Recent Purchases

As much as I hate waiting for my online buys to arrive, I absolultely love when I have a package waiting on the porch. Over the last week or so I've had two great packages to come home to.

The first is the Teamees baseball blanket I purchased from Totsy. I think this will be a perfect "blankie" for Lil Mango. As soon as I opened it up, I fell in love with it - it's the perfect size for a little guy and so stinkin soft!! I can't wait to wrap him up in it! I will say that Morgan gave me a great piece of advice - I definitely will need to buy at least one more of these. If this does in fact become his "blankie," I will need to have a back-up in the event I need to throw it in the wash or (God forbid) it gets lost. I'm definitely going to see if I can get lucky again and they will feature these on sale on Totsy for the 3rd time.....cross your fingers.


Teamees Baseball Blankie

The other is the OiOi diaper bag I ordered from Zappos. The process to narrow it down to one bag was a tough one - there are so many options and they are so expensive.  However, no matter how much I scoured the internet, I kept coming back to the black Silver Studded Hobo Sack from OiOi. I finally decided I needed to just bite the bullet and order it. A couple weeks ago I pulled into the driveway only to be met with a large Zappos box and I couldn't wait to check this bad boy out! I rushed into the house and ripped the box open, only to find the bag I wanted, but in silver...

I was disappointed at first, but after trying it on and checking it out in the mirror I decided the silver wasn't too bad....plus after calling Zappos to exchange, they told me they weren't getting in any more of the black, so I really don't have any options.

OiOi Silver Studded Hobo

Different View

So......the big question is what do you think? Should I keep the silver or look for a different bag in black?

Quitters

Plain and simple.....there is nothing else to say about it - Nick & I are officially quitters. And what did we quit you may ask? Well, it just so happens we quit our Childbirth Preparation class. Seriously...we quit. I hope you bet the unders if you know us at all....

We started the six week, two-hour a session Childbirth Prep class at Bergan Mercy two weeks ago and this would've been our third class. The classes were ok and I said as long as I learned a thing or two from each night, then it would be worth the time commitment. In the first class, the main takeaway was when I learned that I was having Braxton Hicks contractions - I was finally able to understand the consistent tightening in my stomach. The second class was Labor & Delivery and I learned about different positions to try, the stages of labor, etc, but mostly I just wanted to watch Nick's face as they played the real life labor videos....and it was everything I hoped....the poor guy was so squeamish! Then at the end of each class, we moved to the back of the room and practiced breathing techniques. Everything we did in these two classes seemed to take two hours when it could've been condensed into a half hour each class and we would've gotten the same information from them.

Tonight's class was supposed to be medical intervention and the hospital tour. After she informed us the tour wouldn't be until next week and started the class with the "hee, hee, who" breathing techniques, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. Nick was pretty stoked when I whispered to him that we were going to make up an excuse and leave at break. So we did....(and I got to stop at Dairy Queen for a twist cone as a big thank you!)

Seriously, I think there are good things to the classes and we will still do the hospital tour and the New Parent class, but we will not be going back to the Tuesday classes. There is a lot going on these days and I want to make sure we aren't wasting any of our time unnecessarily. I have to admit I'm pretty impressed with Nick sticking it out for the three classes....I thought he would've talked his way out of them after the first one.

32 Weeks: What's New...

Due date: November 21st

Baby developments: Lil Mango is the size of a squash - he weighs 3.75 pounds and is 16.7 inches long - and is taking up a lot of space in my uterus. I should be gaining a pound a week about now with about 1/2 of that going to the baby and he will gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next seven weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb.  He is getting prepared to emerge and is in the head-down position with his little booty facing up. Little man now has toenails, fingernails and real hair (do you think he will come out with hair or no hair - I just can't wait to find out!)

Weight gain: 0 pounds (14 lbs total pregnancy) - I am slightly concerned that I haven't had any weight gain the last couple of weeks. As long as Lil Mango is growing right, then I'm good with this, but I'm going to talk with my doc tomorrow. I've honestly been at the same weight or even a pound below - and I've made sure to be consistent in how I weigh myself (mornings before my shower) so I'm pretty sure the scale has been right.

