thirty-two & blessed.

there was a lot of anxiety leading up to yesterday's 32-week sono and baby dr. appt. for one, we leave in T-6 days for South Carolina and momma is not feeling so comfortable leaving banks behind this time. last year, around this time, we went to Cabo, and oddly enough it was much easier leaving Banks. I think it's more difficult this time because he knows when we are gone, and he's been an attached boy lately. work is busy. sister in law could have baby at any time. flights were changed just hours before the appointment and i've heard of too many - not-so-good baby dr. results as of late. needless to say, i prayed the entire way to the appointment and felt fairly confident that everything was going to be okay once i arrived. not realizing our dr. appt was at 4:30 following the 3:15 sono, i had not made alternate arrangements for B to be picked up - saving grace: mom/nana. she drove all the way from Norwich, across town to Wesley, picked up the carseat and traveled back west to be sure Banks could be picked up by 5, so G could stay for the appointment. I would be LOST without her. after the sono tech made complete fun of my maternity spanx (best thing ever), we reiterated that we did not want to know the sex of the baby and then the tech squirted the ice-cold gel onto my big ole belly and the sono began.  kidneys - great placenta previa - gone awesome. she measured the heart rate at 130 and then 140.... so comparable to the 138 last time. she also could not stop mentioning the amount of hair this baby had. we got new photos of baby k's face (although, it looks like a hot mess to me and is so hard to see) she marked all kinds of 'HAIR!!!!" on the photos. i'm thinking boy. still...... a nameless boy. but, one thing i know for sure, is that this baby at the time is healthy and that is ALL that matters. T - 8 (ish) weeks.

Konen & Co. Updates

PREGNANCY   i had my first trip to the dr.  by myself - it's just not as much fun. i love sharing the experiences with G, but due to the last couple of appointments taking 2+ hrs of our time in the waiting room, it wasn't working out. this appointment was no different - i spent 2. 5 hours there after drinking the glucose drink, waiting to see the dr. - seeing the dr, and then getting blood drawn for glucose results.. whew. i've received no call back from the dr about the glucose test, which should mean that everything is a-ok. praise the lord. dr. said i'm measuring 31 weeks ( approx. July 10 vs. our July 17 due date)  and  heart rate was 138 - much lower than B ever was. as i began to change my prediction from boy to girl, i'm again convinced we are having baby boy #2 (boy without name).  i've been having a ton of braxton hicks contractions and feel like this baby is much closer to my skin than the last... weird, but true. we've been going on walks and i feel like i'm in the beginning stages of labor every time - so much for trying to stay active!   Still want to make your prediction? Do so here - I'd love to see what you think!! at our next appoint, in just over a week now, we will have another sonogram to check the babe's kidneys and placement of the placenta - praying this all goes well as we will leave for south carolina just a week from then, and it'd be great knowing that everything is looking healthy.    

30 weeks with Baby #2

29 weeks with Banks

BANKS b and i (because i feel it was much more of a workout for me) finished up a month of swim lessons 2 weeks ago. although, b is no pro swimmer, he's definitely not afraid of the water, and loves 'going under'. at our last lesson, we even went down the BIG slide! he loved it.  it'll be nice to have a community pool, just a block from our house this summer to cool off in and enjoy - mama just won't be sporting any kind of cute two-piece this year.   Not a day goes by that I don't love B more - although some will say he has way too much energy, he can make fun of almost any situation and find he funny in everything. he makes me laugh so hard i cry and then his sweet side comes out "mommy, are you okay??" with the sweetest voice and concern in his eyes. the roughest, most dare-devilish, witty, sarcastic boy can also be the most caring, sweet and concerned for anyone.   after fighting a fever over the weekend, I think we are on the mend and feeling better. This might be the first time B has ever willingly laid in bed. He had to have been feeling bad.    

 

their matching fishing vests crack me up.

