36 Weeks

Wow! 36 weeks pregnant...feeling large and not so in charge. This baby determines whether or not I have a good day or a crazy uncomfortable, I-wanna-punch-everyone-who-talkes-to-me-in-the-face day! (Like how I'm already blaming everything on the kid?) :)

Baby: Baby is 36 weeks and the size of a honeydew. As this point, if he was born he could probably breathe on his own, his liver and kidneys are in full working order, and his circulation and immune systems are working properly, too. Unfortunately, baby is posterior (or sunny side up), meaning I may experience that lovely back labor I've heard so much about if he doesn't turn soon. He is head down though and that's the most important thing.

Weight: I'm up 36 lbs. I've officially surpassed the recommended weight gain for healthy mothers by 1 whole pound! This means I can stop trying to be good and just consume chocolate milkshakes and BLT's until I go into a food coma, right? Midwives never say anything about my weight and seem very unconcerned. My husband on the other hand was sweet enough to inform me that I'm almost to his high school weight. Thanks, Stevie.

Symptoms: I feel best when I'm at home being active. Even if that only means I'm standing up doing the dishes or putting away laundry. I am super uncomfortable at work. I feel restless sitting at my desk all day and my back aches to the point of putting me in tears. I brought in one of those huge exercising balls to sit on, and although I feel like a weirdo using it at work, my back pain has diminished remarkably! (Also, my midwife just informed me that the exercise ball would help turn my baby just by sitting in it versus my office chair...so crossing my fingers!) Other symptoms are still trouble sleeping and a little heartburn in the evenings. 

Sleep: The last 2 weeks were probably the worst when it came to sleeping. I wouldn't be surprised if I was averaging about 2 hours of sleep a night. But then last night something glorious happened! I slept for 10 hours. TEN HOURS! It was amazing. Yes, I still had to get up and go to the bathroom a lot but I had no trouble falling back asleep in between. I think I just hit that point of exhaustion where my body just had to completely shut down and rest. I feel great this morning! 

Cravings/Aversions:  I'm craving chocolate milkshakes and BLT sandwiches. Not necessarily together... although I wouldn't refuse that either. 

Body: Same as before. No stretch marks, no water retention, better skin than earlier in my pregnancy, and full hair. Nothing really to complain about other than my weight gain.

Random Thoughts: People love to tell me that I don't even look pregnant from behind but then I turn around and I look like a giant moose. Okay, so they leave out the giant moose part but I know what they're thinking. 

I'm beginning to actually feel prepared for our little guy's arrival! We basically have everything we need setup and ready to go. Last week I started making freezer meals and I plan on making one every week until baby shows up. That way Steven and I can spend more time bonding with baby those first 2 weeks and less time preparing meals. All I have left to do is put in baby's carseat, make a few more freezer meals, and begin washing his clothes :) YAY!!! I can't wait to meet you little, babe!

Currently...

Wishing... that our little guy's nursery was complete! I had hoped to finish it this past weekend but decided to begin making freezer meals instead so Steven and I won't have to worry about cooking when he first arrives. Now I need to refocus on the nursery though because it's beginning to overwhelm me! Oh yeah, his name begins with a "J"!

Reading... The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears. No need to get into a debate about vaccines. I just want to make sure I am fully informed since I have to be the voice for my little guy.

Eating... Greek yogurt with some granola and honey. So darn good!

Missing... My parents and wishing my mom was here to help me prepare for the baby! I've never felt like I've needed my mother so much as I have these last few months of pregnancy.

Feeling... Exhausted! I learning that being preggo is hard both physically and mentally in this last stage. Just a few more weeks...

Thinking... That my husband works too hard. But at the same time I am so glad he is such a hard worker. I just want him to not check his email all throughout dinner. (K, Steven? Let's stop that.)

Thankful for... My Wednesday night Bible study group. They are such amazing people and so encouraging! I feel very blessed that we found them.

Obsessed with... Ashley's blog, Married to the Game. I have never met a soon-to-be professional hockey players wife and I find her life fascinating! So fascinating in fact, that I wanted to ask her a few questions so you could get to know her, too!

