BABY BLOG 22weeks

YESTERDAY was the celebration of me being 22 weeks preggo. (It actually was not a celebration at all...just a normal saturday)

So- as requested here are a few pics and a little bit about baby this week.

* Baby weighs about 12oz....we are getting SO CLOSE TO A POUND! =)

* I saw my new midwife this week and she gave us a lot of "assignments" including water intake, exercise, vitamins, ect. She expects a lot more (which is good) that my last midwife. Dan got to meet her, and really liked her too. (PHEW!)

*I work out with a trainer once a week and this if the first week my bump really got in the way. Running, planks, push-ups, yah-my pelvic muscles PROTESTED. (I guess they feel that if they already are having to do extra work holding this growing baby up is it really fair to make them do planks?)

*Still having heartburn, not sleeping the greatest, and I'VE BEEN SICK ALL WEEK. I HATE COLDS... just fyi. However, due to the looks of my snot we are headed to wellness in the next few days. =)

*No weird food cravings, although I did eat a BOX(the movie concession stand size) of good n plenty- but I loved those before. I'm kinda having to make myself eat because I'm just never that hungry.

*I'm feeling her move a lot more. Dan wants to feel her too, but nothing yet. Today he was trying to get her to move and talking to my belly in a western accent. "Baby, this is your daddy, move on around in there" - I told him I wouldn't move if a creepy western man was talking to me either. So he talked to her in a normal voice...still nothing. bah. oh well.

That's all I've got for now!

Confession & DIY projects

So I am obsessed with buying Prego "Heart smart" traditional spaghetti sauce. My husband has to keep me in check in the sauce aisle. He commonly says "WE HAVE FIVE JARS OF THAT AT HOME!" And pretty much he is right. We don't eat a lot of spaghetti, or spaghetti sauce, but I just love this sauce, it is low sodium and I am TERRIFIED I won't be able to find it. (EVER SEEN HOARDERS? ARE YOU THINKING THAT IS ME ABOUT NOW? don't judge.) Anyway. Just wanted to share this comical obsession with you. Tonight we will be having pasta and using this sauce so you know I will NEED to buy more next grocery trip. =)

Dan and I hit the local thrift store the other day. We got a bunch of great home decor items that needed some HELP. But we spend 20 bucks and left with a ton of stuff. So here are a couple things we got before & after.

This one is a metal pillar candle holder it is super intricate, but I just don't decorate with gold. Bought it at the thrift store for 1.99. I primed it with white spray paint primer, and then used a metallic silver spray paint it with.

These candle sticks came in a pair for 2.99 Again the gold and I am not a fan of light wood either. However, recently I saw these at potterybarn.com for around $40 a piece. I know they are ALL black, however I liked the two toned so I just kept it.

First I taped up the metal part, sanded the wood, and sprayed the middle black. You have to do very light coats of spray paint to avoid dripping. The hardest part is having patience between coats and then waiting for the black to dry ALL the way so you can tape it to do the metal. I then primed the metal with white spray paint primer, then used metallic silver to do the rest. Again, patience is key! (I got a little over zealous and ended up with a smudged part on one of the bases)

Here is the finished product. I am kinda wondering if I should have done the candle sticks in all black, hummm.... I will sit with it a few days and then decide. Hopefully I can get candle sticks tomorrow.

That's all I've got for now-

love, LA

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition

Okay- I am guessing this post is going to be WILDLY unpopular. However, I am still going to post it.
My hubby subscribes to Sports Illustrated. He pretty much lives and breaths everything sports. I once found him reading those little boxes out of the new newspaper that tell you stats about players. So he knows his stuff is what I am saying. Anyway-not the point. So every year (because he is a good man) he throws the swimsuit addition straight into the trash- to avoid flooding his mind with pictures of scantily clad women that are not realistic to what he can expect from this girl. And every year I thank him while secretly thinking "I wanted to look at that" I would never actually say this (except now to you all) because truly I appreciate that he doesn't look at it. Well this year I was home when it was delivered and got to look at it before he threw it out!
I know I know, you are all thinking- "Hey Laurisa, Aren't you almost 5 months pregnant?, Doesn't this give you unhealthy body image?" or "Did you read your post from sunday?" or "You are letting the media tell you what you should look like" or "so you don't let your husband objectify women, but you do?" ...did I cover them all? (If not please feel free to leave a comment)
ANYWAY to the REAL REASON I READ...
I love the painted on swimsuits. I flip eagerly through the pages of the magazine to get to them. I find them ARTISTIC and INCREDIBLE. These "swimsuits" take almost 24 hours to paint on these girls and they look SO REAL. I seriously just spent 25 minutes looking at the 5 or 6 painted swimsuit pictures they had in there. They have creases where they would crease and the detail of the design is breath-taking. I wonder if these women feel dressed after they are painted on, cause they certainly look like they are wearing a swimsuit. Okay so that is my dirty little secret. I love SI swimsuit edition. (Or the 6 pages of painted on suits)
That's all I've got for now
Love, LA

