Nursery Items and Things I am loving....



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Bicycles, Parada Creations, Etsy



Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan, Society 6

 

Flight of the Elephants by Terry Fan, Society 6



Monkey Boppy Cover from Babies R Us





The size of a plum!

12 weeks

Favorite Prego Clips...

I'm really pissed that I can't find the ultrasound scene from Juno on there and the pickings weren't that great from the films I had in mind...but these are some gems :)

First one down, 2 more to go! Trimesters that is...

I feel like I've hit a milestone of sorts, similar to graduating high school.  Graduating from high school isn't really a spectacular or life changing event in your life, but it sort of gives you the "safe" thumbs-up.  Safe from what you ask? Well, safe from dying penniless and uneducated.  You're safe, you can at least find a job in fast food.  Does that make sense to anyone else that isn't inside my head?  It's a milestone because although it's not a spectacular event (such as birth!) it puts me in the safety zone.  My baby wants to keep growing and stick around.  We've been through a lot, us two.  Let me tell you! I don't share half the crazy that goes on because I want to keep this blog lively and upbeat.  I also use this blog to not only document the precious gift of every passing day I get to have this baby grow inside me, but to also help me stay positive.  It's easy to focus on all the wierdo stuff going on with my body and the horrible side effects of pregnancy and all the things that are probably normal but I freak out about simply because I'm still getting over a miscarriage.  It's daunting most days.

I'm thankful to God for allowing me to become a mommy  --- at all.  This road was never supposed to be an easy one for me.  I had expected to spend thousands of dollars for the privilege of parenthood.  Luckily not a dime was spent, surely not even on contraception. I am blessed to be entering my 2nd trimester on Sunday.  I am thankful that I will be able to dye my hair and restore some of my self esteem :)  I am thankful to my doctor for allowing me to get back on my Prozac as I enter the 2nd trimester.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I take an antidepressant.  I don't handle stress well when I'm not aided by medicine.  I certainly don't handle purchasing a home, trying to keep the sweet pea alive inside me, a stressful job with a lot of pressure, things going on that are out of our control with Ian.  The ups and downs are hard on a good day.  Trying to deal with the added strain of pregnancy hormones and lack of drugs just isn't pleasant (for anyone!).

Since I have the worst ever Ultrasound Tech at my doctor's office, I've decided to seek outside sources for decent ultrasound pictures.  I found a place called See Baby located at Emory Hospital downtown (near our current apartment) where I can get a 2-D ultrasound of the baby.  I can go there, pay $60 and not be rushed out or made felt bad because I want to watch the little peanut swim around and kick and listen to the heart beat more than 5 seconds.  I get 15 minutes of uninterrupted baby time and GUARANTEED awesome baby pics or I can go back if the baby doesn't cooperate.  Generally this place caters to women who are in advanced pregnancy looking for the 3-D or 4-D experience.  And, the lady was shocked to hear I just wanted a normal ultrasound.  But, it's important to me.  I've started a scrapbook for the little tiny nugget and I want to make sure we get some good pictures.  Last time I got home from the doctor's and Mandy's stupid ultrasound, I noticed that the baby looked like a blurry howard the duck.  It looked like a blobby duckbill platypus.  Ugh. She is such a bitch!  I don't understand how someone can be so repeatedly nasty when it's their job to take pictures of babies in tummies all day long.  Lord, she doesn't know how good she's got it!  If the worst part of my day was sticking a probe up a woman's vag, I think I'd be ok with that.

So I have to remember to go to the grocery this week and really start taking pictures of me and some fruit.  I know it's stupid, but I'm finally starting to show and I thought up until now it was pointless to hold a sesame seed or a sweet pea in my hand and hold it up to my tummy.  Times have changed.  This kid's the size of a plum now.  One of my favorite fruits and that's a handful for me! (Yes, I have tiny hands.)

All the right parts should be there, they just have to keep growing from here on out!  At 12 weeks:

• Most of her critical systems are fully formed!
• She's about to enter the growth and maturation stage, in which her organs and tissues will grow and develop rapidly.
• She's now developing her reflexes -- if you poke her body, she'll likely move.
• She's opening and closing her fingers and curling her toes, too.
• Her brain is developing fast!

