Crafty Mama (Part 2)

I decided to be crafty today and get started on some of the ideas I have pinned for the nursery on Pinterest. I decided to give 2 projects a go: a yarn wrapped letter and a decorative garland to drape on the wall. Below are the pins that sparked my inspiration!

What a coincidence that the pin happened to use the name Emma!

I started with the yarn letter. I decided I didn't want to do Emma's full name in the letters because I'm already planning on buying some super cute letters from Etsy to hang on the wall over the crib. So I decided to do one large "E" to have as a decorative accent in the room. Once I found the E I picked up some light pink yarn, a couple fabric flowers and got my hot glue gun ready...

This project was pretty simple but definitely tedious and time consuming. It also took a little bit of thinking ahead of time to make sure that everything would be wrapped and end up looking how I wanted it to. I decided that I wanted the yarn to be going vertically from top to bottom when all was said and done, so first I wrapped it horizontally to cover all the inside/end parts. To get started I simply glued the yarn to the top back of the letter (the front should be the prettiest part) and away I went. To secure the yarn at the end I just glued it (again, on the back).

Once I was done wrapping the yarn horizontally, I began wrapping the entire letter again, only vertically. This covered the top parts that weren't wrapped before but also doubled the yarn for the entire front of the letter, giving it a thicker look and hiding the brown cardboard completely. Once I was finished I glued a few fabric flowers on to add a little pizazz and voila!!

In this pic the yarn looks a lot more white then it really is...

For the next project, I wasn't entirely sure way I was going to do. I just knew that I like the idea of a cute garland to hang on the wall somewhere in the nursery. The pin shows how you can use paint sample strips and a small shaped paper puncher to create an easy and cheap garland. But when I was browsing Michaels I came across some little paper pennants and suddenly a vision came to me. I bought three different paper punchers: an elephant, an owl, and a lady bug. I then bought a package of scrapbook paper in pretty pink patterns and away I went.

Once I punched out all the shapes I just glued them onto each pennant and then strung them together using the pink yarn that I bought for the previous project. It was so simple but so cute!

Note, the walls aren't painted yet and this isn't how it will be in the actual nursery. I just put it up for a pic :) 

Babymoon and So Much More!

Wow, I have so much to tell you guys! 

Probably the most exciting news is that Mike and I have booked our babymoon!!! This was a big decision for us (who am I kidding, it was a no brainer for me but it took some time to work on Mike). He thinks that I truly believe money grows on trees or that we are of the same status as celebrities or something. But I honestly believe that this is something we should do and it will be good for our relationship. We clearly planned for this pregnancy so we are obviously ready and aware of all the changes that are coming for our life. But I think it's still important to have a life outside of the baby, after all once the kids leave the nest (I know that's way down the road but still) we will be left with each other so it's really important to me that Mike and I continue to work and develop our love and relationship with each other. With that said, I explained to Mike that this is literally the last time ever in our life that we can take a vacation just the two of us. Even if we are able to leave the kids with grandparents for vacations later on I'm sure they will still be in the back of our mind. I want to go away with Mike and really be able to relax with no worries or concerns and just enjoy this special time before our child is born and our life changes forever. Needless to say I finally got my way (as I usually do) and we began looking into where we wanted to go. My requirements were fairly simple: nice pool, great beach, and a good amount of food available since that's about all I can indulge in these days. We decided on Mexico, Playa Del Carmen to be exact. The resort we are staying at is Occidental Grand Ixcaret. It has some pretty amazing looking pools and beaches for me, plus it is all-inclusive so Mike can have plenty to drink! It's built into the surrounding jungle so I guess it's pretty common to see Spider Monkeys swinging around in the nearby trees, and I've read that there is a nearby beach that frequently has sea turtles. I'm so excited I can't even put it into words. We are going to be leaving in just under a month and that can't come soon enough!

 

Mike and I are also making progress with the nursery. The crib bedding came yesterday (minus the skirt which is back ordered until April) and it looks so cute!! Even Mike said he's glad we went with the pattern I picked out. And today Mike scraped all the nasty popcorn off the ceiling. Thankfully it tested negative for asbestos but it still made a huge mess that I'm sure I will be sweeping/dusting/mopping for days as particles settle but it's something we've been wanting to do and it looks so much better. The next step is to paint. We previously painted the walls grey but it didn't turn out quite as I had imagined it. When I was browsing nursery galleries on ProjectNursery.com I found a room with wall colors that were exactly what I was looking for and it listed the exact brand and name so I went down to Home Depot and bought a gallon of each. The main walls will be Glidden's Knitting Needles and the crib wall is going to be a 50/50 mix of ICI Paint's Almost Pink and ICI Paint's Cradle Pink (Glidden has bought ICI Paint and while they don't have the colors displayed they are in the computer system so the men at Home Depot were able to make it for me). I painted a square of each color on the wall and they look PERFECT! I can't wait to see how it turns out and will take some pics once it's done.

