Halloween costumes: 50 shades & Magic 8

Kevin and I had a Costume party to attend last week for Halloween, and I knew this would be difficult for me.  In year's passed, I have always found something "revealing" to make out of old clothes from college and high school, but clearly that wouldn't work this year.

And I prefer creating costumes than buying them, both because I like an excuse to be creative and make something and also because I hate spending money on something you'll never use again.

Luckily I always have the help of my very ambitious Momma whom, once given a task such as this, will inundate you with anything and everything related.  So, when I emailed her to asked for help for costume ideas just 2 days before the party, I immediately received email after email with links for ideas. Creative juices combined and flowing, we narrowed in on the Magic 8 Ball.

And making this costume couldn't have been any easier.  Black leggings from the closet, black tank from the closet, and felt. For the 8 on my belly, I used white felt with a sticky back, I believe it was $1.49 at A.C. Moore.

And for the triangle with your fortune, that was the stiff type felt, which was also a dollar something.

We haven't gone out much since I got pregnant, so it was nice to get all dolled up for once.

And for the record, if you notice there is a distinct shadow, making my belly look much larger than it is! Whew, it scared me when I first looked at the pics!

Kevin had come across his idea online somewhere for 50 Shades of Grey, so we made it a mission to begin snagging paint samples at home improvement stores. It only took a couple of stops before we had well over 50 samples.

It seemed simple enough, I laid it all out to make sure we had enough.

I had warned Kevin that his idea to simply duct tape the samples on a shirt likely would not hold. After spending 30 minutes of sticking individual pieces on, the moment he began walking around was the moment they started dropping one-by-one.  Ugh.  After several attempts of getting this to work out and pinning certain ones, Kevin had given up.

After taking a breath and thinking outside the box, he began laying all of the samples out face down on the bed and began taping the backs together.  This pretty much created a shield.  We then took this shield and pinned it on, and Voila! 50 Shades. Not exactly how we planned but it worked nonetheless.

I think we both had a couple of simple and creative costumes that were a lot of fun!! 

Happy Halloween and be safe!!

Week 25: Hi-C blood test?

Running a bit behind on this week's update, life and work have been super crazy.

Baby P is the size of a head of cauliflower, an eggplant, a rutabaga. Sources say she's anywhere from 1.5-2.5 pounds (quite a variation if you ask me) and 13.5 inches long. She's growing more hair and baby fat this week!

Man, I wish I knew how unflattering these jeans were on my behind before now.... and I wish you could see the detailing of the cauliflower better, I was very impressed with Kevin's sketch, though him, notsomuch.

We went to a Halloween party this weekend, which I'll post about separately, but it was definitely interesting having to take a different approach to costume decision-making.

I look back at some of the pics in the early weeks and almost laugh.  Did I think there was a belly?  I think I tried. But it's ok, because I know in a few weeks I'll look back at this week and laugh. But how dare I laugh at that pitiful, first trimester me, who couldn't get any food down and didn't enjoy the sight, taste, or smell of anything.  Poor thing. I wouldn't mind never being in her shoes again.

News this week: Had my glucose test this week. After my first sip, I was rather excited... Hi-C!  Honestly, it's really not a big deal because it's not that big of a bottle, and it's not like you're being asked to gulp something heinous. But you hear all sorts of different (and dramatic) opinions about what this stuff takes like, it's more the anticipation of what it's actually like. Tasted like Hi-C on sugar steroids to me.

I was given the instructions to sip over a 5 minute period, not gulp. Well, 5 minutes goes by super super fast when you have 10 ounces of super sweet orange to drink. That last portion of the bottle I was smacking my lips trying to finish it. I take back my comment about it being good.  My stomach didn't seem too happy by it either.  Luckily Quest Diagnostics has a separate waiting area for those of us with waiting periods.... reclining chairs and a TV, though I spent my time taking pictures of the bottle and instagramming.

Baby P must have loved my Hi-C , because she was moving like crazy in that dreadful hour I had to sit in the lab. And there were a few moments when I thought I may hurl from an uneasy stomach.

All for you, Lil Princess. All for you.

Movement: Holy Cow, I never expected a baby living inside me to move as much as she does!  And they are no longer bumps, you can legitimately see her rolling across my belly. Doin' the worm. It looks like it has a mind of its own. Oh wait. She does.

Other news: I do feel as if I will single-handedly take down the rest of the world's forests due to the amount of bathroom breaks I take a day.  It is almost debilitating.  I can't do anything or go anywhere without needing a restroom break.  Luckily I mostly work from home so I can go as I please, but conversely, unluckily I mostly work from home so I am eating through our TP paper stash like there is no other.

