Crab Nursery and Guestroom

From nurspiration here and revisited here to reality, I wanted to finally share the finished product of our crab-themed gender neutral combination nursery and guestroom (say that three times fast) that our little one now calls home. 

With the limited space we were working with, we combined the changing table with the dresser and added a DIY paper lantern mobile to give the baby something to look at while he or she was getting changed.

Henry now points at the lanterns and class them balloons

With little room for a crib and double bed, we got creative and turned the existing closet into a nook for the crib with bins on the shelf for extra storage.  I then prettied it up (sorry, son) with a DIY fabric banner.

The double bed was left in the room for when we had guests, with some new linens to match the updated color scheme.

Of course a little patriotism was inserted with a DIY Flag collage

And I included some shout outs to NC so any child of mine would know a little something about the place Mommy calls home.

An insert from Our State magazine turned into a canvas with some Modge Podge

Framed pictures of Chapel Hill from an old UNC Alumni Calendar 

Pretty close to the original inspiration right?

Crab Themed Nursery and Guest Room by tarheelcharm 

Sources:

Jenny Lind Crib //  Crib Linens  // Changing Pad Cover 

Dresser // Bed Linens - Home Goods

Coral Pillows - Target //  Crab Pillow

Paper Lantern Mobile, Flag Collage, Fabric Pennant Banner, NC Icons on Canvas: DIY

Linked up:

 It's Overflowing,  That DIY Party

Flying Solo with a 12-Month-Old

How does the saying go?  Do one thing every day that scares you?  It is amazing how accomplished you can feel after you doing something completely terrifying that you never thought you'd be capable of.

Liking taking a 3 hour flight, with a 12-month-old crawler, with a convertible car seat, without checking bags, all by yourself.

That's what I was faced with a when a planned family trip to South Florida to visit my parents at their timeshare, was upended with a last-minute work conflict for the hubs.  I was in desperate need of some beach therapy and L&B were so excited to see their grandson, but could I do it on my own?  A 15 minute drive to the grocery store is enough of a challenge, how was this going to work?

Well, I'm here to tell you it can be done, and I'm a better person for it.  Here's how I survived:

1.  No stroller

Pushing a stroller requires one, if not two hands and on this trip I was going to need every available appendage at my disposal.  Not only that, a stroller would've been just one more thing to gate check, and already towing a roller bag and car seat, it just wasn't in the cards.  Hands-free was the way for me, so baby carrier was Henry's mode of transport through the airport, namely this one.  Thank goodness for the Baby Trekker, it's uber comfortable and literally can be worn for hours (unlike some of its less-comfortable brethren).

What to do when your plane is delayed:  Take selfies!

Note, FAA regulations do not allow a baby to be worn during the fight, this thing came off as soon as we got to our seat.

2.  One carry-on bag

Since we'd be arriving after bedtime on the return trip, the last thing I needed was to wait another 30 minutes (or more) for baggage claim after the flight.  It was going to be one bag and a carry-on at that.

But wait, how do I make it through the airport by myself, carrying a baby, pulling a bag, and holding a car seat?  Even one of those expensive rolling car seats didn't seem like the right answer.

3.  Get a Travelling Toddler

{toddler not included}

Thank the travel gods for this contraption.  So simple, you'll wish you had thought of it, it's just a strap that lets you attach the car seat to your rolling bag and voila, instant travel carseat.  I'm waiting for this thing to show up on Shark Tank any day now (or maybe it already has?). I'm not so sure about putting your child to said car seat as that picture indicates, but hey I won't judge.  For me, though, wearing the baby was the way to go.

Important usage note, DO NOT TRY USING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THE AIRPORT.  Speaking from experience, y'all. It was kind of a disaster trying to figure it out curbside while the hubs was double parked in the zone for loading and unloading only.   Once it's properly adjusted, it's super easy to use, so just do a test run at home with a fully-packed bag first.

