Weekending

Some people like to keep their weekends busy, filled with all the things that could not be fit into the rest of the week. Some people go the relaxation route, taking 2 full days off and leaving all the worries of the week behind. And some people like to mix it up depending on the weather, current mood or simply what seems most fitting. We are these mix it up people. 

Saturday morning I got up early for a much needed and long overdue haircut and highlight. I always feel so refreshed afterward, like that fresh and clean feeling when you get a shower after a tough workout or organizing your home. I was in such a good mood I cleaned the floors, drank iced coffee on the deck in the sun and even did the grocery shopping, which I almost never do on a Saturday afternoon. Chris had his day full with dog training so we did our own thing until early evening. My little sis turned the big 2-5 last weekend but was in California at the time so we had a belated dinner celebration at a nice restaurant. 

Sweater / Phone Case

I saw this recipe for vanilla cinnamon pancakes on Pinterest last week and was up early again Sunday to give them a whirl. I used our griddle and added cinnamon syrup and strawberries and I'm surprised that between Chris and I there were still any left over. We walked it off at the park since it was a beautiful sunny day. It's good to spend one on one time with the dogs every now and then when you have 4 of them so we just took Chaos and he was loving having both of us to himself. 

We went our separate ways for the afternoon so I could go shopping with my mom for maternity jeans and he could log more dog training hours and run a few errands. I'm still in between my regular jeans being pretty tight but not quite big enough for maternity yet. We did find 2 cute pairs at the Gap Outlet that fit okay for now but I'll definitely be able to grow into them in the coming weeks. They were only $9.99 each! Target was a bust as I'm nowhere close to getting in their maternity line yet but instead I came home with a cute wire basket for blankets in our living room and a decorative wood + metal lantern that I just love. Chris and I reunited for an evening walk and then grilled out for dinner. Beef burgers for him, veggie burger for me. We watched one of our DVR'd shows and called it a night. 

The weekends always seem to fly by so quickly, no matter how we spend them. But there is a satisfaction to one that is productive, relaxing and fun. Have a great week friends!

Friday I'm in Love

I’m so excited Friday has come again but I can’t get over this ridiculous weather we are having. One day it’s sunny and I’d swear it feels like Spring and the next we’re barely above freezing with snow flurries. Say what? I think the best plan of action for getting dressed is layers. Then I just peel them off throughout the day if necessary. Of course an iced coffee goes with any outfit so I’m all set.

We just got our new couch delivered this week and I never thought I’d be so in love with a piece of furniture. I’ve always liked a nice neutral look and Chris and I both wanted a sectional but I didn’t think it would be so easy to find something with the right price. While shopping with my mom we lucked out on a President’s Day sale with free delivery and so far, we couldn’t be happier with the purchase. We even paid a bit extra for the non-toxic stain resistant coating since we live in a zoo and have a human baby exhibit set to open this summer. It came with 6 throw pillows but I’m opting to just keep 2 and choose my own patterns for the rest. I just ordered a few from this Etsy shop and can’t wait to add them!

And speaking of décor, I ordered this print for the big gallery wall above the couch I’m planning and this print for something pretty and seasonal  to frame on our sofa table. Since taking down the festive Valentine’s Day pieces things are looking a bit bare again so I also grabbed this cute egg crate and these springy berry baskets as the season gets ready to change over.

I think I’ve done a pretty good job of controlling my intense desire to buy all the baby things but I could not pass up this beautiful swaddle. I have a thing for both elephants and navy blue plus it’s gender neutral, will work with the navy accent color we have decided on in the nursery and is beyond adorable. I’m currently working my way through this book because it’s been recommended by so many people and since I was reading all about swaddling I figured I should get at least one to practice. See, my baby purchase is totally reasonable.

Happy Friday!

20 Weeks

Hoodie/Jeans

****Sorry guys, this was posted yesterday but for some reason reverted to draft****

I can’t believe I’m halfway through this pregnancy. 20 weeks down, 20 to go. I’m feeling pretty great these days and I hope it lasts! I’m up 9 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight, all of which I gained between 13.5 weeks and 20 weeks. I was a bit alarmed that nearly 10 lbs packed on in that short timeframe but I was reassured I am right on track. A lot of women don’t gain a pound in the first trimester and then gain 5-10 lbs between weeks 15-20 as the baby hits a growth spurt. I’m guessing this is what happened to me because I don’t have a scale at home so I wasn’t weighing myself between doctor appointments. I can still button most of my pants and jeggings but I am either belly banding or using the hair tie trick on everything else or just rocking leggings. I’m actually wearing a pair of maternity jeans in this week’s picture, but I don’t which have the belly to keep them up yet without constant tugging. I make a point not to be flat on my back too long during workouts which means doing a standing version of many core/ab exercises. I was a bit annoyed at first because it’s not what I’m used to but now I’m finding the switch up is kind of fun. I always go to sleep on my side with my trusty Dottie Cane between my knees but I have woken up in the middle of the night on my back. Sometimes this is accompanied by tingling hands/feet, which I now know is pretty common during pregnancy. I just move around until the feeling returns and roll over to go back to sleep. Baby P is moving so much these days but I feel it most often in the morning after breakfast, around lunchtime and when I’ve settled down for the night before bedtime. I’m starting to miss eggs over easy (my favorite) and find myself pinning fun summery cocktails lately, but all in good time.

