Success!!!

She cooperated!! Woot...so excited. :) They are not the best pics ever because the ultrasound technician she is really close to my uterine wall & she has her umbilical cord really close to her face too, so we mostly got parts of her face for each pic, but either way, I'm excited! We even got to see her hiccuping & swallowing! And without further adieu - Baby J:

Look at those cute cheeks! She totally has her daddy's nose & I think a mix between our lips! We couldn't see much else unfortunately, but I'm happy we got these at least. We got plenty more, but they all look a lot alike. We also got a 15 min. video of all the cuteness too. :)

29-30 weeks - 3/4 of the way there!!!

Woot - there (in the title) being my due date - November 6th! I can't believe this week is September! I feel like time is just flying this summer & thank goodness...we have had an extremely HOT summer this year. Of course, the year I'm pregnant over the summer, we get one of the hottest summers on record! Not that I'm complaining - it's just definitely uncomfortable at times! I have tried to reign in my baby buying obsession seeing that we still have four baby showers being thrown in our honor - the one the hubbs' family is hosting in his hometown, my main shower in our area/my hometown, plus a work shower at each of our jobs that some co-worker friends are planning to host - we are so blessed! The shower at the hubbs' office was a big surprise to me, that's so nice of them. I can't wait to see all the cute stuff she gets!! I found an awesome maternity dress on sale & decided to get it for my main/big shower, so I ordered it last week:

Photo Credit

During weeks 29-30 (month 7), the baby is about the size of a squash, or about 15.2 to 16.7 inches and about 2.5 to 3.8 lbs. Although she's already pretty big & cramped in there, her weight will triple by the time her due date rolls around. And she is gaining additional energy due to white fat depositing beneath her skin. She's definitely getting a workout in there - exercising by stretching & kicking - it's even beginning to hurt a little now, but nothing her mama can't handle!  I had my 30 week doctor's appointment on Friday & I met with Dr. P this week. I really like her a lot! She gave me the pre-registration information for the hospital I'm going to be delivering at & she said that I could just turn it in during my hospital tour, which is scheduled for September 9th! She also checked the size of my belly, which is measuring right on track & she checked for the baby's heartbeat, which was a very normal 135-140 bpm. When the Dr. was trying to find the baby's heartbeat, she couldn't at first because the baby was wiggling around so much - she even kicked a few times for the Dr. to see! She is not a shy baby - she kicked/moved for two of my co-worker girlfriends & for my mom last week, haha! At the end of the appointment, I scheduled my next several appointments with my OB's office & it hit me just how close we are to meeting her - we ended up scheduling appointments through the end of my pregnancy! We even scheduled one for the week after my due date just in case. :o/ Hopefully we won't need that one, but we'll see.


To celebrate the 30 week milestone, I thought we'd go for a 3D/4D ultrasound this weekend, but Baby J was NOT having it at all! She had her arm up in front of her face the entire time. Urg. She moved for like 2 seconds & we got to see her yawn!! It was seriously SOOOOO adorable. I wish we could have seen more of her cute face, but she was being camera shy, so the 3D place is going to let us re-schedule to try once more. Needless to say, I have no pics of video to share. hmph. But, hopefully we'll have some good ones soon! I'm going to try to re-schedule for this week some time.


And now on to my 29 & 30 week bump shots. I still think I'm pretty small in comparison to some other pregnant women I have seen who are as far along as me (maybe it's all in my head?! My mom thinks it is!), but as long as the little one is doing good, that's all that matters!

29 weeks clothed & bare:

30 weeks clothed & bare:

And bonus mommy view:

Check out my linea nigra! Mine has always been visible, but it's definitely darker now. :o)

BTW, sorry for missing out on this past week's 5QF - I am usually off or teleworking on Fridays, but this week I had to go in. As I'm sure I mentioned several times - this is our busiest time of year at my job, so I am constantly swamped at work! I have lots of great posts planned out in my head for this week, I just need to find the time to sit down & write them out. I'm counting down to the long weekend coming up!! I got the hubbs tickets to the VA Tech vs. Boise State game on Labor Day for our anniversary & we are super psyched to go! I need to find a cute VA Tech shirt for my pregnant belleh this week. :) 'Till next time!

Baby J to do list update - 08.26.10

I had originally planned on doing this update yesterday & every Wednesday after that until the baby arrives or until I finish this list off...whichever comes first (preferably finishing the list up)! But I was SO busy yesterday running around, that I did not get a chance to do it, so I'm posting it now! Know you will think I am insane, but I have added just a few things from last week, BUT I also got a bunch of stuff crossed off too! The plan is to show completed items with a strikethrough line over them as they are completed & then not show them on the following week's list, that way you easily can see everything I accomplished each week. So, here goes - this week's updates:

House Related:

• Get gutters cleaned. 
• Clean under the deck area; get rid of any debris in that area.
• Buy new area rug for living room.
• Buy new throw blanket for couches.
• Clean out front closet.
• Clean out & magazine & odds & ends baskets in LR.
• Find (or make) & install valance over sliding glass door {not so sure this one will get done - depends on how much the valance I like will cost}.
• Mop hardwoods in all areas; I usually do only a few good moppings a year - I spot clean with our steam mop in between time.
• Scrub kitchen cabinets & pantry door.
• Organize pantry.
• Clean & organize Lazy Susan spice shelves. -- post on that FUN process coming soon!
  
