Meatloaf!

Thanks to Facebook and my Latte girls, I was given a plethora of meatloaf recipes! I was very surprised that I have so many friends who make meatloaf! Being lazy and pregnant, I made my moms since hers goes in the microwave, not the oven! Cut the cook time right in half! Here's her recipe, in case you're interested!

My Moms Microwave Meatloaf

• 1 lb Ground Turkey


• 1 small can Tomato sauce ( I accidentally grabbed tomato soup, and it turned out just fine!) divided in half


• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs - preferably with Italian Seasonings (I made my own! I very lightly toasted two pieces of white bread, broke them into about 4 pieces each and tossed them in my food chopper. I added Italian Seasoning from my spice rack, and chopped until it was crumbs)


• Parmesan Cheese (I had powdered, but any kind should work)


• 1 egg


• onion powder


• garlic powder


• salt


• pepper


• Italian Seasoning

I also added Oregano.

Mix all the ingredients into half the tomato sauce.

Put into round covered casserole dish, mash flat.

Pour remaining sauce (or soup, in my case!) on top.

Cook 15 minutes at 50% power. Mine wasn't even close to done at 15 minutes! I think my mom had a super microwave when we were younger! I upped the power to 80% and ran another 15 minutes and that did the trick.

If you don't have a round covered casserole dish, and you are using a loaf pan, you do need to cook it in the oven. All the recipes I've read called for approx 1-1.5 hours at 400-475 degrees. But I've never done it that way, so I can't attest to the accuracy of those numbers.

I also made mashed potatoes (from scratch) and corn on the cob. Talk about feeling domestic! I even whipped the potatoes by hand! It was delicious! And it was a real, honest-to-goodness homecooked meal! I cleaned my plate!

My plan is to make someone else's meatloaf each month. So keep those recipes coming!!

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34 Weeks!

No, it's not (just) the lack of sleep that's making your vision fuzzy. Pregnancy hormones and fluid buildup can affect your eyes' curvature and tear production, making them extra-itchy and sensitive. No matter what your vision's like, take a look toward the light -- less than two months to go!

Baby can recognize and react to simple songs...time to start practicing your lullabies! In fact, baby will recognize frequently sung tunes after birth and probably find them soothing. Less cute news: She now urinates about one pint per day. Get the diapers ready!

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies. Pin It

Meatloaf.

I have a craving. An end all be all craving.

I NEED meatloaf.

However, I have never made meatloaf in my life.

Will you share your fav meatloaf recipe with me?






Pretty please? Pin It

Skype is neat!

I just talked to my sister for the first time since she left. It was my first experience in video chat, and I have to say, it was pretty neat! I think it will be very useful once Webster is here, since Anna will be in London and Paris for almost his whole first year. For now though, its a neat novelty.

If you're interested in following her journey, she is blogging about it here. Pin It

Weekly Update - 33 Weeks!

How far along? 33Weeks

Total Weight Gain: +22 total (+1 this week) In your face nurse practioner!

Maternity Clothes? I have actually started looking at some breastfeeding friendly options. I figure I'll get the basics now while I still have a whole paycheck so when I'm on leave, the disability can go to the bills that never end.

Stretch Marks? Still nothing. I am hoping that this trend continues until at least when we get our maternity photos taken.

Sleep? Its actually getting easier to sleep now. Other than getting up to pee every night. I don't know if I'm just getting more used to the belly or what, but I am sleeping just fine.

Best Moment This Week: Discovering the yoga ball. Oh, Heaven on my back. I'm going to buy my own today.

Movement: Constant almost. Really strong now. The bump jumps on its own now!

Food Cravings: Ice Cream.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: Nope. Although I have started noticing the Braxton Hicks. Nothing consistent, not even daily, but they are there!

Belly Button - In or Out? Still just flat.

What I miss: Pants with zippers. Being able to go to a store and NOT have to pee. Standing up unassisted.

What I am looking forward to: Maternity photos

Weekly Wisdom: No wisdom. That requires energy.

Milestones: Paperwork is in, and I am now producing colostrum. If that isn't weird, I don't know what is.

