The Best Baby Items - At least in my opinion....

Now that I have my own child I totally have this whole parenting thing figured out - like what works best for a baby and of course, I have the right to judge your parenting skills. Totally kidding. Parenting is a journey, but so far we have been incredibly blessed with a fantastic baby. I wanted to share a few of the items that have worked best for us in these past 8 weeks. Sidenote: I cannot believe it has been 8 weeks already!  

Disclaimer: We have SO many other items that are critical to our every day sanity, but these are just a few I chose to highlight in this post.

E has been rooming in with us. Don't worry, she sleeps in the bassinet in her pack & play. The layout of our room has this little nook area with a light. Within the first week, we bought and installed (by we I mean J) a dimmer switch for the light. Genius. We are able to turn the light on low to change her in the middle of the night. I also dim it when we are doing her bedtime routine and getting ready for bed. In all honesty it is just easier on the parents since J is early to bed and early to rise.

This was one of the best gifts I received post delivery. We were gifted a 6 month subscription to emeals. Every Wednesday I get an email with 7 dinner meals and a grocery list to go along with it. This means that the majority of my grocery shopping is already written out for me AND the meals are already planned! We eat at home a lot and I pack J his breakfast and lunch each day for work so having emeals is an enormous help. I know I will appreciate it more when I return to work. You can choose a plan each month. We started with the Publix plan which was awesome because the meals were planned around the different deals that Publix had going on that week.You can choose plans from clean eating, low fat, slow cooker, paleo, gluten free, etc.

My family made fun of me for using the Baby Connect app, but it is great! I mainly use it to enter her stats at the doctor appointments, vaccinations, when she has been fed (bottle & nursing) as well as the number of diapers. I like to know that she is fed as evenly as possible from each side. You can also add users to enter her information and view it. So when J is with E, I can log in and see when she last ate, etc. It also helps so much with the doctors ask about her eating and diapers - you just pull out your phone! I know I could keep track of it all, but it's much easier to use this app.

When my sister came to visit she suggested using the Netflix account on my iPad for the nursing sessions. I am forever grateful. It helps pass the time when I feed E and J uses it too when she takes her nighttime bottle. I have also expanded my list of tv shows which I know thrills J! So far I have become hooked on Revenge, Once Upon A Time and I just started Army Wives - which I have cried during each episode. I'll probably breeze through this series as well so I am open for suggestions.

We do not swaddle E during the day, but she does sleep in her Woombie Air at night. She has crazy hands and I firmly believe that this helps her sleep. Around 4 weeks she started sleeping in long stretches at night (anywhere from 4-9 hours). I'm terrified her great sleeping will disappear when I go back to work, but we will see. I purchased two woombies and have been very happy with them so far. They are snug, but very strechy so she can move a bit. It also helps me when I feed her because she's confined.

My BFF Double L and I match....Even our Brest Friends match. I think this is a fantastic nursing pillow. It doesn't just fit on you, it buckles around you which gives a lot of support. It also has a little pocket to keep your phone, chapstick, etc. for your nursing sessions. I did not have a C-section, but it claims to be a great pillow for moms who fall into that category.

I know people may laugh at this and say "Give it a few months and you won't sterilize everything or wait until baby number 2 and you won't care that the paci fell on the ground." I assure you that we are not crazy sterilizers for our baby stuff. However, I do sterilize after washing bottles and especially after using my pump. I have this sterilizer plugged in right next to my sink and love the convenience. Surprisingly it holds SO many items (which is great for bottles like Dr. Browns that have a ton of parts) and is very simple to use. It runs for 10 minutes and automatically shuts off when it is done. It has been one of my favorite items thus far and I know I will appreciate it more when I go back to work and have to prep my pump bag and her bag each evening.

Hands down this has been the best gift we received. The Fisher-Price Rock 'N Play Sleeper has been a lifesaver. My plan was to keep this item downstairs for her to nap in during the day. E was jaundice when we left the hospital and we had to keep her on a biliblanket at home for 24 hours. This went on for 2-3 days which made it difficult for her to sleep in her pack & play. That's where this item came in - she was able to keep her blanket on and sleep comfortably in this sleeper. I did move her to the pack & play at night because I was nervous she would be used to sleeping at an incline and that would backfire when we tried to transition her to the crib. It's a great item to contain the baby and it is very easy to take with you while traveling or going up and down the stairs.

Month One

I have struggled with keeping this blog public and cannot decide if I am going to make it private.....Or if I will continue to post without pictures and full names. I have switched most of my picture posting to instagram, but hate not having pictures on here. The Criminal Minds/Law & Order part of me cannot bring myself to do it. Sigh. 

Unfortunately, time has absolutely flown by. In fact, I am writing your one month entry when you are almost 6 weeks old. Thank goodness I take notes on my iphone - otherwise I would not remember any details because you grow so fast!

Sleep: You are sleeping in 3-4 hour increments. In the last few days you will sleep anywhere from 5 hours to 8 hours. At first the long stretches made me nervous, but now I just appreciate them! You are the LOUDEST sleeper. Seriously. I don't know if anyone has a sleeping baby as loud as you. When I get to sleep I don't hear you unless you cry. Your father is not so lucky. Every noise you make wakes him up. On work nights he sleeps in one of the guest rooms so he is rested for work. You have crazy hands and a lovely "startle reflex" - is that what they call it? It's pretty funny to watch when you are napping, but at night you sleep in your wombie which I believe helps you rest. At first you slept and napped in the napper your grandma got you. We would carry it all around the house! I did not want you to get familiar with sleeping on such an incline that we switched back to the original plan of you sleeping in the bassinet on your pack & play. Now you sleep in the bassinet and nap in your swing or napper downstairs.

