31 Week Update and the First Week of School...

T.G.I.F.

I have officially survived my 5th first week of teaching!  And truly, this was the best one yet!  However, I am still SO glad it's Friday.

Frosty and I had twin day today, as you can see from the photo below.  Didn't anyone else get the memo that it was dress like your pet day?  :) 



Frosty is always stylish in her black and white, so I decided to go for the same look!

So, turns out, the first week of school was not NEARLY as awful as I expected it to be!  Nice, huh?  I wasn't nearly as exhausted as I expected to be, and while I was generally pretty tired and sore by the end of the day, it wasn't unbearable.  For those who don't know, I was moved out into a trailer classroom this year, which has turned out to be pretty nice.  It's tough being far from a bathroom (luckily someone is usually around to cover me if I need to go) but it has be REALLY great being able to control my own air and having only 18 students.  It is tough that EVERYTHING is far away, though.  I'm not going to lie, I was kinda out of breath today when I had to book it from my room to the gym... :)


The fact that my students seem really nice and well behaved has made this week pretty great, too!  They have been so willing to work, accommodating to my pregnancy (they pick things up when I drop them and let it slide when I'm a little forgetful), and really cute towards the baby (I literally had a kid put his head on my belly yesterday and one today come up to my belly and say "Ah...baby"). 


It has also helped that I am actually pretty well planned.  Being the slightly type-A person that I am when it comes to classroom procedures and how I do things, I knew I was really going to have to work to stay on top of planning so as to be prepared to do my maternity leave.  So I worked really hard before school started to get most of my first units planned.  That way I would be able to (hopefully) keep myself ahead (being out in the trailer has helped in this area too, because there are WAY less distractions).  It doesn't hurt that this is my 5th year either.  For the first time I really feel like I know what I am doing! HA!  It only took until the 5th year... geesh.


So, all in all, it has been a wonderful first week!  And I am seriously hoping it continues to be. 


Now for the pregnancy news/pictures....


Our little man has been very active this week!  He stays fairly calm during the school day, but when I sit down at the end of the day, he generally starts a movin' and a shakin'.  And then, of course, he saves the MOST movement for the moment I lay down to go to sleep!  Last night he must have seriously been doing flips because I just kept feeling his feet (or what Todd and I were pretty sure was a foot) rub against my belly.  He likes to stick that little foot of his right next to my belly button.  I was having a little fun with him last night... I was pressing on my belly just slightly, and he would kick (or punch, jab, elbow) wherever I was poking!  I don't know if it was just coincidence, or what, but I was getting a kick (total pun intended) out of it!  I have really LOVED feeling all this movement, and I keep telling Todd that as great as it's going to be to actually have our little man here, I think I will miss the special bonding feeling of having him moving inside me. 


Now for the pictures... Please excuse my hair.  These pictures were taken this morning and my hair was still wet... not so great!

You may have started to notice I wear these same black capris ALL THE TIME... they are by far the most comfortable thing I own right now.



Sweet socks, huh?

 So that's how I'm doin' at 31 weeks.  Pregnancy symptoms aren't too bad.  I've kinda just entered the basically a little uncomfortable/sore at all times... and I have been told (by numerous people, may I add) that I am a waddler.  What can I say, most of the time either my feet or legs are hurting, so walking isn't as easy as it once was... and have you seen the belly I'm carrying around??? I mean, are we really that surprised I'm waddling?? :) 


Oh, by the way... despite the fact that I FEEL huge and people seem to THINK I'm huge, according to my midwife my belly is measuring exactly normal for how far along I am (apparently it's one centimeter for every week you are plus or minus one... and last week I was measuring 31 centimeters and was 30 weeks)... when I told her I had been asked if I was having twins just two days before, she suggested I hang a sign from my neck that says "My midwife says I measure perfectly.  STOP TELLING ME I'M HUGE!"  Hehe!  I think I'd rather get it on a t-shirt than on a sign... :)


Todd and I start classes at the hospital on Tuesday... stay tuned to hear how those go! 


And have a LOVELY, hopefully not as wet, weekend! :)

26 Week Update at Myrtle Beach

On Friday I officially reached the 26-week mark!  Each week brings, at the same time, the relief of knowing Baby Boy Narcross is that much more developed and prepared for entering the world and an increased stress of knowing he's going to be arriving soon, and that time is going to fly! 

I've finally decided it's time for Todd and myself to get at least a little clue regarding the birth and early weeks of newborn raising, so I've been reading some books and the internet more than ever.  It's all just so darn conflicting though!  The concepts of "on-demand" feeding versus scheduled feeding leaves me feeling like I have NO IDEA what to do... I mean, it seems "on demand" is better, but isn't my baby going to kinda need a schedule once I go back to work?

And don't even get me started on all the "tips" for going back to work!  "Ask your boss if you can just come back half day," "Ask your boss if you can leave to feed your baby at daycare," "Ask your boss for a flexible work schedule so you can come in later or leave earlier,"... hmm... not really going to happen when you're a teacher!  That being said, I know I do have a good schedule but I'm already starting to stress about managing a baby, a classroom, a house, a husband, a dog... AHHHH!  And Baby Boy Narcross isn't even scheduled to arrive for another 3 months, plus an extra 6-10 weeks of maternity leave.  Our new family lines are, "Todd, it's not going to be nearly as easy or wonderful as you seem to think it is!"  and "Erica, it's not going to be nearly as hard or horrible as you seem to think it is!"  So we just agree to disagree! :)  Or really, we agree that it will probably be wonderful, horrible, very hard but not always, all rolled into one!

Enough ranting about all my stress... here are some pictures from Myrtle Beach last week.  Todd and I were blessed to get to go and spend a week in MB with my family.  Though it was stressful at times (having four kids under the age of four running around) and very HOT, we had a very nice and relaxing time!  Because of the heat, we didn't spend nearly as much time outside as we have in the past, but we still had a good time.  We spent many mornings at the pool with the kids, read, enjoyed some late afternoon/evenings on the beach, and had great meals.  Plus we had a special evening out and feasted on crab legs!


I REALLY love this picture!

The classic "prom pose."  And I think Todd's hands are trying to make a heart, but mine are covering it!



This was originally a full length shot, but let's be honest, even though I say that this is the only time in my life when I don't need to feel self conscious, do I really have the guts to put up a full length picture of me in a swim suit?? Guess not!



The whole gang:  My parents and my two sisters and families.