Momma's Me Time

Hey, Hi, Hello!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 16:32:00 +0000

Its been awhile since I've written in this little blog of mine. Over the last couple months I've missed blogging, but between feedings, diaper changes, and an active four-year-old, I put blogging on the back burner. The last couple weeks I've been itching to return to blogging. Especially after getting together with a few sweet blog friends (Alyson, Julie, & Karri) and realizing if it wasn't for blogging, I wouldn't have met them!

I feel like blogging can be weird, sharing your thoughts, feelings, and photos openly with everyone, half the time I wonder if people really care, and the other half I'm left feeling a little narcissistic. Usually I try to keep this blog of mine a secret from friends and family, although I think they have all figured it out haha. As silly as blogging seems sometimes, I do love it! So now that we are settling into a routine, and I am fitting in a little bit of "me" time here and there, I want to use it doing something I enjoy...blogging.

So what better way to return to blogging than after a long holiday weekend. Here is a look (picture overload) into our 4th of July weekend:

Will you stick around so we can catch up on the last few months?

First Week as a Family of Four

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:45:00 +0000

It's hard to believe it has already been a week since we became a family of four, but at the same time it feels like Aviana has always been a part of our family. As much as I daydreamed and imagined what life would be like once Avi arrived, it could never measure up to how great reality is, my heart feels so full! I've never been so happy in my whole life. If anything has ever felt right, it's being the momma of these two.

Of course, like anything new in life, it takes sometime to fully adjust. E loves being a big brother and helping with Avi. He will grab wipes or burp cloths when we ask him to. He has been good about sharing the attention and we have made a strong effort to give him some one-on-one time with the both of us.

This is my husbands first time taking care of a newborn. He was deployed for the first two months of E's life. It's been amazing to go through this stage with him this time. He has quickly gone from nervous to natural. Plus, he's pretty good at changing diapers ;)

As far as sleep goes, the first two days in the hospital were rough. Avi did not like the hospital crib, at all! Every time we set her down, just as we were about to fall asleep, she would wake back up. Literally every ten minutes she was up. She would only sleep in someones arms, which meant we got no sleep because the hospital bans anyone from sleeping with their baby (for safety measures).

Avi's sleeping habits completely changed when we brought her home from the hospital. She sleeps so much now! I was concerned that she was sleeping too much and asked her pediatrician if that was okay ha! She assured me everything was normal. Some people just luck out with amazing sleepers, we're not complaining ;)

Recovering from my csection has been going great. So great that I was able to leave the hospital a whole day early. Although I can tell a difference in my recovery this time around, my body isn't as young haha. I'm only 25, but with my first csection I was 20, and honestly, 5 years makes a difference! I am a lot more sore this time and I've had to take my medicine more than I did the first time. I've also had so much swelling from the waste down. I didn't have this post pregnancy swelling the first time, and let me tell ya, it's miserable! However, I still feel blessed that there were no major complications with the surgery and I am thankful to be recovering as quickly as I am.

Avi's stats:

Weight: She was born at 7 lbs, 7 oz but quickly lost weight, down to 7 lbs, 3 oz just a few hours after birth, then down to 6 lbs, 13 oz a day later. By the time we left the hospital Avi was down to 6 lbs, 8 oz which was concerning to our pediatrician. Babies are expected to lose weight after birth, but shouldn't lose more than 10%. Since her pediatrician was concerned we had to make after hour appointments to check her weight over the weekend. Once my breast milk came in though, she started to gain and her weight spiked back up.

Feeding: Avi is doing an amazing job with breastfeeding. She eats every 2-3 hours during the day and every 4 hrs at night. E wasn't such a good breast feeder and by two months we found out he had a milk protein allergy. I am really hoping and praying Avi doesn't develop the same allergy. So far there are no signs.

First:
Smile: We got to see Avi's first smile this week! Of course the smiles are only during her naps but they still melt my heart :)

Shopping experience: Just four days postpartum we made our first trip to Target. Avi's closet was stocked with spring clothing (who was expecting snow in mid April??) so we had to stop and pick up some warmer things for her. My girl is already a great shopping buddy hehe.

Family walk: We only made it to the corner and back, but it was her first official family walk, one of many!

A Passionate Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Today I am pleased to introduce you to a sweet friend of mine, L of All Glorious Within. I had the pleasure of meeting L at the Influence Conference last year and this girl has such a caring and passionate heart!

She has launched a purpose project in hopes of helping raise money for orphans in Africa. I ask that you would please read this post and help L fulfill her goal, whether that is by donating money or sharing her project through social media. Any little bit can help L reach her goal!

Hey Friends!

I am so thankful to Lisa for allowing me to come and greet you all here in this space of hers and to share with you something the Lord has placed on my heart.

Following my senior year of high school, the Lord orchestrated in an incredible way a trip to Africa which was totally unexpected. You can read the details here.

Since then, the Lord has been laying things related to that trip even more specifically on my heart. Changing me to love like He loves in many ways.

Breaking my heart for those who feel unloved.

Giving me a heart specifically for orphans, adoption and Africa.

You'll have to watch this space to see what He continues to do with those heart stirrings.

