Last month we had more family visit including my Mom and Dad and my sister Alanna. I love living so close to family and seeing everyone more! It makes me so happy! I wish the weather had been more pleasant but I sure enjoyed seeing some of the people I love best!

Our baby girl isn't here yet. Both Holly and Greta were already born by this point so she feels overdue, except she's not. I still have 6 more days to go until my due date. But we were convinced she'd be here by now. I'm just having a long early labor stage. Lots of contractions that don't grow up into anything. Fortunately, I feel really great for the most part. The contractions can get a bit wearing but otherwise I'm not swollen or uncomfortable and I'm in good spirits. I feel confident that she'll come when she's ready whenever that is. I'm measuring pretty small (5-6 weeks small!), so maybe she needs a little more time to fatten up? I had an ultrasound to check in on everything and she passed all the tests and the tech could even see hair. I didn't want any 3D pictures of her face. I just want to be surprised I guess. She'll be here soon enough in person!

We had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. Lots of time with friends and good food. I recently started making the girls holiday breakfasts. Halloween was our first one and now Thanksgiving. They LOVE it and it's a fairly simple way for me to celebrate the holidays with them, make them feel special and I feel like I'm doing a "good job" as a mom. It's a win all around. 

Holly and Greta wrote little letters to Santa and taped them to the fireplace. All they want Santa to bring them is Candy Canes and hubba bubba. The old guy can do that! Not having television and all the ads really effects our Christmas experience for the better I think. Their little letters are so cute!

I'm still trying to plan fun stuff on the weekends. If I don't, I'll go crazy! We're going to decorate gingerbread houses, get a tree and trim it, we have a party to go to, I want to watch the BFG with the girls, maybe do some charity toy shopping... Or maybe the baby will come? I don't have anything else to do to get ready for her. I'm tired of obsessively cleaning my house. I'm kind of over crossfit. And my freezer is filled to the top. So I need things to look forward to!

Nobody is pregnant forever right?!

This Halloween, we managed to purchase nothing for our costumes. We borrowed, repurposed/crafted or already owned all our Halloween outfits and accessories. Man, that was nice! Greta had her heart set on being a cheetah and I was gearing up to make her an outfit when I remembered our neighbor has a cheetah costume. So perfect! 

I'm trying out a new tradition to make holidays a little more special and help me feel like I'm doing my part as momma. I'm going to try to make them a simple breakfast. We couldn't make ours on Halloween morning, so I made pumpkin pancakes and ghost bananas for them on Sunday. The girls thought it was pretty great so I count that as a win!

We went trick or treating with friends down the most picturesque parkway. Old houses and decorations plus so many other families in costumes. It felt really American and Hollywood to me!

So weird to think that in less than 2 months I'm going to have another daughter to take pictures of and with! This belly is getting big... baby girl is growing well. I love this belly and this baby. I feel so grateful! 

Almost three quarters of the way there... I have 10 weeks and 2 days left, which in my world, if I'm basing time left on my previous 2 experiences, I really truly have 8-9 weeks left of this pregnancy. I don't like to pay attention to what day it is because I don't really want to know how close I'm getting to having this baby. I'm really excited to meet her, but then I have to take care of a baby so... I'll take a little more time please! 

I know I'm getting bigger, so I sure hope baby girl is. I've been able to keep my physical activity up still, not much of a change. My biggest hinderance to exercise is braxton hicks contractions. I get lots each day... totally normal for me though. It can get tiring and annoying. Baby girl moves the most at about 5AM after I've gotten up to use the bathroom. I love feeling those big kicks. The other morning it was like she was moving furniture or something. She gets the hiccups all the time... multiple times a day. Holly would get the hiccups a lot. It's such a funny feeling. 

I continue to have so much awe for what my body can do. I'm actually looking forward to the experience of labor and delivery. I've found some helpful, inspiring material to read and I wish I had found this like 8 years ago! I almost want to have a few more babies because I'm anticipating this birth with so much positive energy. I love to think about seeing her and holding her for the first time. It's so exciting to me!

I haven't been very nesty at all. Especially not baby nesting. I'm slowly working on her quilt... we still need some more clothes and supplies but I'm trying to go minimal and I'm waiting until after my baby showers to buy stuff. And, I just don't feel as excited about purchasing baby clothes and other items as I did with my first 2 pregnancies. I think I've mellowed out a little bit as I've gotten older, or at least I like to think so. Plus, I don't want to buy anything I don't need. 

I have begun thinking about the things I need to do to prepare my house. I'll probably make freezer meals in November. And I'll get Christmas ready then too. I've begun some painting projects that I plan on finishing before I get too big and uncomfortable. I figure it's going to be hard to get any walls painted in the next year so might as well do it now. 

Generally, I feel excited to meet my baby girl, but okay to wait. I think as I get closer, I'll have more intense feelings about it. We have family photos booked next month and it's weird to think this will be our last set as a family of four. In my mind, it's always been the four of us. It's going to be so different to have another sister. Or maybe it'll just feel like she's the piece we didn't quite know we were missing!