3D/4D Sono

As a birthday gift my mom and sisters treated me with a 3D/4D sono at First Vu Imaging. It was sooo cool! I had been with my sisters to their sono's before but its so different when its your own baby. Just when I thought I couldnt possibly be more excited about this little guy I got to see his precious little face and now my excitment and love for him has been multiplied by 100! He is beautiful! Now that I've seen his precious face, I can't wait to hold him in my arms and kiss his fat little cheeks.

Here are a couple of pics of Mr. Avery...

I'm still alive...

We just dont have an internet connect until this week.

Here is a pic of our new bedding to tide ya over until my next post...

What a week!

So we closed on the house this past Monday! We officially have a home to call our very OWN! I love the fact that we dont have to worry about moving again in a year. Renting sucks and I am so thankful that we dont have to rent EVER again.

My parents have helped us out so much. I dont know what I would do without them, especially my Mama. I have NO regrets about taking the "cash option" over a big expensive wedding. I never thought that I would opt not to have the big wedding but my priorities have changed so much recently. The things that were so important last year at this time seem so dumb to me now. We are still going to have a wedding, dont get me wrong. But it will be small...very small.

It has taken all week just to get everything moved in the new house. I still have some clothes and things that need to be moved but everything else is there. Juli and my Mom came by one night and helped me unpack so much. Michael is a big help because he moves everything but he sucks at unpacking. He doesnt know where to put anything so its basically my job. I am hoping to have everything unpacked by next weekend when my cousins come in town.

Tonight we are starting on the nursery!!! I am so excited about that. I have been dying to get the nursery set up since the day I found out I was having a little boy. My mom is great at painting so she is going to help us get it all taped off tonight, then painted tomorrow.

Oh, and I have my 3D/4D sono tomorrow!! I can't wait to see this little guy's face. I'm sad that Michael can't come because his work constantly is changing up his schedule. I told him that I would reschedule for another day but he knows how long I have been waiting to do this and he would probably get scheduled to work on the day that I rescheduled for anyways. We are doing the "Wow Baby!" package at First Vu and it comes with a DVD of the entire session. So Michael will be able to see the whole thing anyways.

Alright, Michael just called. He has a flat tire and I have to go take his car to the Chevy place. GRRRR!!

Later Haters!

Best Pants EVER!!

Okay so as you know I absolutley hate maternity clothes. They aren't cute and they are expensive as hell. Well, when I first found out I was pregnant I bought this awesome pair of white pants from Dillard's in the JUNIORS section. Let me show you why they are awesome...



Notice the stretchy-band-waist-thingy...It's heavenly. And they work great for pre-baby bump, full on baby bump, and I'm sure they are gonna still be badass post-baby bump. Since I can no longer wear my white pants everyday I bought a pair of the khaki and black today. I am so excited about it! Oh and did I mention they were only $29! SCORE!!



Oh and they even have denim. I am going to have to hit up all Dillard's and Nordstroms in the area in order to hunt those puppies down and its gonna be sooo worth it. =)

They are called Jolt Foldover-Waist Pants. I recommend that all pregnant chicks get a pair...ASAP!

Diaper Bag Ideas...

Why are diaper bags so pricey? I have become very frugal lately and I think it just might give me an anxiety attack if I spend more than $75 on a diaper bag.

Well here are some ideas of what I like but more than I am willing to pay...


OiOi - Black Floral Jacquard Diaper Carry All
Price: $140


OiOi Messenger Diaper Bag-Black and White Flower
Price: $119


Skip Hop Diaper Bag Columbus Circle
Price: $150


And one for Big Mike ;)

DadGear - University of Alabama Backpack Diaper Bag
Price: $89

"Guess I should cancel my nude pregnancy photo shoot..."

SIKE!!!!


Who does that anyways?!?! I mean, besides Britney Spears.

Yuck.

So today I had my monthly OB appt and I gained 5 lbs in the last month!!! The doctor said it was fine considering that I just now really started gaining weight....well consistently. I gained a few pounds in the first and second trimester which I was really happy about. But 5 lbs in 4 weeks really sucks. I have decided that I am going to walk EVERYDAY and eat a TON better than I was. And yes, I will even give up my nightly ice cream. =( To be honest I really havent eaten good at all this entire pregnancy. I see some women who stay on a strict diet throughout their pregnancies but I just didnt. If I want chocolate, I eat chocolate. If I want a milk shake, I drink a milk shake. But now with this weight gain, reality has set in and I refuse to get ginormous. So... when you see me I may seem a little bitchier than usual but don't get scared & just know its because I have had to cut back on my guilty pleasure....SWEETS!!!

