week 30

With my growing belly everyday activities are becoming a bit more challenging.  By the end of the work day I am exhausted.  The end of the work week seems like it is eons away.  Lately, I have been spending my Saturdays catching up on sleep.  I figure I should take advantage of this now, before our little one arrives.

Baby Smith has been moving around quite a bit lately.  It is amazing how strong his/her little kicks, punches, and rolls have become.  The anticipation of his/her arrival is getting to everyone.  Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles, and many more are eager to meet the little one.  I have really started wondering what he/she will look like.  Does Baby Smith have light hair or dark? blue eyes or brown?  Will he/she have dimples like dad?

week 28

Week 28 just happened to fall on Valentine's Day.  My students showered me with loving words, LOTS of chocolate and stuffed animals! They wanted to make sure Baby Smith had some tasty treats and a room full of stuffed animals when he/she enters the world.  (I should of taken a picture of my desk with all the goodies).

Week 28 officially marks the start of the third trimester. It is hard to believe we have just 12 weeks before Baby Smith is due to arrive.  Chris and I have been having more discussions about whether I will return to work after my maternity leave is over.  It would be amazing to be able to stay home with our little one.  It is difficult for me to imagine what it would be like to go to work everyday, spending hours with 28 other kiddos, while my kiddo is at daycare.  Chris is working hard to keep me home, and I appreciate all of his hard work and determination to do what he feels is best for our growing family.

Steamboat

This weekend marked the 2nd annual Smith Family Trip. Although, I did not take any pictures, it was a great weekend with the family.  Since this was the second year of getting together it is officially a tradition...we can honor the memory of Chris's mom, relax, and enjoy some good quality Smith time!  So, in memory of Joyce, cheers!

week 26

Week 26!  Wow, time flies.  This week marked the 2 year wedding anniversary for Chris and I and 7 years together.  It's hard to believe all of the life events that have happened in that time.  Now, we are expecting our first child!  My belly is definitely growing.  I can feel Little Smith moving around all the time! It is quite the experience of seeing the movement from the outside.  It looks like my stomach is beat bopping to music of some sort...a little pop this way, a little pop that way.

It's the little things

What an exhausting week!  Moving, unpacking, working...all of these things can really take it out of you.  It is all over now.  We have officially sold our home and besides little projects here and there we are settled into our new place.  Although I am thrilled to be starting this new chapter of our lives, it is also bittersweet.  Our old home will always have many memories attached to it, good and bad.  It was the first home I ever purchased, the first home Chris and I lived in together.  We got engaged, married, and even found out we were expecting a little Smith in this home.  We also had the pleasure of experiencing many of the unpleasant things that come with home-ownership...HOA, floods, mice, bed bugs, cockroaches (just to name a few, EWW).  Even though our new place is not permanent, it will also be filled with lots of firsts...The arrival of Little Smith; This will be his or her first home, filled with lots of love and excitement.  I already got to experience one of those firsts!  I can now see the little one moving from the outside.  It is a little unreal seeing your belly bulge out in different spots because of your baby moving inside.  It just makes everything more real!

Week 24

24 weeks has many milestones.  We moved, Chris had a birthday, my dad and step-mom celebrated 25 years of marriage, and I really have started to feel Little Smith move.

Our living situation has been quite the whirlwind.  You might remember we were previously under contract in December and it fell through.  We then put our place back on the market after the holidays and were quickly under contract again.  This time we had 2 1/2 weeks to find a place to live and move. There are not many places to rent this time of year, but we found a place that has everything we need (for now).  Since we downsized, we sold a bunch of stuff.  This helped purchased a new couch and chair (our Christmas presents to each other). Now, we are all moved in, boxes everywhere.  It is time to get settled and really start to prepare for Little Smith's arrival!

24 weeks also marks the "Oh, wow, I really am pregnant" phase.  Not that I have been questioning it, it has just become more real this week.  When Chris took pictures I realized I really do have a baby belly!  It is one of those things where you know your body is changing and you can see it in the mirror everyday, but it takes a picture to realize all the changes at once!

Things to look forward to this week...officially closing on our home and becoming debt free!

Week 22

Well, another week knocked off the clock.  I can really feel Little Smith moving around now!  Rather than the little pops I was feeling before it is more like jabs and pokes.  Sometimes, it even feels like a ball rolling around on the inside!  Chris also got to feel Little Smith kick (or punch) for the first time.  I have been waiting for him to experience this moment.  Every time the baby would move I would place my hand on my stomach to see if I could feel anything on the outside.  Finally, one late evening (the little one takes after dad and is a night owl) it happened!  As I was lying in bed waiting for Chris the movements really started going.  I shouted for him to come in.  Of course it took a bit, but the little one was still moving around.  All of a sudden Chris felt the movements.  It was quite the moment.  I love that Chris can finally start experiencing some of the things I have been feeling!