38 Weeks

It's incredible to me that I'm 38 weeks pregnant, the baby could come any time, and that this could very well be my last pregnancy update. I had put together a bunch of nostalgic thoughts about the past several months and I was all set to write this glowing report of how I'm feeling since I was having a really great day and wasn't really in any pain or even discomfort. I was on my way to go shopping (just window-shopping really but I just felt like looking at clothes today) and had gotten all the way to the mall when I started having such sharp pains (contractions?) that I thought I might pass out at the wheel and had to turn around and come home. So, once again, "All those who think you have it made, take one step forward. Not so fast, George Banks!" (Story of my life!)

 Anyway, I shouldn't be such a Debbie Downer because I really have felt pretty good lately... just not this morning! Maybe the Lord was keeping me from the mall so I wouldn't spent money. =) But now that I'm almost done being pregnant, I have become reflective of the whole experience- the good and the bad (and the ugly- there's definitely been some ugly.) I'll probably write a post solely dedicated to things I didn't expect about being pregnant or something like that... but these days I'm just having a bit of a hard time getting my thoughts together. (Imagine that!) I will say that even though it's been hard at times, I know that I've had an extremely easy pregnancy compared to most people and the fact that I've been pregnant at all is something some women never get to experience so I don't take that for granted at all. I am very (hashtag) blessed!

 So, I'll try to put together a fun pregnancy-related post (maybe more humorous than my usual rambling questionnaire that you don't necessarily care about!) but for now, here is my (hopefully) last update before Alice makes her big appearance! (And it will be big... Homegirl is already in the 75th percentile for weight!) 

Speaking of the 75th percentile for weight.. ha! Ice cream = a reward for making it through a rather (ahem) invasive exam without crying. (I did whimper a lot but there were no tears.)

How far along: 38 weeks today!
How big is baby: not entirely sure but the app said the size of a Swiss chard... that's not something I'd want to eat let alone compare my baby to but I guess it means about 21 inches? 
Weight gain: yeah, yeah... it's there (but still not as bad as I thought it would be? Maybe I'm in denial.) I'm really starting to think about how that's going to be after the baby comes and how my clothes are going to fit with my new shape. It should be interesting! =) 
Sleeping: uggghhhh. Not good. I'm lucky to get a couple of hours uninterrupted by a bathroom break or just pain in my legs or back. I guess it's just practice for when I am forced to get up to feed the baby but it seems a little cruel to be deprived of my last few weeks of "freedom" to sleep when and for however long I want. 

Food cravings: still M&Ms, all day every day.
Food aversions: nothing in particular, but not much actually sounds good these days, hence the handfuls of M&Ms. (#cleaneating ha!) 
Symptoms: back pain, lack of sleep, uncontrollable emotions... poor Jonathan! We've both been a little edgy- mostly excited but obviously a lot of anxiety is building up since this is kind of a life-changing thing we're about to experience. To quote George Banks yet again, "There were leg cramps, backaches, and cravings... and the women were worse." 
Miss Anything?: sleeeeep. Also my wardrobe is pretty small (as in quantity not size =) right now, which is fine since I so rarely put on an actual outfit but still. And this has far less to do with being pregnant and more to do wit the weather but I am really ready to wear fall clothes and it's still SO. VERY. HOT. that even a light scarf (like I wore yesterday) is a huge mistake. 
Doctor’s appointment: Everything has been fine. As of last week I wasn't dilated but I guess we'll find out Thursday if that has changed. (Say a prayer for me!) 
Clothes: like I said, I'm not able to wear a bunch of stuff right now but it's mostly because it's too hot for my fall clothes, not because stuff doesn't fit. A lot of my clothes still fit but I'm typically reaching for the same handful of dresses since they're the easiest (and putting on pants or shorts requires careful maneuvering that I rarely have the energy for. #lazy) (Being super inflexible reminds me of being a cheerleader in tenth grade- I know, I know- and how one of the girls was trying to do the splits and even thought she was still like a foot off the ground she was like, "Coach! Coach! Look how low I am!" Poor thing. I shouldn't judge though since I of course never even really attempted the splits because again #lazy.) 
Movement: mostly just pushing outward since the poor baby is so squished in there at this point. She's definitely  outgrowing her space and needs to upgrade to a larger room! =)
Best moment of the week: we finished the nursery! (Cue Hallelujah Chorus and other fanfare type music.) I absolutely love how it turned out and mostly I'm just relieved that it's done... it was fun to put together but my indecisive nature along with lack of crafty skills made it pretty stressful at times. Plus we didn't really have a particular "theme" other than what was in my head so putting it all together was a challenge, but it's done and I'm happy with it. (Pictures are on Facebook if you wanna see!) 