Cravings: grapes, bananas and apples are of the good kind....chocolate is the bad. Since I removed all of the really bad snacks from the house, I've been trying to ease my cravings with "better for me" sweets. It's definitely not all that.....I need chocolate!

Aversions: nothing to note.

Symptoms:  with my uterus pushing up toward my diaphragm and crowding my stomach, I've been having shortness of breath - Tessa can attest to this because she's witnessed me huffing and puffing when I simply walk to my car. I also experienced my first ever case of heartburn - twice last week - it was definitely uncomfortable, but not as bad as the foot shoved in my rib ever so often.

During my frequent bathroom breaks in the middle of the night, I wake up with back pain and an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach - fortunately after I use the bathroom it lightens up a bit.

Sleep: has been good except for the twice (minimum) a night runs to the bathroom. It's been pretty consistent at 2:30am and 4:30am-5am. For the most part, though, I'm sleeping pretty comfortably.

I miss: still missing my regular clothes....I've been trying to figure out what I'm wearing this weekend for our special outing w/ Tessa & Chris. As much as I think a dress is more appropriate, I'm sticking with jeans and a nice (somewhat larger than my normal) top. That will have to do....

I am looking forward to: my doctor's appointment next week and my first (of three!) baby showers coming up back in Emerson on October 9th.

I am loving: that I'm at that point where no matter how hard I try, my belly is out there and I definitely look preggo all the time. I've decided to cash in on it....whether it's at work where the guys will get up to give me their chair when it's standing room only in a meeting or at the mall in their special preggo parking area. Check it out - today I used the "Reserved Parking - For New or Expectant Mothers" parking. It was pretty awesome....although I have to admit I made sure to stick out my belly even further as I was walking in so people didn't think I was cheating by parking there.

Preggo Parking!

I'm spazzing about: being so pale. One positive is that I haven't gone to the tanning salon since finding out I was pregnant, which is great for my skin, but I HATE being pale. I've tried many different sunless tanning lotions and keep going back to the Bare Bronze from Vickie's. I went in today to get another bottle and they told me they wouldn't be selling it anymore until next summer - what?!? why in the world would a sunless tanner only be a spring/summer product? Doesn't it make more sense to have it around in the months where you cannot lay outside to get your sun? Evidently not....so I did what any sound minded person would do - I bought four bottles to take me through the next few months. Let's hope it lasts, otherwise Ebay here I come.

Victoria's Secret Bare Bronze Sunless Tanning Lotion

Best moment this week: was definitely when Nick felt the hard kick from little man a couple nights ago. Now he knows what I've been feeling on a constant basis....it's good for him.

Movement: Lil Mango has been moving like crazy!

Milestones: we've made it to the 8 month milestone....only two months away before Cruz gets here!

It's a...: a boy.

Exercise: I didn't make it back to Lifetime this week, but that's only because the weather has held out and I have been able to take Maya out on morning walk/jogs. Tonight was gorgeous and Maya and I had a great run around the neighborhood.

Diet: has been ok.

Goals for the upcoming week:  continued over from last week....I need to start my hospital checklist and get a bag prepared. Just in case.... I am also going to call ESC (our employee service center) and figure out my maternity leave. I'm still planning to request the full 12 weeks, but I will more than likely only stay out for 8 weeks. I can't imagine missing that much work - especially at a time like this.

Belly shot:


32 Week Bump

Feeling the Bump

Not a ton of time to type this morning, but had to share....Nick "officially" felt Little Mango kick last night and I love how excited he was!!

On the night of our anniversary in early August he felt Cruz kick for the first time but back then the kicks were much lighter and harder to confirm. Lately this baby has been kicking and jabbing like a mad man...to the point where yesterday during our big presentation at work, I could see him kicking through my dress! Last night we were laying in bed and I was telling him about how crazy he was moving at work and he put his hand on my stomach and Cruz delivered a hard kick right in the same spot. Nick was in shock and couldn't believe how hard it was. I can tell he was impressed by the strength of our little guy.