I still need to get the skirt and lower the mattress a little so you can see more of the outside bumper pattern

These are the exact colors I bought

Also, to update you on my shopping addiction I thought I'd let you all know that I have stuck to my promise and not bought anymore clothes for Emma. I have, however, received quite a bit of clothes as gifts from my sister-in-law and mother-in-law in the last week!!

I'm seriously in love with the Osh Kosh dress!

Is Emma going to be a princess or what?!?!

And finally, I had my 22 week OB appointment today and all is well. The nurse said my BP was normal. It seems that every other appointment I've had it's been slightly elevated. It's not to the point where they are worried but I guess they are keeping their eye on it. Anyways, this appointment it was good so perhaps that means next time it will be high again. The nurse also found the heartbeat on the doppler, as usual. I must say I was anxious for her to find it because I wasn't really feeling much movement today compared to most days but the nurse said she could tell from all the static noises that the baby was moving a lot. I guess it's not uncommon at this point to not be able to feel all the movement still. After that Dr. Sugihara came in and said that she had reviewed the images from my anatomy scan and everything looked normal (yay me!). She measured my belly with a tape measure for the first time and said it's right on track. Apparently my uterus is a couple inches above my belly button at this point. I also was given lab work for the glucose tolerance test. I've been dreading drinking this nasty sweet drink but I guess I have to do it. Dr. Sugihara said she doesn't think I'll end up with gestational diabetes as I haven't been showing any of the symptoms and my urine never has any sugar in it. But as I've mentioned before my mom had it for one of her pregnancies and so did one of my sisters... 

The only less then ideal news that I got (and even I'll admit it's not that big of a deal) is that my prenatal blood work revealed I am RH negative. To be honest I had no clue what that meant. I think I can vaguely recall hearing pregnant women talk about if they were RH negative or RH positive but I didn't know what the difference was or what the implications of it was. So for those of you who also don't know, here is an education. Most people are RH positive, 85% to be specific. There really isn't any negative side effects to being RH negative accept when it comes to pregnancy. The problem arises if the mother is RH negative while the baby is RH positive. In my case, Mike is RH positive so we have a 50/50 chance that Emma will be positive too. An RH negative mother carrying an RH positive baby can develop antibodies against her baby's red blood cells. In future pregnancies, these antibodies can cross through the placenta and destroy the red blood cells of the developing fetus. In the old days, this often resulted in fetal death or necessary blood transfusions immediately after birth. Fortunately, there is a shot that is given to RH negative women during the 28th week of pregnancy and then is given again within 72 hours of giving birth that decreases the odds of developing antibodies to about 2 in 1000. My doctor said I really shouldn't be worried about it so I guess I won't worry. It just means another wonderful shot in my booty!

The best news of all though is that after my next appointment in 5 weeks I will be going every 2 weeks instead of once a month!! Woohoo for progress. I'm still blown away to be where I am today with this precious baby inside me :)

Looking Back

First off, can I just say that you guys are getting a special treat with two days of postings in a row!! Lol, as if my posts are that interesting :)

Anyways, I don't have much interesting to say today as far as the baby goes. But I wanted to share something because it is blog related. Last night for some reason I started reading over my blog going back to the night before our final FET transfer. I couldn't believe how emotional I got reading over all those posts. It was only 21 weeks ago that everything happened but in some ways it feels like that was years ago. But it also seems crazy to think that I was going through that just 21 weeks ago. Like I said, it was very emotional and as I read each and every post I felt like I was reliving all those emotions. I remember how scared I was that it wasn't going to work, and agonizing over every little twinge I felt. I also felt so much love for Mike as I read all the little things he would say to reassure me throughout the whole process. And of course, the most bittersweet memory was the day we found out I was actually pregnant! But probably the most touching thing for me was being able to share some of those moments with Mike. I was reading him a bit from the post the day we found out I was pregnant about how nervous I was while waiting to see the HPT results. He looked at me with such a serious face and told me what I already knew but he had never actually said out loud. He told me that the day we found out our first FET didn't work was one of the worst days of his life. When I think back to that horrible phone call I remember looking at him while I was still on the phone with the nurse and I could see the total devastation in his eyes. But quickly that look disappeared and he jumped into his alpha male mode and was all about taking care of me and my devastation. I always knew that he must have been crushed too but we just never spoke about it. To hear him tell me how badly he hurt that day broke my heart and it was like I was reliving that day all over again. But then he told me the sweetest thing. He said that he was crushed not because the FET didn't work because he knew we would eventually get pregnant. He said that what hurt him was seeing how devastated I was. He said that he just watched me sob and sob and would have done anything to take my pain away. How did I get so lucky to marry this amazing man who loves me so much? Over all, it was such a surreal thing to be able to read everything back and realize how truly blessed we are to be where we're at right now. 

