Big brother.

I realize this blog has been very overwhelmingly "look at all the cute/hilarious/awesome things Alex is doing" lately, but pretty soon I'll have to start balancing between Harper and Alex, so I'm getting my fix in while I can. Deal.

Anyway, this morning he decided to wheel Harper's bassinet from our room into his room because "she should sleep in MY room, Mom, because I love her the most."

Then, when he finally brought it back into our room, it looked like this:

That's his beloved "sleep toy" Jake & Emma, resting on a Tractor pillow (because "Harper will need a pillow, Mom") and covered with his Cars blanket "to keep them soft and snuggly."

"This is how Harper will sleep in here, Mom."

Someday when I'm crazy and sleep deprived and want to run away to the beach and live by myself in a tiki hut while surviving on nothing but sunshine, fish tacos and margaritas, someone remind me of this magical moment, mmmmk?

This kid is a DREAM.

Yesterday on the way to daycare, Alex asked to play with his Magna Doodle to draw me a picture. (Mom tip: the small bin of car-friendly toys I keep in the backseat has saved my life more than once.) Of course, I obliged and when we got to our destination I asked him what he drew for me.

"Mom! I drawed Harper! She has eyelashes and a ponytail."

This boy loves his sister so much already, I honestly can't imagine how it will grow when she's here. This morning he told me he can't wait to teach her math. MATH.

Alex, I am SO proud to be your Momma. You are one cool cat and your sister is so lucky to have you for a big brother. xoxox.

Hump Day, Bump Day!

bV is the size of a honeydew! 
She's still in the 17.2- to 18.7-inch and 4.2- to 5.8-pound range and continues to beef up.

bV at 36 weeks:
- She's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on her own.
- Her skin is getting smooth and soft and her gums are rigid.
- Her liver and kidneys are in working order.
- Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too.
via thebump.com

Remember back when it seemed like Jessica Simpson was pregnant for 14,563.92 years? Yeah. I get it. So today you get her terribly unflattering picture instead of mine. Partially because I forgot to take mine, and mostly because I'm too lazy to do it now. Enjoy & you're welcome.

Also, today I made a hair appointment for October 8, knowing full well that I will be there. But secretly, I'm hoping not to be. I know with a scheduled C-Section that I'll just want everything to go delightfully & uneventfully according to plan, but I'm sooooooooo very, very over this whole thing that a part of me also hopes maybe she'll come early.

And in "I'm not totally sucking at this parenting thing" news, last night we asked Alex what the "best part" of Harper would be, and he told us her "smart brain." Turns out he's listening, after all.

On the Internet, everything is free.

Isn't it amazing how a 4 year old's mind works?

Last night, for instance, Alex was asking me if we could buy a glow in the dark iPad case that he saw a TV commercial for. Here's how that conversation went:

Alex: Mom, can we buy it? Please? Pretty please?
Me: That depends, Alex. Do you have money to buy it?
A: I don't need any money, Mom. We can buy it ONLINE.
M: (confused) Things still cost money when you buy them online, Alex.
A: No they don't. You just use your tappage and they send it to our house on the UPS truck!

His train of thought is spot on, because whenever he finds an app he wants to "buy" on the iPad, he has to bring it to me to "tap in the passoword" and then the app magically appears. (As a note, we only download free apps.) And, whenever he's watched me buy things online, there's never money or a credit card involved that he can see like at the store. Makes perfect sense!

Then this morning he told us on the way to Aunt Jane's that he was "writing a thesis" for his "Lego prototype" that he's building. WHERE DOES IT COME FROM, THIS 4TH GRADE KNOWLEDGE?

Still pregnant.

You know, in case you were wondering. Because apparently, EVERYONE ELSE is.

#feelslikeit

Hump Day, Bump Day!

bV is the size of a coconut! 
She's about 17.2 to 18.7 inches. From here on out, she won't get much longer, but she's plumping up. She's now about 4.2 to 5.8 pounds, and she'll put on a pound or more of baby fat before birth.

bV at 35 weeks 
- Now, her hearing is fully developed, and she responds best to high-pitched noises.
- If it's a boy, his testes have probably fully descended.
via thebump.com

I find it odd that last week she was compared to a butternut squash and this week it's a coconut. I mean, isn't that a little backward in terms of both size and weight? Ahhh, well. Regardless she's growing and getting fruitier by the day.

