Nautical / Coastal / Beachy Nursery – The Reveal (Part 1)!

After finishing up a couple crafty projects, cleaning some clutter, and adding a few pictures to some of the frames, I can officially say the nursery is done!

I probably went a bit crazy with the theme – I mean, there’s a ton of sailboats in this room and I didn’t realize it until I was taking pictures this morning.  But overall, I LOVE how everything came out.  This room was so much fun to put together.  I searched every week at Home Goods and Christmas Tree Shops for trinkets, and then debated at Michael’s on new craft projects I wanted to attempt.  It took months to complete and I’m very glad I started early on as soon as we found out we were having a boy.

I walk into this room and instantly feel relaxed…so hopefully Baby C will feel the same :)  This is not the typical “baby” nursery.  It has a more grown-up feeling, because let’s face it – it’s me and Hubby who will be enjoying it the most his first year.  When we move to our “forever” house in the future, we can decorate a little kid’s room that is more fun and colorful. 

I’ve mentioned this before in sneak peek posts, but the color of the room is a light celery green that we painted when we first moved in and the room was used as my craft space/guest bedroom.  We didn’t want to repaint so the room was designed around the green being the main color and then we used navy blue, light blue, white and browns as accent colors.  Most nautical themed rooms use red, but I didn’t want to do that and risk it looking too “Christmas-y” with all the green.

This is what you’ll see when you enter his room:

• Captain’s Quarters sign from Home Goods
• Welcome to my Crib sign homemade (wooden hanger and sailboat from Michaels)

When you open the door, you will see the gallery wall and white organizer that stores his books, extra wipes and diapers that don’t fit in the changing station, as well as his blankets, extra crib sheets, mattress pad protectors, bath towels, bath toys and extra lotions and wash.  Any blank frames in the gallery wall will be filled with newborn photos, family photos, and his birth announcement.

• White Organizer, Beige Baskets, 2 White Shelves, and some frames from IKEA (Expedit)
• Lamp, sailboat book ends, some frames, and sailboat photo boxes from Christmas Tree Shops
• Blue baskets from Home Goods
• Shore Do Love You Sign from TJ Maxx (gift)
• Welcome Aboard Clock from Amazon.com

• “No One Else” quote art piece – from my Etsy Shop
• Seahorse picture holder from Kohl’s, card was from baby shower
• Sailboat frame from Christmas Tree Shops
• Corkboard from Home Goods, hand painted shell was gifted from Hubby’s step-grandmother

• Brown and white frames from Ikea
• Sailboat, red art piece, and shell frame from Christmas Tree Shops

• Light brown frames from Ikea
• Whale tile from San Diego Babymoon Trip

On the left side, there’s the guest bedroom part of the room.  We are really lucky to have enough space to keep the bed in here, so I have somewhere to sleep if he’s particularly fussy. 

• The bed, dresser, and night side tables are from Ikea, purchased several years ago for first apartment
• Comforter and body pillow are from Target, purchased several years ago
• Toy hanging net from Babies R Us

• Canvas art on the left are painted and stenciled by me (canvases and stencils from Michael’s)
• Sailboat art piece from Home Goods, green sign from TJ Maxx
• Button star handmade by me (wooden star from Michael’s, buttons from Jo Ann’s)
• Frames on right were a gift

At the baby shower, guests were asked to decorate a welcome message on a sand dollar for Baby C.  I attached the finished ones to a corkboard with some ribbon and pins and used a couple frame holders to prop the corkboard up against the wall. 

• Corkboard is from our wedding – painted the trim white and added a layer of polka dot fabric to the top.

 

Next up I will share pictures of the nursery side of the room! 

Sunflower Cupcakes

One of the results from my baking day yesterday:

Sunflowers!  They came out pretty cute, though, they use a TON of  frosting.  And I probably should have done a third level of leaves to cover up the bases of the Oreos a little more, but at that point I was pretty much done with frosting.  I found the original inspiration on Pinterest – these look much better than mine:

Source: ohcupcakes.net via Emily on Pinterest

 

These were a total cheat – I used a yellow cake mix with a honey greek yogurt, 1 cup of water, and 1 egg white.  They baked for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees and then I frosted them with vanilla frosting out of the can.  I did mix in a little lemon pudding mix, lemon extract, and yellow food coloring to make the frosting more lemon flavored.  I used a Wilton leaf tip (I think it’s #352?) to frost and then stuck the Oreos on top.  I didn’t actually eat one but Sista and Hubby approved.  Unfortunately the frosting out of the can is very soft and not great for piping leaves.  If I were to make these again in the future, I would make an actual buttercream frosting that’s a little thicker.  And maybe attempt to add in some green leaves, as well.

