Baby Girl Nursery Help

When I found I was pregnant with Leo, a boy, I knew exactly how I wanted his nursery to look.

That was his nursery in LA, and his nursery here took a similar theme. 

And while his nursery here (which I have never taken pictures of!! I need to do that!) is going to see a big boy update come October, I need to figure out what the heck I'm going to do for baby girl's nursery. 

The few things I do know:

•  we don't want to paint - so we're sticking with the Repose Gray that's currently in the room
•  we're using some furniture from Leo's room (the glider and dresser)
• The espresso-colored crib
• A gray glider
•  A gray dresser
• I don't want to go overly frilly or girly and I don't want it frilly.

Other than that, I really, really, really don't know what direction to go in.

Here are a few pictures I've been drawn to on Pintrest, but beyond that, where do you start when you don't have a clue?

 

 

It seems like lately I've been drawn to a lot of brushed gold details, and I do think that would be pretty with the paint color in the room, along with a really, really light pink but who knows.

I am crushing on these Land of Nod drapes, in the floor length option, but they seem a little pricey (especially since I need six)....but these are the kind of thing that I think I could do the whole room around, so I am hoping to find something similar to this to really latch on to. 

 

So that's my long stream of thoughts when it comes to this nursery that has seen no effort and really has no direction as of yet! 

Bumpdate: Weeks 20-22

 If you're following along: weeks 5-12 , weeks 13-16  , weeks 17-19

WEEK 20

How Far Along? 20w5d

Gender: GIRL

Weight Gain: Didn't get on this week, but I'm guessing close to 8 or 9?

Maternity Clothes:  Still just jeans

Nursery: Besides the blinds, nothing, and I read my bumpdate with Leo and compared to that..I'm a little behind. I honestly don't have a clue what I'm going to do with the room, but I'm not going over the top with anything. For right now, I'm feeling like lots of blues and whites, so we'll see.

Movement: YES - and lots. You can see my stomach move up and down with hard kicks this week too.

Symptoms: Overall, not much to complain about. The afternoons still get me down but I think that's just going to be the way. I also have been having some heart flutters/palpitation feelings. Apparently it's really common since your body is pumping lots and lots of extra blood, but it sort of wigs me out. It tends to happen when I lay down on the couch or bed.

Honestly besides that, I'm enjoying the 2nd Trimester very much.

Sleep: Pretty good. A few nights a week I'm up around 2am but I try really hard to not look at my phone and will myself back to sleep and it's been working well. 

Joel: I think I've been relatively easy on him this pregnancy since this week was the first time I've asked him to rub my feet! I don't know why I waited 21 weeks but that will be changing ;)

Workouts: Still determined to rip the gym bandaid off and the plan is to go Monday (I want to go 2x/week all fall). We've walked a few miles everyday and Sunday did a 7 mile bike ride (hauling Leo which wipes me out).

Mood: Pretty good overall unless I'm tired in which case I'm a major grouch.

Cravings: Donuts this week! I indulged over the weekend with coffee and they were divine!

What I Miss: I had my girlfriends bachelorette party on Saturday and I missed having more than just a little champagne.

Random Things: Not much....I can feel my desire to start nesting and organizing starting to kick in. I have a long "Honey Do" list, and a lot of closets that I want to start working on, I just struggle lately with the motivation/energy to actually start and finish them! I have a wedding shower that I need to wrap up in two weeks, and after that, it's time to start crossing things off the list!

Best Moment of the Week:  Feeling and seeing the baby kick.

Looking Forward To: Celebrating Joel's 30th birthday this week. We are going to head to a cubs game and then have a few family parties to celebrate him entering a new decade!


WEEK 21

 

How Far Along? 21w5d

Gender: GIRL

Weight Gain: 9lbs, and I was up 9.5lbs when I was pregnant with Leo. I'm hoping to stay pretty parallel to my gain with him.

Maternity Clothes:  Still just jeans

Nursery: No, and I honestly don't have any direction that I want to go in either. I thought I found some pretty cute black out drapes on Land of Nod, but they're like $90 a panel and I need four of them so I'm trying to switch gears since we just installed wood blinds on those windows too.

Movement: YES - and lots. Joel got his hardest kick to date on his Birthday's Eve.