• Make room in kitchen cabinets for baby stuff
• Clean base boards throughout house.
• Scrub walls where Dizz grease spots are --> LOL, yes my dog leaves grease marks in the areas where he always leans against the walls! What? Your dog doesn't?! Hahahaha. Who knows WTH is up with that..my dog is a weirdo - he gets bathed/groomed like every other month...promise!
• Buy & have the hubbs put together Billy bookcase from Ikea in basement office area.
• Clean out basement utility storage closet.
• Freecycle/CL any stuff hanging out in the basement that we no longer need/use.
• Buy iPod Clock/Radio for MB.
• Find & buy *small* entertainment system for MB TV (this is a DH added to do, lol).
• Do the fall decorating - this is a whole 'nother post...coming soon!
• ADDED: Steam clean Dizz grease spots where he lays on the carpet - just like on the walls for the stairs, if he lays in one spot a lot, the grease from his coat makes that spot on the carpet dirty...eww!

Baby J/Nursery Related: 

 
Baby J Stuff (in no particular order)- 

• Send final updates to baby shower guest list to older sis.
• Select package for & schedule 3/4D ultrasound, then book appointment!
• Buy onesie from our alma mater - she MUST have one since her daddy & I went to the same school...it's where we met!
• Make appointment to meet with & tour pediatrician's office - I think I know who her pedi will be (got referrals), we just need to make sure they take our insurance & go out to see the office/meet the Drs.
• Do hospital tour - scheduled for September 9, 2010, woot!
• Take childbirth class - scheduled for September 21 & 26, 2010!
• Pre-register with hospital.
• Gather several recipes for frozen meals (to eat after baby gets here).
• Buy a few nursing tanks, sports bras & lounge pants.
• Return any stuff we get duplicates of; freecycle/donate {hand-me-down} clothes we won't use.
• Pack hospital bag. 
• Install car seat in my SUV & get installation inspected.
• Cook freezer meals (between 35-37 weeks).

Nursery Stuff -

• Change out door hardware to brushed nickle (it's brass {bleh}, just like everything else in this house that we haven't already changed out yet).
• Find new closet door pulls & change them out OR spray paint the brass ones & see if they'll work.  -- we ended up spray painting them white for now & it looks fine; we will eventually switch them out for brushed nickle when we find good looking, affordable ones.
• Measure & put in liners in dresser/changer combo.
• Hang curtains (on hold until we get the hardware in early Oct. :o( )
• Put up remaining leaves/berries on tree & "blow" them around windows (also on hold until curtains are put up).
• Hang framed "Beautiful" & "Miracle" [ReDeemed] Unique wall art.
• Have Ashley (my little sistah's BFF) do canvas art for over the closet door. -- here is what she came up with:

Isn't it adorable?! This owl canvas wall art from Target was her inspiration! I think she did a fabulous job...and she's only 17!!

• Buy remaining frames for photo wall - more on this lata.
• Buy TV for bookshelf - yes, we are putting a TV in the baby's room...it's more for us than the baby & we decided we wanted one in there for late night sessions with the babe.
• Super secret DIY lamp project - it's only a secret for a few days until I get the post on it together. ;op -- Got started on this, waiting on some material to finish it up!!
• Make pom poms to hang over crib.
• Wash all clothes & blankets; put away in drawers.

Financial Related:

• Make 529 (college savings) plan choice & get/read enrollment info.
• Look into life insurance coverage & discuss/make any necessary adjustments.
• Find out process for changing over health & dental insurance for the baby & I to the hubb's policy - we both work for the Federal Government & it was cheaper to have separate insurance until we had a little one, then switch to the family coverage.

M'wah Related:

• Get filling in tooth where brackets previously were (I got a cavity from when I had braces & the bracket was...boo). -- Went to the dentist yesterday & found out that I actually need a freakin' crown! This is now going to wait until after Baby J arrives. In the mean time, they put a build up material to maintain the existing tooth.
• Change name with electric company, school loans & long-term savings bank account (no, I still haven't done the name changes on a few accounts).
• Get physical done at PCP.
• Finalize maternity leave plan, type it up & submit it to my supervisor & team leader; put leave requests in time tracking system.
• Order Thank You notes for shower gifts.
• Get hair cut & straightened before due date. LOL, for some reason I want my hair straight when the baby's born (it's more manageable that way than in its natural CURLY state), so if I have time, I'm gonna try & keep it straight for the few weeks leading up to my due date.
• Pick out design for birth announcements (so that I can order them soon after she arrives); make address labels for envelopes.

