To Do's Almost DONE

I've kept my running To Do list on the right side bar of this blog.

It's kept me motivated and also makes me remember what needs to be done.

I only have ONE thing left on my list and that's - Pack Alyssa's overnight bag.  That may be a last minute thing, and if worse comes to worse, my parents will be able to come by the house and grab what she needs. It's not something I'm overly concerned about, but I may get it marked off the list yet.

Then there is the EASTER TO DO LIST

Make up the basket

Dye eggs

Fill eggs with candy

Make a lunch plan

Get church clothes out and ready

And the only other TO DO's I really need to keep up is the housework 

dishes

laundry

getting the floors cleaned

After this weekend it really will be the old saying "hurry up and wait."

We are all SICK

Well not my lucky husband who RARELY gets sick, or just hides it really well if he every does.

But me - I've been sick since Monday (4 days now).

Soar throat, cough, runny nose, lost my voice, low grade fever

Wonderful.

About to go into labor any day at anytime, and I'm going to be feeling bad and exhausted before it ever even gets started.

Tonight - Alyssa started in with it.

Poor girl.  She's so strong.  She said she was cold - take her temp and it's 100.3

She tells me, I'll be better by tomorrow. Aww... I sure do hope so sweet girl.

So another BIG reason this baby better hold off a little longer is - we are all sick out here!  You don't want to join us just yet!!!

I did, luckily, start feeling better tonight though.  After 2 days in bed.  The bad thing is my body HURTS from being in bed for so long now.  It actually felt good to be doing laundry and working on my freezer meals on my feet.

Lets hope I'm on the upswing and Alyssa has a 24 hour thing.  The last thing I want is for big sister to not get to see her baby brother because she is sick.

Freezer Meals FINISHED

All I can say is YAY!

17 Meals are in my freezer for when baby arrives.

2x Bacon Crusted Pork Tenderloins (ready for the over)

2x Pulled Pork (ready for the crock pot)

2x Chili (fully cooked, just needs reheated)

2x Taco Meat (fully cooked, just needs reheated)

2x Roasts (ready w/ veggies for the crock pot)

1x Chicken Broccoli Alfredo (ready for crock pot - needs noodles)

2x Chicken Cacciatore (Ready for the crock pot)

2x Meat Loafs (Ready for the oven)

2x Creamy Ranch Pork Chops (ready for the crock pot)

Along with those:

We have additional Chicken, Pork Steaks, and Hamburgers ready for the BBQ grill

IF I GET AROUND TO IT:

I'd like to grab some frozen pizzas and lasagna from the store to help fill in.

A months worth of NO COOKING (or very very little cooking) is what I'm hoping for. (For dinners at least)

And as I've said in previous posts - we have fresh product co-op pick up ever other week which will serve our needs for fresh fruit and veggies. 

The only things we will really need to shop for will be 

milk, bread, eggs, and any kind of side or addition to the meals above (ex: taco shells, rolls, buns)

TMI: Mucus Plug/Contractions

I wasn't real sure if what I was having was the loss of my mucus plug.

It started this last weekend (4-5 days ago).

I thought just maybe hormonal change at this point in pregnancy?

So I did some research today, and sounds like it is indeed me loosing my mucus plug.

I remember loosing it with Alyssa and she was born about a week later.

So could this weekend end up being "the time?"

Well all signs are pointing to - anytime.

No blood yet, but I don't remember having that with Alyssa before going to the hospital.

If I'm 2.5 cm dilated then there is plenty of room for the mucus plug to be coming out.  Plus 100% effaced already...

I feel like I already have a good head start at this point for when labor does start.

I feel like a giant whale.  Even though everyone says how little I am (only gained 16 lbs. this pregnancy), it is a lot for me - I'm a small person as it is.  So 16 lbs of all baby out in the front is taking it's toll.  Plus the baby, at over a week and a half ago was already 7 lbz. 4oz. - I just have a feeling my body is going to easily reject this baby at a point where it says ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.  So yes, I do believe it could be anytime.

Contractions are erratic.

