Friday, April 27, 2012

the bump is makin' moves

It amazes me that something so small can take up so much room so soon!  Baby kicks and fluttering make the expanding waist line 100% worth it.  I will eventually make these look a little nicer, but probably when I have found a new favorite photo editor.  In the mean time here ya go!

Happy weekending to you all.  I have very few plans.  After the craziness of last weekend I am looking forward to a little bit less stress.  Tomorrow my little sister-in-law has a roller derby bout in our neck of the woods.  She is such a little tomboy.  I love it.  She's part of the Brighton Junior Roller Derby and she is one tough cookie.  We can't wait to see her kick some butt!!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

pregnancy diary

Here is how the pregnancy diary is going so far...


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

it's just been one of those months...

Last month on March 18th DJ lost his grandma.  This month on April 18th I lost my grandma, Joyce Angelee Ball.  She lived in Tennessee and had been ill for a long time now.  She is truly in a better place and isn't in pain anymore.  I can't say enough good things about how sweet and kind she was.  The most positive and beautiful woman you could ever know.

This was part of a series of pictures my grandma sent to my grandpa while he was in the service.
My mom called me on Wednesday in the early afternoon.  I just knew something was wrong because my mom would know that I would be at work.  I happened to take a very early lunch and was able to answer my cell phone.  My mom was crying and told me that my grandma had passed away in her sleep.  I was speechless.  Literally speechless.  I didn't cry right away.  I told my mom I had to let her go.  I poured my cereal, ate lunch in silence and headed back to work.  I had a million things running through my mind.  I thought about how I would never hear her sweet southern accent say, "Buh bye, I love you." and I instantly sobbed.  I lost it in my truck that very moment.  I was about a mile from work and I just couldn't get it together.  I parked, wiped away my tears and walked through the door.  Instantly someone asked me if I was okay.  I could hardly say the words that my grandma had passed away.  Again I sobbed.  I walked immediately to the back room so clients didn't see me and my boss hugged me while I cried.  She drove me home and I spent the afternoon crying, cleaning and cutting fruit.  I just couldn't stop moving.  I needed to be doing something.  Laying there still was torture.

Gorgeous
 DJ came home and we made plans to drive down to Tennessee for the funeral services.  We left on Saturday and got in quite late.  It had been an exhausting few days and a 9 hour drive to Kingsport was a long one.  In the morning we met up with my aunt and uncle.  It was so great to see her and over the next two days we spent lots of time with them and she told me so many things that I never knew about my grandma.  It was sad but lovely to spend the time with family.

I've been sent lots of love and prayers from friends and family and they have not gone unnoticed.  Thank you to everyone for all the love.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

weekend inventory

Oh, Monday you really sucked.  I want to start over or go back to the weekend.  The lovely weekend. 

Today starts my 17th week of pregnancy and the babe is onion size.  I have decided these sizes they compare the growing fetus to are slightly screwy and make less and less sense.  It still makes me smile though.  I'm clearly going to be eating a ton of onions this week in honor of my onion size baby.  Even though they give me wicked heartburn.

Bruce / Leigh La and La Laura 

DJ adores Leigh / I've known Paul since elementary school and Leigh since middle school (our moms are friends too)
 The weekend went by too fast as usual.  Thursday night Bruce Springsteen, Friday night we went out for sushi at Kabuki AGAIN, watched the hockey game and when DJ left for his drop-in hockey I soaked in the tub and promptly fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow.  Saturday I worked for a little while and then DJ had a hockey game.  (they lost)  After hockey we went home to eat some dinner before heading out for a double birthday party in downtown Plymouth.  Unfortunately while waiting for my bestie to say she had arrived I fell asleep.  I have a very short window these days.  If I'm not out of the house before 11pm you better believe I will not be in a conscious enough state to function in a party setting.  I was super bummed when I woke back up at 1am.

17 week bump = elastic waist bands and wild outfit choices

donuts immediately followed sushi
berries and fruit dip in bed / grocery shopping in a maxi skirt
 Sunday I had zero motivation to get off the couch.  The thunderstorms, the Red Wings game and the sweet snoring doggies made it a, hang-in-your-pajamas-shower-and-then-put-a-new-pair-of-pajamas on kind of day.  I could have used one more of those days today, but alas I went to work like a trooper on Monday and came home to get our grocery shop on.  DJ said that the power had been out for about 2 hours and had just come back on.  I was so happy I had missed out.  Welp, we went to the grocery store and came home to find our power back out and out until 9-11:30 pm.  Huge bummer.  Not the way I was looking to spend my Monday.  It was ok though.  We lit candles and got real romantic over some Burger King :)  Happy Tuesday!

