Prepping for Baby Kennedy

My blog posts usually seem to revolve around our weekends since that is the time that we have our fun plans with family and friends. Monday through Friday often pass in a blur with the predictable routine of daycare, work, dinner, and bedtime. I find that I hardly ever write about these five days. Even if I am not documenting the weekdays, there are certainly special moments mixed in with the mundane. Like Emmy practicing her 'flips' in the living room after dinner. And when Emmy emptied a box of tissues for blankets for her babies. And in the evenings before bedtime when Emmy recites different parts of the Fancy Nancy books. Or listening to the funny chatter between Emmy and Boomer in the morning when I am getting ready down the hall. And when Emmy tells Boomer "You kiss Mommy 'goodbye'" before they head off to school. All that to say, the weekdays are far from boring, even if they don't get much blog-time. This past week and in the weeks ahead, there are several weeknight activities sprinkled in to our schedule. This past Wednesday, I had a very special shower with some of my closest friends from the Winston-Salem area. Megan and Sarah wanted to plan a celebration for Baby Kennedy #2, and they decided on a meal-prep shower at Dream Dinners. I'd never been to Dream Dinners before, but the idea was so interesting, not to mention practical! Dream Dinners is an industrial-type kitchen where customers can select and prep ready-portioned meals that can then be taken home to freeze and serve. Megan and Sarah reserved our group as a private party, so that evening we had the whole place to ourselves. In addition to prepping meals, we also had some finger foods to snack and sample, not to mention the fun of catching up and socializing with my girlfriends. All of us made three meals each, and the girls 'gifted' me with one of their three meals. Maple Pork Tenderloin with Baked Beans, Outlaw Chicken Marinara, Terracotta Chicken with Pitas & Hummus, just to name a few. At the end of the evening, I left with 15 ready-made meals to store in my freezer for when the baby comes. How special for these friends to show their love in this unique way! My heart and freezer are overflowing!  :)

Freezer Tetris! 

The very next evening, on Thursday I went to Burlington to have dinner with the Wake girls. Jen recently got engaged so our dinner was in celebration of her new bling. She and Paul are planning a spring wedding, and Jen filled us in on all the details she has checked off already. I went ahead and reserved my mom for that weekend in April to watch both Kennedy kids. It might be Boomer's and my first night away after having baby - Eeek! It's hard to think that far ahead, but I know it will be a fun weekend of wedding festivities.  Unfortunately Christina wasn't able to join us because of a sick kiddo. We all know how a sick child can quickly change your plans at the last minute! We missed Christina, but it was otherwise good to catch up with Jen, Amy, and Sarah. We forgot to take any pictures when we were together, but I snapped this picture once I got home of the fun way that Jen asked us to be bridesmaids! 

We haven't made any concrete progress on names for Baby Kennedy #2, but I took care of a few other to-do items this past week. In addition to the meal-prep, 

- I filled out the pre-registration paperwork on the hospital's website; 
- we signed up and went on a tour of the hospital; 
- I filed for a new breast pump through my insurance; and 
- I confirmed with my county HR that things are squared away for my 12-week leave with all the necessary FMLA paperwork. 

I have been feeling behind in some ways with my prep for BK2, but these few things have helped me be a little less stressed about his/her arrival. Although I will deliver at the same hospital, it was a nice refresher to do the tour again now three years later. We went on the tour this past Monday, and Emmy tagged along. She wasn't as reserved and shy as I had anticipated she would be in an unfamiliar environment. She actually walked like the halls like she owned the place! Boomer had to often stand to the side with her, showing her pictures on his phone or eating a snack, to keep her entertained until we moved on. My hope is that our visit to the hospital will help all three of us feel more comfortable for the next time that we will be back there. 

In between all the baby prep, we celebrated my Dad's 70th birthday! His birthday was earlier in September, but we gathered together with family and Kernersville friends on Saturday for dinner at J Pepper's. My mom surprised him with a special memento of birthday wishes from over 70 different people. When it came time to blow out the candles, Zander, Maddox, and Emmy helped Grandpa. Emmy got a little upset when her cousins beat her to it on the first round, so you'll notice that she had her own solo attempt, too.

The temperatures have still been in the 80s and 90s, but fall is starting to show itself. Emmy loves spotting leaves on the ground and collecting pine cones during our evening walks. Here she is showing off a leaf after church. She was dressed ready for Sunday afternoon football - Go Panthers!