Something Other than Baby Talk

It has probably been way too long since I posted something non-baby related. Can you say one track mind??? So here's what else we've been up to these days...

{Through our kitchen window you can sort of see where they dug out to place 3 or the 17 piers we needed to keep our house from falling down. Fun times.}
1. Major house repairs. None of them fun or sexy. Think foundation, plumbing, and concrete. Needless to say, it hasn't been cheap or clean around here for awhile. Hopefully we will wrapping up the work within the next few weeks. If I can find a painter....

{Fabric and trim for the roman shades}

{Newly upholstered rocker for the nursery. I'm also a little bummed with the way the fabric is pulling and buckling on the back and skirt. But it's an old chair, so I guess that's what happens.} 2. Home decor projects in the works. I'm ordering roman shades for our kitchen and I finally got around to getting the baby's rocker reupholstered. We brought it home Saturday, only to realize that there are blue dye or ink stains on the top from rubbing against a box it was next to in the car. Anyone have any tips for removing that kind of stain? I had a bit of a "come apart" when I saw it. I mean, wouldn't you??? (Also, isn't that the best term, come apart? My friend Courtney introduced me to that little gem.)

{Tess and her two Grandmothers!} 3. Met my sweet second cousin, Tess. My cousin Daniel and I are only a few months apart, and both of our first born's will be as well. She's so sweet and has the most adorable chubby cheeks in the world. Even more exciting (just kidding) is that my mom and his mom (my aunt) saved a lot of the matching outfits that Dan and I wore as kids. I've already busted them out of storage and can't wait to see the little babes all dressed up!

{Those are the epitome of puppy dog eyes.}
4. My brother in law is fostering this sweet faced pup, and I couldn't have been more smitten when we met him the last Saturday. I not so secretly hope that he ends up a permanent addition the family.

{That aqua FitBit on my left arm is just for show. Don't let it fool you into thinking I'm out here hitting more than 6,000 steps a day. Ugh...} 5. And just for inquiring minds, a 33 week bump picture. I feel like a whale, and have no idea how I'm going to carry anymore dang weight around. But if a zillion other mothers have done it, I guess I can too. Seven more weeks and counting!!!

30 Week Bumpdate!

Well, we are completely in the third trimester and I can see the end of this journey in the horizon. No one remind me that the end of this journey has less sleep than I'm getting now. Please and thanks. But seriously, as much as I have complained, it really does seem like time is flying by and we'll be meeting this sweet, teeny boy soon. Someone please remind me of that when I'm ten days past my due date and ready to perform my own in home C-section. So without further ado, here's what's cooking in week 3-0!

{Another quality bump photo, courtesy of the fluorescent lights in the work bathroom.} How Far Along: 30 weeks exactly! How's that for posting on time! Baby's Size: A Butternut Squash, around 3.1 pounds. No telling how long, let's just assume he's still short like his mama. Symptoms: Getting more tired again, but still not as bad as the first trimester. The hormones are back in a major way. Not that they ever really left, but I feel like I'm more weepy than normal the past week or two. Other than that, everything that's been a symptom the past few updates is still one now. I'm just glad that the heartburn isn't awful today and I haven't had a migraine in awile! Woohoo! Movement: Little guy is super active in the morning before I get out of bed and night when I'm trying to sleep. I hear this trend continues after birth as well. Hmph. Sleep: What's that? I use the night time as my personal quiet time to spend in the bathroom. Seriously, all I do is pee. So. Incredibly. Over. It. Nursery: Change out the dang drapes, lady! Still haven't done that yet. And if I'm ever going to recover the rocker, I need to get it to the upholstery shop pronto. The (Middle) Name Game: I don't know yet. Leave me alone. Looking Forward To: Pizza night tonight with the in laws! And next week's ultrasound, even if I am a nervous wreck. It's always fun to his sweet face and hear the heartbeat. Some Great Things From the Week: First snow day? No, wait, it's cold and I don't like winter. Umm, I made lasagna and it was delicious. Not a very momentous week here a la Sass in the Bluegrass. Rings: One on, one off and on a necklace. I had a bit of a panic attack in the middle of the night on NYE when I couldn't get them off. Obviously, I eventually removed them (not without the help of some lotion and super cold water) but I'm not risking that again. So my engagement ring is on a necklace with the diamond my mom gave me from my parent's marriage. I'm still wearing my wedding band since it's a bit loose. I'm not looking forward to that not fitting. I feel weird and naked without it. Missing Most: I really wanted sushi the other day, but that craving has since passed. I'm doing okay with everything else for now. Try me again in a week when I have a girl's night. I bet I'm missing red wine that night. Left to do: I don't know, I'm tired and I don't want to think about it. But if we're being honest, I have been slacking on finding a pediatrician. Guess I need to figure that out fairly soon. And everything else on my list from two weeks ago. Have I mentioned I've been tired and lazy?