I guess the point I am taking forever to get to was that I realized how cathartic it has been for me to blog and get my emotions out. I don't know that I would have made it to this point without becoming a complete nut job if I didn't have a way to vent. So thank you to everyone out there who has followed and still follows my journey. Thank you for all your words of encouragement. It means more then you will ever know!

Good Night, Sleep Tight

Mike and his dad put together Emma's crib this past weekend. It's crazy how real everything feels when I look at that crib (as if feeling her kick and seeing my belly grow doesn't make it real enough). I keep staring at the crib imagining our sweet baby girl sleeping in it, or picturing me bending over it to say good morning to her ever day. But the absolute best part about having the crib set up is that it seems to have really excited Mike. After putting it together he told me that we could order the crib bedding too. When I asked what prompted him to want to order the bedding since he usually avoids spending money for as long as possible, he told me that seeing the crib made him more excited to get everything put together! So we ordered Emma's crib bedding yesterday and I couldn't be more excited for it to all get here. 

A while back, before we even knew if this little baby was a girl, I posted about some of the ideas I was having for a girl nursery. I mentioned that I was IN LOVE with Carousel Designs' Pink and Gray Chevron Design. What I love about it is that it's soft and clearly girly without screaming "I'm a nursery pattern". The only problem was that it wasn't cheap by any means! Well, as much as I have tried to find a cheaper alternative that I equally loved, I just couldn't find anything that spoke to me the same way so I had to get creative. One night I was staring at my crib and realized that the crib skirt won't be as visible as it is in the picture below because my crib has thicker slats and a thicker bottom panel. It just so happens that the crib skirt is the most expensive piece in the bedding collection ($167 to be precise), so I started looking for alternative crib skirts that would still match the rest of the bedding. As I browsed  other crib skirts on every baby bedding web site I quickly realized that one of the main things I loved about this crib skirt, besides for the pattern of course, was that it was the 3 tiered ruffled style instead of the more common flat box pleat style. I finally found a crib skirt from Pottery Barn Kids that is the same style but was all white and only a fraction of the price! I think it will still look great with everything else but be more practical for our checkbook.

I also bought coordinating fabric today from Joanne Fabrics to make a matching blanket. I decided not to order the matching quilt because it's just not practical since the baby won't actually be using it for quite a long time. I figure that by making a soft blanket, i can save money and have a cute blanket to bundle Emma up in throughout the day.

And lastly, I just want to address the fact that I am buying bumpers because I know it's a hot topic that some people feel strongly about due to SIDS. Mike and I discussed in depth the pros and cons to them and both came to a decision we are comfortable with. We also have decided to use the Snuza along with our baby monitor. It's an added precaution that clips onto the baby's diaper and alerts you if your baby's movements/breathing become weak or drop to less than 8 movements per minute. If no movement is detected for 15 seconds it vibrates gently which often rouses the baby. If no further movement is detected for another 5 seconds, it will alert you. Anyways, I just wanted to say that I am in no way saying the use of bumpers are right or wrong and I certainly don't want to start a debate. I think all parents want is to do what they feel is best for their baby and they make the best decision they can. 

I love love love the pink and gray chevron pattern on the bumper!!

I also love that the inside of the bumper is a different pattern but still coordinates!

The sheet pattern is hard to see in the full picture. It's also the fabric used on the ruffles/ties of the bumper.

Pottery Barn Kids Maya Crib Skirt

My blanket will look exactly like this but instead of the chevron pattern I bought the white/gray polka dot fabric

20 Weeks

It's official, I have a shopping problem! I am finding it impossible to stop buying clothes for Emma, they are all just too cute! But even I am starting to realize that our dresser drawers are already overflowing with clothes and we are barely halfway through the pregnancy. So I have made a promise to Mike that I won't buy anymore clothes until after my baby shower so I can see what I still need. BUT if people want to buy clothes for Emma, who am I to refuse :)

Some of the gifts I've recently gotten, SO CUTE!!

I also got 2 amazing deals this week: my bathtub and bouncer! First, I am so excited about this bathtub. I was at Buy Buy Baby with my mom and saw a 4Moms brand bathtub that looked pretty cool. Don't worry, I'm not about to tell you it's a baby bathtub with jets and a bunch of other totally unpractical features! Basically, this is a basic looking baby tub that sits on top of your kitchen sink and uses a constant flow of warm water from the faucet so that the section the baby is in is constantly using clean water, while the dirty water is constantly flushing out. It also has a digital thermometer in it that the water runs over before getting to the baby to tell you if it's too hot, too cold etc... Anyways, it was marked at $49.99. That night I was looking online to learn more about it and saw that it typically retails for $90. I told my mom the next day that we must have misread it or it had to have been mismarked. She insisted we go back and look at it again, and lo and behold it was marked on sale for $49.99. My mom surprised me and bought it for me!! As soon as I got home I opened it up and played around with it. I am seriously in love with this tub and can't wait to wash Emma in it!