**And yes, I am a picture recycler. Deal with it. :) **

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Baby Wraps

Samantha and I were emailing a few months back about which type of baby carrier we were going to choose. I told her that I didn't want to pay for one (those suckers are expensive!), but that I was going to make one similar to the Moby Wrap. She was intrigued, and asked me to post a tutorial when I got around to making it. So, Samantha, here you are! As promised!

This is probably (literally) the EASIEST thing you will ever create. I will show you an easy version, and an even easier one (no sewing required!!). The additional steps/materials for the more "complicated" style will be italicized.

Materials Needed:

• 5 yards knit cotton - 44 in wide (jersey knit works well, or a cotton/spandex blend)
• scissors
• 2 fat quarters(18x22 fabric "square" can be found in the quilting section) of your choice, do not need to be the same pattern pins
• sewing machine
• corresponding thread

• Fold fabric in half lengthwise.
• Cut down the midde, so you now have two 5 yard strips.

TA-DA!! You are now the proud owner of not one but TWO home made baby wraps!

For those of you looking for more of a challenge, carry on.

• Find the center of the wrap mark with a pin.
• Find the center of the fat quarter, match to pin in wrap. I like to use my moms serger, to clean up the edges of the quarters, to help prevent unravelling and to even everything out. If you don't have a serger, you can get the same effect from your sewing machine, using a wide zig-zag stitch. This is not necessary at all.
• Center the fat quarter on wrap and pin down.
• Sew along all four edges, keeping fabric taut but not stretched.

And wha-la! A custom baby wrap! Plus, its reversible! Mine is staying black on one side, with the pink paisley on the other. However, you can certainly add another fabric panel, and make both sides patterned.

*Scott has asked me to mention that he was a very unwilling model. However, he had no choice, as I am far too pregnant to show you how it works. **

For directions on how to use your baby wrap, I would try You tube. Please let me know if I wasn't clear enough, or you have any questions! Also, let me know if you make your own, and send me a picture!

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Slapped in the face... by reality. Twice.

First.

Yesterday, I filled out and submitted my Short Term Disability and Maternity Leave forms. Unless we go early (or really on time, I suppose) my last day at work is November 13th, the Friday after our due date. I figured that if we are still pregnant at that point, the last place I am going to want to be is at work. And if Webster comes earlier than that, there is no way for me to know that now! Can I tell you how surreal it is to have an official first day of leave?

Second.

I am now producing colostrum. 'Nuff said. Pin It

A new button!! **edited**

As you can see, there is a new button on my right hand sidebar!

I am now listed as one of the top baby blogs! Yipee!!

BUT you have to vote to keep me there! Simply follow the link in the button, and you're all set!
The more people who click the link, the higher on the list I will go! The higher on the list, the more people who see my blog link!

So Vote Now! And if YOU have a mommy/baby blog, follow the link, and add YOUR blog to the list!

**Wow!! I'm already 97 on the list! Thank you!!! Spread the word!** Pin It

Then and Now

So now that we are firmly in the third trimester, starting the eighth month, and literally 4 weeks from "full term" I thought it might be fun to take a glimpse at where we came from.

Here I am at 4 weeks pregnant. In my favorite sweater. ::sigh:: I miss my sweater.

And here I am today, at 33 weeks.

I have been hearing a lot about how big I am getting. Trust me. I know. I FEEL big. But thanks for reminding me.

I am a little surprised at myself though. I never imagined that getting bigger would bother me. I wanted this. I wanted to be pregnant. I waas constantly checking to see if I was showing yet. However, now that we've entered the Home Stretch per se, I miss being me. I have started noticing girls who are built like I used to be. And it kinda hurts my feelings. This is a weird place for me to be. I have been sooo lucky in that I haven't had to fight to stay in shape. The years of dance created a strong core that kept me pretty trim, with very little maintainence from me. I'm not used to being jealous I guess. Sure I noticed other people, but in a much more abstract way. Now, I actively notice them. I can't wait to look like me again.

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33 Weeks! - Wait 8 months?!

Baby's now the size of a honeydew!