I'm down to just 16 days of work left, which only gives me moderate panic attacks every 6-7 minutes. As much as I'm over being pregnant, I genuinely hope that Harper waits until her scheduled date to arrive. I had a week off planned before Alex (like I have with Harper) and Alex decided to come on that first day off - Monday. Even if Harper decides to give me just a few days to relax and enjoy my last days as a Momma of 1, I would be ever so appreciative.

Physically, I'm over it. I waddle better than Donald Duck himself and my pelvic area feels like a war zone with every step I take. So, you know, overall enjoyment. "Pregnancy is a real dream!" ...said no one, ever.

See also: ONE MONTH EXACTLY until little girl makes her arrival.

Pregnancy, round four.

So you know how every mother on planet earth who's had at least 1 of each sex will tell you how every pregnancy is "sooooo different" and how she knows all the things and wants to impart every last bit of knowledge onto you?

As it turns out...those assholes, for once, are right.

And I guess there's really no proof as to what the differences are from, exactly, but I can tell you that Harper? She's WAY different than Alex. Let us count the ways...

1. First Trimester. Remember how with Alex I was just tired all the time? My thyroid was whack. With Harper, I never even had to take Synthroid. I did, however, throw up all the time.
2. Second Trimester. See also: #1.
3. Swelling. I'm probably totally screwing myself right now and I'm knocking on every piece of wood within reach, but with Alex I was a hot, swelly mess of cankle. Remember these feet? Granted, that photo was taken 12 days before I had Alex and I'm still >30 days away with Harper, but so far, I haven't even entered the spectrum of swelling I had with Alex.
4. Blood Pressure. Same story as my feet. My blood pressure was an issue for most of my 3rd trimester with Alex. With Harper it's been "great" every time.
5. Hunger Games. With Alex I'm pretty sure I would have eaten a tree if you'd have put it in front of me with a bit of ketchup to dunk it in. Harper has a pretty steady appetite, and for the most part, I eat pretty normally, if not lighter than usual.
6. Escape Routes. I never felt pelvic "pressure" with Alex. Harper, on the other hand, tries to escape out of my lady garden with every step I take. I literally cannot even walk DOWN stairs anymore because it hurts so bad and also I fear her feet will pop out by step #3. I sit on my butt and scoot. It's very embarrassing and I would like to take this opportunity to thank architects everywhere for inventing elevators. (And for the record, I had a c-section with Alex, so it's not like I'm all Michelle Duggar loosey goosey down there. It should be business as usual.)
7. Ninja Moves. Alex was a squirmer. Harper, on the other hand, is an extreme warrior ninja. I will be flabbergasted if she doesn't come out doing cartwheels and also punches my surgeon in the face upon her exit while simultaneously flipping off the anesthesiologist. 

What this also leads me to believe is since they were such different babies in utero, that they will be equally as opposite on the external. Please recall that Alex was an Angel child and ate and slept like a champ. 6-8 hours through the night at 6 weeks, amen, amen. 

I'm terrified of this girl. Terrified.

A sentimental journey.

My mom was taking a walk down memory lane (see also: probably a hot mess on her living room floor) the other day and started texting me pictures of pictures of the day I was born. A little unorthodox, sure...and crazy to think Alex & Harper will just have to look at Shutterfly, Facebook or my Instagram feed to see their lives from the very beginning, while I have to haul out 75 lbs. of peel-and-stick, 3 ring, leather-bound old school photo albums.

Anyway, the pics were too cute NOT to share, and it'll be fun to see how much Harper looks like me.

Mom on Dec.7, 1982.

Welcome to the world, self.

"Oh, hey dere."

Kelli holding me.

ABOUT my Dad's tracksuit. And glasses. And beard. #sexy

Hump Day, Bump Day!

bV's the size of a butternut squash! 
At less than two months to go, she weighs in at about 4.2 pounds to 5.8 pounds and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches.

bV at 34 weeks 
- She's recognizing and reacting to simple songs, if you're singing them. (If you're not, start! She may find them soothing after birth.)
- She's also urinating about a pint a day.
via thebump.com

I'm very, very, very, very ready for this child to be born. Five weeks seems like a suspiciously unreasonable amount of time left to wait, but I will try to practice patience and all that crap about it being a virtue. And the "At less than TWO months to go..." text from the bump is a little misleading. It's WAY less than two months. Way.

I have 21 days of work left (not that I'm counting), so it's kind of getting stressy and down to the wire to make sure everything is in place for my leave. I'm actually kind of excited that this time overlaps with the holidays--even though Harper will probably have us on her own little version of a schedule, it will be nice to be home and semi-relaxed over the winter. I see lots of fireside snuggles in my future.

