24 Weeks!

How Far Along: 24 weeks

Baby Size: Baseball Mitt for one more week, GO RED SOX!

Current Symptoms: Slowing down…I think my energy level has started to plateau…or maybe I have just been running around like a crazy person this last week, so I feel more tired. Or maybe its my cold. Celebrating Carson’s birthday in addition to a fun visit with Grampa Moose tuckered me out!  I wouldn't call it exhausted, but definitely not the burst I have been used to the last few months. As I get bigger, I find myself moving more slowly up and down stairs, down the hall to my office, etc. I even had a client tell me that I look like I am walking differently….thanks?

What's Different: The timing of this pregnancy and Halloween! Last time around…Carson was born 5 days before Halloween, and I was smack in the middle of a major medical issue involving my gallbladder, which forbid me to consume anything remotely tasty, including candy! This year is a whole different story. We had a fairly large bowl of candy sitting out at Carson’s birthday party, some of which was consumed by guests…most of which has been consumed by this mama since the party…to the point where I had to go buy more Halloween Candy! I think I better slow down before my glucose test in a few weeks! Can you say recipe for gestational diabetes?

Carson Comments: It’s pretty cute how Carson acts like Wader is already here and a party of the family. He wanted to make sure that Wader was coming to his birthday party, wants Wader to be a “baa baa black sheep” for Halloween, and wants to know what Wader wants from Santa for Christmas. He has been quiet attentive to his baby doll whom he affectionately refers to as “Scooper” (not to be confused with Cooper, which was one of our top name favorites). He enjoys putting newborn size diapers on his doll and is constantly taking off the dolls clothes, stating that Scooper has had an accident and needs a new diaper and outfit! Play mirroring life perhaps?

Daddy Updates:  We have finally settled on a name! It was quite the grueling process! When we were picking names for Carson, this name ended up being our second choice. For this reason, Ryan wanted to toss it out as an option for Wader…if it wasn't good enough for kiddo #1, then it wasn't good enough for kiddo #2! So Ryan dove into the 100,000 baby names book and created a list. I read over the social security’s top 1000 baby names from 2012 and came up with a list of my own. My only stipulation was that I did not want a name in the top 50. (Cooper, btw, was ranked 48 in the state of NH in 2012, that helped us narrow down!). We cross referenced our name lists, and created a top 10 in no particular order. Then we ranked the ten names by our combined preference, and knocked off the bottom 5, believing that they would never beat out the top 5. For the last month or so, we have been trying out the top five names to see what feels right. Eventually, we kept referring to the same two names over and over and eventually just the one! And after all that effort, it turned out to be the same name we almost used for Carson….at the end of the day, I guess we re-affirmed that we truly love the name! We plan on sharing it with our families when we visit them in a few weeks over Thanksgiving, and then we promise to make a blog announcement! Anyway, the reason this is Daddy related is because I knew the name was officially our choice when Ryan was searching for email address options this morning J

Baby Prep:  I have started to make a list on our fridge of “essential baby items” that we will need to acquire by the time that Wader arrives.  We have more than enough baby boy clothes thanks to Carson, so the list is comprised of “boring” things such as diapers, crib sheets for daycare, new nipples for bottles, nursing pads, gas drops, diaper cream, really exciting stuff J We figure if we purchase one or two things each week, we will spread out the list of items between now and February. My friend Kristi has inspired me to do a little couponing. I have a pro bono client that I see that essentially pays me in Sunday papers…free coupons…score! Whenever there is a baby product coupon, I definitely clip it out. We have a decent stock up of diapers thanks to coupons, as well as left overs that friends have passed along when their babies have grown out of various sizes.  I do admit that I have had to use a lot of self-discipline to not go nuts buying more baby boy clothes! I only allow myself to grab an outfit if it is from a consignment shop using store credit. Luckily, I am going to a baby shower this weekend for a little boy, and was able to go on a great shopping spree to satisfy my shopping needs! Watch out Erin, lots of baby boy clothes coming your way!

Wader's current wardrobe

Looking Forward To: Meeting baby Adina Rose Freiman over Thanksgiving! She was born at 38 weeks via C-section the day before Carson’s birthday!  Anna and David Freiman have been dear friends of ours for years and we have shared many milestones together such as graduating college, getting engaged, married, and now parenthood!  Adina and Wader will be in the same grade, and we hope they will be great friends! Anna and I already have plans for summer vacation visits and pen pals! Congrats to Anna and David!

Anna and her daughter, Adina!

P.S. Special shout out to my sister, Dr. Kristen Brewer, who started her first physical therapy job this week following her graduation from med school! 

Aunt Kris!

P.P.S. Carson birthday party pictures coming soon! It was a blast!