 

Symptoms: Does all the wiggling count? That's the most constant reminder that I am in fact pregnancy these days. I still love me all the sweets and have especially been wanting iced coffee. There is a Starbucks just down the street from my office so I've given in more than I usually would and run down for an iced vanilla coffee with coconut milk. I'm blaming this all on the baby because drinking it almost always sets off a tummy party. I'm still getting some hip and lower back soreness here and there, nothing major, and the tingly hands/feet in the middle of the night. Negative symptoms are at a minimum and I'm definitely thinking is the really fun part of being pregnant.

20 Week Ultrasound

I’ve heard it called The Anatomy Scan, The Anomaly Scan and The Level 2 Ultrasound, but they all refer to the same thing, an in depth second trimester ultrasound. Somewhere around 20 weeks aka the halfway point, this scan is scheduled to take all kinds of measurements, look at all the baby’s parts and ensure development is on track. If you choose to find out the sex of your baby, you might be able to get that news as well if you haven’t already (you little devils who can’t wait).

Chris and I headed to this very scan last Friday afternoon, 20 weeks +1 day into my pregnancy, very excited. We came away from it over an hour later, still very excited, and relieved all is well, but also with a LOT of new information. Just in case any first time moms out there haven’t hit this milestone yet, I thought I’d share our experience in hopes it may be a bit helpful. What is super cool about this ultrasound is that the tech is basically your tour guide, showing you around and pointing things out. We saw the parts of the brain, all the internal organs, the blood pumping through the chambers of the heart, the spine, the arms and legs and eye sockets and even counted fingers and toes. She took lots of measurements, recorded the heart rate (156) and calculated the baby’s weight (14 oz). Each time she took pictures and typed into her computer and we anxiously awaited her consistent, this is normal. The scan actually lasted quite a while due to the fact that baby P is QUITE the wiggly worm and the poor tech was literally chasing he or she around my uterus. It’s a good thing we didn’t want to find out the sex because our little one wouldn’t have cooperated anyway.

A long strip of pictures was printed and handed to us and the tech said she was going to show the doctor and would be back. This didn’t raise any alarm bells for us because she hadn’t voiced any concerns during the scan. I’d never had this type of scan before so I just assumed it was a normal step of the process. The tech returned with a doctor a few minutes later and she took over with the wand, bringing our baby back onto the screen. We went over the area where my uterine wall is thickened, also known as a fibroid. This wasn’t news to me because the tech noticed it at the first 8 week ultrasound. Apparently these are incredibly common and very rarely cause any type of pregnancy or delivery problems. My doctor wasn’t at all concerned at our first appointment following the scan so I wasn’t either. The hospital doctor then showed us a big gray blob on the screen which I know recognize as the placenta. In most pregnancies the placenta in a posterior position, or in the back of the uterus, but it can also at the top (fundal), on the side (right/left) or in the front (anterior). This means nothing to the baby as long as it’s functioning properly and has no significance on the health of the pregnancy. Mine just so happens to be anterior, directly on the front side of my uterus and right beneath the fibroid. Have I lost you yet? The doctor was quick to assure me this wasn’t anything worrisome but that she was going to recommend a 32 week scan just to be sure this combination doesn’t cause any issues. We had a good laugh about the fact that baby P had decided to take a new position which made it look like he or she was driving a car, pedal to the metal and all. And then the doctor pointed out the “bright spot” on the baby’s bowel. I had no idea what that meant but it didn’t sound like a good thing. I’m not going to go into too much detail here but basically this is a classic case of the soft marker. In my opinion these totally suck. Basically it’s anything seen on an ultrasound that could possibly mean something is wrong, although most of the time it either means nothing at all or it’s not really what it appears to be and just looks that way on the scan. This bright spot apparently shows up all the time and there can be a bunch of reasons for it. If you had first trimester bleeding, that is the single most likely explanation. If not, you still aren’t supposed to sweat it because there’s about a 1-3% chance it’s indicative of something more serious and even less chance of that if no other markers of those issues are observed. Sooooo the little teensy tiny soft marker could scare the crap out of you for nothing. In my case, I’m not worried. There were no other reasons to assume something ominous and again, the doctor didn’t seem concerned. Maybe that’s just my personality, maybe I’m just overconfident or maybe it’s instinct telling me it’s all good. But I felt like sharing this might be helpful in one way or another or at least just to let you know, your baby has the biggest chance of all of being TOTALLY FINE.