Clothes and Diapers: You still wear newborn clothes and we will occasionally put you in 0-3 month outfits like your game day onesies. You were in newborn diapers, but due to a horrible diaper rash we have been fighting we have moved you into size 1 diapers. For your first month you have been wearing the Pampers Swaddlers diapers.

Medical: You were a bit jaundice when we left the hospital so for the first few days at home you had a biliblanket. After two days and some blood work, the pediatrician said you were good to go. We also took you to the doctor for a very mild tongue tie and he felt there was no reason to snip it if feeding was getting better (it has stretched) and does not think you will have any speech problems in the future. I think you have a little bit of reflux because you have days where you spit up a ton, but you are a happy spitter and it does not appear to bother you. Your mother is crazy and was convinced that we had thrush so we got medicine as a precaution. As mentioned before you also got a horrible diaper rash around 2 weeks that we have been fighting which was crazy because we are constantly changing you ALL.THE.TIME.

Food: I am currently nursing you which was a bit difficult at first, but has gotten much better. I have started to use the pump with the hope that your mom and dad can go to the Iron Bowl game. As a result, we have begun to try to get you to take a bottle. The first time was crazy due to a lack of preparation on mom and dad's part, but on the second attempt your dad was able to feed you. You seem to prefer the Tommee Tippee bottles thus far. I was really against giving you a bottle before 4 weeks since nursing was going much better, but I know you will need to get ready for daycare. Ugh.

Stats: You weigh 10 lbs and 2 oz so clearly you are getting fed plenty! You have grown a little bit and are 21 inches long.

Events: Your aunt flew all the way from Germany to come meet you! She also used mom's ticket to go to the AU/uga game with your dad. AU had the craziest (and luckiest) catch and won the game! You and I watched the game at home with your grandparents and it is a miracle I did not drop you after the game winning catch. 

Likes:
Mommy Milk
Being held by Dad
The Swing
The Napper - you love the napper and it helped out so much when you were attached to the biliblanket

Dislikes:
When your diaper gets dirty
Being hungry
Being gassy

Around two weeks we had newborn pictures taken. Your aunt was still in town from Germany so she came with us and was a huge help! It was quite an experience and the pictures turned out great. I may be bias, but you are such a beautiful baby! You have the cutest little cheeks and get compliments on your lips almost all the time. Comments have also been made on how alert you are and how much you keep your eyes open. We started doing some tummy time with you on your playmat because you love to bop your head around like crazy. Your dad, grandpa and myself swear that we have all seen you smile and you are starting to "coo" a bit more. Your furry sisters were not quite sure what to do with you. Miss Friski quickly adjusted (because she is our perfect child) and will often hop in my lap when I am holding or feeding you. Fendi Foo does not like the noises you make and is pretty much terrified of you. You are the most loved baby in our family of course and you are the first grandchild on both your mom and dad's side. We love you sweet girl and cannot wait to watch you grow up although the thought makes me cry which could be due to my hormones.

All About Mom:
- I am pretty much thirsty all the time.
- Dropped 29 lbs within the first two weeks. So the baby weight plus some (I had some to lose before getting pregnant) has been lost, but my body definitely does not look like it did pre baby. I am pretty sure the extra weight being lost is from my muscles going away so I cannot wait to work out again. I try and take you on walks when I can, but the cold weather scares me. #paranoidfirsttimemom
- The first two weeks were very sleep deprived, but it got much better.
- Soreness from delivery is still evident, but I can tell that my body is recovering.
- My blood pressure was high when we left the hospital so I am on BP medicine until I have my follow up appointment around 6 weeks. I have never had high BP and it was fine during pregnancy so hopefully it will return to normal at the appointment. I am pretty sure it's a symptom from the trauma that labor and delivery caused - he he. 
- I am cold all the time - even when it's 73 degrees in my house. I hope that goes away when my hormones adjust.
- So very glad to enjoy sushi and sub sandwiches again!

The Friend Baby Shower

I realize that a lot of time has gone by since I had my baby shower with my close friends, but I wanted to make sure to blog about it because it was so awesome. Three of my best friends and my sister hosted a wonderful shower for me back home in Atlanta.

As you can tell from the photo one of the hosts in particular is very creative - my mom is her biggest fan! The decorations were awesome - vintage like and mostly homemade. They went with the orange and blue color scheme for Auburn which was appropriate since it was game day. The diaper cake was so adorable with little Tiger toys for the baby. There is also a station where each guest decorated a onesie and I got to guess who decorated which outfit - loved this! One of my favorite things from the shower was the book where each person gave advice on becoming a mother. Each person signed a picture frame that is currently in the nursery. The food was wonderful and it was gluten-free. No, I don't have an allergy but wheat kills - seriously go read Wheat Belly.

Our friends were very generous and the baby received so many gifts that she needed. She also received quite a few presents from the guests that could not attend which was so thoughtful. After the shower one of my friends (my twin) took some maternity pictures and we were attacked by mosquitoes. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I am SO thankful for all of my friends!!! Baby E cannot wait to meet her aunties!

The ladies at work threw a surprise shower for me, but I didn't get any pictures - oops.

My "Natural" Labor & Delivery

Disclaimer: I did not get too graphic with the story, but it may not be something you want to read. 

Where do I even begin? Five days postpartum and I am finally feeling up to writing about the day our daughter entered the world (this post has taken FOREVER to write and publish)! Hopefully I will not forget too many details - maybe that will be good if you are reading this and have no idea about child birth. I would not want to traumatize anyone!

