Nursery Update: Details!

Where Baby Shove will lay her little head to sleep...

The nursery is (finally) done!  Although I originally thought that I'd be done way sooner, I should've known better; I am way too OCD to make anything simple...especially these days! :)

So we started out with this amazing yellow painterly paisley fabric, but as you may have read, I panicked about limiting my decorating to only yellow and brown.  After some thought and inspiration, I decided to add aqua and chartreuse, which opened up a world of options--and slowed my process down a bit.  Now that everything is said and done, I am SO pleased with my decision to add color, regardless of the extra time and effort it took to pull the room together.

CHANDELIER:

I have some burlap chandelier shades in storage that I may add to this later on, but right now it brings a lot of much needed light to the room, so I'm skipping them for the moment.  If/when we do move, I have matching sconces that would (in theory) go on either side of the crib.  Right now it's too permanent of a project (rewiring and all), so we'll just wait until our next home to get use out of them.

I LOVE this chandelier.  Vintage/girlie/understated?  Perfect.

PAINTINGS:

I've owned these eclectic frames for a while, and thought they'd be perfect for over the crib.  Originally I was just going to do Etsy-ish letters in them to spell out her monogram, but I was feeling inspired to paint, and took the opportunity to add color to the walls.  Unfortunately I had to "white out" our baby girl's first and middle names in the pictures (since we're keeping it a surprise), but you can get the idea of what they look like from the "Shove" frame:

I am really excited how these paintings turned out--definitely the right choice.

BEDDING:

I decided to let a professional seamstress make the bedding, which was definitely wise.  Because our crib is so oddly shaped, it took me enough time and energy to put together the instructions on how the items (the bumper in particular) needed to be constructed that I was over it before a stitch was even sewn.  In fact, throughout the process of having the bedding made, the seamstress even expressed how difficult of a project it was, so I'm glad I didn't waste my time.  I ended up having her make a bumper, toddler duvet and throw pillow.  The yellow crib sheet's store-bought, and the tiered, ruffled burlap bedskirt is my handiwork.

Ruffled edges in solid yellow with painterly paisley ties

A solid yellow crib sheet (with back-ups in fun patterns for late-night changes)

Toddler duvet (for future use) and Grandma's ivory blanket

Ruffled burlap crib skirt with tiers for extra style

CHANGING TABLE/WINDOWS:

Our changing table is awesome; it has a changing table topper that allows the piece to be used as a sideboard when removed.  It's caned doors are antique-y and will match our home's decor for longterm use.  Meanwhile, it definitely adds to the vintage vibe of the nursery while still being very functional.

The window panels are "parsley" colored, and we used tiered, ruffled voile panels to block the sun for afternoon naps.  I think the addition of the voile panels really softened up the grown-up feel the parsley curtains...and blocked my backyard neighbor's view! :)

I like that this mirror is sophisticated but not formal.

RUG:

Oh, the rug.  This was perhaps the hardest decision for me in the whole nursery.  The moral of my rug dilemma is this: Go with your instinct.  When I first thought about adding blues and greens to my color scheme, this rug was the first one I found, and I was instantly in love.  However, just like any OCD person would do, I had to look through about a thousand (literally) other options and hem and haw for about six weeks before ordering this one.  (Hey, it's a big statement piece in the room, and I'm going to be stuck with it for a long time, so I wanted to be sure...)  When it came in, I was so pleased, and since then it's been a major inspiration for my other elements (especially the paintings).  

I'm a bit worried that the dogs will dirty it quickly, but I've had difficulty finding a good alternative to Scotch-Guarding.  Right now I just try to steer them away from it as much as possible...which is hard to do, especially considering Olive's dog bed (which is made of white voile to match our window treatments) is dangerously close to the rug. :) 

This rug absolutely had THE PERFECT colors for the room!  (Olive's bed and a toy bin in the background...)

READING NOOK:

Our nursery's not a super big space, but I really wanted a little "activity area" for books and toys.  My solution was a bench with baskets for storage (which right now are holding a million blankets!) with a book rack hung on the wall.  I've also got a collapsible toy bin (which is full already) in the corner for quick clean-ups.

I also really wanted a way to display the baby's monthly pictures, and after running through several different options, I decided to go with a simple pinboard.  My other thoughts were too complicated, and ultimately I realized that I just needed an easy way to add new pictures month-by-month.  Right now it's empty--but pretty soon it'll be filling up quickly! 

The reading bench was an easy way to add storage space, and with colorful pillows it's super cozy!

A pinboard for her monthly pictures, a place to store books and somewhere to hang headbands?  Check!

SEATING:

I love that my chair is super comfortable.  I'm already getting a lot of use out of it--as is Olive. :)  I opted not to purchase the matching ottoman because I wanted the furniture pieces to feel eclectic (and to add more color to the space).  (In fact, none of my furniture is from the same collection, but I think it all blends well together.)  The nightstand is handy for storage, and the lamp has a dimmer for late nights.  I adore the lamp and its shade (burlap) because it looks like an antique but is super functional (and safer than an actual antique!).

Also, I got a great deal on a HUGE shelf for next to the rocker, and since I'm a vignette-y type decorator, it's really been nice to have somewhere for a few picture frames and colorful accessories.  

Olive is already enjoying cuddling in the rocker with me...or alone even!

A few little decorative items for fun

The bird nests that originally gave me the idea to add blue and green... 

Right now the frames have pictures from our Gender Reveal, but I'm ready for baby pictures to replace them! :)

Most of this stuff was already in our home and was easily repurposed!

So there's a few details of the nursery!  I've been a bit crazy and obsessive over this space, and I can't believe it's finally done...although decorating is really never truly done.  (Right, ladies?)

The only "big" thing I haven't decided on yet is whether I'm going to make a mobile for over the crib.  I'm not a huge fan of how they look, and right now I'm very happy with the paintings being the focal point for that part of the room.  However, I know that mobiles are great for keeping babies entertained, so I'm still contemplating making one.  Other than that, we're ready...or at least her room is ready ! :)

35 Weeks

Growing still!

As any of you Southerners may have noticed, it's super hot out.  I would say that I've been trying to keep out of the heat, but that would be a lie.  I have a definite impending sense of a deadline that's been haunting me (yesterday was one month from my official due date!), and so I've been running around like a crazy person trying to get everything in order.