The hormones should finally simmer down.  However, the increased blood flow is rearing it's ugly head.  I woke up with a busted blood vessel in my eye.  I look like a crackhead.  My belly is noticeably bigger and the sweet security guy at work kindly asked me if I was expecting a baby.  Let's just say that I couldn't have been happier that he was the first person (ever in my life) to ask if I was expecting.  He is the kindest man ever and I think if anyone else had asked me I would have just been pissed about looking fat.  I've learned the trick to being chunky and pregnant - don't wear plus size clothes because you just end up looking fat and frumpy.  I've taken to already wearing the most maternity of clothes (second hand if I can find them! :) and I find that it helps me feel better about myself.  Like ugh, I'm wearing a 1X or a 2X, no I'm wearing a size 16 maternity jeans.  Yes thank you!  I'm still pretty exhausted but I've had some pretty bad headaches this week which apparently are normal and right on schedule according to the bump.  
I've started to rub down my belly with Bio Oil in an effort to prevent the stretch marking.  Also, on my trip to Motherhood Maternity I purchased a new bra because the dub D's have outgrown their pretty lacy numbers. I'm officially an F cup.  Hold on people, this could get really scary by the end!  I don't know what happens when you run out of letters in bra cup sizes!
I'm sorry (to whomever reads this blog lovingly and loyally) that this post is very frenetic and all over the place.  I had a lot to say and much to report.  More pics up soon, I promise! :)

Bummer

I had my first OB appt yesterday.  I found out I'm group B strep positive or GBS positive. I'm going to have to get antibiotics in my IV prior to delivery so that I don't infect the baby. Bummer.

11 weeks!!!!!!

We're in the home stretch!!!!!!  Baby is the size of a lime today! Wow I can't believe it :) so happy today!

I went to a party yesterday and met some mommies. We are all pregnant in varying stages and it was nice to talk about everything with these awesome ladies. I was the new kid, first time mom on the block, so I got the "skinny" so-to-speak, on labor and delivery. I'm also going to be more cognizant of not complaining as much because I now realize, I've had it pretty darn good so far!

I pinterest. You should pinterest, too!

http://pinterest.com/michellelizaso/one-day-for-tiny-lambert/

I even created a whole board dedicated to our little growing sweet pea.  Just between you and me, I'm hoping it's a boy ;-)  Also, I like the color gray as a neutral.

Mountain out of molehill....

I'm grumpy.  I'm exhausted. I'm bitchy.  I'm so tired.  I'm emotional. I'm buying a house.  I'm still not in the "safety zone" of pregnancy.  I gag every time I try to eat foods I love. I'm constantly worried about something. I'm doing a new job at work and under a lot of stress. Our dog has slowly destroyed all of our furniture. I cry at the drop of a hat.  I hate the ultrasound tech at my OB/GYN for taking such horrible pictures.  I have a wonderful and supportive family.  I'm very self-centered right now.  I'm miserable and happy all the time.  I am congested 24/7 and take allergy medicine 3 times a day.  I can't wait to dye my hair. I can't wait to have my self estem back.  I seriously cried while watching the news tonight.  I hope I can do it all.  I'm sad that  my hair isn't curly anymore. I'm overwhelmed. I hate my thighs. I'm having a bad day.

I am happy about becoming a mommy. I am happy to be pregnant. I am in love.  I have people who love me.

10 weeks 3 days

Finally starting to show now. Round belly!

Ultrasound Update!

Good News! The little peanut is doing well, great even!  We had a surprise ultrasound today and baby's heartbeat is up to 164 and measuring 10 weeks 1 day :)  Right on schedule.  It's growing right and all it's parts are the right size.  I'm so proud.  I can't wait to find out if our little miracle is a boy or a girl!

Surprise urinary tract infection! Yuck.  But I got some baby safe antibiotics and I'll be better in no time!

10 weeks 2 days

I hope today is a good day.

Three little words that make my world go round...

Butterfinger ice cream. Don't judge me.

10 weeks and I don't know what a Kumquat is!

Hello!  I am 10 weeks prego today and loving it!!!! I feel like I'm inching towards the "safety zone" and this Thanksgiving will be the best one of my entire life!  I scared myself last week by getting on th scale and thinking I had actually gained about 14 pounds but after drinking insane amounts of water (and yes, passing a lot of gas, I know...gross!) I stepped back on the scale and I'm back to only having gained 9 pounds.  Ok, I know that is a lot fo 10 weeks but it is nice to know that I was uber bloated and retaining water.  I feel like my stomach and tummy are my own today.  I'll probably take a picture because these days don't happen very frequently. 

