Monica Lee

38 Weeks & 3 Days – BUMP DATE

Today was a wild one y’all.
I had my 38 week appointment and it went COMPLETELY different than I expected it too!

So last week at my 37 week appointment my doctor checked my cervix to see if I was dilated at all.
I wasn’t, which is normal for first time pregnancies.
I was a littleeee disappointed because I’ve been HURTIN’ lately, everything is difficult and uncomfortable…
and of course I just can’t freaking wait to meet my little boy!!
BUT I’ve kind of been expecting Hayes to show up late and after his due date, which is March 4th.

So I went into this appointment preparing myself that most likely, not much had changed,
and I’d still be pregnant for a few more weeks.

My doctor walked into the room and could see in my eyes (& belly) that I was readyyyyy to not be pregnant anymore.
He mentioned that he could do a membrane sweep if I wanted and that would hopefully speed things up a little bit..I never really gave him a clear answer if I wanted one or not and then he went in to check my cervix and all the sudden he goes “WOW…..oh wowwwww….you’re doing GREAT!!!” and I’m just like “????????? wait what?? what’s happening? what does that mean?!” and then he tells me that I’m dilated 3cm and 70% effaced. He said that I’ll most likely have a baby THIS week and he wouldn’t be surprised if I went into labor within the next 24 HOURS!!!!
I’m pretty sure I blacked out after that hahahaha

I was at the appointment by myself so of course I called Kyle immediately and told him the news.
All he said was “…No way” haha I’m pretty sure we were both in complete shock that we could have our baby in our arms SO soon.

After I called/texted everyone and shared the news I got home and sat still for a while,
I honestly don’t know how long but I just sat there in shock and couldn’t believe what my doctor had told me…
I mean, I’ve been pregnant for 9 months you would think news like this wouldn’t have THAT much of an effect on me but SHEESH y’all, knowing that I could go into labor within 24 hours is the CRAZIEST feeling ever.
I think part of me has just felt like the “big day” would never come?! That sounds ridiculous but it’s totally true, so knowing it could come SO quickly is like the craziest thing ever.

Once I snapped out of it I started cleaning and doing laundry and triple checking all of our bags to make sure we had everything we needed for the hospital!

Kyle got home and I told him that we NEEDED to take Charley to the park to get some of her energy out and I insisted he bathed her afterwards so she was nice and fresh for our family members who were going to be taking care of her if I did end up going into labor….
I had a little bit of cramping while at the park but nothing major, I’ve been having random cramping the last few weeks but nothing super painful and to be completely honest I have no earthly idea what the difference is between cramps and contractions? So maybe I’ve been having contractions? Honestly, couldn’t tell ya.

I spent the rest of the night trying to feel EVERY little thing that my body was doing.
Literally any cramp, or movement, or tightness I would be like
“OH MY GOSH IS THIS IT?!”
It was exhausting lol

So with all of that being said, I think I’m going to take a break from my computer and social media for a little while. I want to soak in every single second I have with Kyle and enjoy the quiet moments I have to myself.
Our world could be completely flipped upside down (in the most amazing way) any day now.

I was REALLY hoping to get some pre-written blog posts up for y’all so that I could still post periodically once Hayes gets here but wouldn’t have to do all the work of getting a post up since they’d be pre written…
BUT that hasn’t happened. So please please be patient with me during this transition period.

I’ll start writing again AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I can’t wait to introduce y’all to our little guy.
But for now, this mama is OUT.

Love y’all so much!!

Bump Date, Getting closer! – 33 weeks + 4 days

I can’t believe how close we are.
We’re really going to be PARENTS. We’re going to have a SON.
It’s so exciting and so scary all at the same time.
I am just full of feelings lately but the strongest & most consistent feeling is gratitude. 
It blows my mind that the Lord handpicked Kyle and I to be Hayes’s mommy & daddy,
That He considers us worthy and capable of something so amazing.
How did I get so lucky? Why am I receiving these blessings? I ask myself these questions every single day…
I’m so undeserving but so incredibly grateful.


// Knit Doll //

Okay, I’m going to stop talking now and get straight to the bump date because now i’m crying!!!!!

How far along: 33 weeks + 4 days

Due date: March 4th! Measuring right on track!

Gender: ALL boyyyyyy – Hayes Wyatt / Hawk / Bubs / Little Dude / Stinker Butt / I’m sure this list of names will grow tremendously haha

How big is baby? This week, Hayes is as big as celery? haha He weighs 4 lbs 10oz exactly!

Total weight gain/loss: I’ve gained 25 lbs total!

