WELCOME BACK TO REALITY

I have taken a break from blogging to spend time taking a break for myself. Over the past two weeks, I've enjoyed Spring Break with and without Lauren. In a regular week, I normally bring her to daycare 3 days a week and during Spring Break I still did that. On those days I got errands done, went for runs, took a nap and generally just enjoyed my time to myself. It would only end up being a few hours a day, but it was what I needed to recharge my batteries before the new baby comes in the next two and a half months. I also spent time working on the baby's room. It isn't totally ready yet but I'm so excited about where it is headed.

This photo is already weeks old now but here is my 26 week photo. I pulled out my tripod and camera remote and took advantage of a Lauren-free time to take this photo.

The baby bump is huge! I'm carrying really high which is nice because I don't feel very pregnant unless I walk past a mirror or I don't know where the closest bathroom is. Carrying so high means that running is still going well. I'm slower, but I'm still getting out there regularly. I ran almost every day during Spring Break which was better than I expected to do. Today my doctor said that unless I'm in labor, I can run as long into the pregnancy as I want.

Now it is back to the reality of work until the baby comes. What a wonderful time we had during Spring Break though. I love that I cherished my time alone and I treasured each moment with Lauren. She really brightens my days.

TAKING AWAY THE WHAT IFS

When Lauren got sick around her birthday, it was a bad cold. She was on the couch sick for almost 5 days and then she had a terrible cough for over a week after that. The whole thing seemed to take a lot out of her. Honestly, Matt and I started to get worried. I'm not a doctor. I don't pretend to be. And I live in this state of "What if something goes wrong with her heart and I can't tell?"

On Monday, Lauren had a check up with her pediatrician. This doctor works at Children's Hospital as well and chat son the regular to Lauren's cardiologist. When we walked in, her congratulated me on the baby to be and knew my due date. It's a small world. 

We went over how Lauren has been doing and some of the activities that she regularly does. I try to do some sort of special thing with her each day, be it going for a walk to see the ducks, painting, going swimming or doing some baking. I was telling him about what we've been up to and how active she is and he stated, "Well, it sounds like her heart is doing fine!" I think that with those words he single-handedly lifted a weight that I was carrying around but trying to pretend wasn't there. I hate living in that place of worry, but without all of the fancy machines to see inside of Lauren, how can we know that she is okay? What if, what if, what if.... What ifs are exhausting and neverending! The doctor gave me the ability to look at her overall picture and assess that, yes, she is in fact doing fine. Sometimes she is tired, but sometimes so am I and my heart is fine. Sometimes she is grumpy or doesn't sleep but those can be attributed to so many other things. Most of the time she is great. 

My active, energetic and fun little girl is doing great. So great, in fact, that today she was discharged from one of the professionals who has been following her development. That's right, she's all caught up! This little girl is going to do amazing things. 

Here are some pictures of what we have been up to...

Bathtub painting. Not the best Pinterest idea ever.

New sunglasses that she actually keeps on her face. She didn't even want to take them off to let the cashier scan them.

Taking a break during gymnastics.

 Professional bubble swatter in the making.

Lauren loves to go visit the ducks. I would say that she goes to feed the ducks except she usually chooses to eat whatever I bring for us to give them while yelling at them about how excited she is.

Lots of colouring!

Taking a break, using mom's built in armrest. How convenient.

Giddy up cowgirl.

First time painting and it's a good thing that we did it outside!

Walking with her bud.

 Making chocolate pudding.

 Rainy day play with Austin. Best friends.

THREE MONTHS AND COUNTING!

Over the last few weeks, since we found out that Baby Number Two is a girl, I have been feeling the urge to nest. Lauren's big girl room has been set up in our old room and she spends a fair amount of time in there playing, reading her books and pretending to sleep in her big girl bed.

Over Spring Break we plan to make the big move by starting to put her to bed in her new bed. I'm a little nervous to see how she will sleep in a new bed but I think that it is important to move her at least a few months before the new baby comes to help with the adjustment. If anyone has any suggestions for an easy transition, I would love to hear them. So far my plan is to talk to Lauren about the move a lot next week and then remove the mattress from her crib on the day of the move so that she isn't able to sleep in her crib at all. I will also move over all of her clothes and books and get her to help me with that so that she sees the process in action. Lastly, I've already resigned myself to sleeping on the couch near her new room for a few nights as she adjusts. After some of the snoring that has been waking me up lately (no fingers pointed here, Matt) it might be a welcome break.

I'm so glad that Matt talked me into grey walls for the nursery when we first had Lauren because the grey walls and carpet and white furniture make it easy to change the look of the room simply by changing the accessories. Lauren's fabric art, bedding and decorations have moved her pinks and blues over to her new room and the baby's room looks totally different simply with the addition of purple, light blue and light green. This little girl will be wearing clothes that Lauren wore and sleep in the crib that Lauren used, but I want to recognize that she is going to be her own little person with her own story and experiences.

I've made some prints to decorate her nursery like the one above and I can't wait to meet her. Until then, I'm enjoying my time with Lauren but I know that adding another daughter and a sister for Lauren will only make our family richer.

SWIMMING, SWIMMING

Lauren's week started out with some bad growing pains so by Friday, both of us were ready for some fun. For Christmas my parents got Lauren and I ten-pass cards to the pool and we headed down for a swim. Lauren has always loved the water but she was willing to try so many more things like the slide in the deep water, going in the floating canoe and riding in a baby raft where she could be much more independent as she rode through the river section of the pool. Elysha came and snapped a few pictures that show just how much Lauren loves the pool. What a great Christmas gift idea!!