Feeling....Confident

 

Saturday we attended a full day of childbirth class.  Our class was through Confident Childbirth of Atlanta.  They teach a mixture of lamaze, hypnotherapy, and the Bradley method.  We left feeling more prepared for labor and delivery, and I would recommend them to anyone in our area.  I also left knowing that I need a much larger birthing ball; mine was comedically smaller than everyone else's. 

Here is my update:

 

 

 

How far along? 32 weeks (8 months!)

Total weight gain: 24 lbs.

Maternity clothes? All bottoms and most dresses and tops.

Stretch marks? No.  I'm hoping I can keep them at bay long enough to get some maternity photos in.  Here are some of the pics I love:

 

Sleep: I have been waking up in the middle of the night with some major Charley horses in my calfs.  Once I have a cramp, my legs stay sore for at least the next day.  I have been trying to have a banana every morning, get plenty of calcium, and stretch before going to bed.  It's helping a little.

Best moment of the week: Eric has been so wonderful.  At birthing class he practiced every breathing technique with me and learned techniques to help me through the back pain associated with late pregnancy and labor.  I know he is going to be wonderful for the birth.

Miss anything? Having a lap.  I feel like my belly is taking over.

Movement: I'm still feeling movement low.  Hopefully she will make her way head-down soon.

Food cravings: Sweets...mostly ice cream and chocolate.

Food aversions: No big ones lately.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: I've had a few more intermittent Braxton Hicks contractions.

Symptoms: Still really swollen in my hands, legs, and feet.  I have been trying to sit as much as I can at work, but it's really hard when you have gotten used to walking around when you teach.

Belly button in or out? In but very shallow.

Wedding rings on or off? 1/2 on. I can only wear either my engagement ring or my wedding ring. They both won't go on anymore. I also have to wash my hands at night to get them off easily.

Looking forward to: A long weekend escape to the lake.  We are also planning to take some maternity pictures on Monday if the weather cooperates.  Oh and the beginning of football season on Saturday.  Goooo Dawgs!



Life's a Zoo

I have definitely missed blogging!  Every since we got back from vacation, life has been pretty hectic.  Being in a car for 14 hours really takes a toll on a pregnant lady's feet.  I don't think my hands or feet have been the same since we left for Wisconsin.  My life also changed in another way while I was gone.  My Great-Aunt Peggy passed away the day after we arrived.  While it was a little chaotic to fly back home to Atlanta and then out to Michigan in a two day window, I am so glad that I was able to make it to her funeral.  My Nana has always been there for me, and it felt great to be there for her when she needed me.

While we were away, we went to:

• Capital Brewery
• The University of Wisconsin
• German Fest

After German Fest, we drove over to a pier.  That's lake Michigan behind us!

• Milwalkee County Zoo

I went a little picture crazy at the zoo.  I haven't been to a zoo since my senior year of high school.  I can't wait to be able to take Aubrey later.

These little monkeys were my favorite.  They look like little owls in the face and are really hyper.  I want one.

Peacocks roamed the entire grounds.

Oh!  By the way...I got a haircut.

It's hard work being king.

The buzzards were really creepy.

• Katie and Josiah's Wedding at the Little Gem Theater

It was a truly beautiful wedding.  Josiah and Katie have an adorable little boy, August, who made their ceremony that much more touching.

The happy couple.

As soon as we got back from vacation, pre-planning started and I continued my search for a pediatrician.  Great news...we found one we love.  We will be taking Aubrey to Kennesaw Pediatrics.  Their office is very kid-friendly, the doctors are great, and they understand our choice to use an alternative vaccination schedule.  The only down side is that the office is 20 minutes away, but I think it will be worth it to have a pediatrician who is on board with our parenting methods.  I had one doctor basically tell me that I should really do some research before I make a decision that would harm my child.  She also launched into a full fledged debate with me about the safety of vaccinations during which she claimed that chicken pox could put our child in danger of contracting a flesh-eating bacteria.  Was she off her rocker or what?!  I'm afraid it's those kind of far-fetched scare tactics that may be driving Americans to over-vaccinate.  We can't protect our immune systems from ever having to work!  I will step down from my soap box now to give you an update.