Stretch Marks?: I totally thought I was going to be able to avoid these but I did notice a few on my chest recently…so I’ve been lathering myself in cocoa butter nonstop! But hey, as long as I get a healthy baby boy at the end of this thing a few stretch marks are no big deal!

This week, baby: Has moved into the head down position, and is getting ready for his grand entrance! He now keeps his eyes open while awake and is starting to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing.

Exercise: What’s exercise?? HA. I have been stretching a lot more lately because everything is so uncomfortable and tight, I’m still trying to go on long walks as often as possible!

What I’m googling: HOW THE HECK DO I WRITE A BIRTH PLAN. I’ve been trying to finish this since my last bump date 5 weeks ago!! For some reason I’m having the hardest time with it. Also googling “what to pack in my hospital bag”.. and just what the heck to do in general!!

Purchases I’ve made/nesting update: Haven’t really made any new purchases recently. Oh wait, that’s a lie. I bought some super sexy “after birth” underwear and some MASSIVE pads. And if you don’t know me very well the “super sexy” part of that sentence is extremely sarcastic. Probs going to buy some adult diapers soon for the postpartum bleeding, heck with the bladder leakage I’ve got going on I might as well just start wearing them now!!

How are you feeling?
Physically: Physically, I feel great most hours of the day, nighttime seems to be the worst for me. Everything starts aching in the evenings and Hayes starts putting a lot of pressure on my pelvic area. Sometimes it also feels like he’s trying to push his way out of my stomach. Baths are a MUST every single day now, sometimes multiple times a day.
Emotionally: Emotionally, I’m a hot freaking mess. Like I can’t even try and play this one down, I am officially a lunatic. SO emotional and SO hormonal. We spent the day at my sister in laws house Monday afternoon playing games and just hanging out with the family and I cried the entire hour long ride home because “I just love Charley so much” (Charley is our dog) When I say I cried, I mean I sobbed hysterically. Crying is something that happens every day now, for a multitude of reasons – because i’m so happy, or love someone/something so much, i’m hurting and uncomfortable, i’m ready to meet Hayes, i’m overwhelmed at everything we still have to do, something hurt my feelings, i’m terrified of labor, someone looked at me wrong, someone didn’t look at me, Kyle asked me what’s for dinner, Kyle sat on the wrong couch, Kyle ate my favorite cereal (y’all just pray for Kyle)…honestly I could try and list all the things that have made me cry in the last two weeks but it would take several hours and I know y’all don’t really care SO I’ll just leave it at that obnoxious list above. I should’ve just put “unstable” and left it at that hahaha

Maternity clothes: are sent from the Lord above Himself and if you’re pregnant and avoiding maternity clothing then you’re also a lunatic and you need to get ya some stretchy pants NOW.

Sleep: Well, when I do actually fall asleep I tend to let out a big snort and wake myself back up…Sleep is no longer something I look forward too because it kind of just doesn’t happen and feels like work. Guess my body is preparing me for the long sleepless nights of motherhood!

Best moment this week: We got to see baby boy on ultrasound yesterday!!! He has grown SO much and looks completely different than I imagined! He has a full head of hair & SUPER chubby cheeks and I just can’t wait to hold him and kiss him and tell him how perfect he is. He loves having his foot up by his face and is very stubborn, just like his daddy – never wants photos taken of him! He yawned a lot and made so many silly facial expressions!

Worst moment this week: Well, with the bad weather Kyle had to move a bunch of his work priorities around and he accidentally scheduled his super busy interview session day during our ultrasound…I’ll spare y’all the details but I basically had a panic attack/pity party/hysterical breakdown at the thought of him missing our last ultrasound…it was BAD, pretty sure I started getting contractions mid breakdown. BUT I pulled myself together and we were able to get the ultrasound re scheduled (to yesterday) so he was able to come!!! Praise the Lord.

Miss anything? Well, sorry if this is TMI but attempting to shave my legs (& other areas) is pretty much the worlds most difficult and exhausting task. My belly is so big now that I literally can’t see a damn thing, I can’t bend or lean over without squishing my child and all of my organs, If I try to shave my legs while sitting down I can only do the outsides of my thighs because my belly covers the tops of my thighs…Oh, and painting my toes?? Nope, literally impossible. Honestly, if I put on pants and shoes these days I consider that a huge success as well as my work out for the week.

Movement: He’s just full of energy and wiggles around nonstop! Lately we’ve been having so much fun trying to guess which part of his body we’re feeling.

Cravings/Eating: Still craving sweets – Craving sugary cereal more than ice cream lately!