It felt good to do some baking again!  Who knows when I’ll be able to make cupcakes in the future :)

39 Weeks

Trying oh so hard to be patient.  I know I’m not even overdue yet, but I’m running out of things to do.  There’s really nothing left to clean or organize in the house and I can only go to Target so many times in one week. Today was a baking day – Hubby will be taking cupcakes to work tomorrow.

Last Friday I had my weekly appointment.  No more progress has been made other than his head is further down.  My blood pressure and everything else is still good.  Next appointment is this Friday – love how my doctor always says “I can’t believe how far along you are, Emily!”  The time has gone by really fast until this past month. 

Sunday night I had a lot of BH contractions and was feeling crampy.  I went to bed hoping it would turn into something more overnight but no luck, and I woke up feeling fine on Monday.  Last night I put a couple of Baby C’s extra waterproof pads under our sheets on my side of the bed in case my water breaks during the night.  Tonight I’m having a lot of back pain and lots of pelvic pressure – I think my half hour workout on the treadmill this AM did something because I am so sore right now.

I was feeling pretty good until today minus my feet.  They were very swollen on Saturday but luckily getting a massage helped moved some of the fluids back up as I asked her to work a lot on my feet, legs and lower back.  Since then I’ve been trying to prop them up when possible but I have a feeling they’ll be permanently swollen until he gets here.

How far along?: 39 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Watermelon. My favorite fruit :)

Total weight gain/loss: +28-30.

The Bump: Feeling huge.  And a new batch of stretch marks popped up on my lower belly this past week :(

Symptoms: Still hot all the time.  Swollen feet. 

Food Cravings: French fries…I had them twice in the past week and I almost never eat french fries.

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nope.

Sleep: Not so great in the past week…I’ve been waking up a lot during the night and can’t fall back asleep.  Luckily since I’m home now I can catch up with cat naps. 

What I miss: Being able to get in and out of bed and on and off the couch with no effort.  Oh my God I feel like such a whale. 

Weddings Rings On or Off: Engagement/wedding rings are off, anniversary band is on.

Any Names Picked Out Yet: We have picked THE one :) It’s a secret until he’s born, though.

Movement: Still moving a lot.

Maternity Clothes: Just about all maternity.

Labor Signs: Cervix is softened, head is down, more BH contractions.

Best Moment of the Week: Seeing lots of people last week!  And the nursery is officially done – I’ll be posting lots of pics later this week!

What I’m excited about/looking forward to:  Just him getting here!

39 Week Pic:

And what I wore to Target/grocery shopping today – maternity tank and jean skirt from Old Navy, shrug from JCPenney:

 

Monday Musings

Source: etsy.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

3rd Trimester Must-Haves

As I get closer to being done with pregnancy, I thought I would put together my 3rd trimester must-haves list now (I doubt I’ll be adding anything in the next couple weeks).  This trimester was all about trying to stay as comfy as possible.  Here are my 1st trimester and 2nd trimester lists.

Maternity Scoop Rib-Knit Tanks from Old Navy…I’ve mentioned this before but I LOVE these tank tops.  Inexpensive, stretchy, and flattering to your bump (you definitely have to be okay with showing off your belly in these). Luckily my office wasn’t too dressy, so I would wear these with a shrug or cardi over them. They’re now what I lounge in around the house with yoga pants.

Dresses…I’ve been living in dresses since mid-spring.  Unfortunately most of my non-maternity dresses were too short in the front and looked weird with a bump so I had to buy maternity dresses. I think some of them will lay flat enough after, though, so hopefully I can continue to wear them this summer. This dress I featured is a new one I bought at Target last week that’s nursing-friendly and I bought it in a smaller size so it won’t be a tent after my bump is gone. I also have had good luck with non-maternity maxi dresses – I can buy them in my normal size and there’s enough room in the tummy so they stretch.

Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter…in my 2nd trimester must-haves, I listed Burt’s Bee’s massage oil as one of my favorites. I switched over to this belly butter and am glad I did for the third trimester. Unfortunately I still have some stretch marks but this lotion has really helped with the itching as it’s super moisturizing. I use this at night before bed and Vaseline’s cocoa butter lotion in the morning after I shower.

Patience…I included the “One Day at a Time” quote because the last few weeks you really just need to be patient.  Really, really patient.

Aloe Vera gel…this may be a weird addition but I used this when my feet were feeling swollen and heavy at the end of the day. This helped cool them down a little.

Tums…heartburn didn’t hit me until my third trimester luckily. I have had it off and on at night so I keep a bottle of these in my nightstand table.

Roll-Over Jersey Skirts from Old Navy…I have three of these from a couple summers ago.  When I lost weight last year, they were too big for me in the waist, but I’m glad I saved them, as they fit perfectly under my belly now and never feel too tight.  And they’re perfect to wear to doctor’s appointments so the nurse can just give you a sheet to put over your waist instead of putting on a gown.

