LA baby shower!

let me tell you a little about my wonderful sister-in-law.  Allison is probably one of the busiest and most amazing people you will ever meet!  she is mom to the cutest little boys around, has an amazing career in public relations and has worked at some of the coolest places ever (Walt Disney Concert Hall, Dreamworks, NBC Universal), is a self-taught gourmet chef, and one of the kindest, sweetest people I know.  even though she is super busy and had a million more important things to do, she threw me a baby shower!  and not just a regular old baby shower...she seriously did SO much and sacrificed what little sleep she gets to make all the little details perfect for me and my baby.  we are going to miss her so much!

Mark, my cousin Jenna and I came over the night before the shower to help her prep and I was amazed at all the labor and love that went into this food.  I think around 11:30 when we were getting ready to leave she said something like, "okay, now I'm going to bake the cake!"  everything was pure perfection.

I can't believe we didn't get any pictures of the ice-cream sandwiches!  they were divine.  homemade vanilla ice-cream in between homemade pink and blue macaroons, holy scrumptious!!  people were supposed to choose a pink or blue one based on what they think baby will be :)  I chose pink!  but I actually think baby is a BOY!  Mark and I used to sit on the couch after dinner and watch a show and I would tell him, "we better enjoy this now because soon we're going to have a little someone running out of his room wanting to see what mom and dad are doing!" in my mind it's always a little boy with mark's dimples and smile!  maybe I also secretly want a boy because I'm going to miss this little boy more than words can say...

I was so happy that for my shower Al didn't plan any silly or embarrassing games!  we also didn't open presents at the shower in order to encourage people to bring gift cards since we're moving.  instead,  everyone decorated adorable onesies for the baby!  this babe is going to have the cutest one of a kind clothes!

Al had all kinds of cute fabric to choose from and a bunch of baby books on the tables for ideas!  every single onesie turned out adorable!!

I made this one for our little baby bear! :)

there was also an advice table.  best advice I got was from my nephew Jake: make sure you let your baby watch lots of tv!  hahaha

I loved how relaxed and laid-back everything felt at the shower.  I would look around and see friends from different areas of my life talking and getting to know one another and it was so cool!  we have made some wonderful friends here in LA...we're really going to miss everyone!

twinning!

baby cousins in the womb!

Esther is due 3 weeks after me with a baby boy!  I wish our babes could grow up together and be best cousins :)  I honestly wish our baby could grow up with both our families!  we will visit lots but it definitely won't be the same...

we are going to miss all you crazy beautiful Rawlings more than you know!

hello third trimester!

WEEK 28

Baby is the size of a coconut!

baby has hit a growth spurt!  my belly popped this week and suddenly I'm huge and can feel baby simultaneously above my belly button and way low down in my uterus...I actually started to worry there might be two babies in there but since baby is the size of a COCONUT this week I guess that's just how much room a coconut sized babe takes up!

for fun, let's do an 8 week vs. 28 week comparison!

look how much baby has grown!!!  and look how skinny I was, oh flat tummy how I hope to see you again soon!

my stomach looks so weird to me these days!  after a big meal, my belly button almost turns into an outie!  when I breathe in, it's still an innie but when I breathe out it's flat.  it didn't happen the way I thought it would...I always thought the inside would just sort of pop out but it's the top part of my belly button (like the skin right above it) that's starting to go back, causing the inside to almost look flat.  haha, it is so weird and please let this only be temporary!

sleeping is a nightmare.  I now get up three times every night to pee and in the mornings my legs always feel so sore!  I think I'm afraid to move around too much in my sleep or something (or am unable to with my barrier of pillows and blankets supporting my bump) so my legs are really stiff in the mornings, like they've been locked in position all night!  really considering caving and buying a pregnancy body pillow...

on a happier note, I had my baby shower on saturday!  everything looked beautiful and tasted amazing...my SIL did the whole thing and everything she does is perfection!  she seriously went all out and made it such a wonderful day, even with her super busy career and two little boys.  I am so grateful to her for throwing it and all she has done for our sweet little baby!

I'll do another post about the shower but for now, here's a little sneak peek!

I seriously joined the best family!  it's so fun to be a rawlings :)

I've been taking my iron supplements but I'm not sure if they're working because I've been too busy to notice!  I feel like life has been a whirlwind as of late and I'm not sure if I've been feeling tired from the anemia or just all the craziness!  after my baby shower on saturday, al and I drove (for two hours!) to esther's shower in pv!  it was a great but long day of family, food, festivities and baby celebrating!

little cousins :)

speaking of cousins, my cousin Jenna flew out for my shower (and also for a pitch presentation at nickelodeon, ha) and look what she made for our baby!

the cutest piece of art we could have ever found!  the colors match the nursery and it's also perfect for our little animal theme! she is so talented...baby is so lucky to have his or her own custom artwork :)

we're getting down to the wire here for the move!  sunday was our last day in our ward :(  I'm surely going to miss all the little nursery babes.  every time I feel sad about all we're leaving behind, I have to remind myself about all the new and exciting things yet to come!  I wonder what our new callings will be?  I wonder who our new friends are going to be?  while I've loved being surrounded by precious littles every sunday and getting to feel the sweet, innocent spirit in the nursery, I feel like it prevented us from getting to know a lot of people in the ward.  I have high hopes for us to meet some sweet young couple in texas (maybe also with a babe on the way?) to become our lifelong best friends! :)

but there are still a lot of things about california that cannot be replaced in texas.  case in point: the baby below...

half his face is cut off but had to include one of his adorable smile!

dreading the goodbyes with my sweet nephews, I start bawling every time I think about it!  we never got to hear little Sam's first words or hear him say "Aunt Catherine" and "Uncle Mark".  oh please don't let them forget us...

one more week and I will be texas bound with baby!  the grandparents are going to be super thrilled to see how big baby is in my tummy.  my mom couldn't stop talking to the baby at christmas time and I was barely showing then!  haha, this baby is going to be SO spoiled!  12 more weeks (or less!) and baby will be HERE!!!