Looking forward to:  Our ultrasound next week!! Can't wait to see how much our Baby Girl has grown in a 2 month span!!

Pregnancy Epiphanies

At some points during pregnancy, time feels like it is just dragging on, like every annoying and uncomfortable symptom will never end, like time is standing still, she will never arrive.  Other times, I feel like time won't stop, like we're on a speed train, like we'll never get anything finished before she gets here and we're totally unprepared to introduce her to this big, scary world.

And then there's the in between times. The times when life just goes on, where the day-to-day happens and being pregnant is just another part of life.  Work, cleaning, sleep, dishes, laundry, bills, all of the responsibilities of life.

Between the slow times, the quick times, and the day-to-day, she's still in there growing by the second.  And every couple of days, there is a moment where I look down at her and time. stands. still.

It's in these moments of realization when life just sort of pauses.  Every worry, every concern, every stress of life is muted, and every ounce of concentration is placed on the little human that is growing inside of me. And the gravity of what I am experiencing hits me: the fact that I am carrying a child that will be a part of my life indefinitely. These little moments where it just sinks in for a second. A vivid image of holding her in my arms consoling her as she cries, where I can almost make out what she may look like.

That little nudge I just saw make its way across my belly will soon be a newborn rocking in my husband's arms, a baby covered head-to-toe in baby food, an infant taking her first wobbly steps, a toddler tugging on our pups' ears, a child on her first day of kindergarten. The thoughts halt there because it's almost too much to take in. It doesn't seem real. And it will be here before we know it.

It is pure gratitude. Pure contentment. Pure serenity. 

All accompanied by the magnitude of being able to provide for and raise another human being.  Someone has given me the grandest gift this life has to give.

It's these moments that assure me that the hardships of these 9 months will all be worth it. I can only hope that I will be to her what she already is to me.

And then the dryer buzzes, my eyes shift from her, and life goes on.  Every movement, every kick in between, a gentle reminder of these miraculous pregnancy epiphanies. Each one just another step closer to her arrival.

I can't wait to meet you, Lil Princess.

Week 24: My Seminoles & My Chiefs

This week Baby P is the size of an ear of corn (or an eggplant, or a standard mailing letter). Different sources have her weighing quite a variety of different sizes, so we'll say she's anywhere from 1.25 - 1.5 pounds.

I've said this before and I'll say it again, it NEVER gets old feeling her move.  And as the weeks progress, we're able to tell more and more what the likely body part is that bumps out of my skin (at least we think).  She likes to hang out on the right side of my belly, well, that's where most of the movement is. And looking down at my belly, it doesn't feel as big as it looks when I see it in pictures.  It's still so surreal to me.

We had a wonderful party for my grandmother's 80th where we got to spend time with a bunch of family we don't get to see very often.  Not only did it give Kevin and I an opportunity to get a couple of photos together, but we also got to watch the Seminoles take down Clemson and claim the #2 spot in the first BCS poll. Go Noles!

You could tell at this point Kevin was done with our little mini photo sesh:

He's usually so cooperative with photos, though moments after this picture was taken he was snoring. I guess that explains it.  And what do I take from these photos?? Baby and I need some Vitamin D, like whoa.

New this week: My belly is starting to itch a bit as it seems to continue getting bigger (as it should be though, duh)! My aches and pains seem to be progressing as well.... my back is constantly sore and my feet always feel like I just hiked a 30 mile mountain trail.  This didn't make much sense to me since so far I haven't really gained that much weight, but I read that the increase in certain hormones can cause an increase in aches and pains. And I sure am enjoying the return of some acne and an oily/sweaty complexion (which Kevin tells me is my "pregnancy glow". Such a good man.).

Sleep:  Still sleeping crappy. I've mentioned I'm a tosser and turner, well the ligament pain I've written about seems to be exacerbated by rolling over in bed.  This constantly turns my brain immediately on any time I wake up to roll. I just want to sleep through a night before our Lil Princess gets here. Just one.

Exercise: Kevin and I have decided that I should no longer walk the Boys by myself, so we need him to join us in the morning before I head out to "jog". They are really good dogs and great on leashes, but they don't always do well with running into other dogs on our walks. Especially unleashed ones. With at least 170 pounds between them, we just don't want to take that chance.

For S&G's, here's a pic, because I can never get enough of taking pictures of my Boys, The Chiefs.