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1| You're new to the blog world! Why did you start your blog? 

I started the blog for a few different reasons. Since we are constantly moving around from place to place I thought that it would be a good idea to start the blog so that friends and family can follow along, especially since its highly possible that we are going to live in Europe for a few years so that Kory can play hockey there. I can't have my own career while traveling around with Kory because we don't stay in one place long enough, so I wanted something to call my own. I wanted something that I can be passionate about, put a lot of work into, and be proud of. Finally, I wanted to be able to connect with other bloggers. I spend a lot of time alone while Kory is on the road for away games and I thought that it would be nice to make new blog friends :)

2| I see that you and your fiancé have to move a lot for his job! What cities have you lived in so far and what city would you love for his job to take you to?

We have lived in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, Toronto, Ontario, and Orlando, Florida so far. I didn't think that I would like Toronto, but we ended up falling in love with it, so I would love to go back there, but I would also like to live in more new places. I'm pretty excited about the possibility of playing somewhere in Europe because I've never been anywhere over there before. I don't care where the job takes us though, I'll be happy anywhere as long as I'm with him. 

3| What is the best and worst part about picking up your lives and moving at the drop of a dime for his hockey career?

Best part? I'm not sure there is a best part. There are definitely things to look forward to when we are traveling to a new city and when we get settled in it's awesome to have many new experiences awaiting us, but when we have to pick up everything and move at the drop of a dime we aren't thinking about any of those things. All we are thinking about is packing up our stuff and wondering what's going to happen next. When he got called up to Toronto we had no idea how long he would be there, where we were going to be staying or when we would get our stuff back because we had to leave it all behind. I would say the worst part is the unknown. 

4| You're getting married in June! What resources (websites, blogs, magazines) do you pull from to get your wedding inspiration?

I get all of my wedding inspiration from Pinterest and The Knot. Mostly Pinterest though. I can spend hours on there looking at everything!

5| Tell us the truth. What is it really like being in love with a hockey player?

It's great! There are a lot of challenges and uncertainty that come along with his career, but it only strengthens our relationship. It's hard for me sometimes when he is gone on long road trips, but its OK because when he's home we get to spend a lot of time together since he only has to be at the rink a few hours a day. I didn't know anything about hockey before I met him, but now I love it and I love watching him play. It's an awesome feeling being by his side wherever his career takes him and sharing in this dream with him. We have a lot of fun and get to experience a lot of cool stuff together. He is an amazing person and I wouldn't change a thing!

Make sure you go say hi to sweet Ashley on her blog! Or follow along via Bloglovin' and Twitter!

Making Room for Baby

It didn't take me long to discover that babies need a lot of "things," and those things take up a lot of space! With baby Turner's arrival now just a few short weeks away, I find myself constantly trying to make more room for him in our home, which already lacks good storage space. I've had to make a conscious effort to utilize every square inch of our home and that has meant a lot of rearranging, reorganizing, decluttering, and simplifying on both mine and Steven's part. 

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Rearrange | One of the first decisions Steven and I had to make was which room would be our little man's nursery. Our three bedrooms already all had their purpose --a master, a guest room, and an office. I didn't want to give up our guest room and force visitors to sleep on our couch or an air mattress on the living room floor, and Steven and I both need an office space since our jobs often require us to work from home. We finally decided the most practical thing to do was to relocate our office into the awkward nook we have in our master bedroom (which meant Steven disassembling the beautiful homemade desk he had originally made and starting from scratch). It was a lot of handwork, but we were able to take an unused space in our small home and give it a purpose; thus, turning our once office into a perfect nursery! (You can see the updated office here!)

Reorganize | Not going to lie, I thought I was a pretty organized individual... that is until I started clearing out the new nursery's closet to make room for baby's things. I had the most random things thrown into there like high school and college memorabilia, important paperwork like mortgage and tax information, and family photos and scrapbooks. It was a mess! I decided it was time to invest in organization. We bought storage bins, labels, and filers and slowly weeded through everything until it was properly labeled and put away in a new place. It was a slow process with a huge payoff. I was able to completely empty out the nursery closet and find a new, organized home for everything that was in there.