Not So Silently Freaking Out

This past Wednesday we had an additional ultra sound at our 28 week appointment. Our OB's office doesn't usually do one at point in the pregnancy, but since Sasquatch (lovingly nick named by his two aunties!) was measuring a bit short at our 20 week ultrasound, the doctor wanted another look.
Well, shockingly enough, he is still showing up as pretty dang behind in length. 3 weeks plus, to be more specific. Last time he was only 2 weeks behind. Luckily, he is still growing strong and everything else looks perfectly healthy. 42nd percentile for weight, so that's pretty good! (Right? I don't really now, but the tech sounded happy about it. So I'll take it.)
BUT. I am still freaking out. We have to go back in a couple weeks for a high risk, level 2 ultrasound at a specialist's office per the doctor's recommendation. I know we shouldn't have any reason to worry, especially since the genetic testing was normal and everything else looks fine, but I am an absolute mess. 
Let's not forget to mention that mama is 4'11" and dad is only 5'9-10" so it would be perfectly reasonable to expect our babe to be a bit short. BUT. I'm 35. I have a brother with Downs. And if this was someone else's pregnancy, they'd be freaking out too. It's pretty easy to do when you're hormonal and responsible for the well being of a teeny little human that's growing inside you.
I'm not looking for advice or sympathy, I just need to vent a bit to get it out of my system for a few hours. And this is what this space is for me. A place to get out the stuff rambling around in my brain. Nothing like a mother's love for her child to make pregnancy super scary and anxiety ridden, eh? I'm sure if it wasn't this freaking me out, it would be something else. I'm a natural worrier. 
And so is my husband. So when he sent me a message yesterday a few hours after we left our appointment in tears, I knew everything is going to be fine. He said, "I don't know what we expected to hear from the extra ultrasound. We're both short. You're abnormally short. Your parents are abnormally short. My parents are pretty short. I'm short. Why did we think that after 8 weeks our son was magically going to grow to be a normal length? It's just not genetically possible for us to have a normal height child. He's growing fine and the doctor's are just double, triple checking to make sure they are covering all the bases." 
I know he's right, and I know everything will be fine. As long as we tackle whatever life throws at us together, we can handle it. And in the end, I know if our son has Downs or some other diagnosis, everything will still be good. Just a bit different than expected.

{Jude at 28 weeks and 3 days gestation and his Uncle Will at around a year and a half. Both are pretty stinking cute and can be found sitting on the window ledge behind my desk at work. A pretty sweet sight and nice change of scenery from my spreadsheets!}

Week 28 Bump Date!

{I am the queen of poorly lit bump photos, I tell you what!}
How Far Along: 28 weeks, hello third trimester!!!
Baby's Size: 2.25 pounds and almost 15 inches long, or the size of a large eggplant.  We'll see if he's actually that long. We have an ultrasound Wednesday to check his growth since he was measuring a bit short at 21 weeks. Luckily the doctor isn't worried and is just being cautious. And let's be honest, this kid is going to be short. His mama is 4'11" and his dad isn't breaking any growth charts and 5'10" or so.
Symptoms: Swollen feet and legs, super uncomfortable after small amounts of activity, Braxton Hicks contractions in the evenings, lots of cravings for milkshakes, lots of trips to the bathroom, breathlessness from simple activities, inability to reach my feet...the list goes on and on. Let's just say, I'm lucky this baby is healthy and the only thing I have to worry about is how uncomfortable I am these days.
Movement: Still tons in the evenings and after I eat. Baby L loves him some chocolate, too. I swear he does karate in there after I eat something sweet. It's pretty funny!
Sleep: It has improved since we got a new mattress a month or so ago, but the bathroom trips have certainly not decreased in frequency. I am so relieved to be having less hip pain from pressure points and an old mattress. Round ligament pains are a whole other story, but I'll take my victories where I can these days.
Nursery: Oh-mah-gosh is it so stinking cute. We got the dresser put together a couple weeks ago, and well, let's just say that IKEA and I are no longer BFF. The Hemnes dresser is such a b****h to put together!!!! Do not undertake this task over 5 months pregnant. Consider yourself warned.
The Name Game: Nothing new to report here. Still undecided on that middle name and no signs of that changing.
Looking Forward To: Organizing the dresser drawers!!! Even though putting the dresser together almost killed me, I cannot get enough of the teeny baby accessories that I get to put in it! Squee!!!
Some Great Things From Week 28: Another ultrasound, the upcoming Christmas holiday, and ordering new leggings on super duper sale! Despite all the discomfort, things are pretty peachy around these parts!
Rings: Getting more and more snug as the days pass. I bet by week 32 they'll be on a necklace. This water retention is no joke...
Missing Most: Brie. So much brie...  Oh, and also being able to wear any of my boots or shoes.
Left to Do: Baby shower number 2, pack hospital bags, and a few things around the nursery. Ooh, and schedule a carpet cleaning for February. Hooray for nesting!!!!

