Heart on Homestead

Week 40.

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:06:00 +0000

Well, today's my due date. It's hard to believe that 40 weeks - nearly 10 months - have passed and the time has come for the little bean to come into the world. I'm honestly shocked that baby T hasn't made an early appearance. Several weeks ago, the ultrasound had him measuring at a healthy 6 lbs 15 oz., making it seem like he could show up any day.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. My son is stubborn, much like his momma, and has decided it's too warm in there to come out.

Why yes, that would be the same exact outfit I was wearing last time I updated you.

I'm running out of clothes that fit the bump and let's face it, I'm no fashionista. My work OOTD is usually those same pants and shoes until I get home and put on Kevin's sweats.

How far along? 40 weeks today!

Total weight gain/loss: Still a healthy amount.

How big is baby? Too big. He stretches from my pelvis into my ribs and likes to kick.

Maternity clothes? Yes, and even those are growing tighter by the day.

Stretch Marks? Yes. They look red and painful but I've dubbed them my love marks because if this baby ever comes out, he'll be worth every one.

Best moment ~~this week~~? I'm drawing a blank on a best moment of the week so I'm just going to sum it up and say that I'm lucky enough to have had a healthy pregnancy and, although I can't wait for it to be over, it's not been that bad. Besides my nausea the first trimester, the baby and I have trugged along just fine and we finally made it to the end! I can't wait to hold him in my arms and kiss his face.

Movement? Always after I eat and sometimes just for fun, he likes to play on my ribs like they're monkey bars.

Food Cravings? Not so much anymore. There are foods that I prefer but nothing I really won't eat anymore. Small meals are the key at this point, there's not much room left in that belly for anything!

What I miss: Oh, you know, being normal in general. We've gone over this.

What I am looking forward to: The birth of my son! If he doesn't come on his own, we have an induction date of February 2th - LEAP YEAR BABY! (Fingers crossed he doesn't wait til then though)

Nausea/Vomiting?: I've started getting nauseous every evening before bed. I'm not sure if it's because I'm eating too much for supper or what but I've gone to bed sick for the past three nights.

Labor signs? Same as last week: Lots of Braxton Hicks lately and definite pressure on my groin but that's about it.

Gender? Baby boy!

Belly Button in or out? Very very flat.

Wedding rings on or off? Off. :(

Sleep? This one is out the window. I'm tossing and turning all night and I feel awful for my husband. He barely gets 5 hours of sleep on a good night, let alone when I'm flopping like a fish next to him.

Weekly Wisdom: Again, same as last week... trying not to roll my eyes at the one millionth person who asks me "you haven't had that baby yet?" -- nope, but let me consult my crystal ball, it should give us the day! I love my friends, family and coworkers but every single person has a comment and I'm so tired I just can't take it anymore. Just tell me to hang in there and let's call it a day. Okay?

Miscellaneous Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

The office is eerily quiet today and I'm quite positive 4 o'clock will get here VERY slowly. We got a little layer of snow last night, just enough for the schools to close but for me to still have to come in. On the bright side, there was zero traffic on my way here and that just proves my point that if there were no other cars on the road, I'd be on time every morning.

Speaking of mornings, it's getting tougher and tougher to get out of bed, not only physically but mentally. I'm not sleeping well anymore and getting quite uncomfortable in these last few days (hopefully!) of pregnancy. Every pain I feel makes me panic and every time I go to the bathroom, I'm looking for signs of my water breaking. One of these days, it's gonna happen and I'm trying to prepare myself for the surprise of my life the best that I can. The best way to explain how I feel is if someone would tell you that Christmas day will be coming sometime in the next two weeks but they're not going to tell you until the DAY OF. So, every day you wake up thinking "is today the day?" and then a cosmic voice laughs and says "nope!" and you continue about your business.

Enough pregnancy business, let's recap the weekend shall we?

Friday night, one of my best friends in the entire world got married and I have to say congratulations to her one more time. I wasn't able to make it to Vegas to see her recite her vows but I they sent me texts all throughout the day and they really made me feel like I was there.

Michelle makes a gorgeous bride and I know that her and Steven, her new husband, will have an amazing life together. I can't wait for her to get home so I can dish all the details with her and see more pictures!

Saturday afternoon, Kevin and I spent the day in town running errands and preparing for my Grandmother's 75th birthday party. Even though we had a pretty busy day, Kevin was able to get some baby practice since we got to babysit my sweet niece while my sister was at work.

I'm not sure I would really call babysitting Quorra practice though, she's too good. She coos and giggles and sleeps, that's about it. Lord, please let my baby be this good! (Wait, there's that cosmic laugh again...)

Saturday night, we cut the rug at the retirement community where my grandmother lives and celebrated her birthday with some family that came in from out of town. It's always nice seeing my aunt and uncle that don't live near here, it's too bad they can't stay longer!

Yesterday was spent being lazy in the morning and then cleaning all afternoon. No, not nesting, just my usual weekend housework. Dusting, dishes and vacuuming were all done - I'm not about to bleach my driveway anytime soon. (A coworker told me she did that when she was pregnant. Ha.)

What did you get into this weekend? Anything fun?! Happy Monday!

Tail Wagging Tuesday: My Valentines!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:23:00 +0000

I'm glad CMae decided to bring back Tail Wagging Tuesday for Valentine's day this week because I really didn't know what I was going to blog about today besides the fact that I'm less than a centimeter dilated. It doesn't look like my baby boy is coming out anytime soon, this kid is stubborn just like his momma! But instead of ranting about how miserably pregnant I am, I thought I'd share some vintage Bodie with you to perk up your day.