Friday, April 13, 2012

currently

I've been seeing a lot of this post over the past few weeks and after reading it on Sometimes Sweet (a favorite of mine) I finally decided to take part.



obsessing over - I am obsessing over my house.  I just want everything to be perfect before the baby arrives and I feel like there just isn't enough time.  There is so much to do and so little time to do it in.  I can't believe how quickly the time is passing by and between the inside project list and the outside project list being added to each day it gets a bit overwhelming.  I'm thankful that DJ is so motivated to accomplish my tasks that I put before him.  He is so excited to make things perfect for our baby bird and it is so stinkin' cute!  It makes me also obsess over him per usual.

working on - The mister and I are working on two big projects among a million little ones.  One of them we are keeping a secret and it may take us a little bit of time.  The other has to do with this blog and it's mostly me working on it.  Both of our projects are taking some research and while they are important we are really focused on making them work for us in the long run.  The first project has been something my man piece has wanted for a very long time and I think we are finally in a position to make it happen.  The second is all new territory and will take some getting used to.  If you're not moving forward, you're just standing still, right?

thinking about - I'm thinking about the life changes that are headed my way.  I'm trying to imagine myself as a mother.  I know for a fact that I will be a good one.  I have always wanted to be a mother and I feel that I am a nurturer by nature.  It makes my eyes swell with tears to imagine my child.  I want my child to grow up (not too fast) and have the best of everything.  Nothing that I do anymore will effect only myself.  My choices must take into account that I will have someone that looks up to me for guidance.  It's quite a responsibility.  The expectations are enormous.  I've even seen a change in DJ.  He's always talking about how great things are going to be.  We couldn't be more ready.

anticipating - May 8th.  The day our Baby Bloom becomes a him or her in conversation.  I am counting down the days.  It can't get here fast enough for me.  Time seems to just be flying by and yet that day does not seem to be getting here any sooner.  Everyone keeps asking if we want a boy or a girl.  I immediately say, "Girl!" and then DJ shows me up by saying, "It doesn't matter as long as it's healthy.", but behind closed doors he says, "Boy!"  Obviously we will be happy no matter what, but we both want to pass down our favorite things and hobbies to the same sex.  Plus one of us is soon going to be out numbered by the opposite sex.

listening to - I've been listening to a lot of classic rock.  I'm too lazy and unmotivated right now to find any new music so I'm sticking with the classics.  Feel free to send me suggestions, but don't send me anything shitty because I will judge you on your taste in music.  Just kidding.  Kind of.

eating - Kabuki.  Vegas rolls, the heart attack and anything else that is deep fried or baked of course because us pregnant chicks can't eat the delicious raw stuff.  I dream of the heart attack.  It makes my mouth water.  Luckily for me it makes DJ react the same way.  He doesn't even complain when I've asked for it 3 days in a row.  I'm only 16 weeks in to pregnancy and I just seeing this all consuming need for fried jalapenos getting worse and worse.  Baby looooves it though.

wishing - I'm wishing for more of the same.  I can't imagine being in a better place than I already am right now.  I know it makes people want to gag when you talk about how great things are, but I just don't want to be ungrateful for the good things I have.



Thursday, April 12, 2012

weekend inventory - super late

Last week was just kind of a rough one for me.  I had a few things that were really weighing on me and from what I have been told the way you feel can effect the baby.  I think that's why my dizziness was off the charts and the morning sickness came back in full-all-day-force on Friday.  It was kind of a miserable few days on Thursday and Friday but I took the afternoon off at work and went home to relax and be comforted by my hubby.  He can really put things into perspective for me.  He made me some food, watched t.v. with me and made me laugh.  I can't tell you how grateful I was and how much better he made me feel.


