ABC's of me!

So I lied. I only have one picture to share today...and this was from this past weekend at 27 weeks! Here you go! I will try my best to post pictures weekly with my updates!

And now, ABC's of me! I found this on someone else's blog and thought it sounded like fun!

Age and/or Anniversary: 27 years old, Wedding Anniversary July 16, 2011

Bed size: King!!! :)

Chocolate: Oh my goodness, all of it!!! Honestly, I haven't met a chocolate I don't like

Dessert: Fruit Pizza or anything lemon

Ethnic Background: White

Fear: I am terrified of someone breaking into my house...I couldn't imagine!...and I've discussed with my husband that if this ever happened, we would probably have to move.

Graduation from High School: 2003! Is my 10 year reunion REALLY next year? Holy cow!

Hometown: Born, raised and never moved out of Columbus, Ohio

Instruments I play: None

Job Title: Scheduling Advisor

Kids: I am baking baby Hallie right now :) We CANNOT wait to meet her in JUNE!

Live: North of Columbus in our new home that we built and moved into in September 2010

Middle Name: Nicole

Natural Hair Color: Strawberry Blonde

Overnight Hospital Stays: Actually was just telling hubby the other day that I've never had to do this! I'm hoping that the first time will be when I go in to give birth to sweet baby girl!

Pastime: Our Honeymoon in Jamaica. I've had many many many good times in my life but nothing will ever beat that week of my life! Love of my life, sunshine, beach, adult beverages, yummy food and relaxation...what MORE could you ask for?!

Quotes: "If God will bring you to it, he will bring you through it" - This has become my new favorite quote as of lately. My family has been through a LOT (health-wise) the past year or two and I truly believe that God will bring us through all of these hardships!

Right or left handed: Right!

Siblings: One brother that I love dearly!

TV Show: Ummm, well now that I've turned into a TV junky...I'd say The Bachelor/Bachelorette, Sex and The City, and Baby Story, lol...wide variety!

Underwear: What about them? Yes, I wear them daily :)

Vacation Spot I Love: Betcha can't guess that Jamaica is my favorite spot I've ever vacationed? LOL...but on a more realistic note, I would love to continue our tradition of vacationing in Emerald Isle, NC with family like we typically do

Weather Right Now: It looks absolutely beautiful outside right now. I'm not sure the temperature but I'm getting ready to take the dog out and enjoy it for a little bit!!

X-Rays: The only time that pops out in my mind (besides at the dentist) is when I broke my arm in elementary school

Ymmy Meals I Make: I'm still working on this...but so far, I think the lasagna that Matt and I made a few weeks ago was the best! I will get back to Pinterest recipes after this baby is born :)

Zoo Animal: Hmmmmm, koala bears!

YOU'RE TURN!!! 

Bumpdate!

How far along? 27 weeks 1 day

How big is baby? At 25 weeks, she weighed about 1 lb 9 oz. The last time I had an ultrasound, they didn't tell us her measurements. According to my pregnancy app, she is about 2 lbs

Total weight gain/loss: +17 lbs the last time I was weighed 

Sleep: Still sleeping pretty well. A few nights this week, I've had a hard time getting back to sleep after waking up to use the bathroom. I can't seem to shut my mind off!

Movement: All the time :) We have been playing music for her and usually get a few dance moves out of her. I had a glass of juice on my stomach last night and she kicked it and almost knocked it over! My dad got to see the movement and was so excited!

Symptoms: Not much of anything...just a thinning out cervix :/
Food cravings: I don't have many cravings at the moment. Each day for breakfast though, I usually feel very specific as to whether I want something sweet and cold or hot. Example: pop tarts or cereal vs. oatmeal or eggs and toast

Food aversions: None! 