Symptoms: I would say very, very good week - maybe the best of the pregnancy as far as symptoms are concerned. I haven't been near as tired in the afternoons this week, those heart fluttery things seemed to have stopped or I'm not noticing them as much, and overall I have felt well. Probably the most annoying thing is my bladder which doesn't let up, but it's par for the course.

Sleep: Pretty good. I sleep soundly except that in the night since I'm sleeping on my side, I have to alternate a few times which wakes me up. I've to rearrange the body pillow that I sleep with and it's kind of a to-do.

Joel: He turned 30 this week! I think entering a new decade has been giving him a little bit of a head trip, but I've reminded him that he is a father of two!, a homeowner, someone who has seen success in business, has lived in multiple states, has traveled well, and has made many, many friends all before THIRTY! That's pretty incredible if you ask me!

Workouts: Woohoo we did it! We made it back to the gym! Both Leo and I enjoyed it, although I did not last long on the stair stepper. Now that we've ripped the bandaid, we have committed to making it to the gym twice/week. We also got in long walks, a really fast bike ride around the lake, and a half mile paddle on the lake that left my arms really sore!

Mood: Good but maybe a touch guilty over all of the indulging we've been doing lately!

Cravings: I really miss Fresh Brothers pizza from LA.

What I Miss: See above. And my sisters were having mimoas on Sunday - before I was pregnant we would spend all day day drinking mimosas - and I did miss that.

Random Things: This week was the Solar Eclipse

Best Moment of the Week:  Celebrating Joel, having a day to ourselves to go to the Cubs game, enjoy great sushi, and just be in the city without worrying about nap time or diaper changes.

Looking Forward To: Starting school this week for Leo! Leo meets his teachers this Friday!


WEEK 22 

How Far Along? 22w5d

Gender: GIRL

Weight Gain: 11lbs

Maternity Clothes:  Still just jeans but I pulled out some of my old nursing tanks and have been wearing those as lounge tops with sweaters this week.

Nursery: No, but I went through all of Leo's clothes from the time he was born until now and made three piles; keep for baby girl, store for baby #3  (if applicable) or for my sisters/cousins/friends, and donate.

Movement: YES - and lots. Joel got to feel and watch a few "shows" this weekend and I still love taking time to just focus on the kicks.

Symptoms: Another pretty great week. My bladder is on another level, but whatever. Over the weekend, Leo couldn't find me and kept asking "Mommy is?" and first place he checked? The bathroom.

Sleep: Pretty good, and I while I try to lay down for some period of time during Leo's naps, I don't think I ever napped this week. 

Joel:  Honestly it was a pretty standard week around these parts. Joel and Leo spent a lot of time together on Saturday while I was busy hosting the shower, and Joel went to the grocery store for me on Sunday which seriously makes my week like 1,000x times easier.

Workouts: Back to the gym twice this week - and took a really fun kickboxing class with girlfriends too. Two of us our pregnant, and we are all going to try and make this Thursday class a habit, so I'm hoping that really helps me stick to it.

Mood: Good - I get a little anxious the week before doctor appointments, but I'm really trying to keep that at bay.

Cravings: Chili! I had Joel make it this week because I couldn't stop thinking about it.

What I Miss: Running outside

Random Things: I would say this week I'm really, really showing. I've been wearing a few more outfits that accentuate the bump too since it's in an actual round shape now which has been fun.

Best Moment of the Week: I had a massage at my house and it was heaven on a platter!

Looking Forward To:  Having Joel home for an extra day with Labor day coming up!

---

And that catches us up to speed! I'm very thankful to be at this place, feeling good and am truly enjoying the second trimester honeymoon!

Weekend Recap

We had the perfect balance of busy and chill this weekend - and it leaves me feeling refreshed this Monday morning, which is a nice place to be.

On Friday morning, Leo had his "Meet the Teacher" day at his new pre-school! 

He is going to be going to school one morning a week, and it's only for 90 minutes, but I think it will be a great thing for him. In the state of Illinois you need to be 5 by September 1st in order to go to Kindergarten. With Leo being about 3 weeks shy (or he will be in three years), that means he's going to be an older kid in school, and I'm going to have him in preschool for an extra year. I think he'll end up repeating the 3 or 4 year old program, but I'm thankful that his new school accepted him this year without being officially two by 9/1. 

We celebrated that night with dinner at The Cottage with our neighbors/friends and then went to their house after dinner for a night cap which made for a perfect Friday night. 