So those are my updates - I am on track with my original goal of getting 3-5 items done a week, woot! Wish me luck this weekend tackling some more of the list. Tonight/tomorrow I'll be posting my 29 week update in addition to 5QF!! 'Till next time!

Project Nursery - bring on the books & art {+ a DIY monogram art tutorial}!

I feel like work has been consuming my life lately, so I have LOTS of nursery & house stuff to share, but I just need to find the time to do it! Tonight I decided to share my progress on & future plans for Baby J's bookshelf wall! I l-o-v-e the way it's coming together!

So, remember waaay back on my very first Project Nursery post, when I discussed our bookshelf choice - well I'm so glad we picked this bookshelf because it fits perfectly with the other furniture in the room & is SO roomy! And of course, my personal favorite thing about it - it's very affordable! Then, in my all put together post, I showed you how the bookshelf looked against the wall with just a few little odds & ends I picked up & even a couple books! Here's a reminder of how the bookshelf wall looked by that point:

Well my mom used to do in-home daycare, so she gave us LOTS of books & then I bought this cute canvas toy storage tote from PBK to go next to the shelf & keep all her cute toys nice & organized {I'm a little OCD about keeping stuff orderly, which I hear will most definitely change after the babe gets here ;o) }:

We are going to get a small flat screen for the bookshelf so that the hubbs & I can watch TV in the wee hours of the night while rocking the babe back to sleep. And later for her kiddo DVDs & what not. I know some people are totally against TVs in baby rooms, but we aren't, we'll make it work & if it doesn't, then we'll figure it out from there. We definitely don't plan to use it as a tool in helping her get to sleep, so we'll just see how it goes. We likely won't buy the TV until after the baby's born. She'll be sleeping in our room in the bassinet portion of her pack & play for the first 2-3 months before moving into her nursery anyways, so we may even wait until Black Friday to get a great deal on the TV. I'll send the hubbs out to get it while me & the baby cuddle up together & stay warm.

Anywho, after we agreed on all my plans for the wall, I thought to myself, hmmm, something is missing?! But I just couldn't put my finger on it. Then, while perusing one of my favorite DIY home decor blogs - Young House Love - I saw the perfect solution: an asymmetrical photo arrangement on the wall! And it's in little Clara's nursery, so they added some cute touches to make the frames more baby friendly & I fell in love:

Photo Credit

So, I perused Etsy for the perfect prints for the wall & found these two cuties in Etsy seller Pretty Smitten's shop & scooped them right up:

PS - while blog stalking perusing this morning, I came across another blog who's author made her own ABC art print & posted it on her site to share with everyone - it's pretty cute & my very favorite price - FREE! Check it out here. :)

So, I decided on a layout for our wall that would work for the space we have & came up with this:

Then, using old Christmas dollar store wrapping paper, I cut out the sizes of the frames I planned to use on the wall per my diagram above:

Then, I taped them up on the wall (WOD tip: I blotted the tape against my clothes before putting it up on the wall, so that it would pick up lint & not peel the paint). I measured approximately 1.5 inches between the frames & this is what I came up with:

If you notice, I left off the three 2x3 small frames to the far left of the diagram above - I decided against using them for now due to space limitations & because I don't want the frames to look too cramped up there. I may add them back later, but for now, they are out.

In addition to the two prints above, I will add this first year frame from Target & my DIY Owl Shadow Box Art. We haven't quite gotten around to getting all the smaller frames for the wall - I may work on that this weekend - so for now, this is how the wall still looks until I get the frames up. In all of the smaller frames, we plan to add a few family/maternity photos & some of Baby J's newborn photos after she arrives.

And now...drum roll please, feast your eyes on our baby girl's {mostly done} bookshelf wall:

That "A" in the pink frame is a ridiculously simple DIY monogram I made using a cheapo K-Mart frame that we spray painted the same color as her bow holder, some scrapbook paper from Michaels for the background & some spare kiddo wrapping paper from Hallmark for the letter! 

 

I just found an "A" in a font I liked, blew it up in Microsoft word, printed it out on white card stock & cut that out to use as a template. I also cut out the scrapbook paper to fit the frame backing (I just traced the insert that comes with the frame & cut the scrapbook paper to the same size. Then, I traced it on the back of my wrapping paper, cut it out & used double sided tape to stick it on the scrapbook paper backing. Once that was finished, I threw it in the spray painted frame & all done! And, that's it - you get an affordable, cute & very easy to make piece of framed monogram art:

Please excuse my fingerprints on the glass, this photo was taken before I cleaned the glass - DOH!

So what do you think of the wall?! It's coming along just how I envisioned - I just love it when plans work out the way they are supposed to, don't you?!