Just one picture of the crib =)

What I’m looking forward to: having this baby! I'm definitely not looking forward to labor or pain or recovery BUT nothing can be as bad as the worst-case-scenario dread in my mind so getting past all that and just meeting her is going to be a huge relief!
What I did / Got for baby: finished the nursery. Packed her bag for the hospital (and mine too!). Read more of Babywise. 
Prayer requests: As always, health and safety for the baby and for me... and peace for me and Jonathan. Like I said, we're both just a teensy bit anxious these days, mostly from fear of the Great Unknown that is Becoming Parents (and Experiencing Childbirth) so prayers to calm our nerves would be appreciated. It's easy to say that the Lord has everything under control (and He does!) but remembering it and taking it to heart are a little harder to do (especially when you're borderline crazy worried like I am.) I know soon it will be over and I won't feel like a nutcase anymore but for now pray for us! =) 
I'm really thinking that this will be my last update for this pregnancy... if she's born on or past her due date you might be treated to one more but I hope not! I don't want her to be really early- October 13 is just fine! But anything past that is too long... this family does not make a habit of being late! No tardiness for you, Alice! (Telling her that will make a difference, right? =)
Once again, thank you all so much for your prayers and sweet comments as you've endured my ramblings and worrying and complaints and ALL THE EMOTIONS for the past several months. It's been fun to document this journey but it wouldn't be all that great to write these posts if no one was reading about them so thanks for following along and being so nice. Now it's countdown to labor time... let the fun begin! (You know I'll be letting you know what happens right when it happens. Why come this far to miss out on the grand finale?) 
Ash 

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I'd Highly Recommend...

Since I have little better to do than sit around and freak out about going through labor (so fun!), I thought I'd share a few things I've really been enjoying lately. I really enjoy reading posts like this because I'm hesitant to try new things but I'm much more likely to venture out if someone I know recommends something (within reason... you can recommend all the kale and 5ks you want... not having any of it.) 




So, at the moment, I'd highly recommend...

 ...reading More than Happy: The Wisdom of Amish Parenting by Serena B. Miller. I was extremely curious about what this would be like, but I was pleasantly surprised by the practical advice. The author was writing a novel about Amish life and in her research and time spent in the Amish community, she was so impressed with the behavior of the children that she wanted to explore the topic further. Paul Stutzman, who grew up Amish, contributed to the book. Together they picked out the positive aspects of Amish families, including the work ethic, patience, and sense of community that are strongly ingrained in the children from the earliest ages. One of the most interesting tidbits was that the youth retention rate of Baptists is about 65%, while the Amish retention rate is a staggering 95%. Clearly these people are doing something worth studying with their young people. (Also, I recommend Nurtureshock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman and Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman. Both are super fascinating and were definitely great additions to my long, long list of parenting books.) 

 ...listening to Happier with Gretchen Rubin, a podcast that discusses happiness, human nature, and habits (in the most interesting way possible.) Gretchen co-hosts with her sister Elizabeth and together they cover all kinds of topics and give tips to help make life easier and more productive. I am a huge Gretchen Rubin fan (and you should definitely read her books) but most of the information in her books is discussed here. I always get some useful information and feel more productive just having listened to each episode (that's pretty impressive, right?) so download their series! It's so helpful!

 ...eating soup! A few of my favorites: creamy tomato (grilled cheese is a must!), jalapeno popper chili (in the crockpot... SO good and perfect for a football party!) chicken italiano (takes me right back to my childhood!), and taco stew (my personal favorite- make sure you get some Fritos to put on top!) All of these are easy (obviously, since I'm recommending them) and very, very yummy. If you're actually having soup weather then lucky you.. it's still in the 90s here so I'm just pretending it's fall. =( I'll try to keep my envy to a minimum. 

 ...watching... wait for iiiiiitttt... PSYCH, of course! Since Jonathan (tragically) hadn't seen the series the whole way through, we're watching it from the beginning and, as always, I'm reminded why it's my very favorite show. It's just so funny and quotable and makes me extremely happy. Also, if you have Netflix, they've recently added Person of Interest which is another favorite of ours. I'm not into crime shows at all but it's really good and the violence is kept to a minimum (Mr. Reese mostly shoots the bad guys in the knees, so there's not too much blood.) Or, if you're a 90s kid and feeling nostalgic, Girl Meets World is also now on Netflix and even though it's very much a "kid's show," it's so fun to see Cory and Topanga again as well as the occasional delightful appearance from Feeny, Shawn, Eric, and the rest of the BMW family. 

 ...drinking for those of us who aren't alllll about the pumpkin spice life, there's Alpine Spiced Apple Cider... sometimes this can be a little bit hard to find but I'm pretty sure Walmart always carries it. It's no Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks but sometimes (almost all the time) I don't want to shell out nearly four bucks for one drink so when I get a whole box of this for a dollar I think it's great. It's not too sweet or too tart and definitely tastes like fall! (I just bought some of this and some hot chocolate mix because again, I'm in denial about the temperature outside.) However, if you're totally hung up on coffee (which I understand!) then my personal favorite is Peppermint Mocha (and I prefer the Coffee Mate to International Delight, which is a little toothpaste-y to me. I probably shouldn't have such strong opinions about hot beverages.) 