Saturday morning I was up and at um' to get all of the finishing touches ready for a wedding shower I was hosting that day for one of my best friends. Jenna is getting married in Mexico (Punta Mita actually!!), but unfortantley, due to Zika and being pretty close to my third trimester for her wedding, we aren't able to make it. I wanted to make sure I was able to do something special for her, and so, throwing a Mexican themed shower fit the bill perfectly! 

I don't have any of the pictures we took on a good camera, but here are a few from my phone that I captured before things got too crazy. I kept it pretty simple but the Mexican flags really made it feel like a party, and the taco bar was a huge hit. 

 

I was kind of a genius and decided to cash in on a massage I've been waiting on for that afternoon. As soon as I had the house perfectly cleaned up and wanted to basically collapse, the masseuse rang the door bell. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

And let me tell you, it was the best massage ever. I played spa music, the boys were out of the house, and my body was so in need I almost cried during it like three times because it felt so good! 

We had leftovers that night and I think I climbed into bed before 8pm! 

Sunday was a gloomy, lazy at home day and I loved every second. I lit my pumpkin candles, had coffee while I meal planned, Joel made chili....it was perfect. 

Fall is coming!!

Leo - Month 23

 

 

::: 1 month recap ::: 2 month recap ::: 3 month recap ::: 4 month recap ::: 5 month recap :::

 ::: 6 month recap ::: 7 month recap ::: 8 month recap ::: 9 month recap ::: 10 month recap

::: 11 month recap ::: 12 month recap  ::: 13 month recap ::: 14 month recap

::: 15 month recap :::16 months :::17 months

   18 months   ::: 19 months  ::: 20 months

  ::: 21  months ::: 22 months  :::

 

Weight: 24.5lbs

Nicknames: Leeman, Lee-Lee, Wee-whoa

Clothes: 24mth (although we need some Pajamas for the fall and winter and I will likely buy 3T),  6 shoe, 5 diapers

Sleep:  You've been a great sleeper this past month. Right when we have you on a perfect schedule....why don't we have another baby!

Schedule: 

You wake at like 7:40ish but I leave you in the crib until just about 8am. Thank you love!

8:00am Breakfast- most mornings we go right to breakfast now and you have your milk in your sippy cup.

9-12am play

11:30am/12pmish- lunch

1:15 pm nap

3:30pm snack 50% of the time & playtime

6:00pm dinner with a cup of milk

7:30 pm  bed

Health: You have had perfect health all month long and it's been lovely, amazing, and we are very grateful for it!

Crying: Maybe I'm having amnesia because you're almost two and I just think you are the bee's knees but I think you've been mainly happy this month.

 

Feeding:  Still somewhat a vegetarian but we've gotten you to try a few bites, and after your dramatic swallowing of them we don't make you have any more than that. You also got a little sick of mac & cheese this month, so we've had a little more variety which I think has been good for all of us.

Likes: Oh buddy, you honestly just like life. You had a few really fun activities this month that you loved; boat rides (and finding seaweed), a Touch a Truck event that you talked about for weeks (helicopter!!!), trips to the beach, friends house, and fun activities. 

You love bubbles, food, your stuffed animals, any toys that can go, RoRo, going for walks, being outside, being around people, and taking bubble baths.

 

Not Liking: Diaper time is getting a little trickier.

Milestones: Your talking and general cognitive development continue to amaze me. You are pretty solidly speaking in two word sentences, and throwing in 3/4 word sentences every now and again. You can parrot back anything we say, including counting and the alphabet. 

We put a little banner of flags out for dad's birthday, and as soon as you saw them, you knew what they meant. You woke up from nap and said, "ohhhhhhhh, happy birthday!".

I also think it's pretty funny, we read some of your favorite books by request, all the time and you've started to know/memorize what each page says. Also, you've associated some of the pages as phrases. For example, there's a page in the Big Fish book that says "Watch out, I'm going in", and yesterday as we were walking up the stairs, I told you to "watch out" and you replied with "I'm going in".

I love to see your memory in action too. You can often recall what we did during the day when we talk at the dinner table, you remember what you ate, and the friends you played with.

 

Places You’ve Gone: We took a road trip to Iowa this month to visit your Uncle Jake and Aunt Lauren and meet their new baby Lillian. You were really great in the car (thanks to Mickey Mouse) and had a ton of fun with your cousins.

 

Roscoe:  He is your best friend, you shower him with love and he is often the first person you ask for when you wake up in the morning.