I’ll follow up with my doctor at our next regular appointment in about 2 weeks and go over everything again so I can report back to y’all with any additional information I gain on these topics. The biggest things we took away from this scan are that this little munchkin is a mover and a shaker, has legs for days and a good chance of being left handed, is less than cooperative (okay, stubborn) and most importantly, is right on track with development and absolutely perfect in our eyes. Some women report feeling movement less frequently, less intensely, and/or later in the pregnancy with an anterior placenta. Think about it, the placement of it can act as a cushion between you and the baby, muffling everything. But for me, this hasn’t been the case. I realize I don’t have any other pregnancies for comparison, but I started feeling movement at the beginning of the second trimester and it’s steadily increased each week. I definitely feel a lot more on my sides and down low as opposed to in the center of my tummy, but the kicks/punches/rolls can all be felt from the outside so I’m not just making this shit up in my head. If I’ve gained any wisdom from this pregnancy so far, it’s not to compare. I’m unique from the next pregnant woman and so is my baby. My experience is and will be just that, mine. Just because something isn’t common doesn’t mean it’s wrong. We each have our own normal and it could be 100% different even from someone who walks, talks and acts just like us.

Okay that was a friggin’ novel and I applaud you if you read it all. I’m now going to go stare some more at my picture reel from the scan and suck down this iced coffee, which will most likely result in my kid kicking the crap out of me. And I LOVE it.

Meet Tigger

A couple weeks ago I casually mentioned that we are now a 4 dog household. I’m sure that completely took a lot of you by surprise because I had not mentioned anything up until that point, plus it may seem a bit crazy with a baby on the way. Well, I haven’t been putting off explaining but I felt like this topic deserved a lot more than a simple introduction of the newbies. So I’m going to give them each their own post and I’ll start with Tigger because she’s the oldest.

Over 7 years ago Chris adopted Tigger, previously named Angel, when her former owners wanted to get rid of the 2 year old boxer/shepherd mix. I will never understand why or how anyone could give this girl up. Chris didn’t think her name was fitting and with her new home came a new name. Her brindle coat gives the appearance of tiger stripes all down her back and I guess Tigger just seemed better fitting than Tiger. The name also happens to suit her in that like Tigger from Winne the Pooh, she bounces around when she’s excited. Our oldest dog is around 9 years old now and although her muzzle has gone gray with age, she’s got quite the pep in her step and loves to wiggle around for belly rubs. I was so happy to capture her silly personality in some pictures this weekend. Big Shepherd ears, a Boxer physique and tail and a thick fluffy coat make her pretty adorable but also well suited for romping around outside, which is where she used to spend a lot of her time. When Chris lived at home there was a fenced in yard where the dogs stayed all day and then slept in a cozy little spot of the garage at night (or if the weather was bad).  I knew Chris was never thrilled about having to leave his girls behind when living in the condo with me and vowed to pick them up when we purchased a house with room for 4 dogs. These days Tig has retired to mostly indoor living with the occasional romp in the yard, and she’s not complaining.

One of the first things Chris did when he picked Tigger up was give her a bath. While scrubbing her belly he felt something that didn’t seem quite right. A lump on the belly of an older spayed female dog is definitely a red flag and he didn’t hesitate to let me know he was scheduling her a vet appointment ASAP. Blood work from that appointment confirmed she was in stellar health and the recommendation was to proceed with surgical removal of the lump. There was no way to know if we were dealing with a benign growth or cancer without sending a biopsy out to the lab. Our vet advised the lump should come off anyway so skipping ahead to surgery would be best. The following week she was scheduled for the removal and a chest x-ray that morning confirmed the isolated location of the tumor in her mammary gland. Thankfully the surgery went smoothly, the lump came off easily with no indication of internal spread and Tigger woke up groggy but doing well. They kept her overnight for observation and she was all smiles by the time Chris picked her up in the morning. She had 2 weeks of pain meds and antibiotics plus TLC and rest before the stitches came out and we found out the results of the tumor biopsy. We were incredibly relieved that it was the lowest grade of cancer possible and not likely to return. Tigger has healed like it never happened and will have check-ups every 6 months just to make sure the cancer doesn’t return. The poor thing even trooped through the virus the dogs passed around during her recovery like a champ. So her first weeks with us were quite the adventure. Now that everything has settled down, she’s completely adapted to her new schedule, lifestyle and housemates. We love having her and hope she has the best golden years with us a dog could hope for.

Cat Tales

This one is for all the cat people! Lately I’ve had a few questions about our kitties and after I managed to catch a rare sweet moment of them on camera I thought it would be the perfect time to answer. A little recap for anyone one who is new, Piper is our female Siamese mix with the prettiest big blue eyes and attitude for days. She’ll be 13 this year and most would never guess she’s an old lady. Piper is half sass, half class and takes her queen bee role in the house pretty seriously. You don’t mess with the queen. And if you dare, she’s quick to give a warning or a full on reminder, depending on your crime. Orion, or Little O as we always call him, is still a baby, turning 3 this year. He’s mellowed out somewhat from his over the top wild ways but he’s still the biggest trouble maker in the house. I joke that he’s our sour patch kid and if you remember some of the commercials for the candy you get it. First he does something “sour” like jump on the table or counter and knock everything over and then he’s “sweet” coming over to snuggle up on my chest. It’s hard to stay mad at him even when he’s attempting to razz miss Piper and eliciting the most annoying shrieks and hisses from her.

