1st Blog-iversary

1 year
365 days
357 blog posts
621 followers (WOW)

What a year it's been!

Over the last year my blog has become such a big part of me. I put a lot of time and care into it and it brings me great joy. I truly enjoy this crazy 'blog world' I am a part of and I have made some great bloggy friends, a few I have met in person.

When I first started this blog it captured my journey of being engaged, then came married life, and then very quickly after came pregnancy! This blog has always followed me along the journey and will continue to with all my crazy changes.

Thank you for all the support, advice, and comments. I appreciate them all!

I am looking forward to another year of blogging and life adventures. The journey has just begun!

iPhone 4G

I wasn't really up on all the hype for this new phone. I have the last model of the iPhone and have always loved it.

I am on my companies plan at work and I just learned that I am eligible for an upgrade (as of May). I decided to go ahead and get it!

I learned my ATT store would have them today at 7am and this was the only way to get one since I missed the pre-order and there was NO way I was standing in the crazy ass lines at the Apple Store.

So I went early and stood in line, it wasn't too bad. Got the phone, just need to wait until it activates. There system is really busy, go figure.

So yes I am one of the crazies that stood in line for this thing, hope it's worth it, so far so good!!

Hubby's First Triathalon

Yesterday we got up bright and early to go watch D compete in his first triathlon. It was very exciting to watch him!! He did such a great job and I am so proud of him!

Weather cooperated for the most part, a few spots of rain but that's what umbrellas are for. It was actually pretty cool which was good for all the athletes!

Big Foot (Olympic length) Triathlon
June 27th, 2010

Waiting to start!

Starting out on the 25m bike!

My mom, Bella (past out), and I dodging the rain waiting at the finish line! (I don't even look pregnant in this picture...??)

Crossing the finish line!

Boy or Girl??

Today @ 8am we find out if I'm cooking a boy or a girl. I can't wait!!!

I have been so up and down with what I think it is. D has said boy from day one. I am leaning towards boy now but my first gut feeling was girl...??

I still keep thinking about the boy goodies we 'possibly saw' at 12.5 weeks, our u/s tech had a strong feeling it was indeed some boy junky junk.

Thanks for all the votes on the gender poll. It's been pretty dead even the whole time, it ended with Boy in a slight lead.

***

We are doing our big gender reveal this weekend at our annual 4th of July party at my In Laws lake house, most of our friends and close family will be there. I will post results after the weekend, sorry for the long wait! We are also doing our name reveal, we have not shared names with anyone yet, not one person! I am excited to finally let that secret out!

19 weeks

How far along: 19 weeks


Maternity Clothes: Got some tops, a 'we love Cubs' one too, it's really cute. A pair of shorts for my Arkansas trip since it's going to be 100*! I'm not typically a shorts person but these are cute.

Best Moment of the Week: A stranger asked me when I was due, it was actually a man too. Gutsy of him actually but still cool for me.

Movement: My little one is practicing for the World Cup 2035, definitely some soccer kicks in there.

What I'm looking forward to: Gender ultra sound on Monday, as in 3 days!

Weekly Wisdom: Time flies, enjoy every minute of it! Even if you feel like poo!

Milestones: Almost half way through this pregnancy!

According to babycenter.com: baby is 6" long! This picture looks really uncomfortable, LOL!

Hubbys Triathalon

This Sunday (27th) my hubby is doing his first triathlon in Southern Wisconsin. It's Olympic length (1m swim, 25m bike, 6m run) and he has been busy training these past few months. I am so very excited to be there for him! I am proud of you babe!

We are going to watch him finish on Sunday morning, let's hope for good weather for all of us!!

PS. now that you are all skinny from all the training can you please gain some sympathy weight with me :-)

Pregnant Celebs

I have been following along with celeb news and who I will be sharing my pregnancy with. Since its that time when the ones that are similar in due date are just starting to come out now/ and show I have a few preggo celebs friends.

Well, not friends but I can pretend and follow along! These are the ones with similar due dates, Fall/ early winter.

Khloe Kardashian and hubby Lamar. Is she or isn't she...??? Certainly looks like a bump forming?? I hope so, love her!

Mariah Carry and Nick Cannon. Kind of confirmed pregnancy but no 'official' word.

Kelly Preston and John Travolta. She is much older and it's a little strange to me to be honest but happy for them to be expecting after there loss!

Celine Dion and her hubby via in vitro after many tries. They have confirmed it's twins too!

Alicia Keys and her bf.

I think a few more may pop up in the next month!! Did I miss anyone?

Family Vacay

It's almost vacation time!!! We are going July 9-15/16! It's me, D, and my P's.

My family (mom's side) is having a reunion in Arkansas this year. We do this like once every 10 years.

It will be good to see people I haven't seen in forever and some I probably don't remember. I have never been to Arkansas but I here it's beautiful, I am excited to try out a new place. I also get to see my grandparents and show them the baby bump!