They are definitely not enjoyable or easy going anymore.  Some do hurt.  Even a few in a row will hurt.  However, none of these contractions are hanging on for too long.  

I was up for over two hours the night before last with contractions, but then finally passed out from exhaustion, and they stopped. 

I've been in bed a lot the last 2 days before I'm sick (cold w/ fever, blah).  So I really think if I were up moving around I could easily get this party started just with everyday activity.

But only the heavens know when Carter is ready.  I just can't wait to meet him - THAT IS AFTER OUR HOUSE GETS OVER THE YUCKY COLD JUNK!!

Husband's Turn to Panic

So as I'm hooked up to monitor's in the doctor's office, and they are seeing me have regular contractions every 2-3 min. I'm on my phone texting Steve to keep him up dated.  He is kind of freaking out, we didn't do this that and the other, and what about this?!

Luck for me, they sent me home unless the contractions get stronger.

So tonight he went to town

Cart Seats are installed

This is our car, the other base is in my van

He set up the Pack N' Play in the living room

Reading directions!

And you can see in background - left side of this photo - the new swing and bouncer I bought 2nd hand today from Once Upon A Child.  I took the covers off to wash them.  Alyssa disinfected the rest of the metal/plastic on them.

So what's left to do?

Freezer meal cooking tomorrow

Double check our hospital bag

Pack Alyssa's overnight bag

That's pretty well it, as far as baby prep goes.

Crazy to think that it could be anytime now!

Eventful Dr. Appt - 37 weeks 4 days

No matter how much I worry, these doctor's appointments just make things worse lately.

Things went good, considering I've come down with a cold as of yesterday.

Then the Dr. went to check the baby's heartbeat.  It was high.  Which for some baby's is normal, but it wasn't normal for Carter.

He's been 140's low 150's usually.  She caught him at 170.

They put me on a monitor and right off the bat I had a giant contraction.  Carter's heart rate went up into the 160's.  I went alone to this appointment and wished that I hadn't at that point.

The nurse came in right away and said - ummm... did you feel that?  Yeah, I did, I did feel that.

Contractions would start around 13/14 and that one got up to 90.

The good thing - Carter's heart rate was SUPPOSED to go up with contractions, that is what they wanted to see.  And they wanted to see that happen twice in a 20 min. session.  They saw it in less then 5 min.

Left is baby's heart rate - Right are contractions
The giant 90 one is clear, right in the middle

So good news - Carter was doing great.

The bad news - I was contracting, regularly, every 2-3 min.

My regular, mild contractions

After my 20+ min. monitored NST (Non-stress test), the nurse took the monitor slip to the doctor to review.

They had me go into another exam room to see if I was dialated.

Sure enough - 2.5 cm and 100% effaced.  Baby's head was "low."

Doctor said, no baby today, but could be any time.  Nurse said, you may go home and have to come back in a few hours...  yikes.

At this point, I leave it up to the heavens.  They know when he is ready, whether I am ready or not.  

So now the big question - March baby or April baby?

Total rambling

Clearing my preggo brain out.

This blog has been a lot more for me then just a place to put pictures and write about what's going on, it's been a way for me to de-stress too.  "Put it on paper" and get it out of the head.  Lists I've made on here, ideas I've put on here, and worries I've put on here.  This blog has been a journal and therapy all in one.

With so much going on right now, and the days ticking down (18 at this point), I really do have a lot on my mind.

Let's start with tomorrow.

Dr. appointment #1,392 (it feels like anyway)

I'm going by myself (which I've done few times before), for the first time in over month.  Which I don't look forward to.  I wonder what type of appointment this will be.  One like before?  Measure belly listen to heartbeat and off I go?  Or will they check to see if I'm dilated?  Talk to me about delivery?  Will I get my Group B Strep test results back?

At 10:15am tomorrow, I guess I'll find out.

But I still can't help but wonder.

AFTER the doctor's appointment I have a lot of running around to do.

I used to go into town multiple times a week sometimes (it's a 25 min drive).  But lately being pregnant, I haven't had the will or the energy.  So I do my running after dr. appointments, since i'll be that way anyway.

