Last Minute Odds & Ends

Well here we are... almost at the finish line...
I'm taking advantage to blog a little before Baby C decides he wants to join us!
I just can't believe we're near the end. Tomorrow is 38 weeks people! Amazing! And yes, I'm SO ready for him to be evicted. The word uncomfortable doesn't even describe how I've been feeling. And once I get the ability to easily put on my socks and shoes back, I swear I will NEVER take it for granted again! #sadbuttrue.

I know I haven't done an update in a while, honestly my mind is a jumbled mess lately. So I'll just give you some of the highlights of the last couple of weeks that I can remember...

• Everything baby is ready to go! The room is done (as I showed you last post), we have all our supplies ready and waiting, our bags are packed, complete with nursing essentials, camera, and i'm praying hubby does not forget the phone chargers. The birth plan is done (which, i didn't do an extensive one, i downloaded one from the bump, it was a really nice easy checklist), and now all we need is a baby!
• My 36/37 week appts were for the most part uneventful. I did find out that I tested positive for the Group B strep (bleh), which they say is not a big deal... other than that in the words of my dr, "your kid looks like a rock star" -- all of my NST's have looked great so Baby is just jammin' away in there.
• We took our infant care class a couple of weeks ago... it was great to learn about baby and what to do for him. Hubby was awesome and asked questions and was really involved... makes my heart smile to see how excited he is for his son to get here and to be an involved dad.
• We took a private breastfeeding class with a lactation specialist on Sunday. She was awesome. We nicknamed her the Baby Whisperer. She was so knowledgable and supportive. Hubby now really understands what a committment breastfeeding is going to be and is 100% on board with trying to help me as much as possible.
• Work has been Cah-ray-zeeeee. I decided to work up until Baby C gets here... and its taking way more of a toll on me than I would have thought. However, I just felt that I needed to be in the office as much as possible and get as much crap done as possible. I have a freelancer taking over for the next few months that I had to train, so at least we're moving along on that and now I feel confident that they'll be fine for when I'm out. It's still stressful though... This week, I'm transitioning to working from home 3 days a week and only going into the office for 2 so hopefully that will help me out.
• Other than that, have just been trying to get in some last minute dinners with all my girlfriends, that's been fun! They are all so excited for me, and it's been nice to hang out with them before my whole world changes.
• Contractions have increased... at my appt yesterday I had 2 on the monitor, hubby was floored! You could see the contraction monitor # increase from the 70s all the way up to the 190s! He thought labor was coming, but since the dr told him i still had a smile on my face, it was only some BH ones and that once I'm in REAL labor, i won't be smiling. LOL!

That's all i can think of off the top of my head. Know that i'm still praying for all my friends out there that are still in the trenches... keep the faith!

xoxo,

S

Nursery Reveal

Well folks! I finally did it! Got my camera and took some pictures of the nursery...

i'll let the pictures do the talking...

once baby gets here, we'll hang his name in the light blue stripe.

the letters are ready and waiting in the closet but we haven't hung them since we've had friends and family at the house wanting to see the nursery!

changing area... door on the left connects to a bathroom...

our awesomely comfy glider from Babies R Us...

and baby's basket of books that people gave us at the shower. 

he has quite the library already. i can't wait to read to him!

scooter loves hanging out in baby's room...

#photobomb

we love the theme of puppies and sports we went with!

the first gift we received for baby from my awesome BOFF jenn!

fun wall decorations!

overall, i'm SO happy with how everything came out! hubby did such an amazing job with the painting and i'm so glad we decided to replace the carpets. though i miss my make up room, i'm over the moon excited for this to be baby's room.

xo,

*s

Neglected.

Yup, that's it... this poor blog of mine has been severely neglected these past few weeks. Work (and life) has been insane (in the membrane!)

But, i'm back to write a quick post to let y'all know that i am still here and waiting for Baby boy's arrival!

So, where are we now? Wednesday I was 34 weeks!

I probably mentioned in my last post that my shower was a few weeks ago, and it was fabulous. I'll try to do a recap in a separate post (promise) if i ever get the pics off my phone.

I had 2 dr appts, we're now on the 1 a week appts and i get hooked up to the NST every week. Last week I did have a BH contraction while on the machine, but i actually never even felt it.

