Vacation and Blanket Making With Grandma Chevalier

     
      I started the start of our third trimester off with a little mini-staycation.  After dealing with being so sick and just downright exhausted it was really nice to take a little break from work and just head down to Grandma and Grandpa Chevalier's house and focus on relaxing.
     
      Grandma Chevalier is an excellent talent in so many ways as you will come to find out and one of her many creative talents is sewing.  She has made quilts for as long as I can remember and the baby blanket she made for me is something I still cherish and even sleep with :) yep that's right...still sleep with.  Even your dad loves this blanket. When he was sick and in the hospital a few years back I would lay it on his hospital bed and he would play with the silky edge (he might be really upset I posted this for all our friends, family and his precious daughter to see...oh well).  Needless to say it's something that brings me comfort and have gotten more use than probably anything I've ever owned over the last 30 years.  Loving my blanket so much made me want to make you one of your very own.

      Your Grandma and I set out on a fabric search and we found the white minky fabric first and knew that's what I wanted the backside to be.  The other side however was a bit of a challenge and I was beginning to think I wasn't going to find anything I loved...until... your grandma showed me the grey and white polka dots...DONE!  We got some pink satin binding, some yarn and some batting and we were set.  Then came the process of actually making the blanket.  Thank goodness for your grandma because I had no idea what I was doing and was a little intimidated by the whole process.  We made it through each step though and over six days we finished the blanket!!  Mostly hand sewn and even embroidered your name on the bottom.  It was a labor of love and I'm so thankful and in love with the final product as I hope you will be.  Thanks again Grandma for all the help!! xxoo

p.s. The last picture is just a photo of my last day of vaca with your dad.  It was a nice and relaxing week away but it was also really nice to get back home and spend some time with my love.

Things for Hannah

Joovy Zoom Jogging Stroller

                                                       

Sammy testing out the stoller

                                                       

New book shelf and lamp

                                                           

Zoo Membership...tested out with the Savvys

                                           

                                           

clothes, clothes and more clothes

                                     
                                                     


      Shopping for you sweet Hannah has been really fun, and I usually hate shopping.  We have been buying lots in order to get ready for your arrival and these are just a few of the highlights of all your new goodies.

      Your stroller finally arrived and it came in a rather large box.  Your dad and I both had a bit of the deer in the headlights look...afraid of how difficult the assembly would be.  We were pleasantly surprised when it was all put together except the wheels...SCORE!! We both really like it so far and hope it's nice and comfy for you...Sammy wanted to test it out right away to make sure it was up to par for his little Hannah too :)

     We've also done quite a bit with your room and got a few new bookshelves and lamps and picture frames, etc...by we I mean me...(your mom) has done quite a bit.  Your dad just keeps coming in and saying..."are you sure we need anything more?!?"  He's a tad neurotic when it comes to "stuff" and he starts thinking everything is too cluttered...you'll soon see and understand what I mean.  I think it's coming along quite nice though.

     One purchase I'm really excited about is our new zoo membership.  I have always loved the zoo and it's really nice to have such a great zoo so close to us.  We have already been twice now, once with just your dad and I and the other with the Savvys.  They are zoo pros and I'm sure Lyla will love to show you the ropes :)

     Last but definitely not least...the clothes...oh the clothes.  We were so blessed and received a HUGE box of clothes from little miss Leah and the Rubi's, so your closet is already full.  I've been also adding to it here and there and it's just amazing how many cute things are out there.  Your dad rolls his eyes every time I show him something new and expresses his concern that we already have plenty...but don't let him fool you...he also has a little online shopping addiction and has been buying you Seahawks and Ducks gear too.

      We hope you like your new goodies baby girl...but by far the best thing we will get is you and we can't wait!! xxoo

26 Weeks...come and gone

   
     I have been quite the slacker on our blog lately but in my defense I've been pretty dang miserable.  My flu turned into pneumonia, which then caused me to crack a rib which was really uncomfortable and then things got even worse.  On Saturday March 30th we were heading to bed and I coughed, that's right just coughed...but suddenly I heard and felt a pop and was in complete and utter pain.  Over the next hour or so I was on the phone with my dad trying to figure out what I had done, Damien was on the phone with 911 (a little over-reaction but he was just worried), and there were a lot of tears and sad to say screaming in pain. We finally managed to slowly make it to the emergency room and they weren't quite sure what was going on.  I couldn't take a breath and the pain was awful. They ended up having to do an X-ray and ultimately said I had a bad case of pleurisy.  We monitored Hannah for quite some time doing a non-stress test and I have to say hearing her sweet heartbeat and hearing the OB nurse say Hannah seemed completely unaffected by what was going on with me and how active and normal she seemed was the biggest relief and the only thing that made the pain bearable.  So the next few days were spent in bed and in agony.  There was little to no relief and I wasn't sure how much more I could take.  I finally realized I needed to work on getting better so I began using the spirometer that the ER dr sent me home with.  I woke up Monday morning and alas....relief!! The pain wasn't gone but one million times better.  Apparently I had a partially collapsed lung, which the spirometer helped to re-inflate.  Needless to say it's been a very trying few weeks but fingers crossed the worst is over!! I'm so thankful to friends, family and especially my parents for being so great and sending messages and my parents for keeping me calm and listening to me cry at all hours of the night and day.