With these simple tricks, all of the sudden I was Supermom, wearing my baby, nonchalantly sipping my latte and taking selfies as I waited for the plane.  Some nice woman even came up to me and complimented me for how well I was handling it all.

Very kind of her to say, but what she didn't know was despite my calm demeanor and fancy travel contraptions, I was still scared to death how my little one was going to behave on the actual flight.  Thankfully, due to the kindness of strangers (i.e., no one wanted to sit next to us) we had plenty of room to stretch out and my boy was easily entertained by snacks, toys, and the airplane reading light.  All that plus a bottle for take off and landing, and we were good to go.

A scary selfie and the guy behind us questioning his decision to sit so close to a baby

Was it all worth it? Heck yeah, we got to spend a long weekend in Florida in early February with lots of family QT.  We were even in bathing suits one day for goodness sake.  Going solo: not ideal (we were missing the hubs big time) but totally doable and should not be a deal-breaker (ladies).

Waterfront dinner at sunset, I could get used to this  #FlaLiving

Better Late than Never: H's First Birthday Party

This is way overdue (what isn't in my life these days?) but I still wanted to share how we celebrated our little guy's first birthday.

The past year had left us a lot to celebrate, and preparing for this party all of the sudden felt like a way of expressing my love of him and to him: which is probably why I went a bit overboard.  I couldn't help myself!

When Henry was first born, I loved the idea of taking monthly pictures, so I picked out these cute stickers from Etsy.  At the time I wasn't thinking first birthday theme, but 11+ months later when I was beginning to plan, I realized ties would be perfect!

A few pinterest searches later, and the idea of a tie-themed little man birthday was born...

My in-laws hosted the big day and we were overwhelmed with gratitude for all the family and friends who came to celebrate with us.

The inspiration:  Henry's Monthly Baby Pictures

Favors

Necktie Bag Favors for the kids

Chocolate Mustache Lollipop Favors for the Big Kids (and let's be honest, the little ones, too)

Dessert Table

The cupcake stand kind of fell apart in transit, oh well

Yes, that would be Necktie Cake Bunting 

Food Table

Drink Table

Complete with Mustache Straws

Homemade House Wine

And the Birthday Boy!

No doubt about it, the kid likes his cake

Fascinated by the mustache straws

Thank Yous

Everyone says it, but now I understand what they mean when they say babies grow up so fast.  I still don't know how his turned a year old so quickly, and so much has even changed since his party we just to cherish it all while we can. We love you Henry!!

Sources:

Invitations:  Little Birdy Prints

Necktie Onsie:  Leo and Lyla

Signs and Thank Yous:  DIY on PicMonkey

Monthly Picture Banner, Cupcakes, Cake, Cake Bunting, Favors and Tie Banner:  DIY

Linked up:

 It's Overflowing,  That DIY Party

Happy Easter!

He is risen, indeed.

This.hair.

Highlight of my day

Why yes, that is a UNC shirt #raisinghimright

41 Weeks

How far along?  41 weeks, 1 day.  I really never imagined making it this far, much the opposite. I was convinced that if we didn't have everything ready for this baby by week 36, we were doomed.  So that would be 5 weeks of thinking I was going into labor any day, not good for my patience.  But tomorrow I'm scheduled for an induction so this baby is coming very soon, like it or not.

Total weight gain?  +33 pounds

Maternity clothes?   Still anything comfortable

Stretch marks?  No

Symptoms?  Like I said this waiting game has not been good for my patience, but I find myself impatient not only about being pregnant, but about EVERYTHING and with EVERYONE. And I'm super emotional, too.  So I just want to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone who may have been harmed as a result of my condition.

Sleep:  I've had a couple mornings this past week where I woke up at 4 and despite all of my efforts I could not fall back to sleep.  I'd eventually just get out of bed because lying there in discomfort for an hour wasn't working for me.

Best moment this week:  One last child-free weekend with the hubs. 

Miss anything?  Just about everything I've listed in the past.

Movement:  Yep, and it is more uncomfortable than ever.  There is no more room at the inn.

