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

Office Progress

The office is supposed to be Price's "man cave" area. An area free from my OCD organization and any decorating advice/influence. Unfortunately, he has been gone for so long, that i had to fix it up a little because I do occasionally go in there and it is also doubling as a guest room. BUT, as soon as he is stationed back in San Diego, he is more than welcome to make ANY changes he wants, so there is a good possibility that this room will only look the way it does for a short time longer. The room once had a window to the back yard, but when the addition was built, the window was boarded up, and the previous owners felt that a mirrored "mountain-view" was the second best thing...Phase 1:


The wood siding was removed and the walls were painted, I hung some curtains over the "window" and we stuck my brothers futon in there for some seating (this is also the guest bed :)) There is a sky light in the room, but besides that, no lighting. So there are several lamps. (Sorry, no phase 2 pic)...Phase 3:


The corner of the office...Phase 1:


For anyone who doesn't know Price, he is a serious reader! I once went to a book store with him and after about an hour he walked up to the counter with a stack of books almost as high as his chin (no joke)!! And i don't know if those even lasted 6 months. When my Mom moved in with us after Price was sent to the east coast, we stuck her book self in here. This is not even a fraction of the books he has collected since we've been married. Countless have been given away or thrown away and there are several boxes still in the garage!


This is Phase 2 of another corner of the office...


Another one on the pieces of furniture we scored from my mom's move (the desk) and the file cabinet was something they were going to throw away on base, so Price snatched it up and brought it home, and some art from our old apartment finished the look. Since i know this room is going to be changed anyway, it makes me happy that I was able to fix it up without spending a dime. Everything was either given to us or "recycled" from one of the past places we've lived. The only issue in this room is I don't know how to hide all those dang wires!...Phase 3:


I give it 6 months and there will be another post of pics of what the "man cave" looks like after the MAN arrives...probably just a room full of paper and books and clothes! Just kidding :)

Lots of Love and Bunches of Hugs,
XOXO Brogan Lee

Roommates

The arrival of baby brother #3 is quickly approaching (11 weeks or less!!), and unfortunately Ethan is getting the boot from the nursery and will be bunking with Preston. I decided to make the move sooner rather than later so there are not too many changes all at once. Here are a few pics of the transformation from "just Preston's" room to "Preston and Ethan's" room. This is the way the room's corner looked on the day we bought it...Phase 1:


Then what it looked like when Preston had the room all to himself...Phase 2:


And, now what it looks like with Ethan's bed and name added in. There is also a dresser my mom found at a local consignment store for a steal!...Phase 3:


This is the opposite corner/center of the room when we moved in...Phase 1:


And when P2 was solo, it looked like this...Phase 2:


I was really nervous that adding another bed in there would make an already small room SUPER crammed, but i don't think it made much of a difference at all! I'm still not too sure about something in there. I'm not sure if its the curtains, or the pillows...but it just seems like a little too much pattern for me. Oh, well. I'll figure it out soon...Phase 3:


Preston's little bed... Phase 2 (phase 1 does not exist apparently):


Not much has changed in this little corner. Preston still has his bed, and super hero's and his stuffed animals. I guess it's best if something stay the same :)... Phase 3:


Ethan has adjusted really well to sleeping in this room. Nap time is still taking place in the crib because I also nap at this time and get a little nervous that Ethan will decide to wake up before me and he and Preston will get into all kinds of trouble! Preston (unfortunately) has been sleeping in my room since Price has been gone, so I'm going to try to get him back into his own room next week. Hopefully, that won't throw everything to the wind. Time will tell I guess?

Lots of Love and Bunches of Hugs
XOXO Brogan Lee

Livingroom Progress

Like our front entry way and door? We, didn't either! The dirty teal colored door, the plastic mail catcher, the olive green tile floor, peeling wall paper and silver silk curtains HAD to go!...PHASE 1:


We removed the green flooring and replaced it with neutral tiles, refinished the walls, and repainted EVERYTHING..oh and tossed those curtain within about 5 minutes of taking the above picture... Phase 2 (and basically 3):


One of the walls was painted the same teal color as the front door and then had gold flaked mirrors taped all over it in this diamond pattern. There was also an accordion door (like you see in motor homes) separating the living room from the kitchen, royal blue shag carpet, and some type of a weird foam acoustic ceiling tile in this room. Not to mention the closet door that lead to the big box that stuck out into the kitchen that you saw in the last post... Phase 1:


Price's Uncle Robin came to our rescue in this room again. He removed the closet door and refinished the ceilings (after Price removed the tiles and moldy popcorn ceiling that was under it. We hucked the accordion door and my mom and I spent several hours with Goo Gone taking down all the mirrors. Robin and Price tiled the entire house, so no more shag in this room!... Phase 2:


We got a new TV (the Sony outlet center had a deal we just COULDN'T pass up), some pillows, lamps, and I hung a few shelves for the random nick knacks we've collected over the years...Phase 3:


I guess I don't have a "Phase 1" picture for this area of the room, but it's basically just the section i couldn't fit in the last photo. I'll call this...Phase 2 (continued):


We now have some metal art on the walls and a rug, which already needs to be replaced. I don't seem to be very good about making the boys remove shoes and keep food in the kitchen. Plus this is where most of the foot traffic in the house is. I guess a white rug was the wrong choice!?! If anyone sees a nice colored one that will hide stains and dirt AND is less than $400, PLEASE send a link my way!...Phase 3:


Again, I seem to have not taken as many "phase 1" photos as i should have because this area is missing. We'll (again) call this...Phase 2:


Some iron scroll-y candle holders were put up, we got a new lamp and some bins/baskets to hide the boys toys. The HIDING part never lasts too long. They are usually spewed all over the place :)...Phase 3:


That's about it for the living room. My mom helped me pick out an AWESOME ceiling fan for the room that looks a little like an old airplane propeller. I'm determined to have it installed one way or another by the end of October, so when it's up I'll make sure to post a few pics!

Lots of Love and Bunches of Hugs!
XOXO Brogan Lee