   LOVE MY MAMA she's the best. and i mean that. the longer i'm a mother the more i respect her. being a mama isnt' for the weak, that's for sure. and it isn't for those who need to be told they're doing a great job 24/7. i find myself complaining about the little things way too often, and then mom comes over and i try to think of a time she ever complained. she didn't. she just did what a mom does - she's there for you, she's a mom, she listens, she helps and she cares. happy momma's day to you, mom. to avoid eating pizza hut buffet on mother's day i had made reservations for the family, my mom and her mom to have brunch after church. what happens when you try to plan something? you're reminded you're not in control. I came home from work on Saturday to find B with a 102 temp that continued throughout the night and all day Sunday - no church, no brunch - meant a sweats, no-makeup, no outing kind of mother's day, which was fine by me. I got some cuddles from B that I long for and the cutest (thanks to his great daddy) mother's day gift - a wooden box B made with his beloved tools. 

the kid wouldn't stop moving - but he sure was proud of his box he made m

the day i became a momma!

lately, I've also been reminded that being a mom isn't something that everyone gets to enjoy, or has the easiest time becoming. whether it be that people are more open about miscarriages or infertility or that it's more common, or we hear of it more at 'this age', i don't know, but it's sad, heartbreaking and a great reminder that getting pregnant, giving birth and having healthy children is not something to take for granted. i know i do way too often. i guess when you haven't had these problems, it's easy to, but often feel so guilty. many friends made announcements of their miscarriages or infertility around mother's day this year, and i think that hit me a little harder than expected and made me realize how blessed i am. please keep those who long for motherhood in your prayers.  one friend, and story i will continue to follow, is writing her story on her blog HERE. I encourage you to read it and keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers as I cannot imagine the emotions their family is experiencing. so, happy mother's day to you, mom, and to all other mama's out there and prayers to those who are wanting to become a mother.

Project Complete.

When we first moved in to our 'new to us' home last August, I was so excited that I might actually be able to re-create one of my Pinterest Pins! Our home doesn't have a dining room per say, and the cut-out space by the kitchen and TV room was awkward and didn't fit our small table and 2 chairs well. 
I had always wanted a booth in my house, and this was my chance. G said that we were moving into this house because we didn't have to do any projects... he was wrong. There is always improvements to be made, right? Never satisfied. My inner-competitive athlete side comes out in areas that aren't so related to athletics - like home projects - we can do better... always. Not a good thing for the bank account.
You can see some of the booth inspiration HERE on my Pinterest Page.
G began the booth work during Christmas break as my Christmas gift - which carried onto a birthday gift, Valentine's gift and lucky for me - it was completed just one week before Mother's Day. My poor husband, working weekly overtime hours and putting up with my crazy ideas, didn't have much time to work on home projects, but as always, he did with love and care and his engineering brain dreamed up the perfect plan for our new kitchen booth - which in the last week has proved to hold 8 adults for a dinner - wahoo! His dad, who is also an engineer, made fun of how sturdy the booth was saying it could hold thousands of pounds - or a truck - which didn't surprise me. G always goes a little above and beyond when it comes to making things sturdy and he says 'the right way'. 
Thanks babe for your sweat and time. He knows homemade gifts are the best, anyways.

Inspiration from the table came from my good friend, Sheena (interior designer). She helped us sand and stain the wood pieces we purchased and then Garrett rigged up another engineering plan to attach the individual boards to our existing table base.

 

Eventually, we'll add seat cushions and pillows and the artwork will actually be hung, but for now, mama is happy.

Thanks babe. You're so handy! 

a sweet baby girl: Aizley Cade

let's go back about 30 weeks. garrett and i were still 'trying' for baby #2 and mama was getting frustrated. my sister-in-law knew that we had wanted a second child for some time now, and would ask me almost every week if we were pregnant yet. the answer: no.    in the midst of all of this, we found out that we wouldn't be parents to another one of our own, but that - second best -we would be aunt and uncle ( and b a cousin) for the first time!   a few weeks later, i accompanied my sister-in-law's dr. appt and while waiting for her to finish up her appointment, I made my own appointment to see Dr. K, because G and I had just found out we were expecting too!   Apparently, it takes me a lot longer to get dressed and exit the exam room than it does Kelsey. 10 seconds later, she is in the lobby asking me why I'm scheduling an appointment - and there you have it, cousins due just 4 weeks apart TO THE DAY.

Aizley Cade is due to arrive on June 17. Baby Konen #2 is due to arrive July 17. I have this cool theory that Kelsey will go late and I'll go early and we might just be in the hospital at the same time. Ha! Last weekend, I threw my first solo baby shower for Miss Aizley and Kelsey. We had a great turnout and the mama-to-be was spoiled with awesome gifts thanks to her kind friends and family!  We cannot wait to meet Miss Aizley and watch her grow up with her two cousins so close in age - it'll be a new adventure for the entire family and we're looking forward to it. So thankful to have family that lives close and visits often.            

