goodbye summer, hello fall!
How can it be the middle of September already?
You won't hear any complaints from me - being six months pregnant in the 90 degree humidity was not my cup of tea. give me 60 degrees, leggings and cute fall jackets over that ANY day of the week, especially while pregnant. our house is a cool 68 right now and I slept better last night than I have in months.
Our little family has been so busy this summer. I can't believe already two months has passed since we moved into our new house. It's coming along... slowly but surely. I underestimated how long it would take to get certain projects accomplished, especially while pregnant since I can't participate in much (no staining, no painting, no fumes, etc). BUT we did tackle our front yard and re-landscaped everything ourselves! It was a huge project but made a big difference.
I'm almost 27 weeks pregnant. Not sure how I ended up on the verge of the third trimester already, but here we are! This pregnancy has been so different than my last - most notably because I've only gained about 12 lbs so far. It's a miracle, but I attribute that to craving giant salads (what?) and doing Dailey Method a couple times a week, but mostly I believe it's because I'm just too busy chasing this crazy monkey around. Our little man is quite active, almost violent at times, but his kicks and punches and rolls are reassuring that he's growing and thriving in there.
One major difference in my pregnancies is that this time I know what we're having! I must say, it's made a huge difference to me. Last time I didn't feel truly connected to the baby until Annabelle was born - but this time around I can picture our little family of four, imagine the sibling relationship the kids will have, and just envision this tiny boy snuggling in my arms. The surprise was fun last time, but I prefer knowing to not knowing.
Work has kicked into high gear for me these past few months, with my boss retiring in August and a few other vacant positions in the office. I've upped my hours and typically work through all of Annabelle's naps, and I'm still going into the office one full day a week. I feel grateful daily for such a flexible, mom-friendly work arrangement. The nonprofit field lends itself well to this kind of flexibility I'm fortunate to have, I just wish more opportunities were available to women who would love to work part-time. I'm a bit anxious about maternity leave (our office is so small that there isn't any coverage for my position) and balancing the job with two kiddos, but I'm determined to make it work after our little one arrives.
We were lucky to close out the summer with some family time at the lake this past weekend. The weather was beautiful and the lake was basically empty after everyone had packed up after Labor Day. We spent the whole time relaxing on the boat, fishing, paddle boarding and jetskiing while Annabelle tried to convince us she can actually swim. It was a great getaway before the madness of our fall schedule ensues.
Here's a little photo update, mostly via my instagram:
I'm a bit obsessed with stand up paddleboarding - such a great core and arm workout! My balance was tested with this baby bump but I can proudly say my feet barely got wet.
Not a great shot and not a before-and-after, but I avoid photos of the front of our house on the social medias. This will have to do!
We went to the Cubs game a few weeks ago - 3 moms, 3 toddlers and my brave sister who came along to assist. It was quite the experience but we had a blast! I must also note the game was right in the middle of naptime for all three kids. Also, this is the way she looks at me 90% of the time. Pure skepticism.
First carousel ride at the Will County Fair! She also had a corn dog and a lemon shake-up and fed some baby goats. She loved every minute.
Perfect form, wouldn't you say?
