Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Day 2

Yes, I'm breaking the snow days down into a few days work of posts. I want to remember all the details of the kids first snow! We woke up on Wednesday to a little layer of snow! We decided that we'd try to get a little sledding in before the big storm hit that afternoon. My mom headed over and we got the babies ready to sled. Dressing two babies in snow gear is no joke. I used to want to move to Chicago with Jay for a year or two just to experience urban living. Not so much. The cold mixed with babies is not for me!

My mom found this old flashlight at her house and brought it over a few weeks ago. The batteries were all coroded and we had been putting off cleaning it up. When they warned of power outages due to the snow/ice, Jay got to work bringing this baby back to life! The kids have LOVED playing with it!

When the chance of snow was announced, I decided to order snow bibs for the kids. I found these super cute north face ones but couldn't justify the $89 price tag for each pair. I found this gray substitute on amazon. I didn't realize the top was was camo! Haha!

I'm looking a little rough and our bed was not made today but I stuffed my 30 week pregnant self into my ski pants for a romp outside! 

I'm ready to go mom!

It was SOOOOOO freaking cold. I think it was 24 degrees with a 17 degree wind chill. We only lasted about 30 minutes at the park but we had a blast!

Aunt Bo took some time off work to meet us! I'm sure the babies were glad to have her to sled with!

we face timed Aunt Allie and Uncle Brett! Allie LOVES the snow and loves sledding and was having major FOMO being in Atlanta while the rest of us were hanging in the snow.

Emma Cate LOVED eating the snow. By far her favorite part! Last snow day she pretty much hated life but this time around she loved all of it.

my snow bunnies!

We left the park when the snow started sticking to the road. I snapped this pic and texted Jay to start heading home. His car is rear wheel drive and handles HORRIBLY on the snow. I was not in the mood to drive uptown to pick him up if he got stuck. NO ONE from his office was planning on leaving early and he didn't want to be the only wimp. Plus, when I sent him this pic, there was NO snow at his office at all.

We stopped by my house for 10 minutes on the way home to collect our snowed in supplies and headed to my mom's to camp out for a few days. I took this picture leaving my house and told Jay he better get his behind home! He showed his boss and he told him to get outta there! The snow had JUST started falling at his office. Thankfully, my mom left her 4 wheel drive SUV for Jay to drive over to her house.

sunflowerbutter sandwiches for lunch!

my mom has a way better playroom than we do and the twins were in heaven playing down there. Not a bad place to be snowed in!

watching the snow pile up!

four dogs and two babies= chaos... but in a good way!

drying hats and mittens for our next adventure in the snow.

my parent's pretty backyard

my parents help us out A LOT. My mom is ALWAYS up for babysitting and helping me out when Jay isn't home. It's hard to pay them back for all they do for us but this snow day gave us (well Jay) an opportunity to install some backsplash behind my parents' new vanity. Just a little way to tell them thank you! So glad he's super handy and LOVES doing this stuff.

this monkey woke up from her nap early and enjoyed not having to share her nana with Holden!

Jay had to run out and brought me home a coke icee. I was busy cooking and Emma Cate was sitting on the counter. We looked over and she had helped herself. Her first taste of soda/icee.

I don't think she knew what to think at first but she wanted to go back for seconds and thirds and we ended up having to hide the cup from her!

homemade chicken noodle soup with a snowy backdrop.

This girl was begging to go outside. She made it a few feet before she fell. She froze in the snow and we all realized that none of the adults had shoes nearby to put on to go get her. Finally Jay grabbed his and went to rescue her. 

After dinner and baths we made some snow cream. I thought it was pretty disgusting and the babies did too. I may have used too much vanilla. Pouring the condensed milk in was super gross. Someone shared a more whole food friendly recipe with me that uses almond milk and agave syrup and I'm going to have to try that one :) My whole family is from the mid-west and we've never made snow cream. This was a first for us and maybe a last :)

Baby #3 Week 30

30 WEEK POST:

Yay! We're in the 30s. This pregnancy has FLOWN by. I am feeling pretty great still! I am going, going, going and reading this post compared to the post at wrote at 30 weeks with twins is NIGHT AND DAY. I have not really had any contractions (the only time I get a braxton hicks is when I am out with my mom... i think it's because she is such a fast walker and we are always in a hurry to get things done!). I am getting a bit more tired but that is to be expected. At this point last time we were taking tons of parenting classes. I'm glad those are out of the way because we are busy busy busy this time around. I haven't updated posts but I took my diabetes test at 28 weeks and passed with flying colors! Woo Hoo!

