Baby White Week 24- 6 months!

Wow. I can't believe I start my 6th month this week! Of course it does make me feel better to be able to justify the size of my belly :)

Sophie got a lot of things this week! And mostly for cheap or free :)

My good friend Marisa had literally 3 rubbermaid tubs of baby girl clothes. Seems her sister-in-law thought that since she's preggo with her last, and it's a boy, that she'd pass them along for "someday". Well, that's a lot to store when you're not even trying to get pregnant! So I was happy to take some off her hands. And if she keeps them, I can go shopping again once Sophie gets into 12mo clothing. But for now, she got some really cute winter stuff. I hope she will get to wear some of it. With the seasons here and not knowing how big she'll be or how fast she'll grow, you just never know!

1/2 off Christmas at the thrift store! The sleeper on the left says "My First Christmas" on the pocket and bottoms of the feet. So cute! $1.50. Pajama set, $2.

Fur coat and fur trimmed outfit- so cute! Free!

Snowman onesie- $1.50, 4 headbands, $1, Mrs. Clause dress, free! Black onesie, 0.50

I also got 2 other tops and another Dr. Brown's bottle, all for $1.50!

Umbrella stroller, $5 and walker- free! Thanks Freecycle!

For mom, $2

And then I scored some other great maternity clothes while out thrifting with the hubs Wednesday. I got everything for $23!

In my exhaustive hunt for cheap maternity clothes- I've discovered I could possibly make quite a business out of re-selling maternity wear. I've had little luck finding much at thrift stores or yard sales, and not much on craigslist in my size. I don't know if it's because the fad is to just wear normal clothes with empire waists or just get your t-shirts a size larger or what. Or maybe everyone keeps theirs "in case" or gives them to friends. But I can tell you that a lot of the thrift stores here do not have a maternity section. I'm told there aren't many donations of maternity items and that's the reason. It's a real bummer.

Perhaps I need to visit the baby/toddler/kids consignment shops since I know sometimes they carry maternity too. But I'm such a bargain hunter I really want them at yard sale prices. If I'm gonna spend 10 or 15 bucks I might as well get something new at Ross or TJ Maxx.

I do think, that for me at least, maternity clothes make a huge difference in how I feel. I've bought a few regular clothes, just in larger sizes, and I certainly don't feel very attractive in those. To get any tops long enough to cover the belly, they end up being so big around that I feel like I'm wearing a tent. And I just don't want people thinking I'm just overweight. I want it to be obvious that I'm round in the middle for a reason, and it aint just cheeseburgers :) Maybe if I'd been a svelte lady to begin with, I could get away with just buying a size larger and sticking with regular clothes, but when you're already straddling the line of "plus size" pre-pregnancy, going bigger just seems to mean going tent.

My belly is getting so firm- I wonder how I'll be able to fit Sophie in when she gains another 7 pounds or more! The bump is already getting a tad cumbersome. I hope I'll be able to breathe by month 9! But overall I'm still feeling pretty well. I can see how the second trimester is usually the favorite. I'm big enough that it's apparent to most people that I'm pregnant, I can feel the baby move and so can others if they're patient. Yet I'm not so big I'm miserable. And I'm not still sick. In fact, I toughed it out through Zumba twice this week. Sophie's first Zumba class (I've been a real slackie at the gym). I had to make it lower impact than normal (jumping and hopping just doesn't feel good), but I was able to complete the class. I felt pretty proud of myself- pressing on when some non-pregos dropped out :) But let me tell you, I was tired afterward. It's all worth it though, because I know staying active will certainly help me achieve my natural birth goals.

So here's the 6 month bump:

 And then we decided to have a photo shoot...

So kind of him to let me post it. Pokin' out the belly. Lol

Time for new FB profile pic :) Excuse my huge arms

My sweet yet miserable Eby girl

The many faces of Ernie

There's bound to be a good one in there somewhere!

There it is!

Post-mortem Ernie

Oh my, I promise Ernie isn't dead. But he sure looks cold and stiff in these pics! I laughed so hard.

Crazy Dog!