The funniest part of the trip...we are taking an RV...yes riding in style.

Let me explain: my family (mom, step dad, D, and I) do not do RV's typically. We are the type that flies and stays in nice hotels with pillow beds. Our pre-arranged lodging for the reunion is bunk style dorms for each family (my grandpa is considered one family so everyone that goes with him). We didn't really want to share a big room so the idea came up to rent an RV to get there and sleep in???

I must say I am excited for this trip. I haven't been in an RV since I was very young and a road trip sounds fun and different. And...I will have access to a bathroom ALL the time...pregnancy priorities!

Bella will be joining us on this adventure. She does well in the car so I think the RV will be fine for her. Hopefully she is an 'easy' companion the whole week.

Favorites of Spring

It's officially SUMMER!!!

Here is the best of Spring...

Favorite Movie: Shrek Forever After 3D! Hilarious!!

Favorite TV show: LOST, the final season. So sad it's over for good. I still have mixed feelings about the final season, it's been weird, but overall this is been my favorite show of all time!!

Favorite Food: Watermelon, pregnancy cravings!! I can't get enough of them!

Favorite Memory: Getting a positive pregnancy test!! And seeing our little ones heart beat on the ultra sound for the first time.


Favorite Clothes Item: My eternity loop scarves. I bought it in pink and loved it so much I went back and got it in blue.


Favorite Event: Sharing our pregnancy news with our families Easter weekend!

AND

MOVING!!!!!

Favorite Read: Pregnancy books is all I have been reading lately, my fave is Your pregnancy week by week.

Favorite Cocktail/ Drink: Since I am out of commission on the 'real' cocktails I have been loving Izze sparkling sodas!

18 weeks

How far along: 18 weeks

This week brought the flu!!! It was pretty awful. I snuck into work on Tuesday during lunch to catch up on emails and ended up feeling worse, I should have listened to hubs when he warned it was a bad idea but I needed to leave the couch. So after many days of rest, hand washing, natural cough drops, lots of bad day time TV, and more rest I am finally feeling better!

A front view for you. Mostly all belly so far.

Best Moment of the Week: After a long week of being sick having baby kicking away and letting me know (he/she) is doing fine.

Movement: Kicks are getting stronger each day.

Food Craving: Since I was sick I was just trying to get anything healthy down I could. Lots of cereal-soy milk.

What I miss: Cold medicine and NyQuil!

What I'm looking forward to: GENDER!!!

According to babycenter.com: baby is about 5.5" long!

Pale Vista

We have paint!!

It only took 2 trips to the paint store and 4 sample cans ($7 each..ouch!).

We picked Benjamin Moore Pale Vista (2029-60). We love it. My parents came over and we all starred at the wall for about an hour and decided on the perfect color. During this hour there was a second trip made to the store for a lighter color, which ended up the winner.

The winner, far left. It is slightly darker in person. A very serene-zen green. We liked the other 2 as well but over the whole room would be way too green.

Our cleaned out nursery, plus Marley and the birth ball (exercise ball). Our 4 paint options and yes the one on the far right does look like baby food peas in person too, LOL. We wanted a variety of shades to compare.

The closet with our cube organizer from Target.
This is the start of our baby goodies, including a super cute Bear from our friends Adam and Liz and (3) hand made nit blankets from my great-gma.

Under the weather

The flu + pregnancy = awful!!!

Whatever my husband had last week he has given to me, thanks hun! I have been living on my couch for the last 3 days trying to rest and am finally feeling human again today. I went into the office at lunch time and hope I don't regret that decision, already feeling tired.

It's been tough not being able to take anything but natural cough drops while being sick, it definitely prolongs things but baby and I have survived our first flu together and hopefully the last!

Luckily no trips to my midwife to get an IV (she does them at her office if needed to avoid the hospital) and baby is kicking and seems happy in there despite all we've been through the past few days. My appetite is back and feeling much more hydrated!

Hopefully everyone is staying away from whatever bug is going around!!!

17 weeks

How far along: 17 weeks

Maternity Clothes: Bought a new pair of skinny maternity jeans....LOVE! Sevens of course but ON SALE!!!

Sleep: I now have a million pillows on the bed. Thank god we have a king!! Sleeping better but still not great.

Best Moment of the Week: Had our monthly check up on Tuesday and got to hear the heart beat. One of the best sounds in the world! It was strong at 148.

Movement: I am feeling the baby. I doubted it at first but it's definitely the baby! The little flutters are SO cool!

Food Craving: Still watermelon. My mom bought me one at Whole Foods that was the BEST watermelon I have ever had!!!! So good!

Gender: I have been having lots of BOY dreams. We find out June 28th at 8am, I had to get the first appointment they had, LOL!

