A crafty thing: Diaper Cakes

I love being crafty. This first one was for a girl I grew up with at Church. I had never done the spoons before but really liked it so much that the following week I did a yellow and green one for a girl at work.

I love doing these diaper bags. They are always a hit, and I always make sure to fill them with super duper cutie pie things.

This was  a gift basket that I did for a birthday day. I called it a "Photographer's Dream". It had a cute camera with a Vera Bradley carrying case. Then, it had all kinds of scrapbooking things and a picture board. It was really a hit!

Window Shopping (online) for a DIY Hubby Project

So I am trying to figure out how to do the canopy over the baby's bed. I found a few inspirational photos. I also found a DIY Link to make the cornice over the bed. Then I found some curtains via JcPenney. I think this will make a huge impression. I just have to decide what is going to go in the space between the hanging fabric. I have thought about a wooden letter or vinyl, and I have even seen an example with an ornate mirror hung there.

16 Weeks

The dress is from Body Central.

Side note: I sooo need eye makeup on.

How far along? 16 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  2-3lbs. I feel like I may be starting to show. Someone mentioned that I was very slightly showing. UGH
Maternity clothes?  No. I can still wear everything and am not using the band trick or the belly band yet.
Stretch marks?  No, I am using my Mama Mio Belly Oil every night.
Sleep:  I think I would love to sleep all the time.
Best moment this week: 
Have you told family and friends:  Yes.
Miss Anything? My old Skin!!!! I hate all the little bumps and the sooooo sooooo dry skin. My skin “drinks” lotions and baby oil. I miss having my old face and body skin.
Movement:  No
Food cravings: Well, I seem to be over the peanut butter. Now I have moved on to sweets all the time. This is going to sound strange but I love the sweetness of golden delicious apples and the sweetness of cherry tomatoes or a frozen banana with sugar free, calorie free (yes it does exist!!!!! And it is found in the gluten free section of the grocery story) chocolate. Of course, I still want my chocolate. I broke down and bought some fudge pops for the freezer and all fruit freezer pops.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Still yucky smells. I have yet (knock on wood) to lose my lunch or have to hug the porcelain throne, so I consider myself so very lucky.
Have you started to show yet:  Maybe just a little. Ugh. I was hoping to delay it as long as possible.
Gender prediction:  I hope and pray for a girl.
Labor Signs:  No
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy, until I look at my nursery and think of all the things I have to do in such as short amount of time. You would think that a person who has planned multiple weddings (no not all mine), including a wedding in less than 3 months then skipping out and going to Vegas in the last 2 weeks this nursery thing would be a piece of cake especially since I have til September. (As long as my little one is not impatient; however, being mine, it is likely to be an August Baby as I am always early for EVERYTHING)!
Weekly Wisdom:  Don’t step on the scale!!!! I am having some serious issues with being pregnant. You know the weight gain and the pudge.
Looking forward to: Finding out our baby’s gender. I have my appointment next week and I hope and pray they do an ultrasound to find out the gender. If not, I don’t know if I will be able to make it another 4 weeks to find out. I am driving myself nuts with the waiting.

Anxious and Impatient

The title says it all. I am anxious and impatient. I want to know what we are having sooooo sooo soo bad so I can really get to work on this nursery. It is so bad that Jeff called the doctor today just to make sure that they scheduled an ultrasound to see what little baby Boak is. Sooo, my plan is this. On April 12, we have a doctors appointment after 3. I do not want the ultrasound tech to tell us right there. I plan on taking a envelope with a slip of paper and having her write it down on the paper, then seal the envelope. Then I want to take a big box and the envelope to Party City with the instructions to put 12 balloons inside...pink for a girl and blue for a boy and then seal it. I want to have someone to take photos of my husband and I opening the box and the hopefully pink balloons escaping. I do also plan to have the famous chalkboard in on the action as well. Something like this. But I think I want to put "BABY BOAK IS A ...." instead of the regular girl/boy situation.