Bumpdates: weeks 17-19

If you're following along: weeks 5-12 , weeks 13-16  

WEEK 17

How Far Along? 17w5d

Gender: GIRL

Weight Gain: +5

Maternity Clothes:  Yep. It had to happen. I've worn both of my maternity pants from Leo and then I bought a pair of jean shorts with a stretch waistband that I'm hoping can get me through the summer.

Nursery: We ordered wooden blinds

Movement: YES! A little more with each passing day but not as many distinct kicks as I remember with Leo. This baby I feel the pressure as she moves from side to side.

Symptoms: Overall its been a great week again. I think this is probably the honeymoon phase. I'm still tired in the afternoons and I like to try and get some time to rest for at least a half an hour and get off of my feet.

Sleep: Sleep has been great overall. My best nights sleep is with half a unisom, and I really don't like to stay up past 10pm, but otherwise, I'm sleeping well and I've been nap free all week. I've also been able to stomach a cup of coffee in the afternoon and that has really, REALLY helped.

Joel: I called him upstairs one night this week because I was just positive he would be able to see my belly moving. I couldn't tell if I could see it because I could feel it (if that makes any sense), but we both weren't sure if it was the baby moving things or my breath or what, so the whale watching (as I refer to it) continues.

Workouts: We took a 7 mile bike ride on Sunday which was tough but felt good. Leo and I have gotten in a lot of walks but I do want to make it back to the gym soon on a more regular basis. I'm staying away because the daycare center is SO packed in the summer with all of the kids out of school and I just don't love that (1st time mom problems, I know!).

Mood: Pretty good with shorter patience and a not so great tendency to flip like a crazy person on Joel, so I'm trying to watch that!

Cravings: The twizzler thing is still going strong this week and we've had ice cream from The Freeze twice this week alone!

What I Miss: I missed being drunk at my sisters birthday party. Being the only sober person at a bar is really not that fun or funny.

Random Things: We told Leo the baby's name and have started having him call the baby, "Baby ____".

Best Moment of the Week: Feeling the baby move and feeling good.

Looking Forward To: I am anxious for the 20 week ultrasound and ready to do it. Less than 2 weeks to go.



WEEK 18

 

How Far Along? 19weeks as I write this

Gender: GIRL

Weight Gain: +7

Maternity Clothes:  Yes, although only pants. I really don't like maternity tops and only have a handful from when I was pregnant with Leo. We'll see what I need to get as my bump gets bigger but I'm hoping long sweaters will really help with the season I'm the biggest in.

Also, Target recently released a maternity line for Isabel and Ingrid and my target store had a preview last week of a few of the styles. I tried a few of the jeans on to get an idea of sizing (they run tts) and then went online when they launched their entire collection and put in an order. I'm obsessed with them and like them better than some of my regular jeans. I also ordered a pair of black jeggings that I have a feeling I'm going to live in.

Nursery: We ordered wooden blinds last week, they're here and I'm hoping Joel can't put them up tonight with little problem.... ..... ..... .... .... keep your fingers crossed ;)

Movement: YES! And some kicks are getting stronger. I have felt a handful from the outside, although they're a little too quick and random for Joel to have caught any just yet. Yesterday I even felt the baby moving while I was sitting in the car which was fun.

Symptoms: Leo and I both have a cold this week so that is never fun when you can't take DayQuil. I have been able to take sudafed and that has been helpful. Unfortunately this week we lost my Uncle Kelly and had to grieve his loss and attended his funeral services. We were on our feet at the wake for upwards of 6 or 7 hours, and finally I could tell my body was giving out. I was getting crampy, my feet started to feel swollen, and I just knew I had pushed it a bit much.

Sleep: I haven't gotten as much as I need due to circumstances listed above, but when I'm sleeping, I'm sleeping hard.

Joel: He was great and kept a close eye on me this week as it was a very difficult time for my family. At the wake, he made sure I was drinking enough water and taking breaks to sit down, and has really helped around the house and with dinners and Leo since I've been needed elsewhere this week.

Workouts:  I've taken some light walks when I've gotten the chance but this has probably been the lightest week in months.

Mood: It's not been a great week

Cravings: Honestly, the only thing I've really needed this week is coffee and cold water.

What I Miss: Ohhhh I really missed drinking this week, although it probably was a blessing in disguise. 