Christmas Greetings

I may not love Christmas, but I always love a good excuse to send mail the old fashioned way! And made to order stationery and cards make my Emily Post loving heart skip a beat. This year I opted to address the cards all myself, but I think next year I'm going to utilize the pre-printed addresses and return label. I'm guessing holidays with a baby aren't as free wheeling as they are this year. Ha. So without further ado, from our family to yours, Happy Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate and have a fantastic New Year! This year's card might be the best one yet. So much good stuff to celebrate and be thankful for. I think pregnancy is making me a bit sentimental. Don't tell my husband, I argued that it wouldn't many months ago. And I hate admitting when I'm wrong.

And don't forget about our girl Maggie, bringing up the rear on the back of the card. Love that rotten pup!

{Shout out to Groupon for the wonderful coupon for 50%. And then a second shout out to Cyber Monday for the 50% off sale at Shutterfly when I realized I needed at least 45 more cards...}

All I want for Christmas is My...

...two feet that fit in my cute shoes...oh, and an unlimited supply of chocolate milkshakes. But since that's probably not a feasible gift option, here are a few of the things that will never cease to make me smile on Christmas day!
I know everyone is crazy about the Nest and Diptyque Candles, but I'm over here like, give me everything Seda France in French Tulip.

Don't get me wrong, I love the other two lines, but I am flat out obsessed with French Tulip ANYTHING.

And just like everyone else, I also cannot get enough of Rifle Paper Company. Our personalized wedding thank you notes and return labels came from there as well as the calendar I used in our pregnancy announcement. (see picture below.)

It's all just so pretty!!!!

My poor hubs has the worst time shopping for me since I'm not patient enough to wait and ask for anything. I'm so used to being single and buying my own stuff that I forget about waiting! I really am the worst about it. So this year I suggested that he buy some of the wedding everyday china we didn't get off our registry. I absolutely love our dinnerware, but we didn't get a ton of it as gifts. (I didn't really expect to, we really wanted charitable donations and I think that message was well received!)

It really is so pretty on any tablescape, and since it's one of Juliska's most popular patterns, I'm not worried about it being discontinued before we can purchase a whole set.

So, that's what Santa could bring me this year if he really wanted. What are you asking for and giving this year?

Nursery Update

The nursery is really coming together, and I'm so excited with how it's turning out. Now that I've found bedding that I like, everything else seems to be falling into place!

Here's a peek at what it's looking like in baby land these days.

{Layette and beanie shown so you know where the baby goes. You're welcome.}

The bed linens are a mix of brands from a variety of places, but mostly Petit Pehr from either Nordstrom or Amazon. Can't wait for the baby poo and snot to get all over those fancy linens! Ha!

{Hey, Jude don't look so sad. I bought this plaid chair and had it monogrammed.}

The PB Kids Anywhere Chair was on major sale this past week, so I went ahead and ordered it for my unborn, unable to hold his head up (not to mention can't even sit on his own) baby boy. I can't pass up a good sale. Or I have a shopping problem. Let's go with the former, shall we?

The "drapes" (ahem, shower curtains I tried to pass off as drapes) are going to be replaced with the right length actual drapes. Because let's face it, I'm too lazy to sew use iron on hem tape to add an additional section of fabric on the bottom like I planned. And the drapes were in stock and on sale on Cyber Monday. So hurrah for drapes that hit the floor!

I'm currently trying to convince myself that Jude doesn't need the 5 foot tall Melissa and Doug stuffed giraffe that's on sale at our local TJ Maxx. Wish me luck!