I have no idea what the future will hold and what the Lord has planned for us specifically yet.

I am hoping doors will open for us to pursue foreign adoption at some point.

Maybe even heading to Africa long-term should that be what He calls us to.

But for now, while waiting on further leading, I feel His particular burden to care for orphans where I am now, even if unable to adopt at this point in life.

To make it a priority to take action. Even if that doesn't require packing a suitcase and heading halfway around the world.

'Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.'

James 1:27

The way I felt the Lord laying on my heart to care for orphans was through an organization called the Mocha Club. They are an incredible organisation with existing long term projects in Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe who work to provide for orphans and vulnerable children.

So this month I am partnering with them in doing something called a purpose project. I raise a specific amount of money for their orphan care projects, then should I meet my goal....I do a project so that my fundraising has a purpose.

The Goal: Raise $750 for orphan projects ongoing in Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe

(This will provide care for 3 orphans for a year)

My Project: Once the money is raised, I will be running a 5K race aiming to beat my high school record of 26mins.

(I have started training!)

How can You help?

I am looking specifically for people to partner with me financially.

>>DONATE HERE<<

I realize money is tight for so many people right now. Myself included. But any donation NO MATTER HOW SMALL helps achieve this goal of working together to change the lives of three orphans.

I opted to give up a Starbucks latte a few times this month and instead donate to the project. (So even $5 will help!)

I can't do this without your help, friend. =)

I am so happy to have

I would also love it if you would share about this project through social media!

Please tweet or post to fb so that others may hear about this project!

Thanks so much for reading, sharing, donating, however you are able to help!

I am so thankful for each of you!

Much Love!

Introducing Aviana Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 05:02:00 +0000

One week ago we welcomed our baby girl into the world!

April 10, 2013 at 3:48 pm

7 pounds, 7 ounces and 18.5 inches

We are completely in love with her and have been soaking in every moment :)

Baby Update: 38 weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:51:00 +0000

Last week I shared our birth plan and I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers! Means a lot to have your support :)

How far along? 38w6d

Total weight gain: Umm... 40 pounds and I am happy to say that that should be my final weigh in as baby Avi will be here this week! I can't even tell you how much I a dieing to get out on a run ;)

Baby is the size of a: watermelon 19 to 22 in, 7 lbs

Gender: Girl :)

Movement: It seems like she is running out of room because her movements have slowed down the last couple days. I still feel her hiccup and a foot jabbing out every now and then, but space is getting tight!

Labor signs: She is still head down and very low in my pelvis. At 39 weeks E flipped into the breech position, so hopefully she doesn't follow in her brother's foot steps. I've been having cramping and bh on and off, so hopefully she is planning her big arrival soon because she only has 2 days left to come out or we are coming to get her ;)

Maternity clothes? Yoga pants and tees. There's nothing cute about the last weeks of pregnancy. I am so swollen I don't even have shoes that fit!

Stretch marks? No new ones

Food cravings/aversions: Nothing in particular. Crushed ice is my only "craving" which my husband makes fun of me for

Anything making you queasy or sick: I started to get waves of nausea again

Wedding rings on or off? Sadly off. I had to take them off last week and it feels weird without them. I've had so much swelling the last couple weeks

Best moments this week: The blessing I had through our church was a great moment this week. It was so great to have women of the church pray over baby A and to be able to do it with my friend Tess, who is also expecting.
My husband and I also had a little afternoon movie date last week and it was nice to spend some one-on-one time together since it will probably be the last one for awhile.

Looking forward to: The big day! I can not wait to hold you, Aviana! We are all ready for you!

Other baby updates:
36 weeks
35 weeks
34 weeks

33 weeks

Birth Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Since we are so close to the end of this pregnancy, I thought I would share our birth plans. I actually feel like this pregnancy has flown by, up until this last month, it must be the anticipation of meeting her! Now I am feeling very anxious and impatient to just hold her in my arms. Looking forward to that moment has also been bring a lot of stress about her birth.

With my pregnancy with E, he flipped into the breech position at 39 weeks, so I had a c-section. This time around I had the option to have a repeat csection or a vbac. Early on in this pregnancy we decided to have a repeat csection and had an appointment set up for April 10th. However, when we started to think about it in detail, we started to doubt our decision. A repeat c-section would mean a longer hospital stay and a longer recovery process. Both of which I feel will hinder my job as a mom. I don't want to spend extra days in the hospital away from E, and I don't want to spend the first few weeks recovering from surgery.

At this point, we still have the csection appointment setup, but we are leaning toward a vbac. I would love to just go into labor on my own and have a healthy delivery, but of course there is no guarantees. A milion thoughts have ran through my head about this delivery. "What if I go into labor and I'm not able to deliver and need a c-section anyways? What if I go into labor and it's too much for me to handle? What if I have a csection and the recovery isn't as smooth as last time? What if, what if, what if?"

Now we are down to crunch time, 6 days left until our set csection date. Although I know I can cancel the c-section and wait it out, my husband and I made the decision to go ahead with the c-section if I don't go into labor on my own before that date. This is something we have prayed about over and over. It something that has weighed heavily on our hearts for so long. I know a lot of people have strong views on vbacs (believe me, I've heard them all), but that is the decision we have made.

