continue moving through the birth canal, and by 11:30 I was 10 cm dilated and the baby was ready to come out!

We waited about 30 minutes for my doctor, and after half of a push, the baby was out and Daniel was able to tell me it was a baby girl! I was thrilled that this last little one was another girl, and her sisters felt the same way! They got to meet her within 15 minutes of her birth, and they were both so, so in love.

Welcome to the world, Violet Joy. You are so loved already.

Baby #3 - 37 weeks pregnant

Goodness gracious, am I ready for this sweet little baby to be here! I am feeling very large, I can't sleep anymore, and my acid reflux is out of control. I was only dilated to a 1 and 50% effaced at the doctor this week, and I couldn't be more discouraged! Ha! Lots of walking and cleaning this weekend for me to try to urge baby along.

Size of Baby: around 6 lbs and 19 inches long

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 27 lbs, which means this is the pregnancy I've gained the least amount of weight (thank the Lord!)

Gender: Surprise! 

Movement: This baby still finds a way to move around all the time, although I have no idea how.

Sleep: I fall asleep super fast, but wake up around 1-2 a.m. and can't go back to sleep.

What I miss: my energy. Not having baby brain.

What I am looking forward to: Seeing this sweet baby in two weeks or less! We set an induction date for November 24th if I haven't had the baby by then.

Cravings: Nothing really anymore. I'm at that point where I'm too uncomfortable to eat a lot.

Symptoms: Really just the very very very severe acid reflux.

Best Moment This Week: Scheduling an induction date!

You can see my 32 week update post with Emmie here, and my 37 weeks update post with Caroline here.

Five on Friday: Five New Things for the Baby!

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As I near my due date, I am getting so excited for baby #3 to be here. This past week, I took advantage of the Amazon registry discount (you save 15% close to your due date for unpurchased items!) and was able to snag some awesome stuff for the new baby.

__one__ One thing I KNEW I couldn't live without was a rock n' play. We had one when Emmie was a baby (two actually, one for upstairs and one for downstairs) and it was such a lifesaver. I sold the old ones we had (HA.....I just knew for sure we were done!), but I ended up purchasing the exact one we had with Ems.












__two__ Another must have - a new video monitor. We wore the old one out and used it until the girls were 3 and 2, respectively. It no longer held a charge and the video quality wasn't great. This one has great reviews, and I'm excited to see how it holds up.











__three__ I never really found an infant carrier I loved with either of the girls, but I am certain with baby #3 that it will be absolutely necessary. I took a chance on this baby wrap, and I hope it lives up to all the positive reviews.




__four__  When we moved into our new house back in June, I knew I wanted to get different baby gates this time. Daniel has actually already installed this new gate for me, and it is amazing. I also got a pack of these wall nannies, which saved drilling into our wall (which always makes me cringe!).





__five__ I also ordered these fabulous Aden + Anais burpy bibs. I've given these as gifts quite a few times, but I've never gotten any for myself. After being spit up on more times than I care to admit, I'm ready to put this to the test.




Happy Friday!

Baby #3 - 33 Weeks Pregnant

Wow...I can't believe I've already reached in the point in my pregnancy where I am ready for this baby to get out of my belly ASAP.

Size of Baby: A pineapple, 4 lbs and 17 inches long

Total Weight Gain/Loss: around 22-24 lbs.

Gender: Surprise! I'm still on team girl.

Movement: Still lots of movement, especially when I lay down at night, or eat sugary foods, or after I drink my coffee, or anytime really.

Sleep: Nonexistant. I have insomnia SO BAD. I can't get comfortable, my mind is racing all the time, and I am perpetually tired.

What I miss: Feeling good, being active.

What I am looking forward to: Seeing this sweet baby in seven weeks or less!

Cravings: Still sweets. Dessert after lunch and dinner are a must.

Symptoms: I've got weird numbness in my hands and feet now, and terrible back pain. Once the baby drops, I know the back pain won't be quite as bad.

Best Moment This Week: Ordering the little bit of stuff we needed for baby!

You can see my 32 week update post with Emmie here, and my 34 weeks update post with Caroline here.

Five on Friday - September 28

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October is almost here which means I'm getting closer and closer to my due date! Here's what's on my mind this week.

__one__ While we were beaching it last week, my new Rocksbox set was sent to my house. I don't really buy a whole lot for myself - it's always for the girls or Daniel - but this is the one fun thing I spend a little money on each month. You basically get to try out jewelry, and if you like it, you can purchase it (and your monthly subscription price goes towards what you buy!). They send three things at a time, but my favorite thing in this last set were these adorable earrings. I typically wear very understated jewelry, so these were such a fun way to add some pop to my outfit Monday morning at work!