Yes, our cats get along with each either other and the dogs, but in a way that works in our minds. Like I said, Piper is the reigning queen. She was first before anyone else and is a total diva. The dogs respect this for the most part and let her do her thing but Ares sometimes can’t help but stick his snout into her soft fur. He is promptly socked in the face in return. Occasionally she will bop Chaos as he walks by her perched on the couch, I guess just because she can. The girls (I swear I will introduce them soon) have been smart enough to leave her alone and she loves that. In our world, this is all just gravy. It’s the equivalent of Piper playing nice. Enter Little O. He was born into a foster home and lived there with several dogs and some rats, yes rats, before we adopted him around 4 months old. It has always been clear how comfortable he is around dogs and often his behaviors make him seem more of a cat-dog alien mix then the regular old orange tomcat he appears to be. Guests in our home continue to be surprised when walks right up to a dog to initiate play or just hang by the fire together. All of our dogs have grown up around cats so there is no issue with prey drive. Cats are friends not food at our house. While O does typically do his thing, getting into everything he shouldn’t and making us laugh at the same time, sometimes he just can’t resist riling up the queen. It goes a little something like this: O pounces at Piper, chases her from her comfy spot and then sits underneath whatever she has climbed up on, taunting her. Piper makes maniacal cat noises and boxes him like a pro until he finally gives up.

Most of the time the cats peacefully co-exist with simple acknowledgement of each other. And here’s the funny part. There are times we catch Piper grooming O or them snuggled together on the couch. But if you get caught looking or try to take a picture, game over. It’s like Piper secretly likes O but doesn’t want anyone to know. It would totally ruin her badass rep and street cred ya know? Nobody tries to kill each other and 95% of the time everyone gets along just fine so we feel like it’s a generally positive environment for them all.

Do your furry kids all get along?

19 Weeks

Tee / Leggings - old, J. Crew / Heart lights - Target

I hope you all enjoyed a lovely Valentine’s Day over the weekend, however you chose to spend it. Chris and my dad spent the day painting but they both got me beautiful flowers and the hubs threw in a charm for my Pandora bracelet. I woke up early to sneak out and get supplies for French toast on fresh French bread with raspberries (and coffee) and oh my it was worth it. The baby really must have a sweet tooth or like raspberries because there was a flurry of movement after I ate. And speaking of the baby, this is really a 19 week update. I am feeling so much more movement now at different times throughout the day and I can’t help but smile every time I feel it. I like to put my hand on my belly and feel it from the inside and the outside at the same time. Seriously, does this ever get old? Call me crazy, say whatever you want, but Chaos can definitely feel the baby move and it is the sweetest thing. I lay down on his bed on my side and he immediately changes position so his head is up against my belly. I can’t wait to see what a great big brother he will be to this little 2 legged puppy.

Last Thursday when 19 weeks was official it was a pretty cold day. I wore a tank top under my thick sweater and about fell over when I saw my belly in the mirror. Holy snap, crackle, POP! I snapped a picture in the ladies room at work and sent it to a few people, classy I know, because it was so strange to finally see a baby bump. Really up until this point it’s not be definitive. It looked like maybe I just gained a bit of weight or ate a huge lunch. What’s funny though is that the bump can still play hide and seek depending on the angle and what I’m wearing. Some of my pants still zip and button but I mostly just zip and then wear my belly band over top or do the old hair tie trick to secure the button. I’m just going with whatever works for now and I’ll figure it out as I go along. The 20 week anatomy scan is this Friday and I am so excited! Even though we are not finding out the sex of Baby P we are still psyched to get to see him or her again and check out what all that movement I’m feeling looks like.

Symptoms: Hip and lower back pain is mostly just an annoyance rather than much to complain about. My pregnancy pillow helps at night but sometimes as I’m sitting on the couch winding down for the night it’s pretty uncomfortable. I’m still all over the sweets and wish I could eat fruity French toast for breakfast every day. The movement has really picked up and is more noticeable. It’s so amazing that there’s a tiny little person inside me throwing punches and I’m just loving it. Remind me I said this down the road when I’m taking kidney shots and not feeling so pumped about it.

Friday I'm in Love

Valentine's Day is 2 days away and I've always been a fan of this winter holiday celebrating love. Of course we should make sure the people we love know it every day but I certainly don't see anything wrong with devoting one specific day to it. Plus, there's chocolate. Who cares if you don't have a significant other? My first Valentine was my dad. Yours could be a parent, a best friend, a kid or a furbaby. There are no rules when it comes to love.

In the spirit of this day devoted to love I made some easy treats to share at work and wore my favorite pink sweater. I had all the things on hand to make these Oreo treats but the ingredients are easy to come by and you could definitely improvise. I used traditional double stuffed Oreos and cinnamon bun Oreos, dipping them in either vanilla almond bark or chocolate candiquik. Add some festive sprinkles and lay them on wax paper or foil to dry and voila, you have a sweet festive treat.

And speaking of chocolate and treats, have you tried Starbucks limited edition Molten Chocolate latte or frappuccino? If not you better hurry because it's only sticking around through Sunday. The baby insisted on the frappuccino this afternoon and I guess I'm already a total pushover.

