Bumpdate: 36 Weeks

The weeks really are flying by! I'm trying to do as much as I can to prepare for life after baby arrives - meal planning, reading books on baby, organizing, putting away things in baby's room... it's all so much fun! Although I loved teaching and totally miss the sweet teachers I worked with, I'm happy to have the extra time during the day right now. Sleep is currently not the greatest though, so I can get super tired especially by mid or end of the day. I'm still loving my prenatal yoga, and I'm trying to do more walks around the neighborhood to stay active as I have officially frozen my gym membership.

The Braxton Hicks have kicked up a notch and I get them now every day, several times a day. I've also experienced some back contractions! Baby has been pretty hungry this week - I was out and about running errands and shopping one day and had not just one but two lunches at different restaurants. Basically back to back. I'm at about +31 pounds right now from just listening to whatever baby wants to eat, so I'm hoping this will leave me at +35 by the end of pregnancy which is right on the tip top of the recommended weight gain. 

We had our very last pregnancy class this week. It was at the hospital where I'll deliver and it was all on breastfeeding. It was the first class that went over what to do when baby arrives instead of just focusing on labor and delivery so it was quite the switch! Max has been super amazing and has been there for all of our classes, which I am so thankful for (I know I would forget half the content without him, plus it's just so nice to have my partner there with me). Max has also become an expert at helping me stand up and sit down, which is super sweet and helpful as our honeydew sized lil' bean makes everything a bit more difficult these days - even reaching my tennis shoes! I had to contort all kinds of ways to tie them this week. 

Next week, I'm looking forward to making and freezing more meals, seeing my doctor and getting news of *hopefully* more labor progression, meeting our potential pediatrician, prenatal yoga, long walks in the desert sunshine, finishing packing my hospital bag, and enjoying these final days with my husband when it's still just us two :) 

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Showered With Love: Arizona Edition

Earlier this month, my sweet, sweet Arizona friends threw me an incredible "Mommy to Bee" shower. The fabulous and talented Alyssa from Cuteology Cakes hosted at her house and surprised me with a "bee-utiful" desserts table: 

And the cutest cake I've ever seen: 

Each treat was every bit as delicious as it looked! 

And every detail was incredible! 

Mommy to Bee with Grandmas to Bee! 

 Bee-utiful hosts...

Yummy lunch: 

Detail of the bee themed diaper cake! 

Hosts and wonderful guests: 

Fun party games!

Baby Klein was spoiled with gifts...

So happy our lovely moms were here to celebrate baby! 

And so happy the amazing Daddy to Bee played photographer at the beginning of the party and came back to help load the car with all of the presents. 

We are so very thankful for this day, and were completely overwhelmed with the love and support from everyone. Thank you for welcoming Baby Klein in such a special way! 

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35 Week Bumpdate

Max and I attended our "Birth Journey" class at the Babymoon Inn this week. It promised a "unique labor simulation experience" which was a perfect way to describe it. After going over various pain-coping techniques, all the daddies (yes, the dads) were blindfolded and given handfuls of ice to hold (a.k.a. the labor pains). The soon-to-be mommies were then given the opportunity to walk the dads through the "labor pains" employing all the pain-coping strategies until it was time to drop the ice. Apparently the way the mom coached the dad is subconsciously how she would like to be coached in labor. 

I thought the girls were getting off easy, but we were then blindfolded and had to make our way to bowls full of ice, where we submerged both hands and let the dads help up through the pain. Although ice pain is definitely not labor pain, the idea was that working through any kind of pain should give you a better idea of which coping strategies work for you and which don't. Yoga breathing is still my number one. 

We also learned this week that baby is head-down (yay!) and that my body is totally prepping for labor. Baby wanted lots more vanilla steamers this week, plus cooked sushi with ginger and chocolate-chip cookie dough ice cream. This week also marks the milestone: 35 Weeks down, 35 Days to go! 

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It's Heart Day!

Max calls Valentine's Day my favorite holiday, and it's so true! I've always loved celebrating the day of hearts and pink and flowers - even in my single bachelorette days! It's even more special now having the love of my life to do sweet things for (and I can't believe I'll have another Valentine to spoil next year!!). 

I always like buying a few cards to give to Max throughout the week. This year it was extra hard to choose them as every time I tried, my pregnancy hormones would take over and I would start crying so hard I couldn't even finish reading the passages. I'm sure I got some crazy looks. I ended up purchasing a few some weeks ago and, again being pregnant, I completely forgot where I put them. As in I searched for days and came up with nada. So I decided to fashion a couple cards on my own! I stole the ideas from the Real Simple magazine my mom left here when she visited earlier this month:

Cute, no? Go figure that immediately after I finished them I found my stash of Valentine cards. Oh, pregnancy brain. 

I also love incorporating Valentine happiness into the week. Fettucini Alfredo with shrimp: 

A special greeting in husby's car for his ride to work: 

I had this basket ready for Max's Valentine's Eve arrival home from work last night. He was supposed to arrive to cold beers which he could enjoy with dinner. I made a special trip to find Ovila (one of Max's favorites) since our local supermarkets had stopped stocking it. If you've never had it, it's worth a try! Ovila is made by monks and comes with a super fancy champagne cork which just makes it seem even more festive!