Our first photo together!

Contrary to how tan I look, I'm not trying out for Jersey Shore.

That little furball definitely stole my heart and will forever be my Valentine! Sorry hubs, you have to share the spotlight... although, you do get brownie points for leaving me a sweet treat this morning before you left for work.

Who is your valentine this year? If it's your furbaby, be sure to link up with CMae!

Nursery Sneak Peek

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:01:00 +0000

The nursery isn't quite done yet but I just can't hold it in any longer. It's time to give you folks a little peek into my baby boys room. Last month I asked you what your opinion was on a chair that I was lusting after and after receiving such a great response, I finally made a decision.

Some of you told me that Ikea furniture isn't the most comfortable while others swore by it. However, once I researched a little more, it turns out that my chair was not the cheapest to ship. I would probably end up spending and extra several hundred dollars just to get the chair to my house. Not to mention, there's a good chance it would require some assembling and then need the rocker attachment added like I want. So Ikea? OUT.

Several of you sent me links to different chairs I could consider, mostly from Babies R Us, Target and even WalMart. These options turned out to be much more realistic because 1) shipping was either super cheap or free and 2) I could just purchase a rocker instead of creating one. The decision really came down to how easily I could get my new chair to my house and in the end, WalMart won. For a semi-reasonable price, and thanks to Debbie and Kelsey for the recommendation, I was able to get a super comfortable glider/swivel chair and have it shipped site-to-store for free.

Ok, I'm done talking. Here's your sneak peek at my nautical nursery.

I felt like I needed to clarify that it's NAUTICAL not red-white-and-blue-God-bless-America themed. Turns out the color palette I chose made for a very patriotic combination. And that pretty crocheted blanket on the chair? That, my friends, is courtesy of my very talented friend Marissa at Sugar and Bean. She got the color combo right on and the blanket is adorable.

So there you have it! You'll have to wait until the nursery really is complete before I do a full reveal. There's a few things that need to be hung on the walls and there's still baby junk that needs to be put away. And by baby junk, I mean thousands of onesies that have made their way to my house and still need to be washed. This kid has more clothes than Carrie Bradshaw.

Oh! But while I'm on the subject of babies/nurseries/etc... I need to take a second and congratulate my cousin Kristin on the birth of her beautiful baby boy. George Edward (named after my late uncle) was born this morning at 2:15 a.m, weighing a tiny 5 lbs 10 oz and he's perfect in every way. Mom and baby are both doing just fine and I can't wait to meet him!! Congrats Tom and Kristin on your new addition!

And now, we wait for mine. I'm getting impatient and my ribs hurt.

Bump Update!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:41:00 +0000

It's been a while since I gave you a rundown of what's going on with the little man hasn't it? Well, not much exciting has been going on besides the fact that this giant bump is...well...giant.

Yes, I am wearing brown shoes with black pants. Whatofit?

How far along? Almost 38 weeks! FULL TERM BABY!

Total weight gain/loss: Still a healthy amount!

How big is baby? 19 1/2 inches long and 6 lbs/15oz according to last weeks ultrasound. Big boy!

Maternity clothes? Always and forever. I might never take them off.

Stretch Marks? Yes. Tiger stripes FTW

Best moment this week? Last Monday's ultrasound! He's getting too big to make out features but the fact that I could see him moving around and his little heart beat just makes me melt. Seeing him just solidifies the fact that he's really in there and will soon be on the outside!

Movement? He flips and flops and kicks me in the ribs and I feel bruised most of the time.

Food Cravings? None really. Except when I go to Costco and the bakery is giving out free samples of cake and fresh baked bread. Then I end up buying forty bucks worth of junk that I didn't need but it tastes so good and you shouldn't give samples to pregnant people.

What I miss: Do we really need to go over this again? I miss being a normal human who can do things on her own. I've now gotten to the point where I drop something and debate for a few minutes on how badly I need it because I CAN'T pick it up. My house is a wreck because of it. Bodie is no help, he doesn't have thumbs.

What I am looking forward to: The birth of my cousins baby!! She'll be induced tomorrow morning and I can't wait to add another baby boy to the family. :)

Nausea/Vomiting?: No but there's this new thing I've come accustomed to called heartburn. I've never had it before but apparently, when a 7 pound baby is squishing your guts up into your ribs, you can't eat anything without it burning for hours.

Labor signs? Lots of Braxton Hicks lately and definite pressure on my groin but that's about it. Fingers crossed one of these times it will be the real thing and we'll be able to get to the hospital.

Gender? Baby boy!

Belly Button in or out? Very very flat.

Wedding rings on or off? Off. :(

Sleep? Still sleeping okay with the exception of the normal tossing and turning. I've considered sleeping in the armchair so that I don't have all that pressure on my hips but dangit, my bed is comfy!

Weekly Wisdom: Try not to smack the people who continually ask you why you're still at work. Or why you're up and around so much. Or why you're not taking it easy. Or when's the baby coming. I'm not disabled, I'm pregnant and as far as I know, this baby will come out when he's done baking.

BOOM. Baby bump. In your face.

Vlog Friday - My Morning Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:41:00 +0000

Ahh, it's finally Friday! This week has been such a drag. Maybe I'm just getting baby fever? Kind of like a kid the week before Christmas, it always seems to go by so slowly. It'll be my luck I'll be overdue and waiting for this baby boy into March. Think positive thoughts for me? Hope I go into labor early? Thanks.