It may not be important to some people, but I am very picky about my loungewear. It has to be comfy and cute so that I can roll out of the house in it if I want to. I love the simple but adorable design of this ILY Couture sweatshirt, it's super soft and it's perfect for Valentine's Day!

I don't change my phone case very often, mostly because it's a pain and one more thing to think about. When I upgraded to the iPhone 6 last year I immediately ordered a phone cover but I drop my phone ALL THE TIME. The one I got was cute but not all that durable and I need durability. I stumbled across one from Scarlet & Gold Shop that I've had ever since and gotten a gazillion compliments on. But it's been over 6 months and I was ready for a switch up, conveniently just as they restocked the case I've had my eye on. It is SO pretty and these cases must be made of armor or something because they can take the beating I dish out with barely a scratch.

Since we are finally getting around to decorating our new house I have been looking for pieces for a big living room gallery wall. I found this adorable burlap letter P and couldn't pass it up for the price. I'm not sure how everything will come together yet but I will definitely find a place for this guy.

A few of you asked me what kinds of workouts I do from home during pregnancy. I love Fitness Blender workouts, pregnant or not, because there are a variety to choose from on YouTube for free and the girl in all of them is very easy to follow and in shape but doesn't seem unattainably so. This one is my go to right now because I can do pretty much the whole routine without modifications and feel like I've had a great workout in under a half an hour plus you don't even need any equipment.

Have a wonderful day of love friends!

8 Things You Should Never Say to a Pregnant Woman

Over the past year or so many of my friends and family members have been or still are pregnant. When I broke the news about my pregnancy there was certainly a lot of excitement and congratulatory remarks but then there were the warnings. Apparently making your pregnancy public knowledge somehow translates as a license for people to drop all social pretense and say whatever the hell they want to you. What? And do you know who some of the worst offenders are? Women who have been pregnant before! Okay, WTH is up with that?!

I’m almost halfway through my pregnancy now and we shared our news fairly early on, so I’ve now experienced this phenomenon first hand. It literally boggles my mind. How is it okay to say something you would never say to a non-pregnant woman suddenly okay to say to a pregnant woman? And hello, if you’ve been there before, actually standing in those shoes, do you just have total amnesia about it? Well, I gathered my input from all my currently pregnant and just recently pregnant peeps and added in my own insight to bring awareness to this subject. News flash: Pregnancy is not a free for all. The same social graces apply.

I’ve compiled an 8 item list as a sort of guideline to follow when gabbing with a gal who you know is knocked up. I realize that many times people are innocent in their comments or questions and don’t even realize the negative impact. But now you know. If you’ve been pregnant before you may think some of these are silly and not worthy mentioning because they didn’t bother you. Well great, but they did bother someone else. Or some of you think you know that close friend or relative well enough to say things without offending her. Just remember that you might be wrong. The almighty hormones are running amok and a woman who would have laughed at a jab pre-pregnancy just might not take it the same way while the bun is in the oven. Just do yourselves, and especially the pregnant ladies in your life a favor and try to take this list into account.

1.       You look pregnant – This was actually mentioned by my panel, if you will, nearly across the board. Now, I get how this one especially could seem harmless, but think about it for a second. While looking pregnant as opposed to chunky monkey seems like a positive, it still just points out the obvious fact she has a belly. Pregnant women can be especially sensitive but most women can be sensitive about the way they look anyway. Similar comments like oh wow you’re showing, I can see that pooch or geez you really popped are all safer on the no, no list. Even if you mean it in the most sincerely kind way, there are much better ways to put it that sound like a compliment rather than a slam. Try you’re rockin’ that bump, oh how cute is your little baby belly or wow, you’re really glowing instead.

2.       It’s just your hormones – So typically men are the culprits on this one, but I’m sure women have said it too. In some ways this one surprises me and in others, not at all. We all know women of childbearing age have “that time of the month” every month. And I bet if we polled men everywhere about 99% of them would admit to getting swatted or at least reamed for tossing out this phrase to a woman in their lives at some point. So I have to ask, did you not learn your lesson? It’s those same hormones that wreak havoc throughout pregnancy, they’re just on steroids, so um, why poke the bear? Blaming a meltdown or even just a simple reaction on the good old hormones isn’t fair. It basically invalidates the woman’s feelings because you’re implying she wouldn’t be acting this way otherwise. Who is anyone else to say how she would feel in the absence of the hormones? Sure, there could be a mini tantrum over Christmas decorations or a full on crying spell because the Kroger she stopped at was out of strawberry cream cheese and then a half an hour later she’s laughing it off and blaming the hormones herself. But maybe not. The understanding approach is definitely the way to go even if you’re 100% sure it’s just the hormones talking. Fix the problem if you can, change the subject to make her smile or give her a freaking hug. Whatever you do, just don’t blame the hormones.