My second amazing find of the week is my bouncer. Mike and I registered for one the Comfort and Harmony by Bright Starts Cradling Bouncer. It's a basic bouncer, nothing fancy, but it retails for $60. Also, we weren't in love with the pattern we picked but it was the best of the ones they had. A couple days ago I was out with my mom and sister at Burlington Coat Factory and we were looking at their Baby Depot department. My mom spotted a bouncer that they were selling for $25 so I went over to look at it and it was the exact same brand of bouncer as the one we had registered for AND it was a way cuter pattern!! I decided to go home and tell Mike first since I promised to stop shopping but he agreed that it was such an amazing deal we had to get it. So I went back the next day to get it. I had to go a little crazy on the lady at the register because she tried to tell me it was a mistake and wasn't actually on sale. Now I understand that things sometimes get mismarked or put on the wrong shelf, but this was a full on sign they had hanging next to them with the full name of the bouncer and a big X through the original price with a new price of $25. Umm, that's not a misunderstanding. If it's not supposed to be on sale then maybe you need to train your employees how to do their job better. Long story short I got the bouncer for $25, woohoo! Again, I immediately came home and put it together because I was so excited to see it. It's so cute and I can just picture Emma laying in!

Alright, belly time. Here is my 20 week bump pic and update.

How Far Along: 20w6d

Total Weight Gain: +8 pounds!! I guess the weight is finally packing on :)

Maternity Clothes: Still in need of new bras!

Stretch Marks: Same

Sleep: Pretty much the same. It's getting more difficult to get up for pee runs without having to roll up, this belly is getting in my way!

Best Moment This Week: Knowing I'm half baked and that if I just make it through another 20 weeks I'll be holding Emma in my arms!

Miss Anything: I would kill someone for an Iced Caramel Macchiato right now. Seriously, don't come near me with coffee or I may kill you!

Movement: Still waiting for more consistent movement

Food Cravings: Jelly Belly's!!! I devoured an entire bag yesterday :)

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick: Nope

Gender: Sweet baby girl - Emma Mae Mitchell

Labor Signs: Nope, getting closer to VDay though :)

Symptoms: Pretty much feeling the same this week

Belly Button In or Out: In

Wedding Rings On or Off: On

Happy or Moody Most of the Time: Over the moon <3

Looking Forward To: Building the crib today!!

19 Weeks

How Far Along: 19w3d

Total Weight Gain: I'm fluctuating between +5/6 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Yup. I think it's time to buy some new bras also (again!). I can't believe how much the ladies are growing!!

Stretch Marks: The same as before

Sleep: Not too bad lately since I've been really using the Snoogle all night long. I am starting to wake up more frequently again to go pee but I guess that just comes with the territory when pregnant. At least I'm usually able to fall back to sleep pretty quickly.

Best Moment This Week: Feeling positive that I am feeling movement now. 

Miss Anything: Sangria!! Being able to bend over easily to pull off my shoes :(

Movement: It's still not anything crazy hard like kicks, just flutters. And it's not consistent or even daily at this point but it's pretty cool to feel.

Food Cravings: Still loving Root Beer. I'm not sure that I'm having any strong cravings but my "go-to" food choices are definitely different now. For example, I used to ALWAYS choose fettucini alfredo or bowtie pasta with a garlic cream sauce if we were at an Italian restaurant but lately I'd prefer angel hair with arrabiata or vodka sauce. Also, I generally love steak but have instead been craving chicken more frequently. 

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick: Nope

Gender: Sweet baby girl - Emma Mae Mitchell

Labor Signs: Nope

Symptoms: I'm starting to get some heart burn at night and it usually coincides with acid reflux. Tums are quickly becoming my new best friend.

Belly Button In or Out: In

Wedding Rings On or Off: On but some days it feels a little tight

Happy or Moody Most of the Time: Beyond Happy for the most part.

Looking Forward To: Feeling kicks and getting the crib built!

18 Weeks

Just a little update on me before I get to my weekly bump update... 

I had another doctor's appointment since my last post and I'm happy to report everything is going as planned. Mike got to hear Emma's heart beat on the Doppler for the first time! And best of all, I was surprised that I got to have my level 2 anatomy scan the following day. If you don't know what that is, it's an ultrasound typically given around 18-22 weeks to a) determine gender and b) look in depth at how the baby is developing to determine if there are any abnormalities. The tech confirmed it's a girl (phew!) and said everything looked perfectly normal. It was pretty cool getting to see all the organs and all her measurements...

