Trish & Co.

If you know me at all, then you know how much I love to entertain people at my home.

Dinner parties, BBQ's, Girl's Nights...

pretty much anything that gets friends together to have a good time, I love!

And even though I haven't been able to entertain much recently

(and I am sure after Baby Girl gets here, I wont be throwing many parties for awhile)

I can't help but be envious of these gorgeous serving boards by trish & co.!

Aren't they just amazing.

Robedellarobi

Oh my obsession with cute baby clothes

has just grown and grown and grown.

Just look at that bonnet!!!

I am dying over this collection

created by robedellarobi.

I guess that is a normal thing when your expecting,

to be obsessed with all things baby.

Now that I am almost 37 weeks (only 3 more days!)

and almost officially "full term",

I have begun the "washing" process of all the cute baby clothes

that I have been given or have collected throughout the past few months.

But I'm wondering...

Should I wash just the "newborn" size?

Or should I wash the newborn AND the 0-3month size?

All you mama's out there, I would love your advice.

36 Week Update

Is that a basket ball under my shirt?

Nope, it's just my growing belly!

I can't even believe that I'm 36 weeks pregnant.

Last night, as I was trying to go to sleep,

I began to cry out of happiness at the goodness of God

and the miracle baby that he has given Micah and I.

Just to think that at this exact moment last year we were believing

that we would never be able to biologically have children.

And now, in less than a week, I'll be considered full term in my pregnancy.

God knew, of course.

How Far Along:
  36 Weeks

Size of the Baby:

Baby Girl is the size of a melon and weighs about 5-6lbs.

Maternity Clothes:

I bought a few tank tops at Target.

I normally wear a small and then a few months ago I needed to bump it up to a medium.

Well, today, I had to purchase a few in the large size.

Weight gain:

It fluctuates now between a 31 pound gain and a 33 pound gain

(depending on what I ate for dinner).

Sleep:

My hips, legs, and back get super achy when I lay on one side for two long.

So I'm constantly tossing back and forth all night.

But I haven't had any bouts of insomnia yet

(I hear they are more frequent in the last stages of pregnancy).

Best Moment of the Week:

My Maternity Photo Shoot!

 

Movement:

She's still moving around in there.

Luckily she is positioned with her head down

(please stay that way Baby Girl!)

so I feel her kicking her little feet toward the top of my belly and under my ribs.

Food Cravings:

Still no cravings.

But I have been drinking TONS of Red Raspberry Leaf Tea in preparation for birth.

I'll make a few cups at a time and put it in the fridge

so that I can have refreshing iced tea all day long.

Gender:

Baby Girl.

Belly Button in or out:

It's half-way out.

But you can definitely see it poking out now through my clothing.

Wedding ring on or off:

On

Anything making you queasy or sick:

I'm officially back to the "no eggs" diet again.

What I miss:

Easily getting out of bed or off the sofa...

Actually, I miss easily getting up from any sitting or laying position that I might be in.

What I am looking forward to:

I have been really curious lately as to what size my Midwives will predict
Baby Girl to be when she is born.
I really just want to know if all the cute newborn outfits will fit her!

Nursery:

All that is left to be done is the installment of a clothing rod in the closet.

I keep the door open to the nursery all the time

and I am constantly just walking in there and staring at everything. 

I will even sit in the rocker glider chair and just daydream or read.

Ways to Relax:

Almost done with Gone With The Wind.

Only 300 pages to go!

By far one of the biggest books I have ever read...

but sooooo worth it!

Love Where You Live

Today I am doing something that I haven't done in a while...

I'm linkin up with other blogs!

My good friend Mackenzie has been telling me

about The Influence Network for such a long time now

and today she linked up with their "Love Where You Live" post.

I loved reading her post (and the posts of many of the ladies who also linked up)

so much that I thought to myself...

"I have some energy today so I might as well have some fun and link up too!"

I hope you enjoy a little look into where I live,

which by the way...

I love.

I am originally from California but moved to NW Montana in 2004

to work with the Missions Organization YWAM.

Growing up, I never imagined that I would move outside of California.