Random Things: Very little brings good to a sad situation, but one thing that does? Babies. Leo and this baby in my belly have brought so much joy and happiness to our family this week. I know that this baby will be coming at a time (the holidays) when we need something good to look forward to most, and I'm so thankful for that. Life is precious, and we were reminded of that this week in a harsh way.

Best Moment of the Week: Coming together to witness the power of family and friends.

Looking Forward To: Our ultrasound on Monday morning. I am anxious for it but trying to tap into areas of strength and positivity so that I don't let worry and anxiety win.

WEEK 19

How Far Along? 19w6d

Gender: GIRL

Weight Gain: +5 at the doc

Maternity Clothes:  Yes and loving the Isabel and Ingrid line of pants at target

Nursery: The blinds in the nursery and guest room our up c/o of Joel! And, while he wouldn't let me watch, I don't think they were all that bad to install.

Movement: YES - and tons! I feel it all through the day, and now feel it sitting and standing. I love it. 

Symptoms: A good week but Leo and I both got colds. I was able to take a Sudafed which really helped. Also, not while taking Sudafed, but the last few days I've felt like my heart skips a beat or gives me a little palpitation. I don't love the feeling, but know it's very common during pregnancy so I'm trying not to be too anxious about it and keeping my fingers crossed it stops.

Sleep: Tried to do a lot of catching up from last week which has felt good.

Joel: He caught two distinct kicks which was pretty fun. He's been great about taking on full Leo duty when he gets home so I can sort of check out and rest while the wild boys play.

Workouts: I'm bound and determined to get back to the gym a little more frequently in the next week or so. I still walk a few miles everyday but I really do miss the gym.

Mood: Pretty good overall

Cravings: twizzlers, rootbeer, and the ol' faithful....bagels.

What I Miss: This week, nothing really.

Random Things: We announced our pregnancy on social media and that was so much fun. We took a bunch of pictures and just felt totally spoiled with love and excitement over the news of adding to our family.

Best Moment of the Week: An amazing, perfect, normal 20 week anatomy scan. Joel was able to come with me, Thank God, because I was an anxious mess. I don't think I was breathing normal until we left the doctors office, but it all turned out great.

We were taken back into the ultrasound with the doctor who did our 8 week scan and whom Joel and I both really liked. She had a great, calm energy and instantly put me at ease.

We started with an internal exam to ensure that everything looked good with my cervix, and then we moved inch by inch through the baby. Everything checked out perfectly and we were so, so thankful.

The ultrasound doctor also does high risk ultrasounds, and wanted just a few additional images of the babies heart. She asked me to wiggle around and drink some water. It sort of made me panic that maybe she saw something but assured me that Standard of Care showed that our babes heart was perfect (in 98% of cases) but she just wanted a few additional views to triple check. Thankfully, baby cooperated from my wiggles, gave us the position we needed and the doctor was extra pleased.

We got tons of pictures - none super clear of the babies face because she was facing inward - but she was head down, moving tons, and showed us her big lips (just like her brother!). We also got a few pictures of her in the happy baby position with her hands holding her feet.



Afterward, we met with the doctor, went through the report which reflected great things, and were sent on our way until our 24 week appointment.

We couldn't have been happier or more thankful.

Looking Forward To: 4 normal weeks. I want to bask in this relief from the ultrasound, enjoy feeling the baby kick, and just soak up the last 4 weeks of summer.

Weekend recap

This was a big weekend around here since today is Joel's 30th birthday!!!!!!!!

We decided to take Friday night really easy which was super smart. Friday morning, Joel got in a birthday run (a 30k!) and I got up a little early to get the house and Leo ready for a day without us! I dropped Leo off at my parents house for the morning, picked up some Starbucks for Joel and I, and then headed into the city with his parents for the Cubs game.

This was our first Cubs game of the season and it did not disappoint. We had great seats, we were in the shade the entire time, the Cubs won in a fun, 4-3 game, and it just so happened to be the Air and Water show, so we also got an awesome 2 for 1 show of that too!

After the game we sat at The Butcher on Southport to let the crowds die down before we took an uber back to Bucktown (where we parked. We had dinner at one of our favorite BYOB sushi spots, Coast, and had a phenomenal dinner. Joel brought a nice bottle of wine, his parents were super adventurous with trying all of the sushi we ordered and we all had just a perfect day. 

