Fall, into the third trimester...

Let me start by saying, Hooorayyy for cooler temperatures! I am finally feeling the lovely, sweet relief that used to be brought by September and is now barely swept in by October. Time to start lighting my dozens of adorable Halloween candles without having to put the central air on. And, while this will quickly turn into a ho-hum challenge, I am enjoying the task of choosing a jacket, sweater or hoodie for Scarlett each morning. It really is the little things.

Right around this time of year I start to get antsy for all things Christmas. I know! I KNOW! I wait all year long for Fall and am practically daydreaming it away when I see so much as a candy cane candle in the stores. Red and white and silver and green ... it's commmminnnnnng. Hee Hee! I just hope I'm able to enjoy all of my favorite things as I always do ... while being nine months pregnant. Waddling around the tree farm will most likely result in a You Tube video.

I'm into my third trimester, folks. It may seem like it came quickly - and it sorta did once those pesky first fourteen weeks were behind me. I did regain my energy for the most part in the second trimester but lately am back to feeling tired and already getting uncomfortable. My belly now, at twenty-eight weeks, is comparable to my belly at thirty-six weeks with Scarlett. I'm in good health, thank God, and just have minor complaints. Mostly, the numbness/tingling in my hands and arms, the four hour gaps in overnight sleep and the crazy heart-racing and shortness of breath when the baby is pressing on a main artery. I remember the same with Scarlett, I got way less sleep in the third trimester than I did once she was born.

I had Scarlett in late September and wore flip flops throughout the entire pregnancy. It's a different ball game heading into the cold weather - I have just one option for footwear these days, a pair of brown boots. I can't squeeze into anything else, so any upcoming events require a trip to the shoe store. I have just two sweaters and one long sleeved shirt so you can get used to seeing them because I refuse to spend any more money on maternity clothes. (It's tough when your husband wears a size medium shirt).

I'm having fun these days working on the baby's room. Finally getting some ideas and it's starting to come together. I've sorted through Scarlett's old clothes and, although the seasons are a little off, I think we'll have a pretty good head start. It's nice to see all of my old favorites that I'd forgotten about. Even Scarlett is enjoying looking through her old shoes and things - I think she's getting excited! (I'd be more excited if she slept more than nine or ten hours a day).

Sure, I have moments where I think, how the hell am I going to pull this off? Another child? A BABY?? That needs me constantly for at least two years?? The bottles?? The bibs and spit-up rags? The witching hour/s??? The teething?? The extra laundry?? The poop?? The "Don't Touch That!!" stage?? The extra gear?? Getting out of the house with two instead of one??

Then I think, YEAH. I think I'm ready for that, I can do it.

We've had our struggles and we've waited a long time to create our family. I feel very, very blessed to be harboring another feisty little girl. I know it will be a challenge and I just hope I can keep my head about me, be as patient as possible and love my girls in every moment. As always I pray for a healthy full-term baby who is sure to become another beam of sunshine in our lives.

a heart in every room

It's Valentine's Day! What? You're not excited? Haha well neither am I. I have never really done anything special on V Day. It's not because my husband is a deadbeat. He's not, I assure you. But I guess I'm not really the 'gotta go eat some fancy meal in an expensively fancy restaurant in a fancy dress and get fancy chocolates in a fancy heart box with fancy roses tied with a big fancy ribbon' kinda gal. Sure, I buy some pink, white & red peanut m&ms because they look cute in a candy bowl. And I MIGHT buy a box of Russell Stover's every three years or so. But you'll more likely see me sitting in my recliner, clad in my favorite pjs, eating boneless buffalo wings and watching The Big Bang Theory than catch me in a fine dining establishment followed by a show. Not that there is anything wrong with the people that DO go out on the town to celebrate their love! To each his/her own! 

Anyhow, in honor of this heart-smothered holiday I thought I would make up a little game for myself. I LOVE hearts (always have) and decided I would challenge myself to find at least one heart in every room of the house. So here are just a few that I found... 

I cut this from a card years ago and has been on my refrigerator ever since. I like to think it's me & my husband... but I don't wear dresses and he doesn't have a rake on his head

(kitchen)

The Nursery ...

Hello All, 

Many of you (and my facebook friends) have been requesting pictures of the baby's room so I figured I would put them in a blog rather than bring you over here one by one to see it for yourself. The nursery was always something I could not WAIT to get started on... long before I even thought about having a baby. I always wanted to offer to help my pregnant friends pick out colors and furniture and decor for their little one's nest but I figured they would be much too excited to let me do so and in a selfish way I kind of wanted to keep my style to myself! Anyhow, the day came when it was my turn... and man was I up for the challenge. 

I began by checking out websites and Google-ing images of nurseries. I loved so many things that I came across but none of them really reflected my own personal style. I had TONS of ideas about what colors I wanted, the furniture that I liked, the curtains etc. And I knew for certain that I didn't want any kind of theme. Sure it would have been easier to register for every necessity at Babies R Us like most normal people but I like hand-picking items from all over. I decided to ultimately go for it on my own - with Gregg's blessing of course. He said "it's all you" ... but you'll notice he definitely put his special touch on things! Whether you like it or not I had a ball from start to finish. There may be one or two more things that we'll add but for the most part the room is ready and waiting for its guest of honor ...

When we found out we were having a girl I knew I wanted wooden bureaus painted white with knobs painted pink. This bureau was actually Gregg's from when he was a wee tot. He sanded it, painted it, fixed up the drawers and here it sits for it's second life.

I always loved the idea of white sheers blowing in the breeze and I thought it would be a nice, feminine touch added to the little pink valance. 