What I'm looking forward to: Starting the nursery this weekend! Cleaning the room out and looking at paint, hopefully buying paint too! I ordered some of the bedding to color compare with the paint, LOVE the bedding! We decided on green for the walls.

Weekly Wisdom: Patience is a virtue!

According to babycenter.com: baby is over 5" long!!

LISA LEONARD WINNER

The winner is:

Lucy @ Lucy's Life

You have won a $60 Gift Card to Lisa Leonard online. Enjoy!

Email me with your contact email and I will forward along to her.

livelovelaughblog@yahoo.com

(winner was picked using random number generator)

Village People?

Bella decided to run off and join the Village People, she's the construction worker of course!

She looks so cute in my plastic mixing bowl even though she hated every second of it!

Today is the last day to enter my Lisa Leonard Giveaway. Winner announced tomorrow morning.

Labor: What I have learned

I have been doing lots of research on labor and have taken a healthy pregnancy class offered through my midwife. So far I have learned a ton about labor and preparing for labor.

Our class teacher, who is a Doula, gave me lots of insight into how to prepare. It's so great to have this small community who support natural birth and the whole process, it's so cool and empowering!!

She compared birth to an iron man. And when someone signs up to do an iron man they do all they can to prepare and train for that one event. Labor is the same way.

So what do you do if you are training for an iron man (labor):

1. Exercise to train your muscles
For labor you would train 'those' muscles as well. Doing 100-200 kegals a day will help you be extremely strong in labor. Also walking or some kind of exercise to get you ready for a long labor. Average in first time moms for natural labor is 12-24 hours.

2. Eat healthy-Good nutrition
This is important in pregnancy. Studies have shown that a proper healthy diet can eliminate most risks that can develop in pregnancy: pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, even breach due to high birth weight. This blew my mind how much control I have on how those complications can or can't effect me. Though I do love sugar I am trying really hard to follow a good diet.

3. Research
Asking others about birth, getting advice, and reading!! I have ordered 3 books/ 1 movie I hear are very good for natural birth.

Mind Over Labor by Carl Jones
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
Orgasmic Birth(movie)-yes the tittle throws you off a bit but it's a great documentary about natural birth.

I also picked up a birth ball, which is an exercise ball. This is used in my labor and can be used to help with my posture along the way. It's good practice to strengthen my core. Bella is terrified of it...LOL...she just barks and growls at it!

4. Mentally prepare
I have heard from a few Douala's and my midwife that 90% of labor happens between the ears, meaning it's mostly mental which I think makes a ton of sense. Mind over matter and the power of thought! Daily affirmations also help. I truly believe 'I can do this' and they told me that is a huge powerful thought to have.

This has been so helpful. I have a lot of work (and training) still to do but I am committed to the process!!

****

One thing I have been asked by others and have been a little scared of myself is 'tearing' with a natural birth. I got an awesome explanation from my Doula about this.

First, if I do my kegals my likely hood of tearing is low because my muscles are strong. It's like trying to bench press a ton of weight with weak muscles, you will most likely hurt yourself because your muscles can't handle the weight. Same with child birth, strong muscles will aid in an easier delivery.

Second, with an epidural women can't feel down there and are more likely to tear because they can't feel when to stop and go on there own. Making a tear more common. With natural labor women can feel when it's too much and can stop on there own to avoid a tear.

It is still possible to tear and in that event my midwife has all the tools to stitch me up with a mild numbing shot and clotting medicine if I bleed too much. Hopefully I wont tear and I am confident with what I learned that I wont, but I am not naive to that fact that it still can happen.

****

One other thing I learned that amazed me is how relaxed (home) births actually can be. I grew up seeing movies with these screaming women in labor who were in terrible pain. Yes, labor is painful but with the right environment, preparation, and trained people to help you through, it can be a peaceful, relaxed, magical experience. This is exactly the experience I am striving for. I know now that it IS possible, again with lots of preparation, but this is possible.

It has made me not really scared for labor. I don't see it as this traumatic event that I HAVE to go through/ suffer through. I see it as this beautiful day I get to experience and the day I get to meet my baby.

I am keeping an open mind through this, anything can happen and plans change in a second but you go with the flow!

(sorry so long winded post...again these are just my opinions/ experiences and my approach to labor/ pregnancy)

LISA LEONARD GIVEAWAY

I have once again teamed up with the fabulous Lisa Leonard to host a giveaway!!

She has a great selection of personalized necklaces, bracelets, and other goodies including some great Dad gifts.

We are giving away a $60 Gift Card to use on any of her items online.

Here are a few of my faves...

To Enter:

Leave a comment telling me the item you would choose if you won.

You have until Thursday 10th the enter.

Winner announced FRIDAY 11TH!!

(US and Canada shipping)

Lisa's website
Lisa's Blog

Randoms

*I still have not seen Sex 2. The more I hear bad reviews the less I want to see it. Maybe I will wait for On Demand?