Flip-flops…so lucky I was pregnant in the spring/early summer since I’ve been wearing flip-flops almost every day since April. I bought a pair of these Tommy Hilfigers in a brown plaid at the mall for $15…they have terry cloth on the undersides of the straps and they’re wide enough to accommodate my feet when they’re a little swollen.

Ice cream…do I really have to explain this one?

Pillows…I’m still loving my Snoogle, but I’ve also had to use more pillows to prop up my feet if they’re swollen, put them behind my back when I’m laying down, etc.

Hospital Packing List – Labor & Delivery

Hospital bags are finally all packed!  My bag was pretty much done early last week but I did laundry this past weekend to add in another nursing tank and nursing nightgown I recently bought. 

Before I give the lists, let me just say that I’m ALWAYS an over-packer.  I fully admit this as every single time we go on vacation I always pack more outfits, shoes, etc than what I truly need.  I guess it’s the Girl Scout in me – “be prepared”.  So these lists may seem long, but in the end I would rather have these things with me, and if I don’t use them then that’s great!

I did some research online, talked to a few fellow mamas, added some of my own ideas, and ultimately came up with these lists:

Mommy’s bag:

travel-sized toiletries for me and hubby including face cleanser wipes, moisturizer, deodorant, lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, chapstick, shampoo, conditioner, body wash.  (I always bring my own stuff when we travel, so these were musts)

make-up: powder foundation and mascara (I always wear these two items even when I’m sick)

hairbrush, hairspray, hair ties, bobby pins

2 nursing tanks

2 nursing bras

1 open cardigan to wear home

2 pairs loose fitting yoga pants

3 pairs undies (that I don’t care about)

robe-hoodie (I have a shorter one that’s more of a jacket length) 

nursing nightgown

flip flops (I’m not a fan of slippers or socks)

nursing pads and lanolin cream

maxi pads

birthing ball

nightlight (I’ve heard it’s nice to have this instead of turning on the bright hospital lights on for night feedings/changings)

Boppy (will leave in the car until after he’s born)

Baby C’s bag (diaper bag + my purse)

2 outfits for bringing home (newborn size and 0-3 size), including a pair of socks and a hat

1 swaddle blanket to put over him in the carseat

2 pairs mittens (I’ve heard some hospitals have them, some don’t and I don’t want to worry about clipping nails until we’re home)

baby book for footprints and other notes (ha, if I remember)

some essentials that will be moved over from my purse…phone, wallet (license, insurance cards)

my medical records for my back surgery just in case they don’t have the anesthesiologist notes on file from our meeting a few months ago

and I’ve packed the diaper bag necessities so it’s ready to use once we’re home and go out, but I know we should just stock up on what the hospital has to give us :)

Daddy’s bag (his backpack)

iPad/iPhone charger

iPad

camera and charger

video camera and charger

pillow (he is SO picky about pillows, while I can care less)

swim trunks (in case I want to shower while in labor)

change of clothes

PJ pants and slippers

change for vending machines

snacks (Goldfish, trail mix packs, granola bars, fruit snacks) & Vitamin Waters

Hope I’m not missing anything because our bags are pretty full…almost makes me wish I packed a rolling luggage instead ;)

38 Weeks

I’m officially a stay-at-home-mom now…aka a SAHM.  Well I guess I need the baby to make it really official, but it has been nice being home the last couple days and having “me” time so I can catch up on stuff.  It was sad leaving work last Friday, though – I thought I would be beyond excited to leave but it was much harder than I thought.  Not sure if that means I’ll be anxious to get back into the workplace sometime in the future?  At this point we’re planning on me staying home until December or January and then seeing how things are at that point.  Everyone keeps telling me how lucky I am to be able to do this, and I do realize that…but it’s still a huge change.  I’m sure I’ll be posting more about this in the next few months.

My last doctor’s appointment was last Wednesday and not too much progress had been made at that point.  My cervix is softening but not dilating yet.  I’m curious to see if I am dilated at all this Friday, as I’ve felt more pelvic pressure when walking around.  I’ve had more BH contractions, but they never last for more than 5 seconds and don’t really hurt at all.  Haven’t really felt the urge to nest, though I did spend a good 90 minutes cleaning our bathroom last night. 

How far along?: 38 weeks

Baby is the size of a:  Pumpkin. A PUMPKIN?  My God, I hope it doesn’t look like I’m carrying a pumpkin.  

Total weight gain/loss:  +28-30.

The Bump:  Feeling huge.

Symptoms: More of the same.  And I feel like my internal body temperature is 10 degrees hotter than it normally is, which means our central air has been on already for the past couple weeks. 

