How I Survived the 4th Trimester

Fourth Trimester, what?? I thought there were only three?  It's kind of like the whole, oh you're only pregnant for 9 months - LIE - its TEN!!!

So, what is it these people call the fourth trimester? Essentially it's the first 3 months that the baby is alive. I don't think I need to give you the whole scientific answer for what it is, but you can just think of it as the "most fun you will ever have".  Cough, Cough....

I feel like everyone tells you what every single step of pregnancy is going to be like, but no one tells you what it's going to be like to care for a newborn 24 hours a day with little to no sleep. There's no class that could prepare you for this even if you wanted to. Now don't get me wrong I love my son more than anything in the whole world, but learning to take care of him is one of the hardest things I've ever done.

Before you have the baby everyone talks about labor and how scary/painful that's going to be, again LIE!  I took all the drugs that I possibly could and giving birth was like going to the spa for a few days.  The baby was an absolute angel in the hospital, I don't even think we heard him cry except for a few times.  About an hour after getting home the baby is crying and I'm already wondering what in the hell I'm going to do... Diaper change, check! Full tummy, check! Burped, check! Now what? Maybe I should check his diaper again, maybe he's still hungry? Wait maybe he's just tired?? I mean why would a baby cry when they're tired, they should just go to sleep... Haha, we all know this isn' true!

Okay, so let me get to the part about how I survived the first 3 months of my sons life!  The first 6 weeks are Pure Survival Mode. Do what you need to survive... If the house is a mess, so what; if dinner isn't on the table when your husband gets home from work, oh well; if you haven't showered in 3 (I mean 5) plus days just add dry shampoo and deodorant you'll feel like a new person; if the cats haven't been played with for a few weeks, tough luck!  When the baby sleeps, you sleep - DO NOT waiver on this one!

I also found it really hard to find time to eat and when you are breastfeeding you HAVE to!  Buy things that are really easy to grab and eat with one hand.  Larabars, Cliff bars, pre-cut fruits and veggies (aka starburst jelly beans & rolos), pre-packaged snacks, basically anything that doesn't require any work...I literally think I survived on granola bars for the first 2 months except for when someone would bring me lunch or I actually was awake enough to cook one of the frozen meals I had made prior to having the baby.  You MUST find time to eat, my pediatrician said I should be eating at least 2,500 calories per day which I found to be really difficult!

Try to get out of the house by yourself at least once a week, even if it's only for 15 minutes to take a walk around the block.  Being home all day everyday with a baby can take a toll on you mentally and physically and mommy needs break every now and then, even if you think you don't!

Just know that everything with a newborn is temporary.  If something is really difficult one day just remember it's only a phase and this too shall pass!

32 Week Bumpdate!

I went a little crazy this week with the pictures, but I just couldn't help myself! I was only going to post one picture, but then I couldn't make any decisions (surprise surprise) so I posted them all! I've been pretty terrible at taking weekly pictures, but atleast I have some, better than nothing, right??

Size of Baby: Head of Lettuce, we have a sonogram in a week so we will find out just exactly how big he really is!  I'm guessing around 4 lbs, they keep saying he is going to be a big baby.  At the last sonogram he was in the 87th percentile for size (whatever that means...)

Stretch Marks: Nada, I keep checking every morning and I haven't seen anything yet.

Maternity Clothes:  All Maternity, but I've been incorporating some of my fall vests and cardigans into my wardrobe

Gender:  Boy, the same that it has been since 13 weeks :)

Movement:  It's literally like a party in my stomach!  Sometimes it makes me jump because the kicking and punching are so powerful.  He surprises me every once in a while with a swift kick that I wasn't anticipating!

Sleep:  Good, I don't know how I would make it without my maternity boppy pillow!  I might not give it up!

Missing:  Really nothing other than being able to do whatever I want.  Top Golf just opened by our house and I can't go with this basketball in front of my stomach... 

Loving:  My Belly, I love seeing it grow.  I just can't imagine it getting larger, but it's definitely going to since I still have 8 weeks!

Craving:  Breakfast food - Pancakes, Waffles, French Toast, Bacon, Chicken Minis - anything and everything breakfast!  If I could wake up early enough I would go to IHOP every morning to eat - YUMM!

