15 Weeks

Here is a 15 week baby bump photo!  It is definitely getting bigger!

I have felt pretty good this week and am so thankful!  I have a lot more energy!  But, I am also loving sleep right now!  I feel asleep on the couch at 8:30 last night, woke up to go to bed at 11:30, and slept until 8:15 this morning!  

I am pretty sure I felt the baby move for the first time this week too!  I was working on my Bible Study lesson and felt the sweetest little thump or knock!  It happened twice in a row in the exact same spot.   Then, the next day, I felt the same thing once at work.  Now that I know what it feels like, I am ready to feel those kicks all the time!  It is so sweet and reassuring to feel the baby!

First Nursery Purchase

I can't believe I am just now posting about my first nursery purchase!  Almost two weeks ago, Emily found this chair and ottoman on Craigslist!!!  It is a custom ordered chair from Once Upon A Time.  A family in Crestline was selling it for just $100.  I can't believe it was still available and that I got such a great deal!  I am still giddy!!!

It does have a few stains as you can see but I am going to have it cleaned.  She also gave me some extra fabric that was left over when she had it made so I can have the seat cushion re-covered.  Then, I plan to put a decorative pillow in the chair that will hide any other problems.  I love it and it is exactly what I had in mind!!!!!!

Flea Marketing

Monday night, Emily and I went to Montgomery to spend the night with Leslie and to see her new apartment!  We had such a fun visit catching up with Leslie (and my sister Elizabeth since she came from her house in Montgomery to say hello too)!  Thank you Leslie for a delicious dinner and great place to stay!  I love your apartment and would welcome your help decorating my house anytime!

We got up really early Tuesday morning to visit Auburn!  We had a great visit there too!  On our way home to Birmingham, we decided to stop at the Eastbrook Flea Market and Antique Mall.  Layla, from The Lettered Cottage, writes about her awesome finds that she finds here all the time!  We were hoping for the same success!

Although, we did not buy anything yet, I have a few things that I can't seem to get off my mind!  I want your opinions to help me decide!

My favorite find of the day was this beautiful, small oil painting with this stunning gold frame.  It is a pastoral scene in gorgeous greens and blues.  It would look great in the nursery or just about anywhere in our house! I would LOVE this for my birthday!  (Hint, hint to any special readers:)  Also, the booth owner was willing to bargain so don't pay full price!)

My second favorite find of the day was the sweet chandelier that would also be beautiful in a little girl's nursery!!  I would paint it -- either all white, white and cream, or white with a little pink!  What do you think?  Doesn't it remind you of this one that Erika used?  

I found other lighting options that I also liked.  Here is a sweet, white floor lamp. 

These lamps also had a flower bouquet on them! I loved them and also think they would look good painted all white, white with cream, or white with gold with new shades.  What do you think?  Tacky or cool?  Be honest!

Another chandelier with birds.  The fake crystals would come off!  I liked this one but not as much as I like the first one with the flowers!

I LOVED these rocking chairs!  How sweet would one of these be in the nursery?!?  I could add a little cushion with a sweet fabric to soften them up!

And finally, I found a few furniture pieces.  I am looking for a chest that can also be the changing table as well as a side table to go by my chair and ottomon!

I liked this round table with the scalloped edges!  I would paint it of course! 

I also liked this dresser with the additon of some glass knobs.  It has lots of storage and plenty of space up top for a lamp and changing pad.  What do you think? 

This night stand matched and also has great storage. 

I also loved this chest and it was a great price!  I like the idea of having a few wood pieces that will break up all of the painted ones!  It would be sweet with glass knobs too!

What do you think?  What are your favorites?

Best Community In America

Our neighborhood, Ross Bridge, was recently awarded the "Best Community in America" from the National Association of Homebuilders!!!  It is a wonderful place to live with sidewalks, a park, a pool, and lots of community activities including Movies in the Park and a Farmer's Market during the summer!

According to the article, a neighborhood market is "in the works" for 2011 and a grocery store is slated to start building as soon as we reach 1,000 homes!!  There are at 900 now.  A grocery store and some nearby restaurants would really make this a GREAT place to live!!

Forgetful

While Emily was at our house for the Ice Storm, she asked Brad if I had been forgetful due to pregnancy.  

His response..."Yes, absoluetly!  She forgets to cook dinner every night!"

Oops!!!  I guess I need to get back to my A game!  Sorry Hubs :)

**I do think things have improved in the second trimester.  We have had a lot more home cooked meals as well as a much cleaner house!  Brad, thoughts!?!?**

Hello Second Trimester

Here is my 14 week baby bump!  I had to hurry and post this one because tomorrow I will be 15 weeks!