Wanna see our nursery progress from the beginning?! Check out my master plan for the room & the first set of DIY goodies I made for our little girl, the major furniture all put together, my cute owl accent finds & decision to do a understated owl theme in her nursery, my "Owl" Bean Bag score turned FAIL, how we "planted" a tree over the glider to read books to our sweet baby girl under, my easy peasy DIY owl wall art that I made using recycled greeting cards, and the finished dresser/changer combo & crib walls plus a simple & cute DIY bow holder! Enjoy. :)

And as I mentioned earlier - stay tuned for much much more Project Nursery (we are almost done with the room!), a recap on some organizing/cleaning I did this weekend, updates on my pre-Baby J to do list, my 29 week pregnancy update, fall decor plans & lots & lots more. Time is flying & I'm trying to get everything done so I don't have to do it when I'm all big & uncomfortable. 'Till next time!

GTKM - answers to your most burning questions!

And I'm sure you were SO anxious to see all my responses from the CSN GTKM Giveaway, right? LOL. Hope everyone has had a nice weekend, mine was pretty good - again, no plans, which for me = excellent! I got lots done on my pre-Baby J to do list & we are really close to finishing the nursery!! The stupid window hardware I ordered being back ordered until early October is throwing me off, but as soon as that gets here, we'll really finish it up & then I'll be able to show all of you the *BIG* reveal...can't wait! I love my little girl's room so far & I know it's gonna be perfect for her!

So now onto the questions! I am not going to answer any that don't apply right now - like one reader wondered about Baby J's sleeping patterns - and since she's still in mah belleh, I can't really answer that right now. But, I can say, she's most active in there at night, so if that's any indication of how she'll be when she gets here, then we are in for some trouble (especially since we normally get up for work at around 5am - eeek). But, anywho - here are my responses to all the questions that I can answer right now:


1. What is your favorite item in your kitchen?

Hmm, good question. I'm a simple gal, so I'll go with my microwave & toaster - that's two, I know!  I like 'em because they make grabbing a quick, hot something for breakfast before running out the door in the morning MUCH easier! My long time readers may recall, but we got a new microwave like umm last summer or so. One that actually matches the rest of the the appliances & actually works, so I love that! One day I'll learn how to really bake (minus boxed cake mixes ::wink::) & perhaps I'll invest in a KitchenAid Stand Mixer - I hear they are amazing - then I'm sure that'll be my fav!

2. Where did you get the wooden hangers you used in your baby hangers DIY project?

Michaels - love that store! But, I'm sure you can get them from any craft store. I do wish we had a Hobby Lobby 'round these parts though because from what I have seen on other's blogs, they have lots of great stuff that I don't think Michaels carries. boo! I just checked out their site & found out that they have a location about 45 min. away from me, near my uncle's house! Maybe next time I visit him, I'll stop by & check out all the crafty goodness. :)

PS - I finally put these up in her closet now & they look SUPER cute - I'll be sharing a pic of the closet so far (pre-baby shower & I'm sure more clothes/diapers/towels/etc.) sometime this week!


3. Where do you get your inspiration?

I read SOOOOO many blogs of talented ladies with great ideas & I usually get my inspiration from other's projects - some of my fav crafty/D&R blogs are Craftaholics Anonymous, The DIY Show Off, Somewhat Simple, Attempting Creative, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Young House Love - just to name a few, there are many many more I follow & LOVE.I'd also recommend checking out any blogs/sites linked on blogs you find &  like b/c I find lots more great sites like that. I also love Martha Stewart & Pottery Barn (PBK for Baby J stuff) & get lots of inspiration from both of those sites as well. Hope this helps!! If you want more specific information or ever have a question that I don't answer here on the blog, just shoot me an email at worldofdennifer{at}gmail{dot}com & I'll get back to you with a response ASAP. :)

4. Will you keep the baby in the nursery from the beginning or will you keep her in your room with you for awhile?

Good question - we plan to keep her in the room with us for the first couple (or so) of months in a Pack & Play, then try to move her into her nursery/crib. Because I'm a worry wart, we'll be buying the Angelcare Movement Monitor to use when she's in her crib. We registered for one of those TV monitors b/c the hubbs really wanted it, lol. So, the Angelcare monitor we get will be the movement sensor only - to be used along with the normal TV/sound monitor.I know some people say these aren't necessary, but for my piece of mind, I'd rather just spend the $70 and have it. :)


5. What breed is your dog?

He's a rescue dog, so we aren't EXACTLY sure of his breed, but we think he's a German Sheppard & some sort of Hound mix. He's such a sweet dog, so whatever he's mixed with, it worked out great for us! And thanks for the comment on how cute he is - we (or at least I & I'm pretty sure the hubbs too) think so too!

Thanks for all the great questions! I hope to do another one of these GTKM posts/giveaways soon, so fun! Now I have to run because Baby J is kicking me to eat (& the hubby keeps calling me to come get my food - he cooked tonight b/c I spent hours cleaning today), lol.  'Till next time!

