Baby #3: 32 Weeks

It's hard to believe that in as little as 8 short weeks, The Wallings will be a family of 5 (4 of which will be men/boys!). I am now really starting to feel the toll of this pregnancy. My body feels really heavy all the time and baby boy NEVER stops moving. I had to stop exercising about 3 weeks ago because I was having a lot of braxton hicks contractions and I was starting to get a little nervous about it. Not to mention, I told my sister Ashlee about this and she gave me the 3rd degree and then called in the big guns, a.k.a. Dad, to "remind" me of how important rest is. I listened and have been laying low on the weekends and have just been walking a little on my lunch breaks. I feel that the lack of exercise is both positive and negative. Positive being: not as many contractions and less pain in my lower back/sciatic nerve... Negative being: I gained 5.2 lbs in 4 weeks (and 2 whole inches around my waist), I am more stiff/sore for the few minutes after i get up from sitting or laying down for significant periods of time, and I'm not sleeping as well as I had been while i was working out. I'm thinking that next week I'm going to ease back into it and start with light weights and more walking or i may get back on the elliptical. I feel really jiggly and need to try to keep a handle on any smidgen of firmness left on this body. I'm dreading the losing weight process and am hoping to make it as easy as possible on myself as i can.



Last weekend my Mom and I put the mural up in the nursery and there are just a few details left to take care of and it will be all set for the little mans arrival. My mom is planning on painting a few little critters on the walls, we need to lock down a name and get it put up, I need to have the ceiling fan installed and I'm still debating if i want a rug in there or not. As soon as it is done, I'll be posting pictures (hopefully it will be soon). I haven't seen my midwife in over a month but am going in tomorrow. I'm trying to prepare myself for being told YET AGAIN that i have gained too much weight. I don't know if they realize that they re always telling me the same thing, but there is not exactly much i can do about it. I can work out really hard, but i don't think that would be safe and i could starve myself but i don't think that would be healthy...so basically the midwife need to come to the same conclusion i have come to...I'm just going to be the type of woman who gets huge during my pregnancies and will have to work BEYOND hard to get back into shape. I wish i had the nerve to just come out and say this to them when I'm being lectured, but i don't, so i just take it and then feel bad for a day or two until I'm over it! Oh well...

The hubby is still in town and we're off to Sacramento on Friday for a wedding, to visit my sister and brother in law and have some alone time before Price heads back to Florida. We won't get to see him again until mid December :(
Have a great day everyone!

Lots of Love and Bunches of Hugs,
XOXO Brogan Lee

OOHHH September...

For our family, September is crazier than December. The number of Birthdays between mine and Prices imediate family is close to 10. After Martin and I got into our teen years, our family started celebrating the three of the four Barrett sibling birthdays in this month together. Most kids probably wouldn't like having to share their "special" day with their brother or sister, but i LOVED it! My sisters are a few years older than Martin and I and once we got older and they went off to college and Martin and I got involved in our own stuff, the four of us didn't see each other as much as we would have all like to. So these weekend spent celebrating were great! I miss those times and hope that soon we can start doing sibling weekends again.
Today was my birthday (and also Mexico's independance day :) ). When i got to work today, my co-workers had decorated my desk. They are so sweet! It looked great! I don't think the pictures do it justice.



They piled my desk with all kinds of candy, 2 different kinds of cookies, brownies, cheetos, and two cakes! One of the cakes was a corrot cake made by one of the supervisors in the office. This cake is pretty famous. Most people here know who Katie is, but even if they don't, they sure as heck know what "Katie's Carrot Cake" is!! I felt really lucky to get it...and not a single person turned down a slice! Ha Ha.

There was also this adorable litle cake with my name on it. I didn't share this one though, i'm taking it home and am going to enjoy it all to myself!

Thank you Wawanesa people for the sweet card, yummy treats and awesome desk!!

I'm off work tonight at 7:30 and have to head over to the airport because Price is flying in for a week!! I'm so excited! This will be the second longest span of time we've spent together in over a year! Last Christmas was a 2 week visit, so were due for some time together. Plus, this is the last time we'll get to see him until December when he moves back to California. Sooo Happy Birthday to me! This is a fabulous gift!

To all the September birthday people (Sydney, Ashlee, Price, Martin, Maureen, Moody, Robin, Dani, Andrea, Emily and everyone else I can't remember right now) HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Hair Day

First off, get ready to see a BUNCH of photos of yours truly. Second, I have been extremely negligent of my hair. May was the last time i did ANYTHING to it. Seriously...ANYTHING! This means no cuts, trims, root lifts, colors, or highlighting. All I've done is dry, and fry, straighten and curl. The hubby is coming at the end of the week and i took this as an opportunity to finally get my butt into a salon and have a little something done. Part of me would L-O-V-E to have my hair cut/colored like this...


Yes, that is Chelsea Kane from the Disney channel and last season of Dancing With the Stars. I'll admit it, I'm kind of obsessed with her hair and have about 20 pictures saved on my desktop at work. I'm thinking after baby boy is born and i drop at least 40 pounds, i may just make the jump into the short, blond bob. I don't feel like i can pull this off feeling as chunky as i do and with my face as round as it is. Price has his heart set on a cruise around march, so I'm going to try really hard to drop the pounds before then and maybe get a new cut for the new body :). So, as for the above hair cut...to be continued.

Here are a few before pics from this morning before i went to the salon. My hair was just too long, not holding any curl, getting really thin and stringy, and i had dark brown roots about 3 inches long! YIKES!




And here I am after about a foot was chopped off!! AHHH!!... I told the woman to take a lot off on the length, add a bunch of layers, and lighten up the color. It feels way healthier and lighter but I'm still not sold on the cut. I feel like there is just not a drastic enough difference in the layers and it looks a little choppy, like she just grabbed my pony tail and hacked away. To me, i think it looks a little too juvenile or maybe a little too mommy-ish. Oh well, I'll like it eventually and I'll see what i can do with it. I sure hope I'm able to get some volume in there and maybe get it to hold a curl :(




Hopefully Price will like it and i won't regret cutting off so much of my long, flowing locks! :) AND...I swear i will not wait another 5 months until the next trip to the salon!

Have a beautiful day!

Lots of Love and Bunches of Hugs,
XOXO Brogan Lee

Super Smoothie

I'm always on the hunt for something new and healthy that the boys will eat. I've been trying to take it a little easier the past week, so i did something i almost never do...read while on the elliptical. I picked up an issue of FITNESS magazine and started to thumb through it. I came across a TON of new recipes i plan on trying in the next few weeks. One of which was one called "Super Smoothie - A veggie drink your kids will love." This totally sounds too goo to be true...BUT IT'S NOT!!! And for anyone who loves Pumpkin pie (ME!!) you'll also love this.

1 Cup canned pumpkin
1 Cup Milk (i used whole milk because I'm trying to fatten these growing boys up)
2 TBLS maple syrup
1/3 TSP nutmeg
2/3 TSP cinnamon
1 TSP vanilla
1 Cup ice
Whipped Cream (optional - - but not in our house :) )

Blend everything but the ice until smooth. Add ice; continue to blend until thick and creamy. Garnish with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon, if desired.
Serves 4

Nutrition Facts per serving:
88 calories, 3 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fat (1 g saturated), 2 grams fiber.

I think the next time i make this, i will try adding a banana...i don't think you would taste it and it never hurts to add more fruits.

Preston drank about 1/2 and was kind of over it. Ethan LOVED it and had seconds. I really liked it too. I hope it's a hit with your little ones (or even you)!!

Lots of Love ans Bunches of Hugs,
XOXO Brogan Lee