We've prayed about it and I am finally feeling at peace knowing that things will happen the way they are intended to. Either way, c-section or vbac, it's all in God's hands. The most important thing is that he has entrusted us with this precious gift, and in the end it doesn't matter which way she comes out, we will be blessed and our hearts will be full!

Life Lately

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:13:00 +0000

Life lately has been busy and exhausting, but in a good way!

We are up to the last week of pregnancy. Just 8 days until we get to meet our baby girl! We've been trying to get all our last minute things together like pack the hospital bag, set up the infant gear, wash all the baby clothes. While packing the hospital bag, I realized that we didn't have much newborn outfits, so last week I made a Target run to pick up some onesies and sleepers. Newborn outfits are so tiny, it's hard to believe babies are that small! I remember thinking E was so small and fragile and he was a 8.5 pound baby! My doctor thinks Aviana will be around 7 pounds, so we will see. Our fridge and pantry are stocked up on food and our house has been scrubbed from top to bottom so we are all set for her arrival. Any day would be good to come, Aviana hint hint ;)

Ethan was on spring break last week, so I took the week off of blogging. It was nice to spend some quality time with him. Next week he starts soccer and after that t-ball. He sure has grown up right before our eyes. It makes me sad, but happy at the same time. This age is a fun one!

It seems like spring has finally sprung around here just in time for Easter. Although the temperatures aren't where we would like them to be, the sun has been shining and the snow has been melting, that alone surely makes a difference.

We had a wonderful Easter this year. Saturday, we attended church, went out to breakfast, and then went to an annual Easter event that our local greenery holds for children. Sunday, the Easter bunny made a stop by our house and left E with an awesome basket filled with goodies and even hid some eggs around the house for the little guy to find. E was so excited when he woke up. We made a turkey dinner, which almost didn't happen because when I woke up in the morning to put the turkey in the oven, it was still frozen! Thankfully, Wal-mart had a few frozen-to-oven turkeys left, which was so simple I think I will buy those for now on. Since Alyson and her family just moved to Wisconsin, we invited them over for dinner and had a good time spending the afternoon with them. Our boys had so much fun sword fighting and egg hunting. By the end of the day my feet were so swollen they hurt so we spent the rest of the night snuggling in bed and watching movies. It was nice!

Here are some photos from the last week:

Linking up here

Baby Update: 36 weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:08:00 +0000

How far along? 36w2d

Total weight gain: about 35

Baby is the size of a: watermelon 19 to 22 in, 6.5 lbs

Gender: Girl :)

Movement: She is still head down and has officially moved into my pelvis. Although I wasn't dilated last week at my appointment, my ob seemed pretty surprise at how low her head was. Maybe that means this will be my last week of pregnancy!?! At least we are hoping ;)

Maternity clothes? eh, I'm lucky if anything fits these days. I'm choosing to be comfy with yoga pants, sweatpants, and leggings for the rest of this pregnancy!

Miss anything: just the normal things. It seems like everything from getting dressed to putting on boots is a chore now days lol, but only a few weeks left so I'm trying to look on the bright side!

Stretch marks? No new ones

Food cravings/aversions: No new cravings. I've been chomping on a lot of ice and drinking plenty of water lately. There's not much room for food, I get full really easily.

Anything making you queasy or sick: not really. I've been feeling pretty good lately.

Have you started to show yet: this picture should answer that question. Makes me laugh just looking at it! ;)

Wedding rings on or off? on

Best moments this week: Washing all those itty bitty baby clothes. The only time I've been happy to fold clothes :) I made some headbands this week too and I'm so excited to put them on her!

Looking forward to: Meeting our baby girl! The csection is scheduled and just 20 days away, but I would love to go into labor before that and have a vbac. We will see what God has planned :)

Other baby updates:
35 weeks
34 weeks

33 weeks

3rd Trimester

24 weeks

20 weeks

And now the lucky winner of the badaboum is Katie Vale! Eeeek! Congrats Katie, check out your inbox :)

Slip On By

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:55:00 +0000

My husband and I have been having a lot of heart to heart conversations about life. There's one song that always comes on the radio that causes us both to tear up, if you listen to Christian radio, you may have heard of it and felt the same. The song is "Slip on By" by Finding Favour.

It's about an older gentleman reflecting on life and giving the young man advice on not letting time pass him by.

"Early morning by the riverside,
Saw an old man waiting for a bite,
We started talking and he took me back in time.

He said I was young, and thought I'd always be,
Then I woke up, now I'm 83
There's so much I missed, oh how I wish
I could get back all that time I wasted.

I see the tears of a young bride
The morning that we had our first fight.
I should've held her tight.
And on the day that my momma died,
I hung up the phone and never said goodbye.

Don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on by.

Well, he looked up, tears in his eyes.
Said I'm not sure if you were looking for advice.
There's just something about you that reminds me of me.