I also reorganized the kitchen cabinets and drawers and we bought a handy dandy organization system to go in our entry way that details important appointments and commitments for the week as well as holds our mail that needs to be addressed and is a convenient spot for Steven to place his keys (why do men always lose their keys?? Or is that just Steven). ;)

Declutter | To find a new home for everything in the old office closet it was necessary to get rid of many things. I went through old clothes, coats, and shoes and thrifted what I could while donating the rest. I also worked up the nerve to throw away some items that simply had no use or sentimental value to Steven and I.   

After that, I decided to declutter things that took up my time, energy, and attention on a daily basis. For me, this meant deleting old emails on my personal and work accounts and organizing subfolders for better time management. I also went through and unsubscribed from all those time wasters emailed to me day after day of things I don't really want or really can't afford. (And let me tell you, it feels so refreshing waking up to 20+ less unread emails in my inbox every morning! Unsubscribe, people!) Also, I deleted unnecessary apps on my iPhone and iPad that again were just time wasters. Those things have the ability to suck you in and before you know it you've wasted an hour of valuable time filling your mind with useless information. I want my spare time to be focused on my husband and son, not staring mindlessly into my iPhone screen.

Simplify | Steven and I decided to take things a step further by eliminating our credit cards. This simplifies our monthly payments and brings us some much needed sanity! We went from paying on 4 credit cards a month to just 1. We simply set monthly goals until we got all three credit cards paid off and cancelled. The final credit card we use like a debit, but holding on to it also provides a safety net if needed. For us, this simplifies the usual stressful monthly bill payments and gives us more money per month to use on baby needs.

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It definitely hasn't been easy, nor have the adjustments been "quick fixes," but I now feel as though we have successfully made room for baby in our lives. Not just in our physical home by freeing up space, but also mentally (by getting rid of those time wasters), and financially. It feels really, really good! 

Baby Turner, mommy and daddy are so excited for you to arrive!

How did you prepare for your first baby's arrival?

Baked Chocolate Glazed Donuts

My first hunch that I was pregnant was the fact that the sight and smell of any sort of meat had me running to stick my head in the toilet. The second hunch was that I wanted chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. If you've been reading my blog for a while you know that I used to eat completely Paleo, so meat was pretty much the staple in my diet and chocolate was, well, almost nonexistent (unless it was dairy free, of course).

Well, mother baby gets what mother baby wants, and these past few days all I could think about was chocolate donuts! Strange? Yes. Delicious? ABSOLUTELY! 

To bake homemade donuts you'll need a donut pan. I have this one. Recipe adapted from Food, Family, Friends.

Donut Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons milk

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Glaze Ingredients:

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup powdered sugar

 Directions:
1| Preheat over to 325 degrees and spray your donut pan with non-stick cooking spray (I used grape seed oil)
2| For donuts, mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
3| Add milk, egg, vanilla, and butter. Whisk until smooth.
4| Fill each donut cavity 1/2 full with the batter.
5| Bake 12-14 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
6| For the glaze, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.
7| Dip the top of each baked donut into the glaze.

I was hoping to get a dozen donuts, but I only came up with 11. Either I ate too much raw batter (oops) or I filled my donut pans too high. (I probably ate too much batter...)

These donuts are delicious and super rich! My strange pregnancy craving was satisfied and baby (and my husband) were happy. And if baking donuts seems intimidating, don't let it be! These were super quick and easy to throw together.

Enjoy!

Weekend Recap: Showers, Antiques and Hippos

Guuuuys. My little man and I were completely spoiled this weekend. My good friend Kristen threw me a baby shower where I ate too much cake and received more gifts than I even know what to do with! I now feel confident that if baby Turner were to make an early appearance, Steven and I pretty much have everything we need for him ready and waiting! 

I wish I would have taken more pictures of Kristen's setup because it was so cute and Pinterest(y)! Unfortunately, I forgot my camera and all photos were taken on my phone. My poor camera has been pretty neglected lately. 