You are one hot mama -- literally. A 20 percent metabolic rate increase throughout pregnancy can leave you begging for a cool breeze no matter what the weather is like. Distract yourself with an exercise in blind identification. Try to distinguish between baby's feet, fists, knees, and elbows -- all doing some major pushing and nudging inside of you.

Things are heating up inside as well: Baby may grow up to a full inch this week alone, and his brain is developing like crazy. Pretty soon, he'll be able to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing. Also, his bones are hardening, and he's started to keep his eyes open when he's awake. Pin It

So what do we do?

I really don't want this to turn into a Pro-Christian/Anti Christian anything. So if you're thinking about debating with me, just stop now. That is not what I am after here. Thank you.

Anyway! Moving right along.

We're talked about this before. I'm a Christian, Scott is not. We have talked about what place God will have in our home and in our family, and reached a place that we are both comfortable with. Basically if I want God to have a place in Websters life, its up to me. Scott is not interested in participating, but he won't hinder either. Which is fine. We need to be able to respect each others beliefs, values and opinions about this.
I'm pretty non-denominational, but if I had to choose, I lean more towards a Foursquare point of view. Scott was raised Catholic, but wants nothing to do with the Catholic Church. Since I'm not Catholic, thats fine with me!

So my dilemma is as follows. I want to do something to introduce Webster to the church at a young age. Something like a Baptism, Christening, dedication etc. Foursquare doesn't baptise infants, and a dedication really involves both parents. We're not Catholic, so a Christening seems odd. But I need to do something. I feel like I need to have this as a commitment from me to Webster that I will follow through on his relationship with God. I want for him to have the benefit of the community, and the lifelong foundation that the Church can bring. I think if there is some sort of ceremony, then I will be more likely to hold up my end of the bargain. I haven't been regularly attending church for years, if really ever. I don't have a home church. There are 2 that I know of that I am comfortable in, but it's really hard to get up and go to a new church where you don't know anyone all by your self. But I want to do that for Webster.

Anyway, back to the point at hand. What do we do? I talked to a couple people who have similar beliefs, and they suggested having a blessing. Which I think may be a good compromise, since we can do it where/when/how we want with family (And God Parents) present, without needing to be "members" of a church.

Did you have an alternate religious ceremony for your children? Anything you wish you would have done?

**I should add that Scott doesn't have anything against the Catholic Church, or any denomination in particular. He just "doesn't want what they are serving". It isn't anything against one belief over another. I misrepresented his viewpoint a little, and I don't want to do that. I respect his beliefs, and I don't want to twist them.** Pin It

Bon Voyage!!

My sister is off to see the world!

Her plane left this morning, heading to England! She'll be in and around London until just after Christmas, and then its off to Paris!

She'll be in Paris from January to August or September I think. Just think, by the time she gets home, Webster may be walking!

Good luck Anna!!! You're going to do fantastic things!

You can follow her adventures here. Pin It

Skype!

So I just set up my very own Skype account! With my sister being on the other side of the world for the next year, and Webster still waiting to make his debut, we thought it would be handy to be able to video chat.

Anybody else I know on skype? Pin It

Weekly Update - 32 weeks!

How far along? 32Weeks

Total Weight Gain: +21 total (+1 this week) In your face nurse practioner! Up five pounds this week? I think not!

Maternity Clothes? I borrowed some jeans (non maternity) from my sister 2 sizes up from my pp size. ::sigh:: I miss real jeans. Thank you Anna!

Stretch Marks? Still nothing. I am hoping that this trend continues until at least when we get our maternity photos taken.

Sleep? It's getting harder and hrder to find a truly comfortable posistion these days, but the acid reflux has disappeared!

Best Moment This Week: Breastfeeding class I think. Also, I got to hold Lensas new baby Hosanna! She is only 2 weeks old! So precious! Lensa took a pic on her phone, but she hasn't sent it to me yet.

Movement: Constant almost. Really strong now. The bump jumps on its own now!

Food Cravings: Ice Cream.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: Nope. Not even a Braxton Hicks to speak of.

Belly Button - In or Out? Still just flat.

