34 weeks

How far along are you?

34 weeks! Woohoo!

How big is Baby?

He's the size of a butternut squash (I'm really getting tired of all the squash references...) - He can recognize songs now, which means I'm sure he'll be VERY used to Will's voice once he's born! Ha! - He's somewhere around 5lbs 

Weight Gain?

27lbs

 Gender?

a sweet boy

Maternity Clothes?

duh

Stretch Marks?

None on the belly. Maybe I'll be able to avoid them

 Sleep?

Terrible.

Symptoms?

Sleepy all the time, shortness of breath, occasional swollen ankles

Movement?

YES, he jabs me all the time. I don't think he sleeps much anymore!

Food Cravings/Aversions?

Neither

Labor Signs?

not yet...

Belly Button in or out?

half and half

What I miss?

laying on my stomach - sleeping - getting around easily

What I am looking forward to?

Our babymoon!! Finally!

Still waiting on our glider to be delivered; also bought the area rug this week and am waiting on that to be delivered too! His nursery is slowly coming together.

Best moment of the week?

We had baby shower #2 last Sunday and it was great!

Enjoyed the breastfeeding class we took last Saturday and learned a lot

Officially started washing baby clothes!

Daddy’s feeling?

"Can't believe that we are doing baby laundry! It is a crazy feeling seeing all of Crew's clothes around the laundry room...it's starting to feel like he's already here. I get more excited every day and am hoping that he comes a little early so we can meet him! Love that little guy!"

I'm feeling?
I think I'm getting to that point where I'm tired of being pregnant. It was another rough week. Still having pelvic pains and unfortunately getting "used" to hurting all the time.
After our maternity photos last week I woke up with something like bug bites all over my back and belly. They were so itchy and I figured something must have gotten in my shirt. By Friday, the bumps had turned into huge red rashes everywhere and were driving me crazy. Saturday was the worst and I may have had a tiny breakdown before our breastfeeding class because I was so itchy AND had Google-diagnosed myself with PEP/PUPPPS. (This meant that the rashes weren't going away until after delivery...) I cried so much and just kept saying that I was tired of being pregnant and wanted Crew out of me. Poor Will for having to deal with me! (If it makes it sound any better, I have really loved being pregnant and have had such an easy pregnancy compared to most!) Luckily, as of today, the rashes are fading and aren't itchy anymore. Thank goodness. That was an answer to a hysterical pregnant lady's prayers! Haha!
As if all that wasn't enough I have been sick with a cold/sinus issues all week AND have been super stressed at work. Pity party much? I'll just say that our babymoon could not have come at a better time and I am so excited to have a long weekend with Will.

Check out weeks 12-33 bumpdates here!

33 weeks

Granted, I'm closer to 34 weeks now, but better late than never, right?!

How far along are you?

33 weeks...SO ready for Crew to be here.

How big is Baby?

He's the size of a durian fruit (whatever that is) - He could grow up to an inch this week alone! - His brain is still growing and he's practicing sucking and swallowing - He's started keeping his eyes open when he's awake - He's gaining a 1/2 lb. a week now

Weight Gain?

27 lbs - I've lost a pound since last week. Woo!

 Gender?

a boy! Crew William Kassner

Maternity Clothes?

Of course

Stretch Marks?

none on the belly

 Sleep?

I can't go to sleep unless I take a hot shower before bed so my calf muscles will relax. Otherwise, my restless legs take over and make me crazy! I've been so tired lately and it's just getting harder and harder to sleep thru the night AND it's getting harder and harder to get out of bed in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.

Symptoms?

It's been a rough week. I had an unplanned doctor's visit Wednesday because of pain that I was having. Basically, I told Will that it felt like my pubic bone was breaking. I'm up and down a lot at work and walking just seemed impossible. The pain had been building since Sunday or Monday. I wasn't sure if this was "normal" or not so I called to talk to my doc. They told me to come in just so he could check me and be sure everything was ok. I felt ridiculous when he explained to me that what I was feeling was normal. He said that as my body is preparing for delivery the pubic bones are separating and ligaments are stretching. He also said that Crew was positioned on some nerves and that was causing pain too. He checked to see if I was dilated at all and luckily I'm not yet, but he said Crew's head was "already pretty far down." According to the doc, that doesn't necessarily mean he'll come early so we'll see! Hopefully this pain goes away soon!

Other symptoms this week have been: acne made a comeback and my ankles were swollen for the first time for two days this week. 

Movement?

