14 Weeks

Time to do the week 14 recap! This should be a short one since not a lot has changed since last week. But I am feeling excited to officially be in my second trimester!

 

Baby: Baby is 14 weeks and the size of a lemon! Fun fact: baby is growing peach like hair all over his/her body to help stay warm! Fuzzy baby.

Weight: No weight gain yet, but since I can now keep down all my food I'm sure I'll see new numbers on the scale soon.

Symptoms: Haven't thrown up in almost 2 weeks! Still some nausea early in the morning or if I'm out walking, but definitely manageable. I've been getting really bad headaches at work, borderline migraines, but shortly after I get home in the evenings it disappears and I feel pretty good the rest of the night. Lots of aches and pains in my lower abdomen. Sometimes the pains are so sharp they take my breath away, but they aren't continuous and my midwife assured me (again) that they are nothing to worry about.

Sleep: I feel like I can never get enough! I've still been going to bed pretty early and struggle with waking up for work....but now that I type that, I don't believe things were much different when I wasn't pregnant! I simply love my sleep and will miss it dearly when baby comes ;)

Cravings/Aversions: Tuna fish. Tuna fish. Tuna fish! I want it everyday. Such a weird thing to crave, I know! Kinda makes me cringe when I tell people because I'm pretty sure they find me disgusting. Also, a subway turkey sandwich. I think they only reason I want one so badly is because they say not to eat deli meat while pregnant. By the way, who makes up these rules? I can't have deli meat and have to keep my tuna intake to 8oz or less a week? I'm pretty sure someone who secretly hates pregnant women is just coming up with this stuff to spite us... But I digress...

Workouts: I still haven't worked out at all. Shameful. But I do want to start walking a little more and using our elliptical now that I'm feeling a bit better. So hopefully by my next update, I'll have something to report.

Thoughts: I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with all the "stuff" baby needs and how expensive it is. I'd love any advice from mom's out there who may have discovered a product that every blog, magazine, and baby book out there says you need, but you really never used with baby? What "necessary" buys are really unnecessary?

Huckleberry still has 6 more months of being my baby!! I'm making sure to lavish him with lots of attention and tennis balls!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Mary, Mary, quiet contrary

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockleshells

And pretty maids all in a row.

I know too many nursery rhymes for my own good. Buuuuut, in other news, we have tomatoes! And lots of them! They were slow coming and for a while I thought they might all die. But nope! We have nice, plump red tomatoes. 

Our small cherry tomatoes aren't ripe yet, but they are finally coming in, too! I'm just glad they survived my clumsy gardening hands.

And speaking of surviving, this lone pepper is a fighter. He is the only one that made it on any of our pepper plants and I can't wait until he's ready to be picked.

We also have an abundance of grapes that will probably be ripe in another month or so. Problem is I'm pretty sure they are tart wine grapes. So does anybody want a truck full or wine grapes? My preggo self has no need for this! 

It's so fun to watch your garden grow! Although I have to admit these tomatoes didn't thrive because of me. I have no idea what I'm doing! I barely even watered those guys! I may have forgotten about them for about a two week period. They just must be a hardy plant. But I hope next summer to expand my garden and work on my skills because I see some spinach, zucchini, carrots, and squash in my future!

How about you? What's in your garden and do you have any gardening tips to share?

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Today I'm excited to introduce you to Tara from Starletta Designs. She is a graphic designer and jewelry designer living in Canada with her hubby and two fur babies, Cleatus and Crawal. She recently purchased her very first home (and this girl has some awesome taste when it comes to home decor!) and is dealing with all the ups and downs that come with being a first time homeowner! And, like me, she still considers herself a newlywed even though she's been married over a year ;) (That's allowed, right?) If you want to see some gorgeous pictures from her special day, go here!

So be sure to stop by to meet this lovely lady and make a new friend!

Happy Tuesday!

Alki Beach

After spending the last few weekends at home feeling sick and grumpy, I decided we had to take advantage of the Seattle sunshine and my settled tummy and get out of the house! We headed to Alki Beach and walked around, people watched (and dog watched. Seattleites like their dogs.), and then stopped at Duke's for a bit to eat.

