Lately

This time last year I was training for a half marathon...quite the contrast to what I'm doing this year.

34 weeks today...
This time has been different in many ways. I've taken less pictures and documented the journey less, I've done much less "preparing" nursery and delivery-wise, and as I'm closing in on the last 6 weeks I've got a mix of thoughts and feelings. My baby boy is most active at night, or maybe that's just when I'm the most still so feel him more. Over the last week I have started feeling him have hiccups too...which is the strangest/sweet sensation. At my midwife appointment this week she said she could feel he had grown quite a bit since my last appointment (yes, I could tell you that, also). While it is an amazing miracle that a tiny person is growing within my body, I'm ready to not be carrying a basketball in my belly and be miserable in pain while I'm sleeping at night. But I also know that the newborn days will have other responsibilities and my life will revolve around a feeding schedule. So I'm trying to be at peace with what is now, knowing what's to come will be here before I know it. I've had to start taking naps again most days to combat my sleepless nights, which means I'm not getting as many things done as I would like, but that's OK. I wonder about what Benjamin's personality will be like, what he will look like, and it what ways he will complete our family that we won't be able to imagine our family without him. And I think about that moment when I will see my son for the very first time and hold his tiny body to my heart.

Until then...attempting to soak up these last "only child" days...

We went to the zoo last Thursday to get some sunshine and play outside.

She asked to ride the carousel, which we've never done there. Prior to this time she has been really scared of riding on anything except the bench on a carousel. But she told me she wanted to ride an animal and picked an ostrich. She did not like it when I stepped away to take the second picture, "hold me mama", but was very brave otherwise. I might have cried just a little bit. :) Luckily I had on sunglasses to hide my hormonal/pregnancy/mama tears...she's growing up.

Some of this week:

The evenings have been nice and she has been playing on the patio while I get dinner ready.

Serious painting.

Cinnamon banana wake up bread for breakfast.

She spotted Ronald walking into wal-mart yesterday. She asked if she could take a picture with him, and I said if she stayed sitting in the cart for the whole trip she could on the way out. So on our way out she says "I sit in his lap? You take my picture?!" She has no idea who the slightly creepy clown is, but I love her cheese/crinkle nose face!

 Everyone mows in the pool right?

The last couple of weeks have been hard for a few reasons. But there has been plenty good too, as there always is. I'm grateful for good test results, warmer weather, longer hours of sunshine, our parents' that help us with Isabella and in so many other ways, a healthy baby growing in me, and good friends.