Keeping on topic with them:  I transferred their food and water bowls to a new place in the house, a little more out of the way. They seemed rather displeased, but they'll get over it.  I'm doing my best to make any changes to their lives as subtly and discretely as possible. 
 
Cravings:  As we speak, I am SERIOUSLY regretting not grabbing that slice of cheesecake at Publix.  I stood there in the bakery section for several moments contemplating grabbing it, but decided, eh, maybe next time.  BAD IDEA.  It is the only thing I can think about, and none of the other goodies we have stashed away here will satisfy this desire.

I. Want. Cheesecake. Now.

Week 23: yowzer on some ligament pain

This week Baby P is the size of a grapefruit.  She's approximately 1.1 pounds and can feel me dancing! Which works out well because she and I love to listen to some Frank Sinatra Pandora.

New this week: I believe I felt my first Braxton Hicks, at least what I think it is. It was rather subtle, but there was pressure in my lower stomach and my belly seemed firm.  I was more uncomfortable than anything else.

I also had some serious abdomen pains earlier in the week.  After chatting with the nurse and doing some online searching, I believe it's a serious case of round ligament pain.  For those that don't know, it's basically the ligaments in your stomach stretching to accommodate Baby! And it doesn't feel good! Man I learn something new about pregnancy every week because I had NEVER anticipated this. It's mainly been in the right side of my stomach and typically comes on when I roll over in bed, move suddenly, or sneeze/cough. One instance in particular I was in pure agony for well over a minute.  It felt like someone was cutting my ab muscle in half with a serrated knife. Because of this pain, I have felt like an actual preggo using my arms to help me get up. I look ridiculous.

Weight: No Clue.  But I will say that it is very, VERY strange to feel my belly resting on my legs when I go pee!!!

Wedding Rings: While my belly is steadily growing and the numbers keep increasing on the scale, my wedding rings have strangely gotten looser.  To the point that I don't feel comfortable wearing my engagement ring sometimes! Strange.

Cravings:  The pumpkin candy corn supply has been replenished!  Got me some Moe's this week, and man did it hit the spot. Other than that, I've been trying to cook as much as possible. Though Kevin made some brownies for the household that are rapidly diminishing, and I'm not so sure he's had too many!

It's fall craft time: front door wreath

It's really not fall until you've pull out all of your autumn colored faves and decided on a new craft project to freshen up your decorating. I started on this bad boy last month when Kevin was on his business trip.

I spent a lot of time pondering what I wanted my wreath to look like. Spent several painstaking hours searching pinterest and browsing Michaels, A.C. Moore, and Hobby Lobby.  Oh, the things you'll do to satisfy your creative desires.

Here is the final product:

I would love to give credit to a crafter for ideas, but if you do a search for "Fall Wreath" on Pinterest, you will see a plethora of ideas and create your own from what you see.

This wreath was pretty simple, unless of course, you are a perfectionist like me.  Anyway, here's the materials I started with:

While I didn't keep the receipts, everything in total came out to less than $23-24, with items from Michaels and A.C. Moore.

After laying it all out and getting an idea where I wanted everything placed on the wreath (yes each leaf and pumpkin meticulously placed one-by-one), I started on what would be the most difficult thing for me to accomplish: The bow.  I am terrible with tying bows, and it's even more difficult when you are working with something that is thick and not easily knotted like burlap.  So........ I faked it.

Instead of actually tying a bow, I looped the burlap and bunched it in the middle with the floral wire I had on hand.  Then I simply covered this little mess another small piece of burlap to make it look like the knot.

One thing to keep in mind with burlap is its uncanny ability to fray! I actually like the looks of the ends fraying without worrying about it continuing to fray.  So I put a small layer of hot glue on the back end of the burlap about a half an inch up.... that way it gives room for naturally fraying but won't ruin it.

After completing the bow, I started on the part that kills my perfectionism..... attempting to glue the leaves in the exact same spot I placed them when laying them out.

Woah-is-me.  They never go back exactly how they were placed.  Nevertheless, 10 glue sticks later they always still look good.

Then I painted the letter P, and spent a fair amount of time hot gluing this guy to make sure he stays on for a while.

The color doesn't look as pink in real life, it's a red with a metallic hue.

I finished the wreath by attaching the burlap bow with thin floral wire. And voila, the finished wreath.

My boys interrupting my photo sesh with the wreath (unfortunately caught with my iphone and not with my rebel). This wreath is just what my crafting itch needed, but just got my juices flowing.... ready to get back to the crafting table before it's too late to craft for fall!!