Sunday morning, Joel had a pretty ideal at home birthday. He got up early and picked up donuts from our favorite place to start the day.

He wanted to get a run in, so Leo and I decided to join him on the bike. I don't know if it was the donut breakfast, but I was cruising fast, so we ended up doing six or seven miles around the lake fast (for me, and Joel who was running)...and like under 6 minute miles! 

Our bike ride ended at my parents for lunch, and my sisters and their boyfriends came in from the city to celebrate with us too.

After lunch, we took the boat and paddle boards out for an afternoon on the lake. 

We all had a blast getting out on the paddles - and even Leo got some time in the middle of the lake and riding on the paddle which was really fun. 

Joel and I took Leo home for a late nap around 3, and then everyone came back to our house a little after 4pm to grill out and have dinner together. 

After a cookie cake and present opening celebration, my sisters headed back into the city, we watched a few episodes of Modern Family, and called it a day.

It's not as fun when your real birthday falls on a Monday, but Leo and I are going to head to Joel's office to take him out to lunch, and then his parents will join us for enchiladas (Joel's request), for dinner tonight. 

Joel is a very, very loved guy around these parts. He's a steady, hard working, and loving 30 year old, and I am so thankful to walk along life with him by my side. 

Easiest Summer Night Dinner Idea ::: Grilled Chicken Pitas

This dinner is not revolutionary .... in fact, it's about as simple as they come, but every time we make them, I wonder why I'm not making it more often!

This is actually one of my favorite things to order from a local restaurant here (Tommy's) - and I basically decided to recreate it at home. It seems almost too easy to share, but sometimes those are the best dinners. This would be great served with grilled corn but Joel and I were content with it on its own.

 

The Goods: 

• 2lbs Chicken Breast (this makes great leftovers so we try to cook a good amount) 
• I butterfly the breasts for thinner pieces
• Pitas
• Romain Lettuce
• Sliced Beef Tomato
• Mustard & Mayo

 Directions: 

1. Grill the chicken breast to your liking
2. Serve on top of warm pita with the toppings!

and 

If you don't grill (my picture above is not grilled), I bake it. In a pan I pour chicken broth to about 1/4" deep, place all of the butterflied breasts in that, cover with lemon juice, garlic, and heavy salt, and pepper. I baked the above breasts at 375 for 25 minutes on each side.

And my mocktail is Lime LaCroix, 100% Cranberry juice from trader joe's (which is really tart), and a splash of lime juice. It's amazing.

Bumpdate Weeks 13-16

Slowly catching up, and if you are following along the bumpdates for baby #2: weeks 5-12

WEEK 13

How Far Along? 13w4d

Gender: GIRL

Weight Gain: 0 (this is pretty much the same as when I was pregnant with Leo)

Maternity Clothes:  No but jeans and shorts are tight (and being mainly avoided).

Nursery: No

Movement: Nothing

Symptoms: Much better week overall. Still working with exhaustion, and about every other day I find myself 100% needing to take a nap. I'm getting hungrier as well, but I would say that my feeling of morning sickness is all but gone. I'm able to eat more than just white foods (even ate salmon this week!), but I'm still loving carbs and desserts.

Having to go to the bathroom like 40 times a day is really annoying. I drink a lot of water, but the constant pressure on my bladder is not fun!

My belly is starting to take some shape. It is still can be concealed well with pants and loose tops but it feels hard in the morning and in the night and in my bathing suit or in a dress looks pretty baby belly like!

Sleep: I do have to get up to pee a lot through the night, especially right when I lay down and feel tons of pressure on my bladder but I'm sleeping solidly from 9:30-6am. 

Joel: Since he was traveling last week he totally indulged me both Saturday and Sunday morning by letting me sleep in, read my book, and brought me coffee and breakfast in bed. It was heavenly.

Workouts: We took a bike ride along the lake this past weekend (6 miles), and hauling Leo in the trailer behind me makes for a pretty solid workout. Plus, we have walked about 5 or 6 days a week from anywhere to 2-4 miles.

Mood: Good but emotional. One night in bed, Joel and I were talking and about a second later I couldn't hold back serious hysteric cries. Joel couldn't stop laughing at me and I was legit crying for like 10 minutes before I could get a hold of myself!

Cravings: bagels with avocados on top, cookies, and aged gouda cheese from Costco (that is literally life changing).

What I Miss: Nothing major this week.

