Nursery Pictures

Some of you have been anxiously awaiting nursery pictures. Despite the fact that I'm not completely finished with the room, I thought I would finally indulge you.

Now for some prefacing...

The oval above the bed will encase the first initial of Bebita's name -- I know some of you were probably hoping I would forget to take the letter down before posting the pictures (ahem, Dad). Sorry...my lips are sealed. The oval with her initial was an idea I had in my head, but I couldn't find any place that sold such a thing. Finally, I was looking on eBay at wall letters and I came across a seller who made shapes as well as letters. When I say "shapes" I mean stars, moons, circles, hearts, etc. I was so determined to make the idea in my head come to life, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to just ask if they would custom make this design for me. I tried to explain it as best I could and then I drew a picture of what I wanted it to look like and sent it to them. They said "no problem" -- they could make it for me. Woohoo! So when it came in the mail, I was a little nervous opening it, which soon dissipated when I saw it and couldn't believe that it was exactly what I had imagined and it turned out perfectly! I was so excited to hang it on the wall. The oval and letter are made of wood and painted white. It cost me a total of $10.00 -- $5.00 for the oval and $5.00 for the letter. I was ecstatic and still am...I love it!

The chandelier in the corner was something I picked up from Urban Outfitters on clearance for $9.99 last August. It is also made of wood and for some reason didn't come with all of the parts, so I had to improvise by using ribbon (there were holes where I tied the ribbon and I'm not sure what they were there for).

I still need to get a changing pad to go on top of the dresser. It will go right below the animal pictures. But other than that, it is close to being finished. I just put all of Bebita's clothes in her drawers and closet today -- they look so cute. I posted pictures of that below as well.

In my opinion, the pictures don't really do the room justice. It was really hard to get good pictures because it is such a small room, but hopefully you get the idea. If you want to get the full picture, you'll just have to come visit us...and you're more than welcome! I love the way it turned out and now all I need is little Bebita to make it perfect!

Enjoy!

Week 33: "Pineapple"

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood. (http://www.babycenter.com/)

==============================

I'm getting huge and I have proof below. My face has gotten quite round along with the rest of me -- I have a hard time looking in the mirror these days and accepting the fact that the reflection I see is me. It's funny to look back at my early belly pictures to compare and you can really tell a difference. It doesn't help that I have a cold right now either, so my nose has added some puffiness to my face. Oh well, Bebita is worth looking like this for.

Here is my 33 week belly pic.

My shower was last weekend in Marshfield. It was beautiful and couldn't have been more perfect. My sisters did a wonderful job, along with the help from my mom and Teirney's mom. The food was amazing -- we had a good spread of cheese, crackers, olives, vegetables, dip, fruit and cheesecake that people could dip in the yummy chocolate fountain. The chocolate fountain and punch were on the same table and they looked so pretty together. Josie was responsible for all the decorating, which was beautiful. And she did a great job incorporating Bebita's nursery colors into the decorations. I felt very loved as we were literally "showered" with gifts. We had a full car on the way home -- what a huge blessing! I will post pictures as soon as I get some.

Today I went through and washed all of Bebita's 0-3 months clothes and I'll start putting them away tomorrow. I think she could wear a different outfit everyday for the first 3 months...there are tons. I'm sure that will come in handy though considering there will probably be days where she'll wear 3 outfits in one day.

We bought our monitor last night with a 15% off coupon I had for Babies"R"Us. There are a couple big things that we need to purchase yet (e.g., pack-n-play and swing). Then, after I put all her clothes away I will need to do an inventory on everything we have to see what we still need to get. We got a couple gift cards to Target at our shower last weekend, which we will probably put towards the pack-n-play.

We plan to use the pack-n-play in our room for the first several months. The one we are going to get is a new model, which has a "newborn napper" that can be attached and is supposed to make the baby feel a little more secure. The swing has an option where you can swing the baby side-to-side or front-to-back, which I really like and it's one of the only models that plugs-in so you don't have to waste money on batteries to keep it running.

Here are pictures of the pack-n-play and swing that we're going to get.

Well, enough for tonight. I will get pictures of the shower and nursery posted as soon as I can.

Week 32: "Jicama"

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth. (http://www.babycenter.com/)

==============================

Another late post. Things have been getting busier and busier, so my weekly posting has been slacking a bit. Here is my 32 week belly pic.




I can't really tell that much of a difference between this week and last week, but my belly has grown 2 inches from two weeks ago.

