The mysteries of the pregnancy brain.

If you are pregnant, have ever been pregnant, or for that matter ever been around someone who is pregnant than chances are you have felt or witnessed the effects of pregnancy brain! Ok just so we are all on the same page let me tell you, the struggle is real folks! And if and when you think it can't get any worse, I'm here to tell you...it does and it most certianly will! The random thoughts that take over your brain are at times unexplainable and the dreams or in my case night terrors that come when you close your eyes to go to sleep will have you waking up wondering where you are, who you killed, and if you are even alive at this point! All of these weird and unsettling thoughts bring me to wonder many questionable things, so much so that I decided to capture a days worth of pregnant brain thoughts. Here is what I came up with...

1. Shaving. Ha the first thing that comes into mind is the want to use #smh which just so you know, months ago when the hashtag originated in my world I most certainly had to google it to even know what it meant! But honestly shaving this prego self of mine leads me to wonder...how to over weight people shave the lower regions?? Do they just choose not to shave or do they do as I do and go in blind and hope for the best?? Random I know! But the struggle is so real in this department! 

2. Belly buttons, I have never been a fan of my belly button because it was always deep in my opinion...not today junior! I currently have no belly button and on certain days when little miss is laying a certain way I have an outy! Yes an outy! Never have I been a fan of outy's! No I didn't like that mine was in my opinion deeper than necessary but I sure didn't want an outy! And my husband finds it funny that if I'm lying down and laughing it pokes in and out as I giggle! Gross! Also I have always had a fear of my belly button coming unraveled! Ugh still a fear today although I have been assured it cannot happen! Listen anything can happen in this world! 

3. I would pay for someone to come scratch my belly for an hour! Literally pay! The hair brush just isn't doing it!

4. I do wonder just how many people sing "wrapped up like a douche" when singing along to the lyrics "revved up like a deuce" by Manfred Mann?? I'm thinking its a lot!

5. If my water happens to break while out and about like last time, would people think I was lying and that I just peed myself? And holy Jesus please just don't let me be in a resturant or grocery store!!

6. Why oh why did I leave that Milky Way on the counter??? I knew when I made eye contact with it this morning that come 2 o'clock I would be wanting it! Stupid me!!

7. Why is it when I get a pedicure it always seems like my left big toe nail grows way faster than my right? Is it possible for one to grow faster than the other??

8. I am beyond a doubt certain that over half of my crazy thoughts come from reading articles on Facebook! Hardly anything other than wrecks, half dead dogs, drama in the White House, and neglected children! Ugh never anything happy!

9. If bedtime for Sawyer around here is going to continue to be 8 o'clock in the summer I'm going to have to invest in some black out curtains! 

10. 

^^hahaha I obviously didn't get to finish this blog because well on this night shortly after writing #9 the hubs and I decided to try and "speed" the labor process up after our Sawyer went to sleep and immediately after I started having contractions!😉 Hey it does work friends! Just do it!😂

I'm an ooey gooey hot mess!

Ok Mommas! As many of you know my 2nd bundle of sweet, pure, precious, and overwhelming joy is just days away from entering this world. I will soon become a Momma to two precious babies! My heart overflows with joy and anticipation as we plan the arrival of our sweet Eleanor! The past few weeks I have spent countless hours planning and arranging for her arrival, I have also found myself obsessing over my precious little Sawyer even more than ever, which to be honest I didn't know was possible! This obsession possibly spawns from the unknown of raising two babies vs one or perhaps it's the hint of guilt I often find myself dealing with in knowing that I am taking the status of only child away from my Sawyer, unknowing how he will respond. The guilt is quickly reversed when I think of how precious the two of them will be together and how much I know he will love his little sister once she is here! My anxiety level has heighten to say the least with this pregnancy, more so than my first! I was a hot mess then yes, but this time around I literally find myself dwelling on tragic life events or possible happenings to the point of making myself ill! Hopefully these feeling will pass and I can return back to normal once my hormones get back in check! 

Shew! Being a Momma is hard work yes, but the feelings that go along with it...Lordy Lordy! Although all the anxiety and stress in the world can not compare to the joy and happiness a baby brings!!

Ya'll I can't begin to describe the love I have for this child. I literally look at him and my heart melts into a huge ooey gooey puddle of a hot mess! When that little face wakes up in the morning and says "hi momma" in a sleepy voice that is faint and light, my heart feels like it explodes inside my chest! The phrase I could just eat you up takes a whole new meaning, literally! As in literally child, I could eat your face because you are the most precious things I've ever seen! I could give you 10 million kisses and it still wouldn't be enough! 

Oh and did I mention the breath?! Yes I know I'm weird but seriously ya'll I love the smell of my child's breath! And don't even get me started on the gap between those teeth! Ok I could seriously go on for days but you get the point...it's an obsession! This child has brought meaning to my life and the purest happiness I have ever felt! He is my greatest accomplishment and I pray that we, with the help of God, can raise him to be a God loving, honest, independent, and hardworking man! I can't wait to experience double the love! It's hard to even imagine having all these thoughts and feelings X2! 

How will I even manage!?! My assumption is I will spend sleepless nights staring into the sweet faces that wake up and call me Momma. 

Xoxo- Ashley

38 Weeks!

It's getting closer and closer! And I am more ready than ever! We are down to the single digit countdown! Although I'm still hopeful that she will come on her own before then! 

All our bags are packed and plans for our sweet Sawyer are arranged. The idea is slowly but surely sinking in that soon we will become a family of four and life as we know it will never be the same! 

Hot flashes are in full swing! And my body is aching pretty much everywhere especially in the southern regions making arrangements for the birth of our sweetpea! Honestly, physically there is nothing too joyous in the last month of pregnancy other than knowing that all of the strange, exciting, and gross things happening to your body are all signs of what will soon be one of the best experiences us mommas will ever endure! 

