Praises and Nursery Inspiration

Last night when I was wide awake eating a Nutrigrain bar at 3:30 a.m., I couldn't help but wander into what will be our little girl's room. Right now it is an office with a desk, three book cases and a bed for visitors. In four months a little person will be living in there. I sat in the dark room looking around trying to imagine what it will be like to be up with her in the night. I couldn't help but be so overwhelmed with thanksgiving because this baby is so wanted. I sat and prayed in her space. I read my favorite part of  Psalm 139, verses 13-16. These verses talk about how beautiful and intricately God has made baby girl and he knows her and all her ways. I can only sit there and imagine that I have made it halfway through a pregnancy that I thought was never going to happen. It reminded me that pregnancy is nothing more than an act of God. It sure makes me realize my lack of control. I just hope that no matter what time I have in this life with this baby, that I commit her to Him.

As I started to get up to go back to bed, I couldn't help but freak out that I have no clue what her room will be like. The last few days as I have been confined to the house, I have started to pack up some of the bookcases. Mainly my notes from seminary, crafting books, and other odds and ends that haven't been given much thought once they been stuck on a bookcase. Adam and I have been incredibly blessed by a family in our church who wants to give us all of their gently used baby items. Pretty soon a  pack and play, high chair, bouncer, exercsaucer, and all sorts of odds in ends will be in that room and we are not ready for any of it. Adam keeps saying we have time, but I am so excited to start to feel like her coming to our home is becoming more real. I thought I would share some of the inspiration behind what I want her nursery to be like.

Photo from Pottery Barn Kids

Since before we ever found out we were pregnant I stumbled across this bedding set on Pinterest. Once I saw it, I was in love. I told myself if we ever had a little girl, this would be here bedding. Then I found out it came from Pottery Barn. Well after checking out loads of other bedding, this bedding isn't as ridiculous as I thought it would be in terms of cost. Adam and I went and checked it out in person in Cincinnati and he fell in love too. Who doesn't love whimsical birds? Haha! We were going to buy it, but they talked us into registering for it. I guess you never know! I love it because it's not over the top pink and it is not too hokey. We aren't going to do a whole lot in terms of painting, so her room will have white walls and this will be a subtle (but cute) set. We bought the matching stroller blanket while we were there and I love how sweet the blanket is.

My parents have been so gracious to give Adam and I some furniture for the nursery. We are getting sissy's old dresser (which was my dad's old dresser)! They are also giving me the glider-rocker that was my grandma's. Mom and Dad are also getting baby girl her crib. We have lucked out and been blessed BIG TIME! I have started to look at cribs and I really want to get one in white. Now the other furniture is basic wood color, but I am not obsessed with everything matching, so I have decided that it's okay to pick out a white crib. After looking, researching, and reading reviews I think I am going to choose one from Target. It's reasonably priced and I think the bedding we chose would look great in this crib. 

Crib and Changing Table from Target

For some wall art fun, I saw wooden monograms in a boutique here in Lexington. Then I started to think how fun it would be to hang her monogram on the wall. A little girly touch! Well I looked into the monograms that I saw at the boutique and wouldn't you know they were charging $400 for them. HAHA, yeah right! So I thought surely there'd be other places that make wooden monograms that hang on the well. Sure enough, I found some for $25 on Etsy! Hooray!

Monogram letters from Etsy. Once we are solid on a name, I might order these! Cute, feminine, and girly!

I kept telling myself I wouldn't go overboard with pink and too much girly stuff. But, I am total caught up in the fact that were having a little princess. I will continue to try and restrain myself but it is too hard!

Sitting on the couch shopping has been a little dangerous for me. Thankfully, I haven't decided to buy anything yet. As soon as Adam gives me the green light my splurge will be the diaper bag I want:

Vera Bradley- Vera Vera Baby Bag Microfiber Black

Unfortunately, this beauty has been discontinued so I have only been able to find it on ebay. Bummer :( I love it though. It has a wipeable inside and a matching changing pad. Plus it is not to Mommyish. Just a nice simple black tote. 

So some of things that I am thinking about for baby girl. Who knows, maybe we'll end up with completely different stuff by the time she arrives! I can't wait to see how everything will come together.

20 Weeks!! Wahoo!

This week has been great! One thing is for sure, we have had record setting heat like most of the country. Baby girl and I have been staying cool by trying to go into the pool at least twice a day. I have also been a permanent fixture on our couch. It's almost too hot to want to get in the car and go anywhere. Fortunately, relief is on the way and it is supposed to rain tonight. We need rain so bad!

Please pardon my crazy hair. We took this picture this a.m. and it was still REALLY warm. Heat index made it to 98 by 12 p.m.  Anyway, on with the fun stuff!

How far along? 20 weeks today!