Baby E graced us with her presence on Friday, October 25th, but I'll start at the beginning of that week. Early Sunday morning I began to lose the mucous plug. One of my due dates (the one from my second doctor) had her arriving on Monday, October 21 so it seemed like things were moving along. Monday came and went without a baby. On Tuesday I had my weekly doctor's appointment, but had not dilated anymore than the 1 cm the week before. For Wednesday and Thursday I was able to work from home because it was our staff retreat. Staff retreat is held at one of our camps and as you can imagine, I was heartbroken not to be attending since I love the outdoors (insert sarcasm). I was also convinced that I would be having the baby that Wednesday. Wednesday came and went with no sign of labor starting.

Early Thursday morning I awoke to contractions and experienced what is called "the bloody show." I started timing the contractions and tried to rest before calling the doctor's office when they opened. J went to work, but came home early morning to accompany me to the doctor where we discovered that I still had not dilated past 1 cm. We were sent home with instructions to walk and we could go to hospital when the pain was so bad that I could not walk or talk. The rest of the day was spent in pain and trying to relax (I think I was able to nap for an hour). We went to bed that evening and I tried to sleep, but with no pain relief and strong contractions it was useless. However, I was still able to talk and walk around so I did not want to go to the hospital and be sent home for not progressing. Around 2 AM I finally decided to shower and wake up J because I was tired of being in pain and thought that if I was sent home at least I could ask for an ambien so I could try to get some sleep before delivering. I was terrified of having very little sleep for two days and having to deliver a baby.

J packed up the car and we headed to the hospital. Much to my surprise, we discovered that I was dilated to 6 CM - Yup, I had labored naturally at home up to 6 CM (you push around 10). I was relieved because that meant we could stay at the hospital and I was totally impressed because I have little tolerance for pain. We completed some paperwork and headed to our labor and deliver room. In the room I was hooked up to some machine to monitor the contractions/baby activity. The first nurse had me wear an oxygen mask - the baby was okay, but "not as active as she would like to see". The on call doctor (she happened to be the only doctor in my OB/GYN practice who I did not meet) arrived and I had dilated to 8 CM. Keep in mind, I still had not received any pain medication. The doctor started feeling on my stomach for the baby and announced that she thought the baby could be around 9 lbs. HA! Excellent news to hear before delivery. Especially since I had yet to get any pain relief! Around 35 weeks our baby was predicted to be around 7 lbs, but no ultra sound or doctor can give you an exact weight until the baby arrives. The doctor began to play out different scenarios about if the baby was that big and if her shoulders get stuck on the way out....Basically thinking of the worst case scenarios which freaked out J, but as the doctor said, it was "her job to be prepared for the worst case scenarios."Yes it is. I do not need the doctor freaking out during labor.

The anesthesiologist arrived and I finally received my epidural at 8 CM dilated. It somewhat helped relieve the back pain and the pain of contractions around my stomach. At this point we were told to prepare to deliver (if everything progressed) in the next hour. It was around 5 AM so J called my parents who needed to board the dog before heading our way. A midwife came in to break my water and that is when we discovered that I needed more pain medication. Apparently for the dilation checks and the water breaking I was told that I would feel pressure, but should not feel anything else. Low and behold I could feel it all. I had such bad pain in my hips, side and back. The doctor had the nurse call the anesthesiologist back to check the epidural and administer more medicine. 

During this whole process, there was a natural childbirth going on next door. Talk about traumatizing. The screaming and noises that J, myself, nurse and doctor could hear were unnerving. There was also some crazy screaming in the hallway going on. We think a poor nurse was getting yelled at by one of the ladies in labor. 

After getting more medicine for the epidural my dilation stalled and I was stuck at 8 CM. Anyone who knows me is aware that I did not want pitocin unless absolutely necessary. After two hours and zero progress, we agreed to start some pitocin. Sigh. I hated the thought of trying to "jump start" a natural process, but it worked. Finally, I we were able to push. It took me a few attempts before I actually got the hang of a successful push. I'd push 3 times each for 10 seconds. My adorable husband could not watch (we knew this going into it - I also did not want him down in that area) so he sat by my head feeding me ice chips and apparently managing the text messages that were coming in from the lucky few who knew we were at the hospital. I pushed for about an hour and a half. Miserable. Aside from being able to feel it all, the worst part was that my legs were cramping from the position I was in so between pushes I had to bring my legs down.

Baby E arrived on October 25, 2013 at 11:57 AM weighing 8 lbs 3 oz and was 20.5" long. She had a large head (so we were told - 34.5 cm) with some lovely brown hair. They placed her on my chest and I remember saying "Hi baby! I don't know what to do with her.....Why is she blue?" Still a magical moment for us, but that's definitely when I thought "I have no idea what I am doing." They got her to cry and starting sucking out all the things that needed to be cleared out. I was able to have her on my chest for a few minutes before they took her to clean and warm up her little body. Her first APGAR score was an 8 and the second one was a 9. We are so blessed that she is a healthy baby!

They put her on my chest briefly then took her to be cleaned up and checked over. Daddy J did watch the doctor pull her out, cut the cord and did not faint. While Baby E was being attended to, I was still being worked on. My feet were in the stirrups and I wanted to die. Actually, I am not sure what I wanted to do. I think my body was going through shock over the trauma of labor and delivery. I felt SO weird. After trying to hold Baby E for a few minutes I had J take her because my body felt so unreliable (weird description I know). My legs were still cramping from being in the stirrups, but I had to hold the pose while the midwife and doctor stitched me up. Cheers for stitches from a natural second degree tear! I asked if they could numb the area because I could feel them working on me which is when the doctor realized the nurses had moved my "push button" for the epidural and it had not been given it back to me. J started pushing that button like crazy, but I'm pretty sure it was too late or maybe that is why my body started feeling all weird. I felt like I had zero control over my movements and that my body would start twitching or shaking if I moved - not sure if this actually happened, but this is what I felt was happening.

