Technical difficulties

It appears that the power cord for my laptop has retired from it's current position without giving me any notice. We are currently waiting on the arrival of it's replacement.

Until that occurs, you must suffer with iPhone pictures and posts. I'm sure you're all crying now.



Made friends with a pillow pet at target.


Practicing being like daddy.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

This morning

I woke up feeling sorry for myself. I'm sick. Again. I suppose I never truly got over it.. being pregnant makes kicking things harder and although I felt fine Monday, yesterday the aches and pains came back and I woke up this morning extremely congested.

I decided to stick with the power of positive thinking. My kid needs more than a shell of her mom and I'm going to try to make that happen today. Despite that, I was feeling sorry for myself. Wanting to crawl back in bed and not entertain a toddler all day.

And then I saw this post. Telling me to embrace where I am. I don't remember how I stumbled upon this blog, but she has been an encouragement to me many times and today she said EXACTLY what I needed to hear.

1 Corinthians 7:17 reads "Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches."


Generally, I think of this verse in the broad scheme. In this season of my life, I am meant to be a stay at home mom. This is where God has placed me. But today, I'm thinking of it like this "God knows you're not feeling well. That doesn't change where He placed you. Find joy in today."


Because, my friends, joy and happiness are not the same thing. Happiness is fleeting. Joy is eternal. Today I choose joy. 


*irony: in the middle of this post, Jade turned the computer off. Twice. Awesome.

Pregnancy- 30 weeks

Pregnancy: 30 weeks

Weight Gain: I'll find out on October 4th. This is when everything went to crap with Jade, so who knows...

Sleep: Better. I've been sleeping like a baby. Of course, I was also fairly doped up on medicine all weekend since I was so sick. But I haven't taken anything today, so we'll have to see how tonight goes :)

Gender: Baby Sister on the way!

Name: First name is decided... middle name is between a few choices. I have stopped calling her by that name since apparently it freaks Chuck out, but we both agree that it is the name. 

Feeling: Alright. There's a couple big "to do" items on our list (find a car, finish the nursery) but I'm trying really hard not to stress and to realize that even if we DON'T finish those things, the baby will be fine. 

Movement: I thought the kid was running out of room. Apparently she has made more for herself because she's moving like crazy again. 

Next Appointment: October 4th.

Coming home outfit

So it's been decided- baby girl will be coming home in this beautiful outfit from Gap.

I'm about to go order it now :)

In other news, my weekend has been spent mostly on the couch with a box of tissue on my lap. I HATE that I got absolutely nothing done. Wish me luck this week- I feel completely overwhelmed and need to just take a deep breath and take things one day at a time. Either way, I could use your prayers as Chuck and I continue to work on the nursery.

Also, don't paint a crib lying flat on newspaper. It will stick like glue. Tonight I am going to attempt to sand the newspaper off. This is why I don't normally do stuff like this... I kind of suck at it. 

The nursery

When Chuck and I first found out that number 2 was on the way, we went back and forth about what we wanted to do in regards to rooms. We have a 4-bedroom house. Currently, we have 2 guest rooms, Jade's room and our room. This has worked out really well for us so far- when both sets of grandparents come visit, no one has to sleep on an air mattress or couch!

We talked about moving Jade to one of the guest rooms (which would have required moving her to a toddler bed) and putting the baby in her room. But honestly, poor Jade is going to be going through enough when the baby gets here. I don't want to make her move as well. And while one day the girls will probably share a room, I have no desire to begin that with a newborn. Jade sleeps now- I don't want to mess that up.

SO... we got a "mini" crib, we're putting it in the guest room, rearranging the furniture in there, and calling it a nursery/guest room. We'll have to move some of the things in there out (the huge vanity is going to have to go somewhere, just not sure where), but we figured that was the best option. Then one of the kids can sleep in our room when company comes and one can sleep in Jade's crib, and we'll still have the full-sized bed for company.

Sigh. That was probably way more explanation than I needed to give. Sorry.

A couple weekends ago, we went and bought the paint (I hate the color the room is currently) and started to prep the room to paint the trim. We also bought paint to paint the crib. The crib was a gift (from our awesome neighbors that I trust) and it's a light colored wood, which I'm not a huge fan of. So I decided to paint it white. Chuck thought I was crazy, but now that I have some paint on the crib he admits that it looks good. So we've finally "started" although it will be a while before we're done because, let's face it, Chuck and I are slow. But it'll get done.

Proof that I do paint when I have no choice. Don't worry, it's low VOC :)

My husband's beautiful self-portrait. And the vanity that is going to have to move somewhere.