It ain't easy always looking back,
But it seems these days that it's all I have.
What hurts me the most is knowing what could have been,
And if I listen real close sometimes I can

Hear the sound of my little boy
Saying, daddy can you please come play with me?
But I was too busy.
Then one day, my baby grew up and went to war.
I never thought he'd be gone in the blink of an eye.

So don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on by."

The last year, I take that back, the last five years have been a whirlwind for us. Since the day we got married, it seems like we have been on the move. I can count at least 12 different moves in my head, and I know there are even more than that. It's been quite the adventure filled with plenty of ups and downs, life lessons, and mistakes. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out which direction to go in life, looking for answers, and searching for a place we felt accepted.

Reflecting on that season of our lives makes me feel so grateful for the season we are in right now. I can thankfully say we have lived in our own home for a year now. It feels like our lives have finally slowed down and we have been able to somewhat catch our breath. Although I can't say that time has actually slowed, as E seems to be growing up quicker than ever. (We signed him up for 4k yesterday, how did that happen?)

I feels a sense of peace.
No longer looking for our own direction, but letting God take the wheel.
No longer looking for answers, because God holds our questions.
No longer searching for acceptance, because God fills our hearts.

My husband and I have talked about how much our lives have changed and what was truly missing the last 5 years. It didn't matter what job he had, what state we lived in, who was surrounding us, it was God that we were missing. Gods love has filled our lives and everything else has fallen into place because of it. So you bet we wont be letting it slip on by.

"I shook the old man's hand and I thanked him.
And I drove home as fast as I could go.
Just to let her know...
That I need her,
That I love her,
That I'm never gonna let another moment like this slip on by.
Don't let it slip on by.

We're only here for a little while,
And God gives us only so much precious time.

So don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on by.

Don't let it slip on by."

Baby Update: 35 Weeks + a Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:18:00 +0000

How far along? 35 weeks...2 weeks until full term!

Total weight gain: 32 lbs

Baby is the size of a: large cantaloupe about 19 to 22 in, 6 lbs

Gender: Girl :)

Movement: lots of limbs poking out of my belly lately! They usually take me by surprise and leave me saying "ouch!" I can tell she has grown so much in the last two weeks just by how big her movements are now. It's pretty amazing! She is still getting the hiccups several times a day.

Maternity clothes? About the same, part maternity but mostly larger sized clothing. I give my jeans another week before I just say the heck with it and switch to yoga pants. You can do that this late in pregnancy right!? ;)

Miss anything: not this week

Stretch marks? No new ones

Food cravings/aversions: still loving the sweet/tart lemons! I had to limit myself to one a day haha. Also, orange juice (must be a citrus kick) and crushed ice. My appetite has dropped tremendously. I've been having small snacks through out the day instead of meals.

Anything making you queasy or sick: still have a slight cold this week, other than that I am feeling great!

Have you started to show yet: yep! I get stares everywhere I go lol.

Wedding rings on or off? wedding ring is still on, yay!

Best moments this week: This week I haven't been sleeping well yet, I somehow have more energy than I've had this whole pregnancy! It feels great to feel so motivated and energized to get some stuff done. As a result I've been working on many projects around our home and things are coming together.
E has had a cold for over a week now (poor guy!) but it has given us a lot of time to spend snuggling and watching movies at nighttime. I am enjoying this precious time with him :)

Looking forward to: My birthday coming up in a couple weeks and reaching full term.

Other baby updates:
34 weeks

33 weeks

3rd Trimester

24 weeks

***

Giveaway

Yesterday, I posted a list of all my picks for second baby must-haves and today I am giving away one of those! If you are a momma-to-be or already have a little one of your own, you need to enter this giveaway for a badaboum baby sleep sac!

Here is a little info about the badaboum and and creator of the badaboum, Vanessa.

"A French expatriate in California with a newborn, Vanessa couldn’t find the kind of traditional baby sleep sacks all French moms use. Her strong fashion design background urged her to design her own, and before she knew it they were in high demand among friends and relatives. Soon after, she founded Badaboum to bring warmth and safety to Californian infants.

Vanessa has a sharp sense of taste and an obsession over quality that she developed over seven years working in luxury fashion in Paris, at one point overseeing design and manufacture for a prestigious brand.

As a recent mom, she pays extreme attention to child safety and spends a lot of effort ensuring her designs are mechanically safe, not flammable and formaldehyde-free. Her son Mica sleeps every night in a Badaboum sleeping bag, and loves it !

We at Badaboum hope your baby or toddler will appreciate our comfy sleeping bags as much as Mica does."

Enter to win below! Winner will be announced next Wednesday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Baby Must-Haves, The Second Time Around

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:09:00 +0000

With baby number 2 set to arrive in just a few weeks, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of all the baby items I have found to be on my must-have list. Since this is our second child, and we kept most of our stuff from when E was a baby, we didn't need to purchase everything (which was a lifesaver!). However, four years has gone by, and we found that there was a lot of new baby items and upgrades that we needed to purchase.

So here is my list of baby must-haves, the second time around:

1. This Graco Modes Click Connect Stroller is probably the baby item I am most excited to use! It has a 3-in-1 design and 10 different riding options. You have to check this stroller out!

2. When E was a baby, I found that even if I bought a million different nuks, I could never find one when it was needed! Those things always seem to disappear, so when I seen the WubbaNub I had to purchase it! I thought it seemed like such a great way to keep track of the nuk. There are different designs, but I am in love with this lamb one...and every other lamb baby item, if you haven't noticed ;)

3. This is a new item that came out since my first born, the rock n play. I was very iffy about buying one, since the recent recall due to molding, but with proper cleaning and care there shouldn't be any problems. Plus, the reviews on this thing are a-ma-zing! Everyone says it's the best, if not, the only, place their baby will sleep.

4. We just used a regular audio monitor with E, which worked just fine, but since we have a two story house now, we figured a video monitor would come in quite handy. This Motorola video monitor is the one we purchased. We've been trying it out in E's room, and so far we really like it.

5. Safety was our first priority when it came time to pick out a new infant car seat. (Just a reminder, car seats should be replaced every 5 years.) After doing lots of research, I found that the Graco SnugRide 35 is one of the safest car seats for infants. It's also very affordable! I love this one because of it's easy click connect technology, it fits right into the Graco Modes stroller, and has a nice gender neutral color (already thinking about future baby's ;)).

6. I've heard from several momma's that sleep sacs are the best invention for nighttime. This particular sleep sac is a badaboum. It has a cute design and feels really comfy. If you come back tomorrow, I will be having a badaboum giveaway. So don't miss your chance to snag one yourself!

7. I have a feeling I will need my hands more often as a momma of two, so an infant carrier was a must! The Ergo won when it came to reviews for infant carriers. It's suppose to be safe, comfortable and provide back support. I can't wait to try it out!

8. I've been told the Aden + Anais muslin swaddles are the best swaddle blankets EVER. They are soft, have cute designs and are light weight making them perfect for a springtime baby.

9. With our hardwood floors, I knew that we would need something soft for baby to lay on for tummy time, so I couldn't pass up this lamb mat. It is soft, has a nice cushion, and is super cute!

So tell me, what is on your baby must-have list? Any baby items I should be aware of? If so, leave a comment and if I get enough suggestion, I will write up another list including your advice and link to your blog.

Baby Update: 34 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:34:00 +0000

Late post this week, our household has been under the weather. Poor E has had a cough and slight fever, so we kept him home from school today. He seems to be feeling a little better and I've been enjoying the extra snuggle time :)

Here's a 34 week baby update:

How far along? 34w3d

Total weight gain: haven't weighed myself this week, in the 30's

Baby is the size of a: large cantaloupe 19 to 22 in, 5.5lbs

Gender: Girl :)

Movement: lots of hiccups and big movements. She's running out of room in my short torso and has been spending lots of time in my ribs lately, which makes it really uncomfortable and slightly painful.

Maternity clothes? I don't have much clothes left that fit! This week with the snow storm and sickies, I've stayed in sweatpants all day and I kinda love it :) I've also been raiding my hubby's closet (hint the shirt in these photos)

Miss anything: In a way I miss everything, but since there is only a few weeks left until she arrives, I've been trying to soak it all in. Enjoying every moment and embracing the largeness hehe.. I truly feel grateful to be able to experience every part of pregnancy.

Stretch marks? No new ones

Food cravings/aversions: still loving my lemons and I've been craving lots of fruits lately.

Anything making you queasy or sick: slight cold this week with a runny nose. The last couple days I've been feeling nauseous but I'm not sure if it's the cold or pregnancy.

Have you started to show yet: just when I think my belly can't get any bigger, Aviana proves me wrong!

Wedding rings on or off? wedding ring still on, but I had to take my promise ring off. Just my right hand swelled up, which I thought was odd.

Best moments this week: Went outlet shopping over the weekend with a couple friends and scored some really good deals! The deals were mainly on fall/winter stuff, but I love to shop a couple seasons ahead with little ones.
Also, spending my husbands days off rearranging the house to make room for the baby stuff (they need lots of stuff!). We got the pack n play set up next to our bed and made a better play area in the living room. It's all starting to feel more real so we are trying to spend as much time together as a family of three.

Looking forward to: The last few weeks of pregnancy. Let the countdown begin! 34 days left

Other baby updates:

33 weeks

3rd Trimester

24 weeks

20 weeks

Life Lately

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:02:00 +0000

I am so glad to say good-bye to February! It maybe the shortest month of the year, but it always feels like the longest as we await the arrival of spring. We are expecting another storm tonight into tomorrow, but looking at the extended forecast, by the end of the week the temps will be in the 40's! It can only get warmer from there, right? So let's all say hello March!

There are so many things I am looking forward to this month: my last full month of pregnancy, turning 25 on the 25th (wouldn't it be awesome if baby A came on my birthday!), first day of spring, hitting a year mark of living in our new house, & Easter. Woohoo! It's gonna be a good month!

What I am also excited about is co-hosting the Life Lately linkup this week with Alli of Life on LeRoy and Hayley of The Weekend File. If you haven't already, make sure you linkup your post!

Here's a little look at what our life has looked like lately:

instagram: lisa_mommasmetime

Link up Rules:
1.) Follow your hosts via GFC.
2.) Follow your co-hosts via GFC.
3.) Link up your life lately posts or any post about your life.

Baby Update: 33 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:19:00 +0000

How far along? 33w2d

Total weight gain: ready for this?? 31 pounds! Yep! I passed my original goal of 30lbs or less with 6 weeks left to go. I would be lying if I said it didn't bother me, but I try not to worry too much. With my first pregnancy I gained over 60 lbs and lost it all, plus an extra 20 lbs, so I know if I stay motivated I will be able to lose it all again. My OB says I grow big baby's lol, so as long as Avi is healthy that's all that matter to me!

Baby is the size of a: pineapple (19 to 22 inches, 4.9 lbs) It's hard to believe she's that big already!

Gender: Girl :)

Movement: lots of big movements and jabs these days. She likes to move at night, a night owl like her momma. She also gets the hiccups several times a day.

Maternity clothes? Mixture of maternity clothes and just larger sized clothes. Most of everything I wear is from my pregnancy and post-pregnancy with E. The one pair of maternity jeans I bought this pregnancy are about to see there last days.

Miss anything: I am to the point where I am just looking forward to having her here and starting a normal routine.

Stretch marks? No new ones

Food cravings/aversions: lemons! I love the sweet/tart lemons that they sell at Wal-mart. Kind of an odd craving but I could eat several a day. My appetite has subsided. I find that I am never hungry for dinner, so we usually just have something light like frosted mini wheat cereal or green apples with peanut butter.

Anything making you queasy or sick: A little queasiness in the mornings probably related to an empty stomach. I've also been going through spurts of dizziness and shortness of breath. Not sure if it's low blood sugar or anemia. I will definitely be talking to my ob about it today at my appointment.

Have you started to show yet: Yes, way past that point. Don't think you can miss the belly now lol

Wedding rings on or off? still on

Best moments this week: purchasing the bigger baby items we needed and getting them all set up! I love seeing baby items around the house :) E has been practicing using them on all his stuffed animals.

Looking forward to: getting Avi's dresser finished, washing all her baby clothes, and starting to get everything ready. Not sure we will be able to get the nursery done before she gets here, since my husband is working full-time and is a full-time student, he's been pretty busy. We decided to paint all the trim in our house white (which is very time consuming) so before we get the nursery walls painted we need to get the trim done. My husband will have 6 weeks of maternity leave so we plan on getting everything finished up then. It's hard when you are doing everything on your own with no help, but we are trying to look on the bright side and make things work as best we can!

Side note, does anyone have suggestions on the perfect color gray?? We have been looking at samples after samples but they are usually too blue or too purple. If you know of any that you like, I would love to know the brand and color name!

Other baby updates:

3rd Trimester

24 weeks

20 weeks

16 weeks

The Boy that Made Me a Momma

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 06:00:00 +0000

I wanted to get some new maternity photos that weren't taken on our front porch, so I asked the hubby to stop at one of my favorite photos locations and snap a few. I will be sharing some more tomorrow, but today I wanted to share my favorite of E and I.

Family Time + Winter Gala

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:31:00 +0000

It's rare that my husband has a weekend off, just comes with the job description. He happened to have last weekend off so we soaked in every moment. We spent Saturday morning cooking a big breakfast and just spending time together, bath and snuggles included.

After a run to Target and McDonald's for shamrock shakes (no weekend is complete without these!), we got ready for the night. Saturday night was the winter gala for my husbands work. A time to get the department together to mingle and honor the retirees. My husbands parents came over to watch E. It was nice to get a little date night, something we don't get often... and will get even less of after Aviana arrives.

The next morning E lifted up my pj pants leg, I was wondering what he was doing, then he asked "how did you get your legs black last night?" Oh, the things that go through little minds lol!

Sunday we planned a trip to babies r us to buy some of the bigger baby items. The nearest babies r us is 45 mins away, so we made a day of it and stopped at the mall for a little Barnes and Noble and playtime at the indoor play ground (not such a great idea on the weekends, just a warning!).

I feel relieved knowing we are a little bit more ready for Avi's arrival.

Stay tuned because I will be writing a post with my picks for the second time around, baby must haves, a lot of things change in 4 years!

The hubby was so cute getting everything put together. I love having him home this pregnancy and sharing all these moments with him. We feel so blessed :) In case you didn't know, my husband was deployed when E was born and didn't return until E was 2 months old. So this experience is precious to us.

I received quite a few variety of pregnancy statements over the weekend which I thought were funny. A few of the ladies at the gala told me I was tiny for 32 weeks, in which one of the husbands responded by reminding me I still had 2 months left to grow (insert stinker face here). At the mall a girl asked me how many months I was, and said her sister who is only 5 months is just as big as I am.

People's concept of pregnancy size is so funny! It seems like everyone has an opinion, but ultimately, I think people forget that pregnancy comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. As long as baby and mommy are healthy, that's all that matters! On that note, come back Thursday for a 33 week update!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend!

Life According to My iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 03:25:00 +0000

Since this is my "return" to blogging, I thought I would post some ~~of the many~~ phone pictures I've collected over the last month in a half. It's amazing how many photos can add up on your phone!

