27 Weeks

So, I finally got around to scheduling a chiropractic appointment. And magically, my back began hurting less. I'm still looking forward to going though. The discomfort comes and goes, but I'm hoping it will better prepare my body for the labor/ delivery portion of this experience.

I feel like I should be doing more to train for this, but I mainly just sleep whenever I can. Since I actually know what I'm getting into this time...

The whole body-being-ravaged by pregnancy can naturally bring a girl down, so it helps to put a little more effort into my appearance. I don't paint my nails often, but this hot coral color is rocking my world. It's the little things...

I hit a mini-milestone this week too by completing the whole first page of my Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan. Have I ever followed through with a New Year's resolution this far into the year? My mind is blanking. I've attempted this feat in the past with poor results, but this plan is actually the most practical I've ever come across.

For example, there are only 25 days to each month so if you miss one or two, you don't get crazy behind. It's all about grace, people. Thanks to my homegirl (in my mind), Jami Nato, for referring this plan.



In other news, this weekend marks Wayde & my 5 year wedding anniversary! Unreal. So looking forward to getting out of town, staying at a swanky hotel, and indulging in lots good food for a couple days. To be continued...xx

Weekend Sweetness

This past weekend had its share of particularly sweet moments, which included:

Ice cream. We may or may not have gone to Snookie's in Beaverdale more than once for chocolate-dipped twist cones.

Giggles. If you are familiar with Snookie's, then you are aware of it's eclectic collection of books throughout the dining area. Ruby's selection had us cracking up...I Am Becoming the Woman I've Wanted. No light reading for this little lady.

Snuggles. There's a 50/50 chance that Ruby will end up in our bed before the end of the night on most nights. The nice thing about it is that she's super cuddly when she does. I awoke Sunday morning to her little arm up around my face. These are the moments that make being a parent so totally worth it.

Adorableness. I think Ruby has inherited her parents' love of picture taking.

Cuteness overload. Enough said. Hope your weekend was equally sweet...xx

25 & 26

Falling a bit behind on the maternity posts...and on most things, in general. Being pregnant with a 1.5 year old while working full-time can sure suck the energy out of a person...

The nights of somewhat restful sleep are slowly dwindling. I go to bed as early as I can not knowing how many hours of uninterrupted Z's I'm gonna get. If it's not this little one kicking around inside of me, it's Ruby having trouble sleeping. And the back pain...oh, the back pain. Heating pad, you are my new BFF.

At least we have baby's room painted..? And that's about it. No other furniture yet besides this sweet rocker and a shelf. Ruby is still occupying the crib (most nights) and we'd like to keep it in her room so she can get a real sense of ownership (?) in there.

The way I see it, Baby #2 will probably be in our room for the first few months anyway. Still, I am SO ready to finish decorating this room.

Stay tuned...more to come on that project...xx

Happenings.

With the arrival of Spring, slowly but surely, we are seeing for the first time what our backyard actually looks like. And it's not pretty. It used to be. What was once a heavily landscaped area (we have the maps to prove it) is nothing but dead leaves & dirty ground in it's current state.

Though we probably won't be able to plant anything new this year, as there are several perrenials popping their way through the soil, we're looking forward to the prospect of backyard picnics & blowing bubbles & sidewalk chalk-a-thons in our own backyard.  



In other sprouting news, Ruby's hair is just long enough now to wrangle into pigtails. She sits super still while Mama tugs on her tresses & is always so pleased with the finished product. Little girls are such a joy!

After seeing this place on a recent episode of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, we decided to check out the infamous B&B Grocery and Deli on Des Moines' southeast side.

It was gritty, unexpected, and oh so tasty - we love places like this. The sandwiches are pretty killer, indeed.



Mama's wardrobe is fastly becoming one of Ruby's favorite hangout spots. I think every little girl's mama ought to have one;)

Wayde things it's weird that I have styled the top shelf to feel less like a storage space and more like a boutique. It's still a work in progress. What are your thoughts??

And lastly, the closest thing this prego mama is going to get to a cocktail for a very long time. But a worthy substitute, I might add.

 

Lemonade + chopped strawberries + rosemary. You NEED to try this. Just looking at this photo has me thirsting for another one. Right. Now.

 

Be back soon...xx

24 Weeks

I wish I was doing something cooler than taking bathroom photos to document my "maternity series", but whatever.

I have more energy now than I did in my first trimester, but the little things are starting to feel harder to do. Like putting on socks. Maybe if Spring actually started to act like it was supposed to, I wouldn't have to worry about that. It's been a long winter in Iowa, my friends. Makes me feel like the end of Summer is very far away, when it really isn't.

Also, I got my first mid-night Charley Horse this week. The kind that jar you awake and you have to stamp them out on the floor to make them go away. At least we don't have a neighbor below us this time to be alerted of my discomfort. SO. NOT. FUN.

I'm trying to embrace as much sleep as possible, being all too familiar with those days & nights where I was tired beyond all reason with a newborn. Yep, still fresh in my mind...yet SO totally worth it, if you asked me:) xx

Easter 2013

What a wonderful Easter weekend it was! Ruby was able to participate in her first big Easter egg hunt that was organized by our incredible church.

There were candy-filled eggs (naturally), face-painting, cotton candy, and inflatables to name a few things. All of which Ruby indulged in (& LOVED) even more than we expected.

On your mark..get set...go!! Ruby paused to dance until I "explained" to her what was going on;)

 Little lady would've been happy if we had left her in here all day.