I love little moments like that - it makes me feel that Nick gets a better chance to connect with Cruz when he can feel him move or hear his heartbeat. I have to believe it's hard for Nick to understand how "real" this is since he isn't going through the body changes and movements on a daily basis, so I'm happy when these things happens. And I love how excited it makes him!

31 Weeks: What's New...

Due date: 9 (short) weeks away! November 21st

Baby developments:  Little Mango is the size of a squash - he measures over 16 inches and is 3.3 pounds and heading into a growth spurt. This week he's going through major brain and nerve development. His irises now react to light and all five senses are in working order - except he won't pick up any smells since they are transferred through air, not amniotic fluid. He can turn his head from side to side and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as much needed fat is accumulating under the skin.

Weight gain: 0 lbs (14 pounds total pregnancy)

Cravings: grapes, apples, bananas and sweets have been calling to me this week!

Aversions: I've stayed away from meats this week....definitely not feeling them, so I'm trying to make up for the lack of protein with hard boiled eggs, etc.

Symptoms: so I've heard about Braxton Hicks contractions and figured I hadn't had them yet....and then after our first Childbirth Class last week I realized I've been having them for quite some time! I figured if it were a contraction then it would hurt.....actually these bad boys are more of just tightening sensation where my belly gets hard for around 30 seconds or so....too bad real contractions weren't this easy!

Oh and I got this nice little cyst on my face about a month ago....I thought it was going to be a pimple, but then it never came to a head so I finally went to get it checked out. My derm gave me a cortisone shot and thankfully it's going down. If it doesn't I have to get it cut out an I really don't want to do that and risk scarring on my face.

I'm definitely more out of breath than normal during activity (exercise, walking up stairs, etc), obviously due to this little guy growing and taking up room inside me. During exercise that dang Round Ligament Pain has been killing me, causing me to walk more than I can jog.

Sleep: I have still been sleeping well and I feel like at times too much. Regardless of how much sleep I get, I'm tiiiiired.

I miss: I know this has been the common theme, but I would love to be in my skinny jeans and cute tops with boots this fall. The weather is changing and I'm jonesing for these types of clothes. I did buy a pair of maternity skinny jeans, but its definitely not the same.

I am looking forward to: I just want to see this little guy! I had asked my OB about my next ultrasound and she said since he's developing in line and so well that we may not have another ultrasound. That's great because they are expensive, but I would love to see our little guy.

I am loving: I have definitely become a very productive woman these days. I don't waste my time going out (what a fuddy duddy I am!) and it leaves me more time to get things done around the house, baby related or not. Cooking, laundry, cleaning....you name it!

I'm spazzing about: he is going to be here just a few short weeks from now.....I can't believe it and while I can't wait to meet him, I'm getting nervous.

Best moment this week: spending time with Tessa and having her help with the registry was great....its nice to have that completed and checked off the old list!

Movement: Little Mango has been moving like crazy! Whether I'm laying down, sitting at my desk or walking around...which is a great since his moving is a sign that he will be healthy and active.

It's a...: boy

Exercise: I'm thinking I need to head to the gym and start back up on the elliptical so there is less stress on my body versus running outside.

Diet: I threw out all of the junk food and replaced it with good food. I need to make sure I'm eating better because he is eating everything I eat! I'm going to try to make more of an effort at this.

Goals for the upcoming week: nothing of note, but I'm sure I will find plenty to keep me busy. I need to start my hospital checklist and I would like to hang the pics in the nursery. I did get a new nightstand for his room and I love it!!

Mirrored nightstand

Belly shot:

31 Week Baby Bump

Armed and Dangerous....with a Registry Gun!

One thing you can't give to a girl with a shopping problem is a little registry gun that gives you an opportunity to add a bunch of items to a wish list! Seriously....I don't even want to look through our registry lists because I know I'm going to find plenty of items that we probably didn't really need, but today at the time while I had that gun in my hand I justified needing every last thing!

Fortunately I was able to have my "go to" girl to help answer some of my questions (some I'm sure were utterly ridiculous....) and with getting everything we need for Little Man. Besides, Tess, her little guy Aaysen joined us and he was instrumental in giving us sustenance to continue on during our four hour spree....in the form of frosted animal cookies. Of which he chose to bite the heads off each of the cookies he gave to me...