I have 8 stops tomorrow on my list - EIGHT!

1.) Doctor's office - of course

2.)Once Upon a Child - Needing a bouncer and swing yet (2nd hand)

3.) Walmart - get drinks for Alyssa's Easter Party and I have a few returns

4.) CostCo - stock up the freezer with meat and for my freezer meal plan

5.) Aldi - Grocery shopping

6.) Babies R Us - Hope this is an in and out, just have returns

7.) Dollar Tree - Easter Candy for egg hunt, hard candy and massagers (for hospital bag)

8.) Sam's club - Chicken breast for freezer and freezer meals, maybe frozen pizzas

Then there is the rest of the week - Girl Scouts, Zoo play date, 2 days of no school (plus today's a 3rd b/c it was a snow day), Easter party at school, Co-Op pick up, Easter Sunday.

All that's not even business or baby related!  That's just regular everyday to-do's!

Then there are business to do's:

IL sales tax

MO sales tax

Book work from the last 3 months

Orders that need to be made and shipped

Online store and Etsy that need to go on vacation mode

Restocking my consignment store (BIG JOB)

Restocking my studio boutique (if there is time)

Not to mention I still need to do these things for the baby:

One whole day of freezer meal cooking

Set up the pack n' play

Finish prepping the bamboo inserts/diapers

Pack my daughter's over night bag so it's ready to grab (include her big sister outfit in there too)

Car seats need installed

Extra bag of 0-3 month clothes needs to be packed and put into the car in case the newborns are too small (he's measuring bigger then our daughter at this point)

All this and really, all I want to do is just sit back and wait for this baby to arrive.

Enjoy the last few days I have of no crying, not being a zombie, and enjoying my family as three for the last time.

But I still remind myself - in the end - 

after all the trouble and OCD that's taken over my brain

I will soon be bringing home a tiny baby boy.

And I just want to be able to not have a care in the world,  except for what is really important at that point in time - and that is my kids.

Oh world, why can't I just shut you out right now?

1st Cloth Diaper Laundry

And so it begins.

Cloth Diaper Laundry

I did some of my prep today with the diapers that I have.

1st load was all my pre-loved fluff.  That was not too bad.  I just wanted a fresh wash of everything to get started.

2nd batch is my new fluff and MF inserts.

That is now in the dryer and finally rinsed for the last time.  I hope I did it right.

Next, and what will have to wait for another day, is my bamboo fluff and inserts.

I know there is a lot of washing and rinsing to do with those too.

Here's my first wash/dry/and folding of my official first load:

I'm sure I'll be seeing this image a lot more soon enough.

Our plan is to use disposables for the first month or so.

Cloth diapering will be, our main form of diapering after that EXCEPT for - trips out of the house or when he is being babysat by someone, then the disposables come out again.

Big sister is already a big help with the folding <3

Baby Shower / Sprinkle

I helped to host a baby sprinkle/open house in our home yesterday, March 23, 2013

My mom and friend Sarah also co-hosted and took care of a lot too!

THANK YOU!

Yummy deserts

Handmade cupcakes - Chocolate covered marshmallows, Chocolate covered Oreos, and Brownie Pops 

Some of our guest

Steve with his mom

Steve's Aunt Tammy, My Aunt Jamie, and a friend's mom Pat - while I chit chat

Gifts!

We did not ask for gifts, we have most of what we need, but we did receive some very thoughtful things.  It was very nice of everyone <3

Alyssa helped me open everything (she even got some big sister gifts!)

Carter got his first swimsuit, my mom made onsies that say "I'm told I like Hockey," Some great cloth diapers and accessories for the diapers, CLOTHES, picture frames, diapers/wipes, blankets, etc.

Me and my sister

Me and my best mommy friend Sarah, and me with my big ol' belly

My mom painted a tree and had everyone add a thumbprint for leaves and add their name.  It turned out SO CUTE!

Here I am!

37 Weeks 1 Day!

We had a great time visiting with everyone at our shower.  It turned out perfect and we felt so much love from our friends and family.  It meant a lot to have everyone there.