Gender: A lovely little lady :) 

Belly Button in or out? Still in, I started to think it was getting shallow but it doesn't appear that way anymore

What I miss: Being mobile, doing chores around the house (yes, you read that correctly), taking walks and standing for more than 10 minutes at a time (I am only up for that long to shower or make meals when Matt isn't here to wait on me)

What I am looking forward to: Hitting my first big personal milestone...30 weeks!! I will be able to breath a little better once I get to this point! I am also looking forward my first baby shower next weekend!!!!! WAHOO!!

Milestones: Reaching the third trimester! :) Keep on cooking baby girl!

 

I was planning to have a bump picture to post along with this...however, I have not fully gotten dressed/put on make up/done anything with myself yet today. This evening, I plan on having Matt take a picture of me and I will post all of the bump pictures that I have to date.

Hallie's Nursery!

As promised before, here is a nursery update! First I have to mention, the following picture has been my inspiration since day 1 of find out that we are having a girl.

I fell in love with this from the moment I saw it. I have never been a huge fan of "super baby-ish/themey" nurseries. I like the soft colors in this photo and totally felt this was something that I/we could do!

We purchased Hallie's bedroom furniture (included the crib, dresser, and dresser/changing table) during Babies R Us' Black Friday special. We got a great deal on it and could not pass it up! It is EXACTLY what we were looking for and I think it looks awesome in her room! The bedding is something that we found and liked from Babies R Us but we found it cheaper on Amazon! We are all about the good deals! :)

This is the dresser that we will also use for the changing table :) Ignore that glider for now...I have a more recent picture!

And this completes the main furniture! I love it all and I'm so glad that we were able to find it all as a set for a reasonable price! We did buy it super early on, but like I said, it was exactly what we were wanting and we would have been silly not to purchase it when it was so inexpensive. We didn't plan on putting a mirror in Hallie's room but when we saw this gem at Garden Ridge, we couldn't resist! The lamp was a Hobby Lobby find...L-O-V-E that store (and their 40% off coupons)!!

This rug is AMAZING!!! It is the softest thing you may ever touch/put your feet on! My husband and I joke that we are going to be napping on the floor while baby girl sleeps because it is seriously THAT comfortable. We wanted something like this to fancy up the room a bit. Oddly enough, we found it (also for a great deal...catching the trend here?) at Linens N' Things! Who knew that store still existed?! Not I!

This wonderful chandelier was given to us by my fabulous friend, Chelsea. She had it in a closet at her house for a while and didn't think she was going to be using it because it doesn't really match the decor in her house. We gladly accepted it, polished it up a bit (spray painted it white, before the paint job, it had a more vintage-y look to it), and hung it in the nursery! We are infatuated with this thing and doubt we could have found anything more perfect for our little darling's room. We plan to put a dimmer on it so we can adjust the lighting! Good thing Matt can do handy work like this!

When we purchased our glider from Amazon (we should buy stock in that company...), we were very excited for it's arrival...only to find that the color pink was different than we expected. It was more of a peach-pink, if you can picture that (actually, look in the above picture). We decided to get it re-upholistered and luckily, Chelsea recommended a wonderful woman to do it for a great price! We purchased the fabric (Duck cloth) at Jo Ann Fabrics and she was done with it within two weeks! We justified spending the money to get it re-upholistered because we would like to not only use it for our future children/potential sons, but wanted it to be more neutral so that we can find a good spot for it in our home once we are done having children. I am thrilled with the way it turned out...and it's comfortable to boot!

Our curtains were a find from Bed, Bath and Beyond. We had been looking for curtains for a while but had a hard time finding exactly what we were looking for. I wanted something very plain! Luckily, these were a clearance item...we looked in the right place at the right time!

This isn't the best picture I could have captured but you get the idea. This is above the changing table/dresser. We plan to put photos of Hallie from her Newborn pictures in here! I am already planning what hair bows and things she will be wearing in those photos! I can't wait to play dress up!!

Matt purchased a closet organizing system. Pretty soon this closet will be full...I'm looking forward to washing her clothes and organzing everything.