Total weight gain: 9 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Been rocking my maternity clothes full fledge now. I have been starting to look for things to wear when I go back to work in August. 

Stretch marks? none on my belly yet!

Sleep: Pretty good! I still get REALLY hungry in the middle of the night. But, I mainly chalk up my lack of sleep to Adam playing video games till 2:30 a.m. and baby girl having dance parties at 4 a.m. The baby has an excuse, Adam is about to get banished to the couch if he keeps staying up that late ( I kid, I kid) 

Best Moment This Week: Going to Mad Potter with my friend Hilary to paint items for our nurseries. She painted a wonderful vase type thing that could hold all kinds of baby items. I painted a piggy bank! I can't wait to see how it turns out! I think this is the first thing I have purchased for the baby. 

Miss Anything? Kona Moka's from Coffee Times. Since it has been so hot, I have wanted one SO BAD. Blue Icee's have been a so-so substitute :)

Movement: She is getting stronger and stronger. I am interested to see at my ultrasound what position she is in. Right now I feel like she is breech and is doing an Irish jig trying to get out. STRANGE feeling!

Food cravings: Chocolate chip ice cream and Fritos and dip. Apparently Adam had the same craving for Fritos  and dip too. He ate an entire bag of Fritos is three days. Guess how much I got...NONE! Guess who went back to the store for more Fritos! Hahaha 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nada!

Gender: GIRL!!!

Have you started to show yet: Cute story. There was a gentleman at Sam's Club that kept looking at me and would look away when I would notice him looking at me. I went to get a straw and napkins for Adam and I and I heard Adam saying "Yep, she is. We're having a girl!" He wanted to tell me that his wife had had a baby four months ago but he was afraid to ask me if I was pregnant. Too funny. The same thing happened at Adam's doctor's office. I am noticeably pregnant but some people are afraid to talk to me about it. I appreciate people's sensitivity. 

Labor Signs: Nope. 

Symptoms: Still just hip pain at night. I think I am going to ask about it when I go in next time. At least it only happens at night.  

Belly Button in or out? My belly button is still in, but it is creeping further and further out.

 Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy and silly! I can't help but find the joy in everything. 

Looking forward to: My mom coming to my ultrasound on July 9th!!! I am so excited to share some of my pregnancy journey with her!!!  9 more days! I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas!

HALFWAY!! YAY!

19 Weeks

So a few funny thoughts about this week's post. 1) Adam wanted to have a say on what went on the chalkboard. According to the pregnancy book, Baby girl is around the size of a mango at 19 weeks. Adam asked how big that was and I said about 6 inches long. He thought that all of this produce size comparison stuff was getting lame so he wanted to come up with something else. I told him if he could come up with something different that was six inches long I would put it on the chalkboard. After thinking it over, he was adamant that we compare her to a toilet paper roll. I guess that is a great visual!! 2) We have got to find a new place on the fence to hang the chalkboard or take the picture in the A.M. before it gets to bright! Squinty Kate is NOT cute!

How far along? 19 weeks 3 days

Total weight gain: 7 lbs
Maternity clothes? I have been trying to stay as cool as possible so I have been wearing dresses as often as I can. I run so much laundry washing the same few dresses. In other news, I am still trying to wear my pre-pregnancy pajama pants that are getting snug and Adam almost DIED laughing at my plumbers butt last night. Sigh.TMI, but true. 
Stretch marks? none yet!
Sleep: Better than last week! My pillow has been so helpful!
Best Moment This Week: I was putting my hair in a ponytail in the bathroom and Adam came in and kissed my belly. It was really sweet because the belly has made everything way more real.

Miss Anything? Having a normal appetite. I still have aversions to things that I used to love.
Movement: Yep! We went to the Ichthus music festival on Saturday and she seemed to really love the music. She was moving and grooving through all the concerts. 
Food cravings: Chocolate chip ice cream

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still just meat and some smells. It is still quite random.
 Gender: GIRL!!!
Labor Signs: Nope. 
Symptoms: I have been having some hip pain at night when I am sleeping. I chalk it up to either my hips getting ready for delivery or getting used to sleeping on my side. Either way, it goes away once I start moving in the morning. I also have been congested which then leads to nosebleeds. Thankfully, that usually only happens in the morning too. 

Belly Button in or out? My belly button is SHALLOW!! I wouldn't be surprised if didn't flatten out here in the next week or two. (BTW really regretting that impulse decision to get a belly ring as an 18 year old. The hole is looking like it may tear. Praying it doesn't)

 Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time:  So happy!! Adam and I are so blessed and baby girl is by far the greatest blessing!

Looking forward to: My mom coming to my ultrasound on July 9th!!! I am so excited to share some of my pregnancy journey with her!!! Hoping Adam will agree to help me clean out what will be our nursery so we can start arranging her furniture.

