Bumpdate - 30 Weeks

This week was super rushed to make the chalkboard and to take the photo. I just felt like after we picked up our new car on Sunday that I didn't have time to get much of anything done. Frankly I didn't really care too much either and I think it shows in the photo! Forgive me! This photo was taken at a cool location though. Right down the street from my parents is a fenced off area where native Indians used to live and there is still ancient markings on the rocks. Look just to the right of my belly and you will see faint red markings. Similar to the photo that is seen here.

What's baby up to this week? She is the size of a head of cabbage, measuring 15.7" long and weighs almost three pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid, but that volume will shrink as she gets bigger and takes up more more room. Her eyesight continues to develop as well, although not very keen. We had our 29 week ultrasound and got to see her cute little face again on 3D. Everything was normal and looked good with her. I have another appointment with my doctor tomorrow so we will check out her heart rate again and all my normal stuff.

What's been going on with mom? As you can see from the photo she is really making herself known up there! That belly just keeps on growing. It hasn't hindered my movements yet, but its very difficult to keep up on the shaving of the lady parts when you can no longer see them! Soon I won't be able to paint my toes so I need to get another coat on this week sometimes while I can still see them! Haha. Sleep has been awesome, foot in mouth about that stupid pillow, unless the hubby moves it so he can cuddle up to me. Then I realize how much I use it on my back!

Symptoms: Heartburn, per usual. Acne got better for a couple of days, then reared its ugly head again! Emotions on HIGH ALERT!

Yummy/Icky: Fruit fruit and more fruit. The juicier the better!

Clothing: Mostly maternity. Not trying to be a hero and squeezing into uncomfortable clothes anymore. If it fits, it fits. Went to try and find some warm weather stuff and everything was really picked over! :-( I guess I need to keep shopping. :/

Movement: Continues to form her patterns and I am learning them! She's most active at bedtime when I am the most relaxed, but she loves early morning dance parties and pushing/stretching after lunch. She loves food! <3

Belly Button In/Out: Shallow!!!!! Each day it gets smaller and smaller.

Wedding Rings On/Off: On

Best Moment this Week: Seeing her pretty face again on the ultrasound! She's like her mommy and LOVES to put her hands over her face!

Looking forward to: My baby shower in 3 weeks! EEP!

The "Realization" Post

Hi all. This weeks bumpdate is going to be postponed until tomorrow. I have the photo, but I am just exhausted from this weekends adventures that I needed to wrap my head around everything that has transpired. Many MANY milestones happened over the course of the last days that have caused me to realize I AM GOING TO BE A MOM! Let's discuss shall we?

I knew it was coming, lets get real.....but I feel like there comes a time with everyone when they realize that this is really happening! We started our labor and child raising classes last week. The instructor went around the room asking about us and what we are afraid of. Everyone but us claimed that they were afraid of something to do with pain or delivery of the child, and here we are having these little discussions about raising her and what kind of parents we are going to be. Being a good parent weighs heavy on our minds! So that being said, all that was before we got to watch "the video." Now, I never saw "the video" in high school. I had no idea what to expect....and while it was super mild, they showed digital renderings of what actually happens to your body during childbirth. I MAY be a little more nervous now! She also informed us that we should probably pre-register with the hospital any time from 28 weeks on.....well were past that so I guess that goes on the checklist!

Next thing that came up was our 30 week milestone. 30 weeks. 10 weeks to go. Do you know how long 10 weeks is? 68 days apparently according to my countdown app! 68 days! It just seems like we have more time! Everyday she gets more and more active in there and my belly gets bigger and bigger so I know the time is close, but the realization that we are barely two months out hit me hard!

The hubby and I have been seriously discussing getting a new car. I mean lets face it, a Mustang and a two door Pontiac are not going to cut it in the baby world. We have been test driving, researching and figuring out what our best option was going to be. We had always discussed that the Mustang would be the trade in, for two reasons. 1) it was worth more money to a dealership and 2) we have socked in WAY too much money in gas and repairs into that puppy that it was time for a more reliable car. Let me tell you that we had no intention of purchasing a car this weekend. We were going to get our final research in and then make our decision and hopefully utilize the Memorial Day sales. We made our way into GMC, fell in love with the Terrain and the rest was history. We are now the proud owners of an SUV! Say what? I feel like an adult most of the time, very responsible and always doing what's best for us as a couple. But this weekend it seemed like I was desperately holding on subconsciously to our lack of responsibility. I followed the hubby to the dealership to turn in his beloved sports car, which I have asked many many times if he was ok with. He just rubbed my belly and said this is my baby now, I don't need the car. (I know!!!! SOBS!) As I was following him in the car, he takes off one last time with that V8 beast and I lose it. Tears streaming down my face and sobbing uncontrollably the entire way to the dealership. Pregnancy hormones at its finest. Don't get me wrong, I love our new car. It's everything we need and will be great and reliable for little miss Emma. It's just hard to see someone give up something that was a part of him. He looked at me and said "I'm done with that, no more clutch, no more gas guzzling and I can always get another one later." With all that, let me introduce you to our beast! The GMC Terrain! Our first major purchase together as a couple! (After being together 12 years and married for almost 7!)