Baby boy is a wiggly worm and he's definitely going to be a good sized baby in the dr's words.
And surprise, he'll also most likely be making his debut early according to the dr since my hypertension makes them much more cautious. He said it's unlikely i'll go to 40 weeks.

In other news, the nursery is complete! We have everything done including the set up of the pack n play in the bedroom which we'll use for the first few months. Pics of the nursery to come soon!

We also put the car seat bases in and I went and got them inspected at the Sheriff's office. They tightened them but otherwise they were in correctly.

Oh and we had our maternity shoot, one word, ah-may-zing.... i'll leave you with a sneak peek!

isn't my photographer amazing? she did such a great job. we went to a local park (yes this IS jersey!) and shot there. it was so much fun and i'm so happy i'll have these photos forever to document this wonderful journey.

next on the agenda, mama's getting the grays covered tomorrow and then next weekend, infant care class!

*s

Bumpdate 31 Weeks

Hi Friends!
Here we are at Week 31... I can't believe we're getting closer and closer to baby boy making his appearance. This weekend is my shower and we just got a call that the nursery furniture will be here on Saturday! Perfect timing!

Here's my bumpdate in bulleted points, because, well because i'm too lazy to go find the template. LOL!

• This week baby is the size of a pineapple! (wow!) According to our 3D/4D ultrasound he is weighing in at just over 3lbs. From this point on until delivery his weight should just about double!
• Clothes are getting tighter... some of the jeans i've been wearing have gotten tighter so I dropped some serious moola at Motherhood Maternity and got a couple new pairs of much comfier jeans. Thinking though now that it's chilly in the mornings I might have to go back for some longer sleeve tops.
• Total weight gain has been approx 23 lbs. Still not stressing over this and just ENJOYING every minute of this pregnancy that I can.
• No gestational diabetes! How floored am I? I was really scared that I had it, but at the dr appt last week they let me know I was in the clear! Bring on the sweets! LOL!
• However, its not ALL smooth sailing... i've been having major tendinitis issues in my right wrist, which i mentioned last time... it got so bad I begged the OB to go get a cortisone shot. They begrudgingly agreed... the shot was EXTREMELY painful... but the pain has already lessened substantially, and should be gone by the weekend. I have de Quervain's Tendinitis in case you were curious. And its common in pregnancy... yippee. getting every side effect possible indeed!
• This week started out on a total high with our 3D/4D ultrasound... it was so amazing to see little Baby Camb in there sucking his hands, thumb, and making some funny faces! We even (maybe) made him cry #oops #badparents. I'll put some pictures below.
• We got the stroller system from my family on the West Coast... and have been practicing by pushing Scooter around. I think he likes it #crazydogmom
• Our maternity shoot is scheduled for the 29th and I'm psyched to get some good pics. I've been a pinaholic trying to find pics to show the photographer.
• Baby Camb is super active flipping around all the time! Wondering how he'll be outside of the womb!
• I cannot cannot finish reading "Happiest baby on the block". Yes, i know EVERYONE and their mother RAVES about this book. I'm still half way thru it and have been reading it for over a month. Hopefully I'll finish before he makes his arrival. What is wrong with me? LOL
• Starting to have MAJOR anxiety about how this baby is going to totally change our lives. Future post to come? 

Deep in thought!

Sucking his little thumb!

For our ultrasound we went to Love at First Sight in Union, NJ. I highly recommend it if you are from Jerz and want a sneak peek at your baby!

I'll be back soon with pics and recap from my shower and nursery pics!

xoxo,

*S

Bumpdate: 29 weeks

Happy 3rd Trimester! 

We made it (ok, it was last week, but then i got insanely busy with work).

OK, here we go with the bumpdate for Week 29!

How far along:  29 weeks exactly

How big is baby?:  According to the Bump, he is an Acorn Squash...

Weight gain:  21 pounds... and holding steady... for now. Just trying not to stress about the weight and focus on having a healthy pregnancy.

Symptoms:

These are a win-win. Fresh breath and indigestion relief!