*SOOOO excited for Eclipse to come out. We are going Thursday that week, we already planned it!

*I get to hear our baby's heart beat today at my 4 month check up.

*I still love SYTYCD! So glad it's back on for the summer.

*I really hate my cat today. Why must you meow at 4am/ 5am/ 6am??

*We are starting the nursery this weekend. Clear out the 2nd bedroom, assemble the closet cubes I bought at Target, look at paint and possibly buy paint. I decided on green, hopefully we find one we like. I ordered some of the bedding to help pick a color.

*My husband has food poisoning today, hope he is able to make it to the dr appointment.

*I spend WAY too much money at Starbucks!

*After trying almost all the flavors of Izze I learned I only like one, Blackberry, and I hate the fruit on it's own.

*I decided to do custom M&M's with the name on it for the gender/ name reveal at 4th of July.

Mom bracelet

Once I got pregnant I really wanted something to symbolize that I am becoming a mom. I have always loved the mother-child designs from Janel Russel. I saw this bracelet and loved it! I ordered it for myself and I rarely take it off. It has such a special meaning to me.

After we find out the gender I want to get a necklace with his/her initial on it, since we have names picked!

Bracelet found here.

***
Derek got me this sweet figurine for Mother's Day. I just love it!!


Do you have something special that you got or were given to celebrate being a mom?

16 weeks

How far along: 16 weeks

We have a belly!!

This week brings many round ligament pains aka growing pains. My belly has def popped and I have the pains to prove it! I swear you wake up one day and just suddenly have a belly!

Sleep: Not great. I get up at least 3-4 times to pee. The side sleeping is a slow adjustment.

Best Moment of the Week: No sickness at all!

Movement: Not yet but SOON!

Food Craving: Watermelon!! And more watermelon!

What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach and back!

What I'm looking forward to: Gender in 3ish weeks!!

Weekly Wisdom: You think your big now, just wait till 3 months from now!

Milestones: 4 months pregnant!

According to babycenter.com: baby is about 4.6" long.

Hubby's B-day

Since you are 28 today, here are 28 (of a million) reasons why I love you:

1. You love me for me
2. You rub my feet whenever I ask with little to no resistance
3. You melt my heart the way you adore Bella
4. You always put the toilet seat down, well 99.9% of the time
5. You tell me I'm beautiful every day
6. You love the Cubs!
7. You accept my purse obsession, you don't like it, but you accept it
8. Your understanding for my 'quiet time' first thing in the morning before work
9. You support my blog and read it daily...the comments too
10. You feed the cat at 5am when he wakes us up to eat
11. You do all the laundry and fold it perfectly :-)
12. You drive through Starbucks all the time to feed my tea addiction
13. You support me always: bad moods, bad days, all of it
14. You challenge and push me to be better
15. You are so supportive of me being pregnant and understand my needs
16. You carry things for me as to not put too much strain on the baby
17. You remind me not to take things so seriously all the time
18. You never judge me when I have a McD craving, you will even eat it with me
19. You put in the time and do growth work/ couples coaching with me to improve our relationship
20. You ask how I'm doing everyday and if I need anything, I feel very cared for with this pregnancy
21. You are my best friend (Queen song just popped in my head)
22. Even though you are a Packer fan you did buy me a Bears jersey
23. You have taken over 85% of the pet duties to help me out
24. You read the baby books every week
25. You make me laugh all the time
26. You love the Twilight series and tell me all about the book before the movie comes out because I refuse to read them
27. You understand how much I hate trash and take it out every time
28. You are going to be an amazing father

(Our Reception Nov 21 2009)

Maternity dress

This is my new dress purchase, love it!!

I actually wore it on Monday but who's keeping track!

All I seem to want to wear is comfy flowy dresses! Even my jeans with the band seems like a straight jacket!

Nursery Furniture

We picked the furniture!!! I am in love with it.

My parents have generously offered to buy the set for us, so nice of them!! We will get it some time in June and then once the gender is revealed we can go full force on the nursery...can you tell I'm itching to nest??

I have always pictured white for a wood color when I thought of my nursery, luckily D easily agreed. We found the set we loved on Babies R Us online and we happen to have a store 1/2 mile from our house. We went to look at it and it's gorgeous!!!

The crib has the 3 in 1 converter to be a toddler bed and then a twin bed. The changing table can later double as another short dresser.

Set found here.

The bedding we like is from Pottery Barn Kids and is actually a gender neutral set that can be dressed up with pink or blue since both colors are in it. Since there is a bird/ tree theme with the bedding I would love a tree wall decal. They have some cute matching owl stuffed animals to go with the set too. I love the colors, I think there is a million options for decorating!

Bedding found here.

Owls found here.

So my question: What color walls do you think? For boy? For girl?