A view of part of the room. The bed is going to have to be flat against the wall instead of just in the corner now.

A picture that has nothing to do with this post, but I had to share. My poor dogs...

*Don't forget to vote for the coming home outfit if you haven't already- just a couple more days!

Pregnancy- 29 Weeks

Pregnancy: 29 weeks. 

Versus- 29 weeks pregnant with Jade.

My belly is definitely a different shape, and possibly a bit bigger, but I think overall I look better. My face hasn't started getting fat yet, which I'm pretty dang happy about. That, and I got my hair cut today, and I like it :)


Weight Gain: Trying not to think about it and focus on the fact that I do think I'm doing better than last time, and that I should be proud of myself for that.

Sleep: Would be just fine if I could breathe. Four out of the last 5 days I have had to take Benadryll in order to get any sleep at all, and I hate doing that. I have no idea what I'm having such a strong allergic reaction to, but I'm sneezing a lot and congested. I'm hoping this does not last the next 10 weeks.

Gender: Baby Sister on the way!

Name: First name is decided... middle name is between a few choices. I have started calling Baby Sister by that name. Chuck, for some reason, HATES it. Every time I say her name he shudders. Which makes me think "ok, do you not like the name?" and he says "no, I just don't wanna use it yet". Uh... what? I don't get it. But I suppose it's a good thing we're not telling people since he apparently can't say the name outloud until the child is out of my belly.

Feeling: Pretty good. I had a rough couple days, but I really think that was just from eating badly for a while. I've gotten my diet back on track and that's helping. I'm completely overwhelmed right now emotionally, but I'm trying to take it one day at a time.

Movement: Has slowed down a bit. I know some people get worried at this point, but I'll admit that I'm relieved. I still feel her throughout the day, but it's no longer constant. 

Next Appointment: October 4th.

Busy week!

I apologize for the lack of posting around here. I didn't really think that "back to school" meant anything when my kid was 1 and doesn't go to school, but apparently it does. This week, all of our little activities started back. We went to storytime Monday, had my midwife appointment Tuesday, a playdate Wednesday, MOPS Thursday, and today we have another playdate.

I realize working moms are saying "and?" But up until a few weeks ago, our schedule consisted of going to the gym in the morning and doing whatever we wanted in the afternoon. Trying to fit in all the cleaning and general house stuff has been tough this week. Not to mention the fact that Jade has about 5,000 teeth breaking through. No, in all seriousness, I think she has 4 coming in. It's hard to see when she bites your finger every time you try to open her mouth. And while she's handling it like a champ, there's definitely more clinginess and grumpiness than usual (read: I can't leave her alone in a room without a major breakdown ensuing).

All this equals one tired mama. I was going to post a few pictures, but I just realized that I haven't even synced my camera this week. Pathetic. I will try to do a good picture dump this weekend.

On the bright side, the high today is 68. That, my friends, is wonderful. I am so ready for Fall.

Pregnancy- 28 weeks

Pregnancy: 28 weeks. There's no picture this week because we kept forgetting and I'm already in my pajamas. If I took it tomorrow, I'd be closer to 29 weeks than 28 so I just decided to forget it :)


My appointment today went pretty well- I passed my glucose test "with flying colors" and met the fourth of four midwifes, so now there's no chance of a stranger at my appointment.
Weight Gain: Slightly better? Six pounds in 4 weeks. Still not what they're looking for, but they're not at all concerned because I did gain so much with Jade and everything turned out fine and I lost it all (easily at that). 


I know part of what threw me off was not having power for 5 days and then my parents coming to town... we did a lot of eating out and not as much exercising as I normally do. So that puts me at 21 pounds total. I don't know exactly where I was at this point with my pregnancy with Jade, but I definitely feel better so that's something. 

Sleep: I'm making an effort not to nap during the day and that's helping a little bit. 

Gender: Baby Sister on the way!

Name: First name is decided... middle name is between a few choices.

Feeling: Pretty good. I had a rough couple days, but I really think that was just from eating badly for a while. I've gotten my diet back on track and that's helping. I'm completely overwhelmed right now emotionally, but I'm trying to take it one day at a time.

Movement: I think maybe she's slowed down some, but that might just be wishful thinking. I still feel her constantly. At some point she'll start to run out of room :)

Next Appointment: In three weeks!


Don't forget to vote for the coming home outfit!

Tenth anniversary

I know that I cannot do this topic justice. However, I feel that not saying anything is ignoring the elephant in the room. The fact is, 10 years ago something horrible happened. An act of war in our country. And I personally feel that too much of America has forgotten that. Has forgotten that feeling of terror and the patriotism that spawned from it. Too many of us (myself included) take our freedom for granted sometimes, and forget that there are people out there fighting for us. My husband wakes up and puts on a uniform every morning and while he is currently non-deployable, what he is doing matters and I am grateful for him and every other Servicemember out there.

