Citrus Lane -- May

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This week we received our fifth Citrus Lane box in the mail.  We signed Gene up for a six month subscription.  Each month he receives a box full of age-appropriate toys, books, and snacks.  Most months they even tuck something in there for me.

Up, Up, Up! book and CD set -- $10

Race Car -- $9

Happy Munchies Rice Cakes -- $4

Happy Munchies Veggie and Fruit Crisps -- $4

Moisture Stick -- $6

Total Value: $33

Not a bad box this month.  Gene loved playing with the race car, though once he realized there were snacks to be eaten he ignored it for a while.  The book he got is really cute.  It's actually a song, which you can listen to on the CD that comes with it.  We've listened to it a few times, so, of course, it's already stuck in my head.

If you want to sign up for Citrus Lane, use code TAKEHALF to receive 50% off your first month!

*This post contains affiliate links.  If you sign up for Citrus Lane, I will receive credit toward my account.*

Baby Gear for Baby #2

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Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the hubs and I are expecting our second baby later this summer.  We still have a lot of our baby gear from Gene -- crib, swing, etc. -- but there are definitely some things we're going to have to look into purchasing.  Traveling with two kids under two is going to be a bit trickier than traveling with one.

PishPoshBaby has everything we need to take Baby #2 on the road.

One of the biggest purchases we need to consider is a double stroller.  We use our stroller quite a bit, so we definitely need one to accommodate two.  The Britax B-Agile Double stroller is a great choice.  It's lightweight and narrow enough to fit through a standard door frame.

One of my favorite features of this stroller is that you can use it with an infant carrier.  This means that we could use it from the very beginning with both kids.  

Taking two little kids out of the house means taking twice as much stuff with you.  Twice the diapers.  Twice the snacks.  The Skip Hop Duo Double Hold-It-All diaper bag can carry everything I may need and more.  It has sixteen pockets.  Sixteen.  Imagine how well-organized I could stay when there is a pocket for everything?  It also hooks onto the stroller handles, leaving the bottom of the stroller free for jackets, blankets, or shopping bags.

For quick trips to the supermarket or other places where a stroller isn't appropriate I can use the Ergo Baby Carrier for Baby #2 and put Gene in the shopping cart.  I can keep my littlest one snuggled up close to me and have my hands free to care for my son.

If you are in the market for baby gear, whether for your first baby, your second baby, or even your fifth baby, check out PishPoshBaby's great selection of high-quality products!

This is a sponsored post for PishPoshBaby.  All thoughts and opinions, however, are strictly my own.

28 Weeks

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How far along: 28 weeks 1 day

Size of baby: Small cabbage (17 in, 2.9 lbs)

Total weight gain: +10 lbs -- No change since my last appointment two weeks ago

Maternity clothes: Have I mentioned lately how much I love dresses?  With warmer temperatures they help me stay cool.

Sex: It's a... girl!

Movement: Lots of wiggles and kicks.  I can tell when she's head-down and when she's transverse based on her kicks.

Sleep:  I haven't been taking as many naps lately, which is just fine with me.  I have too much to do!

Symptoms: After overdoing it a couple of weeks ago I've been taking it easy more.  As a result my hip and pelvic pain are considerably diminished.  With the warmer temperatures I have been watching out for swelling in my extremities.  I'm not sure if it's all the water I drink or what, but my feet haven't been swelling much yet.

Cravings: I wanted strawberry cupcakes with chocolate icing this weekend.  I ended up baking a cake instead.  SO yummy. 

Aversions: I had a hamburger the other day and didn't end up sick.  Maybe my gallbladder issues were just a fluke.

Best moment this week: Sprucing up the back porch!

Flashback: 28 weeks pregnant with Gene!

I had my 28 week checkup today.  My obstetrician was at a delivery (apparently the second of the day), so I saw the midwife.  She told me that I am measuring 31 weeks.  That's three weeks ahead!  I know it's not an accurate measurement of how large the baby actually is, but it's a bit intimidating.  The thought of possibly birthing a giant baby is a little frightening!