Maternity Session

I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!

S-N-O-W

I honestly, do not like snow.  Maybe a tiny bit, it's exciting to watch it come in and see the beauty it leaves behind.  However, I hate the cold.  I don't like being out in it at all.

Being that this baby is due the beginning of April, I knew it was a long shot to have the chance at a green outside session, even though technically it is spring.

So I wished and hoped for snow, a beautiful backdrop for maternity photos.

Today - we got it!

So far 6" of snow for us (LOTS more to the north of us), and it's still coming down.

I love the 2 photographers I work with.  Love them both dearly; however, I needed this fast and without scheduling an appointment, didn't want to have to drive 30+ miles to get to a mutual spot, etc.  So my mom filled the photographers shoes this time around.  I have to say, I'm pretty happy with the outcome.  I did all the photo editing.

It was still snowing when we did the photos and windy, but we got through it!  Alyssa had fun playing in all the snow while me and her daddy did our photos.  I wish I'd have gotten more poses with all three of us together.  But considering it was a do it yourself session, I can't complain.  Now on to turning our family of 3 into a family of 4!

Big Sister - Hospital Gift

I really want to make sure my daughter feels just as special about becoming a big sister and this baby feels coming into our family.  I knew I wanted to do a special gift for her for when she met the baby in the hospital.

I know that for younger kids the gift is "from the baby."  However, she is nearly 7 years old and knows that this is not possible.  The baby isn't going to come out of the birth canal with a present all wrapped up pretty for her.  So the gift is from me, her daddy, and the baby - just for this special time in her life too.

I decorated a canvas bag and filled it with goodies.

I tried to do a good variety of things like activities, snacks, and I even threw in some quarters for the vending machine.  I know she'll get a kick out of that.

Sponge Bob oversized pen

Activity pack (stickers, crayons, activity book set)

Panyo snack

Belly Washers drink

$5.00 in quarters for the vending machine

Piggy Paint

Hidden pictures watercolor paint set

She's a big snack girl, so I may throw in some more snacks into the bag at some point.

But right now, this gift is already packed into my hospital bag and ready to go!

37 Weeks - FULL TERM!

I am so glad I've made it to FULL TERM!

After two hospital trips with preterm labor - I wasn't so sure.

Doctor said that after 35 weeks they don't usually stop labor as long as the baby is looking good and healthy.  Here I've been thinking it was 37 weeks - but here I am!

It's officially the "he could come anytime" phase.

With Alyssa being 6 days late, I'm not so sure I need to worry about him coming early.  However, he is much larger then Alyssa already too.  So we shall have to do the wait and see thing.

Open and Closed for Business

Well, I'm officially done with doing my expos for the summer.

So I decided to set up my basement with all my inventory for a couple of reasons.

#1) Customers will still be able to come shop this summer and I hope that helps keep a little cash coming in

#2) I didn't want my things being smashed into boxes for months on end

#3) I can take inventory and if I get the chance, restock little by little

#4) I can start adding products to my online store, section by section

#5) I can use this stock to restock my consignment booth that I have

I already had my first customer come by this morning, and I have 2 more scheduled for this afternoon/evening.

It's already been helpful for me - it's Easter season and people are needing bows/flowers to match Easter dresses.  So having everything out I am able to see what I have without digging.

So far so good!

I may even do an Open House this summer at some point.

Or combine in a yard sale with this set up - not sure.  Anything to keep an income coming in this summer while I'm not working.  August is a long way away! (when I get back to my first show)

BIG SISTER

I've been working on getting things organized for the very important BIG SISTER.

Our Baby Sprinkle is this Saturday.  Of course Alyssa needed a special outfit.

AND a special hair bow

I also wanted her to have a unique BIG SISTER outfit to wear to the hospital when she met her little brother.

Sarah found this shirt for her and I made an over the top headpiece/headband to go with it.

This will be her gift from me and her daddy at the Sprinkle on Saturday.

The clay sculpture is a horse head - Sarah had a custom bracelet and necklace made to go with it, they both say BIG SIS!

