She's almost here!!

Welp, it's officially at the waiting game point. I'm scheduled to be induced on Monday (7/22) at 7am. Three more days. I can't believe it! I actually just had a little scare about 30 minutes when I went to the bathroom (TMI!!!) and wiped and saw my mucus plug. I kinda freaked because I had been losing a little here and there over the past few weeks but this time, it was A LOT. So, I did what every pregnant woman nowadays does and ran right to google to ask what to do. Directed me to babycenter and yahoo! questions which both said to call my OBGYN and ask about it just to make sure, so I did. My dr said that yes it is my mucus plug and to keep my eye on if contractions get going and they are 3-5 minutes apart, then to get to the hospital. I'm not having any contractions right now, just feel little L moving around in there. I really just hope I can wait till Monday. Paul already made the work schedule for next week and has the week off, starting Monday. So, hopefully she'll stay put for Daddy's sake. Fingers crossed.

In other news, Paul & I decided that with this pregnancy (I don't remember if I mentioned this before) we'd prefer if no one came to the hospital except for my parents, Gracie & his Mom. The only people I'll have in the room with me during labor is my mom & Paul. I wanted it to be a much calmer laid back experience this time. Last time, with Gracie, it was a circus! Everyone I know who could fit in the room was there and it was very overwhelming. I didn't even expect that many people to STAY in the room but by that point I didn't really care either.

So, with that said, we know we still have lots of family and friends who will actually want to meet Baby L once shes born, so we decided we're going to have a Welcome Home Baby Party, about two weeks after L is home. We are expecting around 20 or so people, which is a lot nicer to have in our home at one time, then a continued train of people coming and going at the hospital or a few days after she's born when we get home. Doing it all at once will be much easier for everyone. But mostly for L and I.

Of course, the little interior designer inside of me is screaming to get out and decorate something and with this party, I'll be able to get my fix. Here are a few ideas I snagged from Pinterest for the party.


Pinned from here.
-- I obviously won't be doing EVERYTHING in the image above, but I'm definitely sticking with the Yellow/Pink color theme and also love the streamers & banner. I'm going to also try and do something similar to the bunting on top of the cake, but with cupcakes instead. I have lots of ideas!


Pinned from here.
-- I'm going to do the paper dot garland and poms above the food table too. I'm making all of it myself tho.

I'm just going to do simple food for the party. Finger foods like fruit, veggies, chips & dips, cupcakes, etc. Paul wants to get chicken strips from PDQ and my mom is making potato & macaroni salads. But it's really just going to be a easy little lunch get together to introduce L to everyone. I'm looking forward to it!

I can't believe my next post will be a birth announcement! Time has flown!

Nursery Reveal

I know, I know, I've been MIA for nearly a month! First off, Baby L is STILL in my belly. She hasn't made her grand entrance into the world or anything. What happened was Gracie decided she should "clean" mine & Paul's laptops and wound up killing them. She completely burned out the power button on Paul's to where his wouldn't even turn on anymore. On mine she killed my keyboard. I could turn it on but not access anything because I had a password login for mine. So, I was screwed. I took it to a local PC repair guy who my family has used in the past and he got all of my personal files off the hard drive for me (thankfully, that was a-ok!) & put it into my now new laptop. It isn't brand spanking new but it's nearly exactly like my other one and does everything I need to do so I'm happy! Then in the mist of all that, our AC in our house broke and we were without AC for two weeks. This happened right before we left for our Babymoon. The inside of the house got up to 87 degrees nearly everyday, it was awful! Then I ordered an iPhone 4s off eBay and was told it was ready to go and when I got it, it wasn't. It was still locked for my phone provider, so we had to shell out more money to get it unlocked and THAT took another 2 weeks. So, I didn't have AC or a laptop or a phone for parts of June. June was the worst, can I just say that?! Ugh. Anyway, the nursery is DONZO! I'm so excited to share every inch and every detail! Here we go...

Before we start, you can see before photos here and the original plans for this room here.

This is the view as you enter.




As you enter and turn left, you'll find the crib on the stripe wall. I bought the yellow lanterns at a party store back when we had the Gender party and KNEW I'd reuse them for the nursery. I made the pompoms myself and found the art on google.




I'm so in love with how all of it turned out looking after it was all put together. I love that elephant head!


To the left of the crib. I made the alphabet art myself.