Interesting fact: I read that the amniotic fluid level has maxed out which is why his movements/jabs/kicks seem sharper...There's less "cushion" to soften his karate kicks! I told Will that Crew has been awfully pushy this week. I'm sure he's running out of room and just trying to stretch out!

Food Cravings/Aversions?

Nothing

Labor Signs?

not yet

Belly Button in or out?

half and half :)

What I miss?

Just being able to move around/get up and down easily

What I am looking forward to?

Baby shower #2 this Sunday

Babymoon next weekend!

CREW being born!

Best moment of the week?

Maternity photos were on Monday - can't wait to see them!

We got the crib mattress this week and will also be getting our glider/ottoman delivered too

Daddy’s feeling?

"Well I'm predicting that Crew will be 7lbs. 12 oz. (Just wanted to throw that out there)! Everything is starting to sink in around here; pretty soon Courtney and I will be parents! I can't wait for Crew to be here with his little smile and happy face. He's going to be awesome!"

I'm feeling?

Worn out, tired, achy, anxious, nervous....

BUT also so, so excited to have a son

Check out weeks 12-32 bumpdates here!

our photographer is the best

She really is. I cannot say enough great things about Kelly Ginn Photography! We had our maternity photos last night and she has posted two "sneak peaks" on her Facebook page. I had to share and cannot wait to see the rest!

After we left last night, I told Will that I felt the pictures were going to portray exactly how I felt....large and sweaty. Yuck. But Kelly worked her magic yet again!

You may remember we took our 3 year anniversary pictures with Kelly (when I was about 8-9 weeks pregnant) and also our FUN colored powder pictures with her!

baby shower #1

Is that not the most beautiful cake you've ever seen? It was equally delicious, trust me!

A week ago, we had our first baby shower for sweet Crew. It was given by two couples from our "Couples Group" at church. (One couple being Amanda and Tyler...it was also at their beautiful home!) It is so amazing to think that just one year ago we didn't know any of these people we now call great friends. God is so good and we are so thankful he led us to ICC where we would meet and fall in love with so many amazing people.

Our hosts know us so well....a Mexican food bar! YUM!

I'll try not to bore you with too many gift pictures, but I'll just say that we got some great things! Have I mentioned that we are blessed?!

(And you can see sweet Bentley, co-star of The Sequined Spaniel, in the background)

The cutest jeans and suspenders EVER. I can't wait for Crew to wear these!

(Bella, co-star of The Sequined Spaniel, loved assisting with the gift-opening process)

My youngest brother's girlfriend, Ashley, (seen in the photo right behind me....with my ecstatic and happy-to-be-there baby brother) made this amazing quilt for Crew. Even the stitching was in the shape of giraffes! I can't even say how special this is! I know she spent so much time on it and we can't wait for Crew to be here to put it to good use!

Camo booty!

Mint booties and a newborn hat from the mint-lover herself (Amanda)

I think Bentley is a little unsure how to sit with a giant belly in the way...

We had a great night celebrating Crew with some great friends. We can't wait for him to meet all of them!!

32 weeks

How far along are you?

32 weeks - It has flown by so far, but I'm worried that time is going to start dragging now that we're getting so close! I'm ready to meet our son!

How big is Baby?

He's the size of a squash (I pictured a yellow squash when I read about this week, but apparently the squash that thebump.com is talking about looks like a pumpkin) - I found out that at our last ultrasound (3 weeks ago) he weighed 3lbs 13oz, so by now he should be over 4lbs! - He's about 17 inches long - He's fattening up and preparing for life outside of my belly! - His heart rate at the doctor yesterday was 146bpm. He gave the doctor a hard time when trying to get his heartbeat because he kept jerking around and kicking the monitor. I was laughing on the inside after having to wait 3 hours to see the doc!

Weight Gain? 

Yikes, 28lbs. If I gain a pound a week like I'm supposed to at this point I should stay within the "healthy" 35lb range by delivery.

 Gender?

a boy! Crew William Kassner

Maternity Clothes?

Yep - I bought a chiffon maxi dress from Pink Blush Maternity and it was too small for my growing belly!

Stretch Marks?

none on the belly

 Sleep?

So-so. I've been so tired feeling lately that I can usually get to sleep pretty easily. I've even managed to go to sleep before Will for the past week which is a big deal! Last night I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about all I have going on at work. My promotion gave me a lot of extra responsibilities so I'm just trying to make sure everything will run smoothly once Crew is here.

Symptoms?