How far along? 30 weeks

Total weight gain: 21 lbs.

Maternity clothes? All bottoms and some dresses and tops.

Stretch marks? No.

Sleep: I toss and turn pretty much every night and it seems I can never get the temperature in the room to be comforatble.  It's always too hot or too cold. 

Best moment of the week: Meeting my new students on Monday.  I can tell that this is going to be a great school year and a wonderful bunch of kids. 

Miss anything? Beer.  It was very difficult to enjoy a brewery tour and German Fest without being able to participate in the festivities.  My husband has been raving about a beer only sold in Wisconsin (Spotted Cow) every since he first tried it, so we returned to Georgia with a case of it and I can't partake in that either. :-(

Movement: She is constantly turning and kicking.

Food cravings: Pumpkin anything...I made a pie tonight.  I just couldn't fight the urge any longer. 

Food aversions: No big ones lately.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: I've had a few more intermittent Braxton Hicks contractions. 

Symptoms: I'm having cramps from my right butt cheek down to my calf.  And I am majorly swollen.  My fingers look like sausages.

Belly button in or out? In but very shallow. 

Wedding rings on or off? 1/2 on.  I can only wear either my engagement ring or my wedding ring.  They both won't go on anymore.  I also have to wash my hands at night to get them off easily.

Looking forward to: Our childbirth class on Saturday.  I'm hoping the class will have me feeling a little more relaxed about labor and delivery.  I can't believe there are only 10 weeks to go!!!

Planning Ahead

This past week, a fire really got lit under me to get prepared for this baby.  I spent most of the day on Tuesday trying to figure out my maternity leave (what dates it would ideally take place, what effects it would have on my pay, when my short term disability would kick in, etc.).  Let me tell you, taking 12 weeks of maternity leave as a teacher is no joke.  I have 12 weeks worth of lesson plans to create for my substitute.  It is going to be so hard to release control of my classroom to someone else for that long.

I also took a FREE online breastfeeding class offered through my OB/GYN and picked up a breastfeeding book from the library (American Academy of Pediatrics New Mother's Guide to Breastfeeding).  I'm hoping that having the facts straight will help me be relaxed about breastfeeding.  I am really looking forward to having that time to bond with my little girl.

I started looking for a pediatrician this week as well.  I had hoped that this process would be short and sweet for us, but after my first interview, I'm not so certain.  The pediatrician that I interviewed this past week was recommended to us by both my OB/GYN and a family friend who has been taking her boys there for years.  I also made sure that the doctor would be covered on our insurance.  I went in with a list of general questions that I found here on the Bump.com.  Everything was going ok (except for the fact that I thought the building and its furnishings looked a little old) until I brought up vaccinations.  My husband and I have decided to follow an alternative vaccination schedule so that our baby isn't being injected with as many as 6 vaccines at once.  We prefer the vaccination schedule suggested by Dr. Bob Sears which you can learn more about here.  When I brought up this alternative vaccination schedule, the pediatrician I was meeting with told me that the practice would still see Aubrey and would allow this schedule but that they would continue to encourage me to adopt a traditional vaccine schedule.  I want to take my little girl to a reputable doctor who is going to respect the decision my husband and I have made and not force their own ideologies on my family.  I plan to keep looking next week.  My fingers are crossed that I will find the right fit.

I embarked on what will probably be my last sewing craft of the summer: a circular playmat for Aubrey.  The tutorial for the playmat can be found here on a great blog called Gluesticks.  It's a cute little playmat/changing pad that fits easily into a diaper bag and has hidden storage.  As seen in the tutorial, it can hold a small package of wipes, an extra onsie, and a few diapers around the sides and still fold up to be very portable.  My fabric all came from Walmart, so this was a really affordable project.  I probably spent $18 in all.  Even if you do not have a little one of your own yet, this would make a nice gift for a friend.

