16 Weeks

banner / little dovie 

tee / a pea in the pod

  oversized cardigan/ (non-maternity) Nordstrom

leggings / white plum

How far along? 16 weeks 

Total weight gain: 6 pounds.

Maternity clothes?  Gap Body tees and tanks are a favorite (as I mentioned HERE).  Wearing some maternity pants, but working with the belly band (Target brand) for as long as I can squeeze myself in my pre-pre pregnancy pants. I am about to give up on those pants with buttons and make a full transition to maternity pants.  I am fine for the first half of the day, but after lunch and by the time I get home from work I am so uncomfortable..

Sleep: Really, really well.  We have a couple babies that are having a hard time sleeping through the night (thank youuuu two year molars time eight), and I am extra thankful for the husband that gets up with them so I can snooze right on.

Best moment this week:  The gender reveal party over the weekend!  Such a wonderful time and special day for our family.

Worst Moment this week: I started feeling a little under the weather on Monday evening and it progressively got worse through this week.  You know when you can just literally feel the pressure building in your sinuses?  Yea.  That kind.  Makes me even less motivated to do ANYthing.  I feel like such a complainer these days.

Miss Anything? Feeling comfortable in my clothes. BUT- I feel like I've got an entirely new wardrobe for this summer after pulling out my bin of maternity clothes.  What girl doesn't love that?  Oh and THE SUN.. looking at this picture I am feeling rather pale..

Cravings: Mexican Food!  I could each chips and salsa for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I am also stuck on my afternoon bowl of fruit (of any kind) and Greek yogurt.  I almost look forward to it on my drive home from work. 

Symptoms: I'll spare you the complaints of exhaustion.. but do not be surprised if you find me under my desk at work taking the opportunity for a quick cat nap.  I started getting nose bleeds this week.  I got them ALL the time when I was pregnant with the twins, so this does not surprise me.

Looking forward to:  I have an OB appointment on Monday and I am beside myself.  I can't wait to see/hear this baby GIRL's heartbeat!  I love talking about her (all day?  yep, sure!) so getting to spend an afternoon talking ALL about her makes my day.  It is perfect timing - I am traveling next week for work, so I will get to check in on her before I leave for a couple days.

We have a really fun, but busy weekend ahead! So Monday should be here before I know it.

We have also started to talk about the nursery - and let me tell you.. I have high hopes and big plans:)

16 weeks / twins

Bab{ies} First | Haircut

The girls are going on 26 months..  I'm trying SO hard not to be THAT mom.  I know they are two, but my brain still counts the months that my first...and second were born.  Sue me. 

Anyway.. they are two+ years old and have yet to have a haircut.  I am thankful for their ever growing locks, but Parker's hair had this weird curly mullet thing going on, and Jolie wakes up every single morning with a rat's nest on the back of her head - like she sleeps in a headstand or something.

My sweet friend - she is actually my oldest friend of 15+ years, has been doing my hair since I met her as a bright 14 year old after I spent two weeks in Florida with friends and decided 4 bottles of Sun In was the right thing to do to my natural and untouched dark brown hair.

I stepped off the plane and lied through my teeth when my parents asked if I had dyed my hair.

Nope!

Through a friend of a friend my mom met Angela, and so grew a deep friendship that I honestly didn't appreciate until the last few years.

She comes to my house (amazing), foil colors my hair and cuts it right in my own kitchen (amazing), no babysitter needed (amazing)!  I usually plan her visits around a night Jordan is at the fire station, so its all about the girl talk.  Jolie and Parker know her very well.  They have watched momma get her hair cut and colored for 2 years this way, so when I asked Angela to take a look at their hair last week, they were so excited to hop right into the chair.  They both had a lot of baby hair that needed to be trimmed out, Parker more so than Jolie.  I swore I wouldn't cut their hair - everrrrrr.

Ok.  So exaggeration is a tad in order here.

I was SO impressed with my little girls.  They are acting much more like young ladies than babies.. It was this night that Jordan confessed his desire for another baby girl because these two were growing up so fast!  Well, I am glad you feel this way, because I'm afraid being a 'girl dad' is all that's in your future, hubs.

When it was their turn to get a trim, they stood stone-still in the chair while Angela trimmed their hair. 

Jolie was first!

Nice goose egg courtesy of sister and a sippy cup full of water..

This is my favorite picture of the entire night.  Trimming her naturally occurring bangs to make them fall more evenly.  She didn't move an inch.

Parker was next!  Angela explained that her hair should curl right up after she weeded out all the baby hair.