Please don't take any of this as a doubt that I want to be a mother. I am over the moon excited to be welcoming our baby girl into the world and that I have such an amazing partner to share all these experiences with. This is just my "come to Jesus" moment where I have a mild freak-out about becoming a mom and if I will be any good at it. Will I be able to provide everything that she needs, physically and emotionally. I love this wiggle worm in my tummy so much that I want to give her everything. I know that what I am experiencing is completely normal and I feel like I will be back to myself in a few days! I need to start a checklist of all the things left to do before D. Day and start working on getting those things completed and maybe the stress of it all will go away. Things still to do: Pack our hospital bags, pre-register at the hospital, finish our classes, have the baby shower, wash and organize all baby items, read at least one parenting book, workout.....there's a lot still on the list and I'm sure I am missing a ton! Thanks for sticking around and reading all this! It's all super exciting times, but highly overwhelming all at the same time!

Bumpdate - 29 Weeks

I hope everyone had a wonderful and family filled Easter weekend! We made the trek out to Hermosa Beach to my aunt's house and was able to take this weeks bumpdate the the pier! This is one of my favorite shots to date!!!

What's baby up to this week? She is the size of an butternut sqash, measuring over 15" long and weighs two and a half pounds. Hr muscles and lungs are continuing to mature and her head is growing bigger to accommodate the developing brain.

What's been going on with mom? Feeling back to pre-pregnancy. Although the bump just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Sleep has been amazing because of the boppy pillow (never thought I'd say that) except when the hubby decides to adjust it to cuddle with me. I have managed to sleep through the night which hasn't happened in a very long time. I had a cankle moment at work. I wore heels one day and looked down and saw that one foot was really swollen and the other was mildly swollen. I pounded the water for the next couple of days and haven't seen a re-occurrence. Hoping to stave off this symptom for a bit. Tried working out more and going for walks. Man I am out of shape! The emotions have come down a little and I can only associate that with getting better sleep!

Symptoms: Heartburn, per usual. Swollen feet (for two days.) Acne has just been rearing its ugly head a lot....I'm trying a new face wash to help combat this problem. 

Yummy/Icky: Fresh fruit sounds good all the time and salads....probably because we are in spring finally.

Clothing: Mostly maternity. Not trying to be a hero and squeezing into uncomfortable clothes anymore. If it fits, it fits.

Movement: She seems to be more active each day. She decided to push into my navel and make me super uncomfortable. Walking, pushing did nothing until she re-adjusted. She loves to move around, but not necessarily kick and punch.....please stay out of the ribs little lady!

Belly Button In/Out: Shallow!

Wedding Rings On/Off: On

Best Moment this Week: Getting our shower invite! I am so excited to see all my family!! After perusing many online sites, and talking my mom out of making them....because I could just imagine her killing herself over making them...they would have been amazing, but too much work. We found these adorable invites from Tiny Prints!

Looking forward to: Seeing our baby girl at our ultrasound this afternoon!! YAY!

3D/4D Ultrasound

So, you know we did a 3D/4D Ultrasound of our little baby girl a couple weeks back. I of course have been slacking on writing a post to accompany our experience. All I can say is every dime we spent on doing this was completely worth it to see our baby's little face! Technology is really amazing!

We wanted this to be something special shared with our parents. Unfortunately my father-in-law was away on business, but D's grandmother came in his place. Once everyone got situated in their seats she put the wand on my belly and we heard/tracked her heartbeat. A strong 161. She clicked over to the 3D side and bam! There was our precious little girls face! I made sure all the mom's had tissues and everytime I glanced over at my parents, my dad was grinning ear to ear and my mom was dabbing tears from her face. D's mom was clicking away with her camera and they were all trying to get in video on their phones! It really was a special afternoon for all of us.

Elbow and arms around the face

At first I had a mild panic attack. Apparently the umbilical cord was directly in front of her face and it made her lips and nose appear distorted. I freaked out inside thinking "omg what's wrong!?!" Then the tech asked me to roll to my side to help shift the cord and we got great shots. I brought a little bottle of 7Up with my to keep her awake and she kept on wiggling and kicking where the wand was placed. She also loved to keep her feet up in the air and was also very modest about showing us the goods (as seen in the photo below) when we asked for a gender confirmation. We got a little grin and eventually she had enough and started to turn and face my spine. We got her to flip back over but then she kept putting her hands and arms over her face! Little stinker! She apparently had enough of us!

