Relax

Hope you all have a relaxing weekend!

Full Term!

This picture says it all.  As of today, BC2 is 37 weeks, meaning that she is now considered 'full term,' despite the fact that she isn't due for another 3 weeks.  I had an ultrasound last Friday to confirm position, and BC2 is head down and looking rather squished.  Mommy is filling rather 'full' these days too.  Overall I am still feeling great, still sleeping fairly well, and the temperature has eased up a few degrees outside, which is extremely helpful.  I am definitely having contractions on occasion as my body warms up for the task at hand, which is also a friendly reminder to hurry up and get my act together because this baby could show up any day.  Our act is currently mostly together.  The hospital bag is packed and we put the second carseat in the car.  Leyton had an absolute fit during that process, but she actually really enjoys her new seat location directly behind the driver (she can see better out the side window and she says 'hi' to all the passing cars).  

Seeing all the new baby stuff definitely helps make it all seem more 'real.'  Last weekend I was pleasantly surprised by some sweet friends of mine with a baby shower.  Whitney put together a lovely lunch for me and some of my Coronado friends, complete with balloons, cake, and baby gifts!

My sweet friends

Most of the women there had more than one child, so they knew exactly what a get a 'second-time' mom.  I got some gender neutral clothes, some new sheets, several books, toys, shoes, and gift certificates for both myself and baby.  Leyton even got a couple of books about being a big sister, which I thought was VERY sweet.

My sweet prayer partner, Ms. Ann.  Leyton LOVES Ms. Ann and has been over to her house several times to play.  She is also on my 'call list' in case BC2 doesn't wait until Grammy shows up on September 8.

Here are BC2's quarters.  He will sleep in the pack-n-play for a loong time -until Leyton is ready for a toddler bed AND they can share a room.

We have the noise machine ready.  We have the same one for Leyton, again so they can hopefully one day share.  The green dinosaur lovely is BC2's 'DoDo' (or NaNa if you speak Leytonese).  I bought TWO of them, and plan to switch them out from the get-go.  Leyton also has two, but #2 didn't show up until she was about 8 months old and she wants NOTHING to do with that impostor.  The doll is also Leyton's.  She has a book titled "Baby Dear" about a little girl who gets a baby doll on the same day that her Daddy brings her Mommy and baby sister home from the hospital.  The little girl in the book bathes, changes, feeds, and walks her baby while the Mommy does the same with the little sister.  So, that doll, whose name is currently Stella, is Leyton's Baby Dear.  We will bring her home with us from the hospital.

So we are all just about ready for BC2.  I am reading some books on natural childbirth.  That is my goal again this time around.  I figure if I can survive the worst part of labor strapped down in a car for a hour, then I can do it under more relaxing conditions.  The midwife said second labors are generally half as long as first, so that is another plus.  That, coupled with the fact that I am terrified of needles and all the complications that can arise from a medicated birth, make it a good choice for me.  I am also very excited to find out whether BC2 is a boy or girl because- although I am convinced she's a girl, I don't really know that for sure at all.  So instead of scared and anxious and excited, this time around I am just excited about having the baby.  Sure it will hurt for a while, but I haven't met a mom yet who'd say their kids weren't 100% worth it!

Campoamor Cousins

We had a blast visiting with Gramma, Aunt Sonya, Uncle Ben, Cousin McKinley and Cousin Piper this past week.  And of course no Campoamor get-together would be complete without a photo shoot.  So here are the cutest!

First and probably the best shot

Cute!

And so sweet!  She liked Piper just fine until Dada picked Piper up.  And then LC broke into a jealous rage.  

Gramma's girls

Very typical family photo

Gramma taught her to skip.  It looks more like a one-legged goose step though.

We had a wonderful visit.  Especially with Gramma.  Leyton has been asking for her all morning.  She calls her 'Ga.'  Miss you Ga!  See you in October!

It's Hot Out Here Folks!

Okay, so in most of the country, 80 degrees in August isn't anything to complain about.  But we live in southern California afterall, so anything below 65 or above 75 is either too cold or too hot.  Yes, we are spoiled.  However, because the weather is almost always so beautiful, many of the houses here do not have central heating and air conditioning.  Ours would be one of those houses... no AC what-so-ever.  And 80 degrees without AC plus 30 extra pounds and 35 weeks pregnant = HOT.  The good news is that it cools off at night, down to around 70, and so I am able to sleep.  Even better news is that I can now also breathe!  At my last appointment, I told the midwife the only problem I had was that I got a cold at the beginning of July and STILL had horrible congestion (so bad that at one point I couldn't even chew because the side of my face hurt so bad).  She suggested I try Zyrtec and a Benedryl before bed.  Three days later I am a new person!  Oh I can breathe!  So apparently I have allergies, which is bad, but the drugs help 100%, which is good.  That is until BC2 is born... it says on the Zyrtec box that nursing mother's shouldn't take it.  So pray that whatever I'm allergic to is gone by mid-September.