So far the second trimester has certainly been an improvement.  I had 3 symptom free, GREAT days at the end of 13 weeks, but week 14 has not been quite so great.  I certainly feel better and have more energy, but my stomach will not stop hurting.  I am not really sure what it is other than heartburn pain??   I also just interrupted this post to run throw up :(  It is either from being too full or from the coffee smell upstairs!  Or maybe just because. 

Heres to week 15!  Maybe it will be great!!!

The First Trimester Recap

January 14th, was the last day of my first trimester!!!  I am so thankful to have made it through.  It was not easy and no fun for me or anyone around me!  Brad was very patient and kind during all of it.  He kind of "lost his wife" and handled as well as could be hoped or expected!  :)

Since I didn't feel like posting on a regular basis, I wanted to do a recap of the first trimester so I can remember.  Warning:  This is a long post and most of you may not care about the details!

Here is my baby bump at 13 weeks!  

We found out on Monday, November 8th that we were having a baby!!! I was 4 weeks along!
The next day I told Emily.  She was the only person that knew until we told both of our families over Thanksgiving!  At this point, I wanted to tell everyone I saw that I was pregnant!!!! But, instead it was our little secret which was fun too :)  We talked a lot about having a baby but it didn't quite feel real yet.  I felt good with a few random days of nauseousness mixed in until about 6 weeks.  Then the symptoms got worse and more constant.

At 6 weeks, we went to the doctor for the first time!  Brad came with me because they did an ultrasound!  Like I said before, the baby was tiny but looked good!  So, we told our families two days later!!  Brad's mom cried and my Mom and Dad both screamed!!!  It was so fun to tell them and not have to keep it a secret anymore!!

From about 6 - 8 weeks, I felt nauseous a lot more, started experiencing heartburn, was starving all.the.time., and was fatigued but not really extra sleepy.  I also started feeling a little overwhelmed from being sick and thinking of all that I needed to learn, buy, and do before the baby comes.  I have heard this is completely normal!  I felt like I couldn't really do anything.  So, I didn't do much.

At 9 weeks, the symptoms got much worse and much more constant and continued until the 13th week.  This was the worst of it and a very long 5 weeks.

  I have outlined each symptom (in no particular order) and some of the details of them for my records.  

Morning Sickness

• Mornings and evenings were the worst for me.  I would wake up starving and nauseous just from being so hungry.
• I had to quit brushing my teeth and going to the bathroom like I usually do when I first wake up.  Instead, I had to almost run to the kitchen and eat something as fast as I could.  I discovered Slim Fast was a quick thing to make and an easy, fast thing to consume so I had this most mornings.  Plus, it is a lot of fluid.   Then, I would follow it up with cereal, oatmeal, or Cream of Wheat.
• I also felt very sick at night including nausea, stomach pain, bloating, and heartburn.  The only thing to do was lay on the couch and get through it.

Eating

• I was SO SO SO hungry during the first trimester.  (Thankfully, the hunger has already lessened during the second trimester).   A lot of mornings, I would wake up at 5:00 am and have to eat because I was starving (like I had not eaten in 3 days).  Being so hungry also made me feet nauseous. 
• I would also get hungry late at night - any time from 9:00 - midnight depending on when I went to sleep.  I usually had to find something to eat late which was disgusting! 
• You would think it would be kind of fun to be so hungry and get to eat so much more without guilt!  Think again.  It was torture to try and stay full because nothing ever sounded good.  
• I would think of something one day to eat and then it sounded horrible the next!  It is hard to keep eating when you keep ruling things out!
• I had to learn to re-eat.  I have always been one to eat 3 meals a day with no snacks, but when you are pregnant your body needs smaller meals more often.  Plus, even though I was so hungry, I would fill up very quickly.  Unfortunately, I learned this lesson the hard way.   The first time I threw up (at 8 weeks) was from being too full from a regular sized dinner.

Food

• We ate terribly because I never felt like going to the grocery store or cooking!  Brad went with me several times to help me and he even offered on his own to go without me once!!!  I told him it was the best Christmas present he could give me!!!!
• I will not be eating Mexican, Italian, or Chinese any time soon!   All of these sound too strong.  I only want mild flavors.
• I also avoid anything that will give me heartburn like its the plague!  No tomatoes, citrusy fruit, chocolate, or carbonated drinks.
• I could care less about sweets which is so unlike me!  Thank goodness since most of what I ate otherwise was unhealthy.
• I don't really know if I have had any official cravings but eggs, most breakfast food, and specifically fast food sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits usually sounded good!
• Nothing has sounded good to drink ever since being pregnant but I am extra thirsty.  I always drink water but when you are nauseous, water just does not sound good.  Milk was okay.  I drank a lot of it and some chocolate milk at night just so I could get liquids.  Overall, I tried a lot of things but eventually just went back to water because nothing else sounded good.