Also, Mike and I decided to take a little weekend getaway this past weekend since Mike had all three days off. We went down to San Diego and mainly hung out by the pool all day and walked around the town at night, but it was SO what we needed! It's really starting to sink in that we are nearing the end of just me and Mike time, soon Emma will be in the mix. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm trying to relish every moment I get alone with Mike before Emma arrives. It was great to be away, not have any stress, and just be together. I was stressing out about wearing a swim suit, but I eventually got over it. I haven't gone swimming since I became pregnant and my old swim suit had seen better days so I needed to get a new suit. I've always been a bikini girl so I wasn't loving all the tankinis and one pieces, they made me feel frumpy and fat. I honestly felt like crying in the dressing room! But Mike helped convince me that I looked amazing and had nothing to worry about so I ended up buying a cute maternity one piece and enjoyed my time by the pool. I will, however, be on the lookout for a couple other swim suits I can wear this summer that I love so that I can feel super confident!

While in San Diego Mike let me eat like a queen! I shouldn't say that since Mike pretty much gives in to all my cravings anyways, but he definitely indulged me this weekend. I had the best food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And the best part of all, I had amazing desserts each night! I read about a place called Chocolat that had amazing reviews for desserts so we went there after dinner the first night and had a Chocolate Cherry Souffle that was to die for! My mouth is seriously watering just thinking about it. And then the next night we stopped at Ghiradelli's and had the worlds largest/delicious ice cream sundae and a huge cup of Salted Carmel Hot Cocoa! Have I told you how much I love my husband?!?!

Anyways, we're back home now and it's back to the old routine. I'm currently obsessed with planning Emma's nursery. I have so many ideas but I just need to put them all together. I'll keep you posted on that. In the meantime, here is my 18 week bump.

How Far Along: 18w5d

Total Weight Gain: Still hanging in at +4 pounds
Maternity Clothes: Yup, lots of them!
Stretch Marks: Same
Sleep: Flipping from side to side is getting increasingly difficult. Last night I must have moved too suddenly and felt a sharp pain in my lower abdomen. Also, Emma is definitely not a fan of me laying on my belly for even a few minutes!
Best Moment This Week: Having my A/S and confirming it's a girl!
Miss Anything: My balance, Mike walks behind me now when I go up stairs because I frequently start to lean to one side and he's afraid I'm going to fall.
Movement: I think I might have felt that first flutter but hoping to feel more. It felt like 3 quick twitches in my lower belly. I laid there forever afterwards hoping to feel it again but nothing happened.
Food Cravings: Root Beer has officially replaced my Orange Soda obsession.
Anything Making You Queasy or Sick: Nope.
Gender: Sweet baby girl - Emma Mae Mitchell
Labor Signs: Nope.
Symptoms: Extreme fatigue by the end of the day, back pain, starting to really feel some round ligament pain as well. In general my belly feels pretty full.
Belly Button In or Out: Still in, yay!
Wedding Rings On or Off: On
Happy or Moody Most of the Time: Very happy and really starting to feel like this is real. I look down at my belly all the time and talk to her. I can't wait to meet this little girl!
Looking Forward To: Feeling consistent movement.

17 Weeks

How Far Along: 17w6d
Total Weight Gain: +4 pounds, still shocked that it's not more by now.
Maternity Clothes: Just bought another pair of jeans, a pair of jeggings, and a super cute casual summer dress!
Stretch Marks: Same
Sleep: The amazingness of the Snoogle has decreased a bit. It's still helping but I'm having some serious back aches throughout the night and am constantly flipping from side to side.
Best Moment This Week: Getting the cute grey chevron curtains I ordered from Etsy for the nursery in the mail :)
Miss Anything: Being able to brag that I was a fabulous sleeper
Movement: No!! It seems like all the July Mamas I know are feeling their little ones by now and I have yet to feel Emma. I just want to feel that little flutter :(
Food Cravings: Ehhh, nothing I can think of.
Anything Making You Queasy or Sick: Nope.
Gender: Sweet baby girl!
Labor Signs: Nope.
Symptoms: Extreme fatigue by the end of the day, back pain, starting to really feel some round ligament pain as well. In general my belly feels pretty full.
Belly Button In or Out: In, where I'm determined it will stay!
Wedding Rings On or Off: On
Happy or Moody Most of the Time: Happy but I did have one day this week that I broke down and sobbed to Mike about all my fears and worries. I think it's just the usual concerns for first time moms.
Looking Forward To: My next OB appointment; Can't wait to hear baby girl's heart beat!

Crafty Mama!