__two__ It was picture day this week for my two cuties, and Caroline dressed up two days in a row since her class had class pictures Tuesday, but since her sister's pictures were Monday, she took her sibling pictures the day before. I went for a very simple look for their sibling pictures, but let Caroline wear a new fall dress for her class photo.  I actually got the dress on Zulily and wasn't sure what to expect, but it definitely surpassed my expectations! I just love her sweet smile.

__three__ Halloween decorating is in full swing at our house, and that's honestly because I felt decent this past weekend and was worried if I didn't get it done it would never get done! I did buy new fall wall art from JoAnn Fabrics this weekend that I love - I didn't realize JoAnn had such cute decorations! I was really impressed with their selection and prices.




__four__  Thursday before my doctor's appointment to check on baby, I took the girls to Dunkin Donuts for a special breakfast treat. We don't go out for breakfast much, so the girls LOVE to go to the "donut store" as they call it. Caroline had to try the halloween sprinkle donut, while Emmie picked her classic chocolate glazed.

__five__ I recently got the girls these fun unicorn slippers, and they are the first pair of slippers I have bought them that they ACTUALLY wear. They are so fun and girly.

Beach Recap

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We just returned from a very relaxing exhausting trip to the beach. A beach trip is always a little hectic with littles, but the girls had an amazing time and that's all that matters, right? Of course, if I wasn't 30 weeks pregnant it might have been a little easier.

We love going to the Florida panhandle in September, because there are virtually no crowds and you have the beaches and restaurants to yourselves! Next year Caroline starts Kindergarten, so it may be 20+ years before we get to go back this time of year, so we soaked up one last trip before baby #3 gets here.

Of course, the girls favorite part of the beach was the pool. I kept joking we could have gone to Great Wolf Lodge and saved some money.

 

They did spend all day at the beach the last day, and it was by far my favorite day of the trip. Lots of hanging out in the ocean, building sandcastles, chasing pelicans, and more.

 

 Caroline's Frozen hat//Puddle Jumper

We tried taking some nice beach photos one night. It was basically a long five minutes of the girls saying the sun was in their eyes. We managed to snap a few halfway decent pics and called it a night.

Of course, we ate to our hearts' content. That's my favorite part of vacation - no cooking and delicious food (especially seafood!).

I was even able to sneak away to the outlet malls one day and did a LOT of early Christmas shopping. With a late November due date, I realize I'm not going to have a lot of time or energy in December to be shopping for gifts.

I'm glad we took this last trip as a family of four. The girls love the beach, and Caroline even requested to go to the same frozen yogurt place one night after dinner we went to last year. Emmie got really into crab hunting at night and has asked to go every night since we've been home. It made me realize how important these trips are to our girls.

Baby #3 - 29 Weeks Pregnant

I am now in the stage of my pregnancy where I am really starting to feel slow, sluggish, and like a big sloth. We head for the beach Saturday, and I can only imagine what a 7+ hour car ride and a week of sun, sand, and eating large amounts of food will do to my body.

Size of Baby: An acorn squash......15.2 inches long and 2.5 lbs.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 20 lbs + or - a few

Gender: Surprise! This week I'm back to thinking this is a sweet little girl. It has been so fun to not find out this time!

Movement: I think the baby is starting to have a harder time moving around, because the movement is less frequent but definitely stronger.

Sleep: Ha. The other night I counted I woke up FIVE times to pee. Five. And it is taking me a really long time to fall back asleep.

What I miss: Just my energy! Having energy to play with the girls and not yawn all throughout the day.

What I am looking forward to: Even though there's alot I'm complaining about (see above), I'm enjoying this last pregnancy. I know it's nothing I'll experience again, so I'm soaking it up.

Cravings: Sandwiches and candy.

Symptoms: The worst acid reflux. I am going to need to invest in Tums stock.

Best Moment This Week: Preparing for our last vacation as a family of four.

You can see my 28 week update post with Emmie here, and my 30 weeks update post with Caroline here.

Emery's 3rd Birthday!

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We had a great time at the end of August celebrating our soon-to-be middle child's 3rd birthday! She has lately become obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (if you forget to say Clubhouse she quickly corrects you). That meant a Minnie Mouse party!

