Happy New Year everyone! As I type, there are only a few hours left in 2011! I am enjoying those last hours at home, with my puppy (& baby Connor in the belly). Derek is at work and felt no need to party until 3am with my friends this year... umm I wonder why :). 2011 was quite a year. We had some heart ache in the beginning of the year, lost a good family friend in May, found out our lives would forever be changed in June, and watched my brother & Christine say "I do" in October . Each year I am grateful for the ups and downs and each year I look forward to seeing what the next year has in store. I know 2012 will be great! We will welcome a baby boy into the world and I'll get to watch my husband be a daddy... What could be better than that!

Although 2011 involved sadness, like any other year, as I sit here, I am 100% content with where my life is right now and I thank God everyday for that! Happy New Year everyone! May 2012 be filled with health, happiness & enjoyment!!

You are our sunshine baby boy and we cannot

wait to meet you in (hopefully less than) TWO months!

Thank you to my sister in law Katelyn for her

photography skills. We are so lucky !

Click the link below to check out her photography blog.

http://photographybykatelynrussell.blogspot.com/

30 WEEKS!

Things are getting serious around our house! Within a week, we have a crib, a bassinet and a comfy rocking chair... all for baby! The nursery is coming along & I am LOVING how it is turning out. Just need to make the curtains, crib skirt, toss pillows, and add some final touches & it will be complete. It's so surreal walking by the room & seeing the crib! Can't wait for our baby boy to make it his cozy bed. Daddy worked hard putting the crib together while I watched and supervised :) It sure was a fun week getting ready for baby! It seems as if we're busy every week the next month and half so I know the next 2 months will fly by then BABY!

We had an appointment today & got to hear a healthy heartbeat. Tomorrow we go for an ultrasound which I am excited to see our growing baby boy. I decided to do the pregnancy quiz again this week.

How far along are you? 30w 1d

Total weight gain: Lets skip this question :)

How big is baby? Weighing between 3 to 4 pounds & 18 inches long!

Maternity clothes: YES... everything is maternity!

Stretch marks?: Nope... runs to rub lotion on my belly

Sleep? Sleep is okay... I wake up at least once to pee then sometimes have a hard time falling back asleep. The pelvis/ hip discomfort is bad at night.

Best moment this week? So many things! Crib, bassinet, chair, hearing a healthy heart beat!

Movement? Very much! He is a wiggle worm!

Food cravings? Im trying so hard to eat healthy but with the holidays near.. I can't get away from candy canes, cake pops, fresh baked cookies, brownies & kisses :/

Labor signs? Nope!

Belly button in or out? Flat but only a matter of days until it starts creeping out

What I miss: Nothing! I am loving pregnancy too much to miss anything!

What I'm looking forward to: Ultrasound tomorrow!

Milestone: Making it to 30 weeks! And having a baby crib in our house... such a great feeling!

3rd Trimester!

29 weeks (almost)

A week and a half ago I entered into the last 12 weeks of my pregnancy. Thinking of how fast the last 29 weeks have gone by, I know the next 10 1/2 weeks will be here before ya know it... especially with the holidays and showers in the near future. So far I am not nervous of birth or having a newborn. Part of me is anxious for our little man to be here while the other part of me is still patient and enjoying every kick and roll in my belly. I think Im gonna miss that part. So far I have begin to feel the effects of the third trimester.

Sleep:

My sleep is hit and miss. I fall asleep well (since Im so tired lately) and usually wake up around 2 or 3 to use the restroom. After that, some nights it takes me hours to fall back asleep. A few nights I've had heartburn, some nights just cant get comfortable all while having really achy pain in my lower pelvis (which started around 25 weeks). Some nights fall right back to sleep after the bathroom and can sleep til 10am... it just depends!

Movement:

I LOVE feeling little man move. Right when I wake up in the morning he quickly reminds me he is there. Also late a night as I lay in bed he is most active. His movement has gotten more powerful and sometimes he makes my belly all lopsided as he moves from side to side.

My body:

My body is experiencing changes ... to say the least. A growing belly, achy pelvis and waddle when I walk have all kicked in. I've also begin to feel the tiredness that I felt durning the 1st trimester which may have to do with not sleeping all to well at night.

Sunday night we celebrated my brother in law & father in law's birthday. We went to the Dead Fish in Crockett then back to Grandma's house. We had fun snapping pictures by the Christmas tree!

The Boys...

The Girls...