Since our last baby shower was on Saturday, you can imagine my delight when BuyBuyBaby had a bonus registry event on Sunday.  (You only get one completion coupon, and so I'm glad to be able to save that for any post-baby needs.)  I went in with a plan: I went alone so that I could be efficient. I knew which items I needed to wait to use the infamous 20% coupons on, and which were either cheap enough not to matter much or were excluded brands.  I arrived early.  I wore my workout clothes and shoes (and had planned on working out afterwards...ha!).  I brought a bottle of water, a copy of my registry and all of my gift cards.  I was ready.

Fast forward three hours.

(Sound familiar?)  It was a mess...and crowded.  And I've realized that I have a knack for falling in love with discontinued or overly popular (and thus out-of-stock) items.  Four separate online orders, a special direct-from-vendor order and a cart full of "stuff" later, and I was done.  I'm not going to lie--I was HOT, sweating and my feet were swollen, but it was worth it.  We're almost all ready, although we're in the midst of gathering a few last 20% coupon items (because they'll only let you use one coupon a day, depending on who checks you out of course), and mostly everything is organized and in its place.

I also had a doctor's appointment today (which, yay!, Ryan was able to attend), and we're chugging along like normal.  I met with my primary doctor, Dr. Jo, and went over a couple of small questions I had lingering.  She "checked" me--nothing doing so far, which is great since Ryan has two more weeks of travel left before coming home to await this baby with me.

Now the clock's just ticking down...

Nanny's Big Shower

Pink and green made such a girlie setting!

No one throws a party like Wendi Shove, and if you've been to one before, you know what I mean!

Ryan's mom (a.k.a. "Nanny") threw us a baby shower today, and her list-making and crafting and cooking and decorating truly showed off her creativity and love for a theme. :)  Hot pink and green--it was 100% G-I-R-L from rock candy to polka dots, with a touch of baby birds to top it all off.  Never one to shy away from a motif, Wendi really topped herself this time!

When I walked into Wendi's house, beyond being overwhelmed by the extent and elaborateness of the party decor, my first thought was, "Man, she must be running on adrenaline!" because I know how much time and energy it must've taken her to get everything set up just right.  (I'm sure she will sleep soundly tonight! :) )  She hand-crafted almost everything, from a "custom" piece of art where each guest got to stamp a bird or leaf onto a tree to baby-belly shaped food labels to a tree centerpiece with fancy, feathered birds and pinwheels...so many details were carefully thought-of and executed!

Mmm...Piece of Cake!

My sister-in-law Lisa helped Wendi in her baby shower-ing, and the centerpiece of the dessert table was THE BEST strawberry cake from Piece of Cake.  If you've never had it, you should.  They only sell it during the summer (and on Valentine's Day, which I know because I got up at 8 a.m. this year to ensure that I got one for our Valentine's dinner!), and it is uh-mazing.  If there were ever anyone who knows where to get good food (of any kind) in Atlanta, it's "Aunt Lisa," and really she couldn't have read my mind better on this one!  (I even stole a piece for Ryan--news that he was very excited to hear even being all the way in Ireland.)

Wendi is very blessed to have an amazing group of women to call her friends, and they've been so gracious to Ryan and I throughout our life events.  It's a true testimony to her friendship to them as well as their love for her that they have been so supportive to us, and for that we are so thankful.  It was great to see so many of them because it's rare to see them beyond her annual Christmas party and the occasional run-in around Alpharetta.  It was also fun to celebrate this baby officially with my mom (although we've been informally celebrating along the way!), Ryan's Aunt Alana (who chose to be surprised with the baby's gender at the shower for the first time!) and a few sweet friends as well, making for a fun mix of people from different areas of our lives.

As for the shower itself, we ate, and talked, and ate, and ate...in usual Shove-shindig style. :)  This was definitely the shower that rounded out our baby girl's closet, with a TON of cute, girlie clothes that I know will be put to good use.  (Right about now I think we're at needing at least three outfit changes per day for the first year in order to get through all of the clothes!)  In fact, Wendi's grand finale was a cart literally FILLED (and even overflowing) with baby outfits--complete from head-to-toe with hats and shoes to match!  Everyone gasped when she rolled it out, knowing that she really outdid herself this time. :)  (Of course I didn't get a picture of it--boo!)

I did manage to get a picture of this girl, my mom's "big gift" for the shower...she's about four feet tall and so cute!

What should we name her?

Overall, it was a wonderful event, and I'm thankful to everyone who spent a Saturday afternoon helping us prepare for this baby girl.  You guys are a blessing.

And, of course, THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH to Wendi and Lisa for throwing a shower I'll always remember! We'll never be able to tell you how much we love you guys.

Traveling Husband

How do you explain to this little lady where Ryan is all the time?

If you've been following our lives over the past few months, you know that Ryan's been traveling perhaps more than ever, and won't be surprised when I mention that I just said goodbye to him as he heads for a quick jaunt to Northern Ireland.  For the past four years it's been a large part of our lives, and although we really would love to spend every waking moment together, it's not realistic, so we've got a bit of a routine down (well, as much of a routine as not having a routine can be!) and are pretty used to it by now.

Since being pregnant, I clearly can't travel with him, so that's left me at home to man the fort and the business, which I've taken to quite well and am really enjoying.  Ryan and I have always worked (even on the side) for ourselves, and have included one another on projects on occasion, believing that we work well alongside but not "for" one another.  Over the past nine months, it's been really great to see that we can actually like being on projects together, although we've been working on taking one another's opinions more seriously, since we both naturally tend to believe our opinion is the best (of course). :)

It's funny how work, more specifically work that requires travel, comes in major waves, and this spring it's been SUPER crazy (thanks, God, for the business).  It's gotten to the point where Ryan's been traveling back-to-back(-to-back-to-back) with perhaps only a day or so at home in between--if we're lucky.  I've gotten into counting how long he'll be with us by hours, not days.   The upside is that he loves the airport, the excitement, the experiences and hasn't really grown tired of it, although he misses being at home and we miss him terribly.  Those days in between travels have become tougher as of recently, and always end up with me teary eyed as he heads down to the West Economy Lot yet again.

The saddest part of it all is the dogs.  Unfortunately they don't understand why Ryan isn't here lately, and Olive's taken to sleeping on the steps near the front door waiting for him.  Every night I tell her how long until he comes home and kiss her goodnight.  Depressing, right? The upside is that her little puppy heart nearly explodes every time he walks through that door, which makes up for her temporary depressions. :)

Oscar, on the other hand, I think relishes Ryan being gone a bit.  He really takes to being the man of the house (because he has an excuse to bark more), but I swear I can see relief on his face every time Ryan comes home.  (Hey, keeping a constant, watchful eye can be stressful and exhausting!)  Oscar sleeps in Ryan's spot when it's vacant, which doesn't help to curb his inflated sense of manhood, but it does give me some welcomed nighttime company.