The nurses and doctors finally finished and we were left with a baby. Thankfully I was given percocets that worked fantastically - finally some pain relief! J went to grab my parents so they could meet the baby and discover her name. From the hospital we were able to facetime with my sister and BIL in Germany and J went to call his family. I also called and facetimed with a few of our friends and my DJ came by to see us and bring a lovely gift of whiskey and champagne. The hospital was quite busy with deliveries so we had to stay in our labor and delivery room for a while until a postpartum room was available. 

We had hardly told anyone that we were in labor and I am SO glad that we were able to have that time to ourselves. I have no idea if my epidural worked because someone asked me how long it took to get the feeling back in my legs and my response was "um I always had feeling in my legs." Are you only supposed to feel pressure with an epidural or do you feel the pain? Did I get it too late? Maybe I had the "natural" delivery I never wanted! I was super impressed that I lasted as long as I did without medication and no sleep, but next time I may try to get to the hospital a bit earlier. Looking back I have decided that my labor was like 80% natural and lasted 32 hours - it makes me sound tough. 

On Sunday we were discharged and sent home with our gorgeous little girl. It still does not feel real to me. Like I have a baby. I am a mom. But don't you worry your pretty little head Baby E - because I'm not a regular mom. I'm a cool mom!

40 Weeks & No Sign Of Baby Brit

How far along: 40 weeks

Total weight gain: +22 lbs from pre pregnancy weight. +1 lb from my last appointment......4 days ago - yikes!

Maternity clothes: I pretty much wear the same pair of pants each day......It sucks. I also realized that  all of my maternity wear is spring/summer which won't be beneficial for the postpartum days in November and December when it's WINTER. Maybe I will be "that girl" who just magically drops all the weight after birth - SIKE! Or I can just wear sweat pants for the rest of my life. OMG do not let me become "that" mom.

Stretch marks: Sigh. Yes. I really thought I would get them on my sides, but no. I have some right in the front of my belly around my belly button.

Sleep: I love sleeping. When I fall asleep I am dead to the world. I know that will change soon so I am savoring every moment of it! Even getting up 2-3 times a night I am still falling right back asleep.

 

 

Best moment of this week: Beating TAMU and Johnny Football himself AND NOT GOING INTO LABOR.  And I'm glad it didn't start because Johnny Manziel would have tried to take credit for that.

Miss anything: Running, sushi, proactiv face wash (although my wonderful mother brought some to me when they visited last weekend - YAY), shaving - oh I am still shaving, but it is much more challenging these days! 

Movement:  LOVE the movements. It is absolutely mind blowing to know God has this little person moving around inside me. I don't think she is quite as active, but I imagine her space is getting a bit limited.

Food cravings: Anything that doesn't require me cooking.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Acid reflux can pop up sometimes which is annoying.

Have you started to show yet: If I said no it would be the understatement of the year.

Gender: Baby Brit!!! Sorry Cam.

Labor signs: At my appointment yesterday, there is no progress from last week. Her head is still down and I assume I am still 50% effaced. Still, a fingertip dilated which is more than nothing. I guess my body is somewhat progressing. I did learn that I am having contractions although I can't feel them (according to some machine that was monitoring everything).

Belly button in or out: Mostly out. It's freaky and I hope it goes back down after she's here. Agh.

Wedding rings on or off: On - I do take them off at night. And they are tough to get on in the morning sometimes, but I'm still rocking them. 

Happy or moody most of the time: Calm. Like scary calm. I truly am not freaking out - I think everyone else around us is more anxious than we are. If I don't answer a phone call I get texts (or J gets texts) asking if we are in labor. I have not gotten to that point where I want this baby out of me. I am very content right now and believe she will come when God wants her to come. However, I am praying to go into labor naturally and not have to be induced. Lately I have a huge fear of needing pitocin. Non medical induction is somewhat okay, but I prefer no medical intervention. However, if induction is necessary for medical reasons that is a different story and I would obviously do what's best for our health.

 

Looking forward to:  Meeting her of course! Tuesday is our next appointment and then we will have an actual game plan for birth. I would love to go into labor on Tuesday so that she is not born on Halloween, which is next Thursday. It's a stupid hope, but I really don't want her to share a birthday with a holiday let alone Halloween. Dumb I know, but it's one of my fabulous quirks I suppose.

39 Weeks with Baby Brit

How far along: 39 weeks

Total weight gain: +21 lbs from pre pregnancy weight. +5lbs from my last appointment - um what?!?! And I thought last week was the most weight gain from in between appointments! I have gained 9 lbs in the last 3 weeks yet I feel like I hardly eat. I swear if this child has gained 9 more lbs.........

Maternity clothes: I pretty much wear the same pair of pants each day with one or two dresses thrown in to mix it up. It sucks.

Stretch marks: Sigh. Yes. I really thought I would get them on my sides, but no. I have some right in the front of my belly around my belly button.

Sleep: When I am asleep I am knocked out. Due to some lovely stressful issues as of lately I have had trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. But, when I am asleep it's AMAZING.

 

 

Best moment of this week: Hanging out with J and the foos. Our time is limited. These poor kitten mittens aren't going to know what hit them. #poorMissFriski

Miss anything: Running, sushi, proactiv face wash, getting out of bed without rolling over or pulling up on the headboard for assistance, shaving - oh I am still shaving, but it is much more challenging these days! 

Movement:  LOVE the movements. It is absolutely mind blowing to know God has this little person moving around inside me.

Food cravings: Anything that doesn't require me cooking.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really. Acid reflux can pop up sometimes which is annoying.

Have you started to show yet: I would hope so since I have the ability to gain 5 lbs in 10 days.

Gender: Baby Brit!!! Sorry Cam.

Labor signs: No contractions (that I know of).  Her head is down further and I am 50% effaced. I was told that I am a fingertip dilated which is more than nothing. So I guess my body is somewhat progressing. I have had more back pain, but that's about it.