So little Liam or Emmy is 10 weeks today and the size of a kumquat.  Ok, for the sake of sounding completely ignorant, I don't know what that fruit is and I've certainly never eaten one.  I don't know how big they are or relative size that would put the baby at right now.  Next week the baby will be the size of a lime!  I KNOW LIMES! I love gin and tonics! :)  I can't believe it will be so big already!!  According to my information resources, the baby is a full and complete little person, just miniature.  All the major organs have formed, it's kicking and moving around and teeth and nails are growing! How exciting!  So, since I don't know what the heck a kumquat is, I found all these plastic "figures" on the interwebs resembling a 10 week old fetus.  I know it may be a little creepy, but I find it helpful imagining what my little Lambert pea looks like in there!!!!

This last picture is a little wierd, but it helps to envision where the little sucker is! :)

Little Liam or Emmy's heartbeat...

I bought a fetal doppler heart monitor.  I think I finally had a breakthrough and figured out how to use it.  Here's the video.... oh and PS...I cannot get enough Orange Juice these days....especially at bedtime!

My reading list...

What are other moms reading? I wonder. Here are my faves so far! And as an added bonus they were all thrift store finds minus the Publix baby book.

Symptoms and other things...

It's 4 am and I'm up...peeing, sneezing, grazing...what's new?

My allergies have been heigtened for the past 2 months by about 200%.  People at work must think I'm constantly sick as I'm sneezing all day long.  I go through tissue boxes like toilet paper, no jokin' hoboken!

I need to start consciously engaging in activities like my mom did with me when she was pregnant to help stimulate the baby.  She painted constantly and listened to classical music constantly!  I have my violin and need to buy some sheet music.  And, although I haven't really seriously played in many years, I want to have those good rush of feelings that playing gives me.  I want the baby to feel that.  I want to remember to blast my favorite music while I'm cleaning the house just so the baby is exposed.  I should start reading more and not pregnancy books, but actually reading.  I know this may sound silly, but I think early exposure to these types of things does have an impact on the child's life later.  If anyone's out there, what do you think?

I'm cautiously optimisitc that things will work out this time.  I don't know when the safety zone begins.  I have friends who miscarried into their 2nd trimester.  They say you can breathe a sigh of relief after the 12 week mark, but knowing my skeptical and cynical tendencies, I'll probably be scared shitless up until my water breaks! :)

The exhaustion is starting to subside.  I say starting because I've been able to stay up until about 10pm the last few nights.  I am excited to report we put an offer on a house last week and it was accepted over the weekend.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed and praying that the home inspection goes well and everything moves forward without a hitch! It's in an AMAZING school district, where http://www.greatschools.org/ rates all 3 schools a grade of 10 out of 10.  That was the 2nd most important factor in finding a home after proximity to my mom and dad's home.  My mom has lovingly offered to keep the baby when I go back to work and I couldn't imagine anyone else taking care of my little one besides my mom and grandmother.  It's a fixer upper, but it's beautiful and we'll have plenty of room to grow!  I'm so very excited!

For the sake of posterity, I suppose I should include some information about what is going on in the world so that one day I can print out these blog posts and insert them into Baby Lambert's baby book!  The economy is at an all time low and Greece is at risk of defaulting and taking down the EU with it.  There are "Occupy" Protest/movements springing up everywhere across the country fighting for the 99%.  The focus varies, but is mainly targeted and finding justice for the people and holding big banks accountable for seriously questionable business practices.  People are fed up with doing so much more with so much less.   I personally support the movements, but fear that the rioting bad seeds may put the people who are peacefully protesting at serious danger.  We are moving to the conservative suburbs of Atlanta, Marietta to be exact, and in order to keep things on a more even keel I'm planning to remove my liberal stickers from my car.  I don't think it's best for us or our future little one.  One thing I've learned in my adulthood is that you can't always let people know who you are! :)  I'll save my stickers for one day when we live in a more tolerant place like the pacific northwest. 

Ok, it's almost 5am and I think I'm going to try and get a few more Zzz's before my alarm goes off at 6:45. <3

Hungry for eel.

This baby sure does love it's sushi...

Came home with uncontrollable urge to eat some Green Dragon Rolls from Mint 2.  I love the shit outta that place its so tasty!  Eel is on the "can eat" list by the way...because it's actually cooked.  Yes I love eel and yes even before I got pregnant.  Please, no judgment :)  I also had a tunafish sandwich for lunch today.  No more seafood for like a month!!!!!! I promise!

Weird, because last time I was pregnant Ian and I went to Nori Nori (an overpriced Japanese and Sushi Buffet) and I almost gagged when I saw all the food and smelled the aroma of fishy bits.