                   

the countdown is on.

this past weekend i got to check off my 3rd heartspring event of the year. 3/3. whew. i feel like a new person. i always stress right beforehand thinking NO ONE will show up or that we won't reach our goals, so to be able to finally breathe is amazing.   - we are also still taking donations at www.autismcarewalk.org. all donations go to heartspring's CARE Program and support local families and children impacted by autism - the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States. -  

The fam supporting the 7th annual Autism CARE Walk

  i usually don't cry at these events because i'm so busy and just trying to make sure that everything is going well that i don't lose myself in the emotion, but i think the pregnancy hormone got to me this time. it was SO AWESOME to see families supporting their 1 in 68. i really can't imagine what the families sacrifice for their child with autism and to see the joy on their faces at this event was just awesome. happy tears. -------------    it's baby time now. 12  really 11 more weeks until the due date and our schedule is packed.   6 days until i host a baby shower for my sister in law and niece 13 days until mother's day 21 days until maternity photos - aka more adorable photos of the bankster 28 days until south carolina for a week 7 weeks until i become an aunt (or sooner, or maybe a tad later) 9 weeks until g's 30th birthday 10 weeks until our 6th anniversary  11 weeks until D-DAY!   so much to look forward to, and so much to do, and i'm itching to tackle the rest of the baby's nursery, a few home projects (BOOTH WILL BE DONE THIS WEEK - EKKKK!!) photos to come.   still need a baby name. 100% on the girl name, but I'm so convinced this baby is a boy. so, therefore, the girl name does no good.    if you'd like to take a stab at the sex and birth date of baby k#2 visit this link! I'd love to see what you think!   http://www.whatsinmybelly.com/baby-pool-baby-k-2-4418    have any of you experienced restless leg syndrome (RLS)? HOLY MOLY. at about week 26 this hit me like a mo-fo. every night around 7pm my legs freak out and it's the most annoying feeling in the world. i've been taking walks and playing with banks each evening, so i'm not sure what else to do, but any suggestions would be great!!!  

28 weeks

  banks wrapped up swim lessons and had a great time. we are thinking swim lessons round #2 and soccer for the summer. now that baby k #2 feels completely real i'm starting to freak out a little about the transition from 1 to 2. i think b will be a great big brother, but i have that terrible feeling that he won't like his mama and dadda anymore. i know that is very unlikely, but i just start having this crazy thoughts and dreams ( like having 1.5 babies - SO WEIRD).  yesterday, he told me the baby was black. and i said, what?? what are you talking about? he said "the baby, it's brown." I was completely confused. then i took off my jacket, which was black, and had a blue shirt on. he then said, the baby is blue, mom.  i finally got it. he scared me for a minute, and garrett too.    

welcome the 3rd trimester and an emotional mama

well, baby k#2 will be 28 weeks in just 2 days. crazy.

that means we're officially in the 3rd trimester and that we will get to meet this babe in just 12 short weeks.

we'll have our last 'every 4 week' baby appt. the first week of may and then it's every 2 weeks from then on out. please join me in prayer that our 32 week soon goes well and that the babe's slightly enlarged kidney is no longer enlarged and that the slight cause of placenta previa disappears... that would be so awesome.

so in the next 12 weeks we have a lot to accomplish including finishing home projects, the nursery, directing my 3rd special event at Heartspring (this week!), throwing a baby shower, attending birthdays, weddings, a 5 day trip to South Carolina, I'll become an Auntie for the first time, Garrett will turn 30, I'll prepare my 4th special event for work before leaving for maternity leave and I'm positive that there will be some unexpected events pop up between the planned ones.

I wouldn't say i feel overwhelmed, because I love being busy, but there's a lot going on. and i realized (just yesterday) that i might be getting a little bit emotional.

banks is big. and he's going to be a big brother so very soon. I stayed up until 12:30 last night just scrolling through every photo I've taken of him since he was born. i hardly remember him being a baby, but yet it seems like yesterday that he had his first christmas, or first easter... and we just celebrated his 3rd easter! I cried just a little after putting him to bed. i also cried a little in church.... and a little when my brother and my parents left. happy tears, of course. I just couldn't ask for anything better at this point - and to be able to have our family together on easter was just awesome.