I am just achy all over. My hips/groin area is always real sore, especially in the mornings. Last Friday I went home from work early because I was feeling a lot of pressure. I could have sworn he had moved down! My legs are still restless at night and I usually have to get in the shower before bed so the hot water will relax my muscles. My back hurts a lot, but chiropractic visits every 1-2 weeks is really helping.

Movement?

He's getting bigger and stronger every day! My belly is always lopsided it seems!

Food Cravings/Aversions?

Not really anything - but I can't ever turn down a bowl of vanilla ice cream at night

Labor Signs?

not yet

Belly Button in or out?

half and half :)

What I miss?

Will was laying in the bed on his stomach yesterday and I got pretty jealous!

What I am looking forward to?

The nursery is coming along

Our babymoon in two weeks

Two more baby showers

Maternity pictures next Monday with the amazing Kelly Ginn Photography

Best moment of the week?

We had our first baby shower last weekend and loved it!

We also purchased the glider and ottoman for the nursery finally! We weren't a fan of spending that money, but I know it will look great once it gets here.

Daddy’s feeling?

"Starting to get a little nervous...Crew is almost here!! (But I'm pretty sure he's going to be the perfect kid!) And I can't wait for the babymoon with the Mrs! Time with her is as good as it gets!"

I'm feeling?

I promise that Will really did write that comment above! Haha

I'm just uncomfortable and anxious. My body is ready for him to be here, while my mind and my to-do list keep reminding me that he needs to stay in there a while longer. I know he'll come when he's ready and it's all in God's timing. BUT if he wanted to come soon, I'd be ok with that! (Even if the nursery isn't done!) I'm just ready to meet our little man!

In other news, I'm excited that my face doesn't look quite as puffy as it did in last week's photo!

Check out weeks 12-31 bumpdates here!

travel: africa

I realize that the blog has been taken over by all things pregnancy over the past 8 months (& we actually have so many non-pregnancy related posts that are just waiting to be written). So...at long last, my amazing husband has finally made time to write a few blog posts for me! It's been a while!

_________________________________________________________________________________ 

Welp here's the deal. 20 years ago when I started kindergarten I took a vow to never ever participate in school activities over the summer. After a lifetime of school my vow remained unbroken, and even though I'm done with school (for now), I find it nearly impossible to do any type of scholarly work over the summer months. That being said, with the school months back in full swing, it is time to catch up on some blogging. There are several blogs in the cooker at the moment, but I think we'll start off with the basics.

This summer I had the privilege to go on two mission trips with our church, Island Community Church. (Speaking of churches, if you're looking for a church in Memphis that is all about taking the Gospel to the nations, ICC is the place to be!) We went across the globe to Africa and China, all within 3 weeks. The trips were such a great reminder that God is at work among the nations and we are given the incredible opportunity of being involved. My hope is that these posts inspire you to be involved missions globally, nationally, and even right next door.

AFRICA

We spent the majority of our week in Africa focusing on evangelism and dental clinics. We spent half of our week in Nairobi, Kenya, and the other half in Arusha, Tanzania. Serving with our missionary partner, we focused on multiplying the local house church network. It is truly amazing to see people that are meeting together to study God's word, not because it is cultural, but because they have a deep desire to know more about God. It is humbling to see pastors that give their life towards spiritual leadership of others and do so with no payroll or monetary incentive. They serve locally, where they know the people, where they have spent the majority of their lives, and are so extremely passionate about doing the work of the Lord. It is inspiring to see people who have little materially, but have so much spiritual joy.

Our time in Nairobi was incredible. We saw tons of people at the dental clinic (as many as one dentist can see), and were able to share with many many more. I'll never forget the church service Sunday morning. After a great time of worship, the pastor called for the members to come forward with their offering. I sat amazed watching people with barely any source of income as they came forward and placed money into the offering plate. Watching people with so little give with gladness in their hearts was an amazing reminder that following Jesus is not about gaining wealth, but gaining joy in Him. 

Our time in Tanzania was just as rewarding and as special as in Nairobi. Tanzania is a gorgeous country, with Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru as the highlights of the horizon. Tanzania was a bit more of an adventure, with no running water and no electricity, but the people there have a beautifully simple way of life. On our last full day in Tanzania, we had another great turn out for the dental clinic. As people waited, we were able to share with them the story of Jesus. While sharing with one woman, she became very reluctant to leave behind her religion to give her life to Christ. It was perhaps one of the greatest moments of the week as I sat with her and the translator and simply watched God give her peace in accepting Him. This woman came in search of help with her teeth and, along with many others, she received an even greater help and joy from accepting the Gospel into her life. There is no greater joy than sharing the Gospel with others and seeing firsthand how the Word of God has the power to change lives. 