Belly button in or out: Kinda out....It's sketchy.

Wedding rings on or off: On - I do take them off at night. And they are tough to get on in the morning sometimes, but I'm still rocking them. 

Happy or moody most of the time: Anxious. I am very excited for us to meet her and find out what kind of baby she is. Like will I be able to breastfeed? Will I have an emergency c section? There is just so much that you cannot prepare for and anything could happen.

 

Looking forward to:  I don't know......Meeting baby Brit? My next appointment is on Monday which will mark my 40 weeks. If we make it to the appointment then we will discuss a more realistic plan of when we may be having the baby. I'm also looking forward to J meeting the baby. I feel like it can be so unrealistic for the dad until the baby is here. They don't feel the child moving all the time or hiccuping or how uncomfortable it can be to pick something up - where as I have experienced all of this over 39 weeks. I'll still be in shock and I am truly terrified of L&D, but I think it will be cool when it's "real" for Boo Boo Boppers.

38 Weeks with Baby Brit

How far along: 38 weeks

Total weight gain: +16 lbs from pre pregnancy weight. +4 lb from my last appointment - um what?!?! That's the most gain in between appointments EVER. The doctor came in and said "your weight gain looks great!" And then I proceeded to question where he got his medical degree. Kidding. But we have (at the most) 3 weeks to go and as long as that baby did not gain 4 lbs all on her own then we are good.

Maternity clothes: Duh. I am getting sick of wearing the same stuff every day.

Stretch marks: Sigh. Yes. I really thought I would get them on my sides, but no. I have like 4 right in the front of my belly around my belly button. They need to fade. Like now.

Sleep: When I am asleep I am knocked out. I haven't heard J get ready for work or leave the house at all. Granted there is still a party in the bed with pillows, pillow pets and live Foos crawling around.

Best moment of this week: My office threw a surprise baby shower for me! Very sweet. Yummy food and funny stories. It was great.

Miss anything: Running, sushi, proactiv face wash, getting out of bed without rolling over or pulling up on the headboard for assistance, shaving - oh I am still shaving, but it is much more challenging these days! For the first time in (maybe forever) I missed being able to drink. I could have used an adult beverage this week.

Movement:  LOVE the movements. It is absolutely mind blowing to know God has this little person moving around inside me.

Food cravings: Sweets!

Anything making you queasy or sick: I'm not getting queasy again, but I do get fuller faster. If I feel too full then I start to feel a bit sick.

Have you started to show yet: Oh yes....Surprise! I'm pregnant!

Gender: Baby Brit!!!

Labor signs: Nope.....And this plays on my fears that I won't know I am in labor. Or I will think I am in labor and I'm not. I pray this sweet baby stays put for the next 2 weeks! She is head down, but I am still not dilated.  According to the doctor, his "gut" is telling him that nothing will happen in the next week - fine with me!

Belly button in or out: In, but it's trying to come out and is VERY close. It's disturbing.

Wedding rings on or off: On - I do take them off at night. And they are tough to get on in the morning sometimes, but I'm still rocking them. Weird question - do you wear jewelry when you are in labor?

Happy or moody most of the time: Anxious. I am very excited for us to meet her.

Looking forward to:  The nursery is pretty much done! Almost everything has been washed. My parents are coming for the night on their way to Auburn for the game on Saturday so Woman and I are going to get the closet ready and maybe hang some things on the wall since the wall is bare. And we may pack our bags for the hospital. Yes it's mind blowing that my OCD self has not done that yet. Pregnancy has mellowed me out.

36 Weeks

How far along: 36 weeks

Total weight gain: +12 lbs from pre pregnancy weight. -1 lb from my last appointment. Thinking back though I imagine my TOTAL weight gain is around 18 lbs since I lost some weight in the beginning....So if we are going to get technical about it, there you go.

Maternity clothes: Duh. I am getting sick of wearing the same stuff every day.

Stretch marks: Sigh. Yes. I really thought I would get them on my sides, but no. I have like 4 right in the front of my belly around my belly button. They need to fade. Like now.

Sleep: I do sleep well, but get up 1-3 times during the night. My back has started to ache so I have made a fortress out of 4 pillows, 1 body pillow and 2 pillow pets (Mr. Tiger & my shark). Throw in Miss Friski and Fendi Foo and we have a full on party in the bed.

Best moment of this week: The painter came and did the stripes in the nursery! He should be finishing up today so hopefully it can air out and I can start putting things together.

Miss anything: Running, sushi, proactiv face wash, getting out of bed without rolling over or pulling up on the headboard for assistance, shaving - oh I am still shaving, but it is much more challenging these days!

Movement:  LOVE the movements. It is absolutely mind blowing to know God has this little person moving around inside me. Like super weird. Her positioning yesterday about killed me. I have been very blessed in being mostly comfortable until yesterday. However she was positioned, it hurt. It hurt to sit at my desk and to drive in the car. Like it hurt to breathe in and my back was killing. Once I was able to stand up or lay down it sent away, but I hope work days like that aren't in my future. :(

Food cravings: Sweets!

Anything making you queasy or sick: I'm not getting queasy again, but I do get fuller faster. If I feel too full then I start to feel a bit sick.

Have you started to show yet: Oh yes....

Gender: Baby Brit!!!

Labor signs: Nope.....And this plays on my fears that I won't know I am in labor. Or I will think I am in labor and I'm not. I pray this sweet baby stays put for the next 4 weeks! She is head down though, but I am not dilated. 

Belly button in or out: In, but it's trying to come out. Creepy.

Wedding rings on or off: On - I do take them off at night.

Happy or moody most of the time: Tired. But I am excited to wash her clothes and get the nursery set up so I can feel somewhat accomplished. It's very unlike me to be pushing it this close (yes a month is close) to the due date and not be ready, like at all. 