15 Weeks

The earrings are from Claire's. The dress is from Belk. The little lacy thing is one of those things you can get at the checkout counter at Walmart. You know those "As seen on Tv" products

How far along? 15 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  2 lbs. However, I feel like it is more. I feel huge but know that I am not.
Maternity clothes?  No. Still in all of my clothes. I have been buying a few dresses that I feel are stretchy and will provide room for me as I grow. (I am going to try to stay out of maternity clothes for as long as possible. As long as I can get dresses and tops that “expand” with me, I am good. I hope!)
Stretch marks?  No, I am using my Mama Mio Belly Oil.
Sleep:  I have those crazy dreams. Plus, my sleep is always interrupted my incessant need to pee all the time. Usually around 3 and 6 in the morning.  
Best moment this week:  The absolute best moment this week had to be the celebration of mine and my husband’s 1 year anniversary. Yes, I know one year is not long, especially since I am preggars, but it has been an absolutely great year. I can’t wait for more, especially since he promised me 50 years if I would get on a plane with him and go to Las Vegas the first time. (Then we ended up getting married there).
Have you told family and friends:  Yes.
Miss Anything? I think I am missing my thin feeling. I feel “ucky”and big when I look in the mirror. I am also missing tan skin, which is why I have been laying out all week.
Movement:  No
Food cravings: Fresh fruit. Strawberries dipped in Cool whip. Blueberries into oatmeal waffles with sugar free syrup. Kiwis by the dozen. Frozen bananas or baked bananas. Fruit with yogurt and granola.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Bad smells or icky situations. Like a kid sneezing and slinging snot when they do…blahblahblah.
Have you started to show yet:  No. Although I feel like I am starting to be “poochy”, which I hate. It looks more fattish than bumpish.
Gender prediction:  Hopefully a girl. I feel like I am driving myself nuts with the not knowing part. I am now terrified that I will not get an ultrasound at my appointment on April 12 and will have to wait another 4 weeks. I know me. I will drive myself absolutely freaking nuts waiting.
Labor Signs:  No
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy, but I am dying to know the gender of little baby Boak.
Weekly Wisdom:  Cherish every moment. I am so lucky to be married to the man of my dreams.
Looking forward to: Harrah’s for our anniversary.

March 21, 2012

A  Moment in Time

A moment.

Frozen in time.

Suspended,

Hanging by a thread.

The clock on the wall

Stopped ticking off

The seconds.

And the whole world stood still.

The ground shook

The sun shined brighter

And the world stopped spinning.

A moment.

Frozen in time.

On that day

When you walked into my life.

And I looked at you.

And…

For the first time,

When I looked into your eyes,

I saw my future there. 

Jeff, from the moment I met you, you captivated, challenged, encouraged, supported, & inspired me, & I aspire to do the same for you.  You are a soldier, a father, a good man.  I accept you as God’s gift & choose to love you unconditionally, for unconditional love cannot be swayed by time & circumstance. Unconditional “love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” & no matter what imperfections exist in us, we choose to love each other anyway. Everything within me, from the analytical thoughts to the goosebumps & butterflies, tells me it is right to commit my life to building a life with you & Kaitlyn.  In today’s world of multiple priorities & responsibilities, I promise to you to commit myself to keeping our relationship a priority & promise you a commitment of my time, energy, heart & spirit.  I vow to love you in good times & in bad, when life seems easy or hard, when our love is simple or an effort.  I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress, & always be open & honest with you. I choose to spend today, & all of my tomorrows with you.  Whatever lies ahead, good or bad, we face each experience together.  All experiences are part of a journey; a journey I would like to take with you & Kaitlyn.  For every moment & every breath, I will be by your side.  As I look back at our past with appreciation, I look forward to our future in anticipation with you…a journey that begins with “I do.”

One year ago, I was married to my best friend. He is my absolute world. He is the person that I love to share every aspect of life with, to the ups and downs, to the smiles and tears, to the sunny days and rainy ones cuddled up on the couch with a blanket. It may have taken me a long time (an a few wrong choices) to find him, but I am sooooo glad that I did.

Maternity shoot (pre-bump)

Our photographer took so many pictures, but these are some of our favorites!

Gotta love his expression! Just a note, it was staged. He is as excited, if not more, than I am about our little baby Boak.

Photography by Expressions by Carrie

She did a wonderful job and will absolutely be doing a shoot with her a little later. Say when I actually have a bump. lol.

Dress by Old Navy

Shoes by Old Navy

White Men's shirt by Old Navy

I guess I was having an Old Navy kind of day. Actually I was in a hurry to find something the day before the pictures. I liked how they turned out though.

Hmmm...