It has now been 5 months since I lost my job and I have to say that usually I really enjoy not working and just being able to focus on baby Emma. BUT occasionally negative thoughts slip into my mind about how I'm not contributing to the family etc... This especially happens when I get asked what I do for a living (which seems to be happening more now that I'm not working then it ever did when I was, go figure) and I say I'm a housewife (so 1950's, I know. But Mike and I agreed that we like the sound of that better then just saying I'm not working). I feel like it would be one thing if I had kids and could say I was a stay at home mom, but I don't have kids (yet) so I feel like people are thinking housewife = lazy person who doesn't want to work.  I guess it's just taking time to adjust to the idea that my value doesn't have to be tied to my profession and that I do contribute to the household, just not in a financial way. Anyways, I have decided to put those thoughts to rest as best I can, and truly embrace the idea of being this fabulous stay at home mom!

A fellow July 2013 expectant mom posted a link from Pinterest on making home made burp cloths and I decided this was going to be my first "mom" craft. Now, I must say that I am immensely proud of myself with this because I have NEVER, repeat NEVER, used a sewing machine in my life! And the fact that fabric is sold in yards confuses the crap outta me!! So I asked my mom for help and she was more then happy to oblige! My mom recently gave her sewing machine away so we had to borrow my sister's but then my mom actually ended up buying a new sewing machine (that's a whole different story).

First we went to Joann Fabrics to get the material. I decided to use cute flannel prints on one side and a basic (but still soft) cotton solid on the back. I have read that some people use Chenille, but I chose to go with flannel/cotton. We picked out 4 different flannel prints and 3 different cottons (1 of them went well with 2 of the flannel prints).

Once we got home my mom helped me figure out how to cut the fabric since the instructions used inches and the fabric was in yards. I seriously believe I missed school during the week they discussed conversions because I suck big time in that topic! Anyways, the instructions said to use slightly different measurements but my mom thought they needed to be bigger so we ended up cutting the fabric to be 10in wide and 18in long. This would give us 4 burp cloths for 3 of the prints, and 8 burp cloths for the other print (that fabric was on sale so we got more of it). Once all the fabric was cut I pinned the flannel and coordinating cotton fabrics together, right side facing each other. For those of you out there who are not sewers, like me, this just means that it looks inside out when pinned together.

Then came the hard part, it was time to sew! I did quite a bit of practicing on scrap pieces of fabric to make sure I could feed the fabric in straight etc. Once I finally felt comfortable I started sewing. I did a straight stitch allowing about a 1/4in seam. I also made sure to leave an open pocket along one of the long sides. Then I took out the pins and pulled the fabric through the open pocket so that it was right side out. Then I finished them by sewing a zigzag stitch around the edges which closed  the pocket and reinforced the seams.

I think they turned out fabulously and I now have 20 burp cloths for only $30!! In all honestly, it was pretty easy to get the hang of basic sewing. By the end of this project I was able to turn the fabric as I rounded corners. I could even fix and re thread the bobbin when jams occurred! I am so glad I decided to give this project a shot because now I have the confidence to do so much more. Next up, I'm thinking receiving blankets!

We're Having A......

GIRL!

Alright, I know it's been more then just a day or two like I promised but we have been so crazy busy this week and I feel like I have so much to tell you!!

First and foremost we are both over the moon to know that this little person that has been growing inside me is going to be a girl, Emma Mae Mitchell. It's such a surreal thing to think about. I mean, I finally just wrapped my head around the fact that I am actually pregnant and there is a human inside me (which still blows my mind) and I was just getting used to thinking about the baby as "it". Now I have to start thinking "she" or "her". It's crazy! 

Before the ultrasound I made Mike stop at a donut shop and I got a large glass of OJ and 2 sugar donuts. One of the best ultrasounds I have had (and I think it was around 7weeks) I happened to have grabbed a sugar donut on the way out the door and the doctor commented that the baby was moving well and totally cooperating. So I wanted to make sure that she was doing the same this time. Can you imagine how much of a bummer it would have been to not get an answer at that ultrasound?? Anyways, I guess I over did it with the sugar in take because baby girl was break dancing or something in there. All I can say is her legs were flying all over the place in ways I'm pretty sure your legs are not meant to bend, lol! It took a little while but we finally got the confirmation shot. I was squeezing Mike's hand so hard because I really wanted it to be a girl. Guess I got my wish!

So now the shopping has begun! I am finding it physically impossible to not pick up an outfit or two every time I go to Babies R Us or Target or basically anywhere that sells baby clothes! Up until last night they have all just been sitting in bags on the floor but I finally took all the tags off and put them away. Seeing all her clothes folded and piled up made me realize that maybe I need to relax a bit and wait until after my baby shower to buy anymore clothes.

My favorite but least practical piece so far. I can't wait to see little Emma's chunky leg rolls in this!

Pretty sure this little girl is going to have a bigger/better wardrobe then me! 