It was Huck's first adventure to the ocean! He was way more excited about greeting the other dogs by a nice butt sniff than getting in the water, but I still think he had fun!

And although after a while all the walking did upset my stomach a bit (apparently, baby wants me to be fat and lazy), it was so nice to get out of the house and move! Sometimes I forget about all the beauty Washington has to offer -- the amazing hiking trails, the ocean and tons of beautiful lakes. It's easy to get in a rut, doing the same ole' same ole' day in and out, but once you venture out your front door and remember there's a world out there, it's hard to want to do anything else but explore. Life is fun! And there's so much to see! All I need to do is remember to go outside :)

Hope you have a fun, adventure filled weekend as well!

iMoments: Huck & Hersch Edition

Life's little moments as captured on my iPhone.

 One of Huck's favorite things, plastic! It's the simple things in life :)

Fluff butt, Herschel, makes a good pillow.

Although I don't think he was a fan of this cuddlefest.

 Peek-a-boo!

Huck creeping on me while I do a little work from home.

One sleepy pup and a clean kitty!

I bathed Herschel for the first time since the day we brought him home.

Not only did he not bite or scratch me once (such a gentlemen),

but I'm happy to say he had no fleas! 

Huck has not been so lucky...

This fluffy critters keep our hearts full and bring so much fun and joy into our home!

First Trimester Recap: Weeks 0-12 + Week 13

This is going to be a lot of recapping for one post! So if you get burned out halfway through, I'll understand. I just want to remember all the details that I can! (so I never do this again...I kid, I kid)

I was so good about writing things down about my pregnancy as they came to mind --just a scribble of facts, feelings, and letters to baby --but I was terrible at taking photos of my bump! I blame this on the fact that for the first half of my first trimester I had no clue I was pregnant and the second half I was too sick to smile for a photo!

As I mentioned in this post, Steven and I didn't find out we were pregnant until the 6th week was almost over! How is that possible? My periods are so irregular that being a week late is common for me and I never even thought to take a pregnancy test. I was bummed I didn't start my period before our Cabo trip, but the possibility of being pregnant didn't even cross my mind... Until about halfway through our trip when I started experiencing nausea and fatigue. When I got home and took the test my head was spinning and I did a quick calculation and discovered I was approaching 7 weeks! I couldn't believe it! I made an appointment with my Naturopath (who is also my OBGYN and  will be baby's Pediatrician!...she is a women of many talents!) who confirmed my test results and sent me home with prenatals, book recommendations, and the numbers of some highly recommended midwives in the area. 

8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 13 weeks

The cami I'm wearing for the 12 week photo is a little too big. I think that's why I look so large ;)

Baby: Baby is 13 weeks and the size of a peach! Fun fact for this week is s/he now has fingerprints!

Weight: I haven't gained any weight so far, but my midwife says that's completely normal for someone who experiences lots of nausea during their first trimester. I have noticed my boobs have gotten larger though, which means I have to go maternity bra shopping soon. Any recommendations on those?

Symptoms: Weeks 1-5: Nada. 

Week 6-7: I started experiencing a lot of nausea and fatigue. I thought the sunshine in Cabo was simply killing my energy levels, but now it all makes sense! In Cabo, when we'd go back to the hotel to shower and get ready for dinner I would take a nap. Everyday! I thought that was so weird because I've never been a daytime napper. 

Week 8-12: Intense nausea! Some days I would throw up 3 or 4 times, other days I wouldn't throw up at all, but everyday I felt terrible. Motion of any kind would trigger my gagging reflex and up would come anything I'd eaten that day. Work was terrible. I felt miserable because of the nausea and I could hardly keep my head up while sitting at my desk. The fatigue was overwhelming in the evenings. It wasn't uncommon for me to be in bed by 7:30 or 8. To make matters worse, I was dehydrated due to a strange aversion to water. I think because of the throwing up and the dehydration I started to experience intense headaches. Also started having difficulty sleeping because of restless leg syndrome in my right leg. I have no idea what causes it, but I think the fact that my workout routine has changed may be a factor.  Cramping. I started to feel small cramps in my lower belly. Nothing too intense though. Apparently it's from my uterus stretching and growing.