So, according to the baby weight calculator, I am right now 2 lbs under what I should be. It says that I started out underweight so it wants me to gain 28-40 lbs (ending at 140-152). It says at 14 weeks I should be between 116-118 instead of the 114 I happen to be right now. It is all soooo confusing because my doctor didn't seem to be concerned about my weight at all. He even told me that he wanted me to stay within the 25-30 weight gain range (ending at 137-142). I exercise throughout the week. I aim for at least a mile everyday (sometimes I skip a day and do 2 or so miles the next day). I exercise on the bowflex_treadclimber, and I love it. It is so easy on my joints, and I really enjoy walking, especially while listening to peppy music. It is funny. I actually exercise more it seems since I found out I was pregnant. I guess it is because I want to eat right and exercise to have a healthy baby.

Looking forward to...

This is a just a big 'ol list.

1. Spring Break (yay- 9 days of uninterrupted no teenagers days)
2. Harrah's Casino (for a free night, movie voucher, and food credit)
3. Our 1 year anniversary (hope he has something sweet up his sleeve)
4. Uno Chicago Grill (at Harrah's)
5. Breakfast at Paula Deans (at Harrah's)
6. Winning some money (hopefully)
7. Ordering the crib (the one piece of furniture my mom insists on buying. I am a little bummed as I wanted a vintage looking crib and wanted to go with a Jenny Lind; however, it only converts to a toddler bed and day bed but not a full size bed. I really didn't want to get something that I couldn't use later. So now we are looking at this other one from Baby's R Us.)
8. Remodeling the home (already have the guest bathroom cabinets done-we are changing all the cabinets in the house from the ugly oak to an antique white finished thanks to Rust O'luem's cabinet Transformations). We are also adding bronzed hardware to them to give them a more finished appearance as they do not have any sort of handle or knob on them right now. We also have other ideas-getting rid of the carpet upstairs and making it hardwood, building a pergola, making an outdoor kitchen and firepit, painting and stenciling our two guest bedrooms (one of which will be the nursery), and so many other little things.
9. Finishing out the nursery furniture.
10. Finding an armoire for the nursery.
11. DIY nursery projects.
12. Reorganizing-which is top on my Spring Cleaning list.
13. Moving and reordering furniture in the house.
14. I am sure there is more.....lol

14 Weeks

I have to say...I love this picture. Probably in part to the dress which I have had for a year and never worn. Took the tags off right before putting it on. My husband chose this dress for me to wear (out of my closet) on our anniversary. I think it was from Kohls.

How far along? 14 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  1 ½-2 lbs
Maternity clothes?  No.
Stretch marks?  No, I am using my Mama Mio Belly Oil.
Sleep:  I feel like I sleep all the time, or rather I am sleepy all the time. As I type, I am yawning, and it is barely past 10.
Best moment this week:  I loved getting to hear our baby’s heartbeat and see the baby move around like crazy. The ultrasound tech thought I had drank some caffeine or something because the baby was so active. Then, I have to say getting to spend the day with my husband, talking, planning the nursery. He also took me to Cracker Barrel for breakfast/lunch and took me for pizza for dinner. Then at the movie, he also got me a buttered popcorn. I know bad, very, very bad but I do not go off on a tangent and eat terrible most days. I am allowed a little splurge since I haven’t gained that much weight.
Have you told family and friends:  Yes.
Miss Anything? Hmmm, well I am starting to miss things. It seems like I want things that I am told I cannot have. Like a corndog, (which I never eat), or a sub from Subway (which I have maybe once a year), or a cold beverage with a little kick, or to tan or even ride the rides at Dollywood when we take our students in May. I actually don’t think I miss these things per se, I just think I want them because I can’t have them or do them.
Movement:  No
Food cravings: Still fruit and veggies, and yummy salads. I am really digging veggies on the grill, and shying away from meat a little more. I still have a thing for breakfast.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  This is so gross but my dog drinks so much water that she makes herself sick. I CANNOT see it or I start gagging!
Have you started to show yet:  No bump, not really. People don’t believe me when I tell them how far along I am. They always think I am very, very early in the pregnancy (think 4-8 weeks) instead of almost 15. They are like where is your bump??!!
Gender prediction:  Hopefully a girl. I did a survey with my class, and all the classes the amount of students who thought we would have a boy instead of a girl outweighed very slightly.
Labor Signs:  No
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy, but my patience is wearing thinner with my students over silly things.
Weekly Wisdom:  Make memorable moments happen.
Looking forward to: Maternity pictures (pre-bump/announcement type)

Doctor's Appointment

Tomorrow I have an appointment at the doctor for two different tests. FUN...lol note the drippin' with sarcasm there. However, we get to have an ultrasound and see our sweet baby's face, so it will be worth it.