I thought we'd give the face-painting a chance and warned the artist that she might not be able to finish the job...

Surprisingly, Ruby held still long enough to be transformed into a pretty little kitty. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised...after all, she likes for me to pretend to put make-up on her!

 Turns out that pretty little kitties aren't big fans of kisses:/

Ruby in her "princess" dress.

Easter Sunday morning was spent at church celebrating the resurrection of our risen Savior. The later part of the day was spent in the company of family (both sides), sharing meals & taking much needed naps. A good day, indeed:)

Kind of crazy to think that there will be another face in our family photo next Easter! Hope everyone else had a beautiful Easter weekend too xx

23 Weeks

Turns out I wore this same turtleneck for my 23 week photo with Ruby in tow. What?? I SO did not plan that. I don't know what that says about me...probably that I'm cheap/ thrifty/ resourceful/ etc. Regardless, I think I'm bigger this time around.

Circa 2011.

For all of you bumpwatchers, let us analyze these two photos. It appears I'm about as high & pointy as I was when I was carrying my daughter...PERHAPS, IT IS ANOTHER GIRL?? Oh, the drama.

In other examples of how I am subconsciously carrying on traditions through my pregnancies, I am currently reading a classic—Pride & Prejudice. I read another classic, Jane Eyre, with Ruby—both period novels somewhat far from my usual tastes, but I have enjoyed/ am enjoying quite immensely. Just trying to fill the "Downton Abbey" void, y'all. P&P is turning out to be quite the worthy sub.

I've also been reading the She Reads Truth Holy Week Plan, which is so SO good. I didn't even get as far as devising a Lent strategy for me to fail this year, but have wanted to be intentional & reflective in the days leading up to Easter and what that means for my life/ faith/ etc. I was also touched by this perspective.

Peace to you...xx

A Peek Inside...Our Master Bedroom!

The rooms in our new house are slowly but surely coming together, with lots of furniture & picture shifting yet to take place. I'd like to think of our master bedroom as about 85% finished. It's just not quite there yet...

Almost everything you see in the above photo is from IKEA - the bed, the nightstands, the duvet cover, the wall hanging. I am undecided on how I feel about that.

This bedroom was the first project we tackled upon becoming homeowners. It really only required paint, as you can see why from the 'before' photo. Thankfully, I never had to wake up to this dreadful navy blue/ near black color scheme.

The paint color in my mind was more of a grayish-purple. A color that would leave the beholder questioning, "Is it gray? Or is it purple?" Well, there's no question about it, the walls are purple. As were walls in my high school and post-college bedrooms. Apparently, it's an ongoing theme in my life. And I'm ok with it.

There's still a lot of wall & floor space demanding to be covered, which is tricky if one prefers a more minimal look. Other than that, I really don't have any complaints. I dream of this place while I'm not dreaming in it.

So, there you have it! Looking forward to showing you more rooms as we piece them together...xx

And in case you missed it, a peek inside our living room!

Wayde's Surprise 30th

This post could have easily turned into a retrospective on how not to throw a surprise party, but alas, the celebration turned out to be a success. Wayde was completely in the dark (as were our guests for who knows how long at our house before I got ahold of someone regarding our timeline. Sorry about that, folks. I'm sure that wasn't awkward at all).

I certainly couldn't have pulled off the decorating/ snack prep if Wayde's brother and sister-in-law weren't in town to keep him occupied for the afternoon. Never operate alone during a suprise party mission.

Unfortunately, this is the only photo I snapped of birthday boy:( I would've taken more pics of the party in general if I hadn't been so preoccupied with playing DJ (courtesy of my iPhone).

The donut cake & chocolate milk especially touched my husband's heart, as this is one of his most favorite late-night snack combos/ vices. I couldn't imagine a more suitable baked good for such an occasion.

Baby girl enjoying some glazed goodness. And can you please check out her nails?! Like mama, like daughter...warms my heart.

Even though Wayde had a blast, we both agreed afterwards that we never have to throw another surprise party for each other again. And for that, I am grateful.

Thankful for so many wonderful friends that helped make the birthday boy feel special!! Because he really is...xx

22 Weeks

Not knowing the gender of this little one had been torturing me lately. Since the ultrasound, I've taken numerous gender prediction quizzes online, which have not provided any clear insight. Obviously.


During my Mom's birthday party, my brother came out of the kitchen asking if the picture on the fridge (a 14 week ultrasound photo featuring a full body shot)
was of baby #2. "It's a boy," he confidently stated. "It has a...schmekel." My mom & sisters also examined the pic. "Yep," they all agreed, "it looks like we know what you're having!"

And for the rest of the weekend, I was convinced (or at least 90% certain) that this babe on the way was, indeed, MALE. But before I started buying boy clothes, I needed one more bit of confirmation.

So, I googled "14 week ultrasound boy" to do a little photo analysis of my own...

After skimming dozens of grainy, black & white images, I settled on one that looked the most like our photo. Turns out, it was an ultrasound photo of a GIRL. Apparently, the tailbone can often be confused with another piece of "anatomy" at that stage of the pregnancy. Hmmm.

So, I am back in the boat of unknowing. And I can honestly say that I really do like it here. At least we know one thing for sure...this baby is either a BOY or a GIRL.

**I do want to add that Wayde's opinion was never swayed throughout this whole ordeal (for lack of a better word). He once told me early in our marriage that he had a feeling that we were going to end up with all girls. If you know my husband, you know that he doesn't go throwing around premonitions all willy-nilly. So, we'll see if those sentiments are on track come this July...