Week 21, the Move & Belly Pics

We are all moved over to the new house. Thankfully my mom and brother were here to help us get moved and settled. Even with them here, I seem to have overdid it a bit and ended up cramping and spotting; most likely resulting from dehydration and just being on my feet too much. I went to see the midwife because I wanted to make sure that the Braxton Hicks I had been having were not causing me to dilate. During my exam they saw that I have cervical ectropion. This occurs when inner cervical cells are found on the outer cervix. These cells are referred to as ectropions. So, I am going to be more prone to bleeding from physical activity of...um... all kinds. FUN!

I am not sure what is going on with week 21, but my body has decided to rebel against me. I had been feeling great aside from the BH but now my lower back is killing me and I have been very crampy.  I am taking Natural Calm which seems to be helping with the BH. I also definitely need to get adjusted soon and should not have put it off for this long.  I think it was easier teaching Kindergarten while pregnant than it is being at home with Eliza and Jude. I am keeping my fingers crossed that baby is just in a weird position and week 22 will be better.

22 Weeks with Eliza

23 Weeks with Jude

 I wonder what Eliza was doing while we tried to get this shot...I'm a hot mess. I clearly was not ready for this picture as I would NEVER be photographed with my arm flat against my body. 

Here is my current belly pic. I am 22 weeks on Monday so I can't really say this is a 21 week picture.

21/22 Weeks

They all look about the same to me.

Playing Catch-Up

It sure seems like a long time since we have actually been home. We left our condo in August the day after Jude & Eliza's birthday party. A house full of people the day before moving...only me. The house wasn't even fully packed up but the kids and I were going to spend the week in Cape May with my parents, a vacation that was planned before we decided to move. That was our first week away from Pete and although Cape May was amazing he was certainly missed.

After returning from Cape May we stayed at my parents house for about three weeks while Pete packed up our condo. It was during this time that Jude and I were in a car accident and my car was totalled. We had planned to be down in Charlotte before my niece started school so Pete borrowed my parents car while I borrowed Pete's car. Pete and I drove down with the kids on September 9th. At this point we had been living without Pete for four weeks.

At my parents we celebrated the kids birthdays again!

My poor CRV- not even a year old. BLERG

We have been staying at my brother's place in Charlotte since September. We see Pete on the weekends and it always goes too fast. He did get to stay here for two weeks while in training for his job and it was great being all together again.

On Thanksgiving my brother, Pete and I ran a 5k. Here we are the morning of our Turkey Trot.

On Saturday we are leaving to go start setting up our apartment in SC. We will be living in a small apartment that fits about an 1/8 of our stuff- but living away from Pete for the past five months (and without most of our belongings) has definitely made me realize that we don't really need THINGS we just need each other. So 2011l be about downsizing, living simply, and working on being a family again.

2011-Update

Last I wrote we were getting ready to leave for Charlotte, NC. Well...we have been in Charlotte since September and we are now moving to Mount Pleasant, SC. Peter did not stay in NJ long after we left. He moved down to SC shortly after to start building his photography business.It has been amazing living with my brother and nieces for the past few months- but we have certainly missed Pete and are looking forward to reuniting as a family again.

We certainly have been keeping busy. Eliza has been attending preschool 3 days a week at the local aquatic center. I jumped back into working out- both running and strength training. (I have to thank Stroller Strides for getting me started) I also ran two 5K's; one with my brother and one with my brother and Pete. I've pretty much been living a primal/paleo lifestyle since September. more on that later).

And Jude- well h is one busy little man with an amazing vocabulary. I can't believe my baby is starting to look more and more like a lil man.

Not sure what 2011 has in store for us but I know it is going to be good.

We're Leaving on a Jet Plane...

I guess the last year has pretty much gotten away from me. Jude turns 1 in just 5 days. I must admit that being the mom of two has been overwhelming at times. My house has been a mess, meals not always planned, laundry in baskets, dishes in the sink and grime in the tubs. I guess this wasn't my year to get it all together. At the same time it has been the greatest year of my life- filled with more joy than I had known possible. Amongst the endless chaos there has been pleasure in the small things that make being a parent so rewarding.

and the big things...

The kids and I are moving to Charlotte, NC for a year. We are moving in with my brother and his two girls- Ashley and Alli. Peter is staying in NJ, so I predict this journey will be both challenging and rewarding. We are attemtping to rent out our place- wish us luck.

I plan on blogging more in the coming weeks- and if I don't- feel free to yell at me on FB.

We leave in about 26 days..

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane - The best home videos are here