GIVEAWAY WINNER & Friday Favorites {Nonessentials for Labor & Delivery}

First, I want to thank everyone who entered my giveaway and say Hello to new followers! It was so much fun to read all your comments and I hope you will come back often to visit this little blog. I will definitely be doing more giveaways in the future, maybe another in honor of the special month of June (my birthday and baby girl's birthday month) 
So, without further ado, the winner of the Stella & Dot Jolie Cocktail Ring is............................. Erica who said...following via gfc

Erica an email has been sent to you to arrange delivery of your prize, Congrats girlie!

And now to Friday Favorites! With baby girl's due date quickly approaching, I've got my bag packed for our hospital stay and while I definitely packed all the essentials (toothbrush, nursing bras, cell phone charger...) I wanted to share with you my favorite nonessential items that I added to my bag as well.

Essential Nonessentials by risainkdesigns

1. Topping my list would be Bath & Body Works Wallflowers or any plug-in scent. Since you can't burn a candle in a hospital room, this was my way of introducing a calming scent and hiding that sterile hospital smell. The nurses loved it! They kept commenting on how great our room smelled when they came to check on me. I plugged in the same scent when we got home so it would always remind me of those first few weeks with Lily.

2. Sticking with scents, I would also suggest choosing a new or bringing a favorite body wash for your first shower. Something refreshing to sooth your senses after what your body just went through and help you feel back to normal. And again, every time I smell "sweet pea" it reminded me of when I gave birth to Lil.

3. Mellow Playlist on your MP3 would be next. I asked Aaron to start downloading all our favorites so I would have something to listen to other than the IV drip and blood pressure monitor. I slept most of labor last time anyway (thank you epidural), so soft background noise is perfect, but maybe with a little GLEE thrown in for good measure.

4. I bought a cute maternity gown when I was pregnant with Lily, and thought I would wear it for the delivery. I'm glad I didn't... it would have have been really gross, and I wouldn't have taken it home with me. But, it was prefect to change into right after and feel cute. A little lip gloss doesn't hurt either.

5. New "comfys." My sweet mom took me shopping a few weeks ago and bought me some cute new sleep T's and tanks, soft pajama pants, and new slippers to take with me to the hospital and to lounge in when we get home. It just feels nice to know there is something new to wear, and makes me feel more "normal" than being in a hospital gown when friends and relatives come to visit.

Linking up to




Happy Weekend friends!

She Turned!!

So excited to say that when A and I went in for the EVP this morning with my doctor, baby girl had already moved to the head down position! No poking and prodding my belly, no IV, no yucky medicine in my uterus, and hopefully no c-section. It happened all on it's own-- but I think the acupuncture and yoga had a little something to do with it.

What a great start to our holiday weekend. I can't wait to show you all pictures from our neighborhood stroller parade and chili cook off happening Sunday, and hopefully some pictures of the new nursery, as well as share a fun giveaway in honor of my birthday month.

Happy Weekend!
M

Friday Favorites: Working It Out

Quick baby update:
So, this is what I was busy doing yesterday morning...

My husband performing the treatment that the acupuncturist prescribed. 

On Wednesday afternoon, I went in for my appointment and to my surprise no needles were involved. Instead they burned moxa sticks next to my little toes to encourage movement from the baby. Baby did move quite a bit during the treatment and again while A was performing it yesterday, per doctor's orders. One of the stranger things I've asked sweet hubby to do for me, but he happy obliged. What a guy :) 

I have also tried a variety of yoga poses that were suggested to me by a prenatal yoga instructor:

• downward dog
• dolphin pose
• cat/cow
• bridge
• feet up the wall 

These positions get your hips higher than your heart which is supposed to encourage the baby to move into the correct position.

Doing these poses felt great and I can't wait to get back into yoga and working out regularly. Which leads me to my Friday Favorites, some great trainer tips from my friend and trainer, Amity Ponsetti with Lift Fitness.

Amity got me back in pre-pregnancy shape after I had Lily in no time at all. Her boot camp style workouts are challenging, but she is nothing but supportive and reassuring. My very own Jillian Michaels without all the yelling-- well maybe a little yelling. Kidding Amity! 

Since I have been dying to be more active lately, I asked Amity to give me a workout I could do while I'm still with child and I'd thought I would share her wonderful suggestion with you today:

Assisted Plie Squat:
Face wall. Spread feet a bit more than hip-width apart. Turn knees out. Start with legs straight and place hands on wall. Bend knees and lower torso towards floor. Straighten your legs, pressing upwards through your heels. Repeat with 10 or 12 repetitions. Perform 2-3 sets.

Assisted Standing Pushup:

Face wall. Feet again hip-width apart. Place hands on wall, arms straight. Pull belly-button inward towards your spine. Keep your back straight. Bend elbows and bring chest towards wall. Push back. Repeat with 10 or 12 repetitions. Perform 2-3 sets.

Standing Leg Lifts:
Stand tall, lift one straightened leg out to the side and return to start. Use wall for balance if needed.   Repeat 10-15 repetitions on each leg.  Perform 2-3 sets.