Looking forward to:  Getting organized! Making sure everything is washed and packing a hospital bag. I know all of you "pro" moms are probably laughing, but I tend to freak out and possibly have OCD tendencies. I need to make sure this stuff is done and ready to go!

35 Weeks

How far along: 35 weeks

Total weight gain: +13 lbs from pre pregnancy weight. +.5 from my last appointment.

Maternity clothes: More like which maternity clothes can you still fit into? I pretty much wear the same pair of pants to work everyday (yes I am washing them at night) and I still love my dresses! I'm waiting on flipping zulily to send another pair of pants before the baby gets here. They are taking FOREVER.

Stretch marks: Sigh. Yes. I really thought I would get them on my sides, but no. I have like 4 right in the front of my belly around my belly button. They need to fade. Like now.

Sleep: I do sleep well, but get up 1-3 times during the night. My back has started to ache so I have made a fortress out of 4 pillows, 1 body pillow and 2 pillow pets (Mr. Tiger & my shark). Throw in Miss Friski and Fendi Foo and we have a full on party in the bed.

Best moment of this week: I had our last ultra sound today and she is weighing in at 5 lbs. 13 oz. The doctor is predicting her weight to be under 8, but at 7 lbs. We shall see. I know the weight can be off by about 2 lbs.

Miss anything: Running, sushi, proactiv face wash

Movement:  LOVE the movements. It is absolutely mind blowing to know God has this little person moving around inside me. Like super weird.

Food cravings: I'm wanting more sweets now. Like a cupcake or banana split or a coke.

Anything making you queasy or sick: I'm not getting queasy again, but I do get fuller faster. If I feel too full then I start to feel a bit sick.

Have you started to show yet: Yup.

Gender: Baby Brit!!!

Labor signs: Nope.....And this plays on my fears that I won't know I am in labor. Or I will think I am in labor and I'm not. I pray this sweet baby stays put for the next 4 weeks!

Belly button in or out: In, but it's trying to come out. Creepy.

Wedding rings on or off: On - I do take them off at night.

Happy or moody most of the time: Tired. For the past two weeks I have had a meeting every night after working all day. We went to AU for the Miss State game Saturday night and wow. I reached a new level of exhaustion - I could barely get out of bed on Sunday because I was so spent.

Looking forward to: One day my nursery will be done.....or maybe I am just fooling myself.

We did meet with a pediatrician who we liked so at least we can start with her and change doctors if need be later on. I still need to do my birth plan, wash clothes, and get my maternity leave plan for work in order. It's about time that I drop in to visit the day care we think we will go with and I suppose I should start thinking about what I need to take with us to the hospital when the big day arrives. Suggestions?

33 Weeks

How far along: 33 weeks

Total weight gain: +12.5 lbs. AGH! I almost had a heart attack since that was 3.5 lbs up from the last appointment only 2 weeks ago! But since I had not gained the previous two weeks the doctor said it was my body catching up.

Maternity clothes: Yes, pretty much everything is maternity these days. I am totally not wanting to buy anymore clothes since we are so close to the end. However, Burlington Coat Factory has super cheapo maternity clothes (random right?). I picked up a pair of maternity shorts for $5 so I have something to wear on Game Day.

Stretch marks: I knew some more were getting ready to pop out and they have. I now have a couple on my stomach. Sigh. And yes I have been using the lotion/oil although I really don't think it makes a difference necessarily.

Sleep:  Typically I am sleeping pretty well it's just a matter of getting comfortable. Our bed looks like a hot mess on my side. I have two pillows for my head, a body pillow on one side, a bigger pillow on the other side, a small pillow for my back and a shark and Mr. Tiger Pillow Pet that alternate between my back and my head. No lie. It's madness. I get up one to three times during the night and occasionally I can't fall back asleep for 2-3 hours afterwards. My legs/hips have started to cramp sometimes so I change positions a lot.

Best moment of this week: Getting to watch Auburn play in person last Saturday! It was hot and I was super cranky about going to tailgate and then to the game, but I surprised myself (and everyone else) and lasted the entire time. And AU won. WDE.

Food cravings: None really. Although I did enjoy eating Reese's Peanut Butter Cups on top of plain potato chips last week. I was getting food ready for our tailgate. Otherwise I would have eaten the entire bag of chocolate and chips.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope. The humidity at the start of the game last week made me wee bit queasy, but I continued to drink water and fan myself until I felt better.

Have you started to show yet:  Absolutely. I feel huge. And I can tell that I keep getting bigger.

Gender: Baby Britney. Although we won't be sharing her name until delivery and we still don't have a name.

Labor signs: No.

Belly button in or out: In, but the other day it was kind of popping out (maybe the baby's position) and I freaked out. Luckily, it's still in and I hope it stays that way!

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Happy or moody most of the time: Tired.

Looking forward to: My baby shower tomorrow with my BFFs! And the painter (yes the nursery is still unfinished) is supposed to start next week. :)

My Adult Baby Shower

When J & I got married we had a couple of lovely wedding showers thrown for us. Two were thrown by my friends and the other was thrown by friends of my mother - hence the name "adult shower." It doesn't matter that I am just shy of being 30 years old, I referred to this baby shower as my "adult baby shower." Hehe.

Three wonderful ladies from my parent's Sunday School class offered to throw BRAM and I a baby shower. It was AMAZING and despite the rainy weather, we had a fantastic turnout. So many ladies were there which is a true testament to how loved Woman is. She is the best! The group was a mix of the ladies from their current Sunday School class, friends from literally 20+ years ago who have watched me grow up, ladies from my mom and dad's newlywed Sunday School class from way back in the day, sweet prayer warriors from Mom's In Touch and J's family too. It was a packed house.