...and then the kid... 

the kid had a MAJOR meltdown after all of his easter guests left for the day. when i say MAJOR, that's an understatement. he cried for almost an hour and refused to put any clothing on.

then after letting him mow the lawn, without clothes on for a good hour, he was as happy as could be, so sweet and even took this sweet, sweet photo. and again he was back to melting mama's heart.

and for the first time, i feel BLAH. i feel like this pregnancy has been a piece of cake so far.... until today. i feel entirely hungover, exhausted and just plain worn out. and not a dang thing will fit over this belly.... so therefore, the mornings are a bit rough.

so i'm hoping this is just a case of the monday weather being cloudy and rainy. 'cause i got a lot to do.

and i have this weird urge.... it could be because the boston marathon was today... but i just want to get back out there and run. i've already been crazy enough to check... and there are exactly 87 days between our due date and the fall prairie fire 1/2 marathon. my goal is to run it... we'll see how brutal (or big this baby is) this delivery is, though. no promises, but i am itching to get back out on the pavement and run for hours. weird, i know.

so that's cool. i feel completely exhausted and have an urge to run long distance.
... and i have nothing to wear.

but, life is OH, SOOOO good.

... and when i download all 200+ easter photos I will get to all the fun we had for Easter! 

big boy beds and random thoughts.

i really stuggle with the titles of blog posts. probably because it's part of my job to come up with clever titles, and by the time i blog, i just don't care about that anymore.   so lots of random tessa thoughts.    banks has a big boy bed, and to say he LOVES it is an understatement. He spent 3+ hours last night asking me to play ( in his bed) and every time we weren't in his room he would say "Come, mommy, I show you my big boy bed." Big boy bed, this. big boy bed, that. let's just hope this crapping in my bed/room thing ends SOON. it's happened once again since the last post. this time in his diaper, but afterward, he thought it would be a good idea to take his diaper off, which consisted of the biggest mess we've seen yet. nothing like a shitty 7a wake-up call on a Saturday morning. Needless to say, putting banks in his new bed was bittersweet. he is SO BIG. so smart. (except for the potty thing). and we are so proud of him. he truly is one hilarious kid, that no matter how much trouble he may cause due to his outgoing personality, he will put a smile on your face and make it nearly impossible to want to punish him, even after cleaning poo for over an hour.    

  ........................... ncaa basketball is officially over. the tournament was less than awesome this year since both of our favorite teams were eliminated early, but there is still nothing like college basketball, nor will there ever be. one shining moment still makes me cry. i want to look like  UConn's Ryan Boatright's mom when Banks is 20+ yrs. That'd be nice. oh, yeah... the women play for the national title tonight, but I'm so ready to see a 7 or 8 seed in women's basketball make an uproar in the tournament. I'm over Geno.   ...........................    b and i spent all day Saturday in Norwich with Nana and Papa and visited the Norwich carnvial. We went last year, as well, and it was so fun to see how much banks has changed in a year. he was able to interact and understand most of the games and pick out his own prizes. so big!    he adores his time with nana and papa.     

   ...........................     baby name drama.   yea. i'm pathetic. i know this, so it's okay since I'll admit it, right?    so..... although i still have 50+ baby names on a list that i keep, we had decided on first names awhile back. if you know what they are then you are either my mom, or one of my bestest friends. I keep them tight, because i have a rule ( a pathetic rule ). I wont' use a name if I know ANYONE that has the name or has a child with the name that i have any sort of ties with. Of course, I'm sure ALL of the names I have picked out have been used before, I'm 100% sure of that. Oh, did I tell you that I know more than 10 people that have had babies in the past 2 weeks? Yea. That's a lot. 3 of them on the same day.  And by the looks of it, things aren't going to slow down... it's in the water - and I drank it. Well, our boy name. It was used. AND it was used by someone with the last name, dare I say it.... Konen. Yep. Heartbreak at it's finest. I was so sad. So, back to the drawing board (at least for boy names). This stresses me out to no end, and it's a bit ridiculous.    ...........................   after (almost) a year of looking, i found a fiddle leaf fig. ahhhh. i bought it and now I'm looking for the perfect pot for it to call it's home. happy spring ya'll.       i have a lot of other random thoughts.