22 Week Preggie Update

So much for that break!  

We began summer school this week and this was not what I expected at all.  I'm used to working with my population of students and for this summer, I'm working with a a completely different population and more challenging. It's a change out of the norm, which makes me super nervous...and probably a little stressed.  I just have to think that there is only 4 more weeks to go and that I CAN DO IT.  I treated myself to a prenatal massage this week to try and relax a little.  It was worth it.

This weekend is Father's Day.  I already bought AJ some Ray-Bans and gave them to him last week.  He's been throughly enjoying them I'd like to add.  I couldn't wait because he needed sunglasses so badly.  I also bought him the book, The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide for Dads-to-Be, just to give him something to do.  I feel like all I do is research about the best baby products and what are the basics and essentials and I need for him to do something too, haha! I'm looking forward to seeing his face when he opens it!

Other than my growing belly and boobs, I don't really see changes anywhere else.  My boobs still hurt.  AJ said my booty and thighs are growing, but theylook the same to me...but he would know better than anyone.  My mom says that my face is getting fat...but I don't see that either...and neither does anyone else really.  My cousin says that I am too big to be 5 months, but I'm not letting that bother me.  I think I'm small.  She says that's indicative of a boy...we'll see around October 18!

Baby B enjoys moving late at night and really early in the mornings.  usually after I drink a nice, cold glass of water, it gets my little nugget moving.  As I'm getting closer to the end, I actually feel like I'm going to be a mom.  Of course I knew this all along, but just coming to the realization that you are growing a little person inside of you (as my stomach gets bigger weekly) and that 2 people created this being is amazing.  I am starting to feel comfortable talking to Baby B, and AJ is starting to use his real voice and saying more than "Hey Baby" (in his Dave Chapelle voice).  Usually he keeps what he says a secret...but hopefully that will change when Baby B can talk and tell Mommy everything! :)

I'm not sticking out my tummy...just awkward when my hands are at my sides

Here is my survey for the week:

What Fruit/Veggie are you?   Spaghetti Squash or Papaya

Due date:  October 18, 2016

How far along:  22 weeks, 4 days

Next appointment:  June 24 with my OB

Gender:  Still #teamgreen...and I have no guesses as to what it could be

Total weight gain/loss:  I stepped on the scale at work and it said 120

Exercise: Walking the dog, but hoping to start yoga or pilates soon

Stretch marks:  Nope

Swelling: None

Maternity clothes:   Just a pair of shorts, a pair of jeans and a pair of jeggings

Belly button:   Innie but it's slowly making it's way to flat

Wedding Rings On/Off: On

Happy or Moody: I've been pretty happy

Sleep: Getting used to a new sleep schedule due to work.  AJ likes to watch TV late at night so it kind of throws my schedule off with having to wake up at the ass crack of dawn

Food cravings:  None

Symptoms:  Bleeding gums have decreased but still there.  I'm starting to swell a little in my feet and hands.  Still have sore boobs, but just the sides

Movement:  Baby B is still moving around.  Sometimes, the little nugget gets some good kicks/punches in

Labor signs:  None

What I miss:  A margarita....still...don't think that one is going away!

Food/Smell Aversions: None

What I'm loving:   I'm falling in love with my growing bump.  It actually looks and feels like I'm pregnant

What I'm looking forward to:  Designing our nursery

Best moment this week: Buying some baby items.  I found the cutest green booties and a baby book :)

  
Milestones: Just feeling the baby kick is a milestone.  I'm always on pins and needles about this child and every movement lets me know that everything is ok

Question:  During what week did you start to feel really hard kicks??

21 Week Preggie Update

19 more weeks to go!  Over half way done.  I know I say I can't believe it every post, but I CAN'T BELIVE IT!  I really don't have anything different to say this week other than I am so excited to become a mother.  I still know that this will be an adjustment for me and us but we will definitely make this work!! 

I've been in DIY mode this week and just trying to get organized.  I get pretty winded and tired and have to take breaks, but I'm determined to get things done. One thing for sure that I will get done this week and trying to organize Baby B's room.  It was our guest room/my closet so I have to find a new home for all those things.  I also plan to add furniture to my Amazon wishlist.  Trying to decide between brown, black or gray.  The room is green for a frame of reference.  I'll post a pic when it's clean.  

We are also planning a dinner and ice cream date this week. We're going to go to my favorite thai restaurant and I'm so excited.  I love food!