Saturday was Easter Eve, my funk was lifted and neither of us had to work so we went and did a little shopping for some more comfortable clothing.  I have not yet succumb to maternity clothes.  I am in a between state of belly bump.  It's not yet "popped" but my waist is ever expanding and my work pants have to be unbuttoned on the way home from work daily.  I have no problem fitting into a few pairs of jeans still, but I really have a "ate too much" size belly bump right now.  I'm certain that people are too fearful to ask me if I am pregnant when they see my mid grade level bump.  I feel the need to really stick that little bump out there so that no one gets the idea that I've let myself go.  After shopping we took an afternoon walk with the fur babies, found out that the rockin' robin from last year has returned to torture our family while protecting her eggs, had a short visit from the greatest mother-in-law (that brought us our Easter basket) and then spent the night as couch potatoes. 

my mama's puppies - Phoebe and Brody
 Sunday was Easter with my side of the family.  We went to my mom's, I forgot the deviled eggs, and the whole family was there.  It was so nice outside and we had the best conversations.  My mom also had Easter baskets prepared for DJ and I and they literally had the absolute cutest things for Baby Bloom packed inside.  We're so lucky to have such a great family.


This was posted slightly late this week because I have been extra exhausted.  Tonight is babies first concert though.  Bruce Springsteen and since I'm 16 weeks along, according to what I've read the baby can hear now.  Perfect timing right?

Friday, April 6, 2012

easter

Happy Good Friday!  Easter is this Sunday and I decided to dye Easter eggs.  Dye them adult style though, like look up Martha Stewart's website and make incredibly mature looking Easter eggs.  Well...apparently Martha takes eggs and blows them out first, as in doesn't hard boil them, blows that yolk out a tiny hole and then performs craft magic on the empty shell.

Let's just say I like my deviled eggs thank you very much and I didn't want to throw 12 eggs down the sink essentially.  I mean what's the point of dyeing Easter eggs if you're not going to eat them?  I guess that's not how I was raised or whatever.

Martha did teach me how to hard boil the shit out of an egg though.  Hello, perfection every time.  I do have a secret weapon though that cost about $1 from Bed, Bath and Beyond.  It's an egg timer that sits in the bottom of the pan and goes from bright red to dark red.  It's fool-proof.  



According to what I learned from Martha the best way to hard boil an egg is as follows:

1)  Place eggs in the bottom of an empty large pot (along with your rad egg timer).

2)  Fill pot with cool water just covering the tops of the eggs.

3)  Bring water to a boil on high heat, uncovered.  Keep at a boil for 10-20 minutes.  (or until your egg timer is all the way dark red)

4)  Take the pot of water off the heat and let sit until the water has cooled.

5)  Drain the water from the pot very carefully so that you don't crack any eggs and then run cold water over the eggs.  Hello, perfect hard boiled egg.

While I was boiling my eggs I was getting my egg dye ready.  I bought old school food coloring instead of those kits from the store.  Remember the point of dyeing eggs was still to make them adult style.  I had this image in my mind that regular food coloring would maybe make for more vibrant colors.


One other thing I did read while stalking Martha for Easter egg tips was that she recommends leaving the eggs in the dye for 10 minutes!  Double this time recommended on the food dye box.  Ok, here's where I decide to leave them in for 20 minutes because that must mean that I will end up with 4 times the vibrancy.
It didn't work.  Yes they are bright and all, but they still look eggsactly (see what I did there?) like how they looked when I made them growing up with my mom.  I was slightly defeated.  Such a let down.  I thought I would be eggcellent (ok done I swear) at this now that I am an adult, with patience and all that.  I spent the night thinking of ways to jazz them up, adult style.
Yesterday morning I knew I had to bust out my stamps.  No it's not terribly fancy but I did decide that it would be something I hadn't ever done when I was a kid and not something I had seen on Martha or Pinterest.


Lesson learned.  Easter eggs are meant to be child-like.  Happy Easter weekend!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

dream a little dream

I've had the craziest dreams since I found out I was pregnant.  I mean CRAZY!  If at any point through out the day I talk to someone, think about someone or see someone I will inevitably have a dream about them.  Not just any old dream though, a super-wild-makes-no-sense-at-all kind of dream.
dream catcher catchin' my dreams
  I had a dream last week that I was making out with Tim Tebow.  I don't even really know who the hell Tim Tebow is, besides that he plays football, prays and that him and Taylor Swift were rumored to have been dating.  Seriously that's the extent of my Tebow knowledge and yet I saw his face on the tv and the next thing you know I'm dreaming about him.