18 Weeks

How far along? 18 weeks 5 days

Total weight gain/loss: Up seven pounds from my original weight.

Maternity clothes? Had the sad reality that my pre-pregnancy pants wouldn't go over my rear end so it's maternity pants/clothes for me!! 

Stretch marks? Still not on my belly

Sleep: Sleep hit rock bottom this week. Like I have said before, I have always been a stomach sleeper and getting used to sleeping on my side has been tough. Adam surprised me yesterday and said we could go get look into getting a pregnancy pillow. We went yesterday and purchased this fabulous creation:

It is a Snoogle Total Body Pillow. Woo! Last night I had the best sleep that I have had in 4 months. Not that the sleepless nights haven't been worth it, it is just nice to have the pillow to be comfortable. Of course, Penelope has tried to commandeer this pillow for her self. Not happening!

Best moment this week: After getting ice-cream last night with the high school girls, Adam felt baby girl move for the first time. He has been waiting so patiently for this to happen. It has definitely been one of the best moments of our pregnancy so far!

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Feeling like a capable human. People treat you differently when you are pregnant. I am certainly not going to do anything crazy to hurt baby girl. I keep telling concerned friends that I am not disabled, just pregnant :)

Movement: She has been moving quite a bit and her movements have been stronger.

Food cravings: Anything with fruit!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still meat. I can eat it when it is cold. So needless to say, chicken salad has been by b.f.f. Before pregnancy, I was a meat and potatoes girl. Still trying to supplement like crazy so that she gets protein.

Have you started to show yet: Yes! I had my first stranger ask me when my baby was due! So exciting!

Gender: GIRL!

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In, but it is very shallow! Adam was completely freaked out by my belly button the other night. 

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: This week I have been a little more sensitive than I normally am. I was getting weepy over lots of different things. Fortunately I can chalk that up to pregnancy. 

Looking forward to: Finishing our baby registry and watching my belly grow.

6th Wedding Anniversary!

Adam and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary this past Sunday. I didn't really expect that we would do much since we decided our present would be learning baby's gender. But Adam surprised me with an impromptu trip to Cincinnati for a day. We left Saturday morning and went to the mall to look at baby stuff, and get Adam tea and Teavana. Then we went to Dave and Buster's where I hit the jackpot of tickets:

After Dave and Buster's we went to the Cheesecake Factory for Dinner! YAY!! It was so delicious, AND we heard the song we danced to for our first dance. It was wonderful and so special. We got a piece of cheesecake to share for the road while Adam watched the Celtics lose to the Heat :(

On Sunday we went swimming at 9:00 a.m. and then we went to Bob Evans for Breakfast. We went to IKEA and bought a new rug. Woooo! So exciting, I know. Then we went to the Cincinnati Museum of Art. 

We could not take a good picture. Attempt 1: Adam's eyes are closed.

Attempt 2: Kate was talking!

Following our adventures to the art museum we went to Newport on the Levee to hangout before went to the Cincinnati Reds game. The game was a blast!

Great seats where we could see everything!

The blimp did a fly by!

We had a great anniversary!! Here is to many, many more! :)

17 Weeks

Adam and I went to our 16 week appointment on Friday. This was a routine check-up to see how baby girl was doing. Baby was great. Her heart rate was 148 and she continues to grow exceptionally well. At 16 weeks the top of the fundus (uterus) is supposed to be 1 1/2" below the belly button. My uterus was right at my belly button. My belly measured at 17.5 cm. Yay for our little one growing so well. We had a great appointment and our truly blessed.

For our 17 week update, I didn't do the chalkboard. I was so excited that our pool was raring to go and that I was finally able to wear my cute swimsuit my mom bought me! I love that my first maternity item was a swimsuit. Not the most practical, but certainly the most fun! Thanks Mom!

How far along? 17 weeks 3 days

Total weight gain/loss: Up five pounds from my original weight.

Maternity clothes? I have been going back and forth between my normal clothes and maternity clothes. Maternity clothes are way more comfortable.

Stretch marks? Not on my belly yet.

Sleep: I am still having a hard time sleeping through the night. I wake-up for a 2 a.m. to get a snack.

Best moment this week: Finding out the baby V is a GIRL!

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Eating normally. I had a scare with not getting enough calories this weekend. I just want to make sure that I am getting everything that the baby needs. I have always grazed my way through life, so finding extra times to eat will be tricky, but I am certainly up for the challenge. It might be Smashburger every week from here on out! :)

Movement: I am still feeling a lot of movement and it is getting stronger. At my appointment the midwife told me that the baby is VERY active. 

Food cravings: Nothing particular. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Smells, especially people wearing too much perfume or cologne. Poor Adam, we went to the art museum in Cincinnati this weekend and we had to map out our route away from a woman who's perfume was just too strong. I have never had that happened before where I was so sensitive to that kind of thing. 