Holding onto her legs while protecting the goods

Leg and foot in front of her face

Little Grin

She's done, arm in front of the face

We noticed how much she looks like daddy, from his chin to his lips. She definitely has his feet! But the arms in front of the face and holding her legs is a mommy characteristic all on its own! Her little grin reminded me of our goddaughter so she will fit right in with all the cousins! Honestly it was so worth it and I cannot wait to see how much this will look like her when she's out of my belly!

Boys Behind the Blog - April 2014

I gave the hubby a reprieve last month because the questions just didn't apply to him, but does that mean he gets one this month? Hell no! If you aren't aware, the Boys Behind the Blog is a monthly link up where we ask our significant others a series of questions so that you, our loyal readers, get to know them a little better. If you want more info head on over to Mal Smiles blog and get all the questions! You can even read past questions! Here we go for this month, as usual my comments are in purple.

1. Your significant others blog: a blessing or a curse? I find the blog to be a blessing because it is something that Diane enjoys doing and eventually it will be nice to look back and relive our experiences. I agree! This is something that overtime we will be able to look back and read all about what was going on in our lives.

2. Do you read your wife's blog?  Of course I do. I enjoy reading what she has to say. Well that makes me feel happy that he likes to read what I write, even though I know he doesn't read every post. Although he did get on my case last week about a late bumpdate. "I went to read it and it wasn't there!"

3. What is one thing you can do better than anyone you know? He text me a response to this question, but really didn't have an answer, so I am going answer for him. My hubby may have his faults, but he is such a loving and kind person to everyone he meets. He will help anyone out without question and only wants people to be respectful to him in return. I love him for this quality!

4. What is your favorite tv sitcom from the 90s? My favorite sitcom had to be Boy Meets World. Didn't even need confirmation on this one. Hands down this is his favorite show, and he keeps talking about the Girl Meets World spin off that's set to air soon!

5. If you were opening a small business or shop, what would it be? What goods or services would you sell? A dog crate shop since it was impossible to find a good crate for our dog that wasn't cheaply made or put together. This is so true! Honestly he could create the most stable dog crate on the planet with all of his experience reinforcing our crappy dog crates!

There you have it. Can't wait to hear next months questions and answers!

Bumpdate - 28 Weeks

Ok so I guess my posts are either Mommy Monday or Hump Day Bumpdates! Sometimes I cannot find the energy (after creating the chalkboard, getting myself ready, traipsing through and finding the shot, taking the shot) to edit the photo's and write the post on Sundays. Please forgive me!

What's baby up to this week? She is the size of an eggplant, measuring 14.8" long and weighs two and a quarter pounds. She can blink her eyes and she has eyelashes! Her eyesight is developing and she may be able to see light that filters in through my womb.

What's been going on with mom? Pretty decent, although my emotions are getting the better of me. Sleep has sucked and my lower back has been killing me for weeks (due to an old siatica injury and of course baby girl) so I broke down and bought the maternity pillow. I have only used it a couple of nights, but so far much better! The back doesn't cramp on me anymore! I guess a just overall feeling of tiredness is coming over me. I walked more last week. We took the pups on several walks and I tried to eat better. More salads, and veggies and fruit were on the menu. 

Symptoms: Heartburn (I'm afraid that this one is here for the long haul.) Restless sleep, but getting better, and extremely emotional. Shortness of breath seems to be a something that is here to stay too.

Yummy/Icky: It's watermelon season again and I had the hubby go and get one. Even though it wasn't completely ripe it still tasted amazing! I also bought pre-cut for lunch too.....just sounded SO GOOD!

Clothing: Mostly maternity. Trying to utilize as much pre-pregnancy as I can. At least half of my v-necks still fit! :-)

Movement: Definitely feeling an increase in movement, which is about the time when my doctor said I would. We also have been able to watch her dance parties as they happen which is the coolest thing! Just love feeling her wiggle around!

Belly Button In/Out: In, but getting really shallow! I stood in front of the mirror the other day and it was really small! Please be kind to my old naval ring scar little one!

Wedding Rings On/Off: On

Best Moment this Week: Finishing our registries! YAY! Such a weight has been lifted! Also seeing our shower invites! I'm so excited!

Looking forward to: Our 28 week ultrasound. Anytime we get to see her is a great thing!

Nursery Decor Inspiration

Being an interior designer gives my high expectations of what our baby girl's nursery should look like. I cannot stand buying things as a set or something that's a "bed in a bag." Add in all the amazing nursery inspiration on Pinterest and your brain just might explode with information overload. Since I was convinced I was having a boy, I planned on a grey and teal nursery from the start. Well mother nature threw a wrench into that plan and it had to be modified. Nothing at the big box stores sent shivers down my spine so I knew I would have to plan this out from scratch, but not without perusing ideas on my favorite website first:

1. Pink and Grey (cannot find original source) I love how soft this is. Soothing and girly. I of course love the high wainscot and neutral grey wall.
2. Bold Teal and Pink: I love the graphic nature of everything in these photos. From the graphic rug, to the painted pink dresser! Just super trendy and modern!
3. Framed out "Wallpaper": I love the idea of a graphic paint pattern, but I also love how this serves as a piece of art as well!

