Spring Cleaning

I don't know if it's being pregnant or the fact that Spring is finally here but I would love nothing more than to spend a day on my hands and knees scrubbing baseboards and dusting all the nooks and crannies in my china hutch. My house stays pretty clean most of the time because (I probably need mental help) I can't relax if I know there's a big mess in the kitchen or somewhere else. (Except laundry. I have a really hard time keeping up with laundry!)

Lately I've been in the market for a new vacuum - do any of y'all have any good recommendations??? As much as I would *love* to have one of these...

It's just not in the budget right now. Actually, we are still using the vacuum Joe's mom got him when he moved to his first apartment to start medical school. That thing has seen better days! Sometimes I wonder if it's really picking up dirt and pet hair or just making pretty lines in the carpet! Ha!

Vacuuming is my least favorite household chore. I honestly think I'd rather clean a toilet. I'm hoping maybe you have a good suggestion for a new vacuum that will pick up dog hair and sweep carpet and hardwoods! Or if you do have a Dyson you love go on and tell me that too and maybe I can convince the hubby! Ha!

Happy Wednesday!

25 Weeks!!!

I'm already 25 weeks pregnant! 

How I'm feeling:
I'm still feeling really good! Last week I had my first Braxton Hicks contraction where my stomach tightened up (thankfully it didn't hurt like a normal contraction probably will!)

About the baby:
The baby is over a foot long and starting to open it's eyes. He/she kicks like crazy if I eat something really hot or really cold or if I lay on my side! Joe and I have FINALLY decided on baby names but we're keeping them a secret until the birth :)

Doctor Appointments:
We had an appointment last week and I found out I passed my glucose test! Yay! I had a smoothie to celebrate! Ha! I also had to get the Rhogam shot in my hiney. Now we start going to the doctor every two weeks.

Food:
Current favorite foods: I'm still obsessed with fruit and I love the Cherry Limeade Chiller at Sonic. I split a small one with Joe three days in a row this weekend!!

Current food aversions: still can't even bear to think about avocados or eggs. I divert my eyes when I see them at the grocery store.

My body:
I have officially gained 17 pounds.

The nursery:
After our JCPenney fiasco (PLEASE don't order furniture from them :( )We ordered *new* nursery furniture this weekend and because time is getting limited I'm glad to say it's being delivered on Thursday!! Yay!

Baby gear:
We finally started our baby registry last week. Our parents were bugging us to get it started and I must admit, I was putting it off because it's really overwhelming. I always feel weird about registries anyway - I hate asking for gifts and opening presents in front of people!!!

Joe and I also ordered new living room furniture last weekend so I'm excited to show you what it looks like!! And I have a LIST of projects we're working on that I really want to share too!

Happy Monday!!!

It's All In The Drink...

I had to go in for my glucose test today - and I was dreading not only the test but being without sweets for 12 hours! ha! The test makes sure you don't have Gestational Diabetes and they make you drink a solution and then they take your blood. The drink itself wasn't that bad - it tasted like Cool Aid (which I never drank as a kid because I don't like things that aren't caffeinated - I know, I'm a picture of good health ;-)

I was glad I had my iPad in my purse because I had to sit in the lab for an hour after drinking it before they could draw my blood. I sat and read a book on it and watched the other pregnant ladies come in for their tests. It was THE place to be today!

Then I ran over to Sam's Club because Joe and I were there last night and I saw this serving set for $40 and I couldn't stop thinking about it - I even called my Mom and told her about it. Wouldn't this be perfect for parties??? So I went back today and got it. All the dishes are oven, microwave and DISHWASHER safe!

Truth be told, I look for any excuse to go to Sam's Club because they have a little cafe area with food and they also have Coke Icee's! I am obsessed. I could drink one every day but I only let myself splurge on one every once in a while.

Let's hope I pass my glucose test because otherwise I may have to cut out all Coke Icee's! Ha!

24 Weeks!!!

How I'm feeling:
I feel great!! I tend to get out of breath easier and bending over is getting harder but I have lots of energy and feel really good!!

About the baby:
The baby is the size of an eggplant and kicks all the time! So far he/she hasn't been in my ribs, most of the kicks are still around my belly button or lower (maybe one of the few benefits of being tall - lots of room to move!).

Doctor Appointments:
We have our next appointment this week and I'll also be doing the DREADED glucose testing this week. Please tell me it's not as bad as I hear..!

Food:
Current favorite foods: FRUIT. Most of the time you can find Joe in the kitchen doing this...

Current food aversions: still can't even bear to think about avocados or eggs. I still divert my eyes when I see them at the grocery store. Ha!


My body:
My bump is getting bigger and rounder by the minute it seems!

The nursery:
I haven't mentioned it on my blog but we've had major problems with our furniture. JCPenney (who I used to be a big fan of) really disappointed us. We ordered over $2000 worth of furniture in January and we still have only 1/2 of what we ordered and the rest has been broken by the trucking company or discontinued. They also charged us for and almost sent a second crib without us authorizing it and we've had SO many problems with their customer service. They've set up appointments for us to be home to have furniture delivered and they've not shown up. They've "lost" our order. So, we are returning what we have and getting something else. Stay tuned. This whole thing has been such a mess and I have never been the type of person to smear the name of a company but I can honestly say I've been so disappointed by our experience with JCPenney that I won't shop there anymore :(

The nursery is totally painted! Next on the list is installing the new ceiling fan!