One little detail that I added that is not in the Gluesticks tutorial is covering and adding a bow to the elastic closure.  I also cut two little birds out of my excess fabric and patched them onto the back so that both sides would tie together.

Here's my weekly update (excuse the horrible picture):

How far along? 26 weeks

Total weight gain: 17 lbs. 

Maternity clothes? All bottoms and some dresses and tops.

Stretch marks? No.

Sleep: I have to say I have really been sleepy this week.  I find myself often needing a nap.  I guess my body is trying to load up on sleep now since it will be deprived when Aubrey gets here.

Best moment of the week: Finding out that my maternity leave will keep me home with my little one until February 7th if all goes as planned.  I want to stay at work as long as I can before delivery.  I also enjoyed picking up my new glasses (seen above).  I am having a hard time adjusting to what I look like in the frames; hopefully, it will grow on me.  I also found a dress for the wedding!  My next post will have a picture of me in it.

Miss anything? Eric makes himself an occasional margarita at the house and he will always make me a non-alcoholic version.  I must admit...I kind of miss the real thing.

Movement: Lately, Aubrey has been kicking me "down there."  I'm never expecting it, so it kind of throws me off.  I guess she is preparing me for the pain that awaits me on her birthday.

Food cravings: Cereal...I love some Maple and Brown Sugar LIFE.

Food aversions: ??  I am not especially grossed out by much right now...just ask my scale.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: I think I may have had my first Braxton Hicks contraction this week.  I just felt a sudden tightening feeling in my abdomen that I have never felt before.

Symptoms: My feet are wimps; they are sore most of the time.  I have also had some cramping down the backs of my legs.  Eric's massages do help a little.

Belly button in or out? In, but a little more shallow than normal.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Looking forward to: We leave on Friday for vacation!  I'm so excited to see some of Eric's family and get away with him for a little while before a new school year starts.  I will miss my dogs though.  Oh and I almost forgot....I get the pleasure of taking my glucose tolerance test on Thursday.  Can't wait to get that over with.

My next post will most likely be when we return from vacation.  Until then...enjoy what's left of the summer!

You Gotta Eat

Are you ever in the mood for something quick, easy, healthy, cost-effective, and delicious to make for dinner?  Um...YES.  Do you want your kids to like it too?  Duh!  I have the recipe for you.  It's from one of my all-time favorite cookbooks (Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Recipes), and it's called "Kid-Pleasing Taco Pizza."

Here's what you need:

• a refrigerated pizza crust
• 1 lb. of lean ground turkey
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1 envelope of reduced sodium taco seasoning
• 1 can (16 oz.) fat free refried beans
• 6 oz. of shredded cheese (pizza or taco blend)
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• shredded lettuce to top

Optional Toppings: (use your imagination)

• crushed tortilla chips
• chopped jalapeno peppers
• black olives

Here's what you do:
Spread the pizza dough onto a greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch. pan.  Bake 425 for 8-10 minutes or until edges are brown.

Meanwhile, brown turkey in pan.  Drain meat and add taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins.  Stir in the refried beans until mixture is blended.

Spread turkey mixture over crust.  Top with cheese and tomatoes.  Bake at 425 for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Top with lettuce and other toppings.  Serve.

This recipe makes 10 servings and takes about 30 minutes to prep and bake.  Did I mention that each piece is less than 350 calories?  :-)

These cookbooks were a lifesaver for me when Eric and I first got married.  You don't have to buy the cookbook to enjoy the recipes.  They are available for free at tasteofhome.com.  You will just have to narrow your search if you are looking for only the healthy recipes.

We all know a pregnant lady has got to have her dessert.  If you are looking for something simple to make that will satisfy your sweet tooth, here's one of my go-to's.  It kind of tastes like key lime pie without all the work...or calories.