Symptoms: Emotional wreck//tight & achy lower back//moving a lot slower//waddling//shortness of breath//

How’s Daddy doing? Kyle is amazing, he can’t wait for Hayes to get here and has been SO supportive and sweet and patient with me during this entire pregnancy. He’s going to be such an incredible dad, I can already picture him teaching Hayes how to fix and build things and I can’t freaking wait to watch them interact together.

Looking forward to: My baby shower!! It’s in a couple weeks and I can’t wait to see all of my close friends and family together celebrating this special boy of ours.

To-dos this week: Find a pediatrician//Order Breast Pump//Write down a list of what to pack in hospital bag//RELAX

So thankful for all of you who read this blog of mine, and it makes me SO happy to hear from y’all.
So please don’t ever hesitate to leave me a comment, or say hi!

Hump Day Bump date – 28 weeks


How far along: 28 weeks + 3 days

Due date: March 4th! I’m pretty confident little dude will be fashionably late though.

Gender: Boyyyyyy – Hayes Wyatt / Hawk / Bubs / I’m sure this list of names will grow tremendously

How big is baby? This week, Hayes is the size of an eggplant and is about 2/2.5 lbs!

This week, baby: Has eyelashes, eyebrows and most likely hair on his head! He’s also starting to open his eyes!

Exercise: Not even going to lie, exercise is a thing of the past…However I did get my ass off the couch and do 15 squats yesterday, the amount of huffing and puffing going on after those squats was extremely embarrassing…Lord help this out of shape mama.

What I’m googling: HA! Y’all are gonna die at this one….Kyle and I totally googled “breastfeeding nipples” the other night!? Justtttttt trying to get myself prepared after hearing 5 million breastfeeding horror stories! Also googling “What to pack in your hospital bag”!

Purchases I’ve made/nesting update: We finally have the majority of our nursery items…however, baby won’t even be sleeping in there at first andddddd we don’t have a bassinet yet, which is what he’ll be sleeping in next to our bed. SO I feel prepared since the nursery is coming together, but in reality i’m totally not at all. The nesting hasn’t fully hit me yet, our house is currently a disaster…really hoping I get that nesting/cleaning machine “symptom” soon that everyone talks about.

How are you feeling?
Physically: I feel great the majority of the time! I’m not sleeping through the night so I’m a lot more tired during the day, if I’m forced to be out or stay up past 9 I tend to get REAL cranky.
Emotionally: So happy and excited and thankful. Sometimes I’ll just stare at my belly and start crying because of how happy and in disbelief I am that this is my life right now. Of course I still get scared/paranoid if baby isn’t moving as much and I’m always afraid of something being wrong and me not recognizing it. Every now and then i’ll worry about Kyle and I and how transitioning into parenthood will affect our relationship. But overall I am just over the moon excited to meet our little guy. Oh ya, and I am moody as all hell, and needy and I think I ask Kyle at least once a week if he still loves me…bless him for dealing with my craziness.

Maternity clothes: Yes, never want to wear regular pants ever again.

Sleep: Sleep is getting harder and harder, it’s not even that I’m uncomfortable, it’s mainly that my mind just races, or when I get up to pee I can’t seem to fall back asleep. Guess my body is just preparing me for when baby gets here!

Best moment this week: I think anytime he’s super active is the best thing ever, I love staring at my belly and watching him move around. It’s even better when Kyle’s home and gets to watch/feel it as well! As far as the BEST moment?! Last night I totally asked Charley (our pup) “Where’s brother??” and she came up and licked my belly. I definitely have been trying to train her to do that and I am 100% aware that it was pure luck/accident but it totally made my entire week.

Worst moment this week: Honestly, I’ve kind of been freaking out this morning. Hayes is usually SUPER active at night/ all throughout the middle of the night, and first thing in the mornings…he’s been pretty quiet and it’s stressing this paranoid mama out! So if you can, say a little prayer for me this morning, that he’ll start movin’ & groovin’ so I can relax and stop worrying! This is super unlike him.

Miss anything? Sleeping on my tummy (just sleeping in general lol), lunch meat, beer/champagne!

Movement: He is a wild one! Loves balling up on one side of my tummy and changing positions often. Has been kicking me in the ribs lately.

Cravings/Eating: Blue Bells milk chocolate ice cream! Have been eating it every single night.

Symptoms: I’m starting to get hot flashes more regularly (they freaking SUCK). Achy back if I sit or stand for too long.