Onto my vlog Friday post - minus a vlog!

Today's topic is to record one of our daily routines but instead, I have a series of pictures and the exciting events that make up a normal morning for me. Ready? Let's go.

5:50am - Alarm goes off.
5:50 - 6:55am - Hit snooze every 5 minutes until I finally decide to get out of bed.
6:55am - Drag myself into the bathroom and brush my teeth.
6:55 - 7:00am - While brushing my teeth, debate on whether or not I feel like taking a shower. My lazy bones are too tired to move.
7:01am - Decide to forego the shower and wash my face and put on my make-up.

7:10 am - Finish shellacking my face and look in the mirror, thinking it was probably a bad idea to skip the shower...

7:10-7:20am - Hairdryer, hairspray and 4 different kinds of brushes later, I've tamed the mane to the best of my ability.

7:21am - Realize I'm about to be late if I don't hurry the eff up and quit taking self portraits in the bathroom mirror like a dingdong.

7:22 am - Get dressed and realize that I haven't started my car and there is damn frost on the ground. Wasn't it 65 degrees yesterday? Crap. Bodie needs to pee. (And clearly needs a bath.)

7:23-7:29am - Leave the Bode-ster outside to take care of business and run back inside to make breakfast.

7:30am - Realize if I don't leave right now I'm going to be late. Run to the door to call Bodie in.
7:30-7:30and30seconds - Get frustrated that the damn dog didn't come when he was called. Time to go searching.
7:31-7:35am - Realize that Bodie is next door with my neighbor in his garden. Run across the yard in my heels and work clothes to try and coax him back inside. The dog, not the neighbor.
7:36am - Cuss my dog under my breath the entire time back to the house. All while smiling and saying good morning to the next door neighbor.
7:37am - Shut Bodie in the house and get in my car. Realize it's a lost cause, I'm late. As usual. This time it's not my fault, not that anyone would believe me.
7:37-8:07am - Ride to work. Hit every stoplight. Cuss under my breath at the lights. (Clearly I'm not a morning person.) Flip radio stations a million times. Cuss at the stupid DJ who is talking about dumb stuff people bet on during the SuperBowl. (No one cares what color Madonna's hair will be, shut up!)
8:08am - Arrive at work. Walk in with fellow co-worker who also got caught by every light on the way to work. We cuss together.
8:09am - Finally settle in at my desk and check my email.

8:10- 9:30am - Try to secretly write this blog post while continually being interrupted. Guess I'll get to work now!

Join in on this weeks vlog Friday and share one of your normal routines with us.

WE VLOG FRIDAYS, DO YOU?

Kate at Marshmellow Goodness

Steph at forget me {not}

Cole at Adventures in Love and Happiness

Folly Life
Amy at Life's Journey With A Smile
Julia at Dr. Princess

Michelle's Bridal Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

This weekend was a very busy and exciting one! Yet another shower was thrown in our group of friends, this time for one of my BEST friends, Michelle. :)

On Saturday, the bridesmaids and I were zipping around town tying up some loose ends and running some final errands for the big day. We purchased streamers, favors, food, balloons and countless sweet treats. When Sunday rolled around, it was just a matter of setting up and watching it all fall into place.

The "guest book" - a platter we purchased from a local paint-your-own pottery place in town. Now that everyone has signed it, we'll take it back and they'll fire it for us, sealing in all the well wishes for a lifetime!

The beautiful dessert table. The cake was lovingly made by a friend of ours, didn't she do an amazing job?

The favors - decorate your own wine glass!

Once all the guests had their fill of food and favors, it was time to play a few bridal games. I think everyone had a pretty good time and I really hope the bride-to-be enjoyed her special day. :)

It's not a party unless the wine is flowing!

The gorgeous bride, Michelle, with her beautiful bridesmaids.

While I didn't capture many pictures of Michelle opening her gifts, she was so excited to get her coveted Dyson vacuum cleaner. I'm a huge Dyson fan and can't wait to hear what she thinks. If you hate vacuuming, get one. You'll vacuum for fun. Okay, I lie...no one vacuums for fun, but seriously, they're awesomesauce.

Of course, I can't end my post without an obligatory picture of my amazing group of friends. (Myself, Liz, Angela, Kristin, Michelle, my sister, Heather, baby Quorra and Lindsey.)

It absolutely breaks my heart that I won't be able to make it to Michelle's wedding next month. She's been planning her amazing Vegas nuptials for almost a year and as soon as she set the date, I found out I was pregnant and due the week immediately following her big day.

Many tears have been shed over this but the doctor absolutely won't let me fly that close to d-day. I'm incredibly blessed to have had such an easy pregnancy (morning sickness aside!) and don't get me wrong, I'm so excited for the arrival of my son but there's a teeny tiny part of me that wishes baby boy had waited a month or two to make his appearance on that pregnancy test. There's no where else in the world I would rather be than sharing in the most important day of my best friends life.

Agh, okay, before I soak my keyboard crying, I'm gonna go ahead and wrap this all up by saying - I love you Michelle and wish you and Steven a lifetime of happiness. He's a lucky guy and just know that I'll be with you in spirit as you walk down that aisle next month. You are going to be a beautiful bride and your wedding day will be spectacular. <3

Vlog Friday!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:33:00 +0000

Oh looky, another vlog! This week for Vlog Friday, the girls and I are talking about the worst hairstyles we've ever had. While I've never had purple streaks or a mohawk, the bangs I had still scar me. Folks won't let me live them down.