Home Improvement: The Back Porch

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One of the "joys" of being a homeowner is that you are responsible for the upkeep and repair of your property.  Whether you do the work yourself or hire a contractor, the money still comes out of your pocket.  It's easy to let certain projects fall to the wayside when you have to pay for them.

This spring we decided to tackle some of the projects we have been putting off.  Today we stained the back porch.  It was in nice shape when we moved in back in 2009.  The railings appeared to be newer but had never been stained.  Four years of weather had taken their toll and they were looking rough.

We got started bright and early this morning.  We set Gene up with some sidewalk chalk, his bubble mower, and eventually the sprinkler.  He was content to play while the hubs and I worked on the railing.  After about three hours I headed inside to make lunch for Gene while Michael finished the porch.

We used Olympic Maximum Stain + Sealant in Timberline.  We chose a solid stain that not only matched what was already on the floor of the porch, but to also cover up some discoloration from years of weathering.

We aren't finished yet, but just having the porch and railings painted is a huge improvement!  We still need to paint the columns.  We are considering replacing the lattice underneath with a white vinyl lattice, but haven't decided yet.  

We have plenty of other projects slated for this week, including painting the kitchen and replacing one of the last remaining old light fixtures.  Hooray for being a homeowner!

10 Things That Make Me Happy

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1.  My husband

2.  My son

3.  Feeling my baby girl kick and squirm in my belly

4.  Friends

5.  Freshly-laundered bed sheets

6.  Sunshine

7.  Laughing

8.  Good food

9.  A good book

10.  Fresh-cut grass

27 Weeks

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Hello, THIRD trimester!  It kind of snuck up on me.  I cannot believe how quickly this pregnancy is progressing.  It's both exciting and terrifying at the same time.  Exciting because I can't wait to meet my little girl.  Terrifying because I will have two children under two for a while.  We finally started buying her some clothes, so she won't come home from the hospital naked!

How far along: 27 weeks 1 day

Size of baby: Head of cauliflower ( 16 in, 2.5 lbs)

Total weight gain: +10 lbs

Maternity clothes: Yesterday, on a whim, I decided to try on my pre-pregnancy jeans.  I was able to zip AND button them!  I didn't wear them buttoned, but they were more comfortable than my maternity jeans.  I wasn't constantly pulling them up.

Sex: It's a... girl!

Movement: I love feeling her wiggle around!  She's big enough now that she can kick my ribs and punch my bladder simultaneously.

Sleep: What's sleep?  

What I miss: Being able to pick things up off of the floor.

Symptoms:  I have been nesting quite a bit the last several days.  I definitely overdid it yesterday.  I washed a lot of windows and did more lifting than I probably should have.  As a result, I have some awful round-ligament pains this morning.  Thank goodness I don't have any appointments today!

Cravings: No cravings

Aversions:  Nothing right now, though I am still avoiding ground beef just in case it makes me sick.

Best moment this week: Spending Mother's Day with my husband and baby boy!

Flashback: 27 weeks pregnant with Gene!

26 Weeks

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Baby bump! 26 weeks 1 day.

How far along: 26 weeks 1 day

Size of baby: Cucumber (15 in, 2.2 lbs)

Total weight gain: +10 lbs

Maternity clothes: I've started wearing some of my summer dresses and I am loving it.  Now I just need to get some color on my legs.

Sex: It's a... GIRL!

Movement: This little lady is always on the move.  At my appointment this morning she kept kicking the midwife as she was doing the exam.

Sleep: I have not been sleeping well the last week or so.  My hips hurt, so anytime I move in bed or try and roll over, I wake up.  

What I miss: Waking up feeling rested.  Also, reaching things on the floor.

Symptoms: Heartburn.  Oh, the heartburn.  I've also started to sweat.  I am warm-natured to begin with, but being pregnant just enhances it.  I'm not glowing, it's sweat.

Cravings: I am really looking forward to the farmer's market opening.  I can't wait for fresh fruits and veggies!

Food aversions: I'm still avoiding beef and now caramel sauce has been added to that list.

Best moment this week: Realizing the baby is due in less than 100 days!

Flashback: 26 weeks pregnant with Gene!