Keeping watch for bad guys and for Ryan's return...

Happy to hear when Ryan's coming home soon!

The silver lining to having Ryan gone almost continuously over the past three months is that he'll be 100% at home during late June and most of July.  When we first talked about this crazy spring schedule, I told him to travel to his heart's content and that I preferred an extra set of hands once the baby's here as opposed to having him jet off once she's born.  Although he'll definitely have work to do, thankfully his craft can be done outside of the normal 9-to-5 parameters so that we can divide and conquer when it comes to the baby--and for that, I know I'll be truly thankful...a first baby + two crazy dogs = a wife in need of a husband's help! :)  Luckily I've always been good at deferred gratification, so as long as I can make it through the next three weeks, life will be back to a more normal "normal."

34 Weeks

Whoa!

Can I get any bigger? (I guess the answer is "yes," although let's hope not!)  The baby clearly had a growth spurt over the past few weeks; I swear my stomach grows a few inches overnight-every-night!

The latest with the baby (besides continuing to be on track and doing fine) is that she gets hiccups--A LOT! The first time it happened, I was a bit confused; it felt like someone tapping my stomach to a beat, but considering I was alone when it happened (and don't believe in ghosts), I realized that her hiccuping was the likely culprit.  It was so unusual-feeling the first time, but slowly over the past two weeks it's been happening more and more.  "The books" say it's a good sign: It means she's practicing breathing, which is crazy to think about.  However, as the weeks have passed, it's gone from "every few days" to "a few times a day," including during my doctors appointment this morning...I have such a hard time concentrating on a conversation when it happens--sorry midwife!

And speaking of midwives, I met with one I loved this morning and asked her what to do about avoiding Disliked Midwife #1 and #2 during labor, and she gave me a couple of helpful tips.  Crossing fingers that now-named Adored Midwife #1 is on-call when this little lady decided to make an appearance!

Baby Shower at The Barn

Shower time!

Last night we had our first baby shower, and let me just brag on my wonderful friends--it was gorgeous and so much fun!

A relatively mild night (Thanks, God!) in downtown Roswell's Fickle Pickle with super feminine and vintage decorations, these girls really outdid themselves.  Ryan actually made it in town for the couples event, and as we were headed out the door with nothing in our hands, Ryan looked at me and said, "Well this feels great...we just show up?" :)  It's been a while since he's even been to a shower (say about seven years since our wedding?) let alone been the guest of honor, and although it was TOTALLY counterintuitive for us to not do a single thing for a party, it was also so nice.

Peach, coral and gray...oh, my!

Girlie decor for our little girlie

We arrived to a twilit room in the back barn, complete with tissue paper flowers (which I'm sure took a million years to construct!) and lanterns, mason jars of peach and coral ranunculus, roses and tulips (which are now graciously beautifying our home), and picture vignettes of Ryan and I themed "First comes love...then comes marriage...then comes baby!" (So, so, so cute!)  Really, I know how much time and energy it must've taken these girls to pull everything together (especially with kids, husbands and careers to attend to along the way!), and not only did they go above and beyond, but they really, truly made it an event that was so beautiful that I just wanted to sit and take everything in all night.

This guy...

Beyond how everything looked, it was also so fun to see our friends (especially for Ryan, who's been home a total of like three days this month) and to catch up and celebrate. The highlight of the night, I must say, was definitely Tim Carley and Eric Ragone's Dramatic Readings in between gifts.  The hostesses had requested our guests write a bit of advice to Ryan and I or to the baby, and to liven up the opening of presents, the boys entertained us by reading the "stacked" deck of notes (some sweet, but mostly they just ragged on Ryan).  One of the most fun shower "games" that I've ever witnessed, here are a few of my favorite funny excerpts (written to the baby)...

"When you're 16 and want two cars instead of just one, don't worry, just remind your mom that she bought you two cribs. A girl's gotta' have options."


"Remember that your dad will always have the better hair products to borrow."


"When you're ready for your first beer, come see your Uncle Shane."


"Just because your mom was Homecoming Queen doesn't mean you have to..."


"Whatever it is you want, make sure to ask your dad."

Uh-mazing.  And, of course, I made Ryan actually do all of the opening of gifts, which was funny to watch since he didn't know what most of the items' names or purposes, which gave the girls something to chuckle at as he squirmed. :)

Overall, it was a wonderful evening and as Ryan and I settled down into bed last night, we couldn't help but be overwhelmed by our wonderful friends.  God has surrounded us with people that inspire us, make us laugh, give great advice, are fun to celebrate with, give us hope, encourage us, and people who make us better in life.  We were so overwhelmed at everyone's generosity not only in helping us "set up shop" for the baby, but also in taking time out of their busy lives on a Saturday night to hang out for some literal "baby talk."  Thank you to everyone who made it out...you were wonderful!

And, of course, THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES OVER to Kristan Carley, Alli Finlay, Natalie Kitchen and Ashley Glover (and their hard-working husbands) for putting on an event we'll always remember! We'll never be able to show our gratitude enough...for last night, but mostly for being great friends.

And on a final note, man, that was one heck of a shower! :)

Partner in Crime

Belly monitor for the stress test

So I'm running into a potential problem with two midwives at our practice. Namely the problem is this: I can't stand them. :)

I know that's terrible to say, and if it was just a personality problem, then I'd be a Big Girl and wouldn't mention it.  However, since the midwives will be the ones with us in the delivery room for the majority of our time in the hospital, I think that liking them and knowing they'll listen to you are two very important aspects of the relationship (right?), and these particular midwives have failed on both accounts. I inquired of a nurse/friend what to do if either of these midwives are on-call when I go into labor, and the verdict was to basically just suck it up and not worry about what they think of me as I fight for the labor experience I want.  Luckily Ryan will be by my side and, despite being a generally nice guy, has a really intense protective side (poet/warrior) and will go head-to-head with whomever stands in our way.

And speaking of Ryan's dual personality, I believe that this little girl definitely has a bit of that in her.  I can tell (beyond basic intuition) because she's been really well-behaved and sweet during all of the poking and prodding and ultrasounds done by the staff members that have been nice and supportive.  On the other hand, when Disliked Midwife #1 was listening to her heartbeat (during the infamous Bellyflop Debacle) and was chastising me for a number of things that I disagreed with, she straight up KICKED the midwife's hand directly.  I was boiling over internally as she was jabbering on to me, but I held my tongue--which worked out well because the baby told her off FOR me.  The midwife was shocked for a second because it seemed like such a purposeful motion by the baby that it made her shut up.  I smirked and just looked at her silently. Take that!