I had my 32 week appointment yesterday. My blood pressure was 110/76, Bebita's heartrate was 152 bpm, and my belly measured 32 centimeters. All in all, everything seems to be going well. I still haven't felt any braxton hicks contractions yet, but some women don't. The only thing that has really changed, or is something new, is a slight throbbing/crampy sensation in my mid-back from time to time. I talked to the midwife about this and she said it could be a result of the baby kicking or moving, depending on her position, but it wasn't anything to be concerned about. The other thing I have noticed is some swelling in my hands, ankles, and feet. The hands are no big surprise because that has been somewhat gradual and is quite normal -- I officially can't wear my wedding ring. But on Tuesday night, my ankles and feet were very puffy looking and hurt, which concerned me so I was glad I had my appointment the next day. I tried to drink lots of water before I went to bed. By the next morning, the swelling had gone down, but I did feel like my face was a little puffy as well. When I asked the midwife about it yesterday, she looked at my ankles and said they looked fine to her. I told her I was on my feet all afternoon on Tuesday and had more sodium than usual, so we went over my diet that day. She said the combination of the sodium, being on my feet, and not getting enough water is probably what made my ankles and feet swell. She said she was not concerned because my blood pressure was good and we went over some other signs of Preeclampsia and I didn't have any of them. She said I shouldn't worry about it, but if I would get really puffy that I should give them a call and they can check me again. I'm not concerned about it though. I think it was just a combination of things that day.

The nursery is coming together. The furniture, which was delivered on Monday, is absolutely beautiful -- I couldn't be happier. I have a few more pictures to hang on the wall and a little closet organizing to do, but it is close to being complete. I'll probably be able to post pictures of the nursery sometime next week.

We're going to Marshfield this weekend for Bebita's baby shower that my sisters are hosting. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone. Hopefully, we'll be able to get some pictures that I can post of that as well.

I hope you're all having a good week and maybe I'll see some of you this weekend.

Wall Tree

Yesterday, Teirney and I spent the majority of the day in the nursery putting up the closet organizers, the wall decal, and the chandelier. Here is a teaser.



The crib will go on the right side of the tree. The room is very tiny so we don't have much wall space to work with, but we are trying to make the most of it. The crib will cover most of the tree trunk, which makes me wish I would have put the tree up a little higher, but it's too late now -- it will have to do. The furniture will be delivered tomorrow afternoon -- I can hardly wait. I will post pics of the completed nursery once everything is in there. Oh yeah, and I got the bedding on Thursday! Woohoo!

Week 31: "Four Navel Oranges"

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy. (http://www.babycenter.com/)

==============================

First, let me apologize for the Christmas background still lingering on my blog. I've been trying to change it for the last week, but the site I use to get my backgrounds from is down. If it's not up and running soon, I may need to try and find another site to get backgrounds from.

Here is my 31 week belly pic.

I found a great deal on an umbrella stroller online a couple weeks ago. And I was so excited to receive it yesterday! It's the Silver Cross Micro v.2 and retails for $128.00, but I got it for $19.99 on http://www.shnoop.com/. I love it when you can find good deals like that! It's supposed to be a great stroller, very lightweight -- good for travel and those quick trips when you don't want to lug the big stroller around. We'll be able to use it from 6 months to 40 lbs. Now, we just need Bebita to give it a test drive. I posted a picture of it below.



Not much new since my last post. I'm working on trying to get the nursery in order, but I'm sort of at a standstill until we get the crib and dresser. I need to call this week to set up a delivery time. Our bedding is supposed to ship "mid-January," so I'm hoping that means sometime this week. I've been trying to be patient up until this point, but I'm getting very anxious now.

Since there's not much new, I'm going to make this post short. I hope everyone is having a good week so far.

Dear, sweet Bebita -- please try not to get too comfy on mommy's side, it doesn't feel very good to mommy. I know you don't mean to, but I thought I should let you know. I hope you're getting enough rest for your growth spurt. They say you'll be growing a lot in the next few weeks. Are you ready for daddy's birthday next week? What are you going to give him? Shhh...just whisper it to me...I promise I won't tell. He likes it when you roll around when he talks to you, maybe you could do that. We love you, sweet little angel baby. Stay snuggly and warm in there, it's going to be frigid cold this week. May God bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you! Love you!

Painted Nursery/Baby Shower

As I mentioned in my post the other day, we had an eventful weekend. Teirney's parents came down and helped us paint the nursery on Saturday and today I drove to Madison for a baby shower that my friends at Foley & Lardner put on for me.

I'm so happy with the color of the nursery -- I love it! And it will match the bedding perfectly (if it ever ships). Here are some "before," "during" (of my super sweet husband and Bebita's super sweet daddy who did all the high trim and rolling -- I'm so blessed), and "after" pics.

BEFORE...

DURING...

AFTER...