I think I've survived on ground beef, eel, and ice cream for the past month or two! :-)

Fetal Heart Doppler

So Ian was shocked to know that I could buy a little machine to hear the baby's heartbeat (especially this early!).  I went online and found what seems to be a pretty reliable Fetal Heart Doppler and was lucky enough to find this great review for it on YouTube.  I purchased it in blue (here's to wishful thinking!) and I hope it works so I can keep it and use it for baby no. 2 one day! :)

I think this Canadian girl is just the cutest and I think she's about my size/weight which relieves me that I got the right size.  I hear if you're on the chunkier side, it may be harder to hear the heartbeat and feel any kicking or movement. 

Olives and Grapes - Anatomically sized snacks at 9 weeks!

The sweet pea is now an inch long -- about the size of an olive or grape!  Baby Lambert is finally starting to resemble a human and all the essential body parts are formed!  The heart is dividing into 4 chambers and teeny tiny teeth are starting to form.  No longer does it have a tail :-)  The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Baby's eyes are fully formed, but the eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. My little sweet pea has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. EAR LOBES! :)  The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. It's finally time to start gaining some weight!  Woops, got a little head start on that one ;-)

I still don't really look pregnant, but my pants don't really fit anymore and I'm definitely bloated beyond imagine!  I feel like a hot air balloon took up residence in my belly about a month ago and just won't budge! Morning sickness seems to hit in the late afternoon and has made post-lunch afternoons at work much harder to stay awake through!  Luckily I have not had to vomit (except that once) but the nausea is unbearable at times.  The exhaustion and aches and pains have started to subside, but still rear their ugly head around 8pm when normal people are enjoying down time and I'm fighting to keep my eyelids wide open.  Emotions and mood swings.  Check!  My hormones are hysterical and I must admit to crying at work for no reason, screaming at my fiance and thinking "what am I doing???" in my head, and getting really irritated for things I cannot control. I'm sorry. Luckily I read  that most women find that moodiness flares up at around six to ten weeks, eases up in the second trimester, and then reappears as pregnancy winds to a close. Woo hoo!

Mom took me shopping over the weekend and I got some cool stuff including a sweet pea themed baby book.  I cannot wait to paste my ultrasound pictures into it! :)  I went to a friend's Halloween party last night and despite it being one of my favorite holidays, I was just not into it this year.  I usually like to feel sexy on Halloween, and this year I feel fat and there's just something about pregnancy that does not make me feel sexy :)  So, low effort costume this year, but anywho!  Next year will be much better :-)

Hot Mama! Meow!

Babys first hat!

So I must admit this is a tad presumptuous, but call it wishful thinking! I'll sew on a big red "S" for Superman when we officially hear its a boy. Otherwise, ill sew on a flower :)

Keeses sweet pea! I love you even though life is not fun right now!

8 weeks 1 day

Add extreme back pain and dizziness to the mix today. I am so uncomfortable every time I have to move. Every part of my body hurts. I am dying for a swim. Unfortunately its almost November. I may have to join a gym strictly for the pool privileges! Big fat bloated tummy. This is my first maternity shirt!

Baby fashions

I know its really early, but I'm much more optimistic about this baby. This pregnancy feels way different than last time in a much more encouraging and hopeful way!  So we stopped by a Goodwill yesterday because I wanted to check out their selection of baby books. Well I found some really great onesies too! Babys first fashions!

8 weeks photo

I'm not showing yet but I'm gaining weight. This is my first photo starting to track my belly growth!

On Sunday....

The baby will look like this! Wow! Tiny human!

Fotos

6 weeks

7 weeks

Ultrasound Update

It occurred to me that I never posted an update regarding my scary ultrasound day!  Turns out, the little sweet pea is growing on schedule and the heartbeat is a whopping 123!  I was told that anything in the range of 110-160 is normal and that he's cooking right on schedule at 7 weeks.  Great news.  No follow up U/S was scheduled, thank GOD!  The next time I go in is my new OB appointment in November and then my follow up anatomy ultrasound at 18 weeks! Hooray!!!!

Maybe this little monkey will stick around this time.

Ugh...