Her name displayed above the crib along with her potential coming home outfit. The coming outfit could change a million times...especially after I see all of the cute outfits that we will be getting from friends and family at baby showers!

 Lastly, the wreath that I made for the nursery door! It is made out of felt..I am proud of my work because I am not super crafty! It has been recommended that I replace the tiny H with a bigger and different color H. I will think about it but think it is just fine the way it is! :)

 

What's the easiest way to make sure a girl stays loyal to her blog?

Put her on bed rest!!! LOL, one thing is for sure...I will not have ANY an excuses about having enough time to blog these days.

Here is a quick recap on what is going on with me and Hallie girl...

Way back in September 2008, I had a cone biopsy done because my doctor found cervical cancer. (This sounds scarier than it actually was...he caught it very quickly and I had the procedure done a week or two later and it was totally gone...and hasn't been back since!) As a result of that procedure, my cervix is a little thinner than average and has to be closely watched during pregnancy. I've been seen every 2ish weeks by my OB. Up until last week, my doctor used words such as "beautiful" and "perfect" to describe my cervix. Well, last week during a routine check up with a different doctor in the practice (mine was not there that day), he noticed that my cervix had gone from 40 mm to 28.9 mm. My doctor always told me that if it ever went below 30 mm, he would put me on bed rest as a precaution. The tricky thing is, doctor's don't necessarily know what the "typical" cervix should be measuring at this point in pregnancy because they don't measure the cervix of a normal pregnancy like they do someone in my situation. What they DO know is that if it gets to 20 mm or below, it is considered dangerous and calls for hospitalization. After meeting with the other doctor and placed on modified bed rest for a week, I was scheduled for a recheck with my own doctor. This recheck was yesterday. Yesterday, my cervix measured at an average of 26 mm. Although this seems like a huge drop within only one week my doctor considers the number from last week and the number from this week in the same ball park and doesn't consider it to have changed much.

Soooooooo...what does this mean for me? ...that I continue to be on modified bed rest. My doctor's first goal for me is to get to 32 weeks because he says that once you reach this point, the chances of the baby having long term disabilities dramatically decreases. After I make it to 32 weeks, my next goal will be 35 weeks. According to Doctor M, a very high percentage of babies born at 35 weeks or after go home from the hospital with their parents. I will continue to go back every two weeks to keep close tabs on my oh-so-frustrating cervix! Once I hit 35 weeks, he will be a little more lenient with my level of activity.

During the ultra sound, we got a sneak peak at our sweet baby girl. She was kicking the whole time making the ultra sound tech chase her around to measure the heartbeat. Her HR is 133. She was opening and closing her mouth and playing peek-a-boo with her hands the entire time. She currently weighs 1 lb, 9 oz! She is a growing girl and we are so so so in love with her already!

My fabulous husband has been waiting on me hand and foot and doesn't complain one bit! Bless his heart! The first week was a little rough on us because he wasn't feeling his best. Now that he is back to his normal self, he has been doing all of the housework, making meals, taking care of the pets, keeping me sane and is at my beck and call for everything I need.

I am slightly overwhelmed to think that I will be living the next couple of months laying down on the couch and in bed. With that being said, I am extremely thankful that my doctor is as cautious as he is and caught all of this before it was too late to prevent preterm labor. I am SO SO SO SO extremely thankful to have such a strong support network. Without the people that are making this process easier on my, I'm not sure how I'd do it!!

Luckily, I am able to do my job from home and I have a very flexible employer. I turned all of my paperwork into HR and met with my boss yesterday to come up with a plan for me. I will continue to work 40 hours a week. Matt set up a lovely little work station for me in the living room so that I can recline and keep my legs propped AND watch TV while working. Today was my first day in my new office space and I have to say,  I'm quite a fan. I was super comfortable all day!

What will I be doing while on bed rest? Well, let me show you! My hubby bought me one of these...