During my time in the Air Force, I met some people that had been to Iraq and Afghanistan upwards of 5 times. I met people that had children almost a year old they had never met. People that had been married 5 years that had been apart far more than they had been together. Compared to them, my sacrifices were small. Four months in Baghdad seems like nothing when put in proper perspective. Some days, like today, I wish I had done more. Could do more. But then I remember that right now, my job is raising Jade. Raising a child to love our country like I do, to not take her freedom for granted, and to appreciate the sacrifices others have made and are making on her behalf.

I remember exactly where I was 10 years ago. I was a senior in high school and my class was in the computer lab that day. It was first period. The rest of the day, we did nothing but watch the news and talk about what was happening. Cross country practice felt empty because all the Army dependents were missing. It was taking hours to get on Post, so they were excused from all after-school activities. My boyfriend had just graduated from Basic Military Training and had moved on to his tech school and I was worried about him, not knowing if or when they would deploy him.

Chuck, whom I was several years from meeting (which is good considering I was in high school and he was already an officer!) was deployed to Turkey at the time. I cannot imagine the feelings rushing through him and everyone he was with as they learned of the attacks.

So, today, just take a minute. A minute to remember. The people that lost family members that day deserve us remembering their sacrifices. Recognizing that since that day, their lives have not been the same. That while many of us have moved on and our daily lives look no different, their daily lives will always be different than they were before that day. Say a prayer for those families. And thank God that you live in America.

Coming home outfit

When I was pregnant with Jade, I had no problem picking out an outfit for her (at the time her/him) to wear home from the hospital. I went to Target, saw something cute, and bought it. And she was pretty adorable.

So I just realized that I didn't even get a good shot of the outfit. Either way, it was one piece with polka dots and a little giraffe that said "I love hugs".

The problem is that when I bought Jade's outfit, I thought everything in the baby section was cute. I am no longer under that impression. I rarely buy anything with words on it and am sick of most zoo animals. I like cute prints, don't get me wrong. I'm just pickier now, that's all.

Which has not been a problem... until now. Four days ago, I started looking for a coming home outfit for baby sister. Three days ago I realized that it was going to be very hard to find one. Two days ago, I found something I liked... for $70. So I decided to let you guys help me decide.

Before I give you the options, I'm going to share my criteria: 

1. Either one piece or a onesie with pants... I don't want a shirt that doesn't snap at the bottom because it'll just ride up on such a teeny baby.

2. Soft colors. Generally, I go for bright things on a baby, but I really want something pastel for the coming home outfit.

3. No huge designs. I really don't want a huge heart or elephant or anything on the middle. Smaller prints are fine, as long as it's not some animal.

4. Coming with a hat is a bonus, but not necessary. We have some cute knit hats from when Jade was born, and one of them will probably match.

Are you thinking that I'm too picky? Maybe I am. Oh well. So here goes:

Option 1:

I basically love everything about this outfit but the price. It's $70. Really? I just can't see spending that much on something the kid will wear once maybe twice. But it meets all of my criteria...

Option 2:

This? Is super sweet. The price is right (on sale for $16.80), but can you imagine putting tights on a newborn? I can. And it's not a fun picture. And I wouldn't want to let her go without because it'll probably be pretty cool out and Baby Sister will need her legs to be warm. So yeah, that's my biggest hesitation with this one.

Option 3:

 

I'm just not sold on this one. I like it, but I don't think it's right for a coming home outfit. I think the biggest thing is the bright purple skirt. If it was lavender, I think it's like it more. I just don't like the dark color.

Option 4:

This is probably my second choice. My beef with it? It just doesn't seem special enough. Yes, I know, that makes no sense. I guess it just seems too simple.

So there ya have it, folks. The 4 options. Help me decide please? There is a clicky poll on my homepage to the left. It'll be open until 24 Sep. I'm even gonna let Chuck vote ;) 

Mother's Morning Out

Today was Jade's first day at Mother's Morning Out. I'll admit that I was nervous. It seems silly, but this is just another sign of how much my baby girl is growing up and it makes me sad! I kept telling Chuck that it was her first day of school and he informed me that "it's not... this is no big deal". Way to make me feel even more crazy, hubs.

I realize that it was just the morning, and that when she actually starts preschool it'll be a much bigger deal, but I still think this was a big deal :)

"I'll sit down, but I won't smile!"