You may think that it was just a small coincidence, which I did at first too. Then, I had an appointment with Disliked Midwife #2 (the same one who tried to force me to get a flu shot), and once again, as she tried to force a Zofran prescription upon me unnecessarily, the baby jabbed her harder than she's ever punched.  Once again the midwife was surprised because it was a direct hit and clearly was reflective of my attitude toward the discussion.  She made a comment about it, and my subsequent silence sufficed in ending the conversation.

AND THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN!  I'm not kidding.  Last week I met with a really nice doctor, and the baby handled his poking and prodding just fine, but because her movement has been way less than it has been previously, they did a stress test.  As they were prepping me for the belly monitor, I was finishing up with my list of questions, and came to my final problem: What are my options if either of these midwives are on-call during my labor? (Just wanted the doctor's official verdict on the subject.)  Unfortunately, as I was about to broach the subject, one of the midwives came in the room, and I had to hold my tongue...and then the baby about stuck her foot straight through my stomach in the direction of the midwife as if to say, "Hey, get the heck outta' here; we're talking about you!"  I almost laughed out loud!  In fact, the doctor actually did, commenting, "Well, at least we know she's moving now!"

I know it sounds crazy, but I really feel like I can tell what her personality is going to be like already, and I can't wait to see her grow up.  She's such a sweetheart most of the time, but she has opinions and  already won't let anyone mess with her.  (Her sweetness clearly comes from Ryan, but that opinionated attitude? Hmmm...I have no idea where she gets that from.  Must be a fluke.  Ha!)  Thankfully as I've gotten older I've learned to be a little better at holding my tongue, and, perhaps as a reward for my good behavior, God's given me a kid who will have the audacity (and excuse, since she'll be "an innocent kid who doesn't know any better") to say what I'm thinking...the perfect partner in crime!

(And, by the way, the other 99% of the staff members at our practice--doctors, nurses and midwives--are amazing, so the odds are in my favor for having a great midwife on-call for the delivery.  Also, just to quell any fears, the stress test turned out fine; she's just getting too big to move as much.  Yikes!)

33 Weeks

SEVEN weeks to go...give or take a few!

I walked into my 32 week appointment last Thursday and the first thing the doctor said was (well, actually, he exclaimed) "Whoa! You're having a giant baby!" Ha. He did my stomach measurement to make sure everything was okay, and despite looking huge, he said I'm right on track (and wrote "32 5/7 cm" on my chart, which would be exactly on target).  Just when I think I can't get any bigger, it happens!

On Set with Retro 8

My best function on Sunday? Stand-in for lighting...

I finally understand what it's like to be old.  Let me just say this: It stinks.

Since working from home full time, I've been trying to help out Ryan with Retro 8 Films more.  Over the past few days he's finally been shooting here in Atlanta, so I decided to help on set--but perhaps I overestimated my abilities at this stage in pregnancy.  It's HOT, and after a successful, 9-hour shoot (mostly outside in Piedmont Park) that ended with a flat tire and an arrival at home at 2:30 a.m., saying we were exhausted would be an understatement.  Truthfully, I almost felt bad being there because I wasn't of too much help; my hands and feet were so swollen they were painful to look at, and no one would let me carry barely anything.  Dead weight?  Maybe.

So yesterday when we had some guys doing guerrilla shooting around town, I relegated myself to being the taskmaster, riding along, making phone calls and (pretty much) just bossing them around.  In my element? Well, yeah, maybe. :)  The only problem? It was STILL HOT and, once again, an extremely long day.

Today I'm achy and sore and exhausted (Sleep? Who needs sleep?) and am walking around like a little old lady--a limp (from a KILLER middle-of-the-night charlie horse that's left my calf sore for two days now!), a stiff lower back, no energy and a cloudy brain.  I don't want to feel this way even for even half of a day, much less for the latter half of my life!  God, help me to stay active, competent and healthy as the decades pass...

Beyond resulting in my feeling physically old, the past few days have really made me appreciate Ryan even more than before.  When he's out of town for work without me, I forget how HARD he works, and how LONG his hours are.  I know that there's something in men that drive them to want to provide for their families, and I'm so proud that Ryan's found a way to do what he loves and make a living.  I think back four years to when he first quit his 9-to-5 job and how scared I was--in fact, I believe that I delayed him in even making that decision because of that fear (bad wife!)--and how life would be so different and less fulfilling for him if he hadn't followed his heart.

It will be interesting to see how much of our work lives change when this baby arrives (clearly mine has already adjusted over the past eight months), but regardless of the impact, I know that Ryan's talent and drive won't change, which is an encouraging constant.  Now if only God would protect his health too as we age, we'll be in good shape. (Pun intended.)

Organic Foods Update: B-

All that I came up with from Publix

People have been asking for an update on our resolution to eat organic, so here it goes...

I'd give us a B-. We're a few months in, and we've fallen into a pretty comfortable routine, which I consider a win. As a reminder, we're what I call "99% organic" in-house: There are certain foods that we can't live without that simply aren't organic; we don't worry about buying organic when we have people over; and we don't worry about it when we eat out. Basically, we aim to make the effort without being obsessive, limited and/or annoying.

The B- is mostly because we hit a low point in March really because of eating out (such a slippery slope--it becomes a major habit quickly for us), and in April Ryan's been traveling so much that his meals have almost exclusively been someone else's decision. Since I've been pretty much stuck at home alone with a no-unnecessary-travel-baby-belly, I've been able to indulge a little with our organic foods budget, which has been nice. I've been shopping almost exclusively at Whole Foods and definitely have a routine filled with favorite foods so that shopping trips have become pretty quick. When Ryan's home (and our budget has to feed two instead of one) I do have to make some decisions based on what groceries we need that week versus our organic goal. Occasionally I've run into a cycle where we happen to run out of a few expensive things in one week (like protein powder, prenatal vitamins, cheese or trail mix ingredients) and thus have had to maybe get a few all natural things instead of organic things, but I remind myself that it's just one week and it won't kill us.

And a side note: You'll notice that I'm doing all of the shopping because the one time I did send Ryan alone, he came home with two steaks, fresh shrimp, expensive cheese and prosciutto. A loverly dinner, but not exactly something to last us for a week! What can I say? He's an impulse buyer.