Smells

• It is such an unfair irony that when you are pregnant your sense of smell increases so much because all of the smells just add to the nausea!

• I absolutely cannot stand the smell of coffee or laundry detergent / dryer sheets!  Brad moved the coffee pot to the upstairs bathroom so he could still make coffee!  And, I can hardly stand to go into our laundry room.  I had to buy new unscented detergent just so I could wash clothes again!  I did one load with the old detergent and could not wear anything.  I had to re-wash it all!
• I also don't like the smell of the pantry, the gas fireplace, pasta being cooked, or the kitchen sink disposal.  Everyone keeps telling me the disposal does not smell bad but I can smell it and its gross!!

Congestion

• Thankfully, this has not been too bad for me!  I just have to blow my nose in the mornings and right before bed.

Weight Gain

• I don't know how much I weighed when I got pregnant, but I think I gained 6 pounds the first trimester.  I am pretty sure that I had not gained anything as of my 6 week appointment and gained those 6 pounds between my 6 and 12 week appointment!

Sleeping

• I have been much more lethargic and fatigued that normal but not necessarily more sleepy.  After work, I would come home and take off my make-up and change into my sweatpants to be comfortable.  Then, I would stay on the couch as much as possible the rest of the night!  See picture above!
• I have actually slept worse since being pregnant.  I think it is all of the hormone changes.  I slept several partial and complete nights on the couch because it was more comfortable than the bed.  I also didn't want to bother Brad so much with all of my tossing and turning!

Heartburn

• Oh my, the heartburn!!!  I have never had heartburn before and it is horrible!!!!!  I have had the worst stomach pain, bloating, and burning acid in my throat!  It also causes the worst taste in my mouth all.the.time and makes me feel like my food is stuck in my esophagus!
• I first tried Tums and they did nothing!  Then, I tried Pepcid and it didn't seem to help either.  So, I turned to the internet for a natural remedy.  I read that if you mix 8oz of Water + 2 T of Apple Cider Vinegar and drink, it will help!  Yes, it is disgusting as it sounds but I was desperate!  And, it actually helped!  A lot!!!!  I would highly recommend it!!

So, that's about it for the recap.  Long enough, huh?  It is amazing that I made it through all of the holiday busyness, shopping, and parties!  Now, I am very thankful to be enjoying some of the perks of the second trimester!   

Fort Red Rock

So my posts are going backwards lately...Monday, Sunday, and now Saturday, but this is the last post out of order!

Jeffrey turned 13 on Saturday!!!  He had a paintball party at Fort Red Rock, a paintball park in Bessemer!  He had about 10 friends his age plus my Dad, Brad, and Alex!!  Mom, Emily, Elizabeth, and I just watched.  

Here is the before picture! Notice how clean they all are!

The guys had so much fun and played their hearts out!!  They were exhausted at the end of the day!  And the older guys were still sore the next day :)  The girls kind of wished we had played too -- it looked really fun!

After playing for two straight hours, we had Chick-Fil-A sandwiches followed by cake and ice cream!!  

Here is the after shot!  Notice how tired and dirty they all look!

Happy Birthday Jeffrey!!  I hope this is a wonderful year for you (and that you stay as sweet as you are now even though you are now a teenager)!!  I love you!!

The Great Sewing Marathon

In an effort to fulfill my 2011 goal of sewing more, Emily, Laura, and I planned a "Sewing Day" for this past Sunday!  We figured it would be way more fun and more help to each other if we all did it together!

Emily and Laura came over after church before the Winter Event started.  We set up in the nursery-to-be!  Laura was making the Lucy dress.  Emily was braving a new pattern -- the Sydney and, I was working on the Taylor bubble!  

These are terrible pictures but necessary for documentation!  Laura did not want her picture taken:)

We had a lot fun and made a little bit of progress.  We laughed at our lack of sewing knowledge, stupid mistakes, and the crazy amount of time that it takes us at this point to finish a project!!  One day, we will get better and we will be faster...at least that's what we keep telling ourselves!!  Practice makes perfect, right??

Laura had to leave mid-afternoon before the roads got icy, but Emily and I decided to press on!  We worked until 9:30 Sunday night with only a break for dinner.  Yikes!!  Things got worse before they got better!  Ha!  I think we were losing our minds!  

The mess!

My outfit in one, giant knot!  Ugh!

Since the weather was bad, Emily spent the night and we worked again on Monday!  (both of our offices were closed!)  Finally, by the end of the day Monday, we each finished our outfits!!!  Whew!  