 ...wearing swing dresses from Old Navy! (Sorry, male readers, if you were expecting something for yourselves there!) I bought my first ON swing dress this summer and it's been perfect for throwing on when I want to wear something cute but super comfortable (and totally works with my big pregnant self.) I grabbed a second short-sleeved color for $6 the other day but I'm most excited about the striped long-sleeve version I got on super sale online a couple weeks ago. They have a whole bunch of colors and prints but I figured black and white stripes would be the most versatile (plus, you know... stripes!) I ordered it in a tall for a little extra length and I can't wait to wear it with ankle boots and maybe even tights if we ever get some cooler weather. (Can you tell I'm slightly hung up on the weather?) I also really want this hat but it seems a little frivolous. =)

 ...browsing- what else?- Target's Dollar Spot. I realize I'm not totally objective since I have a slight Target addiction (hey, YOU try living across the street from one!) and the Dollar Spot always has cute stuff but specifically you should go check out the fall decorations. I didn't need much this year (okay, does anyone NEED fall decorations? I guess they're more of a luxury) but I did want a pumpkin with some gold on it. I looked at one of the "craft" pumpkins at Michaels along with gold paint and it would have been over $10 (plus I'd have to do it myself, so the results weren't guaranteed to be good!) but I found exactly what I was looking for in the Dollar Spot with no crafting required. They have a BUNCH of cute stuff and while some of it looks a little cheap, most of it looks really nice! Go check it out and may you have more self-control than I usually do.

I leave you with a gratuitous selfie because why not? (Oh, maybe because I'm 26 and about to become a mom, that's why not.) 

If you try any of this stuff and like it, let me know! (If you don't like it don't tell me because then I'll doubt myself forever.) 

Ash
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36 Weeks

Hello there, friends. I thought I'd share a few facts about how life is at this stage of pregnancy. Since you're reading this, you'll assume that my voice is calm and unhurried, perhaps the voice of an automated reminder from your doctor or the voice of whoever reminds you at the airport that "the next station will be Concourse A. Concourse A as in Alpha." (A voice, to quote Beverly Cleary, of a person "who had never hit his sister or cheered at a ball game.") 

 If I were telling you about all this in real life, you'd have to listen to me trail off mid-sentence as I totally lose my train of thought, get slightly hysterical over the fact that I still haven't found any curtains for the nursery (my current thorn in the flesh), or just go nuts in general over the fact that I am having a baby very, very soon and that makes me a little bit crazy. 

 Lucky for you, you're only reading this so I'll sound slightly normal and coherent, very different from real life. =) 

 Moving on... even though our five-year anniversary was in July and we knew we wanted to take a short trip to celebrate, we opted to wait until the weather cooled down (and by that I mean back to the high 80s and low 90s... we are still in Texas, after all.) Then our wonderful church family and pastor decided to make the trip a gift for Pastor Appreciation Month and paid for our hotel room plus gave us food/shopping money, so that was an unexpected but gigantic blessing. (Thank you, thank you again Woodforest Church!) 

 We spent last weekend in San Antonio and other than all the walking that seriously made me question my sanity, it was absolutely perfect. =) The weather was tolerable- not too hot, but of course carrying another human around inside me kind of bumps my temperature up anyway- and we stayed right on the Riverwalk, which is a must if you ever go! It was so nice to get away for a couple of days and soak up the last little bit of "alone time" we'll have before Miss Alice joins our little party. I've said this before but I'm really starting to get sad that the time we have with just the two of us is coming to an end, so ending the pregnancy with a trip like this was wonderful. I seriously have the best husband, y'all. *Sigh*... okay, mushy time is over. 


How far along: 36 weeks and 2 days.
How big is baby: about 19 inches long (ish?) and the ultrasound last week said close to seven pounds (!!!) but of course those are very flexible numbers so we'll see. I do know (because it was very clear on the screen) that she's pretty maxed out in there so either she'll come early or I'll have to stretch some more and neither of those is appealing to me so... we'll see.
Weight gain: I'm starting to see it more than just in my stomach... catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror can be like, "Woah! Who's the girl with the puffy face?? Oh, just me... carry on," as I eat another handful of M&M's. (Don't judge.) 
Sleeping: Hmm... a mixed bag, really. Sometimes it's good and sometimes not but for the last few days I've still been waking up at an ungodly hour BUT have been able to go back to sleep until around the time Jonathan's alarm goes off so that's a blessing. And I'm napping most afternoons, well... because I can and I know sleep doesn't work like rollover minutes but I'm enjoying it before it's gone forever.

