Weekly Gratitude

I am grateful this week for ...

• An amazing husband that is doing way more for me and our baby than I could ever have imagined. I am just so excited for getting to share this miracle with him. 
• Lots and lots more energy these days and hello it's cold outside- I. Love. It!
• Some fun at work. My colleagues started a baby gender pool this week, each person put in $1. Currently the pool is heavily weighted towards a girl. It's fun to have others so interested.
• Feeling our baby move! The first few times I wasn't sure, but now I am certain the little one really gets going if I have any kind of sugar. Such a strange and yet really overwhelming feeling. I am looking forward to the day that Chris gets to feel like it's real to him too.
• My pants are still fitting (a plus), however, I am a little worried about needing some bigger sweaters pretty soon. Oh well, I guess that means I need to go shopping. :)

I acknowledge that I take these things for granted each and every day and am fully aware that there are many people in this world that do not share my same gratitudes from which God has given me happiness. What are you grateful for today? Much, I am sure!

Bump Update

Today was the day, 16 weeks (4 months) and we got to hear our little angel's heart beat again. The appointment flew by. Here is my progress:

• Overall weight gain=0, I have gained back the weight I lost during the 1st trimester so I am back at my base weight. I don't know where I have lost weight because I can definitely see where I have gained it. :)
• Blood pressure 106 over 62. She said that was good (can you tell my mom is a nurse, I never had to know what that means- my own little handicap).
• Doctor's prediction on the sex of our baby.... Boy! Yep, she took on Chris's challenge with a smile.
• Flu shot- check! I went in unsure and before I knew what was happening she was giving me the shot. She was adamant and since I totally respect and love her, I went with it. No looking back. (P.S. Thanks for taking my poll).
• Gave blood for the quad test (Down Syndrome, etc.) and will find out the results in 2 weeks.
• Next appointment (with ultrasound and gender check) in  3 weeks, Monday, November 22nd, wohoo!

And finally... here it is, the dreaded bump picture at 16 weeks (Can't you tell I'm super excited to be taking this picture? Please excuse my messy hair and tired face, what can I say, I'm glowing, haha):

When is Cheap Better- When it's Not

So we all know some of the best things in life are free right? And we can definitely agree that cheaper is always a nice added benefit to a good buy...

...but sometimes you just flat out get what you paid for, so finding the best bang for your buck can be quite a challenge. I have been eyeing this guy for quite some time, and with the baby on the way I cannot wait to get my hands on one.

The only problem is that I have heard the Nikon D3000 and D5000 DSLR cameras are being phased out and will soon be discontinued. Some retailers were already told that there will be no future shipments of those models. So now here I am at a fork in the road. I am sure I could still find one on the shelf or wait for a new version of the old model to come out, but I thought instead I would ask around for some alternative cameras. I am doing enough research these days on All Things Baby, so I am trying to avoid having to do some deep research on this potential birthday slash Christmas present. Here is kinda what I am hoping to get out of the camera, i.e. what I like about the Nikon D3000:

•10.2-Megapixel DX-format Imaging Sensor
•Includes 3x 18-55mm Zoom-NIKKOR VR Image Stabilization Lens. Legendary NIKKOR optical quality and fast, accurate autofocus means vivid color, striking contrast and crisp detail, while VR image stabilization assures your sharpest pictures ever.
•Compact Design
•Split-second Shutter Response.
•Continuous Shooting up to 3 Frames-Per-Second.
•6 Automatic Exposure Scene Modes.Just set the Mode dial to Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close-up or Night Portrait for stunning results in otherwise challenging conditions.
•3-inch Color LCD Monitor.
•In-camera Image Editing. The Retouch Menu provides creative freedom, without the need for a computer, offering 13 easy editing functions, including Trim, Red-eye Correction and Soft Filter.
•Nikon EXPEED Image Processing. Assures breathtakingly rich image quality, managing color, contrast, exposure, noise and speed.
•Automatic Image Sensor Cleaning. Ultrasonic process and exclusive Airflow Control combats the accumulation of dust in front of the image sensor, safeguarding image quality shot after shot.
•11-point Autofocus.
•6 Personal Picture Control Settings. Choose from Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, or Landscape to apply a personal look and feel to your pictures.
•Active D-Lighting. Restores picture-enhancing detail in shadows and highlights.
•ISO sensitivity from 100 – 1600. Exceptional results, even in challenging low-light situations.