I tried to put her in one of her cute fall outfits, but the pants fell off. This weekend I'm gonna have to get Chuck to get some of her clothes from the attic to see if her pants from last winter fit... I hope her jeans are 9 months and not 6 months, because I know the 6 months will be too small but the 12 month ones wound up around her knees. Anyways, because of this revelation, she wore one of her summer dresses. It's certainly hot enough to wear it, so it wasn't a big deal. But I thought she would've been cute in little jeans!

Stylin'

Our photo shoot before she left consisted of me following her around the house snapping away. She doesn't quite understand the whole "sit still and smile!" thing.

So pretty

When I dropped her off, she was hesitant, but didn't cling too badly and went to the lady that was working. Once they handed her her blanky, she was good to go, so I just left. I've found that the longer I hang around, the more upset she gets so I figured she would be happy as long as I wasn't there.

I included this just because it shows how tan her legs are. 

I will always be jealous of her tan :)

When I picked her up, she was climbing on one of the indoor jungle gym things that they have. They said that she hadn't fussed at all and had a "great little personality". I was so proud! And I was able to go to the commissary and Costco, and I'll admit it was nice to do that by myself. MMO is only every other week, but I think it'll be good for both of us to have that time apart.

She's growing up!

Make your own laundry detergent?

Has anyone ever taken the plunge to make their own laundry detergent?

I've been thinking about it for a while, for 2 reasons.
1. I'm cheap
2. I don't like nasty chemicals

And I've heard it works really well. So I guess that's 3 reasons. Generally, my quest to rid our home of nasty chemicals results in spending more money. So I figured that I would go for this, since it will save us money. There's a cloth diaper recipe and a normal laundry recipe, so I think I'm gonna try both.

I attempted to buy the supplies this morning, but I couldn't find them anywhere, so I ordered them on Amazon and they will be here Saturday (gotta love Amazon Prime!).

I have 2 different recipes, but they are very similar so I figure I'll just stick to one of them to make it easier. This recipe is the one I've had the longest, but then I also came across this one that the Duggars use.

So I'll let you guys know how it goes. Hopefully it's good stuff because even the smaller batches make a lot apparently.

And because I can't resist, here's a picture of Jade :)

She purposefully took all of her toys out of her basket in the sunroom so that she could sit in there. Very important stuff.

Busy busy!

That's been me lately! My parents came to town for the holiday weekend and left this afternoon. Friday we went out for their 40th anniversary, Saturday we went to the expo for Chuck's half marathon and then went to church. Sunday Chuck ran the Rock n Roll half marathon in VA Beach and then we bummed around down there. Monday we went to historic Jamestowne. Throw in lots of driving to get to those places and some car shopping (becoming stressful!) and I think you'll understand why I've been slacking on the posts.

I'm really hoping by the beginning of next week things will be returning to normal and my posting will become more consistent again. Tomorrow is my gestational diabetes test and Friday Jade starts mothers' morning out! I'm excited but nervous too. My baby girl is growing up!

Pregnancy- 27 weeks

I apologize for my lack of posting this week. I had a couple that I wanted to do, but with no electricity it was a *bit* hard. Hopefully this week everything will get back on track.


Pregnancy: 27 weeks. I guess that means I'm officially the 3rd trimester, huh? Scary!

Weight Gain: Won't really know until my next appointment. Praying I didn't gain 8 pounds in 4 weeksa again :)

Sleep: I'm gonna start just leaving this out, because I feel like I'm just complaining. It's 5:20 am right now, so that should answer your question!

Gender: Baby Sister on the way!

Name: We have a name. First is pretty definite and middle is getting there. I'm glad that we're not telling people. It's more fun that way. Plus, there's still a chance the kid will come out and we'll say "she looks like a Methuselah" and we'll name her that. Although probably not Methuselah.

Feeling: Decent? We missed out on some good "work" time with Irene... last weekend was spent waiting for her to hit. We didn't want to start anything and then lose power halfway through. And then we lost power Sunday (or Saturday? I don't remember) and didn't get it back until Thursday morning so needless to say we weren't doing any painting. So I'm stressing, but trying not to stress too much. My parents are in town for the holiday weekend so we're just enjoying them being here and I'll start freaking out when they leave :)

Movement: Still moving constantly. It still amazes me how much I feel her. She has started to kick me in the ribs. This is one of those things that everyone complains about that Jade NEVER did. I am not a fan. I'll be honest... part of my not loving pregnancy is a kid inside my belly waking me up at 3 in the morning kicking my ribs. 

Next Appointment: Wednesday for my glucose test (for gestational diabetes) and September 13th with the midwife.