Steven and I also took advantage of our three day weekend and got a lot done around the house while still finding time to slip away and have some fun too. We checked out a new antique store that opened up just down the street from us that was pretty awesome (full of the usual rustic decor, creepy dolls, and amazing furniture pieces I'd love to refinish but know I'd never get around to), watched the Seahawks make their way into the Superbowl, and had a much needed coffee date! All in all, it was a pretty great weekend! 

Not going to lie though, probably the best part of this weekend was finding a toy that has survived over 24 hours of Huckleberry chewing and is still completely intact. Meet blue hippo (that's his name). He hides treats in his tummy and a squeaker in his head, and Huck has yet to destroy him.

If he lasts a week I will be utterly amazed.

:)

It's Friday...

It's Friday, I have a 3 day weekend, and I'm a terrible blogger. That's all I got on here to say today. Oh, that and that I really want to take a picture like this with Huckleberry because I'm obsessed with my dog.

via 

I've been feeling pretty exhausted all this week. Work has been busy and then I get home and try to knock a couple things off my to-do list for baby's arrival. The days are passing far too quickly and I've been feeling a little overwhelmed! The lack of sleep probably isn't helping me much, but I know that just comes with the territory in the third trimester.  I am looking forward to this 3 day weekend ahead of me and my baby shower! That will make it possible to get some relaxation and fun in this weekend!

Happy Friday! Hope you have a great weekend, too! 

34 Weeks

6 more weeks to go!! 

Baby: Baby is 34 weeks and the size of a butternut squash. Basically at this point, baby's main concern is to put on more weight between now and his arrival. I'm pretty sure he's doing a good job at that because A) I look absolutely enormous compared to just two weeks ago and B) all 3 of my midwives have mentioned on different occasions that baby is big and quickly running out of room! Not going to lie, they're kind of frightening me that I'm harboring a 10 pounder in there...

Weight: I'm up 33 lbs, which means in the last month I've gained 8 lbs! I know most of it is baby and fluids but geez...that's a hard number to swallow. I've already gained more weight than my mother gained with any of her 3 pregnancies!

Symptoms: Where to begin... the uncomfortableness of the 3rd trimester has definitely caught up with me.  I have the hardest time sitting at my desk at work. My upper back begins to ache as well as the ribs on my right side. I feel almost instant relief when I get up and walk around but I don't have much opportunity to do so. I've also been struggling with heartburn in the evenings. My midwife gave me some natural Papaya and Pineapple Enzymes to combat it, so I'm hoping that will bring some relief. 

Sleep: Basically, I don't sleep anymore. At least not soundly. I fall asleep quite easily because my body aches and I really do feel so tired, but within an hour I'm up either because I'm uncomfortable and restless or because I need to use the bathroom. Either way, it sometimes takes me hours to fall back asleep. Just last night I was up from 1:25 until about 4am. It's absolutely miserable! I've never been one to function good on little amounts of sleep. It makes me want to go around punching people in the face. I've also been having the weirdest dreams... and even nightmares! Some are funny and deal with people I haven't seen or spoken to in ages. Others are extremely frightening and I've even woken up crying...most of the time it's because I've lost the baby --he was stillborn or maybe only lives a few moments in my arms. I've even had a dream he was a Cyclopes. -- I know that last one sounds silly but it was horrible. 

So even when I do get some sleep, it's not very restful.

Cravings/Aversions:  I'm struggling eating meat again like I was at the beginning of my pregnancy. I still make myself do it because I know it's good for me and baby. I've also been adding a huge handful of spinach to my protein shakes in the morning and they are surprisingly delicious! Right now it's my favorite go to breakfast. I use 8oz almond milk, 1 scope of raw nut butter, 1 scope protein powder (I use this brand) , 1/2 a banana, and a handful of spinach....yum!

Body: Pretty much the same minus a bigger belly ;) No stretch marks, full hair, and my skin seems to be clearing up a little bit. I have started to notice that the muscle tone in my arms from my hot yoga days is disappearing and I'm definitely looking forward to heading back for some yoga once the doc clears me!

Random Thoughts: We have a 3 day weekend this week and Steven and I hope to get a lot done in preparation for baby's arrival. I'm hoping we can get the nursery completely finished! There are only a few things here and there we have left to do so it shouldn't take much.