Week 13: Only slight nausea in the mornings, but no throwing up! The last day I threw up was on Friday. Since then I've noticed the nausea, fatigue, and headaches all gradually subside. I have been overjoyed these last few days and hopeful that the worse is behind me! 

Sleep: I loved my sleep early on and could easily sleep 12-13 hour nights! After work I would feel so exhausted I laid on the couch and snoozed on and off until bedtime. Needless to say, pretty much nothing got done around the house! :) Now that I'm in week 13 I feel my energy levels coming back. Now the only downside is how often I wake up at night to use the bathroom!

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing until week 6. During week 6 I started to crave watermelon and tuna fish. Not together though, thank God. I craved watermelon until I started throwing up. (After throwing up quite a large serving of watermelon that craving quickly ended!)  As for aversions, those seem endless! I had an intense aversion to red meat of any kind, which is kind of terrible since we just butchered our cow and have about 150 lbs of meat in our freezer, and water. Even a sip of water would make me puke. 

Now that I'm at 13 weeks, I still crave tuna fish and love any carb/starch to start my morning (it helps settle my stomach first thing). I no longer have an aversion to water and have been trying to drink as much as I can during the day! 

Workouts: Week 1-5 I did hot yoga 3 times a week and went on many walks/hikes with Steven in the evenings. I had no clue I was pregnant or I wouldn't have done hot yoga. The extreme heat is not good for baby. And this is a terrible confession, but since week 6 I have only worked out twice! I simply felt too sick to do anything! My plan was to continue yoga at home, actually use our elliptical that's all dusty in the garage, and take lots of walks before Seattle rainy season hit, but I simply couldn't. Any kind of movement made me puke so working out was out of the question. I hope to get into some sort of routine again now that the nausea is going away.

Huckleberry: A lot of you have asked how Huckleberry's taking the news ;) Steven and I have no doubts that he'll be a great big brother! Huck is gentle and obedient so I have no qualms about him being near our baby and I can't wait for the two to meet! I don't think Huckleberry has sensed any changes yet, but I feel certain he will. After reading this book, I'm convinced dogs know a lot more about what's going on around them than we give them credit for!

me: Huck, there is a baby in my belly. You're going to be a big brother!

Huck: Momma, I want a treat!

More recaps to come, but I promise they won't be as long! Happy Thursday!!

Decisions! Decisions!

I am terrible at making decisions, especially when those decisions involve home decor. Steven and I have lived in our home for over a year now, and very few changes have been made to it since that first month! Walls? All unpainted. Furniture? Haven't bought any in months. Pinterest Projects? Pretty much non-exsistent. 

I know what I like but for some reason I always talk myself out of purchasing anything, so basically every room in our house is unfinished.

master bedroom: no paint color, no photos hung on the walls, and no furniture other than a small dresser and our bed.

Oh yeah, that big ugly thing on the wall is a gun rack. In our master bedroom! Go figure...

Anyways, there is something about being pregnant that makes you want to get 'er done. And for me, that means making some decisions around the home and getting this nest in order! Or, at least adding a touch of personality to our bland walls.

So, I am proud to announce today that I, Danielle, made a home decor decision. And, surprisingly, I feel quite good about it! I picked a headboard for our master bedroom.

That may seem insignificant to you, but to me this was a BIG deal! I made a decision! The photos don't do the headboard justice (or bedroom is dark and makes picture taking quiet a challenge), but it's a pool blue, velvet headboard and it makes me swoon. 

So while in decision making mode, Steven and I decided to go ahead and make another one. We are taking down the beautiful, Pinterest desk he made me and locating it. That way our office can become baby's new nursery, leaving us with a spare bedroom for guests.

Bye, bye pretty desk.

So where are we putting our new desk? It's actually going to go in our master bedroom as well. We have the oddest master bedroom with this weird nook that leads out into the backyard. The nook has a ceiling to floor built in bookcase and plenty of room for our Pinterest desk. 

Here's what our plan looks like.

I am so excited to finally get our master bedroom complete and then move on to even more exciting home projects (like the nursery)! But most of all, I'm just glad I made some darn decisions!!

Do you struggle with making decisions concerning the look of your home? Or do I suffer alone in this?