To the right of the crib. The top picture is L's first ultrasound images & the art under I made myself, it says her name (revealed! gasp!) and under that I put "Pretty little flower... From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. She is like the beginning of all things - wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities." Then her letter L in bubblegum pink, it actually matches the color of the heart in the alphabet art.


Her crib & bedding.


Her dresser. Top drawer. All organized. Blankets, socks, wipes, pacifiers, lotions, soaps, towels, etcetc.


Middle drawer. Clothes that will fit now and cases of wipes.


Bottom drawer. All diapers. There are actually a lot of clothes that she will grow into underneath all of that. We really made out like bandits at our gender reveal party. I don't think we'll need diapers or wipes for a very very very long time. Under the crib is FULL of diapers in all sizes. We are set!


To the right of her dresser. The rocking elephant Paul found at goodwill LONG before I even started on the nursery. Such a great find! I think we paid 5 bucks? And her diaper holder, full of diapers.


On the opposite side of the room facing the crib is the wall we (my dad & I) built for the washer/dryer. The art above it was made by Gracie, Paul & Jordan.


To the left of that is the window back in the little nook, where I put a trio of laundry baskets. It all fits perfectly!


L's diaper bag that my parents got me. I love it so much! Vera Bradley. It's perfection!


Inside. All ready to go to the hospital. Blankets, take home outfit, beanies and extra onesies, as well as other random goodies tucked away.


That's it! Feel free to ask questions and leave comments! I'm so happy with how everything turned out, it's so beautiful and a perfect little nursery for our new baby girl.

Pre-Nursery Reveal

The nursery is done! Well, for the most part. It's 99% done, to be technical. I still need to order the art and wait for it to get here and then put it in the frames (that are already hung on the wall, waiting!). So, until that gets done (on Wednesday), I thought I'd make a new mood board to show a preview of the nursery before the big reveal. It's fun to see how my ideas, even if they may be large or small have changed since the inspiration board I posted back in January. Since then we found out we were having a girl, when I was so prepared to hear I was having a boy. So because of that news I decided to bite the bullet and add pops of pink to the room. This new mood board doesn't really share all the pops of pink that are in there but when you see the big reveal, you'll see what I mean!



Some things stayed the same, like the paint colors.

1. Wildflower Honey by Behr
2. Silver Screen by Behr

A. IKEA's Gulliver Crib - We decided to go with the Gulliver crib, mostly because when I had Gracie, her crib had solid sides at the headboard and footboard and it was really hard to attach the bumper. Plus I liked the way it looked more than the previous one I picked. The Gulliver crib was also listed on The Bump's 10 Cribs We Love list.

B. RIBBA Frames - Can't wait to fill these frames with the art I'm ordering on Wednesday! The last thing we need to do. :)

C. Brimnes 3 drawer chest by IKEA - I stuck with the same dresser & I'm so glad I did because it's perfect.

D. IKEA'S Hampen Rug - We got two of these. They are bright yellow & I love them!

E. Chevron Bedding by Sweet Jojo Designs - Much cheaper than my original plan and I got way more bang for my buck. It matches perfectly and I couldn't be happier!

F. Cardboard Elephant Head - This was also on the original inspiration board, got it and love it! It's so cute. I can't wait to share how sweet it looks on her wall!

G. Yellow Lanterns and Pink, Gray & White Pom Poms - I knew I wanted to add these when I made the other board but didn't really know how I was going to do it or where I would put them. They ended up going above her crib! Can't wait to share this detail as well in pictures.

H. Yellow Chevron Changing Pad Cover - I ordered this on Etsy but the seller was awful, so I'm not linking them. But this is what I used. It's cute but took forever to get here and cost more than it's fabric was worth.

I. DIY Elephant Baby Mobile - You might remember my mom & I made this. It's above L's changing table and it's still one my favorite things about her room.

J. IKEA's SÖDER Pendant lamp - This is the lamp I chose to hang in her room. It's pretty and simple and works fine.

K. Elephant Rocking Horse - Obviously not something she can use anytime soon. We found this for 5 bucks at Goodwill. It's adorable & I love that it added so much character to her tiny room.

I also got this swing, thanks to my MIL. It matches my theme perfectly & I can't wait to use it. It won't be going in her nursery but it will be able to move around the house with me when I need it too and for the most part will be staying in my bedroom, where she will be sleeping the first few weeks.

