My Sunday Best: The Last Three Weeks

It's been a few weeks and though I snapped a couple quick pictures, I didn't have time to blog, so I'll just give you a few pictures from the last few weeks of some Sunday style ideas.   Of course if you want MORE and better inspiration check out the #mysundaybest link-up with Rosie every week.  Here is this week's.  

Three weeks ago style (and 1 week old Kolbe)

       

Last week's outfit

 (though this picture was taken yesterday when I happened to be wearing the same outfit again when my parents were visiting)

 

And this week

(little guy is already 4 weeks!!)

Happy Sunday, friends!  Have a blessed day and as today's Psalm said, 

"Praise the Lord, O My Soul!"

                                                       

My Sunday Best + The Pre-Birth Story

Good morning!  I know half the world might think I was crazy going to Mass with the fam today, but God gifted me with a wonderful delivery and recovery thus far, and there wasn't any reason for me not to head to Mass and thank Him for his many blessings.  

My Sunday Best: 

I've worn it before (it's technically maternity and beyond), but this dress from Pink Blush Maternity was the PERFECT choice for our first week at Mass post baby's arrival.  It is soft and comfy and it was SO easy to nurse in. Nothing fancy or exciting other than the dress and my sweet baby accessory.

  And since there is a lot that happened leading up to labor, I will begin with a sort of Part 1 of the Birth Story, more appropriately titled

The Pre-Birth Story

Background info: You may remember that I was worried that my doctor asked us to switch to a hospital that is about 15 minutes further from us because his backup doctor at the closer hospital was no longer available.  I was trying to let my anxiety go and just accept this turn of events, but when Chris and I visited the further hospital last Monday, we both left more worried than before.  Besides being further away, the parking/entrance situation was also harder to navigate which would add even more time.  I started to panic inside.  If we got there and I was close, Chris would have to drop me off at the front of the ER and then go park and I just couldn't get it out of my head that it might end in my WORST case scenario of all: Chris not being there when I delivered.  Needless to say, it was a week of going back and forth.  We tried to talk ourselves into the further hospital and give it to God, but we still had no peace.  So we discussed asking my doctor under which scenarios he could still deliver at the original, closer hospital.  I had an appointment Friday August 26 at 4pm (my 38 week appointment) where I planned to ask many questions and pour out my many concerns....

I had previously tried to pre-register for the closer hospital and it hadn't worked online, and then we put registering anywhere on hold because (see above paragraph), so I'm still not pre-registered anywhere (but no worries, I'm not even quite 38 weeks)...

On Wednesday, after dropping the twins off to take the nearby bus to the airport (bye guys, and thanks for visiting!), I finally had the thought that I should begin a hospital bag.  I threw a couple clothing items in...

On Thursday (Aug 25), I finally grabbed our bag of newborn/0-3 months clothes and washed all the gender neutral stuff plus a couple of our girl outfits (we don't have any boy outfits obviously) and threw a couple of those in the hospital bag....

Friday (Aug 26) early in the morning around 4 am (so like really the middle of the night for all intents and purposes), Sophie threw up.  I knew she'd be clingy and it's really hard for me to change crib sheets when my belly is so preggo, so I woke Chris up to help me with that part.  I changed Sophie from her night shirt and pants and put a new nightshirt on.  Chris changed the sheets, and we put a tired Sophie back down.  I rinsed the sheets out and left them in the bathroom sink...

I had a hard time falling back asleep, so I turned on the Rosary on YouTube.  I said my Rosary, still hadn't drifted off, and it was about 5:30am and I suddenly just started feeling achy.  I started feeling achy just before I went into labor with Sophie, so I got a tiny bit worried.  But I was only 38 weeks, so I brushed it off and tried to sleep.  I drifted off....

Elise woke up around 7 and wanted to eat breakfast.  I got up, still a little achy, and headed downstairs to get her food.  Shortly after I had a really light contraction.  Mostly my back just felt achy, but it sorta seemed like it moved around the front.  I brushed it off and went back to lay down for a bit while Elise was eating and Chris was getting ready for work (he had a work project due at the end of the day)...