So after I had some ideas about what I was looking for I discovered my love for a simple "jungle theme" with pops of teal, pink, grey with a tiny bit of brown. I found a crib I love, but of course is not available to register for and some bedding that's semi bedding in a bag from Pottery Barn Kids. My original inspiration rooms all had white cribs, but I love the look of a grey walnut and when I found it, I died! I am loving the elephant trend right now and wanted a mobile that would suit my taste. Well that was proving to be difficult so I am taking inspiration from several train of thoughts and combining them all in one!

1. Mobile Inspiration
2. Crib
3. Stuffed Elephant
4. Graphic Giraffe Pillow
5. Die-Cut Wood Mobile
6. Paper Elephant Mobile
7. Brooklyn Bedding
8. Lacy Print Rug

I love the thought of big collage walls as well, especially with the complete alphabet. The simplistic nature of the framed alphabet above just makes me swoon. I love the idea of having the jungle animals be more silhouetted, and not too "themed" so that they would go with the girly bedding I selected. I love the graphic look of the wire giraffe and the cross-stitch wall decor also. Of course a room wouldn't be complete without cute toy storage bench in a graphic pattern!

1. Alphabet Collage
2. Glitter Animals on Canvas
3. Wire Giraffe
4. Elephant Wall Graphic Print
5. Hanging Wall Letters
6. Toy Storage
7. Graphic Prints
8. Cross Stitch Wall Hanging 

I think we are on our way to a cohesive theme and I can't wait for little Emma to have a room all her own. She's going to be blessed with a multitude of really cool items! I went with my mom to select some fabrics for some projects she is making her granddaughter to be. I am ridiculously excited to see what she comes up with! 

Bumpdate - 27 Weeks (Third Trimester!)

Sorry for the late post this week. The weekend was crazy full and I needed to catch up!

What's baby up to this week? She is the size of a head of cauliflower, measuring 14.5" long and weighs almost two pounds. She is sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and sucking on her fingers. Everything looked good with her at my doctor's appointment and her heart rate was 142.

What's been going on with mom? Things have been good with me, other than the disappointing scale measurement at my doctors appointment. It's not too bad, or cause for concern but I am stepping up on the walking and the eating more fruit and veggies to help stave off extra weight. Sleep is off and on, like usual. I did my glucose screening over the weekend and am still awaiting to hear on the results. I am keeping my fingers crossed that everything is good and I don't have to go back for the 3-hour test. That glucose drink was really gross. I got the orange flavor drink, room temperature. It tasted like an expired Gatorade. The first 1/3 of the drink wasn't too bad, but the remainder was hard to choke down. Afterwards, I had a serious sugar headache.

 
I have had several people say how tiny I am as far as pregnant bump goes, but those who know me best see the bump growing by each passing day.

Symptoms: Heartburn (I'm afraid that this one is here for the long haul.) Restless sleep. Charlie horses, and extremely emotional. My feelings get hurt relatively easy these days.

Yummy/Icky: Not really, just trying to eat better.

Clothing: Mostly maternity. Can still wear some pre-pregnancy shirts and lounge wear of course. The time is approaching to get another bra. My brother-in-law graduated from the Sheriff's academy over the weekend and the hubs posted a photo of the three of us to Facebook and I got several text messages regarding the girls alone.

 
Movement: She changed up her schedule on me after the weekend last week. It seems like she's awake most of the daytime and will wiggle around right before bed, but when I'm sleeping so is she, which is a good thing for after she is born. Hopefully it stays that way! Kicks and rolls are getting stronger. She hates it when people push on my tummy, or I lean on a surface. She tends to kick at the encroaching object. We also tried the flashlight test, and it's funny to feel her kick around where the light is.

Belly Button In/Out: In, seriously shallow when I lie down however. The belly no longer lies flat. Lol

Wedding Rings On/Off: On

Best Moment this Week: We officially purchased our first thing for Baby Emma. We were at Downtown Disney with family for dinner. We wandered into Build-A-Bear and created her first stuffed animal. She has two hearts and she was made with love!

Looking forward to: Our 28 week ultrasound. Anytime we get to see her is a great thing!

Funny thing we discovered this week....a friend was in town for the graduation and she brought her dogs with. In holding her little foster pup and reading my stats on Baby Center I realized this little dog was about the same size as Emma. So of course I had to take a photo with her! It's crazy to think that this little dog is the size of our baby!

Here's our 27 week chalkboard. Hopefully my chalkboard rut will end soon!