I'm Pregnant! & How we Found Out

you ain't cool 'til you pee on a stick

(if you get this you're my new best friend)

First of all, I'd like to thank all of you for the kind congrats and well wishes on our announcement! It made us feel so loved! (I think baby Tuner felt the love, too!) As soon as I found out I was pregnant I started recording my thoughts, feelings, and even my not so pleasant reaction to the news. I'm not going to lie, I was scared out of my mind when I discovered the news!

We found out we were for sure pregnant on our one year anniversary, although I'd have to admit that I knew the week before while we were vacationing in Cabo.. We got home from our Cabo trip Saturday night and I took my pregnancy test that following morning. Below is our little story and an inside glimpse of my true feelings surrounding the news  since I wrote this just a few hours after finding out.

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July 7^th. It’s our one year anniversary, and the day we found out we’re pregnant.

I had a feeling a few days after we arrived in Cabo. Something deep down inside of me just knew. And that feeling, coupled with the fact that I couldn’t stomach the smell of red meat and almost upchucked every time I saw a taco (which is kind of hard to avoid in Mexico), simply confirmed what I already knew. I am pregnant.

The morning after we got home I rushed to the bathroom to take a home pregnancy test, and sure enough I saw those two florescent pink lines staring back at me. Steven knew I was taking the test. I already confessed earlier that week while we were in Cabo that I thought I was pregnant. His reply was that I was being a hypochondriac and to have another Margarita. Men. So he was standing right outside the bathroom door when I screamed, “STEVVVENNN!! Oh Sh*t!”

Yep. Those were my first words when I discovered our child was indeed growing inside of me. 

Oh sh*t.

I cried. And I’m not too certain they were tears of joy either. More like tears and fear, anxiety, and even a pinch of dread. The joy came later.  

I then reached for my phone and googled, “I’m pregnant. Now what!” And I think that sums up my knowledge of what to expect these next 9 months... 

We are so clueless of how to care for you, little babe. But we already love you so much.

..................................

Although, I wish I could take back the words I said when I discovered there was a miracle growing inside of me (!!!), I have to admit I'm glad I have such a candid reaction recorded to help me always remember those first few hours. 6 weeks later....we are still clueless, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still scared, but we're excited for the journey ahead. 

So be prepared for lots of belly photos and disgusting bodily function updates! Okay, I'll keep the gross stuff to a minimum.. but seriously, I hope you stick around so that you can learn all about my growing relationship with public toilet bowls and how every time my symptoms change in the slightest I feel certain I'm going to die because this wonderful thing we call the world wide web can be so terribly scary when growing a baby. It's going to be a good time, ya'll. Promise.

12 weeks

Coming Soon...

First comes love. Check.

Then comes marriage. Check.

Then comes baby....Check.

Steven and I are thrilled to announce that we will be adding a new addition to our little family!

Baby Turner will be arriving in late February 2014. 

Maybe you've noticed things have been a little quieter than usual on the blog, and that's because I've been spending more time looking into a toilet bowl than at a computer screen as of late! But my first trimester is nearing the end and I hope to get back into the blogging saddle so that I can document every step of this journey!

Currently, we are 12 weeks along! Things haven't been going too smoothly for me, (you name the pregnancy symptom and I've got it!) but the baby is healthy and that's all that matters!

Steven and I are so excited to share this thrilling time in our lives with each of you! We'd appreciate your prayers throughout the course of this journey as we navigate pregnancy and parenthood together for the first time. It's a scary, yet exciting time, and we couldn't feel more blessed!

Oh yeah, and prepare for many fruit comparisons ;)

This week, baby Turner is the size of a plum!

Happy Friday, friends! 

Huck's Raw Food Diet

A few weeks ago, MaryEllen, the lady who watches Huck at daycare, asked about his diet and what we feed him. I told her the brand name of his kibble and was rather proud of Steven and I for doing our research and choosing such a high quality dog food. However, MaryEllen mentioned that she had recently noticed that Huck's gained a little weight, and there was no denying it, he definitely had, and she wondered if we ever considered switching him to a raw food diet.

To be honest, the thought never crossed my mind and I attributed Huckleberry's weight gain to the fact that he was approaching 2 years old and leaving the puppy stage behind for good.