We decided to host it at home, which I have quickly decided is the LAST time we host a party at our house (other than the first birthday party for this little babe due in November...after that it's parties at Bounce U, gymnastics, Chuck E Cheese...anywhere but home). It was fun doing a theme though and I was excited for everyone to see our new house.

We kept the food pretty simple. The party was at 2:30, so I didn't feel super stressed in preparing a big meal. We did have hot diggity dogs (pigs in a blanket), artichoke dip, Minnie's bowtie pasta salad, sausage balls, Minnie rice krispie treats, and Minne's bowtie fruit. Not everything kept in the theme, but I still had fun doing some small things to make her party super Minnie-fied.

I used a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter to make the Minnie rice krispie treats, and Emmie helped me by dousing the treats with a healthy dose of pink sprinkles. The bowtie fruit was SUPER easy...I just cut the tops off of strawberries and added a blueberry in the middle on a toothpick.

I was able to get a lot of the table coverings on clearance at Wal Mart at the end of summer, and I got the fun Minnie confetti at Party City.

The fun cake was made by a local baker that actually lives in our new neighborhood! I was so tickled I was able to drive a few houses down the street and pick up the cake the day before the party. I thought she did a fantastic job and it tasted just as good as it looked.

The kids all played outside on the swingset even though it was blazing hot while the adults stayed on the porch or inside and enjoyed the air conditioning. The kids had a great time though playing and burning off lots of sugar.

When it was time to blow out candles, Emmie got really shy and made me sit with her and help her blow them out. Last year she wouldn't even look up when people sang to her, so I'll take it as an improvement!

 

We love our little 3 year old so much!

 

Five on Friday: I wish summer could last forever

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Ah, summer. While it's still SO HOT here in Tennessee, it's starting to feel more and more like the daily grind of fall. I don't want summer to end! We've been soaking up the last little bits that we can.

__one__ The girls are LOVING their new swingset. I am so happy we ended up choosing a metal one and not a wooden one like we previously had. It seems so much sturdier and I am hopeful it will last a long time. Full disclosure - it took Daniel probably 16 hours to build by himself, and we probably should've just paid a few hundred bucks for someone to install it. But, he did a great job, and the girls saw their daddy work hard to put it together, so that's priceless, right? :)

 

__two__ The girls had a ton of fun at a friend's Star Wars themed birthday party a few weekends ago. It was super hot, but the kids still had lots of fun playing in a bounce house, eating wayyyyy too many sweets, and hitting a pinata one million times. 

 

__three__ Wednesday night, Daniel and I divided and conquered with the kids. I had lots of stuff to get for Emmie's birthday party this weekend, so I took her with me to run errands. While we were out, we stopped for dinner at Firehouse (free kids night!) and they had a local vendor making balloon animals for the kid. She was SO EXCITED to pick out a puppy and carried it with her all night.

__four__ Against my better judgment, I took Caroline with me to a local paint store and let her pick out the new color for their bedroom. Our house is ALL THE SAME COLOR TAN and it's been driving me crazy. Luckily, the pink she picked didn't turn out too bright and they absolutely love the color. I love how their custom ballerina painting a coworker made for me looks against the pink. So sweet and perfect for their age. 

__five__ This weekend will be filled with a Minnie Mouse party for my favorite 3 year old, but today is Ems' official birthday. I think I would be a little sadder if I wasn't pregnant with baby #3, but it's hard to believe my current baby is already 3. She's as stubborn as her mom, but has the funniest personality and keeps us laughing all the time. I am so grateful she's mine. Happy birthday, bug!

Baby #3 - 25 Weeks Pregnant

Well, I'm getting close to the third trimester and it feels like we just announced this pregnancy yesterday. This third time around has given me no time to feel prepared or think about what's really about to happen. We have the crib set up, diapers bought, and a few gender neutral clothes purchased, so we're essentially ready, right?

Size of Baby: A rutabaga......13.5 inches long and 1.5 lbs.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Around 15 lbs so far. This last month or so has not been kind to me.

Maternity Clothes: From now on, this section is rather pointless, as I don't fit in anything else.

Gender: Surprise! This week I'm thinking boy.

Movement: all.the.time. I hope this doesn't mean this baby will be up from sun up to sun down.

Sleep: Sleeping better lately. Harder to fall asleep but sleeping pretty good through the night.

What I miss: I'm looking forward to a sushi meal in the hospital when this nugget is born!

What I am looking forward to: Honestly, just soaking up these last few months that I'm pregnant. This is definitely our last pregnancy, so I'm trying to enjoy everything about it.

