Maternity Pics

When we went to the beach last weekend, my lovely sister-in-law (Bethany, I should specify since I have three, almost four sisters-in-law) was kind enough to take some pictures of Luke and I. I basically had to drag him down from the condo (one hour before the first Alabama footbal game of the season) and tease him with the promise of bar-b-qued shrimp (which while not exactly what it sounds like, is way awesome).

He acted like the oh-so-wonderful husband that he is, shaved his face and wore what I asked, and posed like the model he should be :) Here are a few of the highlights...




His arms are like twice the size of mine!


I love this one!



This is one of my faves!

I didn't realize we covered the belly until afterwards... oops!

I saw this on thebump.com and had to steal the idea!

You can't really see the belly here, but I still love how it came out.

34 Week Belly

Here is a glimpse of the maternity pics we took last weekend... Six weeks to go!

Thirty-Four Weeks and Counting...

How far along? 34 weeks 2 days
Total weight gain/loss: +2 since last dr. visit/ +24 total
Maternity clothes? Yep, and my favorite Target shorts are now too small :( I need it to get cooler so I can transition to jeans
Stretch marks? Not yet
Sleep: Cycle has become try to get comfprtable, get up and pee, try to get comfortable, get up and pee; notice there is no actual sleep in that cycle
Best moment this week: Laying on the beach, by far
Movement: Yes, and what I thought was rythmic dance by Claire is actually her hiccups
Food cravings: Food is not more important than breathing and now that I am having to choose between eating and breathing (at least until she drops), I am chossing breathing
Gender: It's a GIRL! Claire Kimball McGlothin
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Belly button is officially out
What I miss: The ability to bend down (Luke had to retreive by golf ball on the putt putt course because I can no longer reach the ground)
What I am looking forward to: Start of the Fall Small Groups at Church of the Highlands :)
Milestones: Maternity pictures have been taken and will be posted soon!

Even the Unemployed Celebrate Labor Day!

I often feel sorry for myself that I got laid off when I was 14 weeks pregnant and mull over the fact that no one is hiring (and no one is especially hiring pregnant people), but as the hard working celebrate their well-deserved day off, I reflect.

I am really so lucky that I have a hard-working husband that can support us, great health insurance through his company, and this time to prepare our home and our family for this wonderful new blessing.

I sometimes wonder how pregnant people work a 40 hour week and live through it. I don't sleep very well at night and therefore nap throughout the day. When I have a craving, I just go out to the grocery and get it. I was able to paint the nursery and get things ready just the way I wanted them to be. And best of all, I spent the whole summer at home with Bella! These are all things I can/ could do because I don't have to work.

Part of me is ready to get back into the professional world, but part of me is so spoiled with this time off. Sometimes I just want an intelligent conversation with someone other than Luke. (I feel bad for Luke because every day when he gets home, I literally talk his ear off.) I just want to feel like I am doing something important. But the other part of me knows that when Claire arrives, I may never want to leave her side, not even for the greatest job opportunity. I know I can't stay home forever, and real sacrifices have been made for this stint of unemployment to be possible.

But as we wind down from a wonderful vacation, I will celebrate today anyway, as I think I am doing a pretty darn good job of growing a human. And what could be more important than that.

Life is better at the beach :)

Luke and I arrived at the beach yesterday afternoon, and are so happy to be here! We went to eat at Doc's Seafood House last night.



And my nephew Liam, with his "Dangerous" t-shirt, and my neice Camille with her sassy face