Gender:  TBD.

Labor Signs:  Just Braxton-Hicks contractions.

Belly button in or out? Out.

Exercise:  I retired from shuffling last week so it's just been walking when the temperature actually goes above freezing (which unfortunately was not much the past week).

Looking forward to:  Obviously meeting this little one very soon, but also seeing my family.  My parents and two of my sisters are coming up tomorrow and I cannot wait to see them!  Tomorrow is a BIG day.

Nurspiration Revisted

I shared my original inspiration for the baby's room a little while back here, but that was put together month's ago, and of course reality hit and the plan has well, evolved since then.

Behold nurspiration, revisted:

Crab Themed Nursery and Guest Room by tarheelcharm on Polyvore

And why:

Reality #1:  We live in a 2-bedroom rowhouse.  The baby is going to get a lesson in sharing early, starting with its room.  

Hey, both the hubs and I shared rooms growing up, our kid can learn to do it, too.

The second bedroom has been serving as a guest room up until now, and it didn't seem right to just scrap the extra bed and sleeping space just so a little thing who won't know the difference anyway could have its own room.  So the nursery idea soon became guest room slash nursery.  We figure when we do have overnight guests, the baby can just rough it in the pack and play in our room with us.

Reality #2:  Too much of a theme was too much for me.

So I could have gone crab-crazy on this room, with every little crab knickknack I could find in a 50-mile radius (and in Maryland, that would be a lot), I just didn't really want to go there.  Less is more.  So the inspiration board became more of a color scheme for the room than anything. The crib bedding was set, and I went from there.  Plus there were so many other fabulous little nursery features I had seen out there that I wanted to incorporate.

Reality #3:  I wanted make sure I was bringing some North Carolina up in there.

This Tar Heel couldn't go completely straight Maryland after all.  And while it didn't make it to the board above, I definitely have some NC touches in the room that I hope that this child can learn to appreciate as much (or more, that's fine too) as his or her mother does.

So I might not have stuck to the original plan, but now as I am continuing to learn, being a week past my due date after all, that everything isn't going to go to plan and you can't plan everything out.  

But it all will work out the way its supposed to.

Can't wait to share how it's all worked out for us.

40 Weeks

Yep, still pregnant.

How far along?  40 weeks, 2 days.

Total weight gain?  +35 pounds

Maternity clothes?  At this point, anything comfortable.

Stretch marks?  No

Symptoms?  More of the same that I've been having.  Plus the with each day that passes, the feeling that I'm letting everyone down by not having this baby yet.  Sorry guys I'm trying here.

Sleep:  Some nights better than others.  Thank goodness I'm working from home for here on out so I can take an afternoon nap.  Naps are my bff.

Best moment this week:  Again it had to be the Ravens win, this time making it to the Super Bowl.  I do have to give a shout out to this baby for not deciding to make an appearance Sunday night and letting us watch the game. Even though we just stayed at home to watch it, it still was awesome opening up our front door after the game was over and cheering with our neighbors and hearing people celebrating in the streets.  If nothing else, I can take comfort knowing this baby will be here in time for the next Ravens game.

Miss anything?  I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of psyched knowing it's not much longer before I can have a beer again.

Movement:  Yep.

Gender:  TBD.

Labor Signs:  Nope.

Belly button in or out? Out.

Exercise:  One last shuffle/walk this past week and then walking every day since then (except for today since it felt colder than a meat locker outside).  From what I've heard, that's really about the only thing I can do to move this thing along.

Looking forward to:  Not waking up every day wondering if today will be the day.  Like everyone else, we can't wait to meet this baby...it would just be nice to know when that will actually be.  The good news is, according to the doctor it will be next week at the latest.  No matter what, it's not much longer now.

39 Weeks

No, seriously, are we there yet?

How far along?  39 weeks.  

Total weight gain?  +33 pounds

Maternity clothes?  I ordered this shirt online earlier in my pregnancy, tried it on, and was not a fan because it was freakin' 'uge on me.  But I held on to it and now I'm glad I did because I'm clearly filling out quite nicely now.  