Ace: the best shopping buddy

Besides the items that actually made it onto the registry list, you have to believe if you know me at all there were some items that made it into my cart and came home with me. I actually found some Puma tracksuits in size 3-6 months (I have only seen 12mo+), so I had to get them....as well as a couple other fun things....I tell you this little boy is going to be one stylin guy!

Green & navy Puma tracksuit

Gray Puma tracksuit

Red & black Puma tracksuit

Gray & black plaid coat

Adidas booties

Tan skull loafers from Target

Gray, purple & yellow cap

Then another surprise was waiting for me on the porch when I got home tonight.....my Bibi & Mimi leg warmers! Yes, I know leg warmers seem a bit girlie but just look at these......so dang cute!

Bibi & Mimi Leg Warmers

I love having good days like these and it makes me even more excited for Little Mango to get here!

Tomorrow is the Big Day

Tomorrow....Tessa and I are going to register for all things baby.  We are going to hit up Target and Babies R Us to register for the supplies and odds & ends that you need for an infant.  For some odd reason, I'm excited for this trip and to have her opinion on what products are good and hear her feedback on those overrated - I already know from various browsing trips that there are plenty of these that can suck you in and make you think you NEED it.

It will just be nice to put everything we need on a list and whether or not we get it from baby showers, know that it's all picked out should we have to buy it prior to Little Mango joining this world. It's getting closer......

Nursery Progress 2.0: The Crib & Curtains

Ahhh...this cute little room continues to come together! On Sunday morning, I put the crib together and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be once I got going (or as Nick put it when I went downstairs to tell him I was done, "well that couldn't have been hard, it didn't take you long.") Um, thanks buddy.



I'm sure anyone watching would've enjoyed watching me balance parts
on my head while screwing together the pieces!

Now I'm eagerly awaiting the custom bedding from Time for Baby. Shauna told me last week that the fabric should be here shortly and then it's off to the seamstress to get it made. I'm hoping to get this by the end of the month - and then I will still need to do a bit of shopping for pillows in the crib (decorative only and will not be in the crib when the baby is in there!) and chair as well as a nice throw for the back of the chair. I figure with the amount of time we will be spending on that thing, I will want to make sure I have everything handy that will help us be as comfortable as possible when we are rocking Little Mango to sleep.

I also picked up the curtain rod I had my eye on and will hopefully get that up this week and then hang the curtains once I've washed and pressed them. First, I want to check them out on the curtain rod to make sure they are "the ones."

'Slowly but surely' is the saying right? Well, I am definitely falling into that camp and taking my sweet ole time on this nursery. I. CAN'T. WAIT. until it's finished...

30 Weeks: What's New....

Due date: November 21st or 70 days left....not that I'm counting...wow, that doesn't seem very far away.

Baby developments: Little Mango is now the size of a squash - weighing almost 3lbs and 15.7 inches long.  As his skin is smoothing out with all of the fat deposits, his brain keeps getting more wrinkled...all of the grooves and indentations increase surface area and make more room for brain tissue. He is also getting stronger and his grip is now strong enough to grasp a finger...I am definitely feeling the strength increase with each kick and punch in my belly.

It sounds like the mood swings that I experienced earlier in pregnancy may be coming back due to the combo of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes....Nick- I apologize in advance! Fortunately it hasn't started yet, so now that I'm aware hopefully I can control them a bit more (yeah right...).

Weight gain: 0 pounds (14 lbs total pregnancy)

Cravings: popcorn cravings have dwindled, but I think part of that is because I didn't log much couch time this past week due to crazy work hours. Fortunately, people at work were aware of my craving and if they made popcorn - they always shared a cup with me. Also, chocolate or something sweet after dinner. Thankfully, it's not Hostess Cupcakes as much anymore, but I'm sure that's just because I haven't been buying them. I need to ween myself off of those babies if I want to have any chance of getting back into shape after baby.

Aversions: none to note

Symptoms: frequent urination....and I'm talking all the time! I would average it around every half hour when I'm awake, but fortunately it's only once or twice when I'm sleeping.

