Is it Fall Yet?

Here we are, jumping into September!  This year is flying by, and I can't believe we will have a baby here in just four short months.

In August...

 

The beginning of August started super fun for me, as we were on our Girls Trip in Seattle!  You can see tons of photos and read all about the girl time in my recaps HERE.

 

We made some big changes with the vehicles in our life - more details to come on that soon!

 

Handsome Husband and I started a baby registry, and the next day I enlisted the opinion of non-Mom but great friend, Cute Apartment to round out the registries with necessities, and of course some cute frilly pink items for our little Princess.

 

We helped warm the new home of our some of our newer friends that HH has met through law school.  The Chicago transplants are loving their new place in Orange County - they are close enough to see Disneyland's fireworks and walk to Angels Stadium!

 

Hat Dad and Gardening Momma invited us over for dinner, and it ended up being just the four of us.  A rare occurance, and though we love big family dinners with Sisters Singer and Swimmer, it's nice to get some one-on-one (or two-on-two, I should say) time with the 'rents.

 

We officially hit the half-way mark in this pregnancy!  20 more weeks (less now!) and this little girl better be on her way!  You can read weekly Bumpdates HERE.



 

Handsome Husband is officially back in school - a bittersweet time, for sure.  Sad for the summer to be over, happy to be inching closer to that finish line.

 

Cute Apartment and I took after the Real Housewives of Orange County when we took a painting class at a local restaurant.  We both walked away with some pretty pictures, and it was a fun middle-of-the-week night out!

 

We had a big birthday party weekend, with MIL Red's fiance, Mr. Bear's, 50th birthday and Cousin Ronomon's 30th birthday parties squeezed into one fun weekend!

 

And tomorrow we will end the month spending the day with some of our very favorite people, watching one of our HH's very favorite sports - we're heading to a Galaxy Game with our friends, Twin Oh Yeah and Future Dr. Babies.

With our friends all the way back in October 2011



New Years Baby Bumpdate: Week 21

21w2d

What's up with Baby this week? Our baby officially weighs more than one pound!  She has developed her grip, and since there is not much else to hang on to in utero, sometimes she might hold on to the umbilical cord just to practice grabing something.  Baby has eyelashes and eyebrows and more hair on top of her head, but pigment hasn't come in yet, which means all of her hair is bright white at the moment!

Symptoms? Heartburn is back :(

Gender? Little lady.

Excited For? Working on the nursery!  I have a little table I'd like to get painted this week, and we picked the glider we'd like to go with for her little abode.

Maternity Clothes? I was pretty proud of myself for rocking a completely non-maternity outfit last weekend, as seen in the photo above, with just a little hidden adjustements done at the waistband.  I think my days may be numbered in these kind of get-ups, though.

Sleep? Pretty good, though feeling very warm at night which can keep me up tossing and turning a bit.

Movement? Still feeling little thuds, haven't felt anything from the outside yet, but that is something I can't wait to share with HH.

Belly Button Status? In!

Missing Anything? Cocktails, especially when surrounded by them at the horse races last weekend.

Milestones?
21w5d Both HH and I were pretty sure we felt our little kicker from the outside!

Cravings? Nothing special this week, but very hungry in general.

Weight Gain? 7 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight, as of my last doctor's appointment.

The Girls Go to Seattle: Seattle Center

This post is going to be mostly photos because I took a ton throughout the day we spent at Seattle Center. 

We started the day off with brunch at Sky City 360, the rotating restaurant at the top of the Space Needle.  As a way to see great views, avoid the lines, and get a yummy brunch - I totally recommend Sky City 360. If I'm being honest, there were a few times I felt a little dizzy, and maybe even a little queasy, but only when my eyes fixated on a point in the restaurant that really accentuated the movement going on.

After brunch we entered Chihuly Garden and Glass, a museum Twin Unicorn had strongly recommended we stop by.  I was a little skeptical at first, but I am so glad we went.  It was truly one of my favorite things we did in Seattle, and everything was beautiful and breathtaking.

Our final muesum of the day was the Experience Music Project, an interactive place to see exhibits on famous artists, listen to fantastic music, and my personal favorite - check out some costumes of Women Who Rock!  While it was so fun to get away with just the girls, I couldn't help but think how fascinated Hat Dad would have been with this musuem, and hope he makes his way there sometime.

We hopped back on the monorail after visiting EMP, and stopped for some shopping in downtown before heading back to our hotel.  Nearing the end of our trip, I was more exhausted than normal, and I'd like to direct the cause of that to the small human I'm growing.  While it was frustrating to feel more tired and sore than usual, how could I truly complain?  I am so overjoyed to be having a baby, and can't wait for this little girl to join Gardening Mom, Sister Singer and Sister Swimmer and their future little ladies on girls trips for years to come.