• Heart. burn. People, i didn't even know what heartburn was before this. I actually had to google it. But oh my word! It BURNS! Luckily my OB told me i could take some OTC Pepcid and that seems to be keeping it in check. I also eat Tums like candy.
• Pregnancy Rhinitis. Hubby is still dealing with my snoring and then my sniffling in the mornings. I'm sure seasonal allergies are also contributing to this. I gotta try and use my Neti pot a bit more often.
• Tailbone Pain. Ouch! Still rocking the inflatable donut for my ass at work. #hotstuff

• Wrist Pain. This one is new and excruciating. My primary seems to think its tendonitis... and obviously i can't take anything... so basically this is my worst/most severe symptom right now, and it sucks. I have a wrist brace and am icing it when i can, but it's been 3 weeks with NO relief. Baby boy better appreciate all this!
• Lots and lots of movement! Rolling, kicking, punching, tap dancing on my bladder... its fun to watch, though hubby always misses the big alien like waves going across my belly!
• Oh and the gagging/dry heaving continues... same old story...

Sleeping: As good as I can hope for. Still get up 1-3 times in the middle of the night to pee, but i'm kind of used to it now. I actually can get to the bathroom with only 1 eye open now! However, sometimes after I get back to bed, baby boy decides he wants to party in there so its getting harder to fall back asleep.

Food cravings: Last week it was burgers... this week, nothing major. I've been eating cheddar cheese and triscuits like they are going out of style.

We love our cheese and crackers!

Food aversions: Fish. Bleh.

Miss anything?: My 2nd trimester energy! Being bigger is definitely starting to effect me! I have to take a dozen breaks. Cook dinner, lay down. Clean up, lay down. Do laundry, lay down. See the pattern?

Gender: Baby boy! Daddy's little Jets Fan!

Wedding Rings on or off?:  Off. Since pretty much the beginning of summer. But hubby bought me some nice fake bling that i've actually gotten SO many compliments on! haha, not bad for ten bucks!

Looks like some real bling from far away!

Maternity Clothes?: Absolutely. 100% and some are starting to get really snug!

Movement: See above, but yes! Little acrobat in there!

What I did/got for baby: We've been holding off on buying stuff since my shower is coming up. We did get a bouncer and exersaucer from guests that can't make it though. We also got the glider this past weekend. Scooter seems to think it's his!

What I’m looking forward to: Our annual tailgating/first game of the season is this weekend. Jets v Raiders, the weather should be nice. And although i'll be tailgating sober, hubby is setting up a feast for us! Also looking forward to our 3D/4D ultrasound in 2 weeks, hoping Baby Camb cooperates for us!

Best moment of the week: Meeting the last OB at our practice... two words, loved her! Now i can really rest easy and know that whoever delivers our baby is going to be someone i feel 100% comfortable with.

So that's pretty much it... things i skipped over... glucose test... fail. i had to go for the 3-hr one last week as a follow-up so we'll see if i pass it. #fingerscrossed. We went to childbirth class a couple of weekends ago. So that was good, we are prepared for all the horrifying amazing things my body will be doing to push this baby out! We also decided to replace all the rugs in our house and get a new couch. That was money well spent and now we're all set for visitors for when Baby Camb gets here. And... hmm, that's about it for now. I'll leave you with a couple of recent bump pics!

27 weeks

These were all 28 weeks, 3 days!

Hope you all had a great and relaxing Labor Day weekend, bring on September! 77 days to go!

*s

Pregnancy Beauty Favs

As some of you know, i'm a total beauty junkie... i love me some products. i read reviews on all kinds of beauty products and have spent way too much money at Ulta, Sephora and the drugstores trying out new skincare, make up, hair care and nail polish.

Anyway, i thought i'd let you girls know what some of my tried and true favorites are that i've switched to throughout pregnancy. It's mostly skincare, but a few other goodies too!

Trader Joe's Refresh Body Wash
Guys, this stuff is great. It's citrusy, cheap and natural... cleans and lathers well and isn't tested on animals. Total win in my book! If you don't have a Trader Joe's nearby, you can order on Amazon.

La Roche Posay Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15

OK, so this is my go-to moisturizer. It was recommended by my dermatologist before pregnancy and even though its not all natural, i believe the protection it provides with the SPF is worth it. You really only need the smallest drop to cover your entire face. This stuff lasts me forever! I buy it at CVS when I have a decent coupon.

The Balm Time Balm Cucumber Face Toner
I found this on Hautelook and decided to try it out. It's on the pricier side for toner ($12.50 for 6 fl oz) but so far I am really liking it. I wanted something that was more natural and alcohol-free. I started using this in the winter and it has lasted me a really long time! I would definitely consider purchasing this again.