Today I hope to work on her BIG SISTER treat bag.  A surprise for when she comes to the hospital.  I've already bought some fun snack and a cute drink to go inside.  I want to fill it with some other special things.  I'll do a post on just the bag when it's finished.

Ultrasound and Dr. Appt.

We (sort of) got to see our baby boy Tuesday!

(at 36 weeks 4 days)

It was a quick ultrasound to check Carter's growth.

With me measuring small (2-3 weeks behind) they wanted to make sure the baby was growing.

Well...  HE IS.

Estimated that he weighs 7 lbs 4 oz. already!!

They said he has a big head, long arms and legs.

He's also head down and pretty low so they couldn't get great pictures of his face.

Here are the couple of photos we did get

HE HAS HAIR!!
How neat is that to see on an ultrasound!

His "rainbow" spine

They checked everything out, stomach, kidneys, limbs, head/brain, spine, even showed us his ear.

I had a Doctor's Appointment after the ultrasound

I did gain 4 lbs this time around!  (Total weight gained 16 lbs)

My stomach is still measuring small at 34, when I was closer to 37 weeks - but after the ultrasound, obviously we aren't concerned about it.

They did my Group B Strep Test

I'm now to go in once a week at this point.

Next Appointment Tuesday, March 26th

St. Patrick's Day

I love that our daughter still has a great imagination!

She still believes in the tooth fairy, Santa Claus, and the craziest one - Leprechauns!

We had to build a Leprechaun Trap at home this year.  They have done it at school in the past, and at Gramma's house last year, but St. Patrick's Day fell on a Sunday this year, so our house it was.

Lucky Charms Box turned into "End of the Rainbow Motel"

Gramma helped make the trap too!

Me and my sweet girl

The trapped worked!  he jumped inside, but was able to knock it over, pop open the top and escape

He left a trail of shamrock coins up to the hotel, inside the motel, and his path he took out the back door.

He left Rainbow Seeds (Skittles) and a chocolate shamrock sucker

It was so fun!  Alyssa was pretty surprised the next morning.

We decorated the dining room with shamrock confetti on the table and green shamrocks on the walls/backdoor.  We had shamrock floats for desert that night too - sprite and lime sherbet.

It's fun to be able to do special family things on holidays like that.  I hope they are things that Alyssa remembers when she gets older.

36 Weeks

 And here we go - the last month of this pregnancy.

I could complain a lot, but I also am feeling very blessed to have made it this far.  Now I'm only 4 days away from being full term and I couldn't be more excited about that.  After two trips to the hospital and contractions that have been an everyday thing since Thanksgiving, I know things could have gone a lot different.

 Our daughter has a count down the days ticker on her Kindle Fire and she said to us yesterday that we only 25 more days till her brother arrives.  That is just CRAZY and made me and Steve both stop and realize that it really is so close now.  Steve even said "well that makes it a lot more real."

To some up this last 4 weeks - it's been tough, I'm not going to lie.

Doctor's appointments that have suggested not a lot of growth going on with me and/or weight gain.

Contractions - lots of them

Non sleeping - very little of that

Pain - in my ribs and back

Baby hiccups - twice a day

Baby movement - A LOT and all over the place

If I had to guess I'd say he is head down, his back wraps around my left side and his feet are all the way over on my right side.  He even kicks my hip bones, which is very strange feeling.

 

I'll do another photo at 38 and 40 weeks if I make it, then a photo with the baby at the end.  I can't believe Ive just about made it through this 9 month long project!  So glad I stuck with it and will have this to look back on one day.

Pinterest Project Weekend

 I've been nesting in a decorating kind of way, not so much the cleaning/organizing kind of way.

There are so many projects I've put off and things I've wanted to do to our house that I always "don't have time for."  Now that I'm about 3 weeks away from my due date, I know it's now or never...  or at least not for a very long time.

So I went through my Pinterst Pins and found a few projects that I'd been wanting to try and made it a Pinterst Project Weekend.

Dollar Tree silver trays spray painted with chalkboard paint and simple words written on them.  I hope to change the words out with the different holidays/seasons.

