Third Trimester... Already?! #27weeks

The last few weeks have been so busy with the holidays, a surprise house guest, and my dad's emergency stay in the hospital! We had a great Christmas together, despite Pop-Pop being stuck in the hospital. We hit up all of the usual family stops over the course of a week or two and we did our own family celebration on Christmas Eve morning. I know that goes against all of the "rules" of Santa but it was the best chance for us to have time to actually enjoy some time together. Plus, besides "Ho, ho, ho", Auria still doesn't really know anything about Santa or care anything about him (and frankly, neither do I) so we took advantage of what was quite possibly our last year of flexibility on that front.

Our New Year celebration consisted of the normal 9pm bedtime routine. I set my alarm for 11:45 so J & I could wake up and toast with some sparkling grape juice and have a midnight smooch. Then we went back to bed. We live the crazy life ;)

Since the holidays have come and gone we're now transitioning to getting focused on creating a new office space in our lower living room so we can create a playroom for the girls. We're also trying to sort out a play for the kids' bedroom. And i'm just trying to wrap my head around the reality that in +/- 13 weeks we will have a newborn again! WHOA!

I know people (especially my husband) think it's crazy that I am constantly surprised but how close it's getting but since I stay so busy with A, work, Bradley classes, and the rest of life in general, I don't have as much time for it is sink in and feel totally real like I did when I was pregnant with Auria.

I'm starting my next Bradley series tongiht. I'm not sure how long I'll wait before I begin another one because this one will finish right before our due date. I'm really excited because it's a packed class and it's full of ladies that are expecting around the same time I am. I'm hoping that means we'll have an even stronger connection and it will definitely be a different experience for me to be teaching now from this prospective. I mean, I've been pregnant and gone through natural childbirth before -obviously- but it's a little bit different now that I am preparing again myself, and I'm in for a different experience this time since it's:
1) A different baby and each childbirth experience can be completely different, even with the same momma.
2) We're not planning the same hospital experience as we had before so there are new unknowns with that alone. And if all goes as planned I'll to have a water birth this time!

Anyway, it's definitely exciting that this time after my class series is over, I won't just be waiting to hear from my students about their births - I'll be waiting to share my new one, too!

In the mean time I'm trying to focus on enjoying the last of this time with my sweet girl as an only child.

Sometimes it's hard for me to think about because it's all either of us have known. I'm absolutely thrilled about welcoming our new family member but it's difficult for me to imagine how I'll still have the time to show A how much I love and adore her while sharing my attention with her baby sister. It will all work out but for now we're going to be sure to enjoy the last few months of just us two girls... & Daddy, of course!

I'm feeling better and better about how she's going to react to welcoming the baby. She's usually very interested in babies when we are out somewhere and see one. She is usually pretty calm and gentle around them and she always says "Awww, baby!". She's even been practicing baby-wearing with her Ergobaby doll carrier. It's gonna be so adorable when we're both wearing our babies ♥

Well, I was hoping for a better update than this but my girl wants to play so I must answer the call. Hopefully there will be more before Waverly arrives! ;)