For baby Cora

These were a gift from a friend at work. She found them on Etsy and I absolutely *love* them!

Lemon cream ice cream

Homemade lemon cream ice cream is this weekends new flavor...happy weekend!

33 weeks

*33 weeks*

It's difficult to see where my belly ends but you can tell if you looks closely :) It's getting a little harder to move around from day to day. She is so heavy and I know she has a lot more growing to do, Lord willing. However I'm not having any trouble sleeping or working so that's a plus. She might wake me up at 3 am with kicks and movements but we both fall back asleep soon. It's fun to have a schedule with her already. Her active times and sleeping patterns are always the same everyday. I love it. 

So my doula noticed I was scratching my belly at church one Sunday and she mentioned that I should try using coconut oil. I mentioned it in my last post too. I took a trip to Costco today after work because we were out of our bulk items like TP and Jonathan's peanut butter. So I got the usual costco purchases, Kerrygold Irish butter (its the best butter in the world!) cat food, bulk rice, a 50 pound bag of bread flour for all our homemade bread-making, + this bulk coconut oil!

I had a little coconut oil that we use for cooking from Trader Joes (its great because its such a heat-stable oil) but when my doula mentioned it to use on my belly, I didn't realize it was literally the same stuff. Who really thinks about smearing themselves with cooking products? well now I do and I love it. It's made my skin so super soft and it absorbs so quickly. I use it all over right out of the shower. (Well I cant reach my legs and feet so well right now so I just ignore them.) I'm also using it on this nasty burn I recently acquired on my hand from the oven, and it's healing really fast!

Anyway, I was just excited about costco carrying it now so thought I'd share! 

Showered with gifts

Last night was my first baby shower thrown for me by co-workers and friends. It was lovely. After work, we all head over to Mangia Italiano on South Grand near our home to celebrate. When I arrived there were friends waiting at a large table in a dimly lit room set aside just for us. Dinnerware was carefully laid out, water glasses shimmered in the candle light, friends were sipping on their happy hour cocktails, and cupcakes and gifts awaited opening. 

*A sweet little onesie from Meaghan, one of the hostesses of the shower*

I sat down at the head of the table and ordered a St. Louis tradition,"toasted ravioli" for an appetizer and a water. Others ordered little things here and there as we await more friends to join. (We all work at different satellite locations over the city that vary from day to day, so clinic ends at different times for everyone) 

 *one of the many precious items in a package received earlier that day from Erin, my sister-in-law, it's very sailor-eque is it not? I love it!*

Once all our friends had arrived, we ordered supper and indulged in laughter and stories of whatever; the physicians we work for, babies, the many uses of coconut oil (which is my new favorite mama magic) I'll use it for my belly to prevent stretch marks, breast/nipples post feedings, baby bum for diaper woes, etc...

 *an adorable newborn onesie ( I love the neon!) from Jody*

I was gifted with so many outfits, dainty onsesies, headbands, a monitor and "nose sucker", a diaper bag from my bosses, Dr. Seuss books, rattle/blanket, childproofing kits, bibs and binkies, sippy cups and food dividers. 

*the sweetest little tights to go with a fluffy red coat from Rhonda and Ginny*

In the package received earlier that day from my dear sister-in-law, I found more soaker pads for cloth diapering (YAY!!), a sling, an abundant amount of cotton burp clothes, 2 polka dots outfits with the cutest little bloomers underneath, and a cradle mattress cover.

*the teeniest tiniest little Sunday get-up from Erin, oh! (spoon to show size)*

I received this earlier in the year when I first found out I was pregnant, I just had to post it cause its so tiny and cute :)

*a frilly little jump-suite from Rhonda A*

And all this is not to mention the gifts already received from to-be grandparents: cozy nighties, sweet knitted and quilted things, homemade blankets and so much more. I especially love all the handmade hand-me-downs from my mother that belonged to my little sisters at one point. They smell like my mothers laundry too so that makes me happy :)

*Last but not least, I received enough $$$ in an amazon gift card as the large group gift from friends either present or unable to come, to purchase our car seat!*

Hooray! Thanks to amazon prime, it should be arriving tuesday with free shipping, ah, the joys of amazon...