The window mirror above the bureau was a consignment shop find. It was painted a dark raspberry pink and the hearts were butter colored and placed on the corners. Gregg sanded and painted once again and we chose prettier colors and placement for the hearts.

 The crib. Pretty self explanatory.

Baby's-eye-view of the mobile.

Her little coat rack, you know so she can hang up her adorable raincoats, bathrobe, hoodies, pocketbooks and such :o)

My mom found this lamp and told me about it days later. 

We rushed over, I fell in love with it and she picked up the tab.

 

This bookcase was another mom-find. She saw it in a flyer and Gregg and I picked it up shortly after. I LOVE it. How cute are the little cut-outs? 

I only wish we would have bought one of the other matching pieces.

This shelf hung in our old apartment and we haven't used it in years.

New purpose! The little animals were carved by Gregg, we painted them and decorated them with little accents. The lion is Gregg's favorite (he had the idea to make the fuzzy mane too!), I like the elephant best. The caterpillar up top was made by my very talented Mother-in-law. He's not so creepy since he's pink & yellow!

My least favorite piece in the room ... the glider. Sure, it's comfy but that sage color is not for me. I was going for pastel. Not spice jar. 

But whatever, can't have everything perfect... can you?

This little dollhouse bookcase was yet another flyer-find by my mom! It really is adorable although once we put toys & books in it I feel like it looks SO cluttered! It bothers me haha

 I came across this flag banner on Etsy and knew it needed to be in the baby's room. When it arrived I immediately noticed that the green flag matched the heinous glider color exactly! Hey at least it ties it together! Isn't it so cute though?? There are buttons in the center of the hearts and they are GINGHAM buttons. I can't even ... too sweet.

Here lies the million dollar bureau/changing table. You laugh... but I cannot believe how expensive this thing was. I thought Hey, let's just get one from the Mill Store and have it painted. Really thought it would be the cheaper way to go. Wrong-o. Anyway we, again, painted the knobs pink and added the little basket o' goods for easy access.

 And a drawer full of diapers ... this oughtta be enough for the first day or two, no? 

 

The sweetest, pink bouncy seat.

 

The adorable swing.

 And the crib quilt that I couldn't live without.

 That's basically it! There are just a few more little things to do but I thought I'd get this blog done so you all could see the pictures. I think it's a very sweet little room and I have to thank Gregg for putting everything together as we bought it or received it as a gift. And for all of his hard work sanding and painting like a madman. It all came out so great, I couldn't have asked for more. Now I want to see the room in action! Rocking this baby girl to sleep, changing her messy diapers and picking out her adorable outfits everyday. I have about 6 or 7 weeks left ... it's gone by so quickly and I have loved being pregnant! 

We can't wait to meet our little darlin and see her sweet face.

28 weeks ...

Wow. Who'd-a-thunk it? I am nearing the end of my 28th week of this wonderful pregnancy. So far all is well! We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of this baby girl and prepping all things beautiful to welcome her with. 

Her room is "summer morning" yellow with clean, white trim. She has a brand new floor to set her toes on when she's ready. We are buying (and Gregg has made) unique pieces to hang on the walls of her room until she demands that they be taken down and replaced by some new fangled Disney motif. We placed the glider in its perfect position where it will rest until it is called upon for active duty. The adorable bookcase is begging me to find whimsical toys, stuffed animals and stacks of books to fill the empty spaces. (And don't you worry, I'm working on it...). The crib has been ordered. Gregg is working on refinishing an old chest of drawers. There is a place for everything and so many lovely things to put in their place. This is truly "the fun part".  Well until I get to the curtains I suppose.

As for the not-so-fun part? Well, there isn't much to complain about really. Of course there is the trouble getting a great night's sleep. It is a little uncomfortable switching sides every hour since I have always been a stomach sleeper. But I have these wonderful aching hips that alert me as to when it's time to "flip". I haven't had really horrible heartburn or indigestion (I hate to add the word yet here)- just brief bouts of them here and there. One thing that has become a little daunting is the "tightening" in my belly which I imagine are the Braxton Hicks contractions but am not 100% sure of that. I first noticed it while walking around CVS one morning. I felt like all of a sudden I had a charlie horse the size of a bowling ball in my belly. I was getting a little out of breath and just wanted to sit down. I cut that trip short and felt better in just minutes. The same thing continued to happen during various shopping trips. Once in a furniture store and the most recent in Walmart. Ugh. That one was rough. I became very short of breath, I was sweating and felt unsteady. I was actually forced into sitting down at the pharmacy until the feeling passed in just a minute or two. I had never felt like that before - it wasn't painful at all - just overwhelming. But those are the only real complaints that I can think of! I am certain it could be a whole lot worse... and hoping it doesn't get that way! 

The days are just flying by - I can't believe we are into July already! I have heard that the last month seems like an eternity though, so I guess I'll make up for it then. Why do people constantly tell a pregnant woman things like that? For instance, they ask how I have been feeling and I say "great, other than the lack of sleep" and they almost ALWAYS reply with "OH JUST WAIT!! You aint seen nothin yet!!" Hmm. How is that helpful?? Don't you think I know about the no-sleep clause? Or I will mention my plans/hopes to still keep the house clean and prep food with the use of a baby carrier and they'll say, "Yeah that's not gonna happen, you'll see." Again - NOT helping. Hahaha if you want to give me tips and advice please feel free to do so, however, no need to play your little negative "been there done that" trump card. If I seem like I am being naive by assuming I can still keep a clean house - let me be! It's the new mom free pass. And I'm quite certain all moms have been there. :)