And now, for some photo proof. The infamous bangs I had back in high school that never moved:

And my most recent hair debacle (which you may have read about here) was when I chopped off about 6 inches. Granted, it was more the way it was cut (a friend did it for me...) that I hated rather than the length. But once someone (who knew what they were doing...) layered and styled it for me, it did grow on me.

Still not sure I'd ever go that short again though. What's your worst hairstyle? Join these fab ladies and tell us!!

DO YOU VLOG FRIDAYS? BECAUSE THESE AWESOME CHICKS DO:

Kate at Marshmellow Goodness

Steph at Forget Me {not}

Cole at Adventures in Love and Happiness

Folly Life

Amy at Life's Journey with a Smile

JeeYoung at ConventionalBliss

The Perfect Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:46:00 +0000

Last night I was scouring the internet looking for a chair for the nursery. While I didn't originally plan to have a chair in the nursery, the more that I thought about it, it would be nice to have a place in the nursery to rock the baby. In our living room, the couches aren't the most comfortable and my husbands recliner has seen better days.

So, the search began. I knew right away I didn't want a traditional glider. The look just isn't for me.

{Source: walmart.com}

and although husband is in desperate need of a new recliner, we could possibly get one for the living room but it would be way too big for the nursery:

{Source: la-z-boy.com}

That pretty much eliminates anything that our local stores carry so I started stalking my favorite inspiration site, Pinterest. (If you don't follow me already, I don't know why not.) By simply plugging in the search term "nursery," a plethora of beautifully decorated rooms popped up and several of them had the exact chair I was picturing in my mind!

{Source left. Source r ight.}

I didn't realize that the particular chair I was looking for was so popular. So, off I went clicking the pictures and trying to find where to buy this chair.

Well, that's easier said than done. A lot of the pictures led to no where and others simply ended on decor blog posts with no sources to any of the furniture. I was starting to get discouraged, especially when I FINALLY came across a beautiful swivel rocker at Pottery Barn Kids.

{Source: Pottery Barn Kids}

I thought I'd found a clear winner... until I saw the price tag. This beauty comes in at a hefty $849.00. UGH. And that's the sale price! Call me cheap but I'm not about to spend that kind of cash on a chair that has a good coating of spit-up in it's future.

So, I kept searching. I was on a mission to find a reasonably priced chair that 1) won't break my back and 2) won't break the bank Finally, I spotted a reasonably priced duplicate of the chair I envisioned on Ikea. The only problem is that it's a standard chair. No swiveling or rocking.

{Source: Ikea.com}

But at $199, I could easily convert it into a swivel rocker like these folks did using a simple rocker base.

{Source: swivel-chair-parts.com}

It sounds easy enough to accomplish but I'm still undecided. Do I jump in and just get the cheap Ikea chair not knowing how comfy it may or may not be? Help me blogging pals! We don't have an Ikea near me. Do you have this chair? Do you own Ikea furniture? Is this the longest post you've ever read about a freaking chair?

Weekend Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:15:00 +0000

Good Monday morning my loves! I hope you all had a well rested weekend and if you didn't, I hope you spent some time doing something fun.

Not too much went on around my house this weekend. Kevin and I ran some errands Saturday night and ended up at Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse for dinner with my sister which never disappoints. It's rare that I eat my entire plate of food but apparently, this baby had a hankering for some shrimp! It was delicious and I may or may not have asked for it for dinner again last night. ;)

Sunday morning, the hubs and I laid around lazy for most of the morning but around lunchtime, I got bit by the cleaning bug and organized the nursery (for the 300th time). Once I got done cleaning, it was dinner time so I whipped up some delicious pork chops just in time to watch the Patriots beat the Ravens by the hair on their chinny chin chin! It was such a good game and I'm glad to see my dad's team going to the superbowl, yet again.

When I wasn't stuffing my face or cleaning, I was pouring every spare second I had into tweaking my sister's new blog! Please join me in welcoming her to the blogging world, head over to My Uneventful Life and check out her very first post! Be sure to follow her and show her some love. She's the best big sister I have so I had to spread the news!

Have a wonderful week my friends!!

Help create more birthdays.

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:01:00 +0000

I could start this blog post by telling you that there are 1,638,910 new cases of cancer this year alone or that 1 out of 4 people will be diagnosed sometime in their life. Regardless of how many statistics I throw at you or what I say, it doesn't change the fact that you or someone you know has been affected by cancer. That's almost a guarantee.

This year, my friends and I (so lovingly coined "The RHH or Real Housewives of Harrisonburg") have decided to form a team to walk at our local Relay for Life event where we will help raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society.

Each of us have been touched by cancer in one way or another and this is our way of giving back. Of telling our loved ones how much we care. Of telling the world that there should be more birthdays.

Why do I walk? I walk in memory of my amazing grandfather who passed away from cancer when I was in middle school...

I walk in memory of my sweet uncle who passed away just last year...

I walk in honor of my best friends and their parents. I even walk for friends I've never even met...

Layla's photo, don't steal!

Last Spring, I was amazed at the outpouring of support as our community of bloggers came together, formed Operation Layla, and raised over $7,000 for my friend Layla who needed surgery. That alone has showed me how much love you all are capable of giving.