When Ryan specifically requested salads for dinner last night (for which I had NO ingredients on hand) and I was near a Publix, I decided to give it a try. I used to shop only at Publix and had bought their Greenwise brand previously, which made me hopeful for a successful shopping trip. To save a long story--it wasn't. It's not truly fair to compare Publix to Whole Foods since their customers and food philosophies are different, but I was really surprised at how limited their organic options were. For example, I wanted to get organic sour cream (Mexican salads), and they simply didn't offer any, which took me a lot of time and searching to figure out. Of the foods I could find, they were a lot more expensive than Whole Foods--to the extent that I opted to just get what Whole Foods would call "Stage 1" ground turkey (not really organic). I ended up only buying a few necessities and will be heading to Whole Foods tomorrow to finish up.

The ultimate moral of this story? When Ryan got home, I was eager to share my experience with him, but as he walked in the door he said, "Hey, let's go out to dinner tonight." Ha. Go figure. And that's what we did. Maybe I should give myself an "A+" for the extra effort... :)

31 Weeks

Loving this weather...I heart Spring!

I know people are freaked out that we're having a bit of a windy and chilly week, but for now I'm just soaking in this little cold-ish spell and appreciating the weather before it turns hot-hot-hot!

Yay, Blood!

One more thing to remember to bring to the hospital...

At my last doctor's appointment, I picked up our cord blood collection kit, which may seem like a strange thing to be excited about, but I'm thrilled!


We've decided to collect and store this baby's cord blood and cord tissue, which I highly advocate. I mean, it's a personal decision and definitely not a necessity, but as we've gotten farther into researching it, we've become very convinced that it's the route for us. For anyone who hasn't ever really heard or thought about it, let me just give you my opinion--which you can take or leave.


Basically, when your baby is born, there are stem cells (which are uber-pure) in its umbilical cord. If you've ever heard that you shouldn't cut the umbilical cord right away, it's based on the concept that those last stem cells will be pumped into the baby instead of  being wasted. For about the last 20 years or so, though, parents have had the option to actually collect those stem cells and store them for later use. Once you get pregnant, there are posters and brochures and materials EVERYWHERE about it (because I'm sure it's a very lucrative business), and every parent has to decide yay or nay. Ryan and I decided yay for a few reasons:


1. In case our baby gets sick. What parent doesn't worry about their kid getting sick? If she ever has cancer, a blood disorder, a metabolic disorder or an immune disease, she could potentially use the these stem cells to get better. If we didn't opt to save them, we might have to worry about finding someone who's a match for her in case she needs them down the road. I prefer peace of mind from the beginning--especially since the word "cancer" is involved...


2. In case their sibling gets sick. If we have more kids, they (or even Ryan and I) could potentially use them. (If we had a sick child without banked cord blood, an option would be to try and have an additional kid in hopes that they're born a "match"--what a nerve-wracking and pressure-filled situation!)


3. It's a one-time shot. This is a non-controversial way to gather stem cells, and it's the ONLY time you can take advantage of it. I would hate to need these stem cells down the road and regret not doing it.


4. It lasts a lifetime. They use cryogenic freezing, which means they could be 70 and still use the stem cells. Can you imagine? Ryan and I will be long-gone, and we could still help save our kid's life!


We've also decided to bank the baby's actual cord tissue, which is relatively new. From the cord tissue, they extract mesenchymal cells, which have different properties that are being explored. Basically, the use of mesenchymal cells is still in clinical trials, but these types of cells can potentially be used to help with:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Serious wounds
• Spinal cord injury
• Cartilage injury
• Liver disease
• Diabetes
• HIV

Unfortunately, if our kid has any of these problems right now, it would be experimental for them to be treated with these mesenchymal cells, but since the company we chose to go with is leading the field, we'd have a better chance of even getting into a clinical trial. Plus, although stem cells are really best used with people who are genetically close to the donor, mesenchymal cells aren't as restrictive and could be used for a range of people--maybe even strangers. I know that storing her cord tissue is DEFINITELY a *bonus,* but I can't help but think of the people who opted to store cord blood 20 years ago: I'm sure the full extent of its use wasn't known then (or really even now), but it lasts forever, so down the road they may be able to use them for purposes not yet discovered. What if in 20 years they figured out how to cure cancer with these cells??? Wouldn't I regret not having them? So we're placing a bet on science and will be storing her cord tissue too.

Honestly, after all of the research I've done (which is way more fascinating than anything I've written here, but way too long for a blog), I think that there are really only two reasons why someone wouldn't do it: 1. Lack of knowledge, and 2. The expense. I can't really help anyone with lack of knowledge beyond encouraging them to READ and ASK QUESTIONS. As for the expense, whoa, yes, it's expensive--especially when you're in the midst of paying for a new baby. Ryan and I sat down and talked about it, though, and have come to the conclusion that we'd rather sacrifice financially now than regret our decision--perhaps to the detriment of our kid's health--in the future. Plus, the older I get the more I realize that money comes in, money goes out, and our job is really just to point it in the right direction.

One final thought: I hope we NEVER have to use these cells. It's funny, because in most investments you would assume the opposite--why pay for something that you hope to never take advantage of? A lot of people cite the low percentage of people who actually use their stored cord blood as a reason NOT to store it, but I can't help but think that all of those people who don't use their cord blood are pretty happy with their outcome. I would be...

66 Degrees + a Boppy

Could YOU ask this guy to move?

Not being able to sleep while pregnant is one of those cliches that I have accepted as a part of life. Truthfully, at this point, seven months in, I've all but forgotten what it's like not to be pregnant, and a large part of that revolves around my sleep, or rather, my inability to sleep.

Since becoming pregnant, I haven't slept more than four hours in a row (with the exception of one time following a literal all-nighter). In fact, I average about two hours at a time. At about the two-hour mark, I either have to use the restroom, am dying of thirst, or have to rearrange myself due to discomfort. It's become part of my life, and as someone who deeply believes that eight-straight-hours-a-night is a necessity, it's been a strange transition in accepting my new schedule. Through trial and error, I've discovered two key factors in getting the maximum amount of sleep these days: 1. It has to be 66 degrees in our house at night (which I know sounds super cold, but I'M HOT), and 2. Pillows are key to comfort. In fact, toward the end of my first trimester, Ryan was so sweet to suggest "one of those pregnancy pillows" he had read about on the internet, and it's been helpful...to some of us in the family.

The Boppy is great, don't get me wrong. It's more comfortable than squishing pillows around and easier to maneuver as well. I wouldn't say that it's been a magic solution, but I'm thankful for its help. (Even now I'm piling up extra pillows to create a sort of nest at night, which helps me to feel like I can actually breathe, since feeling like I'm suffocating when I lay down is an unexpected and terrifying symptom that's recently begun happening.) Looking for more of a rave review? Ask my dogs.