Random Things: Joel and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary this week with a nice dinner out at a restaurant here in CL (1776) and we have our short list of baby names (There are 3 that we are playing with).

Also, we are starting to talk about baby with Leo. When we ask him where the baby is, he will point at my belly and come and lift up my shirt. He knows that it's a "gurrrl" when we ask if it's a boy or a girl, and he's getting great at saying "brudder" and "sister"

Best Moment of the Week: Feeling better, my spoiled weekend mornings, all of Leo's joy making our days happy, and having Joel come home from his business trip.

Looking Forward To:  It's 4th of July this upcoming weekend and we have TONS of friends and family coming into town. We are going to be slammed busy, but it's going to be fun and we are going to just take it day by dad. I'm excited for Joel's brothers to get filled in and share in the excitement with my sister in laws.


WEEK 15

How Far Along? 15w2d - missed week 14! Not to already burden you with second baby life, but, #secondbabylife

Gender: GIRL

Weight Gain: +3.5lbs

Maternity Clothes:  No but I'm really in workout clothes or dresses everyday

Nursery: My cousin has a crib that she has in storage that she told me to just take since Leo is happy in his crib, and I don't want to rock that boat before the baby comes. If he naturally is ready for it closer to his birthday, we'll transition to a big kid bed, but if he is not, it's nice to know I have a back up crib. 

Movement: Nothing and I'm eager to feel it!

Symptoms: I am not loving the heat. It's been high 80's the last few days and I really feel like it takes it out of me. Running errands in the heat, or even a short walk, and I feel totally drained.

The last few mornings, I have noticed that my belly is a little lopsided. It was the same thing with Leo (until about 20ish weeks I believe), but it's pretty funny to see when I look down (while I'm laying flat).

Sleep: Sleep has been great overall. My best nights sleep is with half a unisom, and I really don't like to stay up past 10pm, but otherwise, I'm sleeping well. I'm napping less, but when I can sneak them in, I do.

Joel: He was a big help this past week while we had SO many visitors and activities. He made sure he was picking up the slack wherever he could, and really made life as easy as possible for me. It was great to have him home so much this past week over the 4th of July

Workouts: It has been really weak this past week and a half, and I can feel it (and see it, since the scale jumped this week). We have just had a lot of people and a lot of things but I'm hoping to get two good workouts in this upcoming weekend and kick it into higher gear next week.

Mood: Pretty good with shorter patience - especially if I'm hot!

Cravings: starting to crave a little more healthy foods which is nice (and I have some aggressive aversion to burgers right now).

What I Miss: Cold beers all week long!

Random Things: We celebrated the 4th of July with tons of family, friends, and lots of activities. The 4th of July weekend in Crystal Lake is one of the best weekends of the year, and we pretty much got to enjoy everything we wanted to. Lots of time with cousins, fireworks, Leo went to his first fair and rode on a train, and the weather was perfect all weekend long.

Oh, and we have your name little girl. We needed to talk to some family members to make sure it was an OK name to use, and it looks like we got the all clear :)

Best Moment of the Week: Watching the fireworks with Leo, Joel, and my sisters. It was a perfect night and I can't wait to do it next year as a family of 4 (even though I'll likely stay home with you!).

Looking Forward To: A normal, routine, slow, healthy week.


WEEK 16

How Far Along? 17w

Gender: GIRL

Weight Gain: +4/doc +2

Maternity Clothes:  No but I' wore regular jeans today and on Tuesday and have been so uncomfortable. I'm ok when I'm standing but sitting is a whole other story so the maternity clothes are happening soon!

Nursery: No, but I'm hoping to order window treatments for the window in the nursery in the next week.

Movement: YES! Early this week I felt some movement/pressure and one distinct, couldn't deny it kick. With each passing day I have felt more and more movement!

Symptoms: Overall its been a great week. My skin is not its clearest, but whatever. I have to pee an ungodly amount, but I'm used to that, so there really isn't much to complain about.

Sleep: Sleep has been great overall. My best nights sleep is with half a unisom, and I really don't like to stay up past 10pm, but otherwise, I'm sleeping well and I've been nap free all week. I've also been able to stomach a cup of coffee in the afternoon and that has really, REALLY helped.

Joel: I think he has noticed my belly pop out a lot this week and has been asking to feel it since it's now in that hard belly stage. He is looking forward to feeling and seeing the kicks but probably has a few more weeks for that.