I also have my first baby shower this weekend and I simply can't wait! Showers are so much fun and I feel so blessed that others want to give to our little man :)

6 weeks left.....ahhhhh!

To read more pregnancy updates, go here!

That One Time It Snowed In Washington

While the rest of the country seems to be frozen, here in Washington it's a balmy 40 degrees with the usual overcast skies. Okay, maybe not balmy. But compared to what my two brothers are experiencing in upstate New York I figure I can't complain... We did have one snow this year. One. Snow. It's definitely something that I struggle getting used to --not having white Christmases in Washington -- but this snow came a few days before Christmas and my heart was so full thinking this year it would be white! But alas, less than 1 inch of snow never sticks around for long and by Christmas it was all gone.

Either way, Huck and I had fun during our one snow day. 

Huck taking his snow nose to a whole new level

Stay warm, everybody! 

My DOG is a DOG Already

There is no denying I love my dog. There are more posts about him than there are me and Steven on this blog! Ridiculous? Probably to some. But in many ways Huckleberry has been a sort of lifeline for me since moving to Washington. I tease Steven that it's his fault I have such a dependency on my dog. I lived alone with Huck in a little lake house, just the two of us, for about 7 months. We grew close and soon a mutual dependence evolved I think. We simply both felt better if the other was near by. When Huck is inside he is continually by my side. My life would be a lonely one if I didn't hear his padded paws shadowing my every move. 

I think because I do have such an obvious love for and connection with my dog people find it necessary to tell me that when the baby comes our relationship will change. He will no longer be near the top of my priority list and I will no longer treat him like a member of the family, but instead, he will simply become a dog. 

Oh, unsolicited advice. You are a funny thing...

Contrary to popular belief, I do know my dog is in fact a dog. And I also have no doubt that when the baby comes the overall dynamic in my household will change. I don't think that means that my bond with Huck will be broken. Huck knows big changes are on the horizon. He's seen and sniffed all the new additions added to our home --the crib, the rocker, the plush blue dinosaur that resides in baby's room. Huck lays by the crib and naps while I organize our baby's clothes, books, and other things --a room that we never used to spend time in. He knows something new and different is happening. He can hear the baby's heartbeat and he can smell the hormonal differences in me. 

My dog isn't my baby. I am well aware of that. But he is one of my very best friends. And as my responsibilities and interests shift and change over the next few months, so will his. When our little guy arrives I picture Huck no longer constantly under my feet, but instead by this new little additions side. Huck is a part of our family and he will always be a priority. You'll never see him banished outside to be forgotten and I will never understand the people who choose to do that (unless your dog becomes aggressive, etc. And then don't banish him, rehome him!). 

Huck and I are going to be just fine when the baby arrives. So all you nay sayers who are concerned about my dog becoming a dog, you should know that he already is! And we love him just the same. 

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Enough of me ranting, today I want to introduce you to Tara from Starletta Designs...

As a graphic designer, jewelry designer, and administrative assistance, this girl has a lot on her plate and can craft some pretty captivating posts that instantly nab your attention. She was vulnerable enough to share the 10 thing her late father has taught her in a recent post as well as give us a candid look into her childhood recently.  And I just love her straight forward post on reasons why she will never be a fashion blogger, which I think a lot of us non-fashion blogger can really relate to. To read more from Tara visit her blog and be sure to follow her on Bloglovin!

Our (soon-to-be-not-so) Private Oasis

Steven and I love to go on walks. With both of us working in an office environment, a refreshing evening or early morning stroll is exactly what we need to lift that technology fog that tends to settle over one's mind during the working day. 

We're lucky in that our favorite place to walk in just down the road from our home. Whether we feel like walking a mile or 8, there are numerous trails we can choose from that are lush, wooded, and feel very private --like they're our very own secret getaway from the hustle and bustle of the world. 

Unfortunately, they recently started tearing down the beautiful trees along our usual trails to bring a new flood of people to our little, private oasis. Over 4,000 homes, a Fred Meyer and gas station, and a strip mall are all expected to spring up on these untouched acres, and, well, that makes me sad... 