Things Alex says.

"Mom? Harper is coming soon, right? Because you are going to explode."

"The park at Aunt Jane's house is very familiar to me because I play at it every day."

"Can Harper have some ice cream in your belly button?"

"...but I said 'please' so that means it can happen!"

"I pick you flowers every day because that means I love you. Can I marry you someday?"

And a recent fave that was told secondhand...

Aunt Jane was telling the kids about Grandma Davis' recent 92nd birthday, to which Alex replied, "Wow! That's old! She should go to heaven!"

Global love.

I work at a global company, so lots of my coworkers and teammates are from all over the world. Yesterday, I received a DHL package all the way from Mexico City with a gift for Harper in it. I cried! :)

The note reads:

Mexico City, Sept. 2nd

Dear Kristi,

In this incredible journey with your new baby girl, I wish you and your family the best: love, healthy and, if possible, some sleeping. Enjoy it!!

This is a small gift for her: a dress from the Mexican state of Puebla, hand-made by the native group called "totonacas".

I hope you like it! :)

Please receive a warm big hug...

Ivette Camacho

_________________

Won't Harper just be the CUTEST in this dress? Oh, I can see it now with her fluff of dark hair, chasing her big brother around the back yard in a swirl of color from Mexico.

She is loved from all corners of the world, for sure!

Harper Land.

I've had Harper's room designed in my head from the moment the ultrasound tech said she was 80% sure it was a girl. (Yes. I still lose sleep that she MIGHT come out a boy...it's fine.)

I knew it had to be a cheery, happy place with no pastels. Pastels depress me and make me want to vomit.

I knew it had to be girly and bright with personal touches so she knows how much she is loved.

I also knew I had to do it on a budget, Kristi style. Challenge, accepted!

Here's a quick 360 tour in photos...

bedding | bunting

Crib was Alex's. Ceiling tiles were a 30th bday present from my parents

...and yes, we'll have to move the tiles when she's older and more mobile

shelves| dresser| changing pad cover | blue cart | animal prints | world print

Chevron baskets and dot tin from Michael's

"harper" bunting handmade by the lovely Sarah of so sarah designs

The little doll was my Mom's when she was a girl

The cross was a gift from Joey

Everything else was crafted, found or spray-painted

Sources for this image in this post

Quilt was a handmade gift from my friend, Katy

Print was a gift from Uncle Kyle & Aunt Jill.

Stool is old - from Target

I ordered this piece from a Rendi party and it hangs on the closet door knob. I'd never heard of their products before a friend of mine became a consultant. Visit her page, here to see all the cool & customizable Rendi products that are available.

So that's a tour of our lovely little lady's room. I love it because it's a mix of new, old and meaningful pieces that will grow with her. Unless she wants to be a tomboy, in which case I guess I'll just start over in 5 years.

Hump Day, Bump Day!

bV's the size of a durian!
She weighs about 4.2 to 5.8 pounds and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches. And she may grow up to a full inch this week -- amazing.

bV at 33 weeks 
- She's keeping her eyes open while awake.
- She's also starting to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing.
- Her bones are hardening.
- And she going through (more) major brain development -- that's one smart baby!
via thebump.com

A durian? I feel like that's a Star Nerd character, no? Anyway, I googled it and allegedly it's a real spiny and smelly fruit native to southeast Asia. So, you know, a perfect comparison to my baby.

We had another appointment this week and all is well in Harper Land. She's head down (not that it particularly matters in my case) and is very much an evening baby. Yesterday she was practicing her roundhouse kicks for me and putting on quite the show for her Daddy...and all he could do was laugh at me and my earthquake of a belly.

As far as preparedness, we're physically ready for her. She has food, (TONS of) clothing and (a SUPER cute) shelter. Mentally, I'm not so sure I'm there yet. I did a few loads of very pink laundry over the weekend and had like 12 panic attacks as I was folding it all. PINK. It's very weird and alien-like to me.

After my next appointment we start going weekly. YIPES! And then, it's only just a matter of time before she joins our family officially!

#ThingsMyHusbandSays

While hanging multiple things on the wall over the weekend in Harper's room (tour later this week!), I was getting nervous that we were putting lots of holes in the wall.

Says Joey, "It's ok. There's going to be 'One Direction' posters covering all the holes in a few years, anyway."