What I miss: Pants with zippers. Being able to go to a store and NOT have to pee.

What I am looking forward to: I want to meet my son. Hosanna has just made everything seem so much more real. I want to see if he has hair yet, or if he's tall like his daddy and dark like his mom. But I am more than willing to wait! At least 6 more weeks, little man!

Weekly Wisdom: No wisdom. That requires energy.

Milestones: I survived week 32, and I'm still pregnant!! Hopefully its smooth sailing from here on out!

**Today was not a pretty day for me. So I'm hiding. **

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I love Carters.

I know we have talked about this before, but I am IN LOVE with the Carters outlet at Anthem. Love love love love love it. It may be one of my favorite places to shop!

Colleen and I went there today to fill in the missing pieces of Websters Wardrobe. My goal was to find something cute for Thanksgiving, Christmas and long sleeved/long pants everyday wear in NB and 3 month sizes. Colleen needed a new set of pjs, and a jacket for her son. We had 5 $10 gift checks ($10 off your purchase of $35) and a 20% off coupon. We decided that in order to make the most of our coupons, we should buy all our stuff together. Oh, and the outlet was having a sale. 40-70% off pretty much EVERYTHING.

We walked out the door with 45 items of clothing. We used all of our coupons, and took full advantage of the sale racks. When I got home, I sat and added up the "retail price" of everything we got. We should have paid $437 before any taxes for the stuff we got.

Our end total?

$97.21

We saved over $100 in coupons alone. On average, we paid just about $2 for each item.

I love Carters. Pin It

I got an award!

Thanks Stacey!

1. Favorite smell: Mmmm. Pretty much anything pumpkin.


2. Favorite memory: Meeting my husband, and seeing Webster on the ultrasound for the first time.

3. Favorite breakfast food: French Toast!

4. Favorite comebacks: Shut up.

5. Favorite season: Spring!

6. Favorite writing utensil: Liquid ink pens

7. Favorite Ice Cream: Hmmm. Lately its just been the frozen kind, but if I had to choose.... mint chocolate chip.

8. Favorite Move to Quote: I don't really quote anything. I'm boring like that.

9. Favorite Coffee Accoutrements: Caramel, Vanilla, sometimes cinnamon, whipped cream .......

10. Favorite Day: Satuday! Saturdays always have such promise.

I pass my award on to Jamie, Samantha, Leigh, Alyssa and Amber! Because I think these girls are awesome! Pin It

When they are no longer my own.

Last night was our "Art of Breastfeding Class". It was very interesting, and I am def more confident in my ability to figure this out. Scott however, was bored out of his mind. Poor guy.

Our teachers name was Kim, and we really liked her. She conducted our hospital tour, and is pregnant with her 3rd. She breastfed her first until 18 months, and her second was over 2 when they weaned. She also cloth diapers, and wears her babies! Yeah!! Someone who understands where we're coming from!

We talked a lot about where to go if we need help (the hospital lactation consultants, ILCA.org, etc) which I thought was a nice touch, as sometimes learning to breastfeed can be tricky for both parties involved. We talked about common challenges (thrush, Mastitis, clogged ducts, pain) and how to handle them. It was interesting to see more about the anatomy of a breast as it pertains to feeding a baby, and also the way a baby is built to eat that way. I think the "feeding cues" we talked about will be super useful to be able to recognize when the time comes as well.

The other part of the class was a double edged sword. Kim was very positive about her breastfeeding experiances, and very confident in a womens body to do what it was designed to do. Which I think it awesome!! At the same time, she seemed pretty convinced that there is no reason that a mom WOULDN'T be able to breastfeed. Supply issues don't count, since breastfeeding is supply/demand. If you're having supply issues, you simply aren't nursing enough. Pain (cracked nipples etc) isn't a good enough reason, since if it hurts that means the baby isn't latching correctly. Breastfeeding isn't supposed to hurt, she says. That is where I lay down the BS card. Is it supposed to send you to tears everytime you nurse? No. Is it "normal" for your nipples to be bleeding? No. Will it hurt in the beginning? YES. Every person (every single one) I have spoken to about breastfeeding (successfully or not) has said it hurt. Those who were able to continue assure me that it doesn't hurt forever, but it most certainly hurts in the first few weeks.