The baby shower today was wonderful! It was so great to see my sweet friends (some of whom I haven't seen since I left Foley). I don't have pictures of the actual shower, but someone was taking pictures, so I will post some another time if I get copies. I felt so very loved and blessed to have such wonderful friends. On the invitation, everyone was instructed to bring a funny gift. To name a few...some hilarious pregnancy/post-pregnancy books, a bib that says "spit happens," a pacifier that says "mute button," a NoseFrida, and some Monkey Butt powder. They were all very creative -- it was so fun! But I also got a ton of other adorable gifts. I took a picture of all of them below and there are some closeups of some of them posted as well. I felt so loved and humbled. Hannah hosted it at her house and she of course had an amazing spread of food...as always. And I'm pretty sure she packed up her entire refrigerator and sent the contents home with me...as always. She is such a sweetie and an amazing host.

To those of you reading this who came today, thank you SO much for your huge hearts! You are so sweet to me all the time and I love you and miss you all dearly!!!

Week 30: "Cabbage"

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.) (http://www.babycenter.com/)

==============================

So apparently, Bebita was the size of a cabbage at week 28 and week 30...well, technically she was the size of a "Chinese" cabbage at week 28. Hilarious!

I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M 30 WEEKS!!! Only 10 more to go...hopefully. Here is my 30 week belly pic. My belly button is smushed this time because I'm wearing a tank top and full panel jeans that cover my belly.

I hope everyone had a great New Year! What an exciting year it will be for us! Teirney just said a few moments ago, "oh my, we're going to have a baby in 10 weeks...what are we going to do with her?" My thoughts exactly. We'll have been married 7 years in March -- we're so used to doing whatever we want, whenever we want. It will be quite the adjustment. I'm feeling very unprepared, especially because (aside from a few outfits I've picked up here and there) we have nothing for her yet. I'm really anxious to get the nursery ready finally. I'm just hoping our bedding and furniture come without any problems. We're painting the nursery this weekend, so that will feel good to get done. But I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. At the same time, I'm so glad I saved all this stuff for the last trimester, so it will make the time go by faster. I already feel like January will be gone before we know it.

I have a baby shower on Sunday, which I had mentioned in a previous post. And my sweet sisters are also giving me a shower in Marshfield on Saturday, January 24. I'm very excited...after 7 years of waiting to have a baby, it's finally here! Here is the cute invite for the shower my sisters are giving me.

I had my 30 week appointment yesterday. The midwife said everything looks great so far. My blood pressure was 128/78, Bebita's heart rate was 142 bpm, my belly measured 30 inches, and I didn't gain any weight from my last appointment (which was shocking considering Christmas and New Years). I mentioned to the midwife that the last several nights I had been getting leg cramps in the middle of the night. She said that before I go to bed I should take a bath in Epsom salt and stretch and massage my legs. I will try that tonight...hopefully it will help. I'm still not getting much sleep at night and what little sleep I get is filled with pregnancy dreams...crazy pregnancy dreams. I'm pretty sure I'll never know the heavenly sleep I once had before getting pregnant. Oh well...I'd trade that any day for a little angel baby. I find it hard to sit for long periods of time, but the one remedy that has helped tremendously is the birthing ball. In fact, I'm sitting on it now while typing this. It's amazing how much better it feels to sit on the ball than on a regular chair.

My big assignment right now is to try and find a pediatrician. It's so hard to know where to turn. I've gotten a few recommendations from people, so now I just need to make some phone calls and schedule some appointments. It's a little tricky because we're not sure where we're going to buy a house, so I guess we'll just have to pick a doctor we like and then drive a ways if we need.

We had our first birthing class this past Monday. So far, we knew everything that was covered and there were a couple occasions we had to stop ourselves from laughing out loud. The breathing and relaxation time at the end was nice, except for the "story" the instructor read..."you're in a meadow...you feel the sun shining on your uterus...you begin to feel a contraction...just breathe it away." It was a good thing Teirney and I weren't looking at each other because I think we would have both burst out laughing. Oh...Teirney did have to carry a 35 pound backpack on his front side for 10 minutes to simulate what we go through during pregnancy. That was slightly embarrassing, but he was a trooper. All the dads in the class will have to do it eventually though, so he just got it over with on the first night. We have classes the next three Monday nights.

Sorry this post got a little long.

Dearest Bebita -- everyone loves you SO much that they're going to be throwing you two parties in the next couple weeks. Aren't you excited? We'll try and get lots of pictures so you will one day see how loved you are. You're so quiet tonight. Maybe mommy needs to have a bowl of ice cream, does that sound yummy? Mmmm...it does to mommy. We love you so much and mommy and daddy pray for your health and safety daily and that you have a loving and generous heart. Grow, Bebita, grow! Love you!