Have you started to show yet: The bump is growing, growing!

Gender: GIRL!

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: More movement and thinking about what we want sweet girl's nursery to look like. 

We bought our first thing for baby this weekend. We bought her this blanket to match what will hopefully be her crib bedding :) It is so stinking cute!

Penelope stroller blanket- Pottery Barn Kids

Baby is...

Right when we left the ultrasound

We had our gender determination done at Lexington Fetal Photography. We couldn't have been more happy with the experience we had there. Cindy was wonderful and was super helpful in all things about becoming a new mommy. We were only suppose to get four 2D pictures, but she blessed us with 24 pictures and a couple in 4D so we got to see what our sweet baby girl's face looks like. Here are some pictures:

She is definitely a girl!! Baby was very cooperative!

There she is looking right at us!

Here she has her hand up by her ear like she is talking on the phone. We joked that she was practicing asking Daddy for the "pink dress, green dress, purple dress...." Haha

Sweet little girl's face!

There she is with her mouth open :) 

Flowers from Mom and Dad V!

For as much as I guessed recently that the baby was a boy, I couldn't be more elated that we are having a little girl. It is a dream come true for me. Of course you all know that Adam has been saying since day one that baby was a girl. Here it is in writing...Honey, you were right!! We are so happy and so in love. November cannot come fast enough. Thanks for taking the time to read all this and be excited with us. We are so blessed!

She said, "Excuse me, sir. Would you believe that I'm the very woman who was standing before you at this very spot, praying to God? I prayed for this child, and God gave me what I asked for. And now I have dedicated him to God. He's dedicated to God for life." Then and there they worshiped God. 1 Samuel 1:26-28 (MSG)

 So thankful and so in love! :)

Bow or Beau?

Okay, I put a poll so you all can cast your votes on what you think we were having! It's on the right! Take  a guess...

Just for fun I let you know what the "Old Wives Tales" say:

1. Chinese Gender Chart: According to this you enter your age at conception and your due date. The gender chart calculates these dates according to the chinese lunar calendar. Survey says...GIRL!

2. Heart rate: The rules are if the baby's heart rate is over 140, it's a girl.  Below, it's a boy.  Baby Vodicka was bopping along at around 142.  Survey says....GIRL!

3.  Where it sits:  If your belly is high, it's a girl.  If it's low, it's a boy.  I think my belly looks "low" but then again this is my first pregnancy.  Survey says....BOY!

Those are all the wives tales I have experienced/tried. There are others like the ring test, the necklace test, etc. etc. They also have at home tests that you can do that have a 50% accuracy rate :) Guess we'll find out tomorrow!

16 Weeks

I am so excited this week! I got the best surprise from Adam for our anniversary. He decided that we would go for a private ultrasound for an early gender determination!!! I can hardly believe it. Of course this totally changed my plan for the chalkboard this week. I was going to write that the baby was the size of an avocado, but now we can take a guess a gender! WOOO! If you have talked to me recently, you know that I am going to be happy with anything and that I was okay to wait. Adam, however, can hardly stand the suspense. Hence, our appointment TOMORROW!! YAY! Hopefully Baby V cooperates!

How far along? 16 weeks 4 days

Total weight gain/loss: Up four pounds from my original weight.

Maternity clothes? I have been going back and forth between my normal clothes and maternity clothes. Maternity clothes are way more comfortable.

Stretch marks? Just on my hips :/

Sleep: My new thing is waking up at 4:15 a.m. I don't know what that is all about, but I usually go get something to drink, go to the bathroom, wander aimlessly around the house. I think God has a sense of humor and is just preparing me for what is about to come my way.

Best moment this week: The surprise that we are going tomorrow to find out Jellybean's gender. 

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Being able to sleep through the night. 

Movement: I can feel the baby whenever I am sitting or laying down. He/She is an active little squirt. I have a feeling that we are going to have our hands full.

Food cravings: Vanilla ice cream cones.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Penelope and her nasty dog habits. Yes...I had to give her ANOTHER bath this week! 

Have you started to show yet: I have a little bump. I love it! Many people have commented that I have started to show. My favorite was one of our youth kids grandma told me that her favorite phrase of our (mine) generation is "baby bump" and that she thought that I had a cute baby bump :) Loved it!

Gender prediction: Boy...but we shall see tomorrow!

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: I hate to admit this, but hormones are getting the best of me. I can hardly believe that I get upset over 90% of the things that I get upset about. Fortunately I don't get mean, I just get weepy. I am still elated to be pregnant. 

Looking forward to: Finding out what baby is tomorrow and going to the doctor on Friday. This is going to be a wonderful week!