3.       Wow, you’re huge – Okay seriously?! When in the history of the world has it ever been okay to comment on a woman’s weight? Um, NEVER. So why on Earth would the rules suddenly change because she’s pregnant? Regardless of how far along she is, a woman who has a big belly and/or has gained a lot of pregnancy weight is well aware and probably doesn’t feel great about it. So yea, just go ahead and remind her of it while simultaneously pointing it out to anyone in the vicinity and embarrass the crap out of her. Don’t ask if it’s twins or if she’s due that day. Don’t tell her she looks like she’s ready to pop. And for God’s sake do not ask her how much weight she’s gained. Honestly, people, get a hobby! If you even think any one of these comments or questions, just ask yourself if you’d like something that would upset or embarrass you brought to your attention. A pregnant woman’s body is none of your damn business.

4.       Natural labor is really the best/You should definitely get an epidural, ect  – Right, because you’re the expert on making decisions about someone else’s birth plan. Freedom of speech,  entitlement to one’s own opinions, blah blah blah we know. But really it’s not your place to tell a woman how she should bring her baby into the world. Maybe she totally agrees with you and the point is moot. But maybe she hasn’t decided yet or maybe she’s dead set on the one opposed to yours. Or possibly there are risk factors at play that limit her options from a safety or medical standpoint that you know nothing about. And she shouldn’t have to explain them to you or defend her choice at all for that matter. Natural/meds/induction/c-section might have been just perfect for you, but it doesn’t mean you should be preaching it to all the pregnant women you encounter unless of course they ask your thoughts on the subject.

5.       I hope your labor wasn’t as terrible as mine – This one goes right along with #4. While you shouldn’t tell a woman which way is best to give birth, you also shouldn’t horrify her with your own traumatic experience. Or your co-worker’s daughter’s sister-in –law’s whole ordeal. What is the point of scaring her more than she probably already is? Is it really necessary to detail that specific complication or elaborate on everything that went wrong? If she asks, well, all bets are off. But don’t offer up your story or that story you heard about that’s probably been dramatized and changed almost completely through the grape vine by now. You had a quick, easy, nearly painless, dream birth? Okay, go ahead and tell her about that. Just save anything less than perfect for the movies. 

6.       Just be grateful that you’re pregnant – This one is a bit tricky. So many woman have difficulty conceiving or, for whatever reason, cannot ever carry a child. Even more have experienced a loss. Often they suffer in silence watching pregnant bellies grow around them and holding back tears as they ask questions they so desperately wish someone would be asking them. I know people who’ve been there and who are still there and I can’t even imagine that kind of pain. But I still don’t think it’s fair to chastise a pregnant woman for complaining about or even just discussing the not so glamourous side of pregnancy. Most likely miss preggers has not the slightest clue what you’re going through or have been through. Unless she’s someone you’ve confided in or you’ve made your struggles public, it’s not right to make her feel like crap about, well, feeling like crap. Just because she doesn’t feel blessed she has a life growing inside her while her head is in toilet for the tenth time that day doesn’t mean she isn’t grateful. I mean maybe she has actually been where you’ve been before. Regardless, if she’s not aware of your feelings, don’t be all high and mighty. Either sympathize with her and gently fill her in, change the subject or find a way out of the situation if it’s too much to handle. 

7.       That’s my cousin’s best friend’s dog’s name – Asking the mama to be if the baby has been named or if there are name choices on the table is fine in and of itself. But voicing strong opinions is just inappropriate and rude. Obviously if she’s considering or has even decided to name her child whatever name it may be, she personally likes that name. Maybe she dreamt of naming her child that since she was a little girl or she heard it somewhere and just fell in love. In any case, I can guarantee that your negative thoughts are not appreciated. Most names are not unique anymore so there’s a good chance you somehow know someone with that name. There is no good reason to report that you knew a girl named Rhonda in high school and she was a total slut or that your scummy ex-boyfriend was a Derrick. Those associations could ruin a carefully picked name in a second and that’s just wrong. Maybe the name is one you’ve never heard, doesn’t seem quite right to go with the last name or is difficult (in your book) to spell or pronounce. Well, don’t name your kid that. Let the pregnant woman keep her excitement and keep your opposing thoughts to yourself. Is telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God worth hurting her feelings?

8.       Good luck with parenthood! – Obviously this applies to first time moms. If you mean this genuinely then I’m not talking to you. I’m looking at the rest of you who say it sarcastically like having a baby is the worst decision she ever made and hell is on the horizon. Come on parents, do you really hate your kids? Do you truly wish you could take it all back and pretend it never happened? Is is really so bad that all the goodness is outweighed? If you are talking to a first time mom, tell her about all the exciting things she has to look forward to! Don’t offer unwanted parenting advice, don’t go on and on about the sleepless nights and things never being the same (like it’s a bad thing) and the total shit show that is parenthood. Probably she isn’t so disillusioned that she thinks it will be all smooth sailing and easy breezy. But if she doesn’t have kids yet, don’t burst her happy pregnant bubble. I’m not saying you have to sugar coat everything, she’s pregnant, not an idiot. Positivity is just so much more well received. Warning her about all the scary, nerve-racking, pain in the ass things that come with parenthood is overwhelming and stressful. She’ll figure it all out in good time. Let her enjoy the time she still has with the tiny munchkin inside.