Can anyone recommend a good alternate camera with similar features in the semi-amateur photographer category?

Blog Stalking

Once you get drawn into this blog world you will inevitably stumble upon one after another after another that you cannot stop reading and chances are you don't know most of them, am I right ladies? Well pregnant lady brain over here stumbled upon some really great posts on one blog that I could not help sharing. Just a warning, Pregnant Chicken is blunt (and sometimes abrasive) but she has some great advice.

Pregnant Chicken 10-things-they-dont-tell-you
Pregnant Chicken New-dad-survival-guide-8-essential-tips
Pregnant Chicken The flu-vaccine-debate

The last post is something I personally am struggling with. Just curious, anonymously, how many of you got (plan to get) the flu shot while pregnant and how many did not (will not)? Vote on the poll on the right sidebar please.

And finally a blog that brought tears to my eyes. This woman is an amazing writer but also an amazing mother. Her story really touched my heart. If you have some Kleenex handy, take a minute to read Kelle Hampton's Story .

Weekly Gratitude

I am grateful this week for ...

• Another beautiful niece on the way! My sister found out she is having a girl!  
• A little sleep relief from this great buy, thanks for the recommendation Steph!
• A fun night with the girls. There's nothing quite like surrounding yourself with strong Christian women.
• Visual confirmation. The BUMP has arrived. Still debating whether to document that or not? :)
• A fun weekend ahead. Birthdays, the air show, and some time to nap (now that's fun!) 

I acknowledge that I take these things for granted each and every day and am fully aware that there are many people in this world that do not share my same gratitudes from which God has given me happiness. What are you grateful for today? Much, I am sure!

OMG

Dear Lord, please let me know when my time at work is up....

if this happens to you at work, retire with dignity.

A Little Scavenger Roundup

I really enjoy browsing craiglist, ebay and estate sales for unique, one-off type gadgets and gizmos. Maybe I watched the Little Mermaid a few too many times as a child, but what can I say, someone's trash is another's treasure? Today's scavenger hunt was mostly in the "antique" category. Enjoy my finds (click on each picture to visit the listing):

What do you guys enjoy browsing for?

Gift Giveaway

My childhood friend Erin, over at A Real Housewife is giving away a gift card. If you don't read or follow her blog, she is a hoot. Can't wait to see pictures of her baby boy, Nolan Harper, when he arrives in November.

Weekly Gratitude

I am grateful this week for ...

• Light on the horizon. Feeling a lot better most days.
• Only having to wait two more weeks to see/hear our baby again.
• Vacation. Thank goodness I work in the corporate world. This is a nice perk I have been enjoying lately.
• Finished with the yard project so I can start on the next, the nursery!
• Some time to catch up on my reading this weekend. Stay tuned for an updated coffee table list.

I acknowledge that I take these things for granted each and every day and am fully aware that there are many people in this world that do not share my same gratitudes from which God has given me happiness. What are you grateful for today? Much, I am sure!

Finished Landscape (Mostly)

This post is long over-due, sorry. I finally got around to taking some pictures of our finished back and side yard. If you didn't catch the before and during shots, check them out here.

The front flower bed is in stand-by mode. Chris and I are a little blank on how to "complete" the look and unsure if we want to do it now or wait until next spring when the available plants are a little more selective. Stay tuned for the finished product there.

So what did we do? We decided to go ahead with the grass...

This grass was "special" grass. We have a lot of shade, which we love, but grass seems to have trouble growing without sun, so Chris did some research, found the place to buy it, borrowed his dad's truck (thanks Mr. C!) and laid both (yes 2) pallets of grass all by himself (I did help for a short period of time, but please don't tell my mom- not in the mood for a lecture). You can tell in the picture there is a small area that the grass has turned a little brown. We think it just happened to be some bad grass (maybe too thinly cut) within the large bunch we bought. Hopefully the good stuff will takeover it next spring.