Stretch marks?  No

Symptoms?  I'm pretty sure I finally had some legit contractions this past week, but they didn't really hurt, my stomach just got really tight.  Besides that, just more of the usual symptoms. No need to repeat myself, I feel like it just sounds like complaining.

Sleep:  The same.

Best moment this week:  Speaking of freakin' 'uge, the Ravens win on Saturday night.  Oh my goodness it was so crazy, I really thought it would send me into labor.  No such luck, but after the Jacoby Jones touchdown and then later the Justin Tucker kick, my heart was racing so fast I felt like Fred Sanford telling Elizabeth I was coming to join her.  

Miss anything?  During said game, I could've really used a cocktail.

Movement:  Now when the baby moves I want to say, "Wouldn't you enjoy moving around more out here in the world with the rest of us?"  Evidently, not yet.

Gender:  TBD. 

Labor Signs:  At my last doctor's visit, they said I was 70% effaced and slightly dilated, but still no sign of labor yet.

Belly button in or out? Out.

Exercise:  Shuffle/walks and some pushup/dips.  I've wanted to go back out for a least a walk since Saturday but the weather has been such crap, I haven't been able to.  Hopefully today I can get out for a little bit. It might not do a thing, but it sure can't hurt.

Looking forward to:  Still looking forward to meeting Baby W.  I think everyone is, and it gets tougher every day not knowing when it will finally be.  (Although the hub's has a relative who may or may not have psychic abilities and has predicted January 21st.  For my sanity, I'm trying to set that as my expectation.) 

38 Weeks

Alternate title, "Are we there yet?"

How far along?  38 weeks.  

Total weight gain?  +31 pounds

Maternity clothes?  The above shirt was an emergency purchase I made a month or two ago after I spilled (half-caf) coffee down the front of my white shirt at the beginning of a shopping trip to Target.  I panicked, pulled a shirt off of the rack, and put it on, and made the guy the register scan me while I was still wearing it.  Desperate times, ya know.  

Stretch marks?  No

Symptoms?  I'll have some sort of pain in my stomach and I'll think, "Is this finally a contraction??" but no, I then realize it's the baby's foot in my rib or just indigestion.  That and the usual suspects: heartburn, swelling, carpal tunnel.

Sleep:  I think I sleep in about 2 hour intervals now before the pain in my side wakes me up and forces me to flip over.  Eventually though, both sides will hurt so I just have to choose which one hurts less.

Best moment this week:  Finishing up all those last things I really wanted done before the baby came.  Anything else I get done at this point it just gravy.

Miss anything?  My old waistline.  Even though I know that I won't be like this forever, it's still hard to not think that way.

Movement:  I still feel the baby moving but it's definitely more cramped in there.  

Gender:  TBD. 

Labor Signs:  None

Belly button in or out? Out.

Exercise:  Shuffle/walks a couple times a week.  It's a shorter route now but it does seem to be easier for me to get out there since it's less daunting.  I might add some more straight up walks too in hopes of moving things along.  I'm starting to get impatient here!

Looking forward to:  Meeting Baby W.  I just have to keep reminding myself, even though it could happen any day, it's still early yet.

Nurspiration

Nursery + inspiration = nurspiration.  (Does that sound too much like perspiration?  Either way, the title is staying.)

For a long time after sharing the news that I was expecting, I got a question I was absolutely stumped by:  "What is the theme of your nursery going to be?"  I don't even know if I'm going to have a boy or a girl, we have no names picked out, but I'm supposed to have a theme?? You're killing me, people .

 There were a couple things I did know for certain:  the baby's room is going to be in our current guest room, the walls of that room are green, we had guests booked to stay with us through November, so we would not be repainting.  I kind of went with that response for months:  "I'm not sure, but the walls will be green."