My emotions at this point are all over the place daily, I go from feeling overjoyed that my sweet boy will soon have a new best friend but then the next second I feel fearful of having two under two years old and wondering how it is possible to love another child as much as I love Sawyer. I know beyond a doubt that I will love them the same its just hard to imagine how it's going to be. The blissful thoughts are constantly on my mind of being able to snuggle both of my babies and watching them grow up together! My heart is already so full<3

Here is an updated belly pic! Who knows maybe next post will have a picture of little miss herself!☺️

Xoxo- Ashley, the very prego momma who is ready for her next baby and her hormones to return to normal! 

Then Comes BABY! Hospital Packing List

Whether you are packing for your first or third child, it can be an exciting yet over whelming task! Between the anticipation and hormones, your mind can be swirling in 500 different directions. When packing for my first little, like most I assume, I over packed! Now, I had it in my mind that I wouldn't allow myself to over pack at the time, not wanting to be "that" first time momma, but yet somehow I still had more than enough and way more than I actually needed! This time I decided to take yet an even lighter approach to my packing and here is what I came up with...

CHECKLIST FOR BABY:

•Boppy Pillow

•6 Outfits (Complete with a matching bow of course!😁)

•3 Burp Clothes

•Nursing Cover (Although I will note, the first days of nursing can be difficult and if my second is anything like my first, we will not master the cover for a few weeks!)

•Swaddle Blankets (I didn't pack any blankets with my first little because obviously the hospital provides them however, this one being a girl I felt it necessary to coordinate a few blankets with her outfits. So completely unnecessary but I am just including everything I packed.☺️)

•Car Seat (This is an obvious one but thought I'd throw it in there lol)

FOR MOMMA:

•3 Outfits- All include a nursing tank, lose fitting soft pants, and a pull over! 

Tips for choosing your post prego outfits:

1. For the most part, the belly you walked in with, you will also walk out with! Unfortunately unless you are gifted from God in which most of us are not, you will need to wear maternity clothing for a least a few days after baby makes his/her appearance!

2. I prefer to wear lose fitting pants that are not tight around the waste or butt. Keep in mind that you will be sporting those sexy little mesh undies and wearing a pad the size of an adult diaper! If you are attempting to wear cute and tight leggings, chances are it will be obvious that your rear is lumpy from that sweet diaper like pad!😉

3. I personally prefer darker bottoms! White bottoms and bleeding like a stuck pig...you do the math!😖 #couldbeserious

4. Nursing tanks are AMAZING!! I did pack two nursing bras however, chances are I will not wear them until the day I come home. And then I wanted an option! Tanks make it much easier especially if you have visitors in the room and you are trying to nurse and attempting to contain your mushy belly rolls! The tank offers full coverage while feeding baby...and makes momma feel much much more comfy!

5. Although hospitals are typically chilly, your hormones will be wack in the first couple of weeks after delivery. This can cause crazy tempature chances in your body, one second cutting glass with your nips and the next wanting to strip naked and lay under a fan! Pack accordingly! I prefer the pull overs so I can take my top layer off and wear only the tank if need be!

• FLIP FLOPS! Yes I'm sure they clean the showers and floors throughly, but this girl isn't taking taking any chances! Whatever is coming out of you, is also coming out of everyone else! And everyone else's hygien may not be handled quite the same as yours! 😳 For the love, don't forget the flip flops!

•Lotion- I failed to pack lotion the first time around and found it to be a huge mistake. After deflating my belly, I found it to be extremely itchy! Hoping the lotion takes care of that issue this time around!

•Make Up- It seems that some people have the impression that all new mommas should look like sh*t after giving birth. Well folks, you don't have to! If you are feeling good why not look good?!

•Tooth Brush/ Tooth Paste

•Deoderant

•Hair Brush

•Hair Dryer/Straightener- Again you may not feel like straightening your hair but then again you may want to!

•Hair Ties/Headbands

•Q tips

•Shampoo/Conditioner/Body Wash

•Hairspray

•Razor

•Chapstick

•Pads- The hospital provides mesh undies, pads, and the beloved swuirt bottle for cleaning however, you may want a different or smaller pad. I packed several of my favs from when I arrived home so that I could be the most comfortable possible!

•Nursing pads! This is a big one! I forgot these the first time around and had to purchase some from the hospital which probably cost me 2x what they should have!

•Phone Charger

•Prenatal Vitamins-If nursing, you will want to continue to take them.

And here we are all packed up and ready to welcome the newest baby Bohall into the family!

Good luck on your packing and congrats on your new bundle of joy! 

Blessings-Ashley

Hello June

The month we have been waiting for has arrived! Yay! Our sweet baby girl will make her appearance this month and we are thrilled! Let's face it though, no one is more thrilled than Momma! Can't wait to hold her outside the womb! 

I have realized that with the exception of Elle belly updates, I haven't been too great about posting so I'm attempting to make a post non related to well, anything really! How better to do that than introduce the new month! So...Hello June, please be good to us Bohall's we have many thanks to be given this month and hope everyone is ready to ride along with us for the journey that's about to begin!

A few quick pics of my sweet boy in the first three days of June! 

 June 1st...Lunch with Mommy!<3

Headed to Grandma's for Mommy's work day aka Tuesday!

Sawyer got a big surprise from Daddy when Daddy came home from work last night! His very own razor! 

He waved at every car as they drove past!

All that razor riding last night wore this baby out and he slept till almost 10:00 am!! That never happens!!

Had to show Nene how he can drive it! Daddy got it all stickered last night!

Happy Hump Day!

Ashley