Feeling: Alright.... I think the baby is laying on my sciatic nerve because I get shooting pains in my back every time I walk.  I've been sitting on the couch all weekend and it's already getting pretty boring! I still have pretty itchy skin, but it's getting a little better.Also been getting a ton of Braxton Hick contractions, luckily none of them are painful yet, but it feels weird when your stomach is hard as a rock!

Looking Forward: Getting excited for Christmas!  It will be here in no time!

Best Moment(s): Seeing the nursery finished!  Might add a few more small touches, but it's probably 95% Done.

I also placed a few Etsy orders this weekend since I was couch-bound!  How cute is this little newsboy cap??

Click Here to visit the shop

29 Week Bumpdate

Size of Baby: Butternut Squash, I'm guessing around 3 lbs at this point

Stretch Marks: None, thankfully! 

Maternity Clothes:  All Maternity, so glad the weather is finally cooling off, so I've been living in leggings, boots and big sweaters!  Makes it pretty easy!

Gender:  Sweet Baby Boy!  Name is decided on, but I'm not announcing officially yet!

Movement:  He is kicking all the time, I absolutely love feeling him kick and move all around my stomach!  My favorite part is seeing my belly move!

Sleep:  Still really good! Lately my hands have been falling asleep and that has been waking me up, but other than that good.  I googled it today and it sounds like it's Carpal Tunnel while pregnant and it goes away after you have the baby.  I had no idea how painful carpal tunnel is.  I was working on writing thank you notes and I had to stop because my hand hurt, makes me feel like I'm 100!

Missing:  Nothing!  I'm honestly not lying when I say that I LOVE BEING PREGNANT!

Loving:  Every single second of this pregnancy! You have to live life to the fullest and enjoy every second of it which is what I've been doing.  

Craving:  Gobstoppers, candy all candy anything sugar :)

Feeling: Great! I did however go to sleep at 6:30 one evening and slept until the next day - I felt fantastic the next day! I think I need to start going to bed earlier!

Looking Forward: Baby Shower #2 in the beginning of December.  Also looking forward to finishing the nursery. I basically have everything purchased, I just need to start hanging and decorating everything!

Best Moment(s): My first baby shower!  It was so much fun, I couldn't believe the generosity of all my friends and family!  Pictures coming soon :)

26 Week Bumpdate

Size of Baby: 2 Lbs. 2 ounces

Weight Gain: Slightly over 20lbs

Stretch Marks: Nada, I hear that it's hereditary and my mom and gma don't have them so hopefully I'm good

Maternity Clothes:  Everything Maternity except cardigans and jackets, I'm getting really sick of my clothes, but I'm excited that Fall is here so I can just wear leggings, boots and long shirts! Work, I still have to dress-up and it's the same black pants and boring shirts everyday... Oh well, only 3 more months and I'll be lounging with the baby in yoga pants every day!

Gender:  Boy - I'm 99.9% sure we have decided on the name too!

Movement:  All the time, kicking like a mad man

Sleep:  Good still.  I've been having trouble with itchy skin so I've been taking Benadryl at night (per my doc) and I've been sleeping like a baby.

Missing:  Nothing really

Loving:  The Nursery! We re-did a changing table (coming soon), just got the crib put together this weekend and we have the glider.  All the major pieces of furniture are done, we just have to decorate!

Craving:  Nothing specifically

Feeling: Tired every now and then, but nothing too bad yet.  Also been a maniac trying to get everything done before the third trimester because I know I will get really tired and not have the energy to do much other than go to work!

Looking Forward: I can't wait to get the nursery all decorated and finished!  It will be fun to see my vision come together.

Best Moment(s): Just being pregnant.  I'm really trying to enjoy every single second of it! 

22 Week Bumpdate

Ideally all of my bumpdate pictures would be with the Chalkboard and in the same outfit, but that just doesn't seem to be happening... Either way, I wanted to put together a collage of my growing bump - ENJOY!

Size of Baby: I stopped keeping track, I think a papaya or something?

Weight Gain: Bleep Bloop Dah Dee Dah, what was the question again?

Stretch Marks: None, I've been lubing up with Cocoa Butter Every Night!

Maternity Clothes:  All Maternity clothes except for a couple of dresses that I can still make work

Gender:  BOY!!!

Movement:  Mostly at night!

Sleep:  Good, our cat Ben seems to be having more trouble sleeping than I do! He's up scratching the walls, whining, just wanting attention for some reason

Missing:  This week I must say a Margarita!

Loving:  My Bump and the fact that people can actually tell that I'm pregnant now!