      This picture is obviously from a few weeks ago but wanted to explain why I have been a little MIA lately.  Hannah sure is getting bigger and a lot more active.  At night especially she is all over the place and it's exciting to have Damien feel her so much and see how active our little noodle is.
 

25 Weeks And Counting

     That's right baby girl we are already 25 weeks along!! It seems like it's been a big change just in the last few days.  You must be having a growth spurt because I felt pretty comfortable for the most part up until now and then the stretching started...and continued and continued some more....suddenly I woke up and voila there you were big and round.  It's a bit harder to sleep at night mostly because I'm usually a big belly sleeper and that's near impossible now, so there has been a lot of tossing and turning going on. I feel awful for my sweet Hannah girl because I've been coughing up a storm still (going on three weeks now) and you are probably getting pretty sick of all the rocking around in there...trust me your mama is pretty darn sick of it too.
      Your dad and I have been talking about all the fun things we want to do with you this summer. We even ordered your stroller this week and it should be here any day now.  Your dad is pretty excited because it's a jogging stroller and he wants to take you on lots of his running trips maybe even a few of his races.
      25 weeks down and only 15 to go sweet Hannah, so hang in there and keep growing big and strong.  We love you baby girl.  xxoo

Prego + Flu = One Exhausted Mama

      Well... this last week wouldn't be what I would call the most fun week of pregnancy thus far.  I spent almost the entire week either in bed or in the bathroom.  I had such high hopes that my immune system was doing it's job and fighting off all those nasty germs that have been circulating around but alas I got struck with the dreaded flu.  It was six full days filled with lots of Kleenex, tea, tylenol, cough drops, fevers, coughing, sneezing, throwing up, and lucky for us lots of love from family and friends. Damien even came home early one day because he had caught a little bit of the bug as well (Hannah you will soon come to realize just what a shocker your dad leaving work early actually is).  I spent the first part of the week feeling pretty sorry for myself, I mean isn't being pregnant enough stress and hard on the body?!? As the week progressed and everyday I received many calls, texts and fb messages from family and friends and even a BUNCH of goodies from Auntie Abbie to help ease the symptoms, I realized just how blessed we are to be surrounded by people who love and truly care about our well being.  Happy to say I'm finally on the up and up and it felt good to get back to work today even though even after just five hours I was pretty wiped out for the rest of the day. Lets hope to no more sickness hitting the McClain/Chevalier family anytime soon. 

Happy Valentine's Day

     Happy Valentine's Day Miss Hannah Banana!! You had a big milestone today, you received your very first flowers from your daddy.  I'm sure with him being wrapped around your little finger, this will be the first of many.  I have to say I was pretty shocked at how thoughtful and romantic it was.  Your dad is a lot of things, wonderful, smart, funny but I wouldn't necessarily call him a "Valentine's Day kinda guy".  However just when you think you know someone they surprise you and do something completely out of the ordinary.  Your dad left early this morning for work, about 530, he gave me a kiss and wished me a Happy Valentine's Day, nothing really out of the ordinary as far as leaving so early (he's such a hard worker for us).  I stayed in bed for another few hours then got ready for work upstairs.  I headed downstairs and low and behold on the coffee table were two long stem red roses wrapped in xoxo/love paper along with a note.  The note explained that one of the roses was for me and the other for his "Hannah banana''.  It was truly one of the sweetest things I've ever experienced.  I have been so stressed out lately with school and work that it was just what I needed, just when I needed it.  We are two very lucky girls to have your daddy in our life to love us and take care of us, especially when we need it the most.  xxoo

You've been kicking and we've been shopping

       Hi baby girl! Lots of changes are going on with you right now.  You are constantly moving around in there and you are finally big enough I can feel you everyday.  It's such a special feeling and gives me so much comfort knowing you are making yourself right at home in there.  The first time I felt you full on kick was February 1st right after your dad left for work around 6am. I'm convinced you were just as sad as me to have him leave the nice warm bed.  Since your first real kick it seems like I feel you more and more each passing day.  You are most active early in the morning around 5-6 (early riser just like your parents), when I get off work and before I go to school so around 2-4 and then again when your dad and I spend the evening lying in bed and watching either Seinfeld or The Office.  It's kind of neat knowing you already have a little bit of a schedule, we'll see how long that lasts.  Your dad has not been able to feel you kick yet, I think he's a little weirded out by the whole thing :) but he loves when I tell him what you are up to in there.  It's been really nice knowing you are a girl because the shopping has commenced.  A few weeks ago your Grandma Sandi was here and we all went shopping and bought you quite a few goodies.  Your very first binkie, Sophie, a cute 4th of July outfit, a carrier your dad is really excited about and a few other things.  We have also been doing a little online shopping mostly from my new favorite store, Restoration Hardware. We got a few things for your nursery from there and I have been obsessed with these adorable boots from them that your future BFF Lyla has.  They have gotten a few mixed reviews (your auntie Abbie hates them), but I'm in love and can't wait to see your sweet little feet in them. Please continue to move and groove in there and just know there are so many people out here so excited for your arrival in June.  xxoo