SO pretty!!  Parker's hair turned a little less than that of a mullet and more of ringlets and Jolie has yet to wake up with that rat's nest I spoke of before.  It is amazing what the tiniest trim can do!

I'm talking tiny, ya'll.  IG requests came for pictures from the front.. but really its the view from the back that made all the difference.

I was trying to get a picture of the back of their hair.. and Jolie is usually really quick to be super sweet with love for her sister, but also vise versa:)

It was when Jolie started playing with Parker's hair that I switched to video and could not stop laughing!  I sent it to Jordan with tears in my eyes from side-hurting giggles and he responded immediately with how very sweet this video was.  I had to play it back, and yes.  I 100% agree.  These girls are way too stinkin' sweet.

Gender Reveal | What Will Baby Bee?

This was such a fun day for our family.  We have waited in anticipation for THREE weeks for this time to finally get here- what will this sweet baby bee?? 

So many people were involved in this event - and an extra special thank you and shout out to our sweet friend, Sarah and hubby Chris for keeping the huge secret under wraps so that we could be surprised!  On the day gender was determined, she was given permission to call my doctor and be the first to know the gender of our little miracle baby.  

Don't you know everyone asked who and where she was!  

They all wanted a crack at her to see if she would spill the beans.

Stone-faced Sarah, I'll call her.

The DETAILS

I was so very pleased with how well all this came together.  I was panicking on Tuesday last week feeling so unorganized, but honestly on the day of the party it was done and I was NOT stressed at all.

Ok, so.  There may have been a wig-out session around 9am on Saturday morning, but after Jordan told me to cool my jets and put me in my place for the day ahead, all was well.

The FOOD

Appetizers

Chicken & Waffles w Honey Mustard Maple Syrup
| chick-fil-a nuggets, eggo mini waffles, equal parts honey mustard, maple syrup, honey | 

Pimento Cheese Dip w Frito Scoops

Veggie Dip Cups w Jalapeno Ranch
| zucchini, summer squash, red peppers; kraft salad dressing | 

Berry Cups with Honey Yogurt
| blackberries, raspberries, strawberries; greek god's honey strawberry greek yogurt |

Main

Honey Bee-Bee-Q Pulled Chicken
| italian dressing, honey bbq sauce, raw chicken breast; LOW for 7 hours; shred | 

Bee-Bee-Q Sauce
| strain sauce mixture after chicken is finished cooking | 

Vinegar Slaw
| 1 cabbage; sliced thin, 1 yellow onion; sliced thin; sprinkle with 3/4 cup sugar; heat 3/4 c vegetable oil, 3/4 c distilled vinegar, 2 tsp sugar; 1 tsp celery seed, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp dry mustard; pour over cabbage/onion and refrigerate for 24 hours | 

Mac & Cheese Bar
| chipotle mac, american mac, white cheddar (alfredo) mac |

Potato Salad
Drinks
Bee's Knees Punch
| equal parts diet sprite, V8 splash pineapple-orange, lemonade |
Assorted Bee-r

Dessert

Lemon & White Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing

Bee-nana Pudding

Mac & Cheese Bar Toppings
| sun dried tomatoes, broccoli, green onions, fresh jalapeño, bacon bits, mozzarella cheese |

heart necklace | tiny tags // p&j initials |  bip and bop
The REVEAL
Truth be told- I was absolutely exhausted from everything this party entailed, and so when it was time to pop those confetti poppers, everyone was looking at me, everyone was ready and waiting with anticipation..and all these people were there to celebrate this baby (girl).
So, I cried a little.

 ..and then I just couldn't stop screaming..

 (Amber close your mouth..)

 ..really..

 Parker and Jolie were SO confused!
But there was pure joy on our faces.

Another baby GIRL it is!

The GROUP

I didn't realize until I could hardly walk through my house that there was literally NO ONE missing.

So very thankful for each one of these special people in our lives!  

The Big SISTERS

 cardigan | target // crown me glitter tee | lola & darla 
bloomers | loveylake // moccasins | gracious may // glitter bow | shelby chic boutique

The DADDY
vest & fleece leggings | white plum 

 Girl Dad for Life

..and he's a really, really great one.

party invite, food labels: ck fireboots

what will baby bee banner, cupcake toppers & wrappers, straws: dimply sweet

honeycombs: wood craft products

hey baby glitter pom banner: little dovie

sleepy bear nightgown: loved by hannah & eli

confetti poppers: dixie + twine

glitter spoons: modparty 

burlap table runner: hobby lobby

photography credit: bfaith photography