If you've ever hung around our dogs long enough for them to calm down (ahem) and relax, you know that comfort and sleep are their main priorities in life. The first morning after I used the Boppy, I came out of the shower to find Oscar and Olive both cozied up in it, snoozing. Hmmm. Not a big deal in and of itself, but as time has passed, we've had to come to a custody-type agreement on who gets the Boppy when.

The second night with the Boppy, I came out of the bathroom from brushing my teeth to find them, once again, comfortable and arranged for a long night's sleep. How do you explain to a dog that something that looks like a dog bed and is clearly more comfortable than a dog bed isn't a dog bed? And, to be fair, as much as my sleep has been sporadic, so has theirs as they often get up with me each night. It's grown to be a little bit of a problem, especially when I return to bed in the pitch-black-middle-of-the-night and find them (pretending to be) asleep in my Boppy. We tried several solutions: Could they fit in the Boppy with me? (Nope.) Would they be just as comfortable with some extra regular pillows laid out like a Boppy? (They're not dumb enough to fall for that.) Maybe we should buy them a Boppy for the floor? (We're not that crazy.) So we've settled on the days-for-dogs, nights-for-Talie settlement. It's been fairly successful thus far, save for a few gray areas that have occurred as a result of some much cherished daytime naps.

I think we've resolved that once the baby is here I'll relinquish the Boppy to belong to the dogs full-time (since it's getting worn in anyway). After all, it makes them happy, and I figure that it will be a nice, familiar place for them to escape a crying baby--a small sacrifice to make to bring our "first kids" a bit of comfort once we have our "real kid."

NOT Strep Throat

Penicillin, ugh.

I'm not a "medicine" person. That is to say that I don't really take medicine unless it's definitely necessary: I rarely take anything for headaches; I've never used a Z-pack (even after four years of UGA's Health Center!); I can't remember the last time I used a decongestant or NyQuil...needless to say my prescriptions often go unfilled.

Don't get me wrong.  I don't oppose medicine--I'm not crazy.  I just like to let my body take care of itself as much as possible.  I believe that it's capable of a lot more than we give it credit for, and therefore shouldn't be coddled too much with medicines at every bump in the road.

Since being pregnant, I think that my aversion to medicine has heightened (naturally) and, yes, has been justified a bit. I do have to say that it's been a bit of a struggle when dealing with my doctor's office since they're naturally inclined to "dose up and be done with it."  It started at our pregnancy confirmation visit, where we had a pushy nurse who asked if I had gotten a flu vaccine yet. When I responded "no," she automatically assumed that I would be getting one that day. I told her I wasn't interested: I work at home, I've never opted to have one, and I've known a few people who've had very adverse effects from the flu shot.  She scoffed at me (almost quite literally) and then tried the "the CDC recommends every pregnant woman get a flu shot" angle. It didn't work. Then she tried the "getting the flu will be much worse than getting the shot" argument. I put my foot down. THEN she had the audacity to turn to Ryan and tell him that he should get one. Really? It made me wonder if she was getting commission for administering flu shots!

Now, I've had quite a few vaccines in my lifetime. Between traveling to Asia, Africa, South America and Eastern Europe, my arm has been privy to its share of needles. And that's fine. But a flu shot just wasn't one that I wanted to add to my list. I did get the whooping cough vaccine, simply because of the unusual way it's popping up again lately in Georgia babies.  That I saw the merit in.

Since being pregnant, I've only used headache medicine once, and otherwise have pretty much avoided OTC stuff with ease. Then, at my 28 week appointment, my doctor tested me for Group B Strep--and I came back positive. Crap.

GBS is not a big deal in and of itself--and, no, it's not even remotely related to strep throat, which, by the way, I have (ironically) NEVER had. It's a bacteria that occurs naturally in about 25% of women and just hangs out, doing its thing quietly, not bothering anyone...until you have a baby. If you have GBS at delivery, there are some very bad things that can happen to the infant. The most concerning problem? Meningitis. Yikes. If a woman tests positive for GBS at delivery, there's a 1 in 200 chance that the baby will be infected with GBS if she doesn't take antibiotics.  Those chances go to 1 in 4,000 if she takes antibiotics.

So I found out early in the game that I'm a "carrier." Dang. I thought we were out of the weeds--no neonatal allo-immune thrombocytopenia; no gestational diabetes (whew! I was worried about that one); no unusual ultrasounds.  I have to admit that I felt a pang of disappointment. Essentially, I have to take penicillin four times a day (ugh) for a week to stave it off initially, then I'll have an IV with antibiotics (even if I test negative at a later date) in the hospital when I give birth.

When I picked up my prescription from Publix (free--that was a treat!), I felt a little worried. Truthfully, I didn't want to take anything during pregnancy, even something as common as penicillin.  And four pills a day for a week?!? That just seems like A LOT. I did look into more natural options, but ultimately I trust Western medicine for something that could potentially cause brain damage or death. This time I DIDN'T argue with the nurse. :)

I've felt a bit begrudging since starting the regimen, though. I take a pill, then I get worried. Take a pill, worry. Take a pill, worry, and again until the day's dosage is done. Then I relax, and start again the next day. Plus, I swear it's making me nauseous and giving me stomach cramps. Needless to say, it's going to be a long week.

The upside? At least I found out now instead of during labor. Granted, at that moment in time I'll probably be so miserable I'll let them give me any antibiotic they want without question, but at least I'll know what to expect. I had been having a secret dream of an IV-free delivery (a la Abbey Busch), but now I can let go of that fantasy and prepare for a line in my hand (ouch/I hate them). I just continue to pray that the penicillin is doing good and not bad for this baby girl, and as long as she keeps kicking to tell me she's alright, I'll survive...

30 Weeks

Uh-oh. Looks like I'm hitting the point of needing bigger shirts...:)

I'm so pumped to be entering the 30-somethings of pregnancy! Two-and-a-half-or-so months to go...is it possible to feel both ready and completely unprepared at the same time?

LTF & The Great Baby-ssage

A little biology lesson...

My. Back. Hurts. Badly.


For those of you following along, you may remember that a few months ago my back was hurting so badly that I bellyflopped into my bed. As an update to that blog, let me just say that 1. The baby is fine despite my lack of common sense, and 2. The pain has only gotten worse.

