Eeeeeek x 768765765!!!

William and Kate might be my newest favorite thing!  I feel like I totally called it because I dvr'd TLC's special about them a couple weeks ago...  So there Brian!  ('cause he totally rolled his eyes at me when I set it!  Psh.)

Other awesome things:

Louisa!  She had her two month appointment and took those shots like a champ, with some tears, of course.  The guy who administered them was some young SPC, which made me so nervous, but he was really sweet and apologetic about the crying.  He wasn't specifically a pediatric shot guy (whatevs, you get it.), so I was excited that it was minimally traumatic (because lots of our experiences with army healthcare have been fairly traumatic thus far, just sayin'...)

Thigh bandaids :(

Anyways, she is 12 lbs., 22 in, and 90th percentile for head circumference...!  Whaaaat!  She totes gets it from Brian, but maybe it's for all the smarts that she gets from me?  Probably.  But the doctor said head control would take longer 'cause her head is heavier than most.  So, we got serious about tummy time!

...mostly.  Haha, she does do a good job, really.  (My 6 week postpartum appointment was yesterday too, but was mysteriously cancelled, so I have to wait 'til week eleven.  Awesome.)

Also, Little Lulu has been sleeping 6-7 hours a night, every night!  It is such an amazing feeling!  I think that Brian (who crazysnores) has been in Anchorage for the past couple weeks training has certainly been beneficial to this phenomenon.  I'm a bit nervous that he'll be back this weekend!

Also, MODG.  I'm kind of obsessed...

And, Mint M&Ms.  Its no wonder I still have 22.5 lbs to go!

Google images

Today the forecasted high temperature was negative four degrees. The high.  I think it's pretty awesome that we don't have to worry about heating oil. (Even though cost of living up here is ridiculous, and therefore BAH is ridiculous.  It's still pretty exciting.)

Holidays!!  We're doing a pot-luck Thanksgiving with friends since we're all way too far to celebrate with family.  I'm attempting several recipes, but I'm not going to share because I'm pretty sure they won't all turn out very well!

I'm so excited that Brian will be here for Louisa's first Thanksgiving and Christmas!  He's likely going to miss lots next year, so we're going to try and make the most of festivities this year!  And, as frustrating as it is to be in the Arctic, we will certainly have a white Christmas!  Yay!

Not awesome: calorie counting during the holiday season... Wish me luck!

It's so crazy to think that one year ago...

I wasn't even pregnant!  Having a baby was a hope of mine, but not a plan.  I was looking forward to Thanksgiving alone in Texas, and Brian's homecoming shortly thereafter...

Oh how things have changed!

Miss Louisa is almost two months, and I can honestly say that being her mum is more amazing than I could have imagined.  She has quickly caught on to the smile thing, and loves to practice at 2am when she is up for a bottle. It's SO hard to not smile and coo back when she is such a cheery little cherub!

Eating her hands is another new favorite, and waving arms is tons of fun too!  Except, maybe, when she gets too exuberant and thumps her little hand into her face...  The expression she makes is a bit pitiful!

Last night she slept for seven hours straight, and then went to sleep for a few more!  Honestly, every day gets less stressful and more fun.  Now she is in her gym, yelling at it!  So funny!  And if the music runs out and the lights stop flashing -- she cries!  Little girl has so much personality, and I'm afraid that she's just as crazy as me!

Monday we have her 2 month appointment, and I'm really not looking forward to the shots!  Hopefully it'll be over quickly...

Miss Louisa!

She's finally here!!  After a harrowing 31 hours in labor, an alarming ambulance ride, and a 4-day stay in the NICU, Miss Louisa Violet Francis is finally home!!

Still all goopy, but I love it!

These past seventeen days have been the most amazing and crazy of my entire life.  Little Lulu is the sweetest baby, except for when she's hungry.  She most certainly inherited her appetite from her dad, as well as her toes and her eyebrows!  When her belly is full though, and she isn't sleeping, she is content to cuddle and look  around.  She has dark hair and light brows and lashes, beautiful blue eyes, and perfect cupid's bow lips.  

Trying to sleep with a newborn is exhausting!  Her longest stretch has been about six hours, and I'm not clever enough to sleep when she does during the day, so I'm more tired than I've ever been, ever.  It certainly doesn't help that Brian is back at work and out in the field already, so I don't have any help.  I honestly don't know how single moms do it!!  These five days are just a test though, 'cause he has a longer school coming up next month!!  Hopefully by then Louisa and I will have a bit of a schedule...

Smiling while she sleeps... so sweet!

My pretty little Lu

Brian and Louisa!  He looooves to hold her!

Hopefully I'll get better at posting, but likely not -- this little miss is pretty time consuming!

Bright and early...

Tomorrow morning I'm heading in to the hospital to be induced!  I'm so excited!!

Nesting frenzy!

Today I am officially 41 weeks pregnant!  Tomorrow morning I have an ultrasound and non-stress test to make sure little Lulu is still doing okay in there.  If she isn't they'll induce right away, but if things look good they'll let me go a bit longer, until Friday probably.

I have to say, being overdue isn't nearly as miserable as I thought it would be.  I feel kind of content, like I made it to 40 weeks safely, and now she could really come any day.  That isn't to say I'm super impatient to meet this girl (and not be pregnant) but I don't feel pressure for it to be riiiight now, I'm okay with being pregnant for a few days longer.

So, I've taken advantage of this long weekend and had a bit of a nesting frenzy!  I've swept and mopped, vaccumed and dusted, done more loads of laundry than I thought our machine could handle, rearranged and reorganized all of our cabinets, taken down and re-hung wall decor, invested in new home fragrance and fall hand soaps, set up our new super-fancy coffee maker (can't wait for caffeine!), washed and organized all the new things for Louisa, even managed to sweep all the debris and cobwebs from our front door!  I realized I'd gone a bit overboard as I was sweeping my way down the sidewalk in my purple plaid pajama pants...  The neighbors are all used to the craziness though... I hope!

Fingers crossed that the next update will be full of baby pictures!

Due!

Well, maybe a bit overdue really...  Yesterday was my official date according to the hospital, and it seems little Louisa is going to take her sweet time!

At my 39 week appointment I hadn't progressed much from the week before.  I've spent the past week walking, bouncing on the yoga ball, eating spicy things and pineapples, even trying some wii fit exercises (Brian thinks my hula-hooping skills are entertaining!), and all that has gotten me is some super-uncomfortable Braxton Hicks.  Hopefully my appointment tomorrow will show some progression...  If not, it's just a matter of time!  At 41 weeks my hospital will do an ultrasound to ensure Lulu has enough fluid and is still thriving in there, and if everything looks good they'll wait a few more days to induce!

I'm just so excited knowing that within the next two weeks we'll finally be able to meet our sweet baby Louisa!

Progress! And Pictures!

SO, I had my 38 week appointment yesterday, and am officially dilated and effaced!! Not tons, and I know it still means it could be awhile, but - I'm still crazy excited, and plan on doing everything in my power to move this little lady along!

Also, we finally finished the nursery!! Now it's not magazine style amazing, but it is certainly cozy and sweet and perfect for our little miss!

(And that is what 38 weeks pregnant looks like.  I know, Yikes!)