My last recap from our trip to Seattle coming next week!

Quotable Tuesdays

On Babymaking: Feeling Positive

Post originally written December 12, 2012 - during my third offical (but really fourth) dreaded "Two Week Wait".  Read more about our Babymaking Journey HERE.

I am feeling strangely positive this month.  I'm certainly no Debbie Downer (at least not most days), but optimism is not necessarily my strong suit.  But I'm hoping, praying, and putting good vibes out that this might be the month.

I really have no reason for this sudden burst of positivity, but I'm just feelin' good for some reason.  Hoping not to be let down...again.

I've found one thing that is really helping me to not be as upset each month that Aunt Flow comes back to visit (after I've prayed that she'll just go and take a 10 month hike).

Each month there seems to be a pro and a minor con of getting knocked up that particular month (lets be clear: the pro of having a sweet baby outweighs any of the cons, but anything to keep cheery, right?).

This month?

A few major pros (again, all secondary to the joy a new life could bring to our lives): I could potentially tell my amazing Handome Husband on Christmas, I would be due near the beginning of his second year of law school (as opposed to nearer to finals), and I would not be a huge pregnant mess on my 25th birthday (just a slightly pregnant pudge-y looking mess, I'm sure - this one is a bit of a stretch), and I would be just far enough long to feel comfortable telling my girlfriends on our upcoming girls weekend in January.

A con? I would be a few weeks pregnant on New Years Eve.  Now before you go calling me a lush, this just puts me in an awkward position because I won't be able to drink, but literally have just found out - seems quite early to share that with people. 

I'm thinking we'll cross that bridge when if we get to it.

New Years Baby Bumpdate: Week 20!

20w1d

 

What's up with Baby this week? Baby is swallowing amniotic fluid every day now, for hydration and nutrition as well as practice swallowing and digesting.  It's interesting to note that the flavor of amniotic fluid differs day to day depending on my diet!  Even more interesting is that baby probably has a preference for sweet or salty already, because little taste buds have already formed.

Symptoms? It's been quite the easy week - not too much heartburn, no more Braxton Hicks since that first one, and no more round ligament pain!

Gender? Still a girl, was relieved to hear that at our anatomy scan on Tuesday!

Excited For? Working on baby girl's nursery!  I have a few weeks with not too much going on, and with Handsome Husband back in school, now's the time to get decorating!

Maternity Clothes? Still rocking all pre-pregnancy scrubs, but my days in most of my scrub tops are definitely numbered.  I'm interested to see if my stretchy scrub pants will last the entire time - here's to hoping!  Out of work, I'm still doing some regular, some maternity clothes.

Sleep? Like a baby!  (Though I think that expression is a little odd, now that I've been researching baby's sleep habits.)

Movement? Lots of little thuds in there!

Belly Button Status? In!

Missing Anything? Hot dogs.
 

Milestones?
20w We're half-way there!
20w5d Anatomy scan - got to see our little princess, and make sure she was a healthy girl!

 

Cravings? Eating lots of fruit! 

Weight Gain? I was a little shocked to see I am up 7 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight, when I was weighed at the doctor at 20w5d.  Quite the growth spurt from a month ago.

Linking up with Busy Bee for Baby Talk.

The Girls Go to Seattle: Shopping, Ferry Rides, and Bainbridge Island

Read about Day 1 of our trip HERE.

On Saturday, we woke up, had a not-that-impressive breakfast of room service in the hotel (sorry, Hotel Monaco), and headed into the shopping area of Downtown to take a looksie around.

We stopped into Nordstrom and a funny little mall that was so skinny and tall - things are different in cities!  After a stop in to Forever 21, we decided it was time to head towards the ocean so we could board a ferry to check out Bainbridge Island and get some lunch!

We trecked it down to the ferry station (I have no idea what the proper name is for this...), and after a little bit of waiting, he hopped on the ferry for a quick 30 minute trip over to the island.

Some of us did some sight-seeing, all of us did some chatting, and more than one of us spent some time browsing the web on our phones (how did we kill time pre-iPhone?!).

 

When we got to the island, there was a little bit of a hike to the restaurant we had chosen (another gift from the iPhone, Yelp browsing while waiting for our ferry!), but when we got to Docs Marina Grill we were treated with lovely outdoor seating right on the harbor, gorgeous weather, and very yummy food! 