 

Have you ever seen such a perfect diaper cake?!? 108 diapers complete with bows, utensils, shoes, teething rings. I loved it!

Yummy food. I'm such a sucker for any kind of shower food.

The "sweet" table. I devoured the delicious chocolate cake.

Hello Pinterest! I was so excited to see this!!!

The pink dresses were name tags for the guests and they signed in on our new baby book.

Flipping cute.

Sweet Amy made two amazing AU onesies with her new monogramming toy. 

One of the hostesses made this alphabet box. I don't have a good picture of it, but she hand painted it and decorated it in navy and coral (nursery colors). I LOVED it!

Woman made a blanket for the baby with the nursery colors and it turned out very well. 

I was seriously having anxiety over not having anything for baby Brit. I am such a planner and pregnancy might be the very last thing that you can fully plan for. We are so thankful and appreciative for everyone who has blessed this baby girl with much needed items, but most importantly, their prayers. As most of you know I am a total nut case who will freak out and stress over almost anything, yet I have been so eerily calm while pregnant (just ask my friend DJ - it has scared her a bit that I am so at peace although I do have my moments). I fully believe that without prayer that this baby journey would have been an unnecessary bumpy ride so it was great to see a bunch of our family friends who have (probably unknowingly) made this time a smoother transition for J & I. 

And War Eagle..........It's almost GAME DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

31 Weeks

How far along: 31 weeks

Total weight gain: +9 lbs from my pre pregnancy weight. +2 lbs from last months appointment.  Very suspect. So I celebrated by eating some Krystals. Yup. I never had Krystals for 27 years of my life until we moved back to Georgia.

Maternity clothes: Yes, pretty much everything is maternity these days except for my summer dresses. I ordered two more shirts and a pair of pants/capris to hopefully get me through these last 8 weeks.

Stretch marks: I totally have an ugly like purple one. It's not that big, but I feel like more are getting ready to pop out. And yes I have been using the lotion/oil although I really don't think it makes a difference necessarily.

Sleep:  Typically I am sleeping pretty well. I get up once (sometimes twice now) during the night and occasionally I can't fall back asleep for 2-3 hours afterwards.

Best moment of this week:  I had a fantastic baby shower this past weekend thrown by my mother's friends! It was awesome. I will be posting and sharing pictures from it. This baby girl is already so blessed by the women who pray for her.

Food cravings: None really. Did I mention that I have eaten Krystals twice this week? Yikes. No more for sure.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really. Football season starts in 9 days so I'm hoping the heat won't be too bad. I also hope this team is much better than last years otherwise they might make me sick.

Have you started to show yet:  Absolutely. I feel huge, but I know I'm not "that" big.  Terrified for these last few weeks.

Gender: Baby Britney. Although we won't be sharing her name until delivery. We may have a name.

Labor signs: No.

Belly button in or out: In, but I was having random pain around my belly button for a few days. I would like it to stay in!

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Happy or moody most of the time: Content. I'm very happy and getting a bit more tired. It's my busy season at work which helps pass the time, but wears me out.

Looking forward to: My FIL is coming to paint the nursery tonight. Once that is done the furniture can go in the appropriate place and we can start getting her room ready.

28 Weeks

How far along: 28 weeks. 12 more weeks to go!

Total weight gain: +7 lbs from my pre pregnancy weight. +5 lbs from last months appointment.  So far so good. I would be lying if I said that I don't have anxiety about blowing up during this last trimester. I'm terrified of the weight gain and how big I will get.

Maternity clothes: Yes, pretty much everything is maternity these days except for my summer dresses and a few looser tops that I have.

Stretch marks: I think I have one. It's a small mark near my belly button. AGH. And yes I have been using the lotion/oil although I really don't think it makes a difference necessarily.

Sleep:  Typically I am sleeping pretty well. I get up once (sometimes twice now) during the night and occasionally I can't fall back asleep for 2-3 hours afterwards. Fendi Foo the howling cat, has calmed down.

Best moment of this week:  Once again, she refused to show her face for the ultrasound. She actually had her hand blocking her face, which was cool because I could tell it was a hand! I am HORRIBLE at deciphering ultrasounds. Anyways, they were able to get the lip/chin shot they needed, but we will be back for another ultrasound to hopefully get a profile pic. Oh and I received an invitation for my first baby shower!

Food cravings: None really. I have been drawn to white rice with butter - weird, right?

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope. I wish it wasn't so hot so I could actually walk outside and get some exercise. Between work and play, I have only been working out twice a week ish. And then I feel like I have hardly worked out since I can barely do anything. 

Have you started to show yet:  Absolutely. I feel huge, but I know I'm not "that" big.  Terrified for what these next 3 months hold. :)

Gender: Baby Britney. Although we won't be sharing her name until delivery. Not that we even have a name now.

Labor signs: No.

Belly button in or out: In.

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Happy or moody most of the time: Excited & scared. I cannot wait to meet her! And at the same time it is so scary that 12 weeks is right around the corner. Our crib, dresser and the pack & play are set up. The nursery should be getting painted sometime in the next month.

Looking forward to: My first shower in a couple of weeks!

Smokey Mesquite BBQ Meatball Sliders & Baked Penne

If you read my previous post you know that J & I have a friend we like to lovingly call "The Roommate." TR (The Roommate) also goes by the name Daddy's Jewels and has made appearances on this blog before. TR/DJ was recently promoted and moved back to the area, but needed a place to stay for a few weeks until her place was ready. Last Sunday she wanted to cook dinner and found this amazing recipe on Pinterest that we all loved. I wish I could take credit that we came up with this totally unhealthy, amazing idea, but I can't. Instead, may I present:

 
Holy cow these were good. I mean really, really good. J loved them. I loved them. TR/DJ loved them. They seemed to not take a long time to make either (although I was also watching Law & Order SVU so I'm not really sure how long they actually took). We also had leftovers and they were just as good heated up the next day or two. I swear this little concoction is something everyone will enjoy and would be great for football season, parties, date night (you may want to cut out the onions), etc. This recipe is not mine, but you can get it here.