5Q + New Friend Friday - 08.20.10

Woo hoo, another Friday here!!! ::waves hi to all my new & long-time followers:: && welcome to anyone visiting for the first time from New Friend Fridays!! Look around - I hope you like what you see & come back more often. :)

This week has been pretty typical - lots of work going down size it's our busy time of year. I even have to go in next Friday on my day off to get some stuff done - boooo. I am looking forward to this weekend because I have absolutely NO plans - which basically never happens, so I'm going to spend time tackling some of the stuff on my massive pre-Baby J to do list. I hope to find a new LR area rug that the hubbs likes too & get my fall decorating ideas together & I'd also like to tackle some of the simple nursery stuff like getting the new hinges on the door, changing out the closet door knob, buying the remaining white frames for the photo wall (more on that next week), ironing & getting her crib skirt on the crib. Speaking of the little one - last night I told the hubbs to put his ear up to my tummy b/c I read that by now you should be able to hear the baby's heartbeat like that, so he was listening for a few seconds & the baby kicked him HARD right int he ear! LMAO, he felt it & was like, "hey?!" So cute. :)

Anywho, now on to 5QF! If you want to participate, head on over to My Little Life & link up (and let me know if you do, I'd love to read my reader's answers)!

1. Do you have any nicknames and if so how did it come about?



 Well, some of our {dorky  ;oP} friends call us, as a couple, Dennifer - hence the name of my blog. It is a mix of our names - Jennifer & Dennis. It's actually a stupid nick name that came from the whole J-Lo/Ben Affleck short-lived fling (dubbed Bennifer), but it kinda stuck & doesn't bother me as much anymore. It does sound weird to me when people say it out loud, but it's perfect for my blog's name, LOL!

2. What is your birth order amongst your siblings?



 I have 3 sisters & 1 brother - I am the second oldest. So in chronological order, it's my older sis - Shauntae (29), me (27), my little sis Kim (18), my little sis Johnetta (17) & my little bro Rasheed (almost 8). Yep I have a brother that's young enough to be my son! Shauntae & I are the only two with the same two parents - everyone except Johnetta is my mom's child & Johnetta & I share a dad, but have different moms. My parents got married EXTREMELY young - like 18'ish - and so they have since gotten divorced & remarried.

3. In a movie of your life, who would play your significant other?

Hands down - Taye Diggs - people have actually said he & the hubbs look similar. Either way, I think Taye Diggs is quite yummy. :) I picked this pic of Taye b/c I think he looks especially like my hubby in this one, lol. I mean, they aren't dead ringers, but they definitely look similar IMO.

4. What is currently your favorite song?


I really like the Usher & Jay-Z song that's out on the radio right now - "Hot Toddy." I thought it would be on Usher's new album, but nope! Hmph. So annoying when artists release new tracks around the same time as their albums & then don't put them on the albums - SO annoying!

5. Are you saving your money for anything right now? Big or small purchase?

Well, we just got the car tax bill for my new'ish SUV, Stella, plus the hubbs car so that's close to $650. Due in October - boo to VA for personal property tax. So that's the most immediate, but in a few month the hubbs will be turning the big 3-0 & we are planning to let him get a new (well, gently used - I don't believe in buying brand new cars b/c they depreciate so fast) car too! He's looking at a couple options, like a Mercedes 3-series, Audi A4 & several others. He wants luxury, but still has a sporty feel, something quick & something with 4-doors since the babe will be here by then!

Now I need to attempt to focus & get some work done before heading over to the gym for a little bit. 'Till next time!

I'm making a list & checking it twice...

But it has nothing to do with finding out who's naughty or nice, lol. Not funny?! Okay. But seriously, I have finally gotten the chance to sit down & write out a comprehensive pre-Baby J to do list. I'm nearly 29 weeks pregnant now, so perhaps I should have done this sooner...but I didn't b/c I have been crazy busy this summer. That's neither here nor there though - I'm handling it now & that's all that matters. I plan to update this every Wednesday with progress. My goal is to mark off a minimum of 3-5 items each week. Some of the stuff will need to wait until a bit later, but for the things that can be done now...then I'd really love to do them. I'm sure I'll be adding stuff to my list as the next few weeks go by & after we have the baby showers we'll of course have to go out & buy any important remaining items. The less I have to do later on in my pregnancy, the better!

So, for this list, I decided to break it up by house, baby/nursery related, financial & miscellaneous/personal to dos. Just FYI - you may have seen some of these things before in the spring/summer cleaning to do list I posted. Sadly, the summer is nearly over & all of those things have not yet been done! Some stuff is going to have to wait until after the baby gets here, but you will see a few things from that list too. Okay, enough intro, here goes!