Oh yeah, and now I start going to the OB every 2 weeks. Ahhh!!! The day that I face my worst fears (hospitals, needles, pain, etc) is fastly approaching.

Pregnancy = No Patience!!

So here is the refrigerator that we are going to purchase. If I knew when we could get the damn keys then I could schedule it for delivery but instead I must wait...

Nesting at its all time high...

So I have seriously contemplated busting out a back window at the new house so that I can start on the nursery. Haha. I'm kidding, well kinda kidding. I mean how much can it be to replace a window?? We are expecting to close any day now so hopefully I wont have to resort to vandalizing my beautiful new home. ;)

So in the meantime I will try to stay busy with decorating ideas for other rooms.

Master Bedroom Ideas:


The one we currently have is similar to this but I never could find matching throw pillows and stuff. This set even has matching curtains which is a huge plus but I'm pretty sure Michael might kill me if I bought such a similar comforter set. =(


Isn't there something that is just so soothing about blue in the bedroom?!


I like it but not too excited about it.

We actually have 2 very nice comforter sets for the king bed but I get tired of things easily and would love to be able to re-do the entire master bedroom. Its not a huge priority at the moment but I will keep these options in mind.

Today is the day...

So today is the day of my dad's foot surgery. I don't remember if I posted about it or not but he was trimming branches on a tall latter and fell off about 3 weeks ago. Its been hell taking care of his stubborn butt so we are all glad that he is finally getting surgery. Hopefully he will heal quickly and be back up walking SOON!

Here is a pic that my mom sent me of him pre-surgery:

Genghis Grill = Not Pregnant Friendly Dining

So tonight Michael and I went to dinner at Genghis Grill (so yummy!) to satisfy a serious craving of mine. When we get there the waiter takes us to our table which was one of those two person tables. Ya know, the ones where they cram tables on either side of it with one end of it being a booth and the other being a chair. I always go for the comfy booth side and tonight was no different. Except for the fact that my dang belly wouldnt fit!! Well, I can't hardly suck "baby" in and I definitely wasnt going to ask our dinner neighbors to move their tables over so that this big mama could fit. So after my attempt, I un-squeeze myself from between the two tables and tell Michael to sit on the other side. (Which he gets a kick out of.) He of course gets by with ease. And I have to admit the fact that my fiance who is 6'2" and over 200 lbs squeezed by with no problem made the whole situation sting just a bit more. I know I am pregnant and all but I felt like such a fatty. =(

Let me show ya what I'm workin' with...

This is what 28 weeks pregnant looks like.

Avery has officially taken over!

This pic is a little lop-sided but you get the idea.

Can you guess what this is?!

Well folks, this is the belly button of a pregnant lady who when she was 16 years old she thought it was a great idea to sneak off against her parents wishes and get her belly button pierced. Sick huh? I took the ring out at least 6 or 7 years ago and the hole still hasnt closed up completely. The top hole isnt that bad but the bottom hole (which now looks like a line) seems as though it could rip open at any moment.

Oh and FYI- the round hole underneathe the line. Well that is what is left of my innie belly button. Oh how I can't wait to have my body back!

Thankful

So today I have decided that I need to stop being so whiny about my pregnancy. I have had NO complications whatsoever. Sure, I was nauseated as hell for the first 10-12 weeks but that is normal. I also think that my stress played a big part in my sick stomach too or at least it made it worse than it should've been. I have a friend who is having a really rough time right now in her pregnancy and it got me to thinking. So many things can go wrong during the 40 weeks that women are pregnant and I am just so thankful that mine has been uneventful. I know so many people who have had many different complications throughout their entire pregnancy and I admire them for making it through. And not to mention, most of these chicks I never saw complain at all. The only thing I have to whine about is a tight tummy and a baby who kicks too much. Both of which can get uncomfortable at times but are completely normal so I just need to shut it up.

My thoughts are with my pregger friends who aren't feeling so hot at the moment. I promise not to complain so much.