Lastly, my Mother-In-Law offered to buy the crib and crib mattress for us. Mike and I were so thankful since cribs are not cheap! After looking at MANY cribs we finally agreed on Babi Italia's Mayfair crib in Oyster Shell (it's like an antique white color). Picking out the perfect crib was hard for so many reasons. First and foremost I wanted it to be white for a girl, so that ruled out quite a few cribs in itself. My second requirement was that it be a lifetime crib that could convert into a toddler bed and then a full sized bed as they grow up. If I'm spending all this money on the crib why would I want to turn around and buy a new bed in a couple years?!?! I also had to "test" them all because I am pretty short (5'3" on a good day) and an awful lot of cribs are hard for me to reach down into since it is now illegal to sell drop down side cribs. I literally would toss my purse into all the cribs and see if I could easily bend down and pick it up. This sounds ridiculous but you'd be amazed at how many cribs I had to stretch on my tip toes to pick up my purse! My last requirement and honestly the least important on my wish list is that the crib skirt would be clearly visible. Remember the pink and grey chevron bedding I posted about? I'm still obsessed with it and finally convinced Mike to let me get it. The skirt is one of my favorite parts so I want to make sure I'll actually be able to see it on the crib. So many cribs that I found had huge, solid bottoms that effectively made the crib skirt invisible! Anyways, I'm happy to say this crib passed all my requirements. And to make things even better, Babie's R Us is having what they call The Great Trade In Event now through February 10th. In an effort to educate the public on the hazards of using OLD hand-me-downs and sometimes even expired items (who knew car seats expire every several years?!?!) that may have recalls or features that are no longer deemed safe, they are giving you 25% off a major baby item (crib, car seat, stroller etc...) when you bring in a used item. Luckily for me I have two sisters shoe have recently had babies and had a bunch of hand-me-downs to share. So I took in an old car seat that both my sister's had used so I'm pretty sure it's expired plus it was blue for my nephew and I want a more gender neutral color. Because of that I was able to save my Mother-In-Law $112 on the crib! 

We aren't using that bedding, but it's the only pic I could find of the crib...

So now I'm anxiously waiting the arrival of the crib (which they estimated to be this coming Thursday) so I can put it together!! I'll be sure to post pics :)

And without further ado, here is my gender reveal chalkboard!!

How Far Along: 16w6d

Total Weight Gain: +4.5 pounds and expecting it to go up any day now :)

Maternity Clothes: Heck yes!

Stretch Marks: Same

Sleep: I busted out the Snoogle pillow and am finally getting a good night's rest again!

Best Moment This Week: Finding out we're having a girl!!!!!!

Miss Anything: All the energy I used to have

Movement: Not yet but I'm hoping to feel her very soon

Food Cravings: Still obsessed with Orange soda and gummy candies. Also craving fruit salad.

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick: Not anymore :)

Gender: It's a girl!

Labor Signs: Thankfully no

Symptoms: Generally just tired. I've solved the gagging when brushing my teeth problem (baking soda toothpaste). As of this week my carpal tunnel has flared up.

Belly Button In or Out: In

Wedding Rings On or Off: On

Happy or Moody Most of the Time: Over the moon :)

Looking Forward To: Feeling baby girl move!

14 and 15 Weeks

With this post I will now be caught up on my chalkboards! As of today I am officially 16 weeks and YES, we did find out the gender this afternoon but I am going to be doing that chalkboard and revealing the exciting news in the next day or two...

Oops, I'm wearing the same shirt as last week's pic : /

How Far Along: 15 weeks 6 days

Total Weight Gain: +4 pounds (how this is possible, I have no clue!)

Maternity Clothes: Yes, yes, and yes!

Stretch Marks: Nothing new

Sleep: Not great! I've finally hit that point where I am uncomfortable laying on my back but laying on my side all night isn't very comfortable. And I'm still waking up 1-2 times a night to pee.

Best Moment This Week: Getting the room painted FINALLY!

Miss Anything: Wine :(

Movement: Not yet, but I'm hoping it will be any day now!

Food Cravings: Orange soda and sour gummy candies (can't get enough!)

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick: Not that I can think of, thankfully!

Gender: We will see very soon but I'm still thinking pink.

Labor Signs: Nope

Symptoms: Generally feeling great but I get tired early these days

Belly Button In or Out: In

Wedding Rings On or Off: On

Happy or Moody Most of the Time: Very Happy, so much so that I cry tears of joy too frequently!

Looking Forward To: Finding out if it's a boy or girl!!!

Dreaming of Nurseries

Tonight my Mother-In-Law announced that she wants to buy our nursery furniture. Of course Mike and I are unbelievably grateful because nursery furniture is crazy expensive. I plan on going into full nursery planning mode once we find out the gender this Sunday and now I'm even more excited since I'll get to pick out and order the furniture!! 