Wood Chopper:
Grab a very light weight (optional) with both hands and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Let the dumbbell hang naturally in front of your thighs. Squat down until your knees are bent . Keeping your elbows slightly bent, brace your abs and press up to standing, swinging the dumbbell up until it's directly overhead. Lower the dumbbell back toward the floor. That's 1 rep - Repeat with 10 or 12 repetitions. Perform 2-3 sets.

I love this for a quick 15 minute daily workout, pregnant or not! Thanks again Amity! 

If you would like to find out more info about Lift Fitness check out Amity's website and facebook page.

Happy long weekend y'all!

Week 37: Interesting Development

Yesterday really didn't go as planned... I had a doctors appointment in the afternoon that A attended with me to do a routine check on baby girl, and see how far along I was progressing. At week 36, OBs will usually ask to see you once a week to check on the position of the baby and how you are opening up "down below". 

My doctor isn't particularly generous with ultrasounds, so when she completed the exam and said "let's have a look at her", I knew something was up. Turns out baby is breeched. A Frank breech to be exact. The funny thing is she turned in a week. Baby girl has been head down since 26 weeks according to our doctor, and decided to turn now. This complicates things a bit. It means I'll mostly likely have a cesarean (read c-section) to deliver baby if she decides to stay in this position. Some doctors will deliver a breeched baby vaginally, but after reading about potential complications I just don't feel comfortable with that option. I realize this isn't the end of the world. I realize there are much worse things that could have come our way, but in my heart I can't help but feel a little anxious about the heath of my baby and her delivery and disappointed that my birth experience might not be what we expected and my recovery time will be lengthened. And, I'll admit, I'm scared of surgery. The good news is, we have some options.

We have scheduled an external version procedure with our doctor on Friday where she will try to move the baby by pressing on my uterus from the outside to guide her into position. I will be given medication to relax my uterus, but doc warned me this procedure will be uncomfortable. There is a 50/50 chance this will work, and there is a chance that it cause the baby distress and a c-section would have to be performed immediately. She couldn't tell me how likely that would be be. Another cause for my anxiety. Doc recommended attempting this procedure no later than this week when my anminotic fluids are at a safe level and there is still room for baby to move. Attempting this procedure any later would up the risk for causing the baby distress.

I have an appointment with an acupuncturist this afternoon. At my doctor's suggestion, the acupuncturist will perform a Chinese medicine technique which is supposed encourage the baby to move on her own. When speaking with the acupuncturist on the phone, they said that this technique is something I can also do at home. I'll keep you posted.

There is also a chiropractic technique, referred to as the Webster Breech Technique, that we are looking into. I've never been to a chiropractor so we are asking our friends and family for some recommendations before scheduling an appointment.

Lastly, after much googling we found some safe "at home" techniques to try; playing music or talking near my pelvis, raising my hips higher than my heart by lying on pillows, placing an ice pack or something cold at the top of my belly, or getting into a pool and diving underwater all in an attempt to encourage the baby to move on her own or using gravity to our advantage. I also have a call into my yoga studio for their suggestions on poses or positions.

I know it seems like I am going to a lot of trouble to move this baby, but that's the way I operate. I want to know that I've done everything I can to help baby girl get where she needs to be. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers and I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Here are my stats this week:
How Far Along: 37 weeks. Baby is fully cooked.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 21.5, I swear it was the heeled sandals I was wearing that gave me an extra pound--should have taken those off.

Maternity Clothes: Yes, I wear them. Ugh.

Gender: Girl, and we will double check again on Friday. I should have asked during the ultrasound yesterday, but I was preoccupied.

Movement: Yes! And now that I realize what position she is in, She likes to move her feet a lot at my side, and nod her head at the base of my ribs

Sleep: Good. Lavender bath salts are amazing

What I miss: This week I've really felt a need to be more active. But, I can't walk more than 5 minutes without having a contraction. Hoping to get some exercise in the pool.

Cravings: Still fruit, and lots and lots of water and gatorade.

Symptoms: Contraction city!

Best Moment this week: Hoping this happens at the end of the week when we can say we have a baby girl in position!

Week 36

36 Weeks! How did I get here?? 


How Far Along: 36 Weeks. Seeing the doc once a week these days.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 20.5 lbs, only a half pound weight gain, phew!

Maternity Clothes: I rotate about 5 or six tops and a few dresses and bottoms at this point. But, if we are being honest, dresses really aren't a pregnant woman's friend. At least not this far along. I look like a walking party tent.

Gender: Girl

Movement: Now she has decided my lowest rib is the best place to rest her feetsies.

Sleep: Better. I'm in full nesting mode, so I am exhausted by the time I go to bed. This helps me rest better.

What I miss: I really don't remember what it's like to not be pregnant these days. I feel like I have been carrying a baby for the better part of the last two years. Which I guess I have.

Cravings: Fruit, and lots and lots of water. I can't get enough to drink with this Texas humidity!

Symptoms: More and more contractions... waddling... but less heartburn. Wahoo!