Food cravings: Mostly just M&M's (the fall-colored ones, thank you) but I did finally get my Arby's the other day... shocker, it didn't live up to the hype in my head.
Food aversions: I'm kind of tired of soup... it's not an aversion per se since it doesn't gross me out or anything... I've just eaten it a LOT for the past few months and I don't want any for a while. (I'll probably make it again in a day or two though... it's so easy and I'm so lazy.)
Symptoms: um, well... I completely threw my back out the other night by moving a heavy object (in my defense I didn't know how heavy it was and dropped it almost immediately BUT it was just long enough to hurt myself.) The past couple days I've been moaning constantly and avoiding the use of my right leg (pretty hard, it turns out) but I think I'm turning a corner. Fingers crossed. 
Miss Anything?: sleep. A waistline. Being able to shave my legs without cramping up like a runner who forgot to stretch. 
Doctor’s appointment: Last week's was really good... we had an ultrasound and everything was perfect, my fluid was good, etc. We'll have another checkup today and each week until she arrives. 
Clothes: I'm now trying to avoid buying any more maternity clothes since I'm so close to the end but I did buy a few tank tops and t-shirts at Old Navy the other day (I think they were less than $2 each... yay clearance!) to get me through the next few weeks. I still have my tent-like dresses and elastic-waist shorts so I'm hoping that will see me to the end!
Movement: after last week's ultrasound I know where she's positioned so I now can tell if it's a foot, hand, or elbow jabbing me... nice to know exactly how I'm being assaulted. =) 
Best moment of the week: our trip was amazing, I got the sweetest baby package (that totally made me tear up!) from a dear friend (love you Mrs. Temple!), I got my dresser drawers organized and my fall/winter clothes were gone through again... got out a bunch of lighter stuff that I'll be able to wear soon, washed it, listed some stuff to sell, etc. (I think I'm nesting!) Oh, and I ate In 'n' Out Burger for the first time almost ten years and it was just as wonderful as I remembered. 

The Holy Land... also I never eat late at night anymore but you better believe I downed a cheeseburger and fries at 11:30 pm with NO regrets.

What I’m looking forward to: if I could just find some curtains my life would be much better. Seriously, curtains and a lamp should not be so hard to find. And it would be nice if everything I saw wasn't either absolutely hideous or or required the sale of one of my kidneys. Ah well, such is life. 
What I did / Got for baby: I was tempted on our trip to buy ALL the baby clothes but I stuck to a very few needed items (namely newborn stuff since we had almost nothing that size) but I'm telling you... it was hard. It's a good thing my love of cute clothes is only outweighed by my cheapness or this kid would have me in serious trouble. 
Prayer requests: As always, health and safety for the baby and for me... the hardest part right now is not knowing when she's coming so pray that the timing is just right. I'm leaving that in the Lord's hands. Too soon and I'm not ready, too late and I'll probably be rolling around like Violet Beauregarde as a blueberry. Sounds fun!

If you care about such things, my jeans are Liz Lange Maternity, my top is Loft Maternity, and my shoes (my favorites ones pretty much ever) are from Target last year and I deeply regret not buying them in black. Also some people were staring when I took this picture but considering that the San Antonio Comic Con was also going on I refused to be made to feel self-conscious by people dressed up as cartoon characters.

Thanks again for sticking around and being so kind through this whole experience... asking about the baby, praying for our family, telling me I look pretty... equally important things. =) You're all the bomb! Happy Thursday!
Ash 
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Classic Book and Movie Combos for Kids

For most of my life, I haven't had very many kids to buy presents for. My nieces and nephews were easy since anything bright and shiny (including wrapping paper) would be a hit but now that Emily is reading, I feel the need to be enriching her education by introducing her to some of my favorite books. The same was true of Miles and Meghan (my ring bearer and flower girl)... I wanted to be the cool "cousin" (our chosen title =) but also give them something that was actually beneficial. 

Any kid would be happy to get a new movie, but not every kid is delighted with a book. (Weird!) Last year I had a moment of inspiration and decided to get Miles a movie I knew he liked and the book it was based on... hopefully inspiring him to enjoy the movie AND to read and appreciate the classic book. (He was thrilled with both.) 

SO, since that went over so well and since I just found a combo-pack of some of my favorite book-turned-movies this weekened (yay Target!) I was inspired to make a list of some of really great classic books (and their equally wonderful movie adaptations.) These make such good Christmas or birthday presents!



1. Anne of Green Gables- naturally this first of the Anne series by L. M. Montgomery  is the most well-known (and it's my personal favorite) but the movie version with Megan Follows is a classic in its own right. It still blows my mind that a made-for-tv movie could be so good and still beloved by pretty much everyone 30 years later. (This was evidenced by the public outcry of grief over the recent death of Jonathan Crombie who played Gilbert Blythe... RIP, Gil! =( Anyway, both are definitely worth reading/watching and it would be pretty cool to introduce a little person in your life to Anne-with-an-E. 

2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- this was always one of my favorite movies (the Gene Wilder version, not the creepy-as-all-get-out Johnny Depp version) but, inexplicably, I had never read the book until last fall. Ronald Dahl is just a wonder- the book is smart and sweet and hilarious and any kid would love it. And if you get the movie to accompany it, the kid will get to see that amazing chocolate-making montage in the beginning (and also be haunted by a lifetime fear of Oompa Loompas. Win/win, right?) 