I've already given some thought to nursery themes and I guess the best way to explain my style is classic, peaceful, not too baby themed, if that makes sense. I want it to feel like a nursery but not necessarily be crammed with stuff that screams "baby nursery" because I want it to be something that the baby can grow into. I've been looking online at so many nurseries to get inspiration and I'm loving all the grey nurseries that I'm seeing. Regardless of if it is a boy or girl, I'm definitely going to have soft grey be a main color. If it's a girl I'll accent it with soft pink, and if it's a boy I'll use turquoise and maybe lime green accents. When it comes to furniture I know that I want to go with white for a girl and a dark wood (maybe espresso colored?) for a boy. 

I must admit that I have mainly been thinking/looking at girl rooms because that's what I'm feeling like I am going to have (we'll see on Sunday!). The other day I was looking at crib bedding and absolutely fell in love with a specific set. I honestly can't stop thinking about it and if I am having a girl I'm going to theme the entire nursery around this bedding. I love the combination of patterns and solids, and I am completely obsessed with the 3 tier ruffled skirt!!

Pink and Gray Chevron by Carousel Designs

So I guess that is a pretty good example of what I mean when I say "not too baby themed". I think that room is peaceful and definitely fits a baby but it isn't filled with cartoon animals or anything like that. Hopefully that makes sense.

I've also recently discovered Etsy and can't believe it's taken me this long to get into it. I've gotten so many ideas on there. For example, I found this woman who sells large wall decals and I really love one in specific that I am pretty sure I'll get and put next to the crib.

Large Cherry Blossom Tree by SurfaceInspired on Etsy

It's going to be pretty comical if I end up being totally wrong and have a boy, because all of this planning and obsessing will be for nothing! Either way I really just want to know so I can get a move on with everything. Nesting has definitely kicked in and I feel like in the blink of an eye our baby is going to be here so I need to get ready. Mike keeps telling me that I'm crazy and we have tons of time. But I remember him saying that when we were planning our wedding and even he admits that time got away from us and we were rushing like crazy people in the end to get everything done. I can't do that this time, especially since I'll be a big ol' pregnant lady and won't be capable of pulling all nighters... Ugh, can Sunday please get here already?

13 Weeks

It's taken a little longer then I thought but here is my 13 week shot (from 2 weeks ago). I promise I WILL get on the ball with this before the baby is here, lol!

My new favorite shirt!

Prenatal Yoga

I'm not proclaiming to be a yoga expert. In fact, I'm far from it. But I have been doing yoga on and off for several years and have always really enjoyed how it made me feel and the strength/flexibility that it gave me. So I always knew that I would want to do prenatal yoga when the day came.

Flash forward to me getting pregnant and literally the entire first trimester I felt like poop. Just the idea of working out was laughable to me because there was NO WAY it was going to happen. Well I have been in my second trimester now for almost two weeks and I can honestly say that I am feeling the best I have felt since beginning the whole IVF process! You hear people say that you will feel better in the second tri but when you are hanging your head over a toilet puking for 50% of your day and passed out from exhaustion the other 50% of the time it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I actually recall telling Mike at one point that if I didn't start to feel better soon this was going to be a one time deal so he better adjust to the idea of having just one kid! But I can truthfully say that I am feeling more like myself these days. So much so that I decided it was time to start up the prenatal yoga. The hospital that I will be delivering at offers prenatal yoga classes once a week for only $10 (or buy 3 get 4 classes). My first class was this morning and I LOVED it! The instructor asked us if we had any specific area that have been bothering us (for me it was my lower back) and she made sure to point out what poses best helped relieve those specific aches. She made sure we were all taking time to breathe properly through the poses and not over exert ourselves. She also made sure to explain variations that can make the poses easier for you as your belly gets bigger and it gets harder to do everything. And obviously with the class being specifically aimed at pregnant women, it took the stress out of having to think about which poses are considered unsafe during pregnancy. It was actually eye opening for me to realize that while I do have some experience with yoga and consider myself pretty flexible and able to do most poses, I can't push myself the way I used to - my body is different now and the baby is the number one thing I need to think about. It also just felt really good to be active again. Since I'm not working now I feel like I don't do as much physically as I used to. Don't get me wrong, I love not working! I guess it just felt good to feel like life is getting back to normal again... So anyways, I really enjoyed it and think I will continue to go for the rest of my pregnancy.

That's about all the news I have for you today. And in case you were keeping track, only 10 more days until we find out if this little person in me is going to be an Emma or a Mason!!

10, 11, and 12 weeks!

OK bloggies, I'm playing catch up with belly photos. I'll post weeks 13 and 14 in the next couple days and I'll pick back up with all the weekly info at that point but I honestly can't remember specifics like what I was craving etc... from that long ago so I'll just stick with the pics for these three weeks.

I had major bloat at this point!!

I got TONS of cute (and comfy) maternity clothes form my MIL for Xmas!

Bloat has finally gone away and it is all belly now!