It's strange to be able to see through the tree line, and even more bizarre to come across heavy machinery during our walks. I know the construction will take a long time to be complete, but I'm selfish and want it to never start. 

It kind of makes me want to curl up and watch Fern Gully and cry. Of course, that would be a little overly dramatic but I'm pregnant and can use one of my crazy pregnant lady passes. ;)

So much for moving out into the country to escape the traffic, busyness, and people in the city! They are bringing the craziness right to our backyard. 

At least there is still some beauty retained along those familiar trails and hopefully we'll be able to appreciate them for a little while longer.

32 Weeks

Hello, everyone! And happy Friday! I'm trying to get back into the swing of things over here since the holidays ended. I've been busy with work these last couple days organizing emails, clearing my desktop, and prioritizing tasks that need completed before I go on my maternity leave. I want to make sure my 3 month absence is as pain-free for my boss and myself as possible. Is this what it's like to be  "nesting" at work?

Anyway, I realized I haven't done a pregnancy update on the blog since I was 28 weeks! That was a month ago! Reason being there pretty much hasn't been any significant changes these past few weeks other than the fact that I look like a ginormous walrus more and more each day ;) But I thought an update for my own records and some of you curious mama's-to-be out there was needed. 

 32 weeks

30 weeks | 31 weeks | 32 weeks 

Baby: Baby is 32 weeks and the size of squash! He weighs just under 4 lbs and is anywhere between 15-17 in. long. My midwife confirmed he is now in the head down position but still has room to twist and do some flips in there. Hopefully, by week 34 he will be in the head down position to stay. This little guy is quiet the mover! Steven and I love to feel him kick! It surprises me how much energy our little babe can pack in a punch! He must be a strong boy ;) 

Weight: At my 30 week appointment I was up 25 lb, which I feel good about. We did not weigh me at my past appointment, but judging from the photos above I've definitely put on some more weight. It's amazing to see how much my belly has grown in just 2 weeks!

Symptoms: I'm just uncomfortable. The worst is sitting all day at work. The sitting position compresses my uterus, giving the baby less room to wiggle around so he usually chooses to hang out under my right rib. After a few hours of kicks in that area I feel a bit sore. Also, I'm carrying some excess fluid so my symphysis fundal height measurement reads a little bit high. The midwife said that too could be causing a lot of the pressure I feel under my ribs, but apparently, it's not enough fluid for them to have any concerns about me or the baby...just makes things a little more uncomfortable on my end. 

Sleep: This is the first week that sleep started to become difficult for me. I wake up often to use the bathroom or simply turn to my other side in bed. It takes me a long time to get comfortable again and fall asleep. Also, right before bed at night I've been feeling extremely restless. I either do some yoga exercises or some of the relaxation techniques I've learned from my Bradley classes to get the tension out of my muscles and help me sleep better. A warm bath before bed usually does the trick, too. 

Cravings/Aversions:  I can and will eat anything and everything around me, but a few things that have been particularly yummy to me lately are bananas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and milk.  

Body: I find it pretty amazing that I've gained so much weight and have yet to see a stretch mark. But I've heard a lot of women say they didn't get any until the last week or so of their pregnancy, so I know I'm not in the clear yet. Also, I've been noticing that my hair is fuller and there is less shedding in the mornings while in the shower and blow drying my hair! I know the shedding will return after the baby is born but I'm enjoying the fullness for now. I'm still fighting a lot of breakouts. Apparently, the "pregnancy glow" just wasn't in the cards for me. 

Random Thoughts: I am in full blown nesting mode. Poor Steven...I have made him do so many small projects around the home lately I'm surprised he keeps coming back everyday after work. If I were him I'd probably just stay away ;) But he's been so good to me by knocking off projects here and there on his honey to-do list! He's a good egg. 

After tonight we'll be halfway through with our Bradley classes. They are still going really well and I do find the information in them super informative. I'll let you know after the labor if I think the 12 week course as a whole is actually worth it when it really counts though. Crossing my fingers it is!

Also, our nursery is almost complete and I can't wait to share it with you all!