28 Weeks Preggo...

First off let me just give props to Minnie Driver and her very pregnant friend. I love that they are so far along and still rockin' bikinis. I still havent retired my two pieces because tankini's are just so damn gross feeling. They stick to you and its just sick. It's a good thing for me (and everyone else) that I only swim in the privacy of my parent's backyard. ;)

Anyways...As of today I am 28 weeks pregnant. Whew!! I seriously amaze myself that I have survived this long. I am now in my third trimester and I am getting bigger by the minute. Just as I think that there is no possible way for my belly to grow anymore without ripping open it does. Its hard as a rock and so uncomfortable. I also wonder if a baby can be TOO active in the womb. I swear I feel this kid allllll day long. And it has gotten to where he keeps me up at night because of all of the kicking and twisting. I guess Avery is just prepping me for all of the sleepless nights ahead of me.

So the other morning I woke up around 5:30am and couldnt sleep so I decided I would finish my latest pregnancy book. Its called "Belly Laughs". It is written by Jenny McCarthy and she tells it all just the way it is. Well, the last chapter is all about her birth experience. It was pretty traumatic to say the least. So far I have been pretty calm about everything when it comes all of the pain I am going to endure in order to get this little guy out. I just keep telling myself that I have no choice and I just have to make the best of it. Worrying about all of it will do nothing to change what is going to happen. Anyways, while I was reading about her basically near death experience I started to break into a cold sweat. Then my face started to get all tingly which is what happens right before I pass out. So I put the book down and had to calm myself down by taking deep breaths. Once I knew I was in the clear I got up and ran to the bathroom because I thought I was going to throw up. I spent the rest of the morning with a cold rag on my face in hopes to make it all go away. I couldnt even look at that book. Its pretty funny when I think about it but I think that all of my anxiety about labor had just built up. And hearing Jenny McCarthy's story just sent me over the edge. Okay so I realize that I am completely dramatic but I have always been this way. I used to pass out when I would just see the nurse pull out a needle. But ever since I have been pregnant I havent passed out even once. =) I totally realize that it is all in my head. Taking my blood will not kill me or hurt me in anyway. Now I just have to convince myself that having a 7-8 pound baby come ripping out of my hoo-haw wont kill me either. Haha!

More Nursery Stuff...

Cool Baby Gadgets

Safety Mate

The newest trend in essential safety gear for the modern mom and dad, SafetyMate offers parents a fresh and inventive way to learn how to help their baby in case of an actual emergency. Just push a button and SafetyMate immediately begins to talk the caretaker through step-by-step instructions for 30+ first aid issues. Bilingual in English and Spanish, SafetyMate provides information for all ages – infant, child and adult emergencies.

Grobag® Egg Room Thermometer

The correct temperature is vital for creating a safe sleeping environment for baby. Health professionals recommend that the room your baby sleeps in should be maintained between 61 and 67 degrees to help reduce risk of Infant Death Syndrome. The Grobag® egg glows yellow f the room temperature is within the recommended guidelines IF the room temperature is outside the range, the grow egg will glow a different color. Comes with a power adaptor. 4" x 2.5" x 2.5".

ITZBEEN™ Baby Care Timer

The ITZBEEN Baby Care Timer has a host of helpful features all designed with the new parent in mind. As every new parent knows, your memory is one of the first things to go when a newborn arrives. The ITZBEEN Baby Care Timer is a multi-purpose tool that helps you remember the basic details of baby care. ITZBEEN has four timers, changing, feeding, sleep or awake time. Nursing reminder, which side nursed last. Display backlight helps count up with the touch of a button…so you will always know how long it's been! 3.75"H x 2.25"W x 1.375"D. Ages birth and up.

For my own use...

I was just looking at more decoration ideas for in the baby's room.

Confessions of a Pregnant Chick....

~ I eat chocolate...In fact I eat ALOT of chocolate & on a daily basis.

~ I wake up in a sweat EVERY night. *Fun Times*

~ My belly hangs out of the bottom of most of my shirts.

~ Most of my towels do not comfortably cover my belly anymore so I have had to limit my "post-shower-prance-around-in-my-towel" routine to a minimum.

~I can no longer look down and see my hoo-haw. I hope she is holding up down there. =(

~ I carry around a HUGE bottle of tums in my purse.

~ My boobs have grown to an un-Godly size & I am pretty sure that they make pornstar titties look like that of a forth grader.

~ I snore! *Sick*

~ Anything pickled is always a plus in my book.

~ I really don't look that bad naked. ;)

~ I take about 30 minutes every night to search my tummy for stretch marks. (So far, so good)

~ My belly button hurts from being stretched so tight. I am sure to have an outtie any day now. =(

~ I breathe and walk "big girl style".

~ Michael doesn't know it yet but I am going to have my sister take professional pics of us where he is being all corny and kissing my tummy. And, I plan on blowing it up & framing it for the new house....Muahahaha!