Random things for today

1. I am sick again. We have had such bad luck with illness in our house this winter. I pride myself in having a good immune system (it used to be HORRIBLE, but since working at a pediatric hosptial it has gotten SO MUCH BETTER!) however, pregnancy and illness = sick LA. Dan is sick too, but that is because his tonsils need to come out-but what do I know? right?

2. I have had so much fun crafting/repurposing things this week. I even got Dan into it a bit. He went to the thrift store with me and picked out some good projects.

3.I really want to go on vacation! A beach vacation would be lovely. Just saying.

4. Today when I was trying to nap (It was mostly a failed endeavor) my little lady kept moving all around. It was so fun! She has never been that active. I can't wait till Dan can feel her too!

5. Have you seen "The business of being born"? Its a good documentary about hosptials and childbirth in this country. Check it out. *warning, this documentary is about having babies, so some nudity and grossness will be encountered. =)

So...for a little comedic relief before I get into the deep stuff. We got home from church about 2.5 seconds ago and I have already poured my husband a double shot of whiskey that he has gulped down. Now please understand that he is pretty sick, not just out to have a WILD TIME. My grandma always told me a shot of whiskey when you are sick and you wake up feeling like a new person in the morning. She actually gave me whiskey when I got sick in europe with her and it totally worked. * NOW LET ME ALSO SAY THIS! I think when you are really sick you sleep poorly and the whiskey really only helps you sleep well...thus letting you rest and get better.

YEP... I am a pediatric nurse. There is no whiskey involved in my nursing practice so CALM DOWN! =)

So on to the serious stuff. Before leaving for church tonight I had a bit of a MELT DOWN. I was trying to find something to wear (I had been in sweats all day) and I maybe freaked out cause nothing fit. Or maybe it was because I feel like I just look fat and not really pregnant. I mean come on body! At 21 weeks can I start to look pregnant-like really pregnant?? PLEASE? Or maybe it is because I buy into lies that I am not pretty enough, not thin enough, not kind enough, not (you fill in word here). So I cried most of the way to church. My husband gave up trying to encourage me and it was a MIRACLE that I kept my mouth shut and didn't say something mean to my sweet hubby to make him feel bad like I was.

(I am getting to the point)

During Worship this is what I wrote in my journal.

I want to be FREE

From the LIES of the past

From self condemnation

From lies of the enemy

From lies I heard my mother speak over herself

From generations of self image bondage

MY GOD IS STRONGER

The speaker then spoke on "The battle within" and how that keeps us focused inward and unable to recognize or focus on the goal. The passage he used which he prefaced with "I don't know why I am using this but God told me multiple times this was the passage to use" was ROMANS 8...it starts off -There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Yep....I am kinda in Awe right now. I can and will be free of this battle. I WILL NOT let this be the example I set for my daughter. I do not want her beating herself up the way I do. Or believing horrible lies about herself...and that starts with me. Here, now. I am going to work on memorizing the passage from tonight. Because I need to beat myself over the head with it on a daily basis. I am free. Jesus Christ has "traded me" he became all the yuck and sin that I am so that I can be what he is...a loved and blessed child of God. I am so thankful for a Good God, and wonderful husband and the TRUTH that was spoken over me tonight.

that's all I've got-LA

Baby Blog 21 Weeks

So I have been feeling a little boxed in by the rigid baby blog format. So here are a few random facts about this week.

1. Baby weights about 10.5 oz and is 7.2 inches (crown to rump length)

2. I feel her move now but it more like a feeling of pressure, and not any specific movement. It still is only able to be felt internally... meaning dan cannot feel it.