It wasn't until I got this adorable little onesie as a gift from Baby W's auntie-to-be that I finally felt inspired:

Not only was that a perfect gender-neutral onesie, it was a perfect gender neutral theme, especially for a baby that's going to be born in Bmore!

Little did I know how very little crab nursery accoutrements there are out there.  I searched Babies R Us, Target, Buy Buy Baby, and I got nothing.  But I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  TGFE (thank goodness for etsy)

There I found Happy Mae custom crib bedding, who had crab fabric in her repertoire and worked with me to put together a crib bedding set that I could get excited about.  After picking out the patterns I thought would go well with the crab fabric, I placed my order and slapped them on an inspiration board to use as a starting point for picking out furniture, llike the Jenny Lind crib and Ikea Hemnes dresser, and went from there.

So here it is, our nursery inspiration board:

Crab Nursery by tarheelcharm on Polyvore

Little did I know how easy it would be to add an American flag to the mix as well, this was definitely meant to be!

Now it's really cool to see the reality starting to come together (even if that reality means I didn't get the glider I wanted since our staircase isn't wide enough, but oh well).

Hopefully our little Maryland crab-to-be will approve.

37 Weeks

Happy New Year!

How far along?  37 weeks.  The birth month of Baby W has finally arrived, which is cray cray!

Total weight gain?  +30 pounds

Maternity clothes?  Wearing leggings whenever possibly. Even my jeggings don't really appeal to me at this point.

Stretch marks?  No

Symptoms?  The same.

Sleep:  Worse than ever, unfortch.  The soreness in my sides wakes me up more than my bladder does.  If anyone who tells you that you can get your sleep before the baby comes must definitely be on crack.

Best moment this week:  Actually making it to midnight on New Year's.  It was fun times with friends that night and it was a New Year's miracle that I was able to stay up as late as I did.  Of course I paid dearly for it the next day, but it was worth it.

Miss anything?  Champagne on New Year's fo sho.  Sparkling cider just isn't quite the same. There was also smoked salmon at the party we went to and I wanted some so badly, I might've drooled a little.

Movement:  Plenty but not as intense as it has been.

Gender:  TBD. 

Labor Signs:  None

Belly button in or out? Out.

Exercise:  I started shuffling again this week, but I cut it shorter and had to take some walk breaks, especially on the uphills.  But at this point, I'm proud of myself just to be getting out there.

Looking forward to:  Finishing up the final touches on the baby's room.  I got a lot done while out from work over the holidays, but there are just a couple more things I'd like to have finished before this guy or gal makes an appearance.  I've got some fun stuff I'll have to post on here soon.

36 Weeks

My bowl full of jelly

How far along?  36 weeks

Total weight gain?  +30 pounds

Maternity clothes?  Well, the shirt above is not maternity, howevah, it IS an XXL.  Yes, that would be two XXs.  That's Target's junior section for ya. But when I saw this shirt I felt it needed to be filled out with a big ole belly.

Stretch marks?  No

Symptoms?  The same symptoms I've been having, just now the carpal tunnel is getting to the point that I'm losing feeling in my right hand, it just kind of tingles now.

Sleep:  The same, not great.

Best moment this week:  Besides seeing the baby again at the 36-week sonogram (which was great, don't get me wrong, just not a lot to see since it's pretty cramped in there at this point), spending Christmas with mah boo and getting to facetime with my family.

Miss anything?  My family in NC.  We were supposed to spend Christmas with them this year, but no dice since I'm on travel lockdown until this baby arrives.  But like I said, thankfully I got to at least facetime with them which almost made it felt like being there.

Movement:  Still a lot; the hubs and I have been entertaining ourselves watching my stomach contort when baby decides to start moving around.

Gender:  TBD. 

Labor Signs:  None

Belly button in or out? Out.

Exercise:  Took the week off from shuffling, not intentionally, though. Just because the weather has not been ideal and there's been so much other stuff going on with the holidays.

Looking forward to:  Some more days off from work to get more stuff done around the house and the baby's room.  Hopefully I'll have some posts soon of what I've been working on.  Stay tuned.