Now, because I am over prepared, and addicted to the internet, I came to the class a little more prepared than the average first time mom with no breastfeeding experience. I chose our hospital partly because if you deliver there you have unlimited access to the LCs for FREE as long as you are breastfeeding. FOR FREE. I don't need to be told what a latch is, I have heard the horrors of Mastitis and Thrush (both of which were extremely downplayed) and I have a little bit of second-(and third)hand knowledge of what to do when baby won't eat.

All that being said, it doesn't matter to me how many times Kim says it won't hurt. I do not believe her. My fear is that the other women in the class will now expect a completely pain free, easy, no complication breastfeeding experiance, and their world will be torn upside down when the reality of the situation hits home. Breastfeeding is hard. Its work. It takes time, dedication, and determination. You have to want to be successful in order for it to work. From what I understand, anyway. I'm afraid that when their babies start to latch and it hurts that they'll quit, just give up and quit.

Will you share your breastfeeding experiance with me? Good or bad, successful or not? I need realistic expectations... Pin It

32 Weeks!

Was that a contraction? Yup, but it's just for practice. Those strengthening Braxton Hicks contractions are just your body's way of prepping for the real deal. (If you feel more than four in an hour or have discharge, call the doc.) Farther north, your nipples are getting darker and (yes, it's possible) bigger -- all the better for baby to see (and latch onto) in a few short months.

Baby's now the size of a squash!

Ready or not, baby's getting ready to emerge. She's probably in the head-down position by now, with her bottom facing up. This is the comfiest way for her body to fit in your increasingly cramped womb and will make her eventual exit (only a few months away now!) much easier. (If she's still head-up, don't panic -- there's still time for a flip before birth.)

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth. Pin It

One Tree Hill

Thanks to my sister, I was able to watch the season premiere.

Who are all these people? Where are Peyton and Lucas? What about Sam?

I am very confused. Pin It

Hormonal Freak Out #1

Last night I had my first official pregnancy induced hormonal breakdown. At least I think it was my first.

I'll start with a little back story.

• We just switched from cable to Dish Network. I haven't had time to really play with it yet. I know what it can do, I just have no idea how to do it! Monday night I asked Scott to help me figure out how to set my shows to record (One Tree Hill, Fringe, Bones, SYTYCD etc) because I couldn't figure out how to get to a future date in the guide. He said he didn't know, and that was that.
• Our dear friends are getting married next month, and their shower is this weekend. I am making the cookie favors. Which is a 3 step (day) process. My husband was awesome enough to go to the store for me last night, even though he was stuck at work late, to get all the cookie fixings. So I was able to make (and chill) the dough.
• Its now football season. I hate football. I hate fantasy football. I hate football. 'Nuff said.
• Unbeknownst to me, One Tree Hill premiered last night, at 7 pm.

The following is my hormonal craziness. yes I know it isn't rational, but this is what I was thinking last night.

Ok, so Scott got stuck at work, and then went to the grocery store, so I wasn't able to start the dough until he got home, which was around 6:30ish. It was almost 7 by the time everything got put away, and it was after 7 before I could start baking. Dough making did not go very well. I was halfway done when I realized I needed to make a DOUBLE batch, and had to quick add the extra ingredients before I got too far along. I made a big mess, and dirtied a lot of dishes. Which didn't please me. It was right aroung 7:40 by the time I got upstairs to join Scott in dinner and tv. Football was on.

I asked if I could see the remote (not to change the channel, but to see if any of my shows were on). Low and behold, One Tree Hill only had 20 minutes remaining. I checked the "info" in vain hopes that it was a repeat of the finale, and not the premier. Oh no. No such luck. So I start to get agitated. Scott says "You know, you can watch it on Hulu..." while he is ON THE LAPTOP playing FANTASY FOOTBALL while WATCHING FOOTBALL ON THE TV. So I sit and press the arrow to the right one half an hour at a time to see when my other shows are on, and make sure they are set to record. This takes a good 20 minutes, so Scott says I can change the channel if I want. At this point, THERE IS NOTHING I WANT TO WATCH anymore! We have 14.7 trillion channels, and there was nothing on. Scott finishes on the laptop, and passes it to me. I do my usual facebook hoopla, check the bump and the latte boards (I didn't want to fight to hear Hulu over the football game).