3. Pollyanna- this is another one that I had somehow reached adult without reading, but the Disney movie starring Hayley Mills was a Baines family favorite when I was growing up. The book by Eleanor Porter is excellent and delves a little more into the story, especially the perspective of the adults (more background in the whole Polly Harrington/Dr. Chilton storyline, for example) but I do love the movie with Aunt Polly brought to life by an austere Jane Wyman. While I never quite mastered it, maybe your child will take a shine to playing the "Glad Game" and become more positive. =) 

4. The Secret Garden- this book might be a little hard to get through in some spots for some kids, simply because it spends a lot of time describing scenes (like the garden) and the dialogue and story are more sparsely placed... it's not an action-packed novel by any means. But it's beautifully written and can give the reader an appreciation for descriptive writing. (I promise, reading good writing is SO helpful in forming kids' vocabularies and writing ability.) Anyway, the movie version (starring Maggie Smith as Mrs. Medlock- the other versions are no good!) is awesome. The little girl who plays Mary is perfectly prickly and thaws as the magic of the garden and new friends unlocks her cold, lonely little heart. 

5.  Cheaper by the Dozen- this book is just a pure delight to read. I'd probably recommend it for middle-grade and up (and warning, there's a bit of language from Mr. Gilbreth) but these stories just make me so happy. This real-life family and their hilarious antics seem almost too good to be true, making it even more heartbreaking when their dad does pass away unexpectedly. But, in true Gilbreth fashion, they take even a tragedy in stride and do their best to keep things rolling the way Dad would have wanted. (Read the sequel Belles on Their Toes for a better look at their life after losing their father and then read Time Out for Happiness, written by Frank, Jr. in 1973... it's basically a biography of both Frank, Sr. and Lillian Gilbreth and a detailed look at their work in motion studies- absolutely fascinating.) Anyway, the movie is one of my favorites ever and it's on Netflix if you want a preview. (I'm talking about the 1950's version- not the lame one with Steve Martin that has absolutely nothing in common with the book other than the twelve kids.) I think this would be really fun to read aloud!

6. A Christmas Carol- I bought this for Meghan last year and then took her to see the play... if you can't manage that (although you should if you can- so fun!) then there are several movie versions available. The book isn't very long- it's actually considered a novella- and is divided into only five chapters or staves- you can impress your child by explaining that a stave is a musical staff. Stave-music-Christmas carol- get it? I also had my students read this and we really enjoyed the discussion. (Well, I did.) My favorite movie version takes quite a bit of liberty but then, it's the Muppets, so... yeah, Bob Cratchit wasn't really a frog, was he? But Michael Caine is awesome as Scrooge and I love the songs. That said, if you want to be more of a purist, the George C. Scott version is very good and slightly less ridiculous. =) 

7. A Little Princess- I saved my favorite for last... this book (a hardcover from a garage sale my mom bought for probably a quarter) was probably my most re-read and beloved as a child (and teenager- and adult.) It's just so GOOD and never gets old to me. (Side note- I used passages of it every year to teach the unit on adjectives. The descriptions are excellent.) There are several movie adaptations, ranging from a Shirley Temple one complete with tap-dancing to my personal favorite, the 1995 version that, while not terribly faithful to the book, is just a great movie. (I scored it and The Secret Garden in one DVD!) Please, if there is a little girl in your life, get her this book and the movie. But first, the book- she needs to appreciate the beauty of it. (I still love finding my copy at my parent's house and seeing "Ashley Baines age 11.") 

To this list I would add Ella Enchanted (the movie's okay but the book is SO good),  the Harry Potter series, Matilda, with the movie starring Mara Wilson, and James and the Giant Peach, with the Disney claymation version. (Roald Dahl can do no wrong and particularly excels at writing nasty adult characters that kids will love to read about.) I know that there are tons more options, but these are what I'd consider classics and books I'd really want a child to be familiar with. Not every movie is a cinematic masterpiece but if you have a reluctant reader, the promise a movie version (after the book is read or maybe while they're progressing through it) can help encourage them to try a new or more challenging book. 

Speaking of, it's going to be so fun to introduce Alice to all my favorites over the next few years. If by some strange coincidence she doesn't become a bookworm and/or movie buff, it won't be from lack of trying on the part of her mother. =) 


Ash
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34 Weeks

Hello, children... just checking in from 34 weeks and two days, where the sleep is shoddy and the clothes are tight. =) Things are actually really good and other than the usual discomfort of being a humongous pregnant lady, I'm feeling fine! (Jonathan might disagree as my hormones have made me a teensy bit emotional... poor guy really is a saint.) 

Before I get into the update that you're all dying to read, here are a couple of things that have really made me happy lately: 


Jonathan made biscuits and chocolate gravy the other night and I was pretty much in tears of joy (see? hormones.) 


I put my fall stuff out this week and it's made me smile every time I look at it. I'm also ignoring the fact that it's still 90 degrees outside. 


I took this picture in Hobby Lobby to point out the fact that I'm actually really tired of shopping for nursery decorations. BUT the good thing is that this skirt from Old Navy was $1.25! That's right, a buck and a quarter for a cute, fall-colored, and most importantly stretchy skirt that I can wear after the baby comes too. Yay! I also got it in a dark magenta color that was only $2 so, #winning.