Best Moment this week: This weekend, A painted the nursery-- we have a color folks, and we love it! Pictures to come soon! We picked up the crib from our sweet friends and we picked up the cradle from our generous cousins, and more sweet friends loaded us down with diapers. We are set! I am soooo relieved, and feel like things are finally coming together! Next week, she is "fully cooked", and could be here any day! I can hardly believe it!!

35 Weeks and Counting....

 I"M HUGE!!!!
How Far Along: 35 Weeks. Trying to cram my head full of newborn knowledge. Feel like I have forgotten so much in such a short amount of time.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 20 lbs as far as I know, only weighing in at the doctor's office every two weeks. Crossing fingers that I haven't gained much more...

Maternity Clothes: I'm popping out of my regular person shirts as you can see above. All my loose tops are suddenly fitted. All maternity bottoms except for a pair of Abercrombie olive capris that I've had since college. Who knew that an article of clothing from Abercrombie would get me through two pregnancies?

Gender: Still a girl, I hope. I worry about this lately because strangers come up to me and tell me I'm having a boy!

Movement: Yes, but less. I think she is getting pretty crowded. She is definitely lower and head down. Without giving TMI, I worry that she is going to pop a hand out of my lady parts because she is so LOW

Sleep: Better! I had a prenatal massage this week (a Mother's Day gift from my sweet hubby) and it made a huge difference. I feel so relaxed.

What I miss: Being more active. I am out of breath so easily these days and it is quite annoying.

Cravings: Fruit, mangos and oranges

Symptoms: A few contractions here and there. And the ever present heartburn. I am sooo done with that.

Best Moment this week: My sweet girlfriends from Lily's playgroup had a little "girl's night" for myself and another pregnant mommy in the group at Chez Zee. (one of my favorites restaurants here in Austin!) It was so sweet of them to plan something for us and baby girl received some of the cutest clothes and goodies! What great friends we have!!

DIY Art for my little ladies

Since Lily and baby girl's rooms are right next to each other, I thought it would be cute to add a little art to the wall in front of their bedroom doors.

Nothing too fancy, just dressed up a couple of prints my mom brought back from a trip to Belgium & France years ago. They are street art (my favorite) and I had them in some boring black frames for the longest time, so I thought I would revive them for the girls.

1. I took the pictures and glass out of said black frames.
2. Dry brushed, since I wanted a little of the black to show through the paint. Used a free paint sample that I had lying around. After they were dry, I attached the ribbon to the back with a staple gun.
3. Added a little flower, with some burlap and white fabric and a small rhinestone all glue gunned together. (All of which I had in my craft materials)
4. The only things I had to buy were two small letters for the girls' initials, which I modpodged with scrapbook paper. Again, just glue gunned to the frame.

Lastly, I hung them outside the girls bedroom doors. 

I love seeing them when I walk through the hall and get excited about having TWO little girls in these rooms soon!

linking up at

 

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Nursery Rhymes

So my uber fab friends introduced me to Pinterest this week. Think of it as a virtual bulletin board where you can "pin" all the wonderful things you find on the internet. I wasn't sure how I would apply it to my cyber life, but so far I find it useful to catalog all my favs/inspiration photos without having to save them to my computer, taking up valuable hard drive space. Plus, it's a thrill when someone "repins" or "likes" something that you have pinned. If you are interested in joining, click on my profile link above to request an invitation or shoot me an email and I'll send you one. So far I've added a board for baby girl's nursery. 

Some of the inspiration pics for said nursery that I've already saved to my computer, but have no idea where they've came from...

This last photo is of Tiffany Amber Theissen's nursery

And in case you are following along:
How Far Along: 34 Weeks, I can't believe it!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 20 lbs, gained 3!! Yikes!

Maternity Clothes: Still bottoms, just had to buy a pair of maternity crop jeans. {sigh}

Gender: Still a sweet baby girl, as far as we know. No more ultrasounds for us, so I hope they got it right the first time!

Movement: Oh yes! She is head down, and it would seem that she rests her feet on my ribs and her elbows on her kidneys. She's just kicked back on my internal organs.

Sleep: What's that?

What I miss: Today? Margaritas.

Cravings: Still fruit, and most sweet things.

Symptoms: Heartburn, Indigestion, Reflux, oh my!

Best Moment this week: Narrowing down the nursery paint colors to four. Yes, four. {{BIG SIGH}}

What I'm Wearing Wednesday: Preggers Edition

Here are a few things that are getting through these last few weeks of pregnancy....

Dorothy Perkins bandeau dress
Black Maxi dress is the comfiest thing to wear on a date night! (Mine is actually from Forever 21 last season, but this one is very similar)

American Eagle Outfitters camisole top
$40 - ae.com
I love this top! I usually wear a white tank underneath. 

American Eagle Outfitters ankle jeans
$25 - ae.com
I can still wear these (surprisingly) with a hairband, over course I have to wear with a long top so you can't tell

Tory Burch tan sandels
I LOVE Tory Burch sandal, but they are definitely a splurge.

Toujours Bracelet
$34 - stelladot.com
One of the new pieces for the summer, and it's already become a staple for me

Target Long & