40 Weeks - Jackfruit

Well.. it's my due date, and there's no baby!

We had a doctor's appointment today to see if we needed to induce and of course he's perfectly happy and comfy in there.  He scored an 8 out of 8, he's active, practicing breathing, and plenty of fluid.  So... we'll induce next Tuesday if I haven't had him yet.

Luckily, step 1 of "inducing" is already done.  I'm 3cm dilated, 80% effaced, and he's still head down.  That makes that easier.

I've tried everything to have him come out and nothing is working.  We walked 4 miles, ate pineapple, ate spicy food, ate Italian, rolled on the birthing ball, etc, etc and nothing works.  Darn. Either way, by next Tuesday he'll be on his way!

Last weekend my sister in law came into town and we had so much fun with her!

We enjoyed some yummy Mexican food

and enjoyed a gorgeous day on the patio.

I "pinned" this last week,

and Dave got wood from a dumpster and came home and made this...

looks pretty good!!

I also spent yesterday making lots of freezer meals!  Lasagna, spaghetti sauce, and chicken spaghetti.. We're ready James.. please come out soon!

38 Weeks - Pumpkin

38 Weeks - Pumpkin (this was supposed to be posted on Tuesday - oops!!)

I feel like a pumpkin, I feel round and HUGE.  I know I said that last week, but

wow!!

It's 2 weeks until my due date and my doctor says that I'm not going past it, so
I'll probably have him this week or next.  Hmm.. we could have a baby this

week?!  That's crazy!!

Yesterday at the doc appt I was 2cm dilated and 70% effaced.  That's progress!
 Today I was a little bit nauseous which is a sign of labor, but that's probably
just in my head.  My Braxton Hicks are about 10-15 minutes apart and she said if
they get to every 5-7 minutes then I need to come in..sooo, we'll see!!  Knowing
my luck, I'll probably still be saying all of this in 3 weeks.

My last day of work is Thursday and that's very bittersweet. I'm SO excited to
have a baby, but very sad to be leaving work.  I want to stay home with baby but
not teaching will be a huge adjustment.

This last week Dave finished the bookshelf, it looks so good!

We have dinners every night this week with different people as last dinner
before baby.  We also had a date night last night before baby.  I had sushi,
can't wait until it's not imitation crab anymore!

(I feel enormous!! but.. that dress is pre-pregnancy!! woohoo!)

Also, one of my very best friends, Emily, and I have gone crazy and we've
decided to run a marathon, not a half marathon, but a FULL MARATHON in a year.
 That will give me the time to recover from delivery, do couch to 5k so I can
run 3 miles (I hope it doesn't take that long, but we'll see), then train for a
half marathon in the fall, and... a FULL marathon in April.  We're thinking of
doing it close to our home town so that family and friends can cheer us on.  I
guarantee this will be checked off the bucket list only ONCE.  So I better make

it count.

We ran the Disney half a year ago and it was so fun!  We have a goal of a half

marathon a year so we can see each other when we live on opposite sides of the

country and to keep our butt's in shape!  I hope little James is ready for some

time outside in that stroller!!

37 Weeks - WinterMelon

37 weeks - full term baby!!

Please excuse the picture, it was taken first thing this morning and I look like I just woke up.. UGH!!

I had a doc appointment yesterday and baby is doing great!  I'm 2cm dilated and still 50% effaced.  When I asked what her predictions were she said she really doubted that I'd go past my due date.  But.. he can do whatever he wants!!

I definitely feel pregnant!  Not to complain but... achy hips, cramps, EXHAUSTED!!

I'm due in 3 weeks and my last day of work is next Thursday, unbelievable.  My sub started yesterday so I'm teaching my classes and teaching him.  It's exhausting, but definitely worth it!!

He's also started hiccuping the last couple weeks which is so cute..annoying.. I mean cute.

Last week we had baby classes, can you believe my husband has never changed a diaper??  I've babysat a million kids and worked in an infant room of a daycare, but I've never bathed a brand new baby or decided when it's an emergency or not, so we had fun.

My in-laws were in town last week too and somehow we decided to take out the infamous throwing knives (remember when I creeped on Dave and posted a pic of him on facebook for everyone to see him being a nerd?) well... now there are pics of me.. 9 months pregnant.. throwing knives... oh dang.

Dave has also been busy on a bookcase for all the awesome books we've gotten from baby showers!

And once again I'm overwhelmed by everyone's generosity.  My coworkers had a baby shower and got the little guy a swing, I've heard that will be a lifesaver!

I'm up 31 pounds which is one pound from last week, so I'm hoping to stay in the 25-35 pounds! WOOHOO!

28 Weeks - Eggplant

What a fun week!  Today is the start of 7th month and 3rd trimester, wow!!! So crazy.

I have gone on the record many times saying that I HATE baby showers.  I always say that no one wants to watch anyone open gifts for 2 hours, measuring bellies, and drinking non-alcoholic punch.  Well.... I'm eating my words.  I had such a great shower this weekend thanks to great friends and family.  Nichole really did a great job!!

Here were a few things that made it so great:

1) Friends and family from all over came in for the shower.  I wish I could have seen them longer, there just wasn't enough time to get to see all of them as much as I wanted.

2) Books!  Every person brought a book instead of a card and now Baby Ball has a stocked library.  I LOVE IT!!

3) This guest book! How cute is this?!  I love the idea!!!  They stamped and signed what day they think Baby Ball will be here.

4) What will future baby look like?  The magazine clipping artwork was awesome.. and apparently everyone hopes he looks/acts just like his dad. (hunting, camo, athletic, wine, and whiskey) .. I hope he has his dad's characteristics but looks like a kid, so I chose this one.

5) this cake..because who doesn't love a cookie cake??

6) The weekly pictures were hung, so cute

Favorite gifts??

1) the books

2) this handmade blanket/quilt made my best friend since I was 4 years old.. who I like to run half marathons with.. she's awesome!  Tummy time on this will be perfect!! (and it's in the shape of a dog.. she started me on rescue dogs!)

3) 4th generation baby blanket!  It's pink I know, but it was used by my grandfather (who baby is named after), his brother, my great Uncle, who married us! and my dad and his brothers.  My grandmother also used this baby blanket on all of us grandkids.  I love this!! And who cares that it's pink?  Apparently in the 20s pink and blue wasn't such a big deal

4).... THIS DIAPER BAG!  OMG, I love this bag.  Is it super practical? Who knows! But.. it's beautiful, and I can't wait to carry this around!!  I might start using it as a purse early..  Dave can now have his manly man diaper bag because I'll be taking this one around!

Pregnancy this week.. still at crossfit, haven't made any more modifications.  Some Kettle Bells to get around my belly, but still feeling great!

I passed my Glucose test!! Woohoo, so I got to eat that awesome cake!

I've evened out after all the vacations and am at 20 pounds gained which is right on track!

My awesome husband, who I like to brag on because he doesn't do it himself, is in the process of making this beautiful changing table. I can't wait to put it in Baby Ball's room!!

 

24 Weeks - Cantaloupe

24 Weeks - Cantaloupe

Last week we announced the baby name, James Charles Ball, after both our fathers.  Apparently when I tagged our parents on facebook it looked like the baby had 5 middle names...oops.  We've also had lots of questions of what we call him.  We think James, but some people are already saying Jim Chuck... oh no.

I remember when I was taking pictures with a little green olive, and now a cantaloupe??  One of my main pregnancy cravings has been fruit, so I'm thrilled that this week's cantaloupe will make some yummy breakfasts and snacks!  The other craving this week is pickled okra - yum - I can't get enough of it!!

Weight gain?  Over the past two weeks I think I've gained 4 pounds so that's a total of 19 in the 24 weeks.  I'm a little afraid of that number but hoping that since all I've done is eat and not exercise for Christmas and New Years that that number will soon change a bit!?

We had such a good time with family this past week.  On New Year's Eve Eve we had a fondue party.  It was so much fun!

Habers - New Years Eve Eve

Balls - New Years Eve Eve

Dave and me!

The whole crew!

Habers and Seiters - New Years Eve Eve

We then drove back on New Years Eve (in snow and rain the ENTIRE way with 2 dogs that were PERFECT!!) and made it in time for a friend's New Year's party.  Fun!  I got the oreo balls out of the freezer and they were a hit again.  Please don't notice that I have very few maternity clothes and am wearing the same thing in most pics..




                                        Actual New Years Eve at midnight!  With my non-alcoholic bubbly!

I read on a friend's blog about her 2013 fitness goals.  Obviously, I can't make any huge goals for the next few months but I can make some post baby goals.  Of course first and foremost it's to have a healthy pregnancy, delivery, and baby.  After that though, she said that she wants to do a muscle up.  Read about that here.  That's one impressive goal!!! So, Dave now has that same goal (if  a girl can do it he can too..) and I would like to be able to do a strict pullup.  I got a couple kipping pullups right before I got pregnant and so a strict pullup is a big goal!!  I'd also like to run a half marathon faster than before, sub 2.5 hours.  I can't really work on those goals right now, but I have them for the future and between now and then I'll continue to safely workout while pregnant!

Nursery?  Yay, the blinds are up in the nursery and we've picked bedding!  While fixing up our house we've now officially replaced every set of blinds in the whole house!  We're done!!

We did wainscoting in the nursery, painted it a pretty gray, and went with a moose, bear, buffalo theme.  So the bedding we chose is Dwell Studio Woodland.  It's neutral and has cute foresty animals on it! Super cute.


This week I hope to pick out a crib and get started!