3. I have noticed the gagging has stopped. I really haven't gagged over something in over a week probably.

4. I have heartburn LOTS...if I think about food, if I drink water, sit up, lay down, ect ect ect. HOWEVER! Popping a couple of tums really seems to do the trick.

5. I have been doing a lot of creative stuff and I just have this huge drive to work on the nursery, and every part of my house truly.

6. I guess that is about it. I think I am showing more in "normal" clothes- Some of my organs (including my uterus) have begun to move up into my abdomen so I have a more "INCLUSIVE" looking preggo belly instead of just a FUPA (yes, that means FAT UPPER PUSSY AREA....Yes, I know that is kinda inappropriate, but that is what I have been calling this baby belly- cause I think its amusing, and lets be honest- this blog is written to AMUSE ME!!! )

In Scrubs I just look the the short chubby white girl that eats too many twinkies.

For your viewing pleasure-

AND YES I AM DRINKING A CUP OF COFFEE! It is my morning ritual, and I refuse to stop. Now, if I drank a pint of VODKA as a morning ritual I would work on that habit, but I feel strongly about "Everything in moderation" (minus vodka in the everything category)

I may be enhancing my belly in this shot by arching my back a bit. OKAY OKAY I totally am enhancing it, get over it, I am just excited to be looking preggo and not fatto. =)

Guess that's all I've got-

Love, LA

FIRST THINGS FIRST....OUR GAS BILL WAS 260 bucks! EWWWWW......I am VERY UPSET about it, but enough with the complaining.

So I have had the MOST productive week! (Minus the fact that yesterday I had a slight bowel issue and couldn't go to work- TMI? yep probably...at least I didn't say I was peeing out my bum...oh wait, I guess I just did. Guess it is definitely TMI now) So anyway. I think I am nesting a bit. I started and finished my BFF's bedding for her little girl that is due in 4 weeks. It looks great! I also learned to make a valance- not just a cheap k-mart version....but a very professional pottery barn looking one. It is lined, has wonderful pleats, and will hang beautifully! I will post pictures when she gets the nursery put together. My grandma is a wonderful seamstress and gives me all sorts of good tips and help in making these items. It's wonderful because I will never have to pay (except for fabric and labor) for window treatments again. And now that I have done it once with help, I could totally do it again!

Here are some pics of some other projects I have done this week.

BABY GIRLS ROOM

This was a brushed nickel lamp that we were not using anymore (don't worry the shade will also be getting a makeover) and UGLY picture frame (that I got at goodwill for 50 pennies) I used Krylon's "Ballet Slipper" as the color. Pretty much I LOVE IT!

In our living room we have a beautiful built in bookcase. So I spruced it up a bit. I really only changed a couple of shelves, but it still was fun to do.

This mirror on our mantle was a very boring off-white that totally BLENDED into the wall. So it also got a touch of matt-black Krylon spray paint. Stands out much better. The rest of the mantle still needs some work, but its coming along too.

That's all I've got for now! Lots of Love- LA

And he did it again!

Hey...remember that post I posted a few hours ago? Well check this out... I told you he was romantic and seriously this is the BEST present I have gotten yet.

(SERIOUSLY GET CUTER... thanks Jess for the phrase)

Every 10th thing says that "You are beautiful" because I don't believe that about myself enough.

And just in case you were wondering how I look in dan's bed pants...Pretty Sexy huh? =)

A couple more of my favs-

#47. How the first time I met you I had no idea that we would fall so madly in love.

#83. How you like to use the restroom with the door open, or when I'm in the shower.

#64. How cotton balls freak you out, as well as the sound of walking on snow.

There were also some super incredible ones, one actually made me shed a tear! But those are for my heart. Seriously I will cherish this present forever....And I think I will keep him. =)

Valentines Day= Favorite Day

Today truly may be my FAVORITE day of the year!

I am aware that most people like to ignore today and call it a "hallmark holiday"... I am also aware that a rose that usually costs about 1 buck costs about five... But the truth is today is my birthday, so it is already a special day to me, and then on top of that it is VALENTINES DAY!

So this one day a year I let my terribly UNROMANTIC self get caught up in the romance. The flowers, the cards, the sentiments of love. It

truly is a wonderful thing. On what other day can you string up heart shaped garland, give and receive heart shaped cookies, candies, and assortments of other goods all in the name of love.