Lemony Cream Pie
Here's what you need:

• 1 can of Eagle Brand milk (opt for the low fat...it's just as good)
• 1/2 cup of lemon juice
• 8 oz. of Lite Cool Whip
• Graham Cracker Pie Crust (look for a large one)
• Optional: Cherry or Strawberry Pie filling to top

Here's what you do:
In a medium bowl, whip together the first 3 ingredients.  Once mixture is smooth, pour into pie crust.  Refrigerate or serve immediately.  I always serve the pie filling on the side so that guests (or you) can choose whether or not you want the extra fruit (and calories).

After 25 weeks....

How far along? 25 weeks

Total weight gain: 16 lbs.  (Which is why I have been searching for healthy recipes.)

Maternity clothes? All bottoms and some dresses and tops.

Stretch marks? No.

Sleep: Still doing some tossing and turning at night.  I am also starting to need an early (2 am) morning pee break.

Best moment of the week: Hearing Aubrey's heartbeat at the doctor's office yesterday.  I never get tired of that sound.

Miss anything? Being able to shave my legs (and delicates) in the shower like a normal person.  I will say my trusty new razor has made things a little easier in the delicate department, but I still hate that it takes me so long to do it.  Seriously, if you don't already have one, get a Schick Quattro with a bikini trimmer.  It's awesome!

Movement: Yep.  She is a squirmy little girl.

Food cravings: I think I may have said this a time or two before, but ICE CREAM.  I did pick up some low fat ice cream bars from the grocery store on my last trip so at least my serving will be limited.

Food aversions: Typically...beans.  But the taco pizza recipe above didn't bother me.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: None.

Symptoms: I have been having cramps in my right butt cheek.  I'm not sure why it's limited to that side butt (LOL) it's kind of annoying.  I also woke up this morning with very spotty and blurred vision.  It finally went away after I had some breakfast, but it was a little scary.

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Looking forward to: Vacationing with my honey and his family at the end of the month.  We have a wedding to go to and I really want a new dress.  I really like this one from Motherhood:

Hopefully I will have a dress by my next post.  Have a good week ladies!

 

Mommymobile

So Eric and I both have small cars; Eric drives a Kia Rio and I HAD a Honda Civic.  We had been thinking for a while about the type of family car we would purchase.  We considered a Toyota Highlander, Chevy Equinox, or Kia Sorento.  We hate the idea of a car payment, so we planned to buy used.  Here's what we ended up with:

We got a Mazda Tribute with low mileage and a great trade-in on my Civic.  It looks a lot like a Toyota Highlander but is less expensive.  I'm confident that we will have plenty of room for Aubrey now!

How far along? 24 weeks.  6 months baby!

Total weight gain: 14 lbs.  According to the book Your Pregnancy Week by Week, I should have gained 16 lbs. by week 26 to have steady weight gain and end up with a total of 25 lbs gained (my goal).  Helping Joy get her house move-in ready has had me eating lots of junk.  I'm hoping I can get back on track this week.

Maternity clothes? All bottoms and some dresses and tops.

Stretch marks? No, but I'm still packing on those pounds.

Sleep: Still having really strange dreams and difficulty getting comfortable.

Best moment of the week: Getting my mommy car on the 4th!

Miss anything?  Having some stamina.  I come home so tired every day.  I can only imagine what it will be like when school starts again.

Movement: LOTS :)

Food cravings: Pretty much all dairy...ice cream, cereal, you name it.

Food aversions: Beans...they don't like me and I don't like them.  I think that's why I have been so opposed to Mexican lately.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: None.

Symptoms: Besides my aching feet I've also experienced a positive symptom...bigger boobs.  I went up a cup size.  Yay!

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Looking forward to: I finally scheduled our Confident Childbirth class for August 25th!  I'm also looking forward to Joy's big move on Thursday...although I won't be much help.