Workouts: I made it back to the gym this week which was nice. I had a sitter on Monday so I spent 45 minutes at the gym and it was really fun actually. Joel and I went out on the paddle boards on Sunday and I've gotten a few one hour walks in as well.

Mood: Pretty good with shorter patience.

Cravings: I like to have something sweet after lunch and dinner and I couldn't walk away from Twizzler nibs today at target.

What I Miss: Not much this week. Happy hours, but I keep telling myself how quickly this time will pass, and that there will be a LOT of happy hours in just 5 short months!

Random Things: We had a great 16 week check up. Baby's heartbeat (143/144 bpm) sounded amazing, and I even filmed it which has been fun to listen to, and everything else was great. We had a blood test for AFP levels and everything came back normal! We scheduled our 20 week anatomy scan for Monday, August 7th.

Best Moment of the Week: Feeling the baby kick, hearing the perfect heartbeat, getting normal test results back, and feeling the gratitude of growing a healthy baby.

Looking Forward To: Lots of fun things this week - but I'm looking forward to more baby kicks and having the 20 week ultrasound completed. I'm anxious for that ultrasound and while it is so much fun to get a look at the baby, I'm eager to hear that everything is looking and developing perfectly.

Weekend Recap

Friday: 

We didn't have grand plans for Friday, but for whatever reason, I was in the mood to do a little something fun. I decided to cook a fun dinner, so Leo and I spent the morning at Barnes & Noble to play with the train table there (one of our favorite indoor spots to hit up) and then went to The Fresh Market to pick up dinner.

Annie introduced me to this seafood pasta dish, and it does not disappoint. Below is what I used - and honestly, cooking the noodles is the longest step in this dish so it's good and easy.

 I had fun lighting candles, listening to Frank Sinatra Pandora, and just enjoying the dinner making time (vs. during the week when it feels like chaos). 

Joel came home and we all enjoyed the dinner. Leo stayed away from the seafood, but liked his deconstructed salad and the pasta. 

That was about the extent of our activity. Joel gave Leo a bath, we watched a few episodes of Modern Family together, and then I went upstairs to hang and Joel watched a soccer game.

Saturday: 

Joel started his morning at the DMV so that he could register his car and get his new license (he's turning 30 this week!). He didn't anticipate it to be fun, but it REALLY sucked when he had to hand over $1200 in cash. Apparently Illinois collects tax on leased cars differently than California, so that was a not fun hit.

Thankfully, he decided that donuts were the only cure.

I took Leo and Roscoe for a walk and then Joel and his dad took Leo to a Touch a Truck event.

 

Leo was obsessed and has been talking about the helicopter that they watched take off since the event.

At nap time, I drove into the city. I stopped at my cousin Amanda's new apartment to say hi and check in on their home improvement process. 

After a quick visit, I drove into Lincoln Square to celebrate one of my best friends. She had a little bachlorette soiree since she is getting married in Mexico in October (3rd wedding of a dear friend that I'm having to miss because of pregnancy!).

We had a glass of champagne (some had shots), chocolate covered strawberries, and then walked over to the Chopping Block for a private cooking class.

 

The class was SO much fun. They had set out snacks and had a full bar while we waited for a few other friends to arrive. 

We cooked a "Summer BBQ" menu, learned a few fun cooking tricks, and then enjoyed the dinner together. 

After the class, I drove Jenna's mom and I back to Crystal Lake, and the rest of the group went on to continue the fun.

I didn't get into bed until midnight, and had such a hard time falling asleep, so on....

 

Sunday:

I woke up feeling like crud. Lack of sleep is hard for me! Thankfully a long bike ride did help. We rode around the lake while Joel ran beside us, and even though I really didn't want to go, it really helped me get a little energy.

After the bike ride we met my dad for a little dip in the pool and lunch.

We brought Leo home for a nap, I snuck in a nap, and then my sisters and their boyfriends came in from the city to spend the afternoon and night with us.

We decided to take the boat out for a little happy hour which was so much fun. Leo is obsessed with spotting ducks, seaweed, and jetskis so he could've been out there for hours.

We had a great dinner at the Country Club - thankfully ran into a friend who gave us their bubbles (life saver since dinner took a while) and then called it a night.

---

Schools in our area start going back to school this week and next, and I'm feeling the energy of that anticipation. I'm hoping it helps kick us into a higher gear around here!!