Craving:  Drumsticks, ya know the ice cream ones with the chocolate and Nuts - YUMMY!!

Feeling: Good, although my first real pregnancy symptom has really kicked in.  I'm having a lot of pain in my lower back.  It's getting more difficult to get up and down!

Looking Forward: I can't wait for my first baby shower, October 18th!

Best Moment(s): Seeing the nursery come together and feeling the baby move more and more

I also want to take a minute to remember all the victims of 9/11.  I can't believe it was 12 years ago today, it honestly seems just like yesterday!  

Linking up!

Sleeping Yet Crafting

I haven't been blogging so what in the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks have I been doing?  ONE SIMPLE WORD: SLEEPING!!!

You would think I would be spending all my time crafting, laying in the sun, trying new recipes, planning for baby... nope none of it! Just sitting on the couch watching TV, playing Candy Crush and drifting in and out of mini cat naps..

My brain runs about a million miles a minute thinking about all the thing I SHOULD be doing, but I just can't motivate myself to do it.  About every 30 minutes I have to get up and go to the bathroom which is super annoying because it cuts into my aforementioned TV and Candy Crush time.

Sleeping is my best friend right now, I know this, I'm aware of it and I'm TERRIFIED of losing it. Every since I was a teenager I've been able to sleep 12-13 hour nights. Knowing that 12-13 hours of sleep will soon be the amount I have in 2 - 3 nights is seriously scary!  When I'm running on little to no sleep I'm incapable of acting like a human being... Kinda like this...

I know I'm pretty late to the game in talking about Miley, but seriously... WTF is that girl on?  I was so disturbed watching her and that foam finger gyrate all over the stage!  Regardless, it was entertaining and people gave her the attention she wanted so I guess it was a win-win for her!

Back on another note I actually got motivated to do a miniature craft project tonight.  We painted the nursery this weekend and realized we couldn't put the UGLY switch plate covers back on.  So naturally I googled some images and found custom ones on Etsy for $16!!! WHATTT?? No thank you! Being the bargainista that I am I decided to craft my own for 59 cents (cost of scrapbook paper, I already had everything else),

What you Need:

• 1 UGLY switch plate cover
• 1 piece of scrapbook paper
• Exacto Knife (I almost spelled it Nife, PREGNANCY BRAIN)
• Mod Podge

Instructions:

1. Cut scrapbook paper about 1/2 inch larger than switch plate.  
2. Place mod podge on the back of scrapbook paper and secure to switch plate.
3. Fold in the corners like you are folding a present and use mod podge to stick them down.
4. Using the exacto knife cut a small square in the area that the light switch will be and use mod podge to glue it down.
5. Flip over and mod podge the front.
6. Let Dry.
7. Install (haven't gotten to this part yet, will share pictures once I do...)

The Kitties were exhausted from helping me!!

Well, I have now blogged 2 days in a row, I'm exhausted!  Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!

21 Week Bumpdate

I kind of look pissed, but really I'm just trying to look cool #fail!

How Far Along: 21 Weeks 1 Day (I can't believe it's almost been 10 weeks since I last updated, time sure is flying!  

My 18 week bumpdate that never got posted...

Size of Baby: Banana

Weight Gain: There's really no point at talking about this anymore....

Stretch Marks: None, but I still have a growing belly!

Maternity Clothes:  Absolutely!  They are the most comfortable clothes on the planet!  Why can't we always wear them?  I'm talking elastic waisted pants here people! COMFORTABLE!!

Gender:  YEP, it's a BOY!!! I was going to do a really cute announcement, but never really got around to it, oh well!!  We found out at 13 weeks and then confirmed at 18 weeks that it IS a boy!

Movement:  Yep, he's actually been kicking quite a bit tonight, it's the best feeing in the world!

Sleep:  Still pretty good, I'm just getting tired of sleeping on my left and right sides!

Missing:  Diet Coke/All Caffeine! I used to drink 3 Diet Coke's a day, even tho my doc said 1 a day is fine I just decided to cut it out all together

Loving:  Getting the nursery together! We painted this weekend and got a rocker that I absolutely love!  The crib is on order and should be here the end of October, I can't wait!

Craving:  Junk food!  I wish I was saying fruit or something healthy, but I'm always craving candy and sugar!

