Roll Wave!

Let's just pretend like I'm posting about our fun football weekend in some sort of timely manner...this was oh just about two months ago!

As I mentioned in my post about Mattie Jayne's surprise sprinkle, everyone really came in town for my little brother's football game. So after the shower, we quickly changed the kiddos clothes to show our support for the Tulane Roll Wave and headed to the tailgate.

Stephanie out did herself once again with all of the cuteness. From the girls dresses and bows to Jackson's sporty tee, we had the best dressed Tulane kids hands down:)

Mr. and the guys had a nice little spread for us at the tailgate. Complete with Mr.'s amazing jambalaya and white beans, my favorite.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous and we were able to watch the game spread out on blankets, letting the kids run around as they pleased. Jackson tried to play a few games of football with the big kids too.  Won't be long before that sweet boy of mine is on the field himself!

Unfortunately my brother's team didn't win, but it was nice catching up with him after and the game. Jackson and the girls had a blast dancing and running around with their Uncle Cam.

Hard to image that the next time we're all together Jackson will be out numbered by 5 little girls that all adore him:)

 

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Baby 2.0: 35 weeks

Up until the past few weeks, I honestly was still forgetting I was pregnant.  Well as much as you can forget with a growing middle section and jabbing kicks from within...sleep was great, my energy was good and all was pretty normal.

Well, my friends, heartburn has kicked in.  Sleep is getting harder and harder between peeing every hour and bruised rib cartilage from baby girl practicing her toe touches 24/7.  I'm swelling and have perfected the 9 month waddle. 

Please don't take these as complaints, it's just very apparent now that we're in the final stretch.  4 weeks or less until our baby in a box is our baby in our arms!

Size of Baby: coconut, measured 33 weeks at today's appointment

Total Weight Gain: total since getting pregnant: +20 - +22lbs. depending on the day

Continuing Symptoms: heartburn, always thirsty, milk is in, swelling in the afternoon and evening...

Maternity Clothes: pretty much all maternity, minus my pajama pants and t-shirts

Sleep: sleep is getting hard and uncomfortable, especially due to my hot spot/bruised ribs.  my sister sent me down her maternity pillow which is helping some.

What I'm Eating: pretty normal diet, just watching the sodium as much as possible.

Cravings: Slow churned chocolate ice cream and hot fudge...must have every night!

Movement: she's a busy girl in there, practing her toe-touches and back-flips all the time.  the rolling tummy and feet and legs stretching out makes for odd stomach shapes!

Labor Signs: some days more than others.  mainly just BH contractions.

Special Pregnancy Moments: getting Mattie Jayne's stocking and our double Bob, scheduling weekly OB appointments, buying our first pack of diapers and wipes, loading up the diaper bins, prepping Mattie's hospital attire and cute accessories...I've been a busy momma:)

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Mattie's Surprise Sprinkle

I now know that "pregnancy brain" really exists, either that or I've become completely oblivious to the world around me...

Last month, my mom and sweet friends planned a surprise "sprinkle" for me and it totally took me by surprise!  In hindsight, I should have put everything together about a month before the sprinkle and busted everyone:)

The weekend that my brother's football team played our home town football team, my parents planned a huge tailgate inviting friends and family from afar to watch Cameron play.  This included my sister coming down for the weekend with the new baby...perfect timing for my mom to host a Sip & See to meet Baby Ellie...or so that was the story I was told...

Stephanie and her girls planned to come in town, which didn't set off any red flags because she is like our sister and of course she would come to meet Ellie the first chance she had.

My dad also planned on coming down for the weekend...which just shows how awesome all of my parents get along and enjoy seeing all the kids together.  My dad is like a second dad to Steph and wanted to see her girls just as much as he wanted to see Cameron play football and all of us kids/grand kids together...or so I thought!

The weekend of the game and Sip & See came and it was a house full of fun.  The Saturday morning of the said "Sip & See" came around and the guys all left to start cooking at the tailgate.  Mr. mentioned nothing of the surprise and I've found keeps a secret a little too well! 

Stephanie and I got ourselves dressed and ready for what I believed to be Ellie's party.  I was running late, as usual, but hey - it wasn't my party!  Stephanie got Jackson dressed and loaded the kids up in the car, as usual (she always has everything much more together than I do), so this didn't tip me off at all.  

We pulled up to my mom's house about 20 minutes late and unloaded our brood of kiddos.  I walked in the door, presents for Ellie in hand, and slowly began to put all the pieces together. A couple faces made sense, and some just seemed totally out of place for what I believed to be my sister/nieces' party.  However, I tried to not let my facial expressions make my friends feel out of place...STILL not getting that the party was for me! Oh no, it wasn't until my mom showed me the invitation (that I have inquired about a dozen times because I didn't get one) that I finally put everything together.

My dad, my family, Stephanie, my friends...they were all there for me and Mattie Jayne!

I wish I had pictures from the sprinkle because it was absolutely lovely and so incredibly heart felt.  I guess my lack of picture taking was a true testament of just how special I felt.  I never wanted to leave the party to grab my camera or be behind the lens.

It may have just been a sprinkling of pink for Mattie, but it was a shower of love for me:)

 

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Our "Rawring" Halloween

When my parents took Jackson up to St. Louis in August, my mom found Jackson the cutest dinosaur costume for Halloween. Truth be told, I wasn't sure if it would actually make it until Halloween because Jackson was obsessed and wanted to wear it all the time. I couldn't really blame him though, it was one cool costume and he looked so cute shaking his tail in it:)

 Spinosaurous Jack was no dino to mess with! 

Our neighborhood hosted a Trick-Or-Treat Fall Festival the Saturday before Halloween, which meant double the fun for Jackson. He got to "rawr" his way through our neighborhood on Saturday and then again with my parents on actual Halloween night.

Jackson's spider ride at my parent's for Halloween night

This year was by far the most fun Halloween and month with Jackson. He absolutely LOVES to look at the pretty decorations and "smooky" ones too. The bigger and nastier the spider, the more he wants to bring it home to sleep with...strange kid! 

The weather was remarkable during the weeks leading up to Halloween, so many nights were spent walking through neighborhoods checking out all the decor...which may or may not have inspired my Mr. to test out his decorating skills. He totally took it upon himself to hang a super "smooky" spider web outside our front door. 

He sure knows the way to his son's heart, and how to make me smile. I'll never forget the year of the spider obsession and Jackson's sweet voice and dialogue as we trick-or-treated. He has such a strong personality with a tender heart that always wants to take care of others too. I can't argue the fact that he is the perfect combo of his momma and daddy...and that heart certainly comes from his daddy.

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