Round ligament pain in my lower right abdomen was confirmed at my doctor's appointment this morning. Basically as the uterus expands, the round ligaments expand and spasm with my growing body. I mentioned that it has been uncomfortable when I try to run/exercise and she said it's my bodies way of telling me to take it easy, so I'm definitely going to listen to it.

Sleep: continues to be great - I found myself trying to get into bed a bit earlier in order to wake up in time to exercise before work and it worked! I felt much better during the day after getting a workout in and it prepped me for bed earlier than normal.

I miss: having a glass of wine when I'm out with friends....the not drinking has honestly been much easier than I anticipated but it's still fun to get a little buzz when you're gabbing with the girls.

I am looking forward to: cute fall clothes....tunics, leggings, skinny jeans, boots - I can't wait! I think I've officially outgrown my love for the maxi dress, even though it has been very good to me this summer as my body was changing.

I am loving: the fact that it's getting down to crunch time and Little Mango is going to be here soon. I'm getting so excited to meet him and hold him in my arms. I want to know who he is going to look and act like and I can't wait for our family & friends to meet him as well.

I'm spazzing about: the fact that it's getting down to crunch time - and there is still so much left to do. Finish the nursery, complete my registry, take childbirth classes, get big projects completed at work, etc.

Best moment this week: ...and last week has been logging lots of family time. I watched DeLaney last week and got to spend time with Josh & Ashley as well as Tessa and the kiddos, got together with the Gardner-Manganaro girls last Sunday for pedis, lunch and The Help, dinner with Mom & Jen and dinner twice with John & Janice - once last Monday night for meatballs & pasta and we hit up Sullivan's on Saturday night.

Milestones: hit 30 weeks which means only 10 more weeks left....ahhhh! Oh and on a none baby-related note....a big milestone for my sis Tessa - she turns 32 today....I love this time of the year when she is TWO years older than me! Happy birthday, sis!

Movement:  tons of movement and not just when I'm relaxing any more. I feel him when I'm walking, sitting, laying...you name it. Plus, plenty of hard jabs and kicks as well as continuing to lodge that foot in my rib cage. I tried to move it the other night to see if he would shift his position and then I got a swift kick back right where I had my hand to move him...it was pretty neat even though he kept his foot lodged right where it was!

It's a...:  boy.

Exercise: was good this past week - up almost every morning for a run and less of the round ligament pain this past week which made that possible. I did feel the pain during normal activity like walking the casino floor or when shopping.

Diet: has been pretty decent.

Goals for the upcoming week: going with Tessa to get registered at Babies R Us and Target on Friday morning.

Belly shot:


30 week bump: & a new background!

Baby Blanket

It seems as though every little baby/toddler has a blanket or stuffed toy that they cannot live without. When I was little I had a blanket and Mom always told me that you could tell where I was sitting with my blankie because whenever I would get up there would be a pile of fuzzies left behind that I had picked off the blanket. That could be the reason that still to this day, I find that I enjoy picking at things - my nails, peeling paint, even sunburns (gross, I know - but just mine and Nick's....and I can remember Tessa's just that one time....).

When I saw a sale for Teamees blankets on Totsy about a month ago - I was convinced that I had to get the baseball blanket for Little Mango. Much to my disappointment, they were sold out by the time I made it to the sale page. I figured instead of going straight to the full price website, I would wait to see if it went on sale again - if not, it wasn't meant to be. Fast forward to this past week and what do you know? These adorable little blankets were back on sale and I quickly jumped on and snapped up the 25" Homerun Baseball blanket.

Teamees Baseball Blanket

What do you think? Isn't it just perfect for a little guy who is coming into a family of baseball players and will be holding a baseball bat around the age of two? I think so....

Two Major Purchases....At Least In My Eyes

I stayed up late last night to catch up on my at home to-do list....most of which has to do with all things baby and I knocked out two big buys. I ordered the Best Storytime Series Chair and my diaper bag!

