I am VERY sorry I have been so neglectful of my blog lately. I still do read all of the lovely blogs, but have not really taken the time to comment on them or to post anything myself. Usually I only go on the internet at work, and things have been crazy busy here! So, to sum up about 5 post in to one, I am going to give you a quick run down of what has been happening around the Schmitz home.

The first thing I wanted to say: I WENT INTO PRETERM LABOR! although, it was short lived. Not that 5 hours with contractions every 3-5 minutes was all that short, but the doctors ended up giving me terbutaline to stop the contractions. The medicine was like magic. The contractions and pain went away, although it made me super jittery, my teeth were even chattering! When I left the hospital, I was told that I would most likely be back there and ready to deliver around 36 weeks. I am already 2 cm dilated and I still have contractions all the time.

Since the early labor scare, the doctor has put me on partial bed rest. I can go to work (as long as I sit all day) and then I have to go home and stay home to rest and relax. This seems like it would be great, but to be honest, I am not one who likes to be locked up inside all the time. We have had to miss birthday parties and Halloween costume parties which is definitely put me in a bummer mood. I know it is all for the better health and safety of Chloe, and that is what I have to keep telling myself so I don't go insane. James does let me go out once in a while, to church or small group or to Sombreros. Off subject: totally want Mexican food all the time now! We also have had to permanently take over our living and convert it into a bedroom. We now sleep on the couch every night. James loves it though because that is where our only tv is and he gets to watch movies all the time while I sleep.

I know it is more hopeful than anything, but I am really wanting Chloe to grace us with her presence around the 10th or the 11th of November. James' mom will be in town for that weekend for a family function and it would be perfect timing. Not to mention, I get to hold my little girl sooner and I get to finally be done with all the aches and pains!

I have been lacking in taking weekly photos, which I really need to make sure to do because I want to make a flip book out of them. When I take some more, I will update them again on here.

I had my baby shower earlier this month and then my church and is throwing one again tonight. I am so excited and will have to tell you all about both of them and post some pictures. I can't wait to share, Chloe is so loved!

Also, not only am I pregnant, but 4 of my friends are, and my dearest friend, Jackie is due only 2 weeks before me! It has been so awesome to get to experience the same thing and have someone to talk to about all the craziness of pregnancy! Please keep us both in your prayers as the time is soon upon us and we are both feeling pretty done with being pregnant.

anyway, that is my sort of quick update and I will try to actually make legit post with pictures and all very soon. :)



♥ Michelle

Baby Bump - week 33

"Your baby's crown-to-rump length is about 11 1/2 inches. She weighs about 4 1/2 pounds and gains about eight ounces every week. (She is getting SO BIG!)" - Fit Pregnancy

"Baby’s senses are continuing to improve -- when light peeks in through your (extremely) stretched belly, those tiny eyelids and irises blink and dilate. And, baby can now recognize and react to simple songs… time to start practicing your lullabies. (Good thing Daddy's a musician!)" - The bump


♥ Michelle

maternity photo shoot (picture overload)

♥ Michelle

Maternity Photos - preview

Heather Pepin is an amazing photographer. She had photographed our engagement pictures for our wedding and was also the one taking the pictures on my wedding day of the girls and I getting ready. I really love how she captures everything, especially the love and romance between two people.

We just finished taking our maternity pictures with Heather and her husband Brett on Sunday and boy was it fun! We got to romp around in the tall grass and random fields. Heather totally makes it a warm experience without making it awkward. She makes you feel so lovely and beautiful, which boost your self confidence and really helps you shine in a photo. We are in LOVE with our photos and cannot wait to have Heather capture our little Chloe Darling.

I will post some pictures from the shoot on here soon. Until then, you can see some of them and read about Heather's experience with us from her blog here.

I definitely encourage you to take a look at Heather Pepin Photography on her website.


♥ Michelle

8 months on Monday...