 

After a fabulous late lunch, we were a little sad to find out many of the shops had already closed for the day, but we poked around the ones that were still open.

After seeing all we could of the little town (and making plans for a visit to our own little local island, Catalina), back to the ferry we went.

 

Next? A trip to Seattle Center, including brunch on top of the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden & Glass, and The Experience Music Project! 

Quotable Tuesdays

French Fries

Want to know how I know that Handsome Husband and I were meant to be?  He lets me have his soft fries, and I give him my crunchies.

{via}

 

I have a thing about crunchy food.  All the people who know the best know about it, and HH especially knows the ins and outs.  I don't like crunchy food.  I'm not a big potato chip person, I always toss (usually into HH's bag) the crunchy french fries, and if there's hard taco shells only?  I'm eating ground beef with cheese on top, cause that crunchy shell ain't coming near me.

 

It's weird, I know, and I don't know why it is, but I just prefer a softer texture.

 

Wouldn't be the worst if HH wanted all the soft fries too?  A deal-breaker, for sure.

Letters to Baby M: A Sweet Little Girl

Letter written August 8, 2013.

Dear Baby M,

I guess I could have written "Dear Baby Girl" up there, because holy cow - you're a girl!  Your Dad and I found out a few weekends ago with all our closest friends and families surrounding us.  It was such a fun way to find out, and the most emotional moment.  You see, I was convinced I had a little boy swimming around in there (if I'm being honest, I'm still finding it hard to believe, and am a little worried I'm going to go into my next doctor's appointment and find out they guessed wrong!).  I was so surprised when we cut open our cake, and it was filled with pink frosting!

I feel so blessed and lucky to be having a daughter.  There are the superficial things, like how adorable little girls clothes are, and how you're sure to be rocking many a headband for the first few years of your life.  But there is so much more to it.  You're going to grow into a little lady, and then a woman.  You'll learn after you get here and grow older, being a woman is being a part of an elite class that can make life both harder and easier.  You'll see that men (and other women) often second guess our strength, but I've never seen a guy giggle his way out of a parking ticket.  You'll have to learn how walk the thin line of how to be caring, but not too emotional; to be sweet, but not skanky; to be friendly, but not naive.  Your Aunt A will be sure to teach you all about feminism, and how to hold on to your rights as a woman.

I can't wait to see what type of little lady you turn out to be.  Will you be girly like your Mother, and love all things pink, glitter and rhinestoned?  Or will you throw me off completely and be a sporty little thing, choosing kicking the soccer ball with Dad instead of shopping with me?  I will love you either way, I already love you and I hear you're covered in a weird cheesey varnish right now (that's true love).

I hope that I can be your friend, but I promise not to forget to be your Mom.  I hope that you will want to be around me, not just feel obligated.  I hope that you like ruffles, but once you're old enough to tell me you don't, I'll stop putting them on you (can't make any promises pre-talking).  I hope that you love as much as you laugh, and if you're anything like me, you'll be doing lots of both.  I hope you're a Daddy's Girl, but not so much that you tell him secrets and I'm out of the loop.  I secretly hope you come out looking just like me, because I think it would be the cutest ever for me to have a mini-me.  I hope that you learn the value of family, and the importance women have in keeping the core of the family strong.

I'll teach you how to line your eyes with liquid and pencil - every girl should know both.  I'll teach you that to be a good friend you have to accept that your girlfriends will hurt you, and your lives will change, and the really good friends are the ones who stick around through all the hurt and changes.  I'll teach you that no self-respecting woman ever lets a man tell her what to do, except for maybe in the bedroom (I'll teach you that when you're way older).  I'll teach you how to pick out the perfect push-up bra, and how you really should only be showing boobs or legs at once (except in Vegas, anything goes in Vegas).  I'll teach you how to apologize, and hopefully you'll be better at it than me.  I'll teach you how to make Salsa Chicken (it's your Dad's favorite, afterall), but Aunt K will have to teach you how to bake.  I'll teach you to be respectful of every single religion no matter what, and to never tell someone that their beliefs are wrong (you're Jewish by blood, by the way, but you can practice whatever your heart desires when you get to that point in your life).  I'll teach you that doing well in school is so much more important than you could ever realize in junior high, high school and maybe even college.  I'll teach you that hard work pays off, and that getting a job when you're 16 is by far not the worst thing.  I'll teach you that your Daddy deserves respect, even when he's wrong, and even though I didn't always give my Daddy the amount he deserved.  And one day, I hope I'll teach you how to be a big sister.

Already Counting Down the Weeks,

Mom

 

Linking up with The Sweet Season for Friday's Letters.