Baby gear:
On a happier note.. we ordered and LOVE our new stroller to match our carseat! I had so much fun watching Joe figure out all the little features. He is great with gadget type things. I'm scared I'll be the mom who lets their baby roll down the hill in the stoller. 

I got this cute moses basket at a consignment sale!

Happy Monday!!

First Trimester Survival Kit

Doesn't it always seem like people get pregnant in waves? I have a lot of friends who are currently pregnant or who are about to embark on trying to get pregnant so I thought I would make a list of all the things I would have used if I had a survival kit for the first trimester. (I'll do my second trimester later - I'm almoooost done with mine!) And I'll be way more prepared for pregnancy #2 now. In 15 years.

1. Unscented Soaps and Lotions

Pregnancy causes a heightened sense of smell and most things with scents will probably bother you.  (Joe got kicked out of bed for eating a graham cracker once - the smell was SO strong).

2. Reusable Water Bottle

 I think it's pretty typical for newly pregnant women to be deliriously thirsty (at least I was and I usually hate water). I got some reusable water bottles to refill throughout the day. For me, I liked having the straw too.

3. What to Expect When You're Expecting Phone App

This is probably one of my favorite things and I look at it several times every day! The main screen keeps track of exactly how far along you are (23 weeks and 3 days, for example) and also gives you an approximate size of the baby. It's SO fun to tell people your baby is the size of a walnut, apple or large ear of corn (what my baby is currently!) Honestly, I bought the What to Expect When You're Expecting book, but I have used this app much more and it gives you tidbits directly from the book every single day.

4. Subscription of Parents and Parenting Magazine

Order them NOW and you'll start getting magazines in the mail in your second trimester. And believe it or not, you will get WAY more excited than when your Lucky used to arrive. Or at least I did :)

5. Snoogle

I hated it when I first used it, then I tried using it again during the end of my first trimester and loved it. Since it's best for blood flow to the baby that you sleep on your left side, this gives you something to hold and keeps you propped up. And I love having a pillow between my legs for back support.

6. BeBand

When the bloat/bump start to form and you can wear your pants, you just can't quite button them this is a lifesaver! I didn't gain any weight during the first trimester but I still couldn't button my pants (???) and wore these almost every day. Actually, I still use mine now to wear some of my "normal" jeans at 23 weeks.

So there you have it - everything to make the first trimester easier (it's the worst in my humble opinion)! I'm sure I'm missing some things too!

Is there anything else you couldn't live without during your first trimester???

Carseats and Clothes

On Wednesday night we came home late to find a big delivery on our front porch: the carseat!! It cracks me up that I used to get excited about getting a J Crew package in the mail or a box from Sephora and now I can't wait for a carseat to come!! Carseats freak me out because they seem so complicated (infant seat or convertible seat? front face or rear? middle or passenger side of the car? weight and length limits?) so I'll probably take me the next four months to figure out how to use it. Thank goodness we ordered it early! Haha!

All we need is a baby!!

I also had to tell you about a big sale I went to! Yesterday a friend of mine (who is due six days before me!) and I went to a big twice annual consignment sale on baby clothes they put on at a warehouse in my town. It was so overwhelming! (They also had candles and household things and I was so overwhelmed by the mass of clothes I told my friend I was going to buy a candle and just leave! LOL!).

I decided to buy a little for both a boy and girl since we decided not to know the gender. Somehow I ended up with way more girl stuff so that probably guarantees I'm having a boy! Ha!

Happy Friday!!

Weekend

Last weekend Joe and I had to take a little road trip because he had a test to take in Kansas City for his job. It was a very short trip because he had also to work on Sunday but I took advantage of being close to "home" to spend the day with my mom.

Speaking of road trip, how well do your pets travel in the car? Boomer goes practically everywhere with us and I told Joe that we are so lucky he travels well in the car. He loves it and usually falls asleep as soon as we hit the road!

While Joe was taking his test on Saturday my mom and I spent a few hours together having lunch and shopping. I'm probably the last person on the planet to have discovered it, but have you seen this store called World Market??? It has such cute home/cooking/decorating stuff! I could have spent A LOT of money there!!!

We also went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch. It's one of my top five favorite restaurants and we don't have one any where near the town we live in. (The local newspaper here once did a survey of the residents of our town about what restaurants and stores people would like to see come in and CF was one of the most popular. Well, the newspaper contacted their corporate office about opening a restaurant here and they said "no"!! Haha! Oh well!) Joe and I consider it a very serious mission to try as many of the cheesecakes and desserts we possibly can and since I have been in a lemon-loving mood lately I tried the Lemoncello Cream Torte and DIED right there at the table. Just ask my mom. I think she was a little embarrassed! It's one of my new favorite things in life.

Did you have a good weekend???

Master Bath

I know.

Given this is the current state of emergency also known as the nursery. It should be the last thing on my mind.

But I'm already ready for another project and I think it's about time we have something more festive than brown in our Master Bathroom.

Tell me. Does the orange-y color scare you? It reminds me of a creamsicle but I can't get Joe on board.

What color is your Master Bathroom???