~ I ALWAYS have crumbs on the boob & belly part of my shirt after EVERY meal.

~ I look forward to my nightly bath where I sit as still as I can and wait for Avery to kick. I love how it makes the water ripple. *Dorky I know*

It's OUR birthday & we'll be sassy if we want to...

So today is my 26th birthday as well as my niece Kailey's 4th birthday! I love her so much and she is definitely my mini me. We are so much alike and I love it! We can appreciate eachother's stubborness/sassiness in a way that no one else can. =) Kailey used to HATE when anyone would tell me happy birthday on her birthday but now she loves it. She called and was so excited to tell me Happy Birthday! Kailey is funny because she sees me as one of the kids. When I watch her she is always reminding me to do this and that and telling me how mommy does things. She even gets a little bossy with me which I get a huge kick out of. She tells me all the time that when Avery gets here that she will help me take care of him. Then she goes through a very elaborate list of things that mommies have to do for their babies. I'm sure that she lays awake at night worrying about me just as much as I do her...hehe.

I love you baby Kailey & I wouldnt rather share my birthday with anyone else in the entire world!!!

Here is a pic from the day that we met:

*Sorry bout the nice pic of you Juli but I couldnt find another one*

Bye Bye Twenty- Five!!

So I am in my last 24 hours of being a 25 year old. I can say that this past year was by far the craziest yet. I entered my 25th year by just getting back together with Michael after a short (but much needed) summer break-up. At the time I didnt know how I would survive the days without him so I spent most nights going out. I went out soo much that it was to the point of needing a serious intervention. I was never one to really go out on "work nights" but boy did I. And not to mention my TWO girl's trips to Las Vegas in a 6 weeks span of time. It took me the entire 3 mos to really get comfortable with myself as a single person. And of course right when I did, Michael wanted to get back together. I made him promise me a few things and then next thing you know we had moved in together. I was in heaven considering that it took 8 1/2 years for us to get to that point. With us living right smack dab in the middle of all of the fun that Dallas has to offer we definitely still partied....ALOT! Thats when Michael kinda helped me to realize that liqour and Laurin didnt mix well anymore. So I stopped drinking. I drank on New Years Eve (despite having Strep Throat) and then again on St. Patty's Day with a few drinks here and there. But I was OVER the party scene and living right in the middle of it all just didnt do it for me anymore. Well, thats about the time that little Avery decided he would enter our lives. At first, Michael & I freaked. We questioned everything and we were certain that we werent ready for all of this. But after realizing that this is exactly what God had planned for us we soon saw how exciting this was going to be for us. Shortly after I was laid-off from my job which sucked but it was only one of the many obstacles that we were facing at the time. Since I was so stressed and sick at the beginning of my pregnancy I couldnt imagine having to work everyday so it was a blessing in disguise.

We are now about to move into our very OWN home & get married! I couldnt be more happy! I 100% truly believe that God will make sure you are in the exact place that you should be at all times. Sometimes we want things and have to wait years to get it, and sometimes we dont realize that what we have is exactly what we wanted all along. I had always imagined Michael and I getting married and starting a family. But I just always thought that it would happen so perfectly and not all at once. But God knew we were ready so he made us speed everything up a little bit. Its been a rough year to say the least but we are SO blessed. We are blessed to have such supportive family and friends who have helped us SO much lately.

So all-in-all I wont miss my 25th year. At times I thought I wouldnt make it out alive because I just knew that the stress of everything was sure to kill me. But now I can look back and see that everything happened for a reason. Michael & I are in such a different (and better) place than we were in last year at this time. I see last year as a time that we were both able to "sow our wild oats" and I know for sure that we both wont ever look back and feel like we missed out on anything. I have learned so much about relationships and what is really important in life. The things that I used to think were important seem so silly now. I can now see that FAMILY above all is the most important and if you have friends who last through everything then that is just a bonus. Starting a family is by far the coolest thing and I am sooo thankful that everything has fallen into place so nicely. I credit my sanity to my mom and sisters. Without them I would have never been able to deal with so much all at once. After all, I'm a planner and when things start happening without first being planned I freak out a little...well I freak out ALOT!

So GOODBYE 25 and HELLO 26! My 26th year is going to be the start of so many great things. This year I will become a Wife & a Mother!!! Two things that I have always wanted. =)


Well, I'm off to devour the donut that is calling my name... PEACE! ;)

More Nursery Ideas...

Nursery Furniture Ideas

Is this set too girlie looking?