 

  

  

Here is my survey for the week:

What Fruit/Veggie are you?   Pomegranate or Banana

Due date:  October 18, 2016

How far along:  21 weeks, 1 day

Next appointment:  June 27 with my OB

Gender:  Still #teamgreen...and I have no guesses as to what it could be

Total weight gain/loss:  Still going by 117 since my OB appointment

Exercise: Walking the dog, but hoping to start yoga or pilates soon

Stretch marks:  Nope

Swelling: None

Maternity clothes:   I bought some maternity shorts from Amazon (Pea in the Pod) and went on the Destination Maternity website and saw they were having a sale.  I broke down and bought 3 pairs of pants. So excited I found white pants!!!! Ahhhhh!

Belly button:   Innie but it's slowly making it's way to flat

Wedding Rings On/Off: On

Happy or Moody: I've been pretty happy

Sleep: Still tossing and turning. I have a crazy sleep schedule.  Sometimes I go to sleep early and wake up extremely early...sometimes go to bed late and still wake up extremely early :(

Food cravings:  Cherries again

Symptoms:  Bleeding Gums...This has been for about a week now.  This is very common for weeks 20-22 because of the hormone surge and increased blood flow.  I have a dentist appt on the 28th.

Movement:  Yes, Baby B is def rolling around in there.  Very active during the evening...that I can feel anyway

Labor signs:  None

What I miss:  A nice, cold lime margarita on the rocks.  I also miss my energy, but it's slowly making a come back.

Food/Smell Aversions: As much as I love fish, I have not eaten any since I've been pregnant 

What I'm loving:   Seeing all the cute baby stuff in the stores.  I'm finally getting serious about looking for things.  I still love my growing bump as well.

What I'm looking forward to:  Designing our nursery and buying baby things

Best moment this week: Getting some of my energy back!

  
Milestones: We had our 20 week checkup and everything was perfect.  We also are not finding out the gender but we do have a sealed envelope with a pic to put in the baby book! :)

Question:  Which is the best registry to use for baby?  I'm thinking about Amazon and BabyList, but what are the other options? Which gives you the best experience?

DIY: Monogram Door Hangers

Well, I did not one craft but TWO crafts in the same day.  I've been wanting to spruce up our home a bit and trying to get as much organization done before the summer was over.   I've been wanting to make some door hangers for our front and back entrances of our town home. Our doors were so lonely as I only really put a hanger out during the winter...don't judge me. I was looking for something that could stay up during the spring and summer months.  

I started at one of my fave places, Hobby Lobby.  They usually have a great assortment of things that I can use for my crafts.  It was definitely my favorite place when completing DIY projects for our wedding.  I apologize in advance that I got a little too excited and started things before I took pictures, but I'll explain what I used and did.  

Materials: 

• Wooden letter
• Spray Paint or Paint and paint brush
• Drop Cloth (or plastic bag)
• Glue gun
• Ribbon

After one coat

First, I needed to decide which type of letters I wanted.  Hobby Lobby (and I'm sure JoAnn's and Michael's have them too) had a nice assortment. I decided on unfinished wood letters because I could choose any color I wanted.  They are a little rough so you many want to sand them if that suits your needs. I didn't personally.  Next, choose any color paint you want.  I went with yellow because it is a spring/summer color and matches with our living room decor.  I ended up using 3 coats of paint, letting each coat dry in between.  One thing that you should know is that the unfinished wood soaks up the paint, which is why I used 3 coats.  






I let these dry overnight (I made two) and came back in the morning to apply the ribbon. Again, I got a little happy and forgot to take pictures.  You now need your ribbon and glue gun.  This is where you have to use your own judgment.  Please take into account how far you want your monogram to hang and measure accordingly.  I kind of eyeballed it and I cut 2 pieces of ribbon the same length.  I turned my dry letter over and placed the ribbon on each side of the letter, in a slightly diagonal pattern.  This was to help evenly distribute the weight. 

I then TRIED to tie a nice pretty bow on top and hung it on the door.  I still need to work on it.  Finished products!

   

Try to make a hanger and let me know how it turns out!

Happy Crafting! :)

DIY: Chalkboard Mirror

So, I got my crafty itch back.  I've been doing some cleaning around the house and wanted to do something to spruce up the place a bit.  I've also wanted a chalkboard to put in the kitchen.  We had a vinyl one but the application ended up being crappy and I got tired of looking at it.  Sooooo, naturally I perused on Pinterest to see what I could find.