All of these people hold a special place my heart and I can only hope that you will donate to this amazing cause. Our team goal is to raise $1,500 and we can't do it alone. Click the link below to see the full list of who we walk for and our story.

{Click here to visit our page, join our team, donate $1, or just spread awareness.}

36 Week Update

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:43:00 +0000

Between prepping for the baby and the new semester starting at the school I work at, it's been a hectic week around these parts. We finally got the crib bedding in and the changing table is FINALLY on its way! I can't wait to show you all the finished nursery. Granted, it's not as amazing as I would have liked it to be, mostly because we're not painting. I'd love to do chevrons on the wall or make a gorgeous mural but we're hopefully going to sell the house in the next year and it's just too much of a pain to have to paint twice.

That being said, I can finally say that I think I'm ready to have this baby. The little one will have clothes to wear, a place to sleep and I'm about as mentally prepared as I'm going to get. Is anyone really ever ready to have a baby? All the planning in the world doesn't mean I'll know how this life changing experience is going to effect us. We could have a perfect angel baby (like my sister!) or we could have a colicky, jaundice, screaming and squirming bundle of joy. Who knows?! We'll take him however he comes. :)

How far along? 36 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Still a healthy amount!

How big is baby? The size of a honeydew melon, about 18 inches long and approximately 5 1/4 pounds.

Maternity clothes? Always and forever. I might never take them off.

Stretch Marks? Yes. 5,235 of them.

Best moment this week? Birthing class! I'm really glad we went, especially for the hubs. He got to learn things and see things that I just can't explain.

Oh, and when the cashier at Hardee's complimented me. I wanted to kiss her because the day before, I was told that I was "massive and my face was puffy" -- which personally, I think is rude to tell anyone. Especially a big, pregnant woman who is hormonal and feeling awful. But that's just me.

Movement? So much movement. He's a little kangaroo jumping around in there.

Food Cravings? Hmm, no real cravings. I tend to want hot meals rather than cold ones (salads etc.)

What I miss: Being able to tie my shoes, put socks on, put on tights, touch my toes, SEE my toes, get out of bed easily, roll over in bed easily, do anything easily. I could go on and on but you get my point. We're in the home stretch and I can tell baby boy is running out of room in there which makes getting around a bit harder for mommy.

What I am looking forward to: His arrival!! I'm hoping it's uneventful and easy but that's wishful thinking. I'm praying for the best but prepared for the worst. You never know what could happen.

Nausea/Vomiting?: Nope

Labor signs? Nope, I think I felt some Braxton Hicks a couple of times but nothing else. Since it's this late in the game, I'm starting to become paranoid when I pee -- "OMG, did my water just break?!" -- and every cramp scares me. I'm overreacting, I realize that. But one of these times... shit will be fo' real.

Gender? Baby boy!

Belly Button in or out? So close to being out.

Wedding rings on or off? Off. :(

Sleep? Still sleeping just fine and I get tired super early now. I'm usually asleep on the couch by 9-9:30 and in bed by 10. I'm sleeping through the night without getting up to pee which is great but still tossing and turning with more hip/back pain these days.

Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy. Whether they're good or bad, it's a once in a lifetime experience. Every kick and every hiccup are precious and that little life won't be inside for much longer. He'll soon be doing all of that on the outside in the real world. He'll be a living, breathing person.

One Project Done

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:37:00 +0000

Remember back in November when I complained about all the unfinished projects going on in my house? Well we finally got one finished! Cue trumpets and singing angels because it seems to take ages for my husband and I to complete a task in this house.

One of the main projects we really needed to tackle before the baby came was adding a closet-type unit in the nursery. To refresh your memory from my post back in November, I was aiming for something like this:

So a few weeks ago, we trekked out to Lowe's and after some much needed cleaning, we were finally ready to install the new shelving.

and since Kevin won't let me help, like, at ALL, I sat idly by and gave him installation instructions. After several hours of measuring, leveling, cutting and drilling, we were done.

While I didn't take any progress pictures, I was so very glad to get rid of the way my "closet" used to look...

We now have an entire wall unit that will not only fit all of the babies clothes, but mine as well.

Please ignore them mess of wires peaking out from underneath the cabinet. We still haven't figured out what we'll do to hide the modem and router for our internet.

We purchased two dark blue fabric shower curtains instead of traditional curtains mainly because they were about half the price and I knew they would be the right size without having to measure. My house is pretty small so I knew a shower curtain would reach from ceiling to floor without a problem.

In order to hang the curtains, we secured a couple of small white screw hooks into the ceiling and placed the thinnest rod we could find on them. I think it worked out pretty well! I know we rigged the whole thing but it suits us and serves it's purpose.

My side of the closet... which obviously needs some organization. And maybe a wardrobe update.

What's a girl gotta do to get a What Not To Wear nomination???

And baby's side of the closet, look at all those teeny clothes!

Seriously, my kid (who isn't even here yet) has more clothes than I do. Look how teeny tiny they all are! I can't wait to dress the little guy up.

I'm glad I can finally check off something that's on our to-do list! Other than the closet unit, we do have the crib built and some shelving up but we're still waiting on the crib mattress and changing table to arrive. D-day will be here before we know it, we gotta get ready!

Yet Another Baby Shower!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:08:00 +0000

There's a slight chance I'm losing followers because all I've been posting lately are baby shower pictures. I can't help it that my family is fertile! ;)

This weekend, my sister, our friend Kristin and I drove to Pennsylvania to celebrate the upcoming birth of my other cousin, Kristin. We got in late Friday evening and, as usual, were put right to work. There were pretzels that needed to be covered with chocolate and sprinkles and pots of delicious food were simmering on the stove. By Saturday afternoon, we finished prepping and were finally able to celebrate!