Feeling: Pretty good...I'm having some trouble with my lower back, it feels like a pinched nerve or something.  I might have to go to the doctor if this doesn't get better soon! During the week I'm starting to feel pretty moody and irritable at work, but I'm doing my best to keep it under control.  I haven't done the typical pregnacy breakdown for no reason, so that's a plus.  I'm sure it's coming sooner than later!

Looking Forward: I'm excited to get a name picked out.  Right now we have narrowed it down to 4, it may or may not be one of these names I'm sure we will change our mind!  

• Daxton/Dax (My number 1 name, but the hubby isn't quite on board with this one
• Owen - Hubby's number 1 name
• Ethan
• Owen

Best Moment(s): Finally getting the nursery painted, buying a glider and picking out a crib.  We are still planning on adding crown molding and stripes to the nursery, but the base coat is all done.  Here is some of my nursery inspiration.... 

Just kidding, I haven't blogged for so long that I can't figure out how to add Pins to my post... DOH!!  I will play with this and add later :)

Until next time!! Hopefully it won't be 10 weeks from now!!

Bumpdate: 13 weeks

How Far Along: 13 weeks 4 days (a little late on my update)

Size of Baby: Peach

Weight Gain: 3 lbs, hoping for the best... 

Stretch Marks: Nope, hoping this evil doesn't happen to me, but I just HATE the smell of Cocoa Butter!

Maternity Clothes:  Not yet, I've worn a few maternity dresses just because they're new and super comfy!  Why doesn't everyone wear maternity clothes?  They are so freaking comfortable! I guess I'm saying that now because they are still so big on me, but in a couple months I will probably be complaining because they are too tight!

Gender:  We found out yesterday...but not announcing yet!

Movement:  I have felt a few flutters, but the doc says it's just gas :/

Sleep:  Great!  I have a giant pregnancy pillow (I think it's called a Boppy) and it's the most comfortable thing in the world! Everyone should own one!

Missing:  Sleeping on my back and let's be honest Happy Hour!

Loving:  Everything, feeling extremely happy! So relieved to be in the second trimester, the first one was nerve-wracking!

Craving:  Candy, always! This is nothing new, I have ALWAYS loved candy!  Nerds, Starburst, Smarties and Skittles are some of my top faves!

Feeling: Great, not nearly as tired as I was the first trimester! I didn't have morning sickness or anything in the first trimester, so I have felt very lucky!

Looking Forward: Putting together the nursery! It's all cleaned out and ready to be painted, I've been scowering the internet and pinterest for inspiration

Best Moment(s): Finding out the gender! I was so anxious, but sooo excited! They were 95% sure of the gender, so I think that's a green light to start shopping!  I've already bought 3 outfits for the baby... Can't wait to announce it :)

The kitty wanted in the picture, so I let him...

The Beginning of A New Chapter

I've been abandoning the blog for the last couple of months, well because I've been a little pre-occupied...  At first I started this blog thinking it would be all about fashion, then I started doing more DIY projects and cooking and it has evolved into a lifestyle blog... As I change and my life changes, my blog changes with me... And with that I'm announcing a new chapter in my life, I'M PREGNANT!!!!!!

We just announced on facebook last week and we can't be more excited!!! I just hit 13 weeks and I'm so excited to be in the 2nd Trimester.  I feel like I'm in the clear, at least for now....

Anyways, I wanted to post all my announcements on here since I only posted one on Facebook.  I kept changing it until I was finally happy.  My final announcement was the first one below.  I even got a few compliments that people thought it was professionally done, I was pretty proud of myself...

PS - Obviously the black box wasn't on my announcement, I was covering up our name...

Not only do I have announcements, but also a few bump pics.  I've been tracking my bump on a chalkboard that I got from TJ Maxx for only 30 bucks!  I've had fun writing on my chalkboard, but it's definitely been more work than I anticipated.  I know someday I will be happy  to have them, even if my handwriting isn't perfect... I'm discovering I'm more of a perfectionist than I thought!

The first trimester was an absolute breeze! I was lucky enough not to experience any morning sickness and the worst of my symptoms was just being tired! Sign me up for a nap... yes please! I've been enjoying every single second! The best part is that I've only gained 2 lbs, granted I've been wearing the bella band for about 3 weeks with my pants unbuttoned, but mostly that's just been bloat. Hopefully the second trimester will be as easy as the first!

We are supposed to be finding out the gender tomorrow, so I will keep you posted on that! I'm so excited I probably won't be able to sleep tonight!!

The little bump is hidden under my shirt...