35 Weeks

How far along?  35 weeks.  Due one month from today, y'all!

Total weight gain?  +28 pounds as of 34-week appointment

Maternity clothes?  Still  a mix of maternity and non-maternity.  Haven't bought any more new clothes...yet.

Stretch marks?  No

Symptoms?  Swelling in hands and feet (we're talking borderline cankles right now), carpal tunnel, hiccurps and occasional heartburn.

Sleep:  My bladder tends to wake me up about an hour earlier than I'd like and then I have trouble falling back to sleep.

Best moment this week:  I think it might've been getting the bassinet set up in the house. Made me feel like we might actually have at least one thing prepared for what is about to happen.

Miss anything?  My ankles, see symptoms above.

Movement:  Still plenty.

Gender:  TBD. 

Labor Signs:  None

Belly button in or out? Out.

Exercise:  Still shufflin'.

Looking forward to:  Really looking forward to just getting past this week.  At work, it's felt a lot like the stress of final exams before everyone goes out on holiday break.  Plus on Friday we're going to see the Christmas lights in Hampden, always a treat and it's a week off from work after that.

34 Weeks

Oops I'm only writing this one day before I'm 35 weeks but better late than never, right?

How far along?  34 weeks

Total weight gain?  +28 pounds

Maternity clothes?  Still making it work with a mix of maternity & non-maternity.  Trying to not buy any more new clothes the rest of the way.

Stretch marks?  None yet.

Symptoms?  More swelling, hiccurps, some heartburn, and I get more and more sore on my sides while trying to sleep.  And I still feel like a big pregnant dummy.  But other than that, not too shabby.

Sleep:  Same story, some nights are better than others, but none are great sleep-wise.

Best moment this week:  Time with family and friends in NC last weekend.

Miss anything?  After this week at work I wouldn't have minded a glass of wine or six.

Movement:  Still plenty especially after eating.  I believe I can safely say this baby is a fan of Bo-berry biscuits, just like its mom.

Gender:  TBD.

Labor Signs:  None

Belly button in or out? Still an outie.

Exercise:  Still shufflin'.

Looking forward to:  Maybe actually getting some stuff accomplished around the house this weekend.  I get a little more stressed out each day that I feel like nothing is ready or organized.

33 Weeks

Go Tar Heels!  Women's Soccer National Champs

How far along?  33 weeks

Total weight gain?  +26 pounds as of the 32 week appointment

Maternity clothes?  Even the longer shirts that I've bought in a larger size are starting to not be long enough.  The one above is an XL and it's getting close to not cutting it.  Leggings are currently my BFF.

Stretch marks?  None yet.

Symptoms?  Here's a new one:  pregnancy carpal tunnel.  My hands have been in serious pain the past week after writing 40 thank you cards plus long hours at work.  And I still have swelling in my hands and feet and the ever-present hiccurps.

Sleep:  The same, not so great.  Some nights are better than others..

Best moment this week:  Dinner with the Highlandtown Emerald Society and Auxillary.

Miss anything?  Wearing my real rings.  Most of the time now, my fingers are too swollen for my rings to fit, so I've been rocking a fake set from Kohl's for the past couple weeks.

Movement:  Mostly after eating and definitely more cramped.  My ribs are painin' this week.

Gender:  TBD.  

Labor Signs:  None

Belly button in or out?  I must've been kidding myself last week thinking it was flattening out. If I can see it through some shirts, then it's still an outie.

Exercise:  Still keeping up with my shuffling, pushups and dips routine...hills seem to get a bit tougher each week but I just tell myself they can't be harder than labor.

Looking forward to:  North Carolina again this weekend for an old and dear friend's wedding!

32 Weeks

How far along?  32 weeks.  How in the world did I get to be 8 months pregnant??  Actually, on second thought, don't answer that..