The mom to be (middle) with her mom (right) and her aunt (left)

Just an idea of how much food there was! My family really knows how to throw down.

The favors (above) were packets of hot cocoa mix and marshmallows that had a cute package of animal crackers tied to the side. It fit perfectly with the jungle theme!

The adorable cake that my aunts bakery made for the occasion!

(It reads: Hi Mommy, life's a jungle, can't wait to be in yours)

While we were eating, a few of the guests got creative and decorated bibs for the baby-to-be.

My cousin, Nicole, hard at work designing a bib for her nephew...the final result?

Not only were there bibs to decorate, but guests were given the option to leave a little note for the new parents or to the baby. After the shower, the pages were put into a scrapbook so my cousin and her little one could look back at all the advice folks gave.

It was another wonderful weekend spent with family and friends and the excitement isn't over just yet. My brother's girlfriend is expecting a baby boy in April and my BFF's Michelle and Angela are both getting married this year so there will be plenty more showers to be had! Stay tuned. :)

Vlog Friday!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:28:00 +0000

Haven't you heard? Vlog Friday is back!! Ironically, the last time I vlogged was the day before I found out I was pregnant, can't believe it's been 6 months.

This weeks topic is what is your hope or resolution for 2012?? Sneak a peek at my answer and my growing baby bump!

Join in and tell us what your new year's resolution is!

DO YOU VLOG FRIDAYS? BECAUSE THESE AWESOME CHICKS DO:

Kate at Marshmellow Goodness

Steph at Forget Me {not}

Cole at Adventures in Love and Happiness

Folly Life

Amy at Life's Journey with a Smile

JeeYoung at ConventionalBliss

You should join in next week, as we talk about our:

Favorite book, movie and song from 2011.

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Happy new year my loves! I hope you all have enjoyed the holiday break as much as I have. Today is my last day off of work until maternity leave (eek!) and I'm going to make it count.

So far, Kevin and I have put the closet unit up in the baby's bedroom and have assembled the crib. I just need to get a changing table/dresser and add a few finishing touches and we'll be ready for baby T to join the family! It's hard to believe that his due date is NEXT MONTH. Gah!

Speaking of babies, I had the pleasure of babysitting my beautiful niece, Quorra, most of last week while I was off work and that's why I was a bit MIA on the blog-front. My sister doesn't have internet at her house and besides, I was too busy cuddling with that sweet baby girl to really think of anything to post!

However, I can't post on January 2nd without filling you in on how I spent New Year's Eve right?

A few weeks ago, I pitched the idea to Kevin about going out for a fancy dinner to ring in the new year and I was pleasantly surprised when he agreed. It's not often that we're able to treat ourselves with a nice dinner and I'm sure it won't be happening very often after the baby gets here so on Saturday night, we joined our friends Kristin and Patrick at the Local Chop and Grill House for a delicious four course dinner.

The lights were dimmed, everyone had a delicious local brew in hand (except for me, I enjoyed several Shirley Temples) and when I said we had an amazing meal, I'm not kidding.

They had an amazing menu of items to choose from but I decided to go with the Arancini de Roso as an appetizer (fried risotto), the pear salad with local country ham, duck breast for my entree and topped it all off with the creamiest crème brûlée.

By the time we finished our meal, it was time to toast to 2012 and say good bye to 2011. The waiter brought the table a round of complimentary champagne and myself a flute of Sprite and we closed the night out as the bar band began a horrendous version of Beyonce's "Bootylicious" -- with banjo's. That was our cue to leave.

It was a fabulous night with amazing friends. How did you ring in the new year?

And now, we nap.

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:38:00 +0000

After two holiday meals over three days and four gift exchanges, I'm pooped.

I've sat here for about 20 minutes trying to decide whether I should blog or not because quite frankly, I don't have the energy to think of a good enough post. So instead, I'll continue to be lazy with the two dogs.

Oh hey, you noticed the extra dog? That little furball in the lower right hand corner belongs to my brother's girlfriend, we're babysitting until they find a place that allows pets. His name is Damien. He's the cutest bug-eyed little chihuahua and does nothing but sleep. Couldn't have asked for a better foster pup.

Not only am I babysitting pups these days, but today I get to spend some quality time with my beautiful niece, who also got the napping memo this morning:

While the kids all sleep, I'm just laying around watching a What Not To Wear marathon, wishing someone would nominate me because after I have my baby, I could really use about $5000 of new clothes. Please? Someone?

I'll give you a head start on my horrible outfits. I've yet to take off my new Westie pajama pants that Kevin got me.

My husband is probably the best gift-giver ever. I hope you all got spoiled too!! Merry After-Christmas everyone. :)

The baby is stirring, time for lunch.

Happy Holidays!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:54:00 +0000

Working for the county school system has it's pros and cons but one giant advantage is having off during Christmas break. Our office is able to close for almost two full weeks and I get to spend some much needed time working around the house getting ready for our new addition. Wish Bodie and I some luck as we tackle some projects while daddy's at work!

I hope you all have a safe and happy weekend and a very prosperous new year! Happy holidays from our growing family my loves. :)

Tail Wagging Tuesday!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:19:00 +0000

Even though it's a short work week for me, (one more day! Yippee!) I've still been a busy bee and can't believe there's only a few more days until Christmas. Wasn't I just at the beach? Didn't I just have a birthday?