Whew, I’m exhausted. Is it time for Grey’s Anatomy yet? Now I’ve either slapped your wrists and made you feel like a bunch of asses or told off everyone you and your pregnant belly have been dying to, have a happy Thursday!

18 Weeks

T-shirt

It’s not a secret that I was a fan of cold beer on a Friday night, a good glass of wine or cocktails on the patio before getting pregnant. The last alcoholic beverage I drank was a glass of red wine at my cousin’s wedding the night before I found out about the little baby in my belly. At first the excitement over being pregnant took the spotlight and I sort of forgot about weekend drinks. And further into my 1^st trimester I wouldn’t say I was turned off completely, but alcohol held no appeal whatsoever. New Year’s marked the beginning of my 2^nd trimester and I was still perfectly happy to ring it in with sparkling water. But now, at 18 weeks and 5 days pregnant, I’m missing the alcohol. There’s still (maybe) a little over halfway to go with this pregnancy so I’ll just have to deal, but it’s kind of funny to me that it’s taken this long to set in. So far I haven’t really felt like I’m missing out on too much since I don’t eat meat as it is and I can take or leave sushi. I’ve been able to continue working out as usual with a few modifications and most things that are probably too risky to do while pregnant aren’t on my list of regular activities (horseback riding, skiing, jumping on a trampoline, ect.). I’m typically a side sleeper anyway or half belly, half side, so the no sleeping on your back rule hasn’t been too difficult. I am sure that as I grow a bigger belly and the pregnancy progresses I’ll have complaints about things I can do longer do, but for now, I just miss alcohol.

Symptoms: I really have nothing new in this department. Heartburn comes and goes as does round ligament pain. I still want all the sweets and cinnamon remains at the top of the list. My caffeine intake is pretty limited but when I do go for an iced coffee the baby starts wiggling around a lot. I’m not sure if that means baby P is a fan or that he or she is trying to tell me the opposite. I’ve always had weird dreams so I can’t really blame that on pregnancy, although they seem a bit extreme some nights even for me. But last night I had a very clear dream that I had a baby boy with perfect round cheeks and a fuzzy head. I keep checking for stretch marks but haven’t found any yet. Overall, there are more times than not that I’m experiencing zero pregnancy symptoms so I guess that’s why they call it the “honeymoon trimester”.

The Weekend

It was yet another unseasonably warm weekend here in NKY but of course it did not come without a bit of havoc. Friday started out promising then hit a major road bump. It was a chilly morning but I had a doctor’s appointment and the messes of the week all faded away as I lay there listening to my baby’s heartbeat. The afternoon stayed sunny and I stopped for an iced green tea latte at Starbucks, thinking it was a happy end to a stressful week. Nope. Remember our car issues? Well, the new engine came in Friday but when Chris got the call, it wasn’t to come pick it up. Unfortunately a part of it was bent and the shop didn’t feel right about selling it to us (thankfully). A second option was way overpriced but the third seemed promising. That it until Chris’s dad went to pick it up and realized it was for the wrong model. I guess luck finally decided to show up because once the mistake was realized, there was one available for the correct model at a fair price.

 While I went off to a family baby shower, Chris, his dad, his brother and brother-in-law got to work on putting the new engine in. A million hours, 2 pizzas, a bag of taco bell, a 2 liter of coke and several Bud Light cans later the engine was in and the car was running. BUT we weren’t home free. So Sunday started with donuts and coffee, because sometimes they’re just good for the soul. I headed out to visit with friends and their new baby girl while Chris and his dad were back to work on the car. Meanwhile, my dad was busy painting our master bedroom most of Saturday and into Sunday. Yea, we have a lot going on. By 5 o’clock the car was overheating and there was still a missing piece so Chris called it for the day and we ran up to the grocery. It was an insane madhouse just an hour before the Superbowl and we were both pretty shocked. After we hurried to get the hell out of there we made it home in time to get everything put away, pizza and fries in the oven and the kids fed before game time.

 I stayed up past my bedtime to watch The Sheriff win (probably) his last game and crashed. So this week starts with a freshly painted and clean master bedroom, Chris staying home from school hoping he and his dad can finally get the car fixed tonight and a very tired pregnant girl. I’m choosing to be cautiously optimistic at this point. Probably the car thing will be the worst of the week and we already have it out of the way, right? Well if not, there’s always donuts and iced coffee to fall back on. Besides, baby kicks and these sweet snugglers are a constant reminder of the really awesome parts of life.