I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone, well at least the last 4 months. My belly is getting bigger by the day it seems. We are going to take maternity pictures this Sunday and I am so excited! Then next weekend is my baby shower - YAY! My sister and mom have been working super hard on the shower and I am so thankful! To be honest, I feel like the shower will be the last time I see a lot of my friends until the next year. I know with Chloe here and family coming in from out of town to visit the new little one, I will be so busy and exhausted and just starting to adjust to an infant in the family.

We have the rest our pregnancy classes every Weds for next 4 weeks, then it is pretty much go time any time after that. It just blows my mind how soon that is. The classes are definitely enlightening, but I feel like everyone in the class still know much more than I do about labor and delivery. Looks like I need to start doing my research and talk to all the mommies I know. Time to get personal with these ladies, I need to know what exactly I am expecting, or could possibly expect. I know each birth is different, but it is nice to know what I might have to go through..... We have learned about the different types of medications that can be administered  and the 3 phases of labor. We have learned about contractions and water breaking and when to actually go to the hospital. I feel as though as I will learn so much, but when it comes down to "go time" I will completely forget everything I was just taught. Thankfully, all the nurses will be there and they no exactly what to do. whew. James is taking this class seriously too, he is learning and talking to me about everything and even asking questions in class. It makes me so excited that he will be there with me to coach me through and just not sitting in the waiting room until it is all over.

On to non-baby related issues:
Today is OCTOBER 1ST! I Love this day because it somehow resembles the kick off of the holiday seasons for me. I wish that we actually had "autumn" here in San Diego, but I just browse the hundreds of pictures on the internet to get my fix. James and I celebrated today with hot caramel apple spice from Starbucks... and I am going to go back (thank you for the $2 treat receipt) to get a pumpkin spice latte. yummmmmmmmm. We are going to go look for Halloween costumes today at one of the local thrift stores. We have decided to be Juno and Paulie Bleeker. I am pregnant this Halloween and gotta live it up! I was contemplating on being Santa, but that would be much too hot of a costume. haha.





♥ Michelle

baby bump - week 31

so sorry! I just have been too busy this week to post this picture. It was taken Monday, the start of my 31st week of pregnancy.

Chloe has been movin' and shakin' this week. We had our 2nd day of birthing classes (that experience will have to be in a post of its own). Half the class the husbands were taught how to message and soothe the moms during labor. The teacher brought candles, scented lotions and soothing music. I doubt that is anything like what my labor will be, but it was really nice to get to relax and get James to give me a message :)



♥ Michelle

Vegas Trip

My sister turned 21 on Sept 10th. To Celebrate she went to Vegas with a bunch of her friends. My parents and I wanted to join in the festivities, so we tagged along. Well, sort of. We decided to go to Vegas on our own and just meet up with my sister and her boyfriend for a day.

 We left Friday around noon and got back Sunday evening. It was fun, not the best time I have had in Vegas, but that is because I am 7.5 months pregnant and have a lack of energy and stamina to walk around all day and night. It was still a really fun trip. James had never been to Vegas before so it was really cool to show him everything for his first time. 

On Friday night we went to Freemont Street. I really enjoy the music experience they do every hour. It instilled my love for the band QUEEN once again. We were there for hours it seemed, but it was great and I liked that it was busy, but not too crowded. Tons of fun people all dressed up as famous people or characters and of course, about 5 Elvis' including "Mini Elvis".

On Saturday, we met up with my sister and Kevin and we ate at the Excalibur hotel buffet. My sister had always wanted to eat at a big huge buffet so we picked one that was somewhat well known and closest to us. Let me tell you, this is the WORST buffet ever and I feel bad my parents wasted their money. For such a known hotel, I would assume the food would be somewhat tasty, but not in the least. Anyway, the day got much better from there.

 We walked around all day visiting the different hotels and sight seeing. My parents played a lot of slots while James and I explored. I really do love exploring although I have to take a lot more rest now a days.

Around dinner time we at at Gilly's at Treasure Island hotel. We were seated right on the balcony and got front row seats to watch the "Sirens" show.

 One of the highlights of the whole day was eating at Gilly's because they have AMAZING SWEET POTATO FRIES! It even came with a marshmallow cream and molasses syrup for dipping. YUM!  I am really obsessed with sweet potato fries it is hard to find a restaurant that has good ones.