A little bit of this and a little bit of that

So I've not posted much but baby stuff lately. And that's cause other than work, and continued domestic upkeep, there's not been too much going on in my life. But- here's a few non-baby highlights.

Last Thursday I got all three pairs of Crocs for $10. Since my feet are aching a lot more lately due to tile floors and baby, I had to succumb. The pink ones are just for around the house though. It took me about 10 thrift stores to finally find some in my size, but then one store had all three pairs!

I also tried the sock bun curls that I first saw on another blog. To be honest, they don't look nearly as tight and defined as the youtube video I watched, but it does give my ends some curl that falls out into waves in a couple hours. I actually really like the bun too. It's a comfortable yet different way to wear your hair up and out of the way, especially in this hot hot weather. I like big hair and I could never get a bun this big with my own natural hair. The sock adds lots of volume.

This was my second attempt. The third time I let my hair dry thoroughly and used a lot of hair spray before making the bun. The curls seemed to last a little longer.

A couple weeks ago my dad and a buddy of his came for a visit to watch the Blue Angels beach airshow. The weather was perfect. Not.

But since we spent about 12 hours at the beach that day, there was a lot of people watching to be had. Check this guy in his awesome hot pants. And yes, those are whitey tighties underneath. Which although ugly, I was thankful for.

Then this other bohemian looking surfer guy pulled up on his beach cruiser and took out two pouches about the size of two paperback novels and turned it into a hammock. Kinda jealous if I do say so myself.

And this is two grown men and one grown pregnant woman huddled under the beach umbrella as another "squall" came through. By the end of the day the umbrella was broken thanks to the wind. The upside was that the Blues did manage to get in a quick show, and although we were at the beach for 12 hours and I didn't put on a lick of sunscreen, I didn't get burnt. But I also didn't get the tan I was hoping for. :(

And can I take a moment to rant about annoying children at the beach? Since I was going to be at the beach forever, I decided to try and nap/relax a bit. I dug out a shallow trench and headrest so I could recline some. And to claim the space at my sides I had two camp chairs, one on each side of me, to make some personal space. There was about a foot between me and the chairs. Apparently a foot looks like just enough room for a rowdy 3 year old to run through. More than once. Because I was the path of least resistance between the water and his camp, about 20 feet behind me. Three year olds have no sense of beach propriety. And apparently his mother had little sense of discipline, because she was constantly begging and bartering with him to listen to her. In fact, one time she had to pick him up and drag him back, as he was flailing and screaming. And then laughing. Obviously he was in no real distress. And then I hear his mom say "Are you kicking me? and then laughing and tickling him. You better believe if my child is kicking me and throwing a tantrum I will not be laughing. I will be beating his behind.

So the first time or two he almost trampled me, I ignored it and tried to shoot his mom or whoever was with him some stink eye. And then once my sheet was sandy from wind and myself, I decided to get up, shake it out and move the chair closer to me. More like 6-8 inches away. This is no small feat for a prego to crawl in and out of a sand trench. No sooner had I flopped back down then that little turd ran by anyway. Kicking about a cup of sand onto me. And the lady with him (not his mom) says very calmly "sorry" and keeps on. Oh I was ticked. There was no polite and expected "Oh it's ok" from me. There was silence. And there was no reprimand to the hooligan, just a quick perfunctory apology from the adult.
Kids (and their parents) these days!

Well, I guess that's enough whining and complaining for now :) And since I've been sitting here for a couple minutes contemplating and can think of nothing else to say, I reckon it's better to just sign off.
Until next time...

Baby White Week 23- What's in a name?

Hi everyone!

I'm writing to ya'll from the comfort of my glider :) I also just got back from visiting a beautiful new momma friend and her little 4-day old nugget Lily. Lily attended her first girl's night since about 6 ladies came over to talk and eat. Lily slept through most of it :)

I learned a lesson this week: you should not eat Pizza Hut buffet when pregnant. Even if it sounds good. It is really bad for you and it will come back to haunt you. Little girl white also did not move around for awhile. I think I took up all her space with food. And then when I went to bed there wasn't enough space for both of them. Thank you pepperoni-induced heartburn.