How’s Daddy doing? He’s doing great! So much more relaxed than I am which is GOOD haha

Looking forward to: Our next ultrasound appointment and of course seeing his face and meeting him for the first time. 🙂

To-dos this week: Find a pediatrician//Find class to take (suggestions please!)//Write birth plan

Hope y’all enjoyed this weeks bump date!
Come back tomorrow because I’ll be sharing some gorgeous Holiday dresses,
and also hosting a giveaway!!!

23 week bump date – Oh the joys of pregnancy

I’m 23 weeks and 3 days pregnant…and I officially bent over this morning and peed a little.
// Top // Plaid // Pants (old) // Booties //

I’ve got an appointment next week where they’ll be doing that whole glucose test thing
to check if I have gestational diabetes…at least I think that’s what they’re testing for!
Appointments just aren’t quite as fun when there’s not an ultrasound involved,
But i’m so thankful for a healthy pregnancy so far.
I know a lot of times people have to get ultrasounds regularly when something isn’t quite right,
so I’ll consider it a HUGE blessing!

Baby boy has been kicking up a storm lately and I’m not going to lie,
all I want to do is lay there and watch him move around in my tummy all day long…
It’s so fun being able to see his movements on the outside now!

I’ve got a question for all you mamas!
Did you go through a period of panic where you just felt like the nursery HAD to be done
RIGHT AWAY or else the world was going to end?
Because i’m totally going through that right now and I don’t know how to make it stop!
Part of me is like, “okay, chill – we’ve still got plenty of time!”
Then the other part of me is saying, “DO IT NOW. Anything can happen, be prepared for everything”
I originally had everything on our registry, including big nursery items.
But I finally convinced Kyle to let us order the crib last night,
it should be arriving early next week and I couldn’t be more excited about it!!
Also, feel totally relieved even though the baby won’t be sleeping in it at first?!
Gosh hormones are weird.

I think once the nursery is done it’ll feel even more real,
and that’s why i’m so anxious/excited to get started.

In case y’all haven’t noticed the hair on my head is growing at an alarming rate,
literally touches my ass…I’m getting a MUCH needed haircut today and I’m so pumped about it.
Oh, and while we’re on the subject of hair, I’m pretty positive my eyelashes are falling out?
Is that a pregnancy symptom? Someone help, putting on mascara has become a total nightmare.
Alright, that’s it for today…
Gotta clean the house, run some errands and then drive all the way across town to the only lady I trust to touch my hair!!

Happy Hump (or bump) Day!!

22 week bump date

I am officially 22 weeks pregnant and feeling bigger than ever!
Figured i’d do one of these little “bump date” posts today,
mainly for me to remember, but hopefully y’all will enjoy it as well!!

How far along are you? 22 weeks and 1 day!
What fruit are you? Well, one app told me baby is the size of a burger, another one told me a coconut, and another told me a papaya! Soooo….there ya go!
Due Date? March 4th! But secretly hoping he comes a tinyyyy bit earlier
Gender: Boy! Hayes Wyatt
Total weight gain/loss: I had gained about 15 lbs at my 20 week appointment, I officially weigh the most I have ever weighed!
Exercise: Gosh i’m trying! It’s definitely not as easy as I was hoping it would be, but i’ve been doing 30 minute work outs every now and then and just modifying the moves, and also walking every day!
Stretch marks: None so far, Hoping it stays that way!
Swelling: No swelling yet, however if i’m on my feet all day they tend to feel about 500 lbs
Maternity clothes: Oh that’s a big YES, give me all the stretchy pants please. Seems like I’m even growing out of those these days!
Belly button: In! I have an oddly deep belly button so I’m thinking it may stay this way! haha
Sleep: Lots of tossing and turning, baby boy LOVES to kick me at night!
Food cravings: Yellow gatorade, milk…been craving candy/sweets more!
Symptoms: Lower back pain, heavy boobs lol!
Movement: SO much movement, all throughout the day. Seriously the best feeling in the whole entire world. I could just stare at my tummy all day long.
What I miss: Fitting into all of my normal clothes lol
What I’m loving: Watching my body change, feeling those sweet kicks, preparing his nursery.
What i’m looking forward too: Seeing this baby boys sweet face, Watching Kyle be a dad, and just alllllllll the baby snuggles.
Best moment this week: Seeing his kicks on the outside of my tummy!
Words of wisdom: Pregnancy is such an incredible thing. People say it all the time but it really is crazy what our bodies are capable of. Give yourself grace during pregnancy, don’t be too hard on yourself. Try to enjoy every moment and every bump along the way. There are good days and there are hard days and that’s just the way it is, soak it all up mama!!!!