In Between the Pretty Pictures

I don’t like to use this blog as a place to complain or bring negativity, but I think on social media in general we are always showing our lives in the most positive light. And that’s just not reality. Chris and I have so much to be thankful for and appreciative of in our lives and we’ve really had a lot of good fortune come our way the last several months. But it’s not all roses all the time. What I haven’t been posting about is the fact that one of our cars, a Ford Escape, has been sitting in the garage with the engine in pieces for several weeks now. It started making an odd noise while I was driving it and quickly got worse so Chris, his brother and his dad looked into it. In the end the best choice was to replace the engine. Chris wasn’t too keen on just getting an overpriced one to get it up and running so he’s been on the hunt while his brother has let him drive his spare truck. This is so petty but I’ll be honest here, I was looking forward to parking in our new garage this winter. My Honda Civic has a remote starter so I can warm it up with an app on my phone, but when it snows or rains or is just friggin cold, it’s a million times nicer to just walk out into the garage and get right in the car. Since we still have a lot of garbage from all the home projects we have going on and boxes in the garage, there is only room for the down and out Escape right now. Boo hoo, I know. It’s just that after so many years of not even having the option of parking in a garage, I’m super bummed about having one and still not being able to park in it. Now for the ironic twist. Chris goes to school from early afternoon until late evening. He was out looking at a good potential engine to get the Escape back in working order and….the truck broke down on his way home. It is starting to feel like we did something wrong and karma is out to get revenge in the form of insane car issues. Dramatic, much?

 I also haven’t yet posted about the fact that we are now a 4 dog household. I’ll go more into that later but for now it’s been hectic simply because 3 out of 4 have been sick in the last week. Chaos goes to school with Chris daily and the facility is not just for private training lessons and group classes but also for boarding and daycare. You can imagine the number of dogs that are in and out every day. Chaos came home with some kind of bug last week that resulted in explosive diarrhea all over his crate. It was over it in a day or so but by Tuesday morning at 3AM we found out he had passed it onto Tigger, our 9 year old boxer mix. As of today the count is up one more dog since I came down from taking a shower last night to find Ares had the same problem all over the living room carpet (and STEPPED in it). At this point we are just waiting for the 4^th dog to get it and will be pleasantly surprised if she doesn’t.

I am positive that any number of you reading this are dealing with problems a million times bigger and I do not in any way mean to act like car trouble or sick dogs spell the end of the world. I’m just beyond frustrated that the car thing is a problem that almost never seems to go away for us. It’s seriously a running joke in my family that we have horrible luck with cars. Sometimes we laugh about it, sometimes we cry about it and sometimes we just want to throw our hands up and say WTH. Or maybe take a baseball bat to the offending car of the moment and call it a day. Dogs get sick, just like kids, but this kind of virus running through the house for a week has nearly had my pregnant self in tears. Can’t a girl just burn her candle collection for kicks instead of in attempt to cover the smell of poop?!

BUT we will get our car troubles straightened out and the doggie virus will run its course and life will go on, I’m sure of it. So I’m not writing this post to conjure up pity at all. I just wanted to throw it out there that real life happens in between the pretty pictures. In general I will keep this a happy, positive space and have no plans to detail any more of the not so great things that happen around here regularly. Trust me, car issues and dog diarrhea are just a slice of the pie. But sometimes as I read blogs or scroll through my IG feed I start thinking I’m the only one having a bad day or a bad week or something going on that isn’t exactly picture worthy. So I wanted to make sure I stay relatable and real and that’s the reason for this post.

I hope y’all are having a pretty picture kind of day!

17 Weeks

Preggers Tee

I have been feeling so much movement this week and it’s literally the coolest! I keep pressing on my belly trying to feel it from the outside when I feel in on the inside but it’s just not happening. I saw my mom over the weekend and was telling her about it but that I swore Chaos could feel it. Twice he had his head against my belly and looked up at me right as I felt the baby move. She said maybe he could hear it. What didn’t I think of that?! But just then munchkin decided to play up the moment and roll around (I think) so I had mom test it out putting her fingers to the spot and what do you know but she said she felt it! Chris couldn’t feel it though and we still can’t seem to feel it from the outside. There must be something special about the touch of big brother Chaos and Grandma. Hopefully us parents will join the party soon.

So far I have been keeping up with my 5-6 days a week workout schedule and doing my usual routines with some minor modifications now that I’m in my 2^nd trimester. Typically I like to do bodyweight strength training with cardio switching off to different muscle groups but last week I decided to give pre-natal yoga a whirl. I’m not completely new to yoga but definitely still at a beginner level. I tried the hot version with friends about 2 years ago and got into going to classes several days a week for a while. But it was too expensive to continue and easier to just work out at home (for free!). I downloaded an app that I used on and off for a few months afterward but ended up just going back to my non-yoga roots. I have a decently strong core but I’ve never been the best with balance so yoga can be a bit frustrating for me. So far I’ve tried a few different practices via YouTube and while my muscles feel nice and stretched afterward, I don’t get that post workout high I’m accustom to and feel like I didn’t really do much for my body. It’s probably just something you have to get used to over time like feeling full as a vegetarian, but I’m not there yet. I’m going to try a few more different videos and see what happens.

Druzy Necklace / Chambray Shirt / Leggings / Booties

 Symptoms: Heartburn, hello again, wish you’d just beat it. I’m absolutely ravenous most of the day, and I don’t mean everything just sounds good, I mean belly growling omg I’m going to die if I don’t eat kind of hungry. But by dinnertime my appetite has vanished. So strange. Sweets continue to call my name all the time but veggies are slowly becoming my friend again. Round ligament pain comes and goes. It’s annoying but it never lasts long so I can’t really complain. The belly is growing but it’s still not obvious in regular clothes without me framing the bump with my hands. When do y’all think I’ll POP?!