Valentines day has been particularly good the last several years because of

THIS GUY! ------------------>

(Isn't he cute?- Yep I agree! (I probably made him pose like this FYI) Now please take note of the guy in the background. No clue what he is doing, but it looks like he is sleeping or something!)

I married an incredibly sweet, romantic man. It really is something that I find amazing every day. He is loving, considerate, compassionate, and kind yet and he pulls it off with a massive amount of masculinity. Okay, Okay I know I am getting all lovey dovey on you. (COME ON PEOPLE

ITS VALENTINES DAY!)

Here are a few of my favorite memories with my my wonderful

hubby.

This is how dan proposed to me. He did it outside of PV starbucks where we met. HE had daises and rose petals on the table and my ring (he saved hard for that puppy! I was shocked to see it so soon.) on the ribbon of the vase. I was totally surprised and he rattled something about two flowers representing us, and one representing God. I can't recall all the details, but the fact that there were SO MANY details I love!! It was so thought out.

I once came home to this! He was

already gone and my very first thought (and probably yours too) are "Why are there pastel dinosaur footprints on my bed? Well acutally those are tulip petals hand crafted by my husband! Each once was colored with marker and had a character quality he loves about me on the back. Incredible huh? I mean I still call this the time he "cut out dinosaur footprints for me...but that is mainly because I am unromantic, or pretending to be. But truly WOW! I won the guy lottery!

This is our first married kiss. Best kiss of my life.

He totally surprised me and jus

t WENT FOR IT! I mean fireworks kinds kiss. One of my unmarried bridesmaids was freaking out later about

how great the kiss was. Ha

ha....here is a pic of her talking about it afterwards, just cause I think it is cute.

Haha! This is Janell isn't she cute? Well I love this picture from our wedding cause I remember her re-inacting the moment step by step. (p.s. her kiss at her wedding last fall was equally powerful!)

And this is just one of my favorites. Obviously you can see why. We are just being US. I am so thankful God blessed me with a man that is my equal, intellectual counterpart, a spiritual leader, my best friend, and I am SO EXCITED to spend the rest of my life LOVING HIM!

SO HERE IS TO VALENTINES DAY!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY PEOPLES! (and to you too Dan!)

20 weeks

So! Yesterday was 20 weeks! Yep that is right- Only 20 more weeks till we meet this Little Girl! I am super excited. I didn't take a picture yesterday, and I don't intend to fill out my weekly pregnancy blog. But here is what I've got for ya-

-I have eaten my weight in Gummy Worms this week...this is something I aim to STOP NOW. They are just so yummy.

-I have started having heartburn. BOO to heartburn- YOU STINK HEARTBURN! ( I would like to point out I was shocked by this burning in my chest sensation- because I have never before had heartburn- I now carry tums in my purse)

-I have offically (or not so offically-if you count the gym scale and my trainer as non-offical) gained 8lbs so far in my pregnancy. Lets be honest, I am not really cool with ANY weight gain, but since that is not realistic or healthy (I'm not delusional, I knew I would gain weight) I am okay with 8lbs. I better cut down on the gummy worms or I will gain 8lbs THIS WEEK. (My swim suit bottoms still fit, so that is a plus...I am NOT going anywhere warm to be in a swimsuit, but I thought I would check just in case, and because I WANT to go somewhere warm and be in a swimsuit.)

-We bought some really great frames for baby girl's nursery at the thrift store this weekend- when I say they are really great I mean they are sturdy, but HIDEOUS...however, after some spray paint, and putting fabric over the mats they will be GORGEOUS! Can't wait to get crafting.

-We also went to restoration hardware and got a couple paint samples. I am thinking SILVER SAGE is the color for the nursery. We have to get the okay from our landlord to paint, hopefully he sees how NECESSARY it is and gives us the go ahead.


That is all I've got for now.
LA

Nursery

I have started to think about "the nursery" It is pretty much consuming me. Okay...that is a bit drastic, but I love to create so it is on my mind A LOT.

Here is what I have so far. One is a "safe" option. And the other has a bit more design potential but is a little bit brighter than I usually go.

Here is #1 the "safe option"

( I know this looks like a nursing cover, however it is actually a lovely pink, green and grey Amy Butler fabric that I would use for the bumper and some throw pillows) This is the bedskirt I would make in this grey (instead of buying it from restoration hardware for 70 bucks! CAUSE THAT IS CRAZY!) I invision a very pale pink on the walls, Curtains in a darker shade of grey with some sort of texture, we have a glider that I think would also end up a darker shade of grey with pink cushions.