And then MaryEllen said, "Feeding dogs the same food everyday would be like you having a bowl of Wheaties for breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday of your life. Not only would you be bored with your food, but you'd also be nutrient deficient."

Ouch! That really stuck with me, because for someone who is so cautious about what I put into my own body how could I not be concerned about what I was, or more accurately, was not, putting into Huckleberry's!

The very next day I went to my favorite local pet store and asked them to tell me a little about their raw food options. Although they carried many great options, I decided to go with Northwest Naturals. They are local, all natural, and had great reviews!

They also carry a lot of variety. We usually just opt for the beef, but they also have chicken, lamb, salmon, bison, and a few more!

So what are the benefits of feeding your dog raw food? Almost too many to list! But the most noticeable benefits are:
 - a shinier coat
 - cleaner teeth and better breath
 - healthy skin
 - healthier joints
   (especially important if you have a pure breed like Huck since they are prone to hip and joint issues!)
 - less stool (aka: less mess for you to pick up!)
 - optimal body weight

On the back of every package of food, you'll find feeding guidelines so that you know how much to give your dog based on his or her body weight.

Within the first week I could tell Huckleberry had lost a few pounds and was looking more like his lean, yet strong, self! And the reduced stool in the yard has been amazing! Since there are no filler ingredients in this food his body is actually able to use all of it, rather than having no need for it and eliminating the excess through waste.

And you know what the best part is? Huckleberry is excited about his food again! He is no longer disinterested and walks away and dinner time, but rather he gobbles it up like it's candy!

We soon discovered that we'd have to do supplemental feeding for Huckleberry due to the cost of raw food. (That stuff ain't cheap!) But I still feel like we are doing right by Huck and making the necessary changes so that he can maintain optimal health.

So no more Wheaties everyday for this fur baby! He is one gosh darn spoiled pup, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Beverly's Charming Lakeside Wedding

Do you know what is mind blowing for me right now? The realization that all my close girlfriends are married. Every stinkin' one of them! Ya'll!!! I'm getting old. Next we'll be popping out babies and then it's just a few skips and a hop away from the geriatrics home...

The reason I went back to the east coast two weeks ago was for this beaut's wedding! Beverly was simply that most stunning bride I ever did see and I couldn't have been more happy to be a part of her special day!

The wedding took place beside a small, quaint lake and was simple and charming. I felt that the location and summery decor couldn't have fit her personality more perfectly!!

But hey, before we get into all that, let's give credit where credit is due. I want to state for the record that I did not cry for the entire ceremony *patting myself on the back* ....just most of it.

Me...keeping it together. 

Me...about to fall a part. 

I made it about 10 minutes in and then I bawled like a baby...

Anyways, the day ended up being perfect for a wedding, the rain held off, making it warm and breezy. The bridesmaids wore perfectly mismatched navy dresses with navy flats and we all carried rustic daisy and baby's breath bouquets wrapped in burlap and lace. 

But it was Beverly's gown that really blew me away! I'd seen photos of it, but in person it has a completely different feel. It was romantic and vintage all in one. She looked stunning from head to toe!

The reception was held in a charming tavern with every table having a beautiful centerpiece arrangement of vintage books and wild flowers! Other small touches, such as sunflowers like the ones in the bride's bouquet being draped along the fireplace mantels, a vintage typewriter, and a little wagon to hold the guest's cards, really pulled the look together. Needless to say, I was impressed with all the details involved! I don't think I've seen such a cute, DIY wedding since my own ;) *patting myself on the back. again.* 

The best part of the day though was getting to see some great friends who I haven't seen since my own wedding last July! It was so good to spend time with Beverly, her sister Cynthia, and my roommate from freshman year, Bridget. 

Cynthia! Beverly's younger sister and my roommate for 2 years!

Me, Beverly, and Bridget

And you may remember Bridget, my old roomie turned amazing photographer who captured my wedding last year?? Well, she was able to captured Beverly's wedding for her as well and, again, I am blown away by her talent!! Here are just two of my favorites she captured of Beverly on her big day.

But if you're interested in seeing more gorgeous shots of Beverly's wedding make sure to like Bridget's Facebook page! And, if you're a wedding blog stalker like me, make sure to check out her photography site to get your fill of beautiful inspiration for the day! (Please don't tell me I'm the only person who likes to stalk wedding blogs.)