Added some landscaping in the back...

And some more on the side along with grass and mulch...
(the gravel and herbs are all gone!)

Oh and I finally picked one of our massive "limes". Funny story here is that when I cut into it, it smelled like an orange. I took a bite and it tasted like an orange. I cannot recall eating a lime from this tree last year, in fact, I think we gave most of them away. Could it be that we have 2 lime trees and an orange tree?

What's in a name?

A whole lot of time and over thinking, that's what!

Chris and I talked about names years before we were even ready to have kids. At that point in time we seemed very agreeable, almost too agreeable. Well now that the time has come and the pressure to permanently name another human being is upon us, we are having a little bit of stage fright.

There are many things you learn about marriage once you are married, many things you learn about college once you are there, and as I am learning, many things about being pregnant slash a future parent that become apparent as well. Naming a child is no easy task. I have learned there are some obvious factors to consider when naming your child, most of which I did not entirely think of until now:

1. You must like the name. (Duh! Of course I knew this one). I would never name my child Darth (as in Vader)- just a personal choice, everyone has these names that just don't melt your heart. I made the assumption that readers of this blog would agree with me on the name Darth... I hope I was right.
2. The name must be empty of any negative associations. If your childhood dog was named Sceeter, there is a pretty good chance you won't name your first born child after him. Same goes for the first guy that broke your heart or the name of your best friend growing up (even if she is your best friend still, you probably had a few moments there, am I right? And maybe it isn't negative just a clear association you don't want to have for your child.)
3. The name cannot already be taken by a close friend or family member's new baby. This one is the toughest in my opinion, especially now that all of our friends are having babies.
4. And last but certainly not least, it must go with our last name, Carr. That just means our child probably shouldn't be named Fast, Chevy, or something along those lines, but also just the way the names roll together is pretty important to me. (I like the name Connor, but Connor Carr doesn't sound right).

So what's not to agree on? :)

I compiled a list of roughly 50 names (split evenly between boy and girl names). Of course this list was naturally biased because I had already filtered it for my preferences. The first time Chris looked at it he chose one of each (both of which were almost my least favorites). So I decided to amend this list, add a few, subtract a few, and regroup (leaving the ones he chose on the list of course- who knows maybe they will grow on me). This time I approached with an audible plan, reading the list to him with our last name tacked on the end of each. This time we made a little more progress and have a few more names in the "maybe" category.

I guess the name game is a process that we have to take one day or week at a time. I am fine with that. Besides, it looks like we won't know the gender of our lil' bit for a good 6 more weeks (or so I've heard). We go back to the doctor in 2 weeks at our 16 week mark, but I am pretty sure our doctor normally doesn't reveal the sex until week 20. Stay tuned.

So what about you guys? For those with kids in your future have you thought about names? For those with kids already am I going about this all wrong? How did you pick a name and when did you find out the sex of your baby?

Anyone remember these?

I took a trip down memory lane today. Here is what popped into my head from my childhood. Oh the memories...

 What do you remember from yours?

Attention Moms! (all-things-baby)

Let me start by saying... Ahhhhhhh!

Okay I feel a little better now, but I must admit, wouldn't it just be easier if we could all go back to our grandparents' time and have a baby? I am pretty sure they would be perplexed by brands such as Bjorn and Medela. But we can't go back, so why not embrace the great things that have come from time and ingenuity.

Where oh where do I start? Okay, I am a woman, so naturally I am drawn first and foremost to... everything! Not knowing the gender yet (which we absolutely must know as soon as humanly possible!) does stall the process, which is necessary, but it doesn't prevent looking. And if there is anything a woman is good at it is shopping, regardless of when you plan to buy. I think this makes Chris a little nervous. Shopping this early could only mean a lot of buying over the next 6 months. No worries honey, I don't plan on buying anything without you. With that being said... I would love ANY advice surrounding these areas, such an amateur I know...

1. Strollers. I personally am leaning towards a jogger-esc stroller. Mainly because I know I will want a jogger either way and this way I can get more bang for my buck. If I had to choose today I would buy the Baby Jogger City Elite. Love it. Folds with one motion. Car seat adaptable, great for a toddler, and light weight. Check out a video of the stroller here.