It hasn't even been a year that we switched over to iPhone's, but I find myself always asking my husband "what did we do before we had iPhone's!?" This especially happens when we are lost and need directions, or when I am cooking half a recipe and need to know what is half of 3/4, ~~because doing the math in my head would be way too time consuming ya know~~.

So thank you iPhone for letting me capture all the small moments in life, giving me directions when I'm lost, and thank you siri for knowing the answer to all those little pesky questions. I promise I do no tell all my mobile phones how much I love them ;) Anyways, on to the photos!

-We celebrated E's 4th birthday with a Winter Wonderland party. The day of his actual birthday we got hit with a ton of snow, to say he enjoyed it would be an understatement! I will be writing a post about his birthday party soon.

-You can see a little snippets of the crafts and projects that have been going on around our house. One of my new favorite crafts is making flowers, for headbands, for baby A. I just hope she doesn't inherit my odd shaped head that doesn't do headbands.

-Every week I try to take a new baby bump photo, especially on the days where I actually get dressed, which have started to come fewer and further in between ;)

-And no iPhone post would be complete without some food photos, Fazoli's and frosted mini-wheats for the win!

What have you bee up to lately? Link you most favorite recent post in the comments so I can stop by and take a look :)

Linking up here & here

Baby Update: Third Trimester

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 04:52:00 +0000

**I just want to thank everyone who read Monday's post and left such encouraging words. I can't even explain how nice it feels to have such supportive blog friends! You all bless me in so many ways! <3**

Today, I wanted to move on to something a little lighter and share some baby updates :)

Last time I posted a baby update I was 24 weeks along, now I am 32! It's crazy how fast this pregnancy has gone by. We are beyond anxious to meet Aviana, but we sure do need the next 7 weeks to get everything ready. In case you were wondering about my math, 32+7=39 not 40, that is because we have an official csection date.

Although I'm not 100% sold on having a csection...I'm secretly ~~or not so secretly~~ hoping to go into labor before the 10th. Both have there advantages and disadvantages, I would feel more comfortable with a csection, but a vbac would mean a quicker recovery. The thought of being away from E, and in the hospital for at least 3 days recovering from a csection, is heart wrenching! Ultimately, it's all in Gods hands and I know his plan is the best one :)

Last week E and I went shopping and he helped me pick out the cutest "little sister" outfit. We also bought a "big bro" tee. I think E is just as ready as we are to meet Avi. I have no doubt that he will be an awesome big brother. He is already so caring and helpful. The age gap between them, ~~though not in our plans~~, worked out perfectly for our family. E is so understanding of everything that's going on, like midday when I get exhausted and need a rest, he will lay right next to me while we read books or snuggle and watch a movie, just as long as he doesn't have to take a nap lol. He refuses to actually fall asleep! Which is fine most of the time. Aviana will be blessed to have such a caring and tender-hearted brother.

Though we are not naive, we know Aviana's arrival will be a major adjustment for everyone. During our daily routines we always talk about how different it will be when she's here. How we will have to start doing this...or stop doing that. It's fun to daydream, but I am really looking forward to having her here and having that feeling where you can't remember what life was like before. I think that is one of the best feelings about parenthood, not looking back and missing your old life, instead having your heart feel so full that you don't even want to imagine life without your little one. If that makes sense.. It's the only way I know how to explain it.

Those are the things I want to remember feeling during the third trimester. I could go on and on about the back pain, the achy body, the swollen legs, the exhaustion, the weight gain, the painful kicks, the uncomfortableness, the itchiness, the dizziness, the shortness of breath but those are the things that go away and within time you forget. Which I want to forget if we ever want to have another baby haha ;)

So I am really hoping this wont be the last baby update because I really want to keep up with them over the next 7 weeks!

I Am Changing

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:28:00 +0000

When the new year rolled around I fully intended to get this blog more organized. I wanted to set a schedule and be more consistent with my post. Although good intentions were there, the opposite is what happened, I completely stopped blogging.

January was a busy month for us and since my husband had off of school the whole month, we decided to focus our attention on getting projects around the house started, organizing our mess, getting E's 4th birthday together, and celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary.

We have been busy, but that is only part of the reason I stopped blogging. Sometimes blogging can feel overwhelming. There is so much I want to say and so much I want to share, but I fear the boundaries of sharing too much and pouring out my heart. However, if there is one thing I have always promoted with blogging, that is honesty. Lately I feel like I've let my fear overtake being honest.

If I were honest with you I would tell you that I've changed, or to be more accurate, I am changing.
Over the course of the last year, I've truly began to explore my faith.
I accepted Jesus Christ as my savoir.
I began to read the word.
I've seen God work in our lives.

I say I am changing because I am learning what it means to live as a Christian.
To not just read the word, but to live by it.
To show love.
To show compassion.
To forgive.
To trust.
To glorify.

And through this season of change, I'm feeling a little lost on how to share that. It's easy to have a before and an after, but what about the middle?
How do you share your thoughts and feelings amidst change?
How will old friends and family respond to your change?
How will blogging about my faith change my readership?