So, that's it. I'll share the big reveal in the next couple weeks. Hubs & I are taking a Babymoon, like we did when I was pregnant with Gracie. We are staying local and at a private beach resort but it will be nice to get away for a few days to relax. We only have three weeks till I'm full term and before long we'll have a brand new baby to keep us awake every night! This pregnancy has really flown by but I'm so glad I have my blog to look back at little details I've shared as well as lots of memories to keep. My next post will be the nursery reveal and then Baby L's birth announcement! Get ready!

Seeing Baby L

Sorry for going MIA there for a minute... or several weeks. I've been busy and haven't been in the mood to update aka edit pictures for a post. But, I'm here now with a new round of updates and a post! Woo! First up, we went to the sonogram, twice actually. The first time we went our little L wasn't very cooperative and wouldn't give us a good enough face shots. Lots of lady parts shots (she's not very modest, apparently.) but not good shots of her face, so the amazing woman who did our sonogram invited us back the following week for a free follow-up appointment to see about better pictures. We went back and L was once again because her little difficult self, snuggled into my placenta, all cozy like a pillow, but after a half hour she decided to let us see her sweet face. She looks JUST LIKE Gracie. Gracie went with us too, btw. She loved it when L would stick her tongue out and wave her hand, she told everyone (once we got home) that L was waving at her and saying hello because she already loves her big sister. Isn't that cute?



There are literally 100's of pictures but a lot of them would have to be explained and I don't want to have to do that, so just enjoy the two simple ones above. haha! As far as her features, she has super chubby cheeks and the same nose and chin as Gracie. They are going to be inseparable, I can already see it now. Best friends for life. :) Gracie is so excited! She also has nice long legs & big feet, just like Daddy. Which, I already knew from all of her wild ninja moves she does in my belly. ;)

Since then we went and got more stuff in prep for her arrival. I now just need a lot of little things here and there, like command strips for hanging her pictures and hooks to hang her mobile and other decor. I'm mostly just in need of things for me now, like a night gown (for my first night there, after birth), slippers, travel sized shampoo and things of that nature. But, by the time she gets here, everything will be (hopefully!!) crossed off my list. Paul tries to buy stuff every week, so we are moving right along.

In two weeks, Gracie graduates from Pre-K! I can't believe it. We got back her pictures with her cap & gown, they turned out so cute. I'll share those once they are scanned. Unfortunately, they put all the girls in red. Of all the colors, one of my least favorites. Blah! They should of just did everyone in blue, or the girls in white. But not red! Oh well.

Kids get out of school in about two weeks! This school year has just flown on by. Before I know it, I'll be in labor and have another little one ready to go to school. Slow down, time! At this point, I'm just trying to soak up these last several weeks of this pregnancy since it will be my final one. Every little (or BIG!) kick and movement, I'm trying my best to hold on to for as long as I can. But, I will say I sure can't wait to really see her face and hold her in my arms. Only 6 weeks till we are full term! Can't believe it. :)

The Never-Ending Baby To-Do List

I thought it would be fun to share all of the things on our to-do list for Baby L. We only have a handful of things crossed off but just recently crossed off a few more things. Shall I share? Here we go...

Nursery
- Crib & Mattress ✓
- Dresser ✓
- Changing Pad & Cover ✓
- Bedding ✓
- Shelves ✓
- Baskets & Bins (for storage) ✓
- Picture Frames ✓
- Print Art (for frames)
- Dresser Organizer ✓
- Hooks (for hanging mobile & poms/lanterns) ✓
- Curtain Rod ✓
- Window Shade ✓
- Books ✓
- Rugs ✓
- Ceiling Light ✓

Baby Necessities
- Clothing ✓
- Socks/Shoes ✓
- Swing ✓
- Stroller/Car Seat ✓
- Receiving Blankets ✓
- Towels/Wash Cloths ✓
- Baby Tub ✓
- Bottles
- Bottle Brush ✓
- Pacifiers ✓
- Brush/Nail Clippers/etc ✓
- Toys ✓

Momma Needs
- Breast Pump
- Nursing Bras
- Boppy Pillow
- Nightgown & Slippers
- Travel sized shampoo, deodorant, etc

List Updated 6/7/13

That's pretty much it. Stuff like a High Chair, Walker and whatnot isn't needed until much later so those things I'm not even thinking about at this point. I feel like this list is never going to be finished! But this week we went and got a bunch of different things like wash cloths, towels, etc & also the stroller & car seat!