2. Cribs. Surely there is a lot more to think about here than just looks. Solid wood and all that, but what else do I need to think about? I am only 5'3", so will that be a factor to consider? Do I need a drop side? Should I get a conversion type crib for the child to grow into or will I be able to use the same crib for our next child?

3. Bedding. Is it weird I have a phobia of cartoon-like characters in my child's room? Here I am leaning towards solids, stripes, and patterns with a touch of color, but let's give the kid a chance to tell me what he/she likes before I fill their room with stuff? I don't know.. still sitting on this one. How many of you moms or soon-to-be use crib bumpers?

4. Birthing classes?!?!? No idea here either. Do I really have to? When do I need to start looking into this?

5. Childcare. Okay, ideally the best childcare is me. I know this, but there are other great options out there. I am struggling between having someone come into our home, versus taking our child to someones home, versus a full on daycare. I know this might be a heated topic (aren't all baby things), so let's just say this one will be a personal choice, but not an easy one.

6. Nursery seating. I for one am all about buying a comfy chair our child will want to lounge in and read a good book with mommy and daddy as they grow, but I also want it to serve its purpose while we have an infant (preferably something that rocks and swivels). I think the only solution here is to go sit in a bunch of them. Any store recommendations?

Oh the list could go on and on... but these major big items will most likely determine where I register for those smaller items, so I am trying to start here. And for those of you who read this but don't comment (you know who you are) please send me an email with your advice, I truly will appreciate it!

Feeling much better now. :)

I'm Alive!

Well, I have a pulse.

This is me just checking in to make sure everyone knows I have not fallen off the face of the earth- at least not completely. Life has been a little less getting out and a lot more vegging out lately. I've never been one to hold back on the details, but I think it will suffice to say this past week has probably been one of my most "feeling pregnant" moments to-date. Some say hormones peak during week 11 or 12 of your pregnancy, and based on how I felt that could most definitely be an accurate statement. Combined that with some of my busiest days at work and of course the tempting beautiful weather outside to make things that much better, I have slept on average 11 hours each day over the last week. When in doubt, go to bed? Seems to have worked for me so far.

So what is new besides all that? Baby bump is still in hiding for the most part. If you know me really well you may think I have eaten a little too many brownies (mmm that sounds good), but if you haven't seen me in a few years you may not think much at all (I am still putting off taking that infamous baby bump picture). I have, however, acquired my pubescent acne that I never had in my teenage years. Seriously I look like a 14 year old girl. A little frustrating and at times embarrassing, yes. I promise I still wash my face people. And well, even though this week marks the end of the first trimester, I am still a nervous mother hen about how our little one is developing. Did I mention I would buy my own ultrasound machine if a) it was even remotely affordable and b) my husband would let me (I think he knows better than I do that it would do more harm than good). I did, however, decide to start a new habit to make things a little more joyful and less worrisome. I have been playing music to my tummy with our Ipad (yes I am weird, you've always known that about me) and it feels much stranger than it sounds, but imagining a little person getting to enjoy a good tune just brings a smile to my face. That is until Chris brought up that I probably had it on way too loud since sound is magnified inside of me. Thanks babe! Back to worrying that I have blown out my child's eardrums. Ugh. But I can't blame him for worrying just a little, given my nonstop mama mind these days. I have been soo incredibly busy at work lately (which can be a huge advantage while pregnant) that I have had very little time to think about being pregnant. In fact, I even get caught off guard when people approach me at work to ask me how I am feeling. How horrible to admit I had a short term memory lapse and forgot for a few minutes that I was even pregnant? But the ride home makes up for that and by the time my hubby walks in the door from work he is bombarded with everything baby. Poor guy. It can't be a soothing feeling for a man, a husband, and a soon-to-be father to walk in the door from a long day at work to have your wife spitting out every possible "need to avoid", "know how" or "must have" about babies. Please say a prayer for his sanity. I love him and want him to meet our child :).

Stay tuned for my all-things-baby post. My brain is on overload with the never ending baby bottles, boppys, bugaboos, and bedding! How will I ever choose?