Since Day One (literally), I've had pain in my tailbone. It was confusing at first (since I didn't realize that can be a symptom of pregnancy), and now it's become almost debilitating. I've been pretty active at the gym, mostly focusing on walking A TON and weightlifting some. (Ryan's been such a great encouragement, love that guy!)  However, the further along I get, the worse the pain is, and nothing is helping.  (Really all I want to do is bend over to touch my toes, but it's like a basketball is keeping me from bending over far enough to get a good stretch.) In fact, the pain is so bad that today I decided to sweep the house, and ended up sitting on the couch arm and sweeping everything in my reach before moving to another spot!

A side note, since I love knowledge so much, even despite my lack of proclivity toward science: When you're pregnant, there are only really three ligaments that attach your uterus (sorry, awkward image) to your body: one on each side in the front and one that attaches to the tailbone. So right now I have a 16-inch person inside of my clinging to my lower back for dear life. Sounds uncomfortable, huh? It is.

It's gotten so bad that I finally gave in and booked a prenatal massage on Saturday. I've been interested in going for a while, but just haven't gotten around to it thus far. I decided to try out my gym's massage therapy (more on Life Time Fitness in a bit) because it's pretty well-priced compared to a real spa, and I viewed this appointment as more functional than fun. I never go to the spa side of LTF (where you can get manicures and haircuts and massages), so I didn't realize how nice it is! There's a little door that I always assumed was a door to an individual massage room (like at a nail place), but it opened up into a whole relaxing lobby! Truthfully, the atmosphere was as nice as Spa Sydell.

I had the best time. Because my expectations were so low, I honestly thought I'd be getting a mall-ssage style treatment (in a chair), but I had a spa-style dark room with soothing music and Aveda essential oils.  I didn't realize that a prenatal massage would simply be done on your side instead of your stomach, which makes sense now. My masseur was very understanding of my wimpy-ness when it comes to massages (Deep tissue? No thank you!), and I came out of it with no back pain for the first time in seven months. For an hour massage, $63 was worth every penny and then some.

(Of course, I worked out on Sunday, and now the pain is back. Dangit. Can I get a massage every day?)

Let me take a moment to talk about Life Time Fitness now. Ryan and I used to belong to L.A. Fitness, and we paid $70 a month. It was fine. I was happy, but Ryan had always heard such great things about LTF that about two years ago I gave in and we took a tour. It's really not a gym; it's a pseudo-country club, and has a freakin' price tag to match. But, as soon as we stepped in, I knew Ryan was a goner. He loved it--a nice cafe with healthy food, an outdoor pool with a slide and food service, an indoor pool with glass saunas overlooking it, TONS of machines so you never have to wait...you name it, they have it. It took A LOT of convincing and cajoling for me to agree to the $115 a month fee (I'd have been happy at a cheap little gym as long as it had an elliptical and a treadmill), and I have to admit that although I can't imagine going anywhere else (spoiled), I always secretly rolled my eyes every time I paid that monthly fee...until I got pregnant. You see, LTF is really popular here in Alpharetta mostly because of its amazing kids' programming, so I stopped by the Childcare Center to feel it out--and BINGO, Life Time immediately became the best investment a mom could ask for.

For a kid to join, it's an additional $6 a month. Yup, just $6. And babies can "join" at three months old. The kicker? That $6 a month pays for 10 hours of childcare A WEEK--that's a maximum of two hours a day, a maximum of four days a week Monday-Saturday, and an additional two hours on Sunday. So even when you consider that we're paying $121 total, we can drop this kid off for as much as 40 hours a month! That's like $3 an hour for babysitting.  And the best part is, I can workout, eat lunch at the cafe with a friend, go to the pool, get a massage, relax in the lobby with a book (i.e. NAP), work on my computer, sit in the sauna...and have a built-in babysitter! Since Ryan travels so much, I know I'll be utilizing the Childcare Center a ton, if only to have a few hours to escape a week. (Maybe now I know why stay-at-home moms are so fit...it means being kid-free for a few hours!)

So moral of the story? If you can, getting a prenatal "baby-ssage" and joining a gym with great childcare are worthwhile investments for moms--and if you can get both in one place? Even better.

29 Weeks

...and feeling good!

Just starting to work on the "delivery" details (lots of research, forms, phone calls and conversations to make some key decisions) while Ryan's traveling a lot. Since I'll be relying on Ryan once this baby girl's here to do things like notify our friends, get her registered with our health care and get our cord blood sent out, I'm trying to organize all of that information early on--just in case she's early...and something in me feels like she will be, at least by a little bit. (Am I allowed to verbalize that?)

28 Weeks

To the gym!

So at 28 weeks, the weather's starting to get to me, and I'm experiencing the awful swelling that everyone complains about during summer pregnancies...air conditioning and oscillating fans, ON! :)

Birth in the '70s

Actually, this aid might be from the '70s as well...maybe it came along with "The Miracle of Life" kit? :)

We took a birthing class on Saturday, which, to say the least, was quite "interesting."

Actually, to back up a bit, about a week ago, a friend of ours gave us and another couple an informal, mini "class" on birthing, which I found to be super helpful. A former nurse, a mother of two (via natural birth) and an acting "doula" for her sister, Andrea Adkins knows a thing or two about having babies.  She was the first person we ever knew to have a natural birth (and since then we've known more people to go the natural route than to have medication--isn't that a total anomaly?), and so we've always viewed her as an expert in the birthing field. She sat down with us and went over some basics (and mostly answered our burning questions), and I can say that I left feeling a lot more educated than I came.  I mean, I've done a lot of reading and video-watching, but there were just some, um, let's just say "logistics" and scientific questions I couldn't seem to have answered without a knowledgable person to talk to.

Now fast forward to Saturday. Since we're only about 29 weeks, we took the birthing class a bit earlier than most people (who all seemed to be in the mid-30s), but since Ryan's traveling a lot before the baby comes, and since I REALLY wanted him there, we opted to go early rather than never. I hate to say this, but my biggest surprise was how unprepared and uninformed the other couples, who are mere weeks away from the big event, really were. From a lot of their questions, I found myself wondering if they had even read a single thing about giving birth or if they were all in birthing denial. I mean, I'm no expert by far, but I started to get frustrated that so much of our time was being taken up by questions like, "You can't walk with an epidural?" (seriously?) and "How can a husband help in breastfeeding?" (did you not see "Meet the Parents?"--sorry, you can't be milked, mister).

Especially after having Andrea talk us through so much in detail, I also started to want to comment back on the midwife's answers. For example, she gave a little spiel about banking cord blood, and I'm pretty sure she got a lot of the information wrong (not just from our conversation with Andrea, but even from the information the companies have published online and in literature), and I know that most of the couples at the class won't even consider it since she made it seem confusing and unnecessarily expensive. I, of course, held my tongue, which took all of my strength due to my Type-A-personality-so-I-must-correct-people urges.