This design is very "me" it is safe, kinda dull, but classy and girly.

I like the over all look of this restoration hardware nursery-but the lack of print leaves a bit

to be desired.

Option number 2: A bit more adventure! (for those of you who are less observant, you may be seeing the same thing)

Yes, this is the same fabric but is a much brighter color. I acutally love this fabric but am a bit afraid of the commitment.

With this one I would do the same bedskirt as above, but in the fuschia color that is in this fabric. I would spraypaint the chair a pale pink and do a brown cushion with brown curtains.(or maybe a fuschia cushion with the pale green curtians-anyones guess really) The pain color in this scenerio is Restoration Hardwares "Silver Sage" here is the best pick I could find. It is a grey, green, blue color- which allows for more decoration all around plus we have white furniture so it will really pop.

HELP!

As realistic or Unrealistic as it might be

So- I am shocked by my lack of blogging this week. Actually I have been in the blogging world a TON, but just haven't blogged at all. Here a few new blogs I've found that I REALLY LIKE! Some are just cook stories, one is my very WITTY AND HILLARIOUS aunt, and a one is a crafting/diy blog. Check them out- you won't be sorry.

http://www.bystephanielynn.com/

http://seriously-nikki.blogspot.com/

http://thenatos.blogspot.com/

http://itsahuntlife.blogspot.com/

Okay so I also missed monday miscellany- or miscellay monday (I always forget which word is first) which happens to be my favorite blogging day. DANG IT.

So I've been thinking about goals I have for after baby girl joins us. I get that I am naive, and some of them are probably VERY unrealistic, however, they are just goals, no one is going to beat me up (including myself) if they don't get done... so here they are. Feedback is VERY welcome.

1. To get dressed every day- Okay, when I say "get dressed" I mean change my clothes. If I am wearing sweats to sleep in, and change into NEW sweats, I think that counts. I am not going for a hygiene award here, but would like to put in a bit of effort everyday-plus if I plan to change my clothes, I figure that means I will be likely to brush my teeth and pull a comb through my hair daily as well.

2. I want to have a date night with my husband. I am willing to give us a month or so to get this worked out, but I want to be able to spend a few hours weekly eating a meal just with the two of us . I think I am a bit nervous about adding a baby into our relationship. We really have a wonderful thing going right now, and I don't want to loose that. I know it takes work to keep relationships strong, so 2 hours a week for us alone seems reasonable to me. WHO WANTS TO BABYSIT?

3. This is kinda starting now, but I want to work hard on our budget so we don't feel stressed with me cutting down hours at work and find ways to save on everyday items we use. We use Dave Ramsey's method of budgeting, and we do not own a house yet, so we need to be saving big time so we can stop renting. (yep, I know a lot of people buy with little to no savings/downpayment, but that isn't our choice so we will have to budget well for me to work partime add a baby and save well)

4. Do the laundry. Dan currently does the laundry. He always has and I don't mind one bit! I HATE folding/hanging up laundry. However, only working part time I think I should pick up this chore. Just to be nice. Not cause I really want to...just in case you were wondering.

19 week baby blog

How far along am I today? 19 weeks

What is the favorite thing you ate today? I had a very good omlet this morning. Nothing super exciting though.

How’s the food stuff coming along? Cravings? Aversions? Chicken tortilla soup- it started with wanting the mexican gumbo that qdoba has, but we don't have a qdoba here. Sooo... On the Border's chicken tortilla soup is sure a good substitute

Any new symptoms this past week? Still gagging!

What about the exercise routine? Walking and working out with my trainer once a week.

Sleep…is it good/bad/mediocre? Not good. Not good at all.

How big is the baby, any major milestones for baby? Baby is the size of a Mango- for those of you who don't eat mango on a daily basis she is about the size of 6 inches and 8.5 oz

How about the baby’s activity? I finally felt baby move last night. We had friends over to play games and I got a bit excited in Yahtzee and she popped me one in the uterus. It was the most wonderful feeling!

Did anything special (besides the baby growing!) happen this week? Snow! There was a LOT of snow this week. We got 12 inches in a day! So it was definitely a huge challenge traveling and getting around.