These are all questions I haven't figured out. Questions I am afraid ~~ashamed~~ to speak out loud. Nonetheless, they are questions that will be answered along the way, because I am changing.

E & I want you all to know how much we love you :)

Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:45:00 +0000

So I guess I took a little unannounced break from blogging. I can't believe two weeks has past since I've written a post! Time is just flying by! We've been busy the last two weeks focusing on our family and our household. With the new year here, the hubby and I wanted to focus on two main goals spiritual growth and organization. Both of which we have been spending a lot of time accomplishing. Before we get too far into 2013, I want to first take a look back at 2012.

Twenty-twelve has been quite the year for us! So many big changes and blessings happened to us this year, from my husband starting a new career, to becoming first time home buyers, to E growing up and starting preschool, to expecting baby number 2, Aviana Rose. When I think back to the beginning of the year it is truly remarkable to watch the transformation our little family has gone through.

Yes, 2012, you were good to us!

Now I am ready to move forward and take on whatever 2013 has in store for us!

Baby Update: 24 weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 18:04:00 +0000

How far along? 24w6d

Total weight gain: 17 pounds, whoa baby! Doctor said I gained almost 8 lbs in a month, but she wasn't too concerned since I didn't gain much at the beginning and she doesn't think I will gain much at the end. I just hope to stay under 35!

Baby is the size of: an eggplant. I thought it was an interesting fact that my uterus is the size of a soccer ball!

Gender: Girl :)

Movement: She slowed down for a few days but now she is back to bouncing around in there hehe.

Maternity clothes? Some, but it seems more economical to buy regular clothing in a larger size. They are cheaper and easier to find.

Miss anything: Deli meats. We usually eat a lot of sandwiches and wraps so I miss those. Last time I wrote I miss running, my doctor just took me off pelvic rest and said I can start running again so I am pretty excited about that!

Stretch marks? No new ones, yet..

Food cravings/aversions: Not too many unusual cravings.. I guess I have been wanting steak which is odd since we usually don't eat red meat. As for aversions, some food doesn't taste as good as it use to, for example tuna.

Anything making you queasy or sick: A little queasiness here and there, which is probably normal. Finally got some meds for the cold E and I have had for over a month, so once that clears up we should be good.
Have you started to show yet: Duh! Everyone says I'm getting big ha!

Wedding rings on or off? On

Best moments this week: Celebrating Christmas knowing that next year Aviana will be here celebrating with us :) Also, laying in bed with E in the early morning and having him pat my belly and say "Good morning baby!"

Looking forward to: Getting the nursery set up and getting some more baby shopping done. It's so fun shopping for girly things :)
I just ordered a blanqi, which is a pregnancy support tank top and I can't wait to try it out! I am hoping it will help with all the back pain I've been having. I will let you all know if it helps.

my soccer ball :)

I was writing these updates monthly, so it didn't feel like my blog was getting bombarded with baby updates, but I'm thinking of switching to every two weeks and then every week for the last month. So much happens in the last half of pregnancy, I don't want to miss documenting it!

Other baby updates:

20 weeks

16 weeks

1st Trimester

Linking here, here, & here

Christmas 2012 in Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 05:50:00 +0000

Christmas came and went way too fast this year! I didn't even have time to make Christmas cards. I planned on keeping our tree up as long as possible, but tomorrow it will be coming down to make way for the treadmill. How cliche is it that we are breaking out the treadmill at New Years? Ha! This week my doctor cleared me to start running again, although it will probably be more of a fast walk, I am excited to get back into exercising. Less than 15 weeks before baby gets here and I am feeling like those weeks are going to fly by just as fast! Any how, here are some photos of how we spent the holidays.

Someone was pretty excited to see Santa!

Traditional Christmas waffles.

Every year it seems like Christmas get more and more fun to celebrate with E. This will be our last Christmas as a family of three, but I know next Christmas will be even more special! Double the children, double the presents, double the fun :)

Instaweek

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 02:07:00 +0000

A little look into our week...

Together

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 04:04:00 +0000

It's Christmas night and I just laid my little one down for bedtime. He fell asleep quite quickly tonight, exhausted from the full day of celebration.

At the tender age of 3, we've spent a lot of time this year teaching E that Christmas isn't all about presents and Santa. My heart about melted when we were leaving church service last night, walking hand and hand, as E exclaimed to us, "I like learning about God!" He even said that he no longer wants to go to the nursery during normal church service. It was such a precious and special moment that I wish I could have bottled up to look back on forever.

This is the first year as a family that we have truly understood the meaning of Christmas. Although we still have so much more knowledge to gain, I am at peace knowing that we will be learning as a family together.

Merry Christmas!

Home for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ MMT) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:21:00 +0000

It's Christmas Eve and I can hardly believe this 2012 holiday season is almost over! We will be celebrating Christmas tonight with my husband's family and attending Christmas Eve church service. We are excited that this is the first Christmas we haven't had to travel. It feels much more special getting to spend this time at our home, which we have enjoyed decorating all month long.
Here are some photos of what our home looks like for the holidays.

What are your plans for Christmas Eve?

I hope whatever it may be, you enjoy some time with your loved ones!