Around 7:30am, Ava got up and wanted a bowl of cereal too.  I got that for her and had another of those "not-really-contractions".  Then as I was suddenly having thoughts about "What IF I WAS about to go into labor?" I remember that we really have NO babysitting coverage for this particular time of day (school drop off time).  Everyone on our list of babysitters who doesn't have kids to drop off at school was unavailable on a Friday.  In fact, the person that was our most sure bet of being around pretty much all the time (our next door neighbor) was supposed to be out of town until August 28.  But that hadn't previously worried me because that was nearly two weeks before our due date....

Then I heard Elise throwing up, and I had another of those strange achy back- almost like a contraction things....

And that's when I decided JUST in case all the aches development into something, I should probably try to contact SOMEBODY and see when people are done dropping their kids off at school.  I texted my friend, Megan, who I met online through Blessed Is She awhile back and who has been so amazing since we moved to Colorado just 4 months (ish) ago.  My text was basically something to the effect of "I'm feeling achy.  Nothing is really happening, but what time are you done dropping kids off at school just in case?"....

A side note, Megan is very careful about germs.  When she's sick she stays away.  And she stays away from people who are sick.  So you can guess how I was feeling even texting her in the first place, but I was in that pre-panic stage, where I felt like all hell was about to break loose, and I HAD NO PLAN!  

All my plans and everything that I HAD figured out were worthless on the Friday of August 26, TWO WEEKS before my due date at school drop-off time in the morning.  What were the chances? 

To be continued....

In case, you want to brush up on how the other kids' births went down, they are filed here.

And now, it's up, so you can check Kolbe's birth story out here.

Meanwhile, link-up with your Sunday best over at Rosie's blog A Blog for my Mom. 

My Sunday Best: LARGE polka dots and baby bump

Hi friends!  Well here we are at 37 weeks + a few days.   I'm currently wearing whatever fits and doesn't put a ton of strain on the lower belly because baby's head is sittin' low down there and not much feels great to wear at this point.  Dresses are, of course great, though we are getting to the stage where I don't have that many that fit, so I'll be doing a lot of wearing the same thing over and over until baby arrives I am sure.  

              

Sophie was a total bear at Mass this morning.  In her defense, I forgot her blanket.   She always gets tired at Mass and snuggling with her blanket is one way to at least keep her more quiet and calm (at least for intervals).  Well, no blankie and no rest for Mama.  She bounced on my belly in the back of the church "shouting" (because that is pretty much what 20 month olds do at Mass) intermittently.  I survived.  She is napping now.  We are all good and relaxed finally.  ahhhhhhhhhhhh.  

           

My Sunday Best:

Navy dress with polka dots: Hand me down (and non-maternity)

Chunky mint necklace: Premier Designs

Gray sweater: Old Navy

I wore the sweater for Mass (it was a little chilly when I woke up), but should have just left it, because with all the wrangling I did in the back, I was sweating up a storm even with the AC in the church set at 30 degrees.  

I'd love prayers because my OB just informed me that I can't deliver at the nearest hospital because his back-up OB there is no longer there and it's a hospital requirement, so now we have to go to a hospital that is another 10-15 minutes away.  For most people that probably sounds not scary or stressful at all.  But had we been 10-15 minutes further from the hospital with Elise, I would have had her in the car.  And even Sophie's delivery would have been much closer had we had another 15 minutes in the car.... It's not something most people have to actually worry about--making it to the hospital.  But for those of us who have had harrowing, short deliveries, it's a big mental strain.  And apparently it's tough for hubby.  If you know him, you know that almost nothing gets to him.  But when I came home and gave him this news, he was upset.  UPSET.  He's seen me in a LOT of pain, barely holding a kid in while driving me to the hospital, so let's just say an extra 10-15 minutes could be fine, but it could also be INSANE.  So please just keep us in your prayers that all goes according to God's plan and that he and I are able to completely surrender to whatever that plan might be this time around.  

Link-up with Rosie from A Blog for my Mom with your Sunday best.  