Thankfully, I finally finished my Christmas shopping last night including all of Kevin's stocking stuffers. I left him in charge of Bodie's gifts this year so hopefully he gets the pup something good!!

Speaking of my little furbaby, I decided to link up with CMae for Tail Wagging Tuesday today to share a Christmas picture that I love of Bodie.

My friend Michelle photoshopped this gem for me a while back and it makes me laugh every time.

But to be honest, he's not that jolly. Most of the time you can find his lazy behind on Kevin's chair by the Christmas tree. Sleeping. Must be nice.

How does your furbaby celebrate the holidays?!

Little Man

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:10:00 +0000

One of my favorite parts of last weekend was getting to spend some quality time with my family and their babies. I like to think I'm getting a little bit of practice with them before my own gets here.

Aren't they the cutest?

Not only did I get a little bit of practice, but Bodie got to sample a little of what it will be like when his little brother shows up.

My cousin Nicole's son, Brody, was infatuated with Bodie and would giggle every time he came in the room. Bodie decided he'd find out what all the fuss was about...

and although he looks like he's not so sure about this whole "baby" thing, they actually played together for a good while! They were cracking me up.

Because seriously, who wouldn't love this face?

Well, until he makes judgmental eyebrows at you...

Ships Ahoy, It's A Boy!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:24:00 +0000

I'm sorry I've been so MIA lately. Last week was a little nutty in getting prepared for my baby shower on Saturday. Most of it was spent cleaning and setting up our guest bedroom then Friday was prep day and Saturday flew by in an amazing blur of friends, family, food and fun times. I'm so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing people and I can't thank them enough for the wonderful baby shower they helped throw me on Saturday afternoon.

As a short disclaimer, this post is VERY photo heavy. If you want to skip to the bottom, I totally understand. ;)

We had my baby shower at the same venue we had my sister's and I'm so glad we did! There was plenty of room for everyone and the space always provides a great backdrop for all our decor.

Since my theme was "Ships Ahoy" - my sister surprised me by making me this life raft with our last name on it! I love it and can't wait to hang it (along with the banner below that she made) in the babies room.

Just a peek of what we had on the dessert and favor table.
We decided to do a candy buffet and it was a hit!

Some of the delicious noms we had along with the cute little flags I made.

True story: I got busted making these at work. Oops.

The flower arrangements made by my friend Natasha. She slaved for hours Saturday morning getting these ready for us and they turned out great!

After all my friends and family had their fill of spinach dip, tea sandwiches, cocktail foods and candy, it was time to open gifts. There were some presents for me like this adorable outfit...

and a baby blanket that my mom and aunt say was mine (and my sisters) when we were babies...

but of course, there were also gifts for my husband like a camo diaper bag and this adorable little jacket.

It was a long day but was totally worth it. Everyone was so generous and I can't wait to start nesting for real now.

I really hope I can pay these girls back in one way or another because I don't know what I'd do without them. They showed up early and I was so relieved when I saw them there to help because my pregnancy hormones were kicking in and I was STRESSED out. I love you guys!

The "Real Housewives of Harrisonburg" clan.

And my family? Seriously the best. My sister went above and beyond helping me get everything together for the shower and my cousins Kristin (who is due the week after me! Yay babies!) and Nicole were a huge help this weekend.

I could go on and on with my thank yous: my husband (who we ran all over God's green earth) my mom, my mother in law, sister in law, my aunts, my coworkers, my neighbors, my best friend Katie and countless others were there and showered me with so much love and so many generous gifts that I am overwhelmed.

I'm gonna stop now before I cry all over my keyboard.

Happy Monday y'all! What'd you get into this weekend?

Weekend Recap!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:38:00 +0000

Seriously, you guys, I'm so busy at work I can't even think straight. Anyone who would like to come and sort through my 2 foot high "to do" stack is more than welcome to. While you're at it, be sure to get rid of the mouse that keeps pooping on my keyboard. Gag me.

Anywho, on a happier note, I just wanted to drop in to tell you guys how amazing my weekend was. Friday morning I went to the doc for my glucose test and was pretty nervous. For those of you who don't know what that is, they make you drink a super sugary drink (like fruit punch) and an hour later they draw blood to see if you are at risk for gestational diabetes. I was nervous because this baby has given me a crazy sweet tooth and no one in my family (my cousins or sister) passed the first test but luckily I passed with flying colors! I treated myself to froyo last night to celebrate. Pumpkin froyo. Get you some.

Then, on Friday afternoon, the husband and I jumped in the car and made our way to DC to meet up with some lovely ladies for dinner. It's always a blast hanging out with these guys and I hope we can still get together even after I have my little bambino. Anyone willing to babysit so mom can have a night out? ;)

{Maria, Megan, me, Emily, and Anni}

Photograph provided by Emily, taken by her sweet hubby, Josh!

We had a delicious dinner at Founding Farmers and followed that up with some amazing delicious treats that Maria made us. If you're not friends with her, you're missing out on some amazing noms. Not only did she make us some awesome treats, she was sweet enough to get me a gift (a couple of adorable outfits) for my little one!

Saturday afternoon, Kevin and I met up with Anni for an afternoon maternity/couple photoshoot. She did an amazing job and I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures she took. I'm excited to have documented this pregnancy and have a few pictures to show my future babes!