My first project was a chalkboard mirror.  I already knew how to do one of these because this had been a plan on mine for a year now.  I went to Target and picked up a Room Essentials door mirror for $5.99.  A steal right?!  It is a cheapie mirror but it's perfect for the purpose of this project. I chose the black frame because all the picture frames in the kitchen are black.  I already had chalkboard spray paint at home, so that was all I needed.

I came home and went to work.  I just laid the mirror down and spray painted the reflective portion.  I ended up using two coats, letting each coat dry in between.  It helped that it was 80 degrees outside!

   

The next day, I brought the board in the house and primed it.  Priming is when you take a piece of chalk and lay it sideways and cover the whole board with chalk. You then take a dry, lint-free rag and wipe the board.  It is then ready to use!  This step is really important because without priming, you could have your writing or image be imbedded in the paint...and you don't want that!

And voila, here is the finished product:

It's a nice place to put quotes, leave messages for the Hubbs or to make a grocery or pantry list.  I actually got this quote from the Fixer Upper show and I think it fit perfectly for our home for the week!  I challenge you to make your own and comment on your experience, why not post a picture?!

Happy Crafting! :)

20 Week Preggie Update

Whoo hoo!! 20 weeks down! Half way done!! I can't believe it! Time is definitely moving fast!

This week was a great one because we had our 20 week anatomy scan.  This one was a little bit more involved and took a little bit longer than the first trimester ultrasound.  We got to see our little nugget in all his or her glory, haha.  Baby B looked very well.  The brain, heart, and measurements were taken of the head and all the limbs.   Our little baby just wouldn't cooperate enough to get good pictures of the face, even though AJ said that Baby B has my nose.  He/She was moving around so much!  The ultrasound tech got the ones that she needed though.   It's amazing what can be seen and the difference since 13 weeks.  I was just happy that the baby was actually moving.  Now I can finally confirm that the rolls and thumps that I feel are Baby B and not gas, yay!  We were also able to get a gender picture as a keepsake. For now, it's in a sealed envelope because as you know, we aren't finding out the sex until birth.  I have noticed looking at a comparison picture since week 18, I've gotten bigger! Whoa!

One con that I have to say for this u/s was boy, was I uncomfortable.  I had the same tech as my u/s at 13 weeks but she pressed really hard this time.  When I came home, I had to lie down because my stomach was achy and it was a little red.  I had to then go to my brother in law's high school graduation.  I was in a little pain still, but I sucked it up and took one for the team!! :)  

Not really sure if I'm any bigger from 18 weeks!  I look terrible by the way....

 

Was brave enough to show my stomach.

Here is my survey for the week (I added some new things this time):

What Fruit/Veggie are you?   Banana

Due date:  October 18, 2016

How far along:  20 weeks (or 20 weeks, 2 days)

Next appointment:  June 27 with my OB

Gender:  Still #teamgreen...and I have no guesses as to what it could be

Total weight gain/loss:  Still going by 117 since my OB appointment

Exercise: Walking the dog, but hoping to start yoga soon

Stretch marks:  Nope

Swelling: I have noticed some swelling in my feet recently

Maternity clothes:   I bought some low belly maternity pants from OldNavy.com. I have only tried them on and they already feel amazing

Belly button:   Innie but it's slowly making it's way to flat

Wedding Rings On/Off: On

Happy or Moody: This week, happy.  If I asked last week, I was pretty moody.

Sleep: I've been tossing and turning a lot lately due to the fact that it's uncomfortable to sleep on my stomach now.  I also wake up very early in the AM so that doesn't help

Food cravings:  Cherries again

Symptoms:  My boobs are still sore.  I still have the stretching pains below my abdomen.  I also have been having some pain in my pelvic area (lower back, upper butt) that has been excruciating at times.  I am developing more back pain.

Movement:  Yes, Baby B is def rolling around in there.  Very active during the evening...that I can feel anyway

Labor signs:  None

What I miss:  A nice, cold lime margarita on the rocks.  I also miss my energy.

Food/Smell Aversions: Nothing

What I'm loving:   Still loving my bump

What I'm looking forward to:  Designing our nursery and buying baby things

Best moment this week: My neighbor asked if I was expecting!!!

  
Milestones: The baby moved!!