My Sunday Best: 36 weeks 5.0

We are getting closer and closer to meeting our newest little one and my belly and the bags under my eyes are also getting bigger.  hehe--no joke though.  This little one likes to sit in places that make me feel like I have to pee ALL the time.  So I'm up twice as many times as I usually am during other pregnancies going to the restroom and it may possibly be messing with my sleep cycles.  Possibly (read: of course it is!).  And the aggravating part is that half the time I don't even have to go.  I just think I do.  I'm getting up for nothing.  ACK!!

On a positive and more uplifting note, August is a truly wonderful month filled with saint feasts galore.  This past week included the feasts of St. Dominic, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, and today- St. Maximilian Kolbe.  Such wisdom to be gained from the saints.  

"Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to Him.  That is all the doing you have to worry about."

-St. Jane Frances de Chantal

St. Jane was a mom and later became a nun after her beloved husband died.  She is one of my favs (hence why Ava's middle name is Chantal).  

Anyway, here is #mysundaybest at 36 weeks +

My Sunday Best:

Navy faux-wrap dress: Ross (non-maternity)

Brown cardi: Ross

Brown belt: Ross

Gold Flats: from my SIL

St. Max said: 

"Let us pray, bear little crosses, and greatly love the souls of all our neighbors without exception, friends or enemies."

and lastly let's dwell on these beautiful words of St. Clare: 

"Gaze upon Christ.  Consider Him. Contemplate Him and desire to imitate Him."

A blessed and joyous Sunday to you, friends, and a beautiful Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary tomorrow.  

Join the link-up over at Rosie's blog: A Blog for my Mom with your Sunday best.  

My Sunday Best: Pretty Darn Pregnant Edition

           

Happy Sunday, friends!  

I am feeling quite pregnant (read: tired, uncomfortable, large, etc) these days, but I decided that perhaps making a tiny extra effort for Mass this week would help me feel just a little less all those things.  And it worked pretty well.  Dressing up a little can certainly go a long way with your attitude when you are feeling blah.  

So I decided I'd go ahead and link up with Rosie over at A Blog for my Mom.  Share your Sunday best and click over to check out some fun styles from other ladies. 

My Sunday Best:

Blue dress: Pink Blush (see the picture below because I covered it with a maxi skirt)

Navy maxi skirt: nomorerack.com

Brown belt: Ross

Flip Flops: Sanuks

Baby bump: 35 weeks +

This is the actual dress, but with a baby bump, it's a bit too short for my liking currently since I am pretty much always wrangling a kid or two or four.  I AM really excited about wearing it post partum when my tummy isn't so enormous because it's super comfy and stretchy and it has pockets!!  I love dresses with pockets.  And it will be very easy to nurse in.  

Baby has been cooperating pretty well thus far.  He/she is head down and has been for weeks.  At my appointment 2 days ago, the doc's assistant said baby's head is not only down, but is already engaged quite low in my pelvis.  I wasn't surprised.  That is what it feels like: oopf.  

And I don't seem to follow the norm with "pre-labor" in the weeks leading up to birth.  I have few, if any, of what I would call contractions of any sort in the weeks before delivery.  I do usually have quite a bit of fairly intense pelvic pressure though.  I believe our babies warm my body up for their exit by pretty much bouncing like a pogo stick and head butting me repeatedly in that region for about 3-5 weeks.  And then really hard, intense contractions start abruptly, and the kid pretty much flies out.  If that was too graphic for you, be sure NOT to read the actual birth story in a few more weeks.  

We haven't stopped walking as we do in general and definitely as much as we can when I'm preggo.  We saw some really lovely sights on our evening strolls this week....

Chris took all these gorgeous sunset stroll pictures.   

Elise asks me when I get home from every appointment if the baby came out.  Ava is my cheerleader.  She loves to tell me that I look beautiful in my dresses.  Kayla understands the concept of time and months and weeks, so she's got the best handle on things and doesn't say much about baby other than to be excited that it will be arriving in roughly a month!  Sophie responds to the question, "Where's the baby?" by slapping my stomach a bit too hard.  So I think we are getting there.  Eventually.  