I like walking around the strip at night so much more because of all the glitzy lights!We watched the water show in front of the Bellagio and caught the tale end of the volcano show in front of the Mirage. We saw the lions at MGM, walked around the shops at Cesar's forum (where I got a bloody nose from all the insane heat) and found the Flamingo "paradise" garden, among many other things.

By the time we had met back up with my parents, James and I walked around for 12 hours . At the end of the day, I could barely lift up my legs. I really had overdone myself. My feet were hurting so bad that I had to soak them in hot water once we got back to the hotel, but I still loved sight seeing with James.

I am so used to California, where it is illegal to smoke almost anywhere these days and totally forgot that you can smoke inside and outside in Vegas. The cigarette smoke was killing me, i wish we would have gotten to take the trip before I was preggo and I hope that all that second hand smoke didn't hurt Chloe.

James and I don't really gamble so it was much more of just sight seeing for us. Since I am preggo, we really didn't go to any clubs or anything. All in all, I was glad he was able to go at least SEE Vegas before Chloe was here. Another "to do before we move" to check off our list. YAY!

♥ Michelle

Last Trip to Phoenix

Phoenix is hot, I mean like really, really, hot. Every time we go there, it seems no matter what time of year it is, it's just too hot to do ANYTHING outside. We got o Phoenix at least once a year to visit my side of the family out there. My Grandma, Aunt and her two daughters, 1 of whom has a family of her own all live out in Phoenix. They are pretty much the only family I grew up with. We have not been able to go out there as much this year with everything happening and then the pregnancy as well. In fact, the last time we went out there was almost exactly a year ago. I went to help throw my cousin's baby shower and a week later she had her son, Dylan.
 We finally got a chance to go out there for my cousin's baby's 1st birthday.  He was as cute as ever and even though he slept through most of the party, I am sure he enjoyed the party and all the cute little Toy Story gifts he received. We were able to spend some quality time with Grandma, which is always the best. I had the realization while I was out there that this will be the last time I will be visiting in a loooooong time, if ever. Now that we will have the baby and we will be moving to Oregon, we will not be able to visit family in different states as much as we do now. When we do have vacation time and money, I am pretty sure it will be to come to San Diego to visit all our family we will be leaving here. Sad, but true... Although, I should never say never.
 We didn't get to take too many pictures, but we did finally snap some photos with the dino and snake we ALWAYS pass in Gila Bend and we promise each other we will take pics with them on the trip back and never do. Finally something to check off on our list..

 ♥ Michelle

Baby Bump - Week 30

 " Your baby's length is about 16 inches—about as long as a laptop computer—and she measures almost 11 inches from crown to rump. She weighs approximately 2 1/2 to 3 pounds. Your baby has doubled in height over the past six weeks, and from now until delivery, she'll gain only a few more inches in length. (Thank goodness! There is seriously no more room for her to grow!)  Your baby's most important organ, her brain, continues to develop at a rapid pace. Her eyes are able to track light, and some researchers have theorized that exposing your belly to light may stimulate development." - FIT pregnancy

We tried laying in the dark last night, moving a flashlight over my tummy to see if she responded... No such luck. Maybe she was just too pooped from all the crazy moving around I was doing yesterday. We also put headphones over my belly and played some Vitamin String Quartet... She actually kicked the headphones a couple of times as I moved it around on my belly... but it wasn't enough for us to get too excited over... definitely trying again tonight. :)


♥ Michelle

Baby Bump - Week 29

"The baby is about two and a half pounds and would be between fifteen and seventeen inches tall if she could stand. Her brain can detect rhythmic breathing and control body temperature, so she's less likely to need breathing assistance should she be born early. She's growing eyelashes, adding fat, and developing her brain. Because of brain wave activity, researchers have speculated that babies can even dream at this time!" - Fit Pregnancy.

Dear Chloe,
I hope your dreaming of us! I know we dream of you often.  We can't wait to hold you.
Love,
Mom & Dad



♥ Michelle