Total weight gain?  +26 pounds (Yes somehow I gained 6 pounds in two weeks.  I blame the fact that I was wearing boots on the scale and had a full bladder)

Maternity clothes?  Leggings, jeggings, jeans (one pair) and sweater dresses.  Starting to discover that some of my longer pre-pregnancy sweaters still fit, thanks goodness.

Stretch marks?  None yet.

Symptoms?  Hiccurps are still a constant presence in my life, however the heartburn hasn't been quite as bad, swelling (wearing my rings less and less), mood swings (sorry Hubs :( ), and symptoms that Lord I hope are just pregnancy brain, otherwise I'm just losing it.

Sleep:  Still not so great, but now I find myself passing out pretty early after long days at work.

Best moment this week:  There's no way I can pick just one between the time I got to spend with the fam and good friends.  Lots of great moments that I miss already.

Miss anything?  Being able to fit between tight spaces.  Out at lunch last week with a new coworker, I tried walking around one side of a table closest to the wall and I could not get through at all.  I had to turn around and walk around the other side of the table. Needless to say it was a bit embarrassing  and even though it was needless, I did actually say "This is embarassing."

Movement:  A lot but now it seems to be a bit more cramped in there.  In a meeting today I could actually see my stomach moving and wondered if anyone else noticed.

Gender:  TBD.  

Labor Signs:  None

Belly button in or out?  My outle is starting to flatten out, as if the rest of my stomach is finally catching up to it.

Exercise:  Shuffling, pushups and dips.  Still gotta try to fit in some yoga.

Looking forward to:  Dinner with good friends we don't get to see too often tonight, infant care class this weekend so we can (at least sort of) feel like we know what we're doing, and the Ravens-Steelers game on Sunday.

31 Weeks

How far along?  31 weeks.  Due date is exactly 2 months from today.  That is cray.

Total weight gain?  +20 pounds as of 30 week appt

Maternity clothes?  Had a pregnancy reality check last week when it was a really cold day and I tried putting on my puffer coat for the first time this season.  Could.not.zip.it.up.  Womp womp.  So I broke down and bought a maternity one from Old Navy, basically getting the cheapest one I could find considering I really should only need it for a month or two.  

Stretch marks?  None yet.

Symptoms?  Hiccurps (my word, look it up) like a mo fo, and heartburn seems to be getting worse.  I bought Tums for the first time in my life. I guess this is going to be a hairy baby, not surprising.  Swelling in my hands is getting more frequent, too.  I think it might be time to break down and buy some faux wedding rings because my school ring has been my substitute on days when my real rings don't fit, and I'm afraid it makes me look like an unwed teen mom.

Sleep:  Thinking it's not going to get any better any time soon.  I think the soreness in my hips wakes me up more than my bladder does.  Even the pillow between the knees trick isn't working as well anymore.

Best moment this week:  I don't know if it was the best but a nice moment this week was at Target when a complete stranger told me how cute she thought I was dressed.  I was thinking like, "Yeah, still go it."

Miss anything?  Having any sort of control of my emotions.  After a rough day at work yesterday, I started feeling bad for myself and overwhelmed and I could not stop crying to save my life.  I realize how blessed I am and most of the time I'm really happy about that fact, but I still have my moments. 

Movement:  Still tons.

Gender:  TBD.  

Labor Signs:  None

Belly button in or out?  Still trying to be an innie, but mostly an outie.

Exercise:  Still shufflin, just not LMFAO style (i.e. every day).  More like 3 times a week.  I try to also throw in push-ups (until my belly hits the floor) and dips almost every day.

Looking forward to:  NORTH CAROLINA!!!  Leaving tonight and I cannot wait!!!

Is This What Nesting Looks Like?

Last weekend, I needed to go to Target for two main reasons:  1) return some things 2) buy thank you cards.  I don't know what happened and I might've blacked out for a little while there, but when I got home my trunk looked like this:

I had bought out half of their Home Organization department and there was not a single thank you card in sight. Oopsies.  I think this must be what they mean by nesting (and let's also throw pregnancy brain in there while we're at it).