HW

This pregnancy has been really hard on me physically and emotionally. I didn't get sick much with my other three and overall I had really easy pregnancies. This time, however, I was already drained plus adding on the pounds, the queasiness, the breaking out... Not to mention I freakin MISS my long hair and dont particularly feel like myself with this short "do." All this combined really has taken it's toll on me and I became depressed.  It's hard to know how to change your attitude when you have no idea if it's hormones, (it is) or morning sickness (or all day sickness) or anything pregnancy related. How do you know if you need to go easy on yourself- or if there are things you need to force yourself to do to feel normal again? Aka- fake it until you make it.  These were questions I was asking myself daily. During the first trimester I took the 'take it easy' approach. I hardly had enough energy to get out of bed, let alone do things I enjoyed doing. B...

  Hello Whimzies! It's been a minute... or a few. I wont lie, this pregnancy has been a kick in the pants, but all is well and I have something exciting up my sleeves... Not sure when I can announce it yet... but my goal is sooooon! In the mean time, I want to share what I've been doing to prepare for this baby's fall arrival. Yes, yes... This is my FOURTH baby and I am embarrassed to say it has taken me this long to take a class for nursing! We all know there's soooo many benefits of breastfeeding and each of my babies was a totally different experience. So with this "knowledge" I figured it wont hurt to take a class as a refresher as to what this go around might be like, or to prepare me for something totally new. Either way, it feels good to be prepared!  So let me tell you a little bit about this class! Breastfeeding with Confidence Course  Number one: You will feel PAMPERED.  I cannot tell you guys how much I needed this day to feel like a person agai...

We are absolutely GIDDY with joy! . . . Because we found out that we are expecting baby NUMBER FOUR this November! AND . . .   We are thrilled to be adding another GIRL to our crew. I have been wrong guessing the gender for EVERY SINGLE KID so I dont know why I was so surprised when we found out it was a girl. We decided to go in at 14 weeks to Fetal Photos  to find out what we were having early because WE ARE THE MOST IMPATIENT PEOPLE EVER. I knew the moment she got a good shot of the baby that it was a girl and whipped my head around to see my kids reactions when she told them. Posey's face light up and she threw her hands in the air and said, "CAN WE KEEP HER?!" Poppy was thinking it was a boy but was really happy to have another girl. Drix had no idea what was going on. Gavin also thought it was a boy so his face probably looked just like mine did. We continued with the ultrasound and told the girls they could make cupcakes to tell the rest of the family that weekend....

I cant believe how quickly these past seven weeks have flown by! It seems like just yesterday Hendricks was born, and yet he feels like he's been part of our family forever. He has been such a perfect little fella. He eats like a champ, he loves to be held and snuggled. He sleeps.... ok. Haha. As good a you can expect for a newborn anyway. He is starting to coo and make noises and is SMILING. Oh gosh, he's got a little dimple on his left cheek just like his daddy and it gets me right in the heart every time. It's been a bit of a mad house around here lately since graduation, busy toddlers, late night feedings, packing up to move, saying goodbye to friends everyday... (I don't want to talk about it!) Needless to say, this post has been on the back burner for awhile. Since Hendricks makes baby number three, I feel like I've been a lot more lax in what I'd call "essentials." All he REALLY needs is a place to sleep, something to eat and something to poop i...

32 more days... just 32 little days left until my due date but it cannot come fast enough. Keeping up with two little {and energetic} girls, staying on top of the house work and all the little things involved in everyday life is getting to be exhausting. But there's no time for that! NESTING has begun and although it can be productive, it can really drive a pregnant lady cra-zy. We don't know if we will be moving after graduation yet, so packing and deep cleaning is on a bit of a hold, but that doesn't mean I'm not bound and determined to get stuff done!    Being a list-maker MASTER, I have made the ultimate list of things I want to get done before baby makes his grand arrival. My Nesting To-Do List KITCHEN: Clean out fridge and pantry Make freezer meals Mop floors Clean cabinets, drawers, etc. Get rid of old appliances Command center (Get rid of old mail, bills, paperwork, etc.) Stock up on groceries BATHROOMS: Clear cupboards Get rid of makeup you...