Another 15-20 minutes has gone by, and I decide "F it. I missed my show for this stupid game, I'm gonna watch it now". Hulu here I come! DENIED. Hulu only has One Tree Hill episodes from SEASON ONE!!! Get with the program Hulu! Thats like 6 YEARS behind!!! Hulu - FAIL. So I try cw.com. I know I watched Heroes and stuff on there before. DENIED yet again. They only provide "Episode Recaps" in PARAGRAPH form! I don't want to READ ABOUT THE PREMIERE!!! I WANT TO WATCH IT! I start to (well, think about) cry. "Why are you crying?" he says (trying not to laugh). "WHY!? Because (insert bad word here) HULU doesn't have any One Tree Hill, and I can't watch it on the (heres that bad word again) network either. There is football on in my house and I AM (one last time I swear) PREGNANT!! THATS WHY!!"

At this point, I slam the laptop shut, use some profanity, and announce that I am going to bed. It's now 8:30. Scotts calling after me "I'm not watching it, you can change it!" HELLO?! Where have you been? It's not about the stupid FOOTBALL!!! "It's too late. I misssed it. I'll never get to see it ever again." I get to the kitchen and see the giant mess I left myself. So I do what any sane person would do and wash all the dishes. I should be honest here. I opened the door to the empty dishwasher, and proceeded to HAND WASH all the dishes and leave them in a pile on the counter. Not 6 inches from where they sat dirty. In a pile. Because thats the way you clean.

I spent the next hour laying in bed with my Sudoku book, listing the ways that it was all Scotts fault. If he hadn't been stuck at work, or he hadn't taken so long at the grocery store, I would have been done in time to watch it. If he hadn't had the football game on, I wouldn't have been distracted by all the loud yelling and I wouldn't have screwed up the dough and had to rush to fix it, and I would've been done in time. If he had just done what I asked him to do on Monday and even ATTEMPTED to help me set the DVR, it would have been recorded and none of this would have been an issue. Hmmph. See? It's all his fault. Lets just ignore all the rational statements I made at the start of this blog, and blame it all on Scott.

So that was my very hormonal evening. And, no, I still haven't watched it. So don't talk to me about how awesome it was, ok? :)

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Nursery Progress.. I've been busy.

It all started with a whole lot of laundry. (The pile on the far left is allll his diapers).



But once the laundry was out of the way, I could really start organizing. Here's the changing station. The top row (from left to right) is Diapers (disposables, just until he fits the cloth), diapering accessories (baby powder, diaper rash creams, vaseline for the circ etc) and then baby wipes (both cloth and disposable). The bottom two bins are the cloth diapers. We have 30 Bum Genius 3.0 Organic One-Size All-In-Ones. Whew, thats a mouthful!

This is the organizer in his closet. It holds receiving blankets, the OctoTunes toy, spare sheets, changing pad covers, swaddling blankets and the rest of our sposie stash.

I feel like the nursery is finally put together, and I am so glad I don't have to spend any time in the baby store for a while!!

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Baby Shower Recap!

I apologize for the delay, but the last week has been pretty crazy for me. So, without further ado, heres pics!! Aliza was our designated photographer, so I'll add more when she sends them to me!



We had a rubber ducky theme. She used them in the centerpieces...



The cakes (made by Colleen. They got a tad melty in the Arizona heat, but I thought they looked great and tasted even better!)


The favors (the shortbread cookies my mom made. I decorated them!)


We played Gift Bingo while opening the presents. We are so blessed to have such generous friends! Thank you all so much!!

We played the Memory Game my mom put together for the other shower. It was tons of fun!

Over all, it was great to just hang out with our friends.

And of course, there was poker. :)

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I felt a little like Goldilocks....