Today we had a tiny scare. I headed to the bathroom before my first class and noticed lots and lots of blood. I called the dr. and they told me to come right in. Luckily the bleeding had slowed and my cervix looked great so no labor in my immediate future. Shep's heart was beating loudly and he was squirming around. Everything looked fabulous. Evidently the blood was from a broken blood vessel (i.e. you need to slow down a bit and stop carrying heavy things). I saw Dr. Wicker today and gosh I just love him! He was so reassuring and told me if I bleed anymore to head to labor and delivery to get monitored. I'm hoping he or Dr. James will get to deliver this baby!

I have been running around like CRAZY to get everything we need for the nursery. I want a REALLY masculine room for this little boy. His dad is pretty psyched that I plan on incorporating a deer head :) I bought the room paint and Jay will be doing that tonight. The crib is in and ready to be painted. I went to purchase the chalk paint that we wanted to use but am between colors... trying to decide between Paris Grey and French Linen. I have been hunting fabric like its my job. I found a gorgeous one from Restoration Hardware but they don't sell it by the yard! UGH! I also found another one that I like pretty well and am headed to the design studio this afternoon to figure out how much it is per yard. Fingers crossed!

restoration hardware fabric that is not available


second choice fabric

On Saturday, we're starting on the pallet wall! We've been collecting pallets and I'm so ready to begin this project!
Here is what we're going for:

source: real housewives of bucks county
we're going to leave the wood a little darker though and our walls are a little lighter (BM- Revere Pewter at 50%). We found all the pallets at Jay's work and the guys that work in the shop are going to take all the pallets apart and take out the nails for us! Yay!


Here are little crib mock-ups from Carousel Designs.

This is not the fabric I'm going to use, just an idea of the plaid with navy and white.
I'm going to use a white matelasse for the bumpers with navy trim on the outside and the plaid fabric on the inside. I like the simple crib skirt (top photo) and white sheet look.  The crib will be painted dark grey.

My sister talked to me about hosting a baby shower for Shep last night. I'm not sure how I feel about this. There are a few things we would like (mainly monogrammed/personalized things from pottery barn (boppy cover, anywhere chair, sleepsaks, bath towel, etc.)) and a few things we need (high chair, newborn bath products, disposable changing pad covers, swaddle blankets, and bibs). We have planned to purchase all of the wants and needs ourselves. I don't like the idea of a shower because I feel like it is asking for gifts, especially with already having a boy and a girl (and most of the newborn items AND we were sooooo generously showered with gifts for the twins) but my sister said that they think that since this pregnancy has been so low key it would be fun to celebrate baby Shep a little. Can you have a shower without gifts? Is it tacky to have a shower for a third child?

Pregnancy Highlights:

Today's Date: Friday, February 7th, 2014

How Far Along: 30 weeks

Pregnancy Countdown: 70 or less days (yikes!)

Size of babies: A cucumber. The baby is 15.2-16.7 inches long and weighs between 2.5- 3.8 pounds 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 17 pounds. I have put on 5 pounds in the past few weeks. I stopped weighing myself and have just recently started getting full faster. The past two weeks I've had a MAJOR sweet tooth and attribute that to the weight gain :)

Maternity Clothes: Still in a non-maternity shirt today but the end is near. I don't want to buy anymore clothes but the shirts are getting shorter. AH!

Gender: Boy- Arthur Shepherd Carroll

Movement: Still the same. He is a great napper and then super active when he is awake. I love being able to see my belly move! 

Sleep: Pretty good! Woke up once in the middle of the night when Shep was having playtime. I am trying to get to bed earlier (normally falling asleep at 11 and up at 6:00). I did fall asleep fully dressed on the couch at 8pm on night this week! I've had a few nights of acid reflux and normally take a tums along with my prenatal. 

What I miss: Nothing really this week!

Cravings: Back on a cereal and chocolate cake kick! The cravings haven't been enough for me to run out and buy the food item though!

Symptoms: Pretty much nothing (besides the bleeding and reflux)! Here is my list from last time (I can't believe the difference!!!): braxton hicks, acid reflux (I was throwing up in the middle of the night with the twins), getting incredibly hot, cramping, extreme pressure when I stand up or walk, stretch marks (no new ones! and I haven't but any type of lotion on my skin after wasting my money last time), itchy skin on my stomach. 

Best Moment this week: Being at the doctor with Jay this morning. Although I was pretty scared I was so thankful to have him with me. I've been doing most of the appointments solo or with the kids this time around. It was nice to be there with just the two of us. Kind of made me feel like a first time mom again. I need to remember to slow down and savor this pregnancy and relish in the excitement of bringing a new life into the world :)

Your baby's the size of a cucumber!

Your 15.2- to 16.7-inch, 2.5- to 3.8-pound baby continues to grow.