House Related:

• Get gutters cleaned. 
• Clean under the deck area; get rid of any debris in that area.
• Buy new area rug for living room.
• Buy new throw blanket for couches.
• Clean out front closet.
• Clean out & magazine & odds & ends baskets in LR.
• Find (or make) & install valance over sliding glass door {not so sure this one will get done - depends on how much the valance I like will cost}.
• Mop hardwoods in all areas; I usually do only a few good moppings a year - I spot clean with our steam mop in between time.
• Scrub kitchen cabinets & pantry door.
• Organize pantry.
• Clean & organize Lazy Susan spice shelves.
• Make room in kitchen cabinets for baby stuff
• Clean base boards throughout house.
• Scrub walls where Dizz grease spots are --> LOL, yes my dog leaves grease marks in the areas where he always leans against the walls! What? Your dog doesn't?! Hahahaha. Who knows WTH is up with that..my dog is a weirdo - he gets bathed/groomed like every other month...promise!
• Buy & have the hubbs put together Billy bookcase from Ikea in basement office area.

I either want this one:

 

 Or this one:

I need to do some measuring down there to figure out which size would work best in the area.

• Clean out basement utility storage closet.
• Freecycle/CL any stuff hanging out in the basement that we no longer need/use.
• Buy iPod Clock/Radio for MB.
• Find & buy *small* entertainment system for MB TV (this is a DH added to do, lol).
• Do the fall decorating - this is a whole 'nother post...coming soon!

Baby J/Nursery Related: 

 
Baby J Stuff (in no particular order)- 

• Send final updates to baby shower guest list to older sis.
• Select package for & schedule 3/4D ultrasound, then book appointment!
• Buy onesie from our alma mater - she MUST have one since her daddy & I went to the same school...it's where we met!
• Make appointment to meet with & tour pediatrician's office - I think I know who her pedi will be (got referrals), we just need to make sure they take our insurance & go out to see the office/meet the Drs.
• Do hospital tour - scheduled for September 9, 2010, woot!
• Take childbirth class - scheduled for September 21 & 26, 2010!
• Pre-register with hospital.
• Gather several recipes for frozen meals (to eat after baby gets here).
• Buy a few nursing tanks, sports bras & lounge pants.
• Return any stuff we get duplicates of; freecycle/donate {hand-me-down} clothes we won't use.
• Pack hospital bag. 
• Install car seat in my SUV & get installation inspected.
• Cook freezer meals (between 35-37 weeks).

Nursery Stuff -

• Change out door hardware to brushed nickle (it's brass {bleh}, just like everything else in this house that we haven't already changed out yet).
• Find new closet door pulls & change them out OR spray paint the brass ones & see if they'll work.
• Measure & put in liners in dresser/changer combo.
• Hang curtains (on hold until we get the hardware in early Oct. :o( )
• Put up remaining leaves/berries on tree & "blow" them around windows (also on hold until curtains are put up).
• Hang framed "Beautiful" & "Miracle" [ReDeemed] Unique wall art, here is a pic of it - I LOVE it:

• Have Ashley (my little sistah's BFF) do canvas art for over the closet door.
• Buy remaining frames for photo wall - more on this lata.
• Buy TV for bookshelf - yes, we are putting a TV in the baby's room...it's more for us than the baby & we decided we wanted one in there for late night sessions with the babe.
• Super secret DIY lamp project - it's only a secret for a few days until I get the post on it together. ;op
• Make pom poms to hang over crib.
• Wash all clothes & blankets; put away in drawers.

Financial Related:

• Make 529 (college savings) plan choice & get/read enrollment info.
• Decide on cord blood banking - we are leaning towards donating the cord blood to a public bank.
• Look into life insurance coverage & discuss/make any necessary adjustments.
• Find out process for changing over health & dental insurance for the baby & I to the hubb's policy - we both work for the Federal Government & it was cheaper to have separate insurance until we had a little one, then switch to the family coverage.

M'wah Related:

• Get filling in tooth where brackets previously were (I got a cavity from when I had braces & the bracket was...boo).
• Change name with electric company, school loans & long-term savings bank account (no, I still haven't done the name changes on a few accounts).
• Get physical done at PCP.
• Finalize maternity leave plan, type it up & submit it to my supervisor & team leader; put leave requests in time tracking system.
• Order Thank You notes for shower gifts.
• Get hair cut & straightened before due date. LOL, for some reason I want my hair staright when the baby's born (it's more manageable that way than in its natural CURLY state), so if I have time, I'm gonna try & keep it straight for the few weeks leading up to my due date.
• Pick out design for birth announcements (so that I can order them soon after she arrives); make address labels for envelopes.

Whew. I *think* that's it. :o/ I have LOTS to do, right?! Better get on it...hopefully I can get it all done before Baby J makes her appearance!! Wish me luck! Up next...answers all of you asked during my GTKM CSN Stores Giveaway. 'Till next time!

27-28 Weeks!

