twenty-nine

{pretend there's a bump pic right here...coming soon}
 
I missed last week, so I'm doing my little update on an odd week.

Pregnancy: 29 weeks

Weight Gain: +20ish

How big is baby?: An estimated 17 inches {head to toe} and almost 3 lbs {!!!}

Sleep: I've had a few nights sleep disturbed by heart burn and leg cramps, but overall it's been pretty good.

Feeling: Sore mostly. This little guy is doing a number on my hips.

Movement:I've noticed lately he's really active in the morning when I'm just waking up. He's a pretty active little fella in general though. When I had my appointment last week you could hear him moving all about when she was trying to listen to his heart beat {156}.

Belly: Getting bigger...isn't that how these things work? ;)

Countdown to baby: 10 weeks to go!

xoxo,

Ashley

remember

I never want to forget...

1. How when I bring Morgan to bed with me in the morning and he is still sleepy, but he'll try to fight it by softly rubbing up and down my arm with his tiny hand. It's so sweet and really makes me feel his love for me.

 

2. His secret vocabulary. He's surprised us lately when he shouts out things {usually in excitement or frustration} that we've never heard him say before. The other day he was sitting at the table waiting for Daddy to bring him his yogurt, and was getting impatient. I said "Tell Daddy to hurry up!" and Morgan shouts "Come on, Dad!". So, so funny. His vocabulary really has exploded lately.

3. How he will pull a chair from the dining room into the kitchen when I'm doing dishes so he can play in the water too.

4. How he'll suddenly stop, his eyes will get real big, and his mouth will open in a wide "O" when a song he likes comes on the radio {current faves: "Pontoon", "All I want to do", "Creepin'", and "We are never getting back together"}.

5. How he'll insist on bringing a certain toy or object with him when we leave the house. Most times it's his baby. That baby has been to Target, Walmart, the hospital, and of course Grandma and Grandpa's.

6. The way he'll mimic us when we laugh and will through his head back and start laughing hysterically. 

7. How when Frank asked him where his baby was the other day he lifted up his shirt and pointed to his belly.

8. How when he wants to show me something or wants me to get something for him he'll grab my hand and pull me forward while saying "walk! walk!". Bossy little thing, no?

9.  His new favorite thing is trying to lick me. Yea. I think he just likes my horrified reaction. 

10. How he covers his eyes to hide. Because if he can't see us, we can't see him. Duh.

P.S. The pics are completely random. I've been slacking in the photo taking department as of late. 

xoxo,

Ashley

homemaking

I love this quote.
It holds a whole lot of meaning to me right now as I strive to make our home our own. 
What do I want our home to be? 
Warm. 
Cozy. 
Inspiring. 
Beautiful. 
I love the layered look of a house that has been made a home over time with hand me downs, thrifted treasures, and new purchases.
But, sometimes that layered look can become too much if you don't edit out the old, less loved stuff as you go.
So, in order to make our home what I want it to be, I have to get rid of all the stuff and only keep that which is useful, beautiful, and meaningful to us. 
The first round of decluttering and purging is usually easy because you're getting rid of the stuff that you don't like or don't need. 
But, the subsequent rounds are a little harder as you decide to part with things that you like or that are cute, but really don't have a good place in your home. This is where I'm at now in most of the rooms in our house. It's a task that is at once scary and freeing. 

Today I tackled the book shelf in the living room. 
It'll probably look different next week:)

xoxo,

Ashley

trick-or-treat

Yesterday afternoon was Trick-or-Treat here.

Originally we had planned to do the same thing we did last year,

dress Morgan up and then have him pass out candy with Daddy.

But, Frank wanted to take him to a few houses around my parents neighborhood, and I'm so glad we did.

He was a little shy at first, but quickly got the hang out it. 

He can't say "Trick-or-Treat" yet, so we had him say "Please" and "Thank You" which sound more like "Pweeese" and "Tank You".

Sooo cute. 

Isn't he just the cutest little football player ever?

xoxo,

Ashley

my sunflower

 {click picture to see larger}

Yesterday we made our annual family trip to The Little Farmer.

It was freeezing, but Morgan got to see his goats,

Frank got his pumpkin muffin with cream cheese frosting,

and I got my yearly picture of my little sunflower. 

While we were there I said to Frank,

"Just think, next year we'll have two".

I'm looking forward to having two little sunflowers to capture in photos each year.

xoxo,

Ashley

twenty-six

Pregnancy: 26 weeks

Weight Gain: I'm avoiding the scale until my next appointment.

How big is baby?: An estimated 15 inches {head to toe} and just over 2 lbs.

Sleep: Some nights good, some nights not so much. I think I need to add another pillow to the repertoire.

Gender: Boy :)

Names: He has a name. We're still not telling :)

Feeling: Tired. Big. Old. I've still got 3 months of this? Oh dear!

Movement: The best feeling ever. He's super active in the evening when I'm kicked back on the couch. I'm always calling Frank over to look and see him contorting in my belly.

Belly: Still slowly but surely growing.

Countdown to baby: 13 weeks to go!

And one with my little guy:

 

xoxo,

Ashley

pumpkin painting

Yesterday we painted our pumpkin.

Just like last year, I used painters tape to tape off a design {chevron this year} and then let Morgan have at it with his paint brush and hands. 

 {last year}

We used the same washable white tempera paint. 

Thank God.

By time we were done, there were traces of paint on his face, jeans, a blanket, and the TV stand.. 

I think the only reason I bother with the apron when we paint is the cuteness factor :)

Sadly, October has flown by!

 We're celebrating the last weekend of October right with a trip to the apple orchard today, a halloween party tonight, and trick or treating tomorrow.

xoxo,

Ashley