Then there were the videos. Oh, goodness the videos. Really, not that it would make the birthing experience any easier to stomach, but why in the world has no one updated "The Miracle of Life" since the 1970s??? I mean, even getting beyond the ridiculously outdated look of the people and cinematography, let's just talk about how irrelevant some of the content is: 1. None of the women had epidurals (which is a huge part of the current-day experience), 2. The one woman who did had a c-section and all she talked about was how nice the epidural was compared to being knocked out (a totally '60s notion a la Betty Draper), 3. A lot of the mothers' commentary was about how wonderful it was to have their husbands at their side (a then-new-notion, but totally no-duh by today's standards)...let's just say that the best thing I gleaned from that video was the shocking and disgusting nature of the whole process. Really, so far from what I've seen, this whole thing seems less like a "beautiful miracle" and more like a "horrifying train wreck."

And, as a side note, Ryan and I were joking that most of those babies born are now in their 40s. If you're at your own birthing class and YOU are the baby featured in "The Miracle of Life," it's time to update! Could you imagine???

It was a really long day (about six hours or so), and I have to tattle on him--Ryan fell asleep! I felt a little bad since he's been traveling like crazy and had just gotten back on Friday night, but after letting him catch a few moments of rest, I had to nudge him awake before he started snoring or something. To be fair, it was during a how-to-sooth-your-baby video, so the lights were off and the video was very calming, but it was really important information, so I couldn't let him sleep too long. In fact, in hindsight, I think I'd rather have taken one of the classes that focuses only on newborn care (maybe I still will), since I learned a lot more from that portion of the class than from the birthing part.

The final shocking moment from the class: The Northside Hospital promo video (which is where our practice delivers and, for you out-of-staters, is one of the best birthing hospitals in the country) was so out of date as well! I was really shocked; I know that our standards for video here at the Shove household are way higher than the average person's, but man! Their video must be from the '90s, and they mention several times about their exquisite decor (while featuring rooms in mauve and teal with art framed in brass on the walls) and modern features, and I was just thinking, "Thank goodness I'm not unfamiliar with this hospital/that this video isn't really a factor in my decision to go there!" I turned to Ryan as soon as it was over and said, "Well there's a new piece of business to go after..."

So, now that I've ragged on what I didn't enjoy about the class, let me just say that it wasn't a total waste of time. I was able to ask a few logistical questions about birthing at Northside specifically, as well as learning more about the strengths and philosophies of the other doctors in my practice that I haven't met with yet. I also found a renewed vigor for pregnancy wellness (we've been in a lot of eating out situations lately, my body's been aching a lot so I've been walking a little less, I've allowed myself a few sodas lately, I haven't been drinking a ton of water like before, etc....in the middle here it's just dragging a bit, so I've been less diligent over the past few weeks). And, of course, there's the benefit of starting to get Ryan to wrap his head around the situation since he's going to play a big role in this process.

Overall, maybe I'd rather have my hundred dollars back (to pay Andrea for some more one-on-one time), but I'm glad it's over and done with. Now onto the actual birth itself--God help me! :)

Gender Reveal Pictures!

www.carrietabbphotography.com

So it's been about a month since our big Gender Reveal, and I have some pictures to share...enjoy!

CLICK HERE: Gender Reveal (March 3, 2012)

PS: A HUGE thank you to Alli and Kevin for helping us with our party logistics! :)

Nursery Update: Inspiration

No, we're not doing a bird theme, but I LOVE these colors!

I had a moment of panic last week. For the longest time, I've always imagined having a little girl's nursery done in yellows and neutrals (brown). While Ryan's been traveling, I've been working on pulling all of my nursery thoughts together (moving out our guest room furniture, painting the walls, hanging the curtains and accessories, etc.), and I walked into the almost-done room the other day and thought, "Well this is drab."

And then I panicked.  First of all, since the walls had to be beige, I lost a lot of potential color and "airiness" that an actual color would've brought to the room, and thus my yellow accessories and bedding didn't really do "enough" to brighten up the room.  Fail.  Then, I thought to myself, "What if my yellow phase is ending (which, yes, has happened with various colors I've used in our home before) and I'm stuck with only yellow and brown?"  Potential fail.  And then the final straw--the rug.

I thought that maybe finding an amazing yellow rug would solve at least my first problem, so I started searching. Not surprisingly, they're really hard to come by, especially not a "gold" rug.  I did find a couple that I thought would be great, but the issue of my ottoman arose. My bedding fabric is a watercolor paisley pattern, with lots of yellow tones in it. I was so excited to find a mustard-yellow tufted ottoman that perfectly matched the darkest yellow in the fabric, BUT (remembering that I need "airiness" to the room) all of the potential rugs I found were lighter yellow and wouldn't look great right next to the mustard ottoman.

As I grew a bit more frustrated at the rock-and-hard-place I had gotten myself into, I began to open up to the idea of adding more color...and ran across this bird nest at Casa Bella in Marietta.  Voila inspiration!  Our house already has a lot of chartreuse and tiffany blue (my two favorite colors) in it, so I bought the bird nest, grabbed a couple of extraneous accessories for a "test run," and I love it.

So, our direction has changed a bit, or rather grown.  I'm still working on gathering a rug, new curtains and colorful throw pillows to make the space brighter, so I won't be done quite as fast as I thought, but I think in the long run I'll be happier.  The jury is still out for Ryan, who hasn't abandoned the idea of only yellow, but I think that once I get all of my fabric elements in place, he'll see the light. :)

27 Weeks

27 weeks down, 13ish to go!

So this post is actually for last week...just a little late!

The biggest update I have (besides the fact that I feel like I'm growing a GIANT baby; Ryan was a HUGE baby, and from the looks of my belly, this girl is taking after him!) is that my stomach has started to visibly take on odd shapes.  Weird...

Since first being able to feel her kick, I've also been able to see her kick, but my belly's always been basically round.  This week it's looking lopsided, and I can see her hands and feet really poke out when she moves.  Last night (or should I say "this morning," since I couldn't really sleep), she also did a BIG move that felt like my insides were trying to rearrange themselves.  I can't really say that it was a pleasant feeling, but perhaps she was just getting me back for keeping her up so late. :)

OH! And this morning Ryan FINALLY caught one of her kicks! We've been joking that she's already got him wrapped around her little finger because every time he goes to feel her move, she stops.  And then he waits, and eventually gives up, and then she kicks.  Every time--until this morning! Yay!