This is at the top of our stairs.  It's a wall I'd always wanted to add something to but wasn't sure what.

$5 for this project ($1/tray - $2 for white satin ribbon from Walmart)

Here was my inspiration: 

http://pinterest.com/pin/101049585361583495/

Accessorized our kitchen sink window.

Everything I already had - the vases are from Valentine's Day (they say "I" "<3" and the 3rd I didn't use "U").  I added ribbon to cover up the decoration.

$0 for this project

The kitchen sink with the handmade curtain I sewed last week and the new accessories

I made a pedestal for soap by the kitchen sink.

AKA: Glass candle stick and candle tray spray painted black, glued together and ribbon around the edge.

$2.00 for this project

 Here was my inspiration:

http://pinterest.com/pin/101049585361604145/

I'm a list maker.  I'll make a list on anything.  I am also really great about leaving my list at home, in the car, loosing it, etc. and then not having my list when I need it.

This is just more for decor then for use, but like I said, I will make a list on anyway...

It's just another Dollar Store silver tray - spray painted with chalkboard paint.  I used my Silhouette to cut out the lettering and used a glue dot to put the bow on.  I also used a photo stand I already had.

$1.00 for this project

Here was my inspiration:

http://pinterest.com/pin/101049585361604165/

This art was the very first thing I hung on the wall when we moved into our house (nearly 2 years ago), and always wanted to add something to the sides to anchor it.  I just never knew what.  Till I came across a cute Pinterst project with mismatched china plates/bowls.

This is my version - all 4 bowls are from the Dollar Tree, hangers on the back of them are also from the Dollar Tree and I bought a picture hanging kit from the Dollar Tree.

I like how it turned out!

$6 for this project ($1/plate + Hangers + Pic. kit)

Here's my inspiration:

http://pinterest.com/pin/101049585361583738/

I needed something new for the console table.  I had these candle sticks already, but they were black, so I painted them white.

The runner/place mat I also made from things around the house - the paper is wrapping paper from the dollar Target bins that I cut down and put clear contact paper over.

Simple and FREE

We brought up our old coffee table from the basement.  We really want to paint it - but it's not going to happen anytime soon.

However, I did buy 2 house plants to bring some life into the house (winter is killing us!!)

One house plant is above - the other is in the kitchen by that "Keep Calm and Make A List" sign.

They were $2.98 each at Home Depot.

GRAND TOTAL:

$19.96

Less then $20!!  And now my home feels so much more warm.  It's amazing how a few accessories can really make a house a home.

1 Week till our Baby Sprinkle!

Next Saturday, March 23, 2013 - is our planned Open House Baby Sprinkle.

We picked up most of the decorations yesterday.  We were going to go for a hockey theme, since the nursery is hockey, but it's not the easiest theme to work with.  I also wanted to do a navy blue and aqua theme, but that wasn't working out very well either.

After a stop at The Dollar Tree - we came across this light blue and lime baby theme.

I really liked the carriage, the polka dots, and the colors.

They had lots to choose from and it was CHEAP (a dollar of course), so we did the easy out, and went for this instead of trying to make things ourselves.

I also liked this because it didn't say "Baby Shower" on it, just "Baby Boy."

Two banners and a "wall mural"

The food plates and napkins

We got plain small square white plates for the deserts, but same napkins

We also got 3 light blue table cloths and the forks

Two centerpieces for the two tables

Baby Boy mints for the tables

2 vases with aqua beads for the desert table

We still need:
Fresh Flowers for the vases

Balloons for the mailbox

So my job for the shower is:

Punch (blue Hawaiian Punch with Sprite and lime sorbet to match!)

Chocolate dipped marshmallows on a stick

Spinach dip

Make liners for the water bottles

My mom and DEAR friend Sarah are co-hosting and will be taking part in a lot of the planning as well.  Each is in charge of deserts and dips as well. 

My MIL is bringing a couple of trays of food (meat and veggies)

And I have to get my house cleaned since it is being held HERE.

I can't wait to celebrate this baby boy joining our family!

What an exciting time it is for so many of us.