How far along: 34 weeks and 2 days.
How big is baby: for once, the whole fruit/vegetable thing has paid off because she's the size of a pineapple! My favorite! =) 
Weight gain: not sure... still avoiding eye contact with the scale at the doctor. #denydenydeny
Sleeping: I don't want to jinx anything but it's actually been better the last few nights. (Knock on wood!) I mean, I'm still only getting 5-6 hours at the most but that's a huge improvement over 2-3 at a time. I know it's all going to be over when the baby comes anyway so I'm just trying to enjoy all sleep while I can.

Food cravings: Arby's. Gross, right? But seriously I want curly fries and Arby's sauce, like now. Good thing there's not one close by or I'd be hitting it up way too often. 
Food aversions: nothing, really. EAT ALL THE THINGS.
Symptoms: my back hurts and getting up and down is hugely (no pun intended) uncomfortable (working in the nursery has been killer) but I'm counting my blessings since I know I could be in a lot more pain. 
Miss Anything?:  This sounds dumb, but I'm actually getting sad about our "alone time" coming to an end. It's been just me and Jonathan for all these years and even though I know having Alice is going to be magical and all that I know that it's never going to be the same, which is fine but still a little weird. See you in 18 years, babe. =) (Obviously just kidding. Date nights will definitely be happening!) 
Doctor’s appointment: Great! We went this morning and her heartbeat and growth are perfectly on schedule. Next week we'll get to see her one more time on the ultrasound before the big day! 
Clothes: I got the stretchy skirt mentioned above and some more maternity jeans for $6 (seriously Old Navy is my bff) but when I'm home it's mostly tank tops and shorts because #elastic. 

Stripes on stripes... putting on a real outfit is worth documenting these days.

Movement: she is usually quiet when I'm moving and super active when I'm resting... it's still the weirdest feeling to see her jabbing herself outward (whatever body part it is... no idea!) and watch my stomach jump around. Weird but very cool. =) 
Best moment of the week: getting most of the nursery decor up and finished! Although the WORST moment of the week was probably having to move a shelf, mirror, and two picture frames 8 inches to the right and adding a bunch of holes that we'll have to patch up. Poor, poor Jonathan. But seriously, getting things up and seeing them how they were in my head has been great- tedious, but very rewarding now that it's done. When everything's done I'll bombard you with pictures!
What I’m looking forward to: finishing the nursery (a huge relief) and our little getaway trip  to San Antonio next weekend. (I refuse to use the word "babymoon" so it's really just a belated anniversary celebration/our lives are about to change forever trip. I know there are a lot of cool things to see there but honestly I'm mostly looking forward to In 'N' Out. It's been ten years, people... I need that cheeseburger. 
What I did / Got for baby: well the box of stuff from my Georgia shower finally came so a bunch of clothes are here and ready to be organized. After an obnoxious number of trips to Hobby Lobby and Michael's, I've also found the last few little decorative touches for the nursery too so that's a blessing... there are still some purchases to be made but nothing that has to look a certain way. (A crib mattress is a crib mattress, you know?) 
Prayer requests: As always, health and safety for the baby and for me... It's getting so close and I'm very thankful that everything's going so well but I'm just freaking out. I'm having a BABY. (Duh, right?) But seriously... yikes! And yay! And all the other emotions! 
And finally, I leave you with this... my strange, top-heavy shape seemed very familiar and now I know why. (I seriously can't stop laughing at it.) Happy Thursday from me and Gru!

Ash

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A Message to Parents from Teachers

I considered writing this post this time last year, but I was still only a few months out from teaching so I thought maybe I should give it some time. Now that it's been two years (how??) since my last "first day of school," I figured I was far enough removed from the trenches to have some perspective on this topic.

 I remember, during my first year of teaching, reading an article by Ron Clark that contained several statements to parents from teachers. Even though I'd only been in the classroom for a few months at the time, I was vigorously nodding in agreement with each one! It doesn't take long to figure out that a successful year with each student requires a cooperative, communicative relationship with each parent. Obviously, that doesn't always happen, and it's a shame, but in my experience, I've found that most teachers just don't have the nerve to say- in love, of course!- some things that parents need to hear. So since I'm now on the "outside" so to speak, I thought I'd be the voice of the people. (Sorry, people.) 

 (I totally understand that a) as a teacher, I see a student, but as a parent, you see "your baby" so we have different perspectives and b) some teachers are genuinely "bad" and cause problems. However, the majority of teachers I know and have worked with are dedicated, caring people so we're placing the "teachers" mentioned here into that category. =) AND I was very fortunate to have had relationships with some truly wonderful, kind parents who remain my friends to this day.) 


1. If you have an issue with me, please speak to me first. Nothing is more frustrating (or confusing!) than getting a call from your administrator that says, "This kid's mom says that _________ happened," followed by a scenario that has probably been blown out of proportion by this point. It puts both the administrator and the teacher in a tough spot to have to defend and/or contradict one another when the whole story hasn't been told. Obviously, if you're dealing with a recurring issue, then the principal should get involved, but talk to me first. I'll feel a lot more cooperative if you speak openly and honestly with me and give me a chance to explain the situation, whatever it is.