Another recipe that was a hit last week was the Baked Penne that I stumbled across on Pinterest.

This was simple to make and tasted great. It also made plenty of leftovers that reheated nicely. I will definitely use it again. You can get this recipe here.

Both recipes were a nice, welcomed change from my steamed veggies and baked chicken/fish dinners. My poor house guests. Clearly I am starving them.

**Both pictures are from the recipe sites and are not mine. I mean did you really think I could take great photos like that from my iphone?

24 Weeks

How far along: We are at 24 weeks today.

Total weight gain: +2 lbs from my pre pregnancy weight. +5 lbs from last months appointment. Agh. I mean I have a belly so I guess it's about time for the scale to shoot up.  I don't know if I can handle that.

Maternity clothes: Yes, pretty much everything is maternity these days except for my summer dresses and a few looser tops that I have.

Stretch marks:None I think. I guess I need to start getting some belly lotion or whatever to help prevent....even though I'm pretty positive it's just a marketing scam. :)

Sleep:  Typically I am sleeping pretty well. I get up once during the night and sometimes (maybe once or twice a week) I can't fall back asleep for 2-3 hours afterwards. I also have this crazy cat named Fendi Foo who goes on howling sprees to try and prepare us for a baby. Yup.

Best moment of this week:  I finally decided on nursery colors (navy, coral and gray). Plus the baby moves all the time and I LOVE IT.

Food cravings: I am really loving some Ben & Jerry's ice cream, but will be cutting that out! Sweets are sounding better and better even though I was never a big sweets person. Of course cheese fries and chips sound good too. I definitely do not give in to all of that although I wish I could!!!

Anything making you queasy or sick: My allergies have been bothering my eyes so badly. All of the allergy eye drops are class C which means I'm not risking it.

Have you started to show yet:  I sure have. I feel like my belly has blown up this month. It scares me that I will only be getting bigger and bigger since I still have roughly 16 weeks to go.

Gender: Baby Britney. Although we won't be sharing her name until delivery. Not that we even have a name now. I may just name her after Miss Friski.

Labor signs: No.

Belly button in or out: In.

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy and stressed. I feel like October is so far away and yet it doesn't seem there is enough time to get everything done. We ordered her furniture this weekend and it should be here this week. Colors are picked out. There are so many things (expensive things at that) that she will need like a car seat and all. Overwhelmed might be the best way to describe me. Not to mention finding a daycare, pediatrician, etc.

Looking forward to: My roommate moving out (are you reading this DJ?!) Doesn't that sound harsh? One of my friends has been with us for a couple of weeks until her place is ready. I love having her stay with us because we catch up on PLL, Real Housewives, we cook, clean, etc., but when she moves out that means that we will have access to her pool and I am looking forward to swimming as the next two months will be getting HOTTER! That seriously is the only reason I am letting her go. :)

20 Weeks

How far along: 20 weeks

Total weight gain: We had a doctor's appointment last week where I asked this very same question. I am down a total of 3 lbs from my pre pregnancy weight. I was not lying about how sick I felt!

Maternity clothes: Yes and no. Still wearing non maternity flowy dresses, shirts and a few loose pants. Regardless of my weight being down, the belly is there so I do love some of my maternity shorts and pants because they are so comfortable.

Stretch marks: No

Sleep: I was sleeping awesome. I had a few days where I was getting an average of 5 hours, but the past few days have been okay. As soon as I found out we were pregnant I started to try and sleep on my side because I totally sleep straight on my stomach and knew that wouldn't be an option during the entire pregnancy. So far it's okay. I still sleep on my stomach some, but mainly on my side.

Best moment of this week: Well, last Thursday we had our big ultrasound and found out what we were having! I was so excited. It was also the "deadline" I gave myself to share the news publicly. The picture above is what went viral. :) The rest of our families were glad to because they were so tired of keeping our secret - although SOME were better at secret keeping than others. The baby would show everything but their face so we get to see that (hopefully if baby cooperates) on our next appointment. Nothing like having an ultrasound every appointment.

Miss anything: Running - who would have thought I would ever say that?! Sushi. I miss being able to stay up late.

Movement: Around 18 weeks I started to notice the "flutters" more. I love it. It's the best feeling ever.

Food cravings: Salty foods - like dips and chip. I crave sweet drinks: regular coke and sweet tea. YUM.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Praise the Lord that I started to feel better around 17 weeks. Seriously. I was terrified that I would be sick during my entire pregnancy. Now I just get hungry, not really sick.

Have you started to show yet: Yes. I still don't feel like it's a cute bump, but then again I'm not sure that I will ever be that cute bumped pregnant girl.

Gender: Baby BRAM (Britney or Cam) is............... BRITNEY!!!!!!!! 

Parent reactions: 

J - "Daddy's girl." 

Me - "OMG J we have to pay for a wedding." 

Yup. Those were the first things each of us said.

Labor signs: Gosh no.

Belly button in or out: In.

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Happy or moody most of the time: Excited. Once we found out the gender I feel like I can start doing so many more things to prepare. I'm still quite terrified most of the time, so I am praying constantly for peace and a healthy baby girl. God is in control and I am okay with that. But I still have my moments because I am crazy.

Looking forward to: My sister is coming to visit this weekend before she leaves me for Germany. :( UGH. I'm excited to do some baby things with her like show her the furniture we are thinking about and going to possibly start one of our registries. Everything is so flipping expensive and it's not like you can go super cheap - hello this is a little baby I am responsible for.