Food Cravings:  Nothing in particular.

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nope.

Sleep: Really can’t complain…still waking up just once or twice a night to pee.

What I miss: Being able to shop for regular clothes…I went to the outlets today and found some non-maternity tops that are nursing friendly, but it’s so hard to judge what size I’ll be without a bump.  I was inbetween sizes before I got pregnant so it really depended on how the top was cut and the material.  And I bought nursing bras today in a cup size two larger than what I normally wear to be safe…UGH.

Weddings Rings On or Off: Engagement/wedding rings are off, anniversary band is on.

Any Names Picked Out Yet:  We have picked THE one :)  It’s a secret until he’s born, though.

Movement: Still moving all the time, it’s mostly just his feet now that I feel the most. 

Maternity Clothes: Just about all maternity. 

Labor Signs: Cervix is softening, some BH contractions.

Best Moment of the Week: Waking up Monday morning to no alarm…amazing feeling.

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: lots of plans this week to keep me busy…Mom comes up tomorrow for a lunch date, another lunch date on Thursday with a past co-worker, meeting up with the girls Thursday evening, and then doctor’s appointment on Friday.

38 Week Pic:

And what I wore today…maternity tank from Old Navy, open cardigan from Old Navy, maternity jeans from Kohl’s

Easy Recipes

I’ve been on the hunt for some new, easy recipes to try out the next couple weeks since I’m officially home so I can duplicate them once Baby C makes his arrival.  Everyone keeps telling me to make stuff now and freeze it, but I’ll be honest – I’m not a huge fan of freezing meals.  I just feel like it never tastes the same when you re-heat something compared to when something is freshly made.  We also have limited space in our freezer.  I think we would need to get another freezer for the basement and we don’t have the funds for that right now. 

I’m looking forward to using our slow cooker a little more – we only used it before on weekends because I was always really nervous about leaving it on all day while we were at work.  However, most of the slow cooker recipes I’ve found are for soups or stews and I usually don’t like eating soup during the summer.  I also am looking for healthy recipes…I certainly don’t need to gain any more weight the next couple weeks and it’d be good to get back into a better routine ASAP.

Here’s a few that I’ve pinned lately that hopefully I can attempt in the next week:

Grilled Honey Lime Chicken…I’ll be preparing these but Hubby will have to actually cook them as I don’t use the big grill :)

 

 

Source: cookingclassy.blogspot.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turkey and Tomato Panini…I’ll be trying this with Greek yogurt instead of mayo:

 

 

 

 

Source: eatingwell.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Southwestern Pasta Salad…I’ve done something similar to this but have never attempted to make my own vinaigrette before:

Source: eat-yourself-skinny.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Asian Lettuce Wraps (like a copy-cat version from PF Chang’s):

Source: eat-yourself-skinny.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken Apple Crunch Salad - will probably use greek yogurt again instead of mayo:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: recipegirl.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Cheesy Baked Penne with ham and peas…mmm this looks so good!

Source: recipegirl.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Hopefully I can try out at least a few of these this week and do some recipe reviews since I have done any of those in a long time!

June

 

Baby C,

It’s June 1st, which mean it’s officially your birth month!  We are ready for you to come any time…your crib is all made up, you have plenty of clean clothes to wear, your car seat is installed in Daddy’s car, and we are stocked up on plenty of diapers and wipes for your little bum. 

Please don’t be stubborn like your parents – we would love for you to arrive a little earlier than your “due date”.  Trust me, it will be much more fun out here when we can snuggle you all the time, though, I know you’ll miss your dance parties inside my belly.

Can’t wait to meet you!

Love, Mommy & Daddy

Maternity Photos

Here’s more of our maternity photos that were  taken a few weeks ago in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.  I was 34 1/2 weeks and was pretty happy I decided to wait until this late on in my third trimester to get them taken.  My bump was definitely big enough :)  While I can totally see my weight gain in my arms and face, I’m still loving the majority of them – I think I like them even better than our engagement photos!  I know some people think maternity photos are unnecessary, but I think it’s totally worth having some done – even if it’s just a friend who takes a few.  I mean if you think about it, you’re only preggo for a very short time in your life (unless you’re the Duggar mom) – might as well document it!

All photos are courtesy of Clare Norton Photography.  Clare is amazing if you are in the Portland, Maine area – highly recommend her and can’t say enough good things about working with her from our engagement and wedding photos and now these.  I wish she was close enough so we could do newborn ones, too.   These are some of my favorites…she took 80 of them!

My outfit details…blue maxi dress is from Target (non-maternity, purchased online in my regular size).  Other outfit is a maternity top from Target (bought in-store), shrug from Old Navy and maternity jeans from Kohl’s.