Unfortunately, I got the call that husby had to work late. "Work late" usually means there is a task that needs to be done, or something that needs to be fixed and working before he can leave. Sometimes this happens quickly, and Max is back by seven or eight. Last night he was not so lucky and instead arrived home at 11:30pm to warm beers. Poor husby. The beer is now chilling in the refrigerator for another time. 

I had one last little something that Max found on his pillow :)

Happy February 14th! 

P.S. More Valentine fun from years past here, here and here! 

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Our Petite Valentine Dinners

Not long after moving to Arizona, Max and I discovered Petite Maison, the super sweet and tiny French restaurant where we have now celebrated every single Valentine's Day as husband and wife. I just love traditions! I'm very aware that this might be the last year, as next year's Valentine's Day will also bring with it an almost one-year old who won't exactly be French restaurant friendly. Perhaps we will come up with a new tradition at that point! Until then, here's a walk down memory lane...

(Last Year) Valentine's Day 2012

We dined outside on Petite Maison's darling patio. They had space heaters on and even offered big blankets, which I didn't need since this is the desert. 

The patio was super cute and romantic, and covered with twinkly lights. Max even wore pink for me :)

 I love a soufflé ! 

Valentine's Day 2011

There was a bit of a risk for rain this year (shocking for the desert!) so we dined in the charming inside. Max surprised me with the reservation this year after telling me that he couldn't get a table. He's a sneaky one! 

Valentine's Day 2010 (our first as husband and wife!)

I'm surprised I don't have more photos from this one! I was able to find this picture taken with my old iPhone. Max and I were newlyweds and dined on Petite Maison's sweet patio. The restaurant served Beef Wellington this year, so I had my first taste of foie gras. 

Each year, the restaurant has done a special fixed menu. This year, they are mixing it up by doing an aphrodisiac menu! I think it's so whimsical and clever!

Being eight month preggers, I know I'm even more excited about the dinner deliciousness this year! 

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The Home Stretch!

Eight Months

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +29

Maternity Clothes: I’ve already outgrown some of my maternity clothes. Hrmph. My newest find: wearing husby’s t-shirts and boxers to bed.  

Cravings: Tuna sandwiches, red grapes, salt and vinegar potato chips and vanilla steamers. Most recently, I made a special trip to the grocery store just to get supplies for banana chocolate chip bread, which is currently baking in the oven!

Movement: Baby gets the hiccups almost every day now! I'm also getting kicked occasionally in the ribs, ouch! 

Aversions: No but I'm still getting bouts of nausea, especially if I’m overheated. Luckily it's winter and I can adjust by taking off layers. How happy am I that I’m avoiding summer in the desert while pregnant?!?

Symptoms: Back pain and fatigue!  

What I Miss: Being able to sit, stand, sleep, drive and basically just function comfortably. Max and I tried watching a movie in our theatre last night and I must have adjusted myself two dozen times to try to get to a place that wasn't painful. I'm also randomly missing poached eggs with super runny middles (no raw anything for preggers). 

Best Moment: Having both of our moms come out to visit and my Arizona and school baby showers. Baby Klein is one lucky lil’ bean!  

What I'm Looking Forward To: More nesting, and our final two classes to prepare for baby!  Also from here on out: weekly doctor's appointments! 

My how baby (and mamma) have grown!! 

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33 and 34 Week Bumpdates

I can finally say that the bean arrives NEXT MONTH! We are so close! I had my last day of teaching this week, which was very bittersweet. I love, love, love spending my days teaching the little ones and I couldn't have asked for a better staff or school to work with these past six months. While I will be popping into school some to help with the teacher transition, I am now officially a stay-at-home soon-to-be mom (and I couldn't be more excited!). I get to bump up my prenatal yoga practice to two and three times a week (taking daytime classes I couldn't make it to before), decorate and organize the nursery, make some freezer meals for after delivery, and basically do everything I can to prepare before the big arrival! 

This week, baby wanted a Vanilla Steamer every single day. If you are not familiar with these, they are Hot Chocolate opposites - frothy milk with vanilla, and soooo yummy (or at least baby thinks so). I'm guessing the bean is needing some extra calcium these days. 

Thirty-four weeks has also brought some not-so-fun symptoms including more back pain, pregnancy insomnia, a stuffy nose, fatigue, and super powered snoring. As in my sweet husby was debating getting up and sleeping in another room it was so loud - and yes, that was with his ear plugs in! He actually audio recorded me with his iPhone just for fun, and I sound so ridiculous it's comical (though maybe not at 3am when he's trying to sleep). 

Last week, we had the pleasure of having both of our moms in town! Baby had the hiccups while they were here, which they both got to feel. 

I was showered by my school staff and again by my amazing Arizona friends. I still feel so incredibly lucky and blessed! 

Both grandmas-to-be were here for the Super Bowl. We filled the house with 49ers fans and 49ers themed food: 

Alas, our loud cheering wasn't enough for the Niners to win, but I was still thrilled they made it to the Super Bowl!! 

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