Sticking with my yellow & gray theme I chose this Expedition Travel System - by Baby Trend. I love it so much because it's such better quality than the one I had for Gracie. I believe I had a Graco with her. It was too short for Paul to use and didn't seem to last as long as I thought it should. Plus I went with pink, white and light gray which got dirty way too easy. This one is right up my ally and Paul was having a blast pretending to push a baby around the house in it after he put it together. It's tall enough for him to use, finally! The best part is when we're done with it (aka when Baby L grows out of it) he can sell it at his job. He works for a sports store that resells things like this. Score!

Other than that, we go tomorrow for the 3D/4D Ultrasound! Gracie is, I think, more excited than even I am! I don't know how that's even possible but she is. She told me she might not sleep good tonight because she can't wait to see her baby sister. She recently whispered to my belly, "I'm gonna be the best big sister, L. I promise! You're gonna love Mommy & Daddy too." I teared up. Made my heart melt.

Can't stop, won't stop

I feel like I haven't stopped going since my last post. Ok I lied. I didn't do anything today except the basics (yanno, sweep, wipe counters, etc) but other than that I haven't stopped doing things in the Nursery or just around the house in general. For the past year or two I've wanted to paint a little cabinet/shelf I got from my grandmother after she passed away. It sat in my living room and then my hallway holding dvd's for years. It stayed boring and beaten up for as long as I can remember. This past weekend I decided to tackle that project head on. I don't know what got into me but I just felt like painting... and sanding and lots of painting. Here he is before, all sad and whatnot...



So dusty and sad. Poor little guy! First I sanded lightly around all of the edges to get all of the pointy parts off. You have to understand this shelf is pretty old so it has had lots of ware and tare over the years. Even the bottom piece of wood that goes across the bottom in the front had fallen off so I had to get new nails and nail it back in place. After that, I painted, giving time to dry between each coat for about 30 - 45 minutes. Then I'd add another coat. Four coats total. Yeah, FOUR. I used Behr's Paint & Primer in Wildflower Honey, actually the same yellow as I used in Baby L's nursery! I loved it that much! Plus hey, free paint! Here she is all happy and pretty! I also moved around decor to add to her beauty and freshened up my front door area in my Living Room. :)



Since then, Paul, Gracie & I headed to IKEA to buy furniture for Baby L's nursery. We picked up her crib, dresser, picture frames, crib mattress & a drawer organizer. I've now crossed off 6 things of my 31 thing to do list. We have SO MUCH stuff to get still. I feel like I'm falling behind. Anyway, we got the crib built as well as the dresser. We moved the crib into the room and with our luck, it was too wide! Which kind blew my mind because, when we measured the room it was perfect for the dimensions of the crib. I told you, this room is tiny! So, we gotta be EXACT. After huffing and puffing and trying to figure out what the issue was, it hit me that the crib didn't fit because we always measured the room WITHOUT the floor molding in mind. I called my parents in a panic and explained the situation. My dad came over a day or so later and worked his magic and removed parts of the molding so the crib would now fit. Yay, now it fits! So, after we got everything in place, I got to work putting the bedding together (after washing & ironing it, of course) and then started to put away all of the clothes we've gotten so far. It felt good to start getting things done in there.

This past week Gracie made her art for Baby L's nursery. It turned out so cute. The image you see is just a sneak peak. She added a couple more things to it since I took that picture. She is so excited to see her baby sister and to be a big sister! I think she's really going to be great at it. Speaking of seeing Baby L, I scheduled my 3D/4D ultrasound for this coming Thursday. I can't wait to see a good look at her face and see how she's growing. Because I can sure feel her. Her kicks are so violent at times! I swear there is a little ninja in my belly taking me as it's hostage! Paul's eyes got so big one night when he felt her kick because of how strong and hard it was. It was pretty fantastic to see! I also went to my last monthly ob/gyn appointment on Friday. I'm now going to bi-weekly appointments & in my third trimester! Time is really flying by. My doctor said he thinks she might come early, as in anytime around 36-38 weeks. Which of course made me think, 'OH CRAP, I HAVE EVEN LESS TIME TO GET EVERYTHING FOR HER DONE!' so, it's now crunch time. Time is flying & before you know it, Baby L will be here!