                                        
...as an early push present! He said this is what he planned on buying me one anyway (as a push present) but since I am confinded to the couch (other than when using the restroom, eating or showering), he thought I could use this NOW. It should be here TOMORROW! I would love suggestions on MUST READs!!

I will also be doing a little bit of online shopping while on bed rest :) My first baby shower (with friends) is March 18th and since I won't be out and about to get a new dress, I purchased this from Motherhood Maternity...

                                                       
I love it!! And it should be here very soon too, it shipped today! :)

I'm done being an unloyal blogger and I am very excited to continue doing this!! I can't promise that (at least for the next 3 months) this blog won't be primarily about pregnancy/baby news but I will try to switch it up every once in a while if I'm feeling creative! One of my next few posts will be a tour of Hallie's nursery that I promise last time!

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!

OK, so I really have no excuse as to why I've been MIA for so long. I guess I have been somewhat busy but I read other people's blogs about 100 times a day. I probably could have updated my own! Blogging is soooo hard for me!!

 

Anyway, onto the good stuff! Matt and I found out what we are EXPECTING a little baby girl due June 8. 2012. We found out on Monday, October 4th to be exact!! Wahooooooo!! Our dream come true! We are absolutely elated to become parents for the first time! Tomorrow, I will be 18 weeks, time is flying! The next time I update, I will post some ultrasound pictures and pictures of the nursery thus far.  I am going to the doctor tomorrow so hopefully I will have some current pictures to share!

 

How far along? 18 weeks (tomorrow)

Total weight gain: I stepped on the scale this morning and found out that I'm up one more pound than I thought...a total for 4 now! I will find out for sure tomorrow at the doctor though!

Maternity clothes? Not yet...I have some super cute ones that I can't wait to wear! I bought two belly bands today. I might start wearing them soon because it seems super comfortable!

Stretch marks? no
Sleep: Sleeping okay...I randomly wake up and start thinking of all things baby....then it's hard to fall back to sleep. I get up to pee 2-3 times a night now too.

Best moment this week: Best moment this week was feeling Hallie kick for the first time on New Years Eve!!!!!

Miss Anything? Occasionally miss hacving a glass of wine...or a mimosa (although I never regularly drank them except in Jamaica)

Movement: See above! I also think that I was feeling something going on in there the other night. It almost felt like a pulse/heartbeat right by my ribs. It may've been something else...but the though that it might be my sweet baby girl made me smile.

Food cravings: Totally random stuff! The cravings have officially set in! Mostly fruit, gummy worms, waffles and donuts. Healthy, healthy!!

Anything making you queasy or sick: No, the things that grossed me out early on no longer do!

Gender: Girl :))))))))
Labor Signs: No
Symptoms: Peeing nonstop, increased appetite, pimply/oily face (grrrrr), baby shopping addiction ;)

Belly Button in or out? innie
Wedding rings on or off? on...and very loose

Happy or Moody most of the time: HAPPY as can be! How could life get any better?!
Looking forward to: my doctor appointment tomorrow! It is always nice to hear the baby's heartbeat and to get confirmation that the baby is healthy and growing as she should!!

 

I promise I will try to be better about blogging. Again, tomorrow I should have a belly picture, ultrasound pictures and nursery progress!

Columbus Blue Jackets = my fav!

Matt and I are excited to announce that we are partial owners of Columbus Blue Jackets season tickets!!

Hockey is my absolute FAVORITE sport and cannot wait to see what this season has in store for our Jackets! My dad has owned season tickets for several years but decided to give them up this year because he was not very happy with how they have played the last few seasons. He felt like it was a waste of money to go watch a team that quite frankly, sucked! Fair weather fan? Not really...when you put so much money (& time..LOTS of time) into something, you'd like to see positive results at least SOMETIMES. He got fed up with their losing record and decided to spend his hard earned money on something else. That is...for about a couple of days. He caved. Apparently he missed having something to do two or three nights a week during hockey season! He renewed his PSL under one condition...if we split the cost 3 ways with. The tickets have been divided among himself (& my mom but she doesn't really enjoy hockey much), Matt and I, and my brother and his wife. Fair enough! We have been spoiled by getting free tickets from him long enough, it is time to contribute!