My Sunday Best + Freezer Meals + Hiking

We had a busy day!  Out of these three of the biggest events of the day, which do you think wore me out the most? 

1. Prepping 6 Freezer Meals for after baby comes

2. Mass

3. Hiking

If you said Mass, you are correct.  

The girls were not bad at Mass, but Sophie and Ava were both very squirmy.  And when they crawl all over this very pregnant mama and whisper and have to be somewhat constantly shushed during Mass, it totally exhausts me.  

     

My Sunday Best: 

Navy/white striped maxi dress: Pink Blush (Maternity)

Mustard cardi: Target

Necklace: Premier Designs

Flip Flops: Sanuks

Baby bump: 33 weeks +

 

Just a fun note about that Premier Designs necklace; it has magnets so that you can detach the bottom portion if you wanted to make the necklace a little shorter.  Sophie spent a bit of Mass pulling the magnets apart and then reattaching them and found it highly amusing.  

During the afternoon, I prepped 6 freezer meals for when baby comes.  

I used this website and found some great recipes.  I plan to make more from here another day, but today I made 2 batches of the chicken fajitas, 2 batches of the garlic-mint pork loin, a batch of the cilantro-lime chicken, and a batch of the chicken curry. 

And to end the day, we took a quick hike this evening.  It's a spot we've hiked at previously, but it was no less beautiful this evening, and the 3 mile loop was a great way to get our hearts pumping a bit. 

And the rest are all from Chris' phone

 

 

 

Link up with Rosie from A Blog for my Mom and share your Sunday best.  

My Sunday Best AND a Family Visit

Following our 7 Quicktakes/updates from the past week or two, I figured I better share about my brother's family visiting last week.  They are taking a huge roadtrip all across the country all summer (he's a teacher) and we got to have them for a couple days.  They'll return again for a brief stop on their way back home to CA in August. 

Of course, I am horrible at taking pictures, so I only got a few during the visit...but at least I got those.  

Cousins playing (minus the two smallest)

reading together

Kayla and Lily, just 9 days apart these two. 

Back yard BBQ one night with the Burnett family and my bro's family

Yummy food, great company, and some fireworks in the street. 

My sis (in law) Sara.  Lucy and Sophie are only a month apart in age. 

Such beauties

and not a single one with my brother in it.  What a great sister I am. Anyway it was a fun visit and we can't wait to see them again next month!

And for a quick little share of what I wore yesterday for Mass, I give you 

My Sunday Best

I was wearing a short, brown, fitted cardi at Mass, but it was too hot yesterday to keep that on even for the ride home, so thus the picture is this.  

Black shift dress: Ross

Brown belt: Goodwill

Chunky Aqua Necklace: Premier Designs

Gold flats: not shown, but they are hand-me-downs I wear a lot

Baby bump: 31 weeks + a few days

This being my 5th pregnancy, I have a pretty good sense of what my body is going to do.  Since I'm short in general AND have a short torso, this is the point of my pregnancy where the baby is everywhere.  And I will only continue to grow out from here which usually causes strangers at the store to question whether it's twins.  I don't fault them because at right around the 34-36 week point, I do start just looking enormous.  I know friends who because of their body type have baby bumps that look like mine do at 30 weeks (when they are 40 weeks) and they have kids roughly the same size in the end, but quite honestly I'm always totally fascinated watching my belly grow out and out and out (like Pinocchio's nose, though luckily not for the same reason).  And as I said, it always provokes the twin question, but that question has just never been one that bothered me (I honestly look in the mirror toward the end and wonder the same thing myself) and I have an easy, ready answer that I've given for years now-- "No, we just grow them big".  

And just because...I will let you know that I had a HORRIBLE day on Saturday.  But after some prayer and giving things to God instead (again, again, again!) Sunday was blessed.  Starting with our miracle Mass in which every single child was amazing, even the crazy, busy, never-stops-moving 20 month old.  Praise the Lord and thank you for the GRACE!!!!  We felt it and we are grateful.  

Link up with Rosie at A Blog for my Mom and add your Sunday style.