I pretty much hit the jackpot when I hooked this handsome fella and got him to pop the question seven years ago. When we were expecting our little Poppy, I spent many days thinking about which of us she'd look like {me} and what attributes she'd have. The same thing happened when we had our second baby and again for our third; only this time we are having a boy and though I still find myself wondering who he'll look like, I find myself hoping he'll be just like his daddy.  Here are 6 Attributes I Hope My Hubby Passes onto Our Son: Hard Working. Gavin is incredibly hard working. Even on his days off, he takes on many projects or chores to keep himself busy and helpful. I've never known him to take a day just to be lazy.  Creative. This kid has a creative side that you'd never know was there if you didn't know him well. He can put together projects like it's no ones business. He is an excellent woodsman and has made not only our bed, but the crib and c...

Not sure what the pregnancy essentials are? You dont need as much as you'd think. My pregnancy essentials are a bit different this time around since technically, you can get away with not having a whole arsenal at your disposal. Especially now that I've been pregnant twice before, I'm realizing there are things I dont particularly need but other ladies couldn't do without, and vice versa.  Since you dont really need much, I suggest taking the money you save and get yourself a cute maternity outfit so you feel smokin hot, or get your hair done, or even some eyelash extensions , because you're growing a flippin human being so I say... treat yo'self! My Nine Pregnancy Essentials and why I need them:     1  Crude Oil   I have broken out like CRAZY this pregnancy and since you can't use a lot of products because of the drugs involved, I found that Crude Oil is a natural way to clean and hydrate my skin. It feels amazing on my face and ke...

By now, I would say that I am a pro at being pregnant. Considering I've been pregnant 25 months in the past 3.5 years, I'd say that's a pretty fair statement. Although I'm not naive enough to say that this third pregnancy has been a breeze, I do feel like I'm not as surprised by anything anymore. Well except the whole being 25 months pregnant thing... Wow! 11 Differences in My Third Pregnancy It goes by MUCH faster. The first time around seemed to last forever because I spend almost every waking moment thinking about it. This time around however, I'm much more distracted with two little ones and am lucky to even get a moment to enjoy those little kicks and turns. How you carry. I'm not sure if there's a difference between how I'm carrying this time around because it's a boy, or if it's because it's my third and its a bit roomier in there, but this time I seem to be carrying much lower than the other two. My doctor said that it's...

We've been feeling a little blue these days... But in a good way! We are so THRILLED to be welcoming a new little man in our lives this April. Poppy is especially excited to see her baby brother. She thought she'd teach Posey a thing or two... You know, since she's a pro.

Miss Monroe {for safety reasons, Monroe will now be referred to as Posey} was due on July 31, 2014 but each doctors appointment prior to her arrival suggested that she would not be arriving in time. Unless you've been there yourself, I cant tell you how awful it is to hear that when you are 9 plus months pregnant. Many tears were shed in desperation to be done and meet my little girl. My sweet mom and wonderful sister had driven out to Iowa after quite an adventure {that's a story for another day!} and were such troopers! Putting up with me and my hormones were not easy I tell you. {Sorry guys!} They entertained my energetic two year old, they cleaned my house, they made dinners and did their best to keep my mind off of how uncomfortable I was. Gavin was great too. So sweet and supportive even after working long hours at TWO pharmacies. Crazy boy. Well the due date came and went with no progression. If I didn't end up going into labor on my own, my doctor said they would in...

Miss Paisley was due May 27, but she took her sweet time getting here. On Wednesday night, the doc said to come into the hospital to get prepped so I could be induced in the morning on Thursday. As Gavin and I were driving into the hospital parking lot, I started feeling contractions. After the nurse got me settled and hooked up to the monitor, she noticed that my contractions were already a minute apart. She stepped out to make a call to my doc. Gavin and I waited patiently until she returned. She informed us that we wouldnt be going home that night and we'd be having a baby instead. Holy cow! This baby definitely does things on her own terms! We were thrilled. Gavin stepped out to call our family and ask if someone could stop by our house to grab our bags. Luckily my contractions werent too bad at first. Gavin and I were able to laugh and talk and enjoy our time in the middle of this adventure. This was it! We were finally going to meet our Little Lady! After some time, the doc s...