Cravings: Any form of dessert. Brownies, cake, candy, etc.

Symptoms: Still a lot of acid reflux. Other than that, no major symptoms.

Best Moment This Week: Hearing Caroline's excitement about the babe. She keeps asking when it will be here. Soon, sweet girl.

You can see my 25 week update post with Emmie here, and my 24 weeks update post with Caroline here.

Five on Friday: August 2018

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__one__ I go to the doctor later today for my 23 week checkup, and I am scared to get on the scale. Y'all, I look HUGE compared to how I feel I looked like with the girls. Maybe that means boy, or maybe that just is what happens with the 3rd kid? Either way, I feel like a whale.




__two__ Last weekend, the girls wanted to swim in their new pool I got super cheap on Prime Day, so I loaded it up with water and put their slide in there. They played in that thing for 2 hours and slept so amazing that night. I wish I would've busted it out sooner this summer! I was able to work in the garage and get a lot done while they played and ate lots of popsicles.

 

__three__ I kept debating on buying a new swingset for our new house, but after a few trips to the school playground, I decided it was worth the investment with the new baby on the way. I can't wait until it gets delivered and Daniel gets a free day (or three) to build it. I did ALOT of research, but finally settled on a metal variety from Lifetime Adventure. It has great reviews all over the internet, and I think the girls will love the castle feel. 

 

__four__ Okay mommas of 3 or more kids. I need advice on the best SUV for three car seats. I'm leaning towards a GMC Acadia or Volkswagen Atlas with bucket seats in the second row. Hubby drives a Suburban, so I don't want anything huge, but I REEEEEEEALLLY don't want a minivan. I just can't. I know their great and blah, blah, blah, but I want something I enjoy too.

But in all seriousness, give me your advice!! I need it!

__five__ I'm looking forward to a weekend of birthday parties, gymnastics, and dropping the girls off at my parents Saturday night and enjoying a night off!

Baby #3 - 22 weeks pregnant

We are officially past the halfway mark and I am feeling large lately! I am hungry all. the. time. Non-stop, cannot get full. Of course, I'm not craving vegetables either, just lots of sweets and carbs. I'm trying to make better choices, but it is so hard!

Size of Baby: A spaghetti squash....11 inches long and 1 lb.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I go to the doctor next Friday, but let's say 5-8 to be safe :)

Maternity Clothes: For the most part, that's what I am wearing, but I am getting away with a few non-maternity dresses which has been nice.

Gender: Surprise! Daniel is leaning really strongly towards boy, some days I think boy and others girl.

Movement: This baby doesn't stop!

Sleep: Struggling this past week. Not sure if it's just stress from work, or pregnancy.

What I miss: Wine

What I am looking forward to: planning to go through old clothes this weekend and see if I have anything gender neutral from the girls. Daniel also has the crib set up already and I plan on finding the one set of gender neutral sheets we own.

Cravings: Carbs and sweets. Not really feeling protein again.

Symptoms: Lots of acid reflux at night. I take Tums nightly before bed.

Best Moment This Week: The girls kissing my belly goodnight. They've started doing that and it's so sweet.

You can see my 23 week update post with Emmie here, and my 24 weeks update post with Caroline here.

Five on (Sun)day

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Welp, I missed five on Friday this week, but I'm here on Sunday for to make up for it :)

__one__ My favorite shopping day of the year, Prime Day, will be here July 16th! I love everything about Amazon, and enjoy my free 2 day shipping year round with my Prime membership. Last year, all shoes were 30% off and I got the girls their favorite SunSans sandals and Natives shoes at a rare discount.  If you aren't a Prime member, you can get a free 30-day trial if you've never done it before!

__two__  I can't believe I'm halfway along my pregnancy with baby #3. This pregnancy is flying by, and I'm trying to soak up the sweet kicks (and wicked heartburn) as much as I can. You can check out my 19 weeks update HERE.

 

__three__ We treated ourselves to brunch this weekend at First Watch. I'd never been, but it ended up being super yummy and the girls ACTUALLY ATE THEIR FOOD which was a huge miracle.

 

__four__ Caroline has become obsessed with having long hair, so against my better judgment I straightened her hair the other morning before school on a rare day that we had some extra time. She looks like a completely different person with her hair straight!

 

__five__ I'm realllly trying to avoid additional stretch marks this pregnancy, so I've been religious about putting lotion on my belly at night. I've just been using this Nivea moisturizing cream, but does anyone have any tried and true suggestions?