Fast Forward to Fall: My Current Faves

I am rapidly (and I MEAN IT) beginning to wish this pregnancy will end quickly... We are a mere 5 weeks from when Franklin made his arrival, and while I hope that I avoid the complications that led to his early debut (so far, so good - fingers crossed!) I am also remembering how terrible I am at being this pregnant. New this week: Terrible pain in my lower back and belly button. As in, whenever something brushes across my belly button it's a pain so sharp I feel like I am going to vomit. Not kidding. Not so easy to avoid when you are carrying a near 30 lb toddler (and just bending over to pick things up on the floor). I have also caught my poor child's cold he's been battling for nearly 3 weeks now, not as bad as him (I am not coughing every breath - yet) but apparently I am snoring like a trucker and my throat feels pretty bad.

In any event, I will spare you the ramblings of a pregnant woman in her third trimester (as long as those of you who insist on giving me pity looks and apologizing every time you see me - seriously, STOP IT. I HAVE 7 MORE WEEKS TO GO), and tell you how I'm currently surviving: By enjoying the fall fashion preview and thinking about how skinny I will be (in about 4 months - wishful thinking maybe?). My current faves:

**Images from JCrew, Ann Talor, and Zara.

Baby Update

Not much to report on our end, we made it through a busy weekend and today I had another appointment with my doc to check on Crosby's progress. Stats:

Weight Gain: lost a pound! This is clearly the first time this has ever happened to me. I'm hoping that I don't have much more weight gain in this pregnancy.

BP: 114/78. Up a little from 2 weeks ago, but still good.

Measuring: 32 weeks (2 weeks ahead of my actual date). Doc thinks baby is big. I think it's just the way I'm proportioned, but understand that it means that I'm carrying a lot out in front and my back is paying for it.

This week, Crosby is around the size of a head of cabbage (if he isn't measuring ahead), and weighs around 3 pounds.

If he is actually measuring 2 weeks ahead, we're closer to 4 pounds, and the size of a large jicama:

I'm guessing he's somewhere in between, at around 3 1/2 pounds. This weekend we transition Franklin into his new room/playroom. I'll post the before and afters... wish us luck!

Crosby Stats

For my husband, who has lamented that he no longer receives weekly updates comparing the size of our growing baby to a variety of fruits or vegetables:

Crosby now weighs approximately 2 1/2 pounds (although since I apparently "cook 'em early" he's probably closer to 3) and is 15 inches long, about the size of a butternut squash-

At my appointment this morning, we won't discuss weight gain. Let's just say it's better than last time but still not quite where I'd hoped. I'm crossing my fingers that I can keep the swelling under control for these last 8-10 weeks or so. My blood pressure, on the other hand, was the best it's been since I got pregnant -- 108/58, which is a great sign. I am measuring ahead (no surprise there) by about a week. I also have managed to avoid (somewhat) the preterm contractions that plagued the last pregnancy, although there's still time for those to kick in. I'm chalking the good BP numbers up to the awesome massage and pedicure I received on Saturday courtesy of Frank (for Mother's Day). I think another massage (at least) is definitely in order before Crosby makes his debut.

In other news, this is the final week that our house will be on the market before we take it off to prepare for our new arrival. I suppose things have a way of working out, given that there really aren't any houses that we love on the market right now that we'd be willing to move in to. So we'll re-start the whole "on the market" clock in January, when I return from maternity leave. So you buyers out there start saving your pennies now. Since the nursery will not be changing decor for Crosby, Franklin will be getting a new room (now our den). Which means decorating pictures!! I'm sure you're excited. We'll get to those towards the end of July.

Happy Monday!

Proud Mama

At our final well-baby visit before Franklin turns two in October, his stats checked in at:

Weight: 27.5 lbs (60.3%)
Height: 34 inches (74.2%)
Weight for length percentile: 61.1%

We added a few new words too this week, including book! He also has "night, night" down (with trademark hand wave) and was pretty funny with the doctor... As soon as our pediatrician walked in the room, Franklin looked at him and said "Bye bye!" with a little wave... and kept waving over and over again (like it's time for you to go)! Pretty funny.

And, in a rather proud parent moment, this morning, while reading "Good Night Moon" (yes, I said this morning) I noted the Cow Jumped Over the Moon, and Franklin said "Mooo!" So I asked him, Franklin, what does the cow say? And he replied, "Moo!" My kid is a genius. I'm looking for his Harvard/Yale/MIT early acceptance letter in the mail any day now.

TGIF!

Happy (belated) 4th of July!

We spent a quiet 4th of July at home playing in the kiddie pool with the water slide. It was awesome! Franklin seemed to enjoy himself:

Water Slide from Frank Long on Vimeo.

I have a feeling we will re-visit this set up for the rest of the summer. What a great way to wear a rather active little boy out! I also made a yummy Lemonade Pie, courtesy of a recipe printed in Southern Living. And then proceeded to eat at least half the pie, by myself. Whatever, I'm pregnant. And it's hot. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
2 (3.4-oz.) packages lemon instant pudding mix
2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (12-oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, partially thawed
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1 (9-oz.) ready-made prepared graham cracker crust
Zest of One Lemon

Garnishes: whipped cream, lemon slices, crushed lemon candies

Preparation

1. Whisk together evaporated milk and pudding mix in a bowl 2 minutes or until thickened.
2. Beat cream cheeses at medium speed with an electric mixer, using whisk attachment, until fluffy. Add lemonade concentrate, vanilla, and lemon zest, beating until blended; add pudding mixture, and beat until blended.
3. Pour into crust; refrigerate 8 hours or until firm. Garnish, if desired.

A helpful hint from Southern Living advised that you can freeze a prepared pie crust for 5 minutes and remove it from the pie plate, and put it in your own pie plate for a "homemade" look. Well, the 9" pie crust I used was much smaller than my pie plate. So that didn't quite work. Next time, I'll just make my own crust, it's not that difficult -- graham crackers and melted butter. I also went ahead and spread the cool whip on top of the pie to finish it, which I think helped lighten the tartness of the lemon filling. Fair warning: If you are pregnant, hungry, and like tart things, this pie is irresistible.