I'm officially a cow.  My blueberry sized baby apparently now weighs 7 pounds.  Yes, that is how much I gained in one month.  SERIOUSLY!  The little chunkster has been forcing me to eat crappy and unhealthy and about twice as much as normal.  Why oh why have I been cursed with a man who weighs 140 and eats cherry pie and red bull for breakfast?  The man can devour a bag of kit kats or nutty bars faster than a cat can climb a tree.  What does this mean for me, oh fat pregnant one? So, my discipline has slipped, ok?  Yes, I admit it.  The only thing maintaining me at the chubby and curvy side of fat-ass and not over the edge of unfortunately overweight is my food intake discipline.  You might think I eat a LOT of crap, but you'd be wrong.  I just don't have any motivation or energy to get up off my ass.  I wish I could say I had the discipline to force myself to exercise everyday, because I'm educated enough to know that exercise gives you energy.  But whatever, I'm freakin' tired all the time and I'm in my first trimester people.  I sleep in my car during my lunch break. My bedtime is preferably around 8:30, and I don't mind admitting that to anyone who is interested.

I'm pissed off that I had to buy a belly band at 7 weeks pregnant.  I'm irritated at the fact that I'm so bloated and constipated I can barely function.  I feel the most unattractive I think I can possibly feel at this point and dammit, I'm not even showing yet.  Did I mention that my breasts feel like punching bags?  Yeah I think they joined fight club while I was asleep one night.  Is it possible to outgrow your bra at 7 weeks?  If I keep this up, what's next? My shoes will probably stop fitting by next month. Ugh. I feel like crap. Horrible day for the self esteem. Someone light my pants on fire, I need a good workout...

Baby Throw - Crochet Project

Thanks to pinterest, I've found an easy, beginner baby blanket pattern that I think even the most procrastinating and ADD part of me can finish! See below...reminder to self - must get some soft baby yarn soon.


Free Crochet Pattern: Limeade Granny Throw Lion Brand® Tweed Stripes
Pattern #: L0684

Rating: 4.8 (based on 4 reviews)
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SKILL LEVEL: Easy

SIZE: One Size
About 36 x 36 in. (91.5 x 91.5 cm)
• 753-213 Tweed Stripes Yarn: Limeade balls
$ 47.92

• Lion Brand Crochet Hook - Size I-9 $ 2.45

• Large-Eye Blunt Needles (Set of 6) $ 3.59

Limeade Granny Throw
Lion Brand® Tweed Stripes
GAUGE:

Rnds 1 and 2 = 3 in. (7.5 cm). BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR GAUGE. When you match the gauge in a pattern, your project will be the size specified in the pattern and the materials specified in the pattern will be sufficient. If it takes you fewer stitches and rows to make a 4 in. [10 cm] square, try using a smaller size hook or needles; if more stitches and rows, try a larger size hook or needles.


THROW
Ch 4; join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 2 dc in ring, ch 2, (3 dc in ring, ch 2) 3 times; join with sl st in top of beg ch. Sl st in top of 2 dc and in ch-2 sp.
Rnd 2: Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch-sp (corner made), ch 1, *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp (corner made), ch 1; rep from * 2 more times; join with sl st in top of beg ch. Sl st in top of 2 dc and in ch-2 sp.
Rnd 3: Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch-sp, ch 1, *3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 1; rep from * 2 more times, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1; join with sl st in top of beg ch. Sl st in top of 2 dc and in ch-2 sp.
Rnd 4: Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch-sp, ch 1, *(3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) to next corner ch-2 sp, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in corner ch-2 sp, ch 1; rep from * 2 more times, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) around; join with sl st in top of beg ch. Sl st in top of 2 dc and in ch-2 sp.
Rnds 5-28: Rep Rnd 4.
Rnd 29: Ch 1, 3 sc in same ch-sp, *sc in each dc and ch-1 sp to next corner ch-2 sp, 3 sc in corner ch-2 sp; rep from * 2 more times, sc in each dc and ch-1 sp around; join with sl st in beg ch. Fasten off.

FINISHING
Weave in ends.


ABBREVIATIONS / REFERENCES
Click for explanation and illustration
beg = begin(s)(ning) ch(s) = chain(s)
ch-space = space previously made dc = double crochet
rep = repeat(s)(ing) rnd(s) = round(s)
sc = single crochet sl st = slip stitch

Halloweenies....

So, I have to say that next to Christmas, the holiday I'm most looking forward to being a mom on...is of course Halloween.  No longer does that holiday mean getting dressed in a skimpy outfit to troll for guys and having the excuse of Halloween to look like a tramp (yes, I subscribed to the Mean Girls' ideals of Halloween), but now it means dressing up my kids in clever, well-thought out costumes that don't cost a fortune or require me to become a costume designer! :)  I heart Halloween!

Source: None via Asia on Pinterest

Source: mydisguises.com via Heather on Pinterest