One Hot Momma

Whew!  The heat over the past few days has really been hard to handle, but I have to say it hasn't slowed me down this week.  Eric and I finished the remodel of this childhood dresser for Aubrey.  Here's how it turned out:

BEFORE

AFTER

At first I was really nervous that it would stick out like a sore thumb and not be the right color, but I have to say it blends right in.  I especially love the little porcelain rose handles.

There are a few other little accomplishments for the week:

• We had a great time at the Braves game on Tuesday.  Gotta love it when your team wins 8-1!

• I gave our dog Sadie a haircut for the first time and she survived (and looks pretty cute if I do say so myself).

• I made a little something for my desk in my classroom.  My inspiration came from Pinterest a while back.  The only materials you need are a piece of cute scrapbooking paper, a cheap wooden frame, some paint for the frame, hot glue, your inital printed to the desired size, pencils, and a good sharpener.  All I had in the house was a tiny sharpener that you have to twist the pencils in by hand, so my thumb was a little sore after.

• I hosted a Premier Jewelry party on Friday night.  Although a few people were not able to make it, some neighbors came over to compensate.  It's crazy to think we have been in this house for over a year and I still haven't met some of my neighbors.  I have to share the recipe I found for these unbelievable chocolate peanut butter cupcakes.  They are to die for...and I'm not just saying that because I'm pregnant.  Just click on the picture below.

• We also picked up a new bookcase for our home office.  Not to sound like a walking advertisement, I really love Hobby Lobby.

Here's what's new in the baby department:

• How far along? 23 weeks
• Total weight gain: 12 lbs.
• Maternity clothes?  All bottoms and some dresses and tops.
• Stretch marks? No.  I'm trying to slow my weight gain down so they don't start creeping up.
• Sleep: I still toss and turn a lot at night.  I'm not really having to get up in the middle of the night for bathroom breaks yet though.
• Best moment of the week: Just tonight I got news that a good friend of mine will be having a little one in March (she'd due on Eric's birthday actually).  I'm so excited for Aubrey to have another playmate.  I have to say that hearing my best friend will officially be living a mile away from me on Friday was also really cool.  Now I get to help her decorate!  :-)  Seeing Magic Mike yesterday wasn't so bad either.  Although I have to say Matthew McConaughey was a little creepy in this movie.  Channing Tatum made up for it though.  In short...it's been a good week.

• Miss anything?  Lately I really have been missing sushi...California rolls just don't cut it.
• Movement: Aubrey is a little tease.  Most of the time when I grab Daddy's hand to try to let him feel her move, she stops.  I constantly feel her moving around though.
• Food cravings: Ice Cream
• Food aversions:
• Gender: Girl
• Labor signs: None.
• Symptoms: My feet are killing me...constantly.
• Belly button in or out? In
• Wedding rings on or off? On
• Looking forward to: Lunch with my coworkers tomorrow, dinner with friends on Thursday, our friend's birthday celebration on Friday, and seeing Joy's house come together.  Oh...and fireworks on the 4th!

Daddy's Growing Girl

Hope everyone had a great Father's Day.  I think I helped to make Eric's first a good one.  He woke up to breakfast in bed... cinnamon rolls, peppercorn bacon, scrambled eggs, and coffee.  Here was his gift:

4 Braves game tickets for this Tuesday (2 for us and 2 for our friends), a new Braves t-shirt, and Aubrey's first Braves outfit to be worn at her first game next season.  Hopefully he had a good day.


I think I mentioned that I wanted to make a growth chart for Aubrey.  Well, it's FINISHED and I love it.  I started by getting ideas from Etsy.  Here was my inspiration:

I liked that the canvas one would be easier to transport and store and I liked the simple design of the wooden one.  So I came up with my own compromise.