We ordered the chair through Time For Baby (my friend Shauna's store) and I cannot wait to get this sucker in. The first time I test drove it was at Kids Stuff Superstore here in Omaha and is it ever comfy? I seriously could've sat and relaxed in that chair all afternoon, plus it just happened to be a day back early in the pregnancy when I was dead tired all of the time. It is a recliner, a rocker and it swivels...plus the back of the chair is high enough to rest your head (surprisingly many chairs I checked out weren't!). We ordered it in this plush white fabric and before you think to yourself - "OMG that chair is going to get severely stained very easily" - please trust that I checked into this and we'll be good. A great big thanks go out to my parents for buying this chair for us....I'm sure I will be spending many hours here and I'm very happy with our pick.

Best Storytime Series - Irvington model

And what could be more fun than the chair, you ask? The diaper bag, of course! I have spent time looking all over for the perfect diaper bag and have even made some purchases but after bringing them home and showing them to the expert (aka Tessa), I returned them due to not meeting my needs. I kept finding myself going back to the OiOi bag that I posted about a few months ago, so I finally bit the bullet and ordered it from Zappos last night. Obviously I like that it's black and the silver stud detail. It's got tons of room inside and I really like the wide crossbody strap. Another big plus....it's not too girlie and shouldn't embarrass Nick too much when he has to lug it around.


OiOi Silver Studded Hobo Sack



It's a good feeling to check a couple more items off my ever-growing checklist!

What A Week!

There's nothing like starting a new role a couple months before your first baby is due...

This week has been absolutely crazy and I don't anticipate it getting better before Little Mango comes along.  I've been working 11-12 hour days this week and due to events on Sunday and meetings that have come up I get to work through my weekend (can I ask for a moment of reflection while I feel sorry for myself...).

The reason I bring this up is to make an excuse as to why I haven't been online for most of this week or posted any of the fun details I've been working on. This will change and I will be getting back to my old self over the next couple of days. Please bare with me....

29 Weeks: What's New...

Due date:  November 21st

Baby developments:  Little Mango is the size of a squash - weighing 2 1/2 pounds and over 15 inches long. His energy is surging (I definitely can tell this by the crazy kicks & movement!) due to white fat depositing beneath the skin. Since he's growing so fast (his weight will triple by birth) - he's growing cramped in the womb and the kicking and jabs will become more frequent. I say....bring it on baby! When I have been feeling a subtle twitch, it sounds as though Little Man has the hiccups.

Weight gain: 0 lbs this week (14 total pregnancy)

Cravings: popcorn and chocolate

Aversions: honey mustard - and I'm not even that big of a fan of it ever, but thinking about it makes me feel sick. Even typing about it now....ick

Symptoms: as I get bigger, the symptoms definitely increase. Frequent urination (and I mean ALL. THE. TIME.), sharp pain in my lower right abdomen and Little Man continues to shove his foot in my rib which has still been uncomfortable.

Sleep: I've been sleeping pretty well, but these days I'm struggling to get up before 7am - and I need to get up before 7am in order to get my workouts in...

I miss: fitting into my clothes and looking like normal. I 100% believe it's worth it and love that I have this little guy in my belly, but it's tough.

I'm spazzing about: the baby websites are telling me to start packing my hospital bag...what?!?! I've got 11 weeks to go - the hospital seems so far away.

Best moment this week: I got the chance to watch my niece DeLaney - she is almost 9 months old and such a gorgeous little girl! It's still hard to believe that my little brother has a baby girl, but he is so good with her and it's fun seeing his little family together. Look at how happy she is:

Milestones: I still can't believe I'm in the 3rd trimester....the due date is inching closer each day and I'm very excited to meet him. It's going to be such a life changer, but so amazing.

Movement: Little Mango is moving like crazy and I am loving it!

Exercise: running was limited due to having a pain in my abdomen, but I walked as much as possible.

Diet: major focus on getting plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, iron and calcium - Little Mango's bones are soaking up the calcium with about 250mg of calcium being deposited in his hardening skeleton each day.

Goals for the upcoming week: put the crib together, get the pics on the walls, finalize curtains - all nursery. I just want to get the room done and that would be major closure.

Belly shot: coming soon