Matt and I will be going to our FIRST game of the season tomorrow. We are really looking forward to it. Rick Nash (our fabulous captain) is pictured below. Wouldn't you be excited to go see this guy skate across the ice for a couple of hours? ;)

If you are thinking, "Uh, what's so great about him?"....you should see him in person. Perhaps this picture does not do him justice :) No worries...hubs knows about my slight crush on him.

We are also looking forward to visiting Matt's family in his hometown this weekend! His parents live about an hour and a half away from where we live. Although we saw them a week or so ago, we are anxious to travel to them this time because it has been a while since we've been there!

Pinterest Inspiration

On Friday night, I got together with two of my lovely ladies and our significant others at my girlfriend's house. We had a "Pinterest Date". Our date included choosing a dinner and dessert recipe from Pinterest to make for the men. The guys played Playstation while we slaved away in the kitchen :) The three of us split up the list of ingredients to pick up from the grocery store. We made Crispy Chicken with Creamy Italian Sauce and Bowtie Pasta. Here's a picture to make your mouth water:

Along with the chicken and pasta, we made Bisquick's Cheese Garlic Biscuits...YUM! These things never disappoint!

The chicken was delicious!! We came to the conclusion that it was not terrible for us because it was coated in corn flakes...nothing too bad for you. The pasta on the other hand...calls for a whole 10 oz. package of Italian Herb and Cheese Cream Cheese. It may've been artery clogging but it was absolutely scrumpcious and will definitely be making it again.

Dessert came next.

Chocolate overload? I think yes...but it doesn't hurt every once in a while. We cheated a little on this recipe. Let me explain. The recipe instructed to make the chocolate chip cookie and brownie from scratch. We decided to cut down on the labor, LOL. We knew we'd be busy making the chicken and pasta so we simply bought mixes instead. Amongst the boys, it was a fan favorite...you can't go wrong with double stuffed oreos smothered by chocolate chip cookies and brownies, right? The guys were very impressed with what their women created in the kitchen that evening. A couple of them even indulged in seconds!

Pinterest is something that we are very thankful for in this household (although Matt claims to not be interested). When we started building our house, I promised Matt that since we were going to have a huge kitchen with a double oven and extra long gourmet buffet, I would learn how to cook and make dinner ALL the time. Well, immediately after we moved in I became extremely busy with wedding planning since our engagement was only a mere 10 months away! I then made a promise to start cooking after we the wedding was over. Conveniently, I discovered Pinterest right after we got back from our honeymoon. The mouth watering recipes inspired me to get busy in the kitchen. I've tried making several different things since then and don't plan to stop anytime soon! Hubster is happy as a clam and is always eager to discover what is next in the lineup! He is also extremely willing when his help is needed in the kitchen whether it be to help prep the meal or clean up afterwards! I'm very thankful to report that our relationship is 50/50 when it comes to house chores and duties!

In the next few weeks, I will be taking a trip to Hobby Lobby to gather materials needed to make these DIY projects!

How cute is this?! OMG, obsessed! I'm going to make one for our house and if I am confident enough, I may make some for Christmas gifts! I better get crackin'!

And this. These are so cute and look simple! I'm going to make a "B" to hang somewhere in the house. Our kitchen theme is "all things wine" so it will probably go in there somewhere. We already have a ton of corks so I might as well use them for something crafty :)

I will leave you with a picture of a couple of friends that we went out with last night! Adobe Gilas is always a fun bar to go to...especially when there is a LOT of fun people watching to do! :) My oh my...I wish I had pictures to share of some of the things we saw...