My Materials:
1 5/8 yards of canvas material
5-6 1/2 yard squares of printed fabric for cutouts
clipart prints for cutout patterns
measuring tape
4 flower buttons
4 beady black buttons (for bird eyes)
1 spool (2 yards) of pom pom edging
paint (brown and white), stencil brush or sponge, small paint brush, and branch stencil
plastic bags
needle, thread, Fray Check, and scissors
ribbon, dowel, and screw (for hanging)
pencil
small wooden fence cutout


To start, I printed my cutouts and traced them onto my printed fabric.  My cutouts for this project were little birds, the wings for the birds, the letter A (for Aubrey's monogram), and numbers 2-5.  I decided not to stick to the colors currently in her nursery so that the growth chart can match her room in the future as well.  It is important to seal the cutouts with Fray Check so that they stay together after you cut them out.

 
Next I measured and cut out the chart itself.  I wanted my finished product to be 12 inches wide, so I cut my fabric 13 inches wide to allow for a 1/2 inch seam.  Since my project is for a little girl (and the women in my family are not really known for their height), I made my chart 4 feet long.  It starts at 1 1/2 feet and goes to 5 1/2 feet.  The plan is to measure Aubrey's height each year.  More later on how I plan to mark her height.

Then I marked the chart in inches with a pencil and went back over my pencil marks with brown paint.  After I had all of the inches marked, I attached numbers 2-5 with contrasting pink thread for the feet markers.

I left room at the top and bottom for a boarder and placed my bird cutouts where I wanted them.  Once I knew how I wanted everything spaced, it was a matter of sewing on the cutouts, decorations, and stenciling on the branches.  It is important to remember to place something underneath the canvas when you paint it, because it is not a tight knit fabric.  I suggest recycled grocery bags.  Once the chart is finised, attach a dowel and decorative ribbon to the top.  Be sure that you hang it so that all of your measurements are still accurate.  :-)  Here is how mine turned out:

Once little Aubrey is here, we can mark her height.  Instead of just writing or painting her height on the chart each year, I think I am going to make little tags and pin them to it.  A friend of mine suggested making the tags from her favorite outfits as she outgrows them.  We will see...


Here is my weekly update:

• How far along? 22 weeks


• Total weight gain:  11 lbs.  At least I know this little one is growing.


• Maternity clothes? For all shorts and some tops, but still some regular dresses. 


• Stretch marks? No, just veiny.


• Sleep:  Body pillow = friend


• Best moment this week: On Thursday I went to the gym, and as I was walking around the track for my cool down, an older gentleman approached me and asked me if this was my first baby.  We went on to have a half hour conversation about family, education, literature (To Kill a Mockingbird specifically), his heart condition, and technology.  It was so comforting to meet a kind stranger.  It gives me hope for the world we are bringing this little girl into.  I also got to see What to Expect When You're Expecting with my cousin and best friend.  I definitely recommend it.  Though I will warn you, it had its tear-jerking moments.

• Miss Anything? Feeling like I look decent in my clothes.  I know I am supposed to have a belly right now, but it is really killing my self-confidence.  I have resorted to 50 Shades of Grey to restore my libido.  I swear reading that book is like watching a train wreck...it's so shocking.  Before you know it, its 10 o'clock in the morning and you still haven't showered or left the house (because who wants to be seen reading that in public...especially when you're pregnant).  Although it has helped to set the mood, we are sticking to the "vanilla" approach.  If you don't know what I mean, you will just have to read to find out.  ;-)


• Movement: Still squirming around a lot.


• Food cravings: Ice Cream


• Food aversions: Still Mexican food.  Eric and I think we may have found a compromise...Taco Mac.  He still gets his chips and dip and I can eat something that won't keep me glued to the toilet for 3 days. 


• Gender: Girl!


• Labor Signs: No.


• Symptoms: Back pain and leg cramps.  My gym class is partially to blame for the cramps.


• Belly Button in or out? In.  I am beginning to think my bellybutton may not "pop."  I know there are a lot of people who have innies throughout their pregnancy.  Any of you experience that?


• Wedding rings on or off? On.


• Looking forward to: The Braves game with Eric and friends on Tuesday.  Gooo Braves!