So I need a diaper bag. Pretty simple, right? Go to the store, check out the options, compare a couple and pick one. Easy Peasy.

Right. Unless you're me. Over a year a go I discovered the Ju-Ju-Be line. There are so many cool features to these bags, I really wouldn't know where to begin. So go to the site and see for yourself, ok? Oh, and follow the bag links and watch the videos! They tell you so much more than the photos! I love these bags!

Moving on, I knew I wanted a Ju-Ju-Be bag. But which one?

When I first found the line, I wanted the Be Prepared. It is of course, the most expensive one they make. You can imagine Scotts reaction to me falling in love with a $180 diaper bag.

After some serious soul searching, and a second trip to the store that carried it, I decided that the Be Prepared (while totally awesome!) was probably going to be a little too big for my 5' frame. Measurements are 18.5 x 14 x 6.5 (w x h x d).

So I looked a little more, and discovered the Be Tween. You may (or may not, I suppose) remember that I blogged about this bag. It still has the main features that I love about the Ju-Ju-Bes, but its a seriously smaller scale. And the $100 price tag is a lot more wallet (and husband) friendly.

My only concern was its smaller size. Measurements are 12 x 9 x 6. Cloth diapers are much bigger than disposables. So I felt like I needed a bigger bag to accomodate that. While the mammoth Be Prepared was overkill, I feared the Be Tween just wasn't going to cut it. Sigh. Back to the drawing board.

I also started looking at the Be All. Smaller that the Be Prepared, bigger than the Be Tween, and at $120 still doable.

The issue with this is the messenger style. I love the way it looks, but I hate having to open and close a bag or a purse everytime I want something. I can imagine that this will only get worse when Webster is here. Just one more thing I have to deal with. SO the Be All was scratched off the list. Measurements are 14 x 11 x 5.5.

I enlisted the opinion of Lisa for the experienced mom vote. She was of the same mind. I don't need a suitcase, but a purse isn't going to work either. I dragged her to the store to see them in person, and we made a decision!

I am now the proud owner of a Ju-Ju-Be Be Spicy!

Not too big, not too small. No annoying flap to flip every time I need something. I love the way the Brown/Champagne looks in person, and the little details (stars and rhinestones) are just the icing on the cake!!

Also, Lisa and I went to check out the new Buy Buy Baby, and discovered that not only will they accept 20% off coupons AND gift certificates from Bed Bath & Beyond, they also carry Ju-Ju-Be!!! So Lisa is ALSO the proud owner of a new Be Spicy! And she had a coupon! 20% off makes a big difference to $150!!!

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Weekly Update - 31 Weeks!

How far along? 31Weeks

Total Weight Gain: +20 total (+1 this week)

Maternity Clothes? Non stop. Although, I can still get away with pp shirts, as long as they are stretchy and/or one size up (mainly to accomodate future growth though).

Stretch Marks? Still nothing. Either I am the luckiest girl alive, or the vitamin e/baby oil actually works.

Sleep? Never enough. And as the bump grows, sleep gets more and more interesting. Also, its getting harder and hrder to find a truly comfortable posistion these days...

Best Moment This Week: Finishing the list of things we need! I told Scott that if we need anything else, he has to go get it. I'm not doing it.

Movement: Constant almost. Really strong now. The bump jumps on its own now!

Food Cravings: Ice Cream.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: Nope. Not even a Braxton Hicks to speak of.

Belly Button - In or Out? Still just flat.

What I miss: Pants with zippers. Being able to go to a store and NOT have to pee.

What I am looking forward to: Breastfeeding class next week.

Weekly Wisdom: No wisdom. That requires energy.

Milestones: No more shopping! Some one write this down. I don't want to do anymore shopping. Seriously, put it on your calendar. Its a miracle.

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31 Weeks - Time is FLYING!!!

Out of breath? Your still-growing uterus is squeezing your lungs, making it impossible for them to fully expand like they used to. Things will improve once baby drops, probably in the next few weeks. Until then, sit up straight with your shoulders back to get a little relief.

Baby's now the size of a squash!

Baby's going through major brain and nerve development these days. His irises now react to light, and all five senses are in working order. (He won't pick up anything from his nose until after birth, though -- smell is transferred through air, not amniotic fluid.)