Unfortunately, I cannot reveal the final projects until after they are given away to the lucky recipient, but stay tuned!!  

Winter Event 2011

The weathermen have been hard at work over the past week!  They predicted a snowy / icy storm that they deemed "Winter Event 2011" to hit Birmingham on the 9th and 10th.   They were mostly right. 

Sunday afternoon the snow /sleet started and the temperatures dropped drastically.  We woke to an icy mess!  Unfortunately, we did not get much snow.  

The entire state shut down on Monday!  Almost all business and schools were closed and no one was driving on the roads!  It was such a nice, quiet day at home!!  

Emily spent the night Sunday and Monday night because the roads were too dangerous for her to drive home!  I loved having her for such a long, uninterrupted visit!  

Between, Brad, Emily, and myself, we embarked on a sewing marathon, watched a lot of basketball and a movie, went for a cold walk, ate well, and watched the National Championship game!  

Goals for 2011

I am not one to make resolutions each year, but this year, I do have a few goals for myself to accomplish (especially before the baby comes)!  In an effort to hold myself accountable, I am posting them here!

1. Learn everything I need to know about babies and their gear.  No small task.

2. Learn how to use my new camera.  My parents surprised us with the Nikon D3100 for Christmas so now I need to freshen up on my photography skills and learn how to use this awesome machine!

3. Clean out all closets in the house

4. Have a garage sale including furniture, electronics, miscellaneous items, etc

5. Work on the nursery!  We need to move out all of the miscellaneous stuff, paint the walls and trim, add crown molding, and install shutters on the windows.  Then I can get to the fun part of designing and implementing!

Here are before shots (first pictures taken on my new camera)!

6. Work on projects around the house including the kitchen, dining room table, pillows and curtains, and the den!

7. Sew More.  I am starting this Sunday with a "Sewing Day" with Emily and Laura as inspiration!

8. Blog More.  I enjoy blogging but have not felt like it for the entire first trimester! Hopefully, my mood for blogging will change along with the way I have been feeling!  

9. Exercise More.

I am 12 1/2 weeks now so time is ticking!!

Baby Update # 1

I went back to the doctor yesterday for the second time!  I am 12 weeks along and everything looks good so far!  Except that I gained 6 lbs since the last time I was at the doctor!  What???  I knew this baby was hungry and I have been eating a lot, but I was still shocked!  I asked the doctor if this was a lot and she said it was fine!  But I am hoping and counting on the fact that I don't gain 6 more pounds over the next 6 weeks!

Here is my first belly shot!  I took this on December 28th when I was 11 1/2 weeks along!  I can already tell that my stomach is bigger!

Baby has grown a lot and is now 2.24" long.  The ultrasound tech tried to convert cm to inches in her head yesterday and came up with a 3 - 3.5" baby!  I thought we had a BIG baby on the way!  But, I am glad to report that he/she is right on track!

Here is the first ultrasound we had on November 23rd at 6 weeks for comparison!  The baby was only the size of a rice grain here and was called "rice grain" or "Uncle Ben" for quite some time!

A White Christmas

Since Brad and I have been married, we have had the same Christmas "routine" and it is so nice!  We start by going to church at our church, Cathedral Church of the Advent.  This is the church my family and I have always gone to so we get to enjoy the service with them!  

The Christmas Eve service at the Advent is seriously one of the most incredible services ever!!  The music is gorgeous!!

After church, we meet up with Brad's family for dinner and gifts!  They have had a long-standing tradition of eating Japanese food on Christmas Eve since it is one of the few restaurants open that night.  It took me a little while to get used to going out to eat on Christmas Eve and especially for Japanese food, but I am used to it now! 

After dinner, we go to Tom and Joanne's house and exchange gifts!

On Christmas morning, Brad and I go to my parent's house to meet up with my family and open presents!!  I love Christmas morning!!  We still all go together into the den to see what Santa has brought!  Then, we take a little break and eat.  We have a tradition of eating in the dining room on Mom's Christmas china.  We have breakfast casserole that Emily makes each year and orange rolls!  It is delicious!!

After breakfast, we get back to the gifts!  We open stockings and then exchange all of the gifts that we bought for each other!  

Emily and Jeffrey warming up by the fire!

This Christmas was even more fun and memorable because it snowed!!  Here are a few pictures at my parents house to document the snow!

We got about a half inch to inch of snow in Birmingham in places where it stuck!  The roads were not effected.  Unfortunately, we did not get to go to my Aunt Janet's house for our extended family Christmas on Christmas night because they got 2-3" of snow in North Alabama and the roads were closed.  It was so sad not seeing everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!!