*not a shower gift per se but just a "hey-I-saw-this-and-thought-you-might-want-one" purchase from Stacey*

Assuming our little one will enjoy the things we love, like hiking, camping adventures and all things outdoors, Stacey picked up this sweet find from one of her co-workers. You know how I love a deal and I think this qualifies as a pretty sweet deal. It's a Kelty Kids backpack carrier at a value of around $200-280 and she got it for $25, a-mazing! We can't wait to use it.

Well once our bellies were full, the cupcakes devoured, and the gifts escorted to my car, we all parted ways to whatever friday night plans were still in store. I arrived to a warm and cozy home, safe from the frigid winter air, to a happy and hungry hubby (of whom I shared my leftovers). I showed him all the gifts and we tucked them away in her nursery, then snuggled to a movie before bed. 

Thank you to all my gift-givers!

Bearing a St. Louis January

 So ever since this guy came along for Christmas, I have seldom touched my MacBook, which means I post less often due to the wonderful convenience of the ipad and all it's magical uses. (My blogger app on the ipad does funny formatting on my posts and I have yet to work that out.) 

I tried to resist the ipad craze for so long, thinking it was just a stupid way for apple to make more money by selling this fancy appliance thats somewhere between a phone and a computer, since I had both those things I had NO need for an ipad. THEN we got pregnant and I wanted a quick, easy and modern way to take pictures and videos of our coming little one and send them to family pronto, since they cannot be here to see her grow, hence the magic of ipad. and I LOVE it. ok enough of that. 

On these bleak january weekends, we hang out with our good friends and neighbors every Sunday to start the week out with the latest episode of our favorite show. It's been fun to bring a drink, a meal, or something sweet to share as we indulge in Downton. 

Confession: I have in my possession the entire third season (airing now) and on friday night I watched the last five episodes of the series. Oh my WORD, I can't believe what happens. What a great season. Less soap opera-y than season two and just as classy as season one. 

 Lately, we have been working full time during the week, blah. and having only 2 months to go with my pregnancy, I am of course getting bigger and therefore very eager to get off my feet at the end of the day. So my nights usually consists of couch and ipad/reading time. I'm currently reading: Emma by Jane Austen for a second time and Childbirth without Fear by Grantly Dick-Read. I highly recommend if you are a woman who plans to labor and deliver naturally. or as naturally as possible.

I could get on a soap box about this, but I won't. I will say that I am *so grateful* to live in a time where medical/scientific intervention is available in emergency situations and to prevent the emergencies from occurring at times as well. However, there are many things I grieve about when it comes to the way our culture thinks about this natural and beautiful process. I am so looking forward to this process to experience it and own it. I will be so happy to share it too when the time comes. 

Pregnancy update: I am 32 weeks and have gained 28 pounds. I mention this for documenting purposes   really. I know I will be on the higher normal side of things when I am to full term and Im curious how, Lord willing, our other pregnancies will go when it comes to weight gain and fitness. 

Also, baby Cora is either a gymnast or the next Mia Hamm. She definitely has her active times. I've thrown out the "kicking count" assignment that my O.B./D.O. has given to me. I'll let her know if I'm worried but I certainly am not right now. She also gets the hiccups all the time! Sometimes twice a day. I love them. In our birthing class, the instructor said this was a good sign of a well developed CNS so that was comforting. They are so strong now, other people like co-workers and Jonathan can feel them from the outside. It's fun. 

Oh and, can you say heartburn? 

 okay okay so part of my weight gain is due to this. I admit. It may not be the best habit to make homemade ice cream every weekend but I can't help it!! :) It's so bleak out and the baby craves calcium (my excuse) and these flavors are just so divine. I've made salted caramel, gooey butter cake ice cream, and our new favorite: banana with honey butterscotch sauce. You're drooling right?! I know I am. Everything in moderation right? Click here for where all this amazingness comes from

Oh and of course our lives would not be complete without this chubby pet. He is happy and healthy and can't wait for springtime so he can go out and catch baby birds and rabbits. (we don't look forward to those gifts but it's instinct right?) 

Well seeing as how it is a Sunday night, I've got rising pizza crust dough to attend to for supper with Downton friends and homemade banana ice cream in the freezer waiting to be devoured. 

So happy Downton watching!!