34 weeks

How far along: 34 weeks

size of baby: a butternut squash (I believe it)

Gender: baby boy

Weight gain: I'm thinking maybe 12 pounds at this point. I'm meeting the doctor who will deliver me on Friday and will know for sure then.

Maternity clothes: oh yes

Stretch marks: noticing some new ones around my belly button

Belly button in or out: very shallow and sensitive

Sleep: Still having crazy dreams and waking up once or twice to use the bathroom. I'm making more sound effects when I get out of bed.

Best moment this week: Since my last update I passed my 3 hour glucose challenge, my parents came to visit, we had Peyton's 3rd birthday party, finished a 3 session childbirth review class, went to Morgantown to house hunt and we're under contract for our first home!

Worst moment this week: flying to West Virginia 2 weeks ago was pretty uncomfortable, but worth it to find our house.
Miss anything: my belly not bumping into everything...

Movement: Tons! You can see it through my clothes. It sometimes takes my breath away.

Cravings or aversions: I'm eating pretty much everything that bugged me at the beginning of this pregnancy now. Dinner never really sounds good. I'd rather have a power bar or bowl of cereal.

Symptoms: back and sciatic nerve pain and calf cramps a few nights a week

Looking forward to: Meeting Dr. Gil on Friday, Josh having some time off, and working on my massive checklist before the move.

This picture cracks me up. I went to the mall with a friend and her 2 boys the other day. We saw that the Easter bunny was there and decided to say hello. Her boys had no problem sitting by him, but this is where Peyton chose to stand. "Keep your distance, Bunny." lol

The Russell's Christmas Card 2013

Sending out Christmas cards is something I look forward to all year long! I like to have our picture finalized before Thanksgiving so that I can order them on Black Friday. With Josh working so much and being gone for interviews, we weren't able to take it as early as I'd like. This photo was taken 5 minutes before our neighbors came over for Thanksgiving. It was freezing outside! (Which is why Peyton didn't want to smile.) My neighbor Kate took a few shots and we ran back inside. Luckily we got a good one!

I ordered the cards from Minted. Not only do they have awesome designs, but they support independent designers. They also printed the addresses on the envelopes for free. Such a time saver! It was easy to do as well. Can't wait to have another little guy in the picture next year :) Enjoy!

Minnesota lately...

I'm reminded on a daily basis that I'm not "in Texas anymore." Whenever I open my mouth to speak, whether it be at the gym or a restaurant, the average response is "Where is your accent from?" Hilarious!

Yesterday at my Side by Side Christmas party I overheard a girl from Iowa say "there's the United States and then there's Texas. Know what I mean?" I started laughing and she said to me, "Wouldn't you agree?" Not really sure about that! She's a super sweet new mom that always makes us laugh, so I know she didn't mean it rudely. I think it's interesting to live outside of Texas and see what people think about it.

There's also the snow. Maybe this should have been it's own post. I'm a total rookie when it comes to this weather! I heard some people at the gym say that this is a particularly cold December. Awesome. My neighbor moved here from California around the same time as us, so it's nice to have another newbie to complain with. Today she told me that she hates how it sounds driving on snow. It kind of sound like you're driving on styrofoam.

My poor little Peyton. He's not too sure about the weather too! But he knows more about how to dress for the cold than I do. The teachers sing this song to his class while they get dressed for recess:

We're also learning how to "winterize" our skin. Your hands and lips get pretty chapped up here. Poor P gets really rosy cheeks if he goes outside for too long. I've found that Aquaphor or Vanicream work really well. We're also having to deal with static hair from wearing hats and scarves. This causes you to shock things when you touch. P thinks its funny when that happens.

My other neighbor is a native of Minnesota. She has been so sweet to help prepare us for winter. Yesterday she sent me a text that made me laugh. It's currently 1° outside and the windchill feels like -20°. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that! We're supposed to get some warm weather soon…maybe it will feel like I'm in Texas?