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

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Weekly update - 30 Weeks!

How far along? 30 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: +19 total (? Unkown this week)

Maternity Clothes? Non stop. Although, I can still get away with pp shirts, as long as they are stretchy and/or one size up (mainly to accomodate future growth though).

Stretch Marks? Still nothing. Either I am the luckiest girl alive, or the vitamin e/baby oil actually works.

Sleep? Never enough. And as the bump grows, sleep gets more and more interesting.

Best Moment This Week: Baby Shower! I'll get into more detail on that later.

Movement: Constant almost. Really strong now. The bump jumps on its own now!

Food Cravings: Ice Cream.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: Nope. Not even a Braxton Hicks to speak of.

Belly Button - In or Out? Still just flat.

What I miss: Pants with zippers. :)

What I am looking forward to: Completing the (long) list of things we still need.

Weekly Wisdom: No wisdom. That requires energy.

Milestones: Baby showers are all done! That means I get to go shopping!!! Pin It

Good News!

I don't have gestational diabetes!!

I have kinda kept this a little close to the chest. I am not sure as to why, since if I did have GD, it wouldn't have been my fault. Anyway...

I failed my 1 hour glucose, and had to take the 3.

However, I got my results back today, and my Dr said everything is perfect!

Yeah! Pin It

I have been really boring lately.

I was just reading through the last weeks posts, and I realized I haven't talked about much of anything at all. I am so sorry dear blogoshpere. I will attempt to rectify the neglect.

I'm a little freaked out at "turning" 30 weeks. My mom was put on bedrest for both me and my sister, right around 30-32 weeks. With me she was told to stay flat on her back, only up to pee, and shower 2-3 times a week. Thats it. She stayed that way from 30 to 36 weeks. Her doctors told her, well, she's ok to come anytime now! And she delivered me at 38 weeks. After arriving at the hospital, my heart wasn't reacting well to contractions, and the natural birth plan my parents had went straight out the window. Emergency c-section.

With my sister, technology had advanced enough so that when she started spotting a 30 weeks, they had her on a monitor for uteran activity and house arrest only. Now the major difference here is with me, she stayed flat on her back. With Anna, she was on a more relaxed bed rest plan, and chasing a 6 year old. Her drs were relying on the info from the monitor to tell them what was going on. Her numbers weren't alarming, but she still needed to stay on light duty. At 32 weeks her placenta detached, and they both almost died. My sister spent weeks in the NICU and needed an almost an entire body blood transfusion. Very scary.

So, reaching the same point in my pregnancy that all of this was happening to her is freaking me out. Logically I know that placental issues are not hereditary, and that the fact that she had them twice is sort of a fluke on its own. But that doesn't make me worry any less. I'm pregnant, hormonal, and I already lean to the anal-over-prepared side of the spectrum.

So far through the course of the pregnancy I have worried (obsessively and unneccessarily) about the following things (in order):

• ectopic
• no heartbeat
• rupturing my cyst
• downs syndrome/chromosomal anomoles
• not really a baby, just a cyst (thanks dad)
• he is now a she (thanks dad!)
• placental detachment
• giant babies
• gestational diabetes
• placental detachment
• giant babies
• gestational diabetes

*yes, I worry about those last few a lot*

I'm a big giant ball of worry. And now that we've hit this unlucky milestone of sorts, I am officially freaked.

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Prayers for Patty

They got the news back, and they have lost their little one. Please send good thoughts and prayers Patty's way as they navigate this terrible point in their lives. God grant you peace. Pin It

30 Weeks (Holey Buckets, 30 WEEKS??!?)

Your massive belly and nighttime heartburn might be making sleep difficult to come by. If you are able to drift off, you're probably having some strange and vivid dreams -- your subconscious is no less anxious than your waking mind.

As baby's skin smoothes out, her brain just keeps getting more wrinkled. All those grooves and indentations increase surface area, meaning more room for that oh-so-essential brain tissue. She's also adding some brawn -- her grip is now strong enough to grasp a finger.

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

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