 2. Give me the benefit of the doubt. Again, I'm not excusing poor treatment of a student or anything else that's inappropriate, but if you give me the benefit of the doubt, I'll do the same for you. Trust me, we'll both benefit from it over the course of the year! It may be that I did forget to update an assignment or that I did deal harshly with your child. But if you were not present, then my "yelling" at your kid that he described as "for no reason" may very well have followed an entire class period of asking him to listen. (Also, I have never raised my voice to a student, but for some reason kids, especially teenagers, love to describe any lecture as "yelling.") And speaking of your child's version of the story...

 3. Know that your child will lie to you. I had a parent who absolutely refused to believe this for months, but the day she finally caught her kid in a lie felt a little like the heavens parting and the sun breaking through the clouds. It was a shame that he lied, but when she finally chose to believe it, it made the discipline problems nearly a thing of the past since he knew he wouldn't get away with his little "stories" at home anymore. I've told many parents, "Why would I make this up? Why would I lie to you?" I'm an adult- you can't ground me or punish me in any way other than making me uncomfortable with your anger. (I'd prefer to be grounded, honestly.) However, you CAN punish your child and he knows it, so he'll lie to you. Don't be ashamed- all kids do it. Just accept it.

 4. Find a balance between helping your child with his work and doing it for him. I know this is hard. Some parents are WAY too hands off (as in, their kids never do their homework and they don't seem to care) but some parents, probably fed up with nagging, just do the work themselves. I had a mom get mad at me (at ME?) because I made so many corrections to her kid's rough draft. Turns out she took it so personally because she had written it herself. Ha! True story. Your child needs to be reminded, nudged, and even helped along- please do those things- but don't do the work. It's not helping your kid and usually it's glaringly obvious that you did it. Obviously sometimes there will be emergencies/late nights/extenuating circumstances, but making a habit of this is not "helping."

 5. Don't ask for tutoring/extra credit if your child isn't even trying. I know this is a touchy subject, but if your kid never does his homework, doesn't pay attention in class, and puts forth little to no effort, then why on earth would I need to stay after school to repeat everything I already said? Better yet, don't ignore all those issues all semester and then ask for tutoring or "extra credit" (my least favorite words) at the end of the grading period. I can only think of a couple of students who did all their work, paid attention, and tried their best who were still failing my class, and you better believe I did everything in my power to help them pass. Even my students with learning disabilities saw HUGE improvements when they simply did their work instead of constantly trying to get out of it. When your child isn't trying but you swoop in and attempt to persuade me to "work something out," you're just teaching him that hard work isn't important as long as you have someone to bail you out.

 6. PLEASE don't disrespect me in front of your child. If you allow him to badmouth me all the time (or worse, you join in!), just realize you're not only teaching a disrespect for authority but you're also telling him that he doesn't have to listen to me. "Mom thinks Mrs. McNeese is stupid... I don't have to do anything she says." This is so dangerous! You don't have to think I'm the greatest teacher in the world- especially since I'm not- but allowing or encouraging disrespect creates some very toxic attitudes that are hard to reverse. Go ahead and agree with all the "I hate my teacher" stuff, but just know that you're effectively tying my hands when it comes to impacting your child in a positive way.

 7. Speaking of respect, treat me with respect. I'm a professional and this is my job. I can't imagine most people going to the dentist or mechanic or even Target and telling the employees how to do their jobs, but for some reason many parents think they can talk down to teachers or tell them they should things differently. If you genuinely have a concern, again- be honest and tell me. But being kind and respectful is not too much to ask. For example, telling me your kid is failing my class "because it's boring" is hardly kind or respectful, is it? (I'm still a little bitter about that example since my class was many things but boring was never one of them! Ha!) Just treat me like you would want to be treated in a professional environment. I know emotions run high when our children are involved, but ask yourself if you would want to be on the receiving end of whatever tirade you have planned.

 8. The smallest recognition or sign of appreciation will make my day/week/month/possibly year. I've always said that even though gift cards or other presents are great (keep them coming! =), I wouldn't trade anything for the heartfelt notes and emails I've received from parents who want to thank me for working with their kids, whether it's been extra help or just doing my (admittedly very hard) job. I'm spending nearly as much "awake time" with your child (or maybe more!) as you are and it makes me feel great when you acknowledge that. Even a parent sticking her head in the door in the morning during drop-off and saying, "Have a great day!" is a blessing. I've gotten rid of lots of gifts over the years (sorry!) but I still have all my notes from students and parents. Two seconds to say thank you or that you're praying for me makes a huge difference, I promise.

 9. Know this- I genuinely care about and want what's best for your child. It broke my heart when parents acted like we were on opposite sides of a battlefield. Trust me, I love that kid. I never pushed a student to do more than what I knew he was capable of doing, but once I saw that potential, you better believe I was going to try to help him reach it. What possible motive would I have for trying to make things difficult for you or your kid? That only makes my job harder. I've lost sleep over trying to help kids do better in class, how to break through an attitude problem, how to reach the heart of a "hard" student- and all of that feels pointless if we're not on the same team. Back me up and I'll do the same for you.