Philosophy Purity Face Wash
This is such a great face wash for all skin types. I used this even before I got pregnant and it has been a staple in my routine for a very long time. I like to use this with my Clarisonic a few times a week for a deeper cleaning. Pre-pregnancy I used a wash with a salicylic acid in it, but since they say to stay away from that with pregnancy, I just use this or Simple Cleanser. I also picked up a Neutrogena Naturals cleanser/make up remover this past weekend that i've been trying and liking. There are so many options for pregnancy friendly cleansers out there.

Bio Oil
I've been using a few different oils for my belly/boob area to try to prevent stretch marks and this is one of them. It has a nice fragrance and has so far (knock on wood) kept the stretch marks away! I like the bottle, you can pour the oil out pretty easily, unlike some of the others I 've tried that have an annoying pump (50 pumps later, you finally have a decent amount).

Zoya Nail Polish
Ah! Finally, a non-skincare pick! One of my favorite brands of nail polish, though its hard to find these in stores. I've found a few at Ulta, the rest I bite the bullet and order online. These are touted as pregnancy safe. They don't contain any of the 5 dangerous chemicals that are supposedly bad for pregnant gals. I love the Pixie Dust line and the polishes are really nice consistency. I also love Zoya's polish remover. If you do your nails a lot, definitely try this brand out!

Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Creme
This next one isn't so much pregnancy friendly in terms of health, but it is a staple in my hair care routine. Pregnancy makes you tired. And tired girls like to get away with washing their hair not as often as pre-pregnancy. Or maybe I am just lazy. That is a totally legit statement as well. But, i only wash my hair 2, maybe 3 times a week. I curl my hair on certain days and run this stuff through it and the curls really stay put. I love it, though I do NOT love the price.

OK so that's it for today's edition of some of my favorite beauty products... of course I have a TON more... let me know in the comments if you'd be interested in seeing more!

*s

Oops... Time is Flying! Bumpdate: 26 weeks

Hi friends! Oh my word... was the last time i blogged really back in July?
The shit hit the proverbial fan at work, and i've just been a busy busy bee.
Which is a good thing, i suppose... job security right?

Anyhoo... since i'm way too busy lazy to go back and find my usual bumpdate topics, i'm just going to do this bulleted style for you today!

• Today I am exactly 26 weeks along. Baby is the size of a head of lettuce? OK... don't get me started on these weird fruit/veggie comparisons... they are just bizarre.
• Kick kick kick... this kid is going to be a soccer player for sure! Active is quite the understatement for this little one! Wonder if he'll kick this much OUTSIDE of the womb as he does on the inside.
• Hubby has only felt 1 or 2 kicks so far on the outside... i think he's a little impatient with waiting to feel anything... i mean, he expects the baby to kick on command? not gonna happen daddy-o! LOL
• Everything is planned for this little guy's shower... invites went out, so i'm super excited to see all my friends and family in about 6 weeks
• Registry is DONE! Yippee! After endless hours in Babies R Us, and finding the cutest little loafers for little man to wear for Christmas, i don't plan on setting foot in that store for at least the next couple of months
• Pregnancy symptoms: nasal rhinitis (snoring like a 300 lb man), tailbone pain (ouch! i sit on an inflatable donut at work like an 80 year old), WRIST pain (this is a new one, and i don't know whether i sprained something or if this is truly pregnancy related), indigestion, the beginnings of constipation (which i've heard is going to get worse, eek! benefiber is my bff), peeing 8,000x a day (i think baby is low and pretty much on my bladder)
• Next week is my 1 hr glucose test, wish me luck
• I have yet to open the exercise DVDs but am SWEARING i will do one tonight. definitely. maybe. probably... the excuses continue.

Think that's it for now since i'm getting slammed with more work... here are some pics from the last few weeks that i've been MIA! (sorry if some are recycled from Instagram).

At the Jets game (25 weeks, 1 day)

Someone stole the Boppy!

24 weeks

Selfie before a girls day out...

Cutest little loafers!!!

Jets slippers! I'm a sucker for cute shoes!

Ceiling fan and light installed, thanks hubby!

Some fun onesies from Old Navy

Have a great week and i hope to be back sooner rather than later!

*s