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith-that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations..."

Ephesians 3:14-21

Weekend Recap - First Baby Shower

Another great weekend has flown by. We had our first baby shower this weekend. It was given by our couples group at church and we loved it. I'll do a separate post for it later this week, but here are a few iPhone photos for now!

On the way to the shower...

Remi and Ginger seem to think that any toy/stuffed animal we get for Crew should be theirs. Ginger spent a majority of the day Sunday staring through the bars on the crib and whining because she couldn't get to this stuffed lion.

At church yesterday morning, the THREE of us got to give the welcome greeting!

Yesterday afternoon my Dad came over to put the finishing touches on our closet renovation. I'll hopefully also have a before/after post on that too!

Will and Remi cuddling last night...

On the pregnancy front, I am officially uncomfortable. 

8 weeks to go.

31 weeks

How far along are you?

31 weeks! Hard to believe he'll be here in 9 weeks (or less?!)

How big is Baby?

He is the size of a pineapple - His irises now react to light - All 5 senses are functioning - He can turn his head from side to side - He's over 3 lbs and heading into a growth spurt!

Weight Gain?

24 lbs

 Gender?

a boy!

Maternity Clothes?

Of course...this week I fit into a non-maternity dress and shirt. It was great.

Stretch Marks?

none on the belly

 Sleep?

It actually hasn't been too bad over this past week. Once I can get my restless legs to chill out, I'm ok and usually sleep through the night minus the bathroom breaks.

Symptoms?

Reflux/heartburn - shortness of breath (I read that once he drops, it will be a lot easier to breathe! Hopefully that's true) - my pelvis has been really sore in the mornings for some reason

Movement?

All the time - This week I was driving home from work and was able to feel a heel (?) sticking out on the side of my belly while being able to feel something sticking out by my belly button at the same time. I think he's getting squished! Will's favorite thing to do is to lay his head on my belly and try and get Crew to kick him

Food Cravings/Aversions?

Not much either way - My favorite food everyday is the strawberry/banana mixture that Will makes me for a work snack. So juicy and delicious!

Labor Signs?

No - and I don't think I've had any Braxton Hicks either

Belly Button in or out?

half and half

What I miss?

Being able to get up and down/out of the bed easily

What I am looking forward to?

Our first baby shower is this weekend! It's a couples shower for church so I know Will is excited about it too

Best moment of the week?

Painting the nursery and getting the crib put up!

Daddy’s feeling?

"So ready for Crew to get here! I'm predicting that he comes about two weeks early...he's been champion boxing in Courtney's belly every night! He's going to be an awesome baby!"

I'm feeling?

BIG. Especially when looking at these weekly pictures. I don't like how my face is ballooning like my belly! I get so excited/happy when thinking about meeting Crew for the first time. I daydream about what he'll look like and even what our lives will look like once he's here.

Check out weeks 12-30 bumpdates here!

the diaper bag decision

We have yet to decide on a diaper bag. After registering at Babies R Us and Target, I was not loving any bags that they had to offer (at least not in-store items). I was (and still am!) so overwhelmed with all the different options and decisions with preparing for our first baby and I guess I kind of "gave up" searching for the perfect diaper bag.

Well, I think I've put it off long enough. With just over 8 weeks left until Baby K makes his arrival, we need to make a decision. Seeing Laura's post on her diaper bag search and the cute options she's found, I was motivated again to find THE bag.

I know that some people register for two diaper bags - one for the momma and one for the daddy. I just don't see us using two bags and switching back and forth so I'd rather just get one, good quality bag. This means I want to find a diaper bag that isn't too girly for Will to be carrying around, but that still looks somewhat fashionable.

From Lassig, here are the diaper bags I love the most:

Tender Multizip Bag - Green or Mud

Vintage Metro Bag

Green Label Urban Bag - Choco Melange

Lassig has so many cute bags, but a lot of them don't seem practical because the handles aren't long enough to throw on your shoulder. Personally, I don't want a diaper bag that I have to carry by the handles.

From JP Lizzy, I like these bags:

Slate Citron Satchel

Black Tea Cate Tote

From Petunia Pickle Bottom:

City Carryall - Dreaming in Dax

From JJ Cole:

Satchel Bag - Azure Infinity

What do you think about my options? Do you own a bag from any of these brands?

Help me out!