Week 22: is that a belly button?

Not a whole lot of changes happened this week, but Baby P is the size of a Papaya (or a spaghetti squash, or a small doll, depending on where you look). I cannot believe she is approximately 1 pound and expected to double in size in the next month!! So I anticipate my belly growing at a rapid rate from here.

It seems to be an every other week occurrence for me to ask Kevin if my belly hasn't grown. I get paranoid if I feel like I can't tell that my belly is growing. BUT, looking back over the weekly chalkboard pictures definitely eases my mind!!

New this week: My belly button is starting to stick out a bit.... It hasn't "popped" out, but as an innie, I've definitely never seen as much of it as I can.  I also have had an epiphany about the belly button ring I got on my 16th birthday. In an effort to let it "close" before we tried having kids, I stopped wearing rings in it well over 3 years ago.  Well, it's still there. And while I haven't put a ring in it, it is pretty clear that I could.  I will make sure my baby girl is aware of this before she tries talking us into one because I always thought that it would at least close!

Movement: Regularly, especially after I eat and when I lie down at night.  She seems to be sitting a lot lower than I thought she would be, still well below my belly button. Though, after our appointment today, she's just where she should be :). She likes hanging out on the right side of my belly and kicking Daddy when he gives her kisses (probably more appropriately, he likes to give her kisses when she's kicking).

Exercise:  I'm still keeping up with my walk/jog routine, but it's getting pretty pathetic. I've been getting short of breath quickly. And to top it off, I can't get too far from the house because the jostling motion has me needing to pee within minutes of getting out the front door! With all of this said, my desire to keep moving is still there, and exercise is my sanity.

Weight:  Checked in today at +7 pounds on the pregnancy, up FOUR pounds from last month! If Baby's going to double in size in the next month, I wonder what happens to me?!?!

Cravings:  Considering we "ran out" of Pumpkin candy corns and Candy Corn M&M's, I have had to settle on Swedish Fish (which I have had a stock pile of in a hidden cabinet). Other than that, I just cannot stop eating.  Literally, as soon as I'm finished eating, I want to eat something else. I'm at least trying to keep the selections healthful and sensible.

Boppy Total Body Pillow Review

For our anniversary last month (eek! already a month ago!), Kevin surprised me with one of the pregnancy pillows that I wanted. I mentioned in a previous post that I was deciding between two, which you can read at Week 14: Where have all the Zzzz's gone. He ended up getting me the Boppy Custom Fit Total Body Pillow (purchased at Target).

Now to go ahead and break it to you, this pillow ended up being returned.  I have back pain due to mild scoliosis, and this pillow had me waking up with SEVERE back pain.  I will elaborate more below.

While this one is the cheaper of the two ($54.99 at Target, though of course Hubs somehow got it for $43.99), it was the one I was leaning toward because of the ability to separate it into 3 segments (I'd prefer to use my own head pillow).  I have always slept with a pillow between my legs (I say pillow, I mean Pillow Pet) so I was excited about this.

One thing that I liked about this one is that it allowed me the capability to roll back and forth from one side to the other (because I did not have the head pillow attached).  The leg and stomach segments rolled with me. Here are the recommended ways to sleep with the pillow (sorry, they may be a bit difficult to see, and yes that is my reflection):

The stomach portion really didn't serve a purpose since my belly wasn't big enough to "rest" on it yet, but I kept it attached anyway so I didn't feel like we just bought a leg pillow. It also says you can flip it over to put behind your back, but that just didn't make much sense to me because the middle section is pretty flat. And the bottom portion would be flipped backward. It looks sensible in the picture above, but I can't imagine the stomach portion supporting that much.... but I didn't try it so I can't know for certain.

The leg part of the pillow is pretty long so it extends all the way passed your feet.  Though I think this is what enflamed my back pain. I think the pillow is TOO thick so my hips were pressing my back into the mattress.  This is my best guess anyway. I literally had a hard time getting up my back was in so much pain.

I think they could make the fabric a bit softer (it was rather stiff). But it says it's machine washable, which I would recommend because it had a chemically odor (when I say chemically, I'm referring to the type of smell of a brand new shirt).

Overall I like the concept of this pillow, but I think they have quite a few kinks to work out.  It is a reasonably priced pillow compared to some pregnancy/body pillows (which can be upwards of $100).

I think I'm going to hang my hat on the purchase of a pregnancy pillow.  I've nailed down a pillow regime that has me pretty comfy at night, however has left Kevin with pretty much nothing.