 These are just a few of the things I wanted parents to know (but somehow could never bring myself to really say.) Like I said, there will be legitimate problems to deal with, but most teachers really and truly do love your child and want what's best for him, not to mention they are working long hours with little pay to do an extremely important job. Educating the next generation is a huge responsibility and it will work so much better if the greatest influences in a child's life are working together for their good. (By the way, for more information on this topic I highly recommend Ron Clark's book The End of Molasses Classes. The chapter on parent/teacher relationships alone is worth the purchase of the book.)

 Happy Back to School! Parents and teachers, let's work together, pray for one another, and resolve to be kind. We can do it! (And by we I mean you because I'll be playing with my baby at home and not grading a single paper. Woohoo! =)
Ash
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32 Weeks

Y'all, this pregnancy is winding down and it's starting to hit me that in a few weeks I'll have an actual baby to take care of... currently I'm nearly equal parts excited and TERRIFIED but I'm trying to be more excited than anything. (It's a work in progress.) 

 Speaking of works in progress, the nursery is coming along slowly but surely. I feel like I don't get much accomplished in there for days and then I'll have a burst of energy (or stupidity) and attempt to complete an entire project in an afternoon, but at least some of it is getting done one way or another. Now that my prints are framed and everything is cleared out (as much as it can be for now) I'm at the point where I need someone else's opinion to decide where everything goes. (Brook and Sara, where are you?!) 

 This past weekend we had my shower with our church ladies and it was SO nice. Everyone brought the prettiest presents and we got lots of cute stuff for Alice, plus there was amazing food (and I got to bring home leftovers!) and the decorations were beautiful. The ladies at our church are so sweet and they definitely love Alice already! We're very thankful to have such a great church family.

Several people commented on my dress... it's Gap Maternity. =)


These awesome friends hosted the shower and they are the bomb! Love them all!


 Anyway, everything's good and moving right along- at a frightening pace- but we're just thrilled that Alice is healthy and that my pregnancy has been uneventful, no matter how melodramatic I am about my lack of sleep. =) 

This pic is the best I could do (frizzy hair and all) since we walked out of our appointment this morning into a monsoon. Yikes!
How far along: 32 weeks and 2 days.
How big is baby: 19 inches and nearly 4 pounds!
Weight gain: the doctor said it was "perfect" so I'm taking that to mean that I don't look as large as I feel. Maybe? I don't feel terrible but it kind of depends on what I'm wearing. 
Sleeping: Sleep? What is sleep? =( I feel like I'm having sleep regression... It was getting better but the last week has me back to waking up every 1-2 hours and feeling totally uncomfortable the majority of the time. 

Food cravings: still a lot of sweets, but also Spicy Nacho Doritos. (Don't judge me.) Oh, and taco stew which I'm making for supper tonight. I'm SO excited about it! (Here's my recipe if you want some yourself! SO good.) 
Food aversions: popcorn. Sad, right? It's always been one of my favorite snacks but I just don't want it now. Bleh.
Symptoms: just being uncomfortable most of the time. If I sit up in a chair or on the floor for very long I'm going to be in pain, and finding a good position to sleep in is nearly impossible. I know that I'm only going to get bigger and more uncomfortable (swollen ankles, stay away!) so I guess I should just count my achy blessings. 
Miss Anything?:  Sleeeeeep.
Doctor’s appointment: Great! We went this morning and her heartbeat and growth are perfectly on schedule. 
Clothes: I'm still reaching for dresses 90% of the time since they're just so easy! I wrote too many paragraphs on my maternity wardrobe last week if you want to check that out.
Movement: quite a bit... she's been a little quiet the past couple days but I think it's because I've been so much more active than normal (with the nursery work and cleaning going on)... she's always more active when I'm resting (and vice versa) but she still gives me plenty of kicks throughout the day (and lately has been resting herself riiiight on my ribs (or something) and that feels just great. Ha! 
Best moment of the week: my beautiful shower =) and getting all (most) of the junk cleaned out/organized in the nursery and finally (after a seriously ridiculous series of unfortunate events) getting all my nursery prints printed and in frames. Yay! Oh, and finding out that Rainbow Chip icing (my favorite) is back in stores seriously made my life so much better. Jonathan and I promptly purchased it and had funfetti cupcakes for several days. 

AH. 

What I’m looking forward to: finding the last few pieces of furniture for the nursery so that we can get all the decorations on the wall!
What I did / Got for baby: organized clothes/blankets/other gifts, did some nursery decor stuff, drank nine million ounces of water (you better appreciate that, Alice!). Oh, and I've been reading a bunch of baby and parenting books which I'm sure I'll discuss here at length before too long. 

Read ALL the books! And these hydrangeas from my shower make me smile every time I see them.

Prayer requests: As always, health and safety for the baby and for me... keeping my fluid up is still a concern in this heat and of course as the actual birth approaches I get more anxious of things going wrong. (You know how I love/hate to worry!) Maybe you should just pray for my peace of mind... If I can chill out then things will probably go much better. =)
That's it, everyone! Thanks for sticking around through this adventure... only a few weeks to go until Miss Alice joins us! Woohoo!
Ash 
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