I think I've also reached the point that I'm going to feel like I have a full bladder all the time. Because I feel full, and then produce very little. Graphic I know. It's really not the most fun feeling, to go to the bathroom and then immediately feel like you have to go again.

We took our hospital tour/orientation this week. I liked touring everything, but thought the class would be mostly about the hospital policies, what to expect in the routines, etc. Instead it was more about pregnancy do's and dont's, the classes and services they have available etc. But they did have life size weighted replicas of babies there- and it was fun to hold the 20 week one since that's what I'm close to. It's no wonder my bladder feels full. That little one is taking up a lot of space already.

I had a moment of surrealism when we toured the labor/delivery room. It kinda was like- whoa- this is where it all goes down. When I leave this room there will be another human being with me. In this room another living person will come out of me. Whoa. But I tried to talk myself down from any fears since I know fear will only hinder things when delivery time comes. We did get to see the big huge tub. Two of their rooms have them. You can't birth in them though- they are just for relaxation.

I should be really transparent- now that I can look back and laugh, and let you all know that I had a meltdown in the class. I rushed home from work, changed clothes, and we were off. I hadn't eaten for about 5.5 hours and I was starving. We stopped to get some food and they were taking so long we had to leave before we even ordered. Then I realized it was like 10 minutes later than the car clock said because John's car clock is slow and we can't change it. So we were running late. And then John needed directions to the hospital, he almost missed a turn, and I was really feeling impatient (I don't like being late to that kind of stuff) and very hungry. In fact I already felt tear-y in the car. We got to class and THANK THE LORD they had some snacks there. However, John was already upset with me due to my impatient and short attitude. I tried to explain I was really hungry and that was why I was being short. But since that was not his fault he didn't understand why I would be short with him.

Anyway, about ten minutes into class, after eating a snack, I wrote him a note telling him how bad I had been feeling because of not eating. And then I started crying. Right there in class. After I got food. Thankfully we were in the back and I managed to get to the bathroom- which seemed like it was a mile away- and have a big ol fashioned boo-hoo in private. I think only about 4 people saw me. But the janitor did ask if I was ok as I hauled booty past him into the bathrooms. All I could do was nod so as not to further the tears. Pretty embarrassing.

But anyway, since I titled this post with a bit of a lead-in, I better deliver. Pun intended.

Yes, we have chosen a name. It kinda come up over the course of a few days. We narrowed it down to two, and then I let John pick between those.

In November we will welcome:

Sophia Abigail

Yes, it will be ok to call her Sophie :) The first name actually came to us while watching a movie. One of the characters was Sophia, and we both thought it sounded pretty. The middle name came from our list of Biblical girl names we liked, and it flowed well with Sophia.

Sophia means wisdom. John has always prayed specifically for wisdom, so he thought it was a very fitting name.
Abigail means "joy of the father". Do I even need to say why this is so meaningful and appropriate? So sweet!
Also, Abigail in the Bible is described as being a beautiful and wise woman. She was the wife of a foolish husband, Nabal, who spurned David and would not share provisions with him. Abigail sent provisions herself to David, and later she became King David's wife. So in the bible she is associated with provision.
1 Samuel 25 if you want to read the whole story.

So, our little girl won't be named anything I ever thought of as a young single girl :) But it is something pretty and meaningful just the same :)

And here's how huge I am this week. I didn't weigh- and I'm thinking maybe I'll just save weigh-ins for my midwife visits.

And this week the puppy dogs joined me

How can you not love them?

They never look happy in photos- but I swear they are!

I also have some general updating to do- but I'll save that for another post sometime this weekend.

Baby White Week 22

So this past Tuesday we had another appointment with our midwife. I am always impressed with how unhurried she is with us. She loves to chat as much as me :)

My official weight gain is now 4.6 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. 8.6 pounds over my morning sickness weight :) She measured my uterus (fundal height) for the first time this visit. I didn't ask what I measured, but commented that I thought I had gotten big enough to be measured finally. "Just barely" was her reply. So, I think I am doing ok in the growth area. Although I swear if my belly keeps up its growth pattern over the next five months, I'm going to be as big as a house.