My short stay definitely went by too quickly, but I am glad for the time I was able to get with each of these girls. And it was so nice to see Beverly so happy! She was literally radiating with joy! 

So cheers to the happy couple, Beverly and Kevin! I wish you both a lifetime of happiness together!

Nostalgia & Saying Goodbye. Again.

Very few things in life conjure up those feelings of nostalgia quite like my Alma Mater. I loved everything about those four years spent in Lynchburg, VA -- the thrill of living on my own for the very first time, the friendships I made, and even my studies. So while visiting Virginia last week, I couldn't resist stoping by my old stomping grounds for a quick peak! 

And my-oh-my how it's changed!!! New dorms are popping up on every hillside. The science building has been torn down and a gorgeous, new library now sits in it's place, and there was even a Dunkin' Donuts! (bad idea for those who may be prone to gain the "freshman 15") And although I think it's great that the university  is growing and expanding with each passing year, I couldn't help but feel a few pangs of betrayal.

This beautiful place that holds so many of my nearest and dearest memories is not so familiar anymore. It's moved on and doesn't seem to remember me. It got me thinking that if I were to walk on campus at the start of this school year, I'd feel so out of place. Only two years removed, but so much has happened in that time. I've grown and changed. I truly am not the same girl that strolled those halls just a few years ago.

And you know what? That's okay. It's okay to move on..life never slows down for you and that's okay, too. We all must change and adapt in order to grow -- in order to survive, really.

I was excited to see one familiar face on campus though. Mrs. Towles was one of my favorite English teachers. I took her for English 101, Expository Writing and Composition, and Latino Lit! I may have squealed when I saw her face plastered on this sign just a bit...

But I digress...

And it's funny how some things change so quickly, and how others, regardless of time or distance, stay the same. After saying a nostalgic goodbye to my alma mater, I headed a few hours down the road to saw a quick hello to my best friend.

I am always struck my how easy things are between us. No matter how many weeks have passed since we last spoke or how many months since I've last given her a hug, things are just easy. Our conversation quickly falls into place and everything just becomes...comfortable. Comfortable like we are back in first grade giggling over the cutest boy in class or staying up late telling ghost stories.

Of course, we have both changed plenty since the first grade and our friendship had to evolve over the years to keep us close. But every time I'm with her I'm reminded that some bonds can't be broken. And for that, I am eternally grateful. Life would be too hard to live without your best friend.

Home Sweet Home

I got back late Monday night from my little vaycay in Virginia & West Virginia. The week definitely went by far too quickly, but I am so glad I was able to go and spend time with my parents and some of my very best friends! 

Before I get into the wedding recap (which will be amazing because the beautiful Latino bride looked like she stepped right out of a magazine), let's begin with the few days I  was able to spend with my parents at home. 

I really just wanted to relax and do everyday things with my parents while visiting! So we went antiquing, took a few nice, long walks together, shopped, played games, and spent lots of time in the kitchen watching my mom prepare yummy dishes using all the produce from her garden!

She actually made this chocolate zucchini bread while I was there and it was delish!!  

We spent hours browsing antique shops and found some pretty cool items. Unfortunately, it didn't seem very practical for me to bring any of them home! ;)

And of course, Dad and I attempted to beat Mom in a game of Scrabble, but, like every time before, our efforts remained futile. She has officially earned the title of Scrabble Queen.

And other than chocolate zucchini bread, I indulged in some of my favorite east coast restaurants I've been missing for the past year! Like Chick-Fil-A....I may have eaten there 3 times...  and of course, Cracker Barrel! That place holds a special place in my heart since that's where Steven and I first met! 

Needless to say, I did not stick to my yeast free / Paleo lifestyle while on vacation! 

It felt so nice to be home! I wish I had the means to visit more often, but I am so thankful for those few days!! 

After visiting with my parents, I headed to Lynchburg, Virginia where I was able to see one of my besties get married and even stop by my alma mater for some much needed reminiscing! And for the cherry on top of this little vacation, on the way home I found time to squeeze in lunch with my best friend since first grade. FIRST GRADE, people! That makes this little trip an A+ in my book.

So stay tuned!!