Not all my dreams are about kissing guys that aren't my husband though.  I also had a dream that I saved a baby owl from Jennifer Aniston's neighbor's house because I had heard from friends that Brad Pitt had been sending her flowers and visiting her to try to win her back.  Obviously that meant I should take a stroll (because apparently Jen and I live in the same hood) over to Jen's house, but when I went up to her house there were signs out front.  I'm a little fuzzy on what the signs said.  As I strolled passed her house though I discovered a tiny animal that was suffering underneath the mailbox at her neighbor's house and it turned out to be an owl.  I apparently in my dream had the skills to revive said owl and then I woke up.
she's so pretty
 The bottom line is that I have full blown insane pregnancy dreams and one of the best parts is that I actually have the ability to remember them long enough to repeat them to DJ in the morning, which is followed by him rolling his eyes, in support of course.  ;)

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

beating hearts baby

Last Monday was the second baby doctor appointment.  I was going to have the opportunity to hear Baby Bloom's heart beat.  I worked all day and drove straight over to the doctor's office.  I have an awesome doctor that was recommended to me from a friend and he is one of the sweetest and most encouraging doctors I have ever met.  We chatted and I asked questions.  He told me to stop believing everything I read on the internet.  It was a relief to hear that everything was looking great.  Weight, pressure, blood tests, other tests, etc, and then came the best part of all.  The blue goop!  The blue goop means that I get to hear that magical sound that echos through the halls as I make my way to my individual room for each appointment.  Now it was time for me to experience that melody for myself.  Let me tell you, it was music to my ears.  It actually took a few seconds to find Baby Bloom (which freaked me out) but the doctor said relax and to give him a second to find baby and low and behold in the "bottom right corner" as the doctor described it, was the baby.  The doctor said if he had to guess just by heart beat alone he would say girl.  The heart beat was very fast and apparently that can mean baby girl!

bi-lingual hearts from v-day



We scheduled THE appointment though for May 8th!  The Tuesday before Mother's Day.  It gives me goose bumps to think about knowing finally, and what better Mother's Day gift than to be able to shop for pink or blue, princesses or dinosaurs, ballet shoes or hockey skates!  Plus, I will get the chance to start narrowing down nursery ideas and baby names!  Pinterest has my mind on overload with baby nursery ideas, baby photos and baby outfits.  I've already made up my mind that there will be some kind of chandelier in my child's room.  End. Of. Story.

Speaking of Pinterest, I have seen a lot of maternity photo shoots and bump photos of all kinds.  I found two ideas that I knew from before I was pregnant that I was absolutely going to copy when I became pregnant.  The first was a series of photos from the very beginning of pregnancy to the end of the woman's ever expanding baby bump.  Blogger Jessica wrote the week and some little notes on a chalk board and took a picture every week or so. 


 The other idea was a diary.  A mommy blogger named, Johanna , has a few children now but her maternity diaries are quite well known on Pinterest and I sure loved the idea.  I started my own of both and I will be sharing it soon enough.  I'm trying to get caught up with it as we speak!





Monday, April 2, 2012

weekend inventory

This weekend was another short one.  Thankfully the upcoming weekend I won't be spending half my Saturday working! 

Saturday was pretty lazy after work though.  DJ and I both have allergy issues and the varying Michigan weather is no help.  After work, the two of us went to a few vintage shops and had lunch at our favorite local bar, Lowertown, followed by a much deserved nap.  DJ had a hockey game that I opted out of to remain in my pajamas and watch a million hours of Dateline that I had recorded.  I am obsessed with murder mystery type shows and documentaries and Dateline packs a mini murder mystery documentary in every episode.  TLC  plays them all day on Saturdays!!! 

This vintage shop had quite the set up.

On the way home DJ called to see if I was hungry.  Of course I was.  I made him stop and get me french fries and a shamrock shake from McDonalds because after seeing my lovely friend Marianne's Instagram photo of her shamrock shake I couldn't possibly go another minute without one myself.

Sunday started off a little slow and crabby.  Husband and I had decided that we were going to get cleaning out of the way right when we woke up and boy were we sour about that.  I fully intended on winning the lottery on Friday and never having to clean my own house again so you can imagine my attitude towards dusting and doing dishes.  Once we had finished cleaning and bickering about who had to swiffer the bathroom we got a call that we had two free tickets to the Red Wings game waiting for us on behalf of the ice arena that DJ rents ice from weekly for his team to practice at!  Baby Bloom's first Red Wings game!



That changed our mood instantly.  We headed down to the game and had the best time.  Our row even won free pizzas!  Hope you had a good weekend too!