Speaking of which, there was a lady in the waiting room who fit that description. She was so petite and oh so round. I am not sure how she walks. I am hoping for her sake that she is due, like this week. If I get that big I don't think I'll be able to continue at work!

I finally had to break down and buy some maternity clothes this week. When I wore my largest skirt to work this week and it was still uncomfortably tight, I knew I was going to have to do some shopping. I've been scanning craigslist but no luck finding clothes in my size that I like. So instead I went to Ross and bought some inexpensive stuff. I got black pants, black shorts, denim shorts, yoga pants, leggings, 4 tops, a long camisole, 3 skinny belts and 3 pairs of undies for $104. Way more than yard sale prices but still not too bad. And then leggings and denim shorts are going back. Per John I look like a "video girl" (think BET music videos) in them, lol. This means they are too tight :)

I also went ahead and put away all the clothes that aren't an option for me anymore. My closet has a lot more space now.

My feet continue to be worn out by the evenings. I've ordered some Croc insole Ked style shoes, but they have yet to arrive. I want to get a pair of "ugly" Crocs for in the house. My feet ache after standing barefoot on our tile floor to cook.

Our second Bradley class went about the same as the first. John and I both agree that we're not sure if we'd recommend our instructor to others. I think she is a little too relaxed. Like she showed us a video but she was like 10 feet away talking to someone else the whole time. No one could hear the video. We didn't appreciate that.
This week's focus was nutrition. I've not been counting protein, which they are big on, so I started today. My midwife said 60 grams a day is the requirement. Bradley recommends 80-100. I thought that sounded absolutely ludicrous. However, Monday I managed to get in 91 grams without trying too hard. I also got string cheese, almonds and Greek yogurt to snack on per my midwife's orders. I am going to try to like yogurt. We will see. But, I'm making a more conscious effort on my protein intake. It helps to tell yourself it's for the baby :)

On a side note- our Bradley instructor brought deviled (stuffed) eggs as a snack since it was a nutrition class. The smell was not all that welcome to the first trimester ladies :) I like stuffed eggs and popped a bite in my mouth. I almost reflex spit it out. Truly awful. I don't know what she did or didn't put in it, but it was just gross. I had to hide the remains in a napkin. I couldn't force it down. Especially with my pregnancy induced super sensitive gag reflex.

But not to be all downer about the classes- we enjoy the conversation and I think as we go along and get more in-depth it will feel more beneficial. Right now we are kinda learning stuff we already know. She also gave out a copy of Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. I have found this book to be very encouraging. Some of the stories in the first half are a bit out there, especially when I know I won't be taking a hike in the wilderness during labor, but I'm really enjoying the second half, which is more instructional.

We got some more things for baby White this week- my great aunt in Texas sent the money for me to get a glider off Craigslist that I found. So nice!

When we arrived the same lady also mentioned she had a Medela Pump in Style breast pump she was selling. We snatched that up too and she even included some breast milk storage bags.

My mom also sent some clothes for the baby. I think she is having as much or more fun shopping for her than I do!

A pretty velour polka dot swaddle blanket

Lots of clothes in pink. Notice the cute cat feet on the outfit on the left. Don't tell the dogs!

We also decided on a name for little Miss White. But, I'm going to hold off on sharing it with the cyber-world just yet. Soon though!

Here's the belly shot this week. It's getting out there!

And she shall be called

Bacon.

I had a little conversation with my sweet boy dog Enrie the other day. Daddy was telling him that he was going to have a sister and what her name would be. Ernie decided that "kibble" would be a good name, because he loves food, including kibble, and he was going to love his sister. I asked him why, if he was going to name his sister after food, he would name her kibble. Why not some really great food- like steak?

At first he thought that was a great idea. But then he told me he was concerned someone would eat her if she was named steak. So maybe she should be called something still good, but a little less tempting. Like imitation bacon, IB for short. Ernie says he loves imitation bacon. But it's not something people would be as likely to gobble up.