Again, I can't believe how quickly time is flying! I'm over a week into my third & final trimester of this pregnancy! Sometimes I sit & think about just how soon our precious little girl will be here & I both freak out & get giddy with excitement all at the same time! I know I'm technically already a mommy, but it won't seem for real for real till she's actually in our arms...does that make sense? I'm loving being pregnant with our little one though & getting to know her personality. She's all mine for now, but I know that's gonna change the minute she comes out - she already has sooo many people that love her & are so excited to meet her!! This weekend I got a lot of miscellaneous nursery stuff done. I have gone thru all the clothes & blankets friends have given to us & plan to wash them at some point soon. Her crib skirt will be here this week & her bedding set will be complete!! Then I can show you guys her crib with the bedding in it, so cute! I ordered the hardware to hang her curtains, but it won't be here until early OCTOBER! So, if I find something else in the mean time, then I'll buy that!

True to form, my baby buying obsession is still in full effect - although, it has calmed down considerably. In the past couple of weeks, I have only bought her just a few things - most of it is nursery related, so that doesn't count. ;op  But one thing I have been wanting badly is a cute little cable knit white hoodie & I found one this week on JCP for $12.99! I got it in "polar bear" & 3-6 months, since I already have another cute sweater in 0-3 months. Here it is:

And as you know, I'm a sucker for a good deal, so it'll be here tomorrow! LOL. I also bought these little cuties on CSN Stores (I won a gift certificate on a blog giveaway too!) to use as a prop for my maternity pics, but also for her once she gets a little older.

I heart them! I'm also on the look out for some faux Uggs for her for cheap, so if you know of a good place to find them, then please let me know!

One last thing - before I get to the actual pregnancy updates - my dad found an AMAZING spot for my baby shower at one of the properties the company he works for owns! It was originally gonna be at my house, but with over 50 invitees, it just wasn't happening (I have a teeny tiny townhouse). So anyways, my dad took us to the place this weekend & it's perfect!! Here are a few pics:

The lobby/entrance - where guests will enter!

A view from the entrance to the room - that's my nephew playing on the ottoman & my dad & BIL playing pool off to the left. I know my hubby will just love that there's a pool table to pass the time during the shower - I doubt he'll be participating in the games, hehehehe.

The right side of the room that houses the bar/kitchen area + additional seating! That's my sis talking to me when I snapped the pic, haha!

Isn't it awesome?!! I LOVE it....I told my dad he did a great job picking the place & he got it for a steal, so I'm even more excited now. Only 8 more weeks till that shower & 5 until the shower my hubby's family is throwing for us in his hometown! Yay!

So, now on to the pregnancy updates! I'm doing well still - enjoying the third trimester overall, but I have been getting more uncomfortable & TIRED as the days pass. I was just tell the hubbs that we better get some of our pre-baby to do's done soon because I am feeling my energy quickly drain. I found out a couple days after taking the test - I passed the glucose tolerance screening, woot! But my iron levels are low, so I have been put on iron supplements...which I keep forgetting to take. :o/ The problem is, I'm supposed to take them opposite of when I take my PNVs, which is a problem since I take them in the evening right before bed. I'm usually in a rush in the morning & completely forget to take the iron pills after my first meal. I have set an alarm on my phone, so I'm hoping that'll help me to remember. I also did a sickle cell test since I'm half black & I was negative, phew. I doubted I had it since it doesn't run in my family, but it's always good to know for sure! The weeks seem to just be flying by! I can't believe it's almost September, then really only 2 more full months till the babe arrives! We attended my breastfeeding class this week & I learned a lot & got some good literature to read up on. I have a friend who recently had a little guy & he took to the boob like a champ, so I'm hoping little Baby J does the same - with minimal hurdles. I have a pretty high pain tolerance threshold, so I'm not so worried about it being painful as I am of the potential complications that can happen to me or to the baby while BF'ing. I'm gonna give it my best try though & if all goes well, I hope to continue as long as possible. I had my last every 4 weeks OB appointment this past Friday (everything looked good - only up 3 lbs since my 24 week appointment & her h/b was 155 bpm) & now am moving to every two weeks...looking forward to hearing her heartbeat every 2 weeks, woo hoo!

According to The Bump, the baby is the size of an eggplant. Her lungs are maturing & she's putting on more weight now. She's also practicing blinking her eyes, which we will hopefully get to see soon - I'll be scheduling my 3D ultrasound very soon here! Can't wait to see her again!! She's about 2 lbs. now & about 14.8 inches, so she's getting pretty big!! And pretty cramped in there I think - she is kicking away more & more every day...and I, of course, love it! So does the Mr. - he gets to feel her at least once every day now! He thinks it feels like I'm hiccuping, but I told him, that's definitely his little one! Some days she just gets into these moods where she just kicks non-stop. 