In other news, Ryan left last Wednesday to go pick up another helo in Jacksonville.  He was supposed to be gone for a week.  I love Leyton, but taking care of her 24/7 with no breaks when I am also growing another baby is exhausting.  Luckily, Ryan's mom agreed to come out from Kentucky and help out and oh has it been wonderful.  Instead of an exhausting week (which has now turned into 10 days because of course the helo broke down) of barely surviving, I have been able to get TONS of stuff done.  Gramma plays with Leyton, and Mommy catches up on cooking, cleaning, shopping, errands, naps... so wonderful.  I always wondered what rich ladies did who had kids and a nanny and no job -the answer is: anything they want!  Gramma's visit was supposed to be a surprise for Ryan and for his sister and her family, who are in town from Oregon.  But due to scheduling, we had to tell Ryan, but Sonya was completely surprised to see her mom when she showed up at the water park to play.  As usual, I have been really bad about taking pictures (like of the two birthday parties we went to), but here are some that I did get. 

Leyton and Gramma playing in the fountain

Leyton didn't really like to run into the sprinkler, but she didn't mind a mild splash from it.

Playing 'Fill the Bucket' with her cousin McKinley

Tongue out for extra focus

Yes, I know she is tan.  I feel like a horrible mother every time someone mentions it.  I put SPF 50 on her anytime she goes outside and she has never been burnt.  But she tans anyway... I blame her father :-)

McKinley, Piper, and Leyton

Kisses from Aunt Sonya

Family Reunion

Leyton is very curious about Piper, especially when she cries.  And she was NOT a fan of sharing her toys with Piper.  Oh what a rude awaking Princess Leyton is in for in just a few short weeks!

She is getting pretty good at dressing herself.

She decided to add this little number to top off her pajamas this morning.  And no outfit is complete without DoDo.

BC2 is growing and doing great as far as I can tell.  Next week at my midwife appointment they will do an ultrasound to make sure the baby is positioned well and all is good.  According to my smartphone app, BC2 is due in just 34 days!  Other than being hot, which is mostly weather related and not baby related, I am feeling awesome.  I am sleeping well (the Benedryl probably helps) and I am still doing CrossFit most mornings.  I plan to keep going up until I have the baby or until I'm just too tired.  Other than a few exercise modification here and there, until now I have been able to do the same workout as everyone else.  But this week I started getting some pain in my tailbone region when doing squats.  So I think it's time to ease up on the 200lbs deadlifts and 130lbs front and back squats (yep, actually lifting that) until AFTER the baby.  The pregnancy hormones are softening my joints and it's no longer a good idea to put that much of a load on them.  But I'll still go to the gym and move around.. being super pregnant is no excuse for being super lazy!  And perhaps regular exercise is one of the reasons I'm still feeling so good... hmmm.. just a thought!

One last baby note: I bought BC2 a 'going home/hospital picture' outfit in case she is a boy.  It's grey and can still be worn by a girl, but that is the only real 'boy' thing I've bought.  It was very strange shopping for 'boy' stuff.  I generally bypass that section all together.  That is one plus to not knowing the gender, is it keeps you from buying crap that you don't need.  I plan to buy a special 'girl' outfit too, so I can keep it in her keepsake box.  But I don't want a pink one, so that is hard to find.  I am not as against girls in pink now as I was with LC (as long as they don't ONLY wear pink), but brand-new newborns are so red that pale pink looks awful on them.  Leyton wore green, but purple or blue would work too.  What a blessing that these are my concerns just weeks from my due date :-)

Wild One

We had a nice quiet week here at the Campoamor's.  Just our regular silliness.  Here is Leyton and Elephant trying out Panda's new litter box.

That large blob in the background is Leyton's 33 week pregnant Mommy!

Let's get serious, Parents!

Leyton is wearing some pretty shoes that Mommy got on clearance.  They rubbed a huge blister :-(  Apparently Leyton needs size 6 shoes now.

On Tuesday we went to the zoo.  Leyton loves all the animals, but you just can't top the petting zoo when you are a toddler.

She fed the goats hay.