I then pointed out that "bacon" was cute because indeed his sister is "bakin'" in my tummy. He then got on a rave about bacon and how good it is, and decided just plain "bacon" would do. I asked him if he was concerned that people might still be tempted to eat her because there are a LOT of bacon fans out there.
He was not concerned. Why?

Because steak was left on the table.

That's right folks, this is all a conversation with my dog.

My dogs, their voice actor my hubby, and little Bacon all wish you a good night.

Baby White Week 21

Hi all!

I'm writing to you after a whirlwind trip to Baton Rouge! My dad's mom passed away and we drove over for the funeral. She was full of years so although many will miss her, she was wanting to go home.

So my photos this week are in black :)

Week 21

I also got some photos with my dad, step mom and sister

These photos confirm- I am getting huge! I can only imagine what I will look like in 5 more months.

These past 10 days I've learned that I can no longer wear shoes just for looks. In fact, I can only wear heels for a few hours. I had some pretty bad foot pain after wearing the wrong shoes. And after spending like 10 hour days on my feet on our tile floors. I've ordered some Croc shoes. Not the original ones, but some more fashionable looking ones.

Baby girl also got some really cute clothes from her aunts. They are great for ward-robing because they are all interchangeable. The aunties sent gowns, jammies, onesies, pants, hats and mitts.

I also finally felt some flutterings in there! It's only been a few times and I have to sit pretty still and really pay attention to feel it and then still sometimes nothing. I'll feel a lot better when I can start feeling her move all the time. I get a little concerned that I haven't felt more since I'm 21 weeks. But all my checkups are fine. I was supposed to have another one today but had to reschedule due to the funeral. I'll go Tuesday instead.

We also had our first Bradley class Tuesday. Unfortunately a wreck on the bridge caused us (and thankfully another couple so we weren't alone) to be 30 minutes late. As it turns out I know two of the mamas in the class. It was an interesting class. I can say the instructor is definitely a "birth junkie" and naturalist. I hope as the course progresses we will get more into it as I do really want a natural birth, but I know I won't be able to do it without a lot of support. It's going to take a lot of prepwork, homework and fieldwork :)

Tomorrow we will finally get back to yard saling! I'm excited every week to see what we can collect for Baby girl!

And on the 7th day they rested

The house has come a long way. There are still a lot of little things to be done, and I'm sure there always will be. But we feel like the lion's share is behind us.

I only wish I would have taken better "before" pictures to show just how much has changed. But I'll post what I have just as a refresher. I've posted them once before.

No more blood red carpet. But also no more patio furniture. Lol.

Everything painted, flooring changed

New floors, new paint, new ceiling fan

Border removed, TV shelf removed, every inch painted (except new support post, to be done) new floors

And now for all the rest of the photos:

TV antenna and flagpole gone, door and mailbox painted

We want to replace it, but camouflaged it for now. It was bright white.

Door painted red. 5 coats worth to be exact.

Foyer painted, new floors, new light

Painted, mirror removed, bricks scrubbed

Painted, now where I blog from :)

Painted, cabinets on bottom store movies, games, photo albums, blankets

Wedding photos, new paint

Painted walls and cabinets, new curtain, new faucet

Painted cabinets

Flowers from my mama :)

Laundry room- new floor and wall paint

New paint and new to us appliances, new light fixture

Hallway- paint and wall decor, new floors, new light fixture

John's office. New fan, new carpet, new paint

View from inside the office

Guest bath- new light fixture, new TP and towel holder, painted walls and cabinets, new toilet seat, new floors

Guest bath

Master- new carpet, ceiling fan, wall paint

View from the bed

Master bath- new light fixture, paint, cabinets painted, new TP and towel holder, new toilet seat, new floors

View 2

The new floors! A berber carpet we love and wood-look ceramic tile that we love and labor of loved :)

And now for a nursery sneak peek:

The curtains were the starting point

Then came the pig to match the curtains

Then momma agreed that this set on Craigslist was a good match too. And a paint swatch was brought home.

And then when I came home today, Papa and Sean were painting!

And there you have it!