A bit behind...13 Weeks

Owl is from Michael's and the little bear blanky is from my mom. It is sooooo soft and I absolutely love it!

I think this is cute...although I am "pooching" out a little.

White Jacket and green skirt from Body Central store

black shirt is from either from Ross or Marshalls

How far along? 13 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  I have officially gained a pound and a half. Maybe more at the doctor tomorrow.
Maternity clothes?  No.
Stretch marks?  No, I am using my Mama Mio Belly Oil. My loving hubby rubs it on me religiously every single night.
Sleep:  I wish I could sleep later. Since I get up at 6:30 for my job every day, my clock doesn’t want me to sleep in on the weekends.
Best moment this week:  Finding this adorable owl for the nursery. It is white and absolutely adorable. I saw it and was like “OMG, I must have that.” It is very ornate and detailed. I adore it. The language arts teacher in me says the owl stands for wisdom.
Have you told family and friends:  Yes.
Miss Anything? With warm weather approaching, I am missing sitting out on the patio with a good beverage.
Movement:  No
Food cravings: Veggies, veggies and more veggies.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  I get sick only when I get hungry.
Have you started to show yet:  No.
Gender prediction:  Girl.
Labor Signs:  No
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy.
Weekly Wisdom:  Everyone is different. Everyone is different. Everyone is different.
Looking forward to: The doctor’s appointment tomorrow. We get to see our sweet angel. Even though I have to have two test done, one of which is blood (yuck) the end result is soooo worth it.

12 Weeks

Dress is from TJ Maxx

Earrings from Body Central

How far along? 12 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  I have officially gained a pound and a half.
Maternity clothes?  No.
Stretch marks?  No, I am using my Mama Mio Belly Oil. My loving hubby rubs it on me religiously every single night.
Sleep:  The dreams are still driving me nuts. They seem so real.
Best moment this week:  Getting the dresser!
Have you told family and friends:  Yes.
Miss Anything? TANNING. I am sooooo over this pasty pale tail.
Movement:  No
Food cravings: Fruit and veggies, peanut butter smeared on a graham cracker, dark chocolate, and yogurt parfaits..
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Have yet to actually “be sick”but I have gotten a little queasy, especially if I get hungry.
Have you started to show yet:  No, but everyday someone asks if I have.
Gender prediction:  Girl.
Labor Signs:  No
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy, I am ready to shop!
Weekly Wisdom:  I cannot control the things I cannot control.
Looking forward to: Finding out what this sweet baby is and decorating a nursery.

Dreams

First off, I have always been a dreamer. Growing up I used to have such vivid and frankly scary dreams. After a while, they tried different things to get me to sleep through the night without these nightmares that would wake me in a screaming, sweating panic from my sleep. Now, it wasn't always that they were scary, sometimes, they were good dreams that always ended right before the good part. Finally, as a last ditch resort, it was suggested that I repeat a phrase to myself as I fell asleep in hopes that my dreams would be redirected to that phrase. Think of it like a counting sheep. The sentence I would repeat over and over to myself was "I want a good dream about tomorrow." Since I couldn't see or predict the future, my sleep was like a black blanket. I dreamed of nothing. Now, throughout adulthood, the dreams have come back to plague me on occasion. Now that I am pregnant, the dreams have come back in full force. Crazy dreams, weird dreams, and frankly scary dreams. I have dreamed that people I loved have died, I have dreamed that I was a man, I have dreamed of my sweet little baby...and I dreamed she was a girl, I have dreamed of being left all alone, I have dreamed of crazy monsters and vampires, and frankly the sentence is the only thing to help if I remember to say it as I quickly drift off to sleep at night. However, most nights I am really asleep before my head hits the pillow. One night it was so bad that I laid down, my husband turned out the light, walked all the way over to and around the bed and got in. By that time, less than a minutes time, I was snoring.

Weather....and a sweet worried husband

Today our school let out early due to weather. My husband was sooooo cute. He was worried about me and baby Boak making it home okay. I have to also say that he surprised me by making me an apple pie. Yes, he made it all from scratch, crust and all. (I was bad and had 2, yes 2, pieces). He knew that I had been craving an apple pie or apple crisp or something apple sweet so he thought he would treat me. I am sooo spoiled. It is great!