And to end this ridiculously long posts, here are my 27-28 week bump photos - I still don't think I've "popped", sigh. But I apparently look pregnant since people give up their seats on the Metro & ask when I'm due when they see me. Perhaps it's all in my mind? IDK, but I am waiting for the circular bump & I seem to be carrying low & don't have it yet. Regardless, my Dr. says I'm measuring perfectly so I suppose that's good enough for me! Oh & still no new belly stretch marks, although I noticed the ones I had before have gotten a little darker. Weird right?

27 weeks clothed & bare:

 

28 weeks clothed & bare:

I only have 2 pairs of work pants that fit me & 1 pair of jeans - I am currently in search of some lighter colored maternity full panel jeans, so if you know where I can find some, please please let me know! The lady at Motherhood Maternity said that the lighter ones are being phased out b/c the summer is almost over - is it weird that I still wear them in the fall/winter?! Hahaha. Maybe I'll just buy an even darker pair than the ones I have now & then they won't seem so dark to me! 

Sorry for this LONG post, I guess I need to go back to weekly pregnancy posts! My blog is about to ramp up with LOTS of stuff we have going on...starting with sitting down to write out our remaining to do's, then chronicling how that's going. Some of it is DIY'ing, some of it is D&R, nursery stuff, baby stuff, etc. Sorry that everything has been so baby-related recently, but everything we have been up to around the house {and our lives in general} has been related to the baby, so that's what I've been blogging about! But a lot of the pre-baby to do's on our list are D&R related, so that should a break from all things Baby J for you guys + I'm starting to plan out our fall decor now - I'm looking for simple (since I'll be quite pregnant when time comes to start decorating), but definitely scream fall time! It's my favorite season, so I can't wait to start decorating! 'Till next time!

5QF + weekly recap - 08.13.10

I'm so sorry I have been a bit of a slacker this week. I have been literally EXHAUSTED - passing out on the couch every night after work. I guess Baby J is taking up a lot of the energy I have left! I will be posting my 27-28 week pregnancy updates {this weekend}, the answers to the questions everyone left during my CSN Giveaway, a comprehensive house/baby/misc to do list (a continuation of my spring/summer list), some nursery updates + a new DIY project & a cute baby stuff post to show off all the cute stuff we have bought or received as gifts so far!

This week has been pretty slow & uneventful. This week was one of my close co-worker friend's last week in our office - I'm SO gonna miss her, but she got an awesome promotion & pay increase, so I'd be moving right along if I were her too! We'll stay in touch I'm sure - I sent her a threatening email telling her that she better keep in touch, so that should do it, lol. I have had a pretty good work week - I got a personnel folder notification (ours are automated/electronic) saying that my individual cash award had been processed, so I'm hoping to get that next pay period, woot! And I also got a BIG new responsibility at work & I'm soooo excited - more on that lata. I was actually relieved that I didn't have many plans this weekend, but now I'm heading to go look at my baby shower location on Saturday, then to Maryland to stop by a friend's house (she's giving us some more baby stuff) & a to another friend's baby shower on Sunday. Today's Friday the 13th & call me superstitious, but I'm laying low - snuggling up on my couch & catching up on some DVR'ed shows. I think the no energy thing that they say happens in the 3rd trimester is starting to kick in for me - I feel like there's so much to do & I just don't feel like doing any of it! Sigh.

And now on to 5QF! If you want to participate, head on over to My Little Life & link up (and let me know if you do, I'd love to read my reader's answers)!

1. Have you ever visited another country?

Yep, I've been to the Bahamas & the Dominican Republic. We went to the DR for our honeymoon & has SUCH a great time...I highly recommend a trip there if you haven't been. While there we lounged around the resort, hung out on the beach, participated in the daily activities, attended shows, rode horses on the beach, had champagne in our jacuzzi tub, went on a 3-hour trip to the capital on the DR - Santo Domingo & we even did an off-resort excursion riding ATVs on land & on the beach. Never a dull moment. We stayed at the Excellence Punta Cana & everyone was soo nice!

2. Where is the strangest place you have ever been?

Hmm, that's a tough question. I can't really point to a strange place...shady? Sure. But strange is a tough one.

3. What is your favorite season?

FALL all the way & it's right around the corner, woot! I'm so excited that our little girl will be a Fall baby!! I love Halloween, Thanksgiving, all the rich/warm fall colors, the lovely fall clothes, pumpkin pies, the smell of fall in the air, the colors of the trees & the slight chill in the air. I also love decorating my home for the fall - I'm already thinking up a few simple ideas to decorate this year - I'm looking for something low maintenance since we'll have a new baby come mid-fall!!

4. What one song will always cheer you up?

Twist & Shout, LOL. It's just so upbeat & happy - you can't help but twist a little bit! 

5. What Disney character do you resemble most?

I think I'll go with Jasmin from Disney's Aladdin. I'm mixed with black & white, but people have told me before that I look like I have some sort of Arabian background? I think we have similarly color skin & dark hair...besides that - I can't really think of any other Disney characters that I resemble!

That's all I got for today - I have to try & get a least a little work done today. ;op 'Till next time!