I was a Cali girl at heart and always envisioned myself living in a big city

and somewhere closer to the beach.

But God had other plans.

In the summer of 2003 I undoubtedly felt God calling me to Missions,

and specifically YWAM Montana.

It was such a strong call that from the moment I set off in my car for the long 22 hour drive north, 

I knew that Montana would be my new home.

 

 

 So, I moved from the literal year-round sunny weather of California,

to Montana, where winter rules 7 months out of the year.

But the reward for winter is that we have the most spectacular summer months.

And we live about a mile away from the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi!

After almost 10 years of living in Montana I have grown to love it so much.

I love the small town that we live in (there's not even a stop light in the small little lake town!).

I love how we are considered "locals" when the tourist season comes around...

and the "locals" know who the tourists are. :)

I love that the people working at the grocery store (yep, there is only one),

the restaurants, the post office, and the bank,

all know me by name and chat with me about my pregnancy.

We feel so blessed to live in a comfortable home

with a decent sized backyard where Silas (and our chickens) can run around

and we can grow our summer garden.

And the Winter months are not so bad after all...

 

Summer Gardening - Maternity Photo Shoot

 

Micah and I were beyond blessed this week

to have two dear friends come stay with us for the weekend.

It was wonderful to catch up after a few years of not seeing them,

visit a few of our favorite summer restaurants,

and have a spontaneous maternity photo shoot!

Our friend Ean Perkins is such a gifted photographer.

So when he suggested doing a photo shoot

(which I had not even considered beforehand having maternity pictures),

I did not hesitate to say yes!

I am so amazed at how they turned out

and I am absolutely positive that we will be framing one for Baby Girl's room. 

Which one should we choose to frame??

 

35 Week Update

Wait!

What happened to weeks 32, 33, and 34?

Well, pregnancy brain happened...

I literally kept forgetting.

Each night I would think to myself:

"Tomorrow I must take a picture and blog!"

Then the following day I would completely forget... all day.

But hey... I remembered today!

So here's my 35 week update...

How Far Along:
  35 Weeks

Size of the Baby:

Baby Girl is around the size of a coconut...

apx 17-18 inches long and weighing in around 5lbs!

Maternity Clothes:

I haven't bought anything new recently,

but I did buy a super comfy skirt that my midwives recommended

is the perfect skirt to wear during labor.

Luckily I'm not required to wear the hospital gown if I don't want to.

Weight gain:

I'm now over the 30lb weight gain marker...

my total gain is now 31 pounds.

Sleep:

Sleep oh sleep, when will you return to me?

Best Moment of the Week:

My mom came to visit me this past week.

It was so wonderful to have her here,

give me advice and go shopping for baby girl with me. 

Such a blessing.

Movement:

  She's been having the hiccups a lot this week.

Crazy feeling to have a continual jolt in your belly for a long period of time.

Food Cravings:

I feel like I've been blessed by not really having

any "crazy cravings" during my pregnancy.

But watermelon has been sounding great this week.

To bad I have yet to find a super delicious one.

Gender:

Baby Girl.

Belly Button in or out:

It's half-way out.

My midwives said that they doubt it will pop out

anymore than it already has...

which is good because depending on the top I wear

you can't really tell through my clothing.

Wedding ring on or off:

On

Anything making you queasy or sick:

I don't like the flavor of eggs again.

What I miss:

Walking without...

1. Being tired after walking 5 minutes (basically to the lower YWAM campus and back).

2. Having a few Braxton Hicks contractions which makes me walk SUPER SLOWLY. 

3. Being able to breath. 

4. Wanting to come home and immediately take a nap.

What I am looking forward to:

Being able to hold my little girl.

I'm so ready!

Nursery:

The nursery is pretty much done!!!

We just have a few small things to add and fix,

then I'll show you pictures!

Ways to Relax:

I've been reading a ton of pregnancy/birthing/parenting books

to make myself feel more prepared.

Is it working and do I feel more prepared?... I have no idea. :/

But to relax I have been reading the massive classic novel Gone with the Wind.

It's one of those types of books that you are nervous when you first start

but within just a few pages you can't put it down.

Which is good, since the book is about 1300 pages!!!!