For a sneak peek of the pictures Anni took, head over to her blog and check them out. Oh, and hire her. :)

{PICTURE TAKEN BY THE AMAZINGLY TALENTED ANNI.}

Doggy loot and other fun stuffs

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

First of all, if you didn't join the Kitty and Canine Gift Exchange, hosted by Hannah and KJ, I feel really bad for your pet. Look at the joy you could have caused:

Okay, he doesn't look very happy there but trust me, he ran around like crazy for about an hour cramming every toy he could in his mouth.

I love participating in the Kitty and Canine Gift Exchange and was so excited to get paired with Stacy of Doggylove. Her and her dog Ellie were so generous and I can't wait to hear what they think of the gifts that Bodie picked out!

Hopefully her living room doesn't look like this once she opens her gifts...

It's like a toy graveyard.

Also, yes, Bodie is in desperate need of a bath and I'm a horrible mother for letting his poor beard get so dirty. Oh well. It will have to wait until next weekend because by the time you read this, I'll be on my way to meet up with some beautiful blogging ladies for dinner in DC. The only way the night could be better was if I could drink wine with them. Someone better drink for me, who's game?

Happy weekend everyone!!

Holy third trimester batman.

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:54:00 +0000

I'm a horrible blogger, I know this. It's been a week since I last posted and every time I thought about picking up my computer to write, I either got sidetracked reading all of your awesome posts or couldn't think of anything blog-worthy. Yeah, I could give you a recap of my weekend, but it would sound like this: Thursday - I ate turkey. Friday - I shopped from midnight to 7. Then slept from 7-1. Then I ate turkey again. Saturday - I cleaned and then I ate. Sunday - I shopped some more and then, you guessed it, I ate.

Exciting stuff, I know. To be completely honest, I really did spent most of Friday and some of Saturday recovering from Black Friday shopping. At seven months pregnant, it really took it's toll on me. We seriously had a blast and I didn't really feel the pain until I laid in bed and my back started throbbing. It's time to realize I can't do things like I used to!

How far along? 28 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Still a healthy amount! (Minus the Thanksgiving binge.)

How big is baby? The size of a cabbage, 14.8 inches in length and weighs 2 1/4 pounds.

Maternity clothes? Either maternity clothes or Kevin's sweats. Very little of my old shirts fit without showing my mid drift which is not a good look for me.

Stretch Marks? Yes.Kevin thought the dog scratched my stomach because they are ugly and red. I hate them. No matter how much lotion I lather on, they're there!

Best moment this week? Not feeling guilty about eating all the Thanksgiving noms! Everyone should be able to wear maternity pants during the holidays. ;)

Movement? All the time, especially after I eat. He particularly likes to ~~hang out~~ do jumping jacks on my bladder.

Food Cravings? Cereal and ice cold milk. Mmm.

What I miss: Everything? I miss running, having energy, wearing stilettos (I gave in to the pain and am wearing the shortest wedges I have to compromise.) I miss being able to bend over and pick things up without a struggle, getting off the couch with ease, rolling over in bed without groaning, and basically functioning as a normal human.

What I am looking forward to: Maternity pictures with Anni this weekend! If there's anyone that can tackle the task of making me look half decent, I know it's her. Can't wait to see her (and all my other peeps!) this weekend!

Nausea/Vomiting?: Not even a little bit!

Labor signs? Nope, I think I felt some Braxton Hicks a couple of times but nothing else.

Gender? Baby boy!

Belly Button in or out? Innie but definitely flattening out.

Wedding rings on or off? On even though I have sausages for fingers.

Sleep? Still sleeping through the night okay, without having to get up to pee but there's a lot of tossing and turning since I can't stay comfortable.

Weekly Wisdom: I already said it, everyone should have a pair of maternity pants during the holidays. You can eat three pieces of pie without having to unbutton your pants. :)

Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:35:00 +0000

Our family is big on traditions. Whether it's Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas, I've always looked forward to the holidays. I have already told my parents that I fully expect an Easter basket and Christmas stocking until the end of time. It's something I love doing with my family and can't wait to pass these family traditions down to my kids.

Thanksgiving is one of my absolute favorite holidays because, well, let's be honest, it revolves around food and since I'm a foodie, there's no better combination. And as the household foodie, I took over the cooking for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner when I was about 15 (I think?) and have been fixing the holiday meals ever since. It's something I really enjoy and let's be honest, no one else in my family wants to do all the work.

In years past, my family (minus my husband who is hunting) would all head to my mom's house around ten in the morning and we start the day off with fresh cinnamon rolls while I get started on making dinner. This year, however, will be a little bit different. My parents are unable to get away from work in North Carolina and won't be able to make it. Not only that, but one of my brothers is currently living in Texas so I'm afraid he'll be missing out as well. It will be quite a change making dinner for 4 instead of 6 or 8 people. It'll just be me, my sister and her husband and my brother. Well, and my niece but she's not allowed to eat turkey quite yet.

Not only does my family stick to their traditions but my friends do as well. Every year, I join the masses for Black Friday shopping with my best friend, Katie. This Thursday night, everything opens at midnight in our town so I'm thinking we'll hit up Target and Kohl's as soon as we can.

Maybe this time I'll actually buy some gifts for other people rather than myself. Although, I do have a few things on my wish list as well...

{Oster Immersion Blender}

{Comforter and duvet cover}

Happy Thanksgiving week everyone! What are some of your families holiday traditions?

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