And rode hippos with Daddy.

She was a big 'Geico Gecko' fan too (that is what she calls all lizards).

My Little Big Girl

You hear it and say it over and over: 'They grow up so fast."  And it's so true.  Leyton reaffirms that adage daily.  Yesterday she decided she would play outside on the step with her toys and feed them lunch while I was preparing lunch for she and I.  She got a tea cup, filled it with leaves, asked the blessing, and then 'fed' her two elephants AND shared her sippie cup with them.  One of the cutest things I've ever seen in my life.  And a sharp reminder that not only do kids grow up fast, but they watch EVERYTHING we do.  She was making lunch because I was making lunch.  She asked the blessing because Ryan and I ask the blessing for we all eat.  If I put my shoes on, she goes and gets hers on.  And the only way to get sunscreen on her without a wrestling match is if I put it on myself at the same time.  So it's time to tighten up Mama.  I have to be the person I want her to become.  No pressure!

Chilling on the step, while her 'babies' eat lunch

Asking the blessing

After nap and a wardrobe change

She is annoyed that I am taking pictures and she wants to look at the pictures in the viewfinder

I keep taking pictures, so she has a fit about it (she didn't learn this from me)

Water for Elephants (or milk actually)

Here is my big girl putting on her big girl panties.  She wanted to wear all three pair at once, not to mention one on each leg.

Mommy helped her out.  We had a discussion about how she had to be a big girl and keep them clean and use the potty.  She kept them dry for a long time, but eventually, when we were outside, Hello Kitty got wet.  But, Leyton did do the sign language for 'potty' which is a big step up for us.

SPLASH!

Last week and this week, Leyton and Mommy have been doing Parent and Child 'Swimming' Lessons.  The goal of the class isn't to teach them to swim, it's to get the kids comfortable in the water.  We kick, blow bubbles, play with toys, climb out of the pool and jump back in, and get dunked underwater.  Leyton LOVES it!  The only melt down we had was the very first day, when we got there 10 minutes early and had to wait on the deck for our turn.  She was ready to SPLASH right away.  So our first lesson was to arrive exactly on time.  The first day in the water she was a bit clingy, but soon she would turn me loose and splash with her hands and feet.  She loves to stick her tongue out and taste the water.  I wouldn't say she likes getting dunked, but she doesn't cry. I would do it more than just at the end, but she has her mouth open in a smile or with her tongue out for most of the 30 minute class and I don't want her to swallow a bunch of water.  That, and it can be a bit chilly here in the morning, and getting her hair wet makes her shiver.  All in all though she is having a great time and asks to go 'Dash' all day.  I don't have any good pictures of her at the pool because I don't want to take our camera and get it wet.  Between Leyton and towels and clothes and snacks and being pregnant, I have enough to carry!

For my 31 week pregnancy update, I've determined that my body is going to leave no pregnancy 'symptom' undone.  You name it, I had it either the first go around with Leyton or this time around with BC2.  My skin is changing color, I can hardly breathe from nasal congestion, I take Tylenol every 5 hours for a nasty head ache, and sometimes I'm so tired I can barely stand it.  Add those to all the other symptoms I've been listing over the past 7 months.  And those are just the ones I feel like posting... there are several others that would fit in the 'Too Much Information' category, so we will just leave those unsaid, but you can bet I have them!  On a positive note, I've moved into the guest room and now sleep with the windows wide open and a fan blowing on me and a small blanket on my upper body with my body pillow.  Ryan on the other hand is in our room under a ton of blankets spread out in the middle of the bed.  We're both sleeping better than we have in months!  I've still got two more months to go, and I don't hope this kid comes before Grammy can get here, because then I'll have to worry about what to do with Leyton, but I believe that the second Grammy's plane touches down, I'll be hoping for the contractions to start.  In the meantime...

Here are some pictures I snapped this morning.  I told Leyton we were going Splash in a little while.  She decided to expedite the process by putting on her bathing suit by herself.

Unfortunately the bottoms got stuck on her head.

And Mother of the Year went and grabbed the camera instead of helping a kid out.

We finally got dressed and off to the pool.  All last week I stuffed a liner in LC's swim diaper in case she peed between home and the pool.  It was always dry, so today I left it off.  Here she is modeling Mommy's maternity shirt, which she had to wear home because her bathing suit cover was covered in pee.

It's true what they say... when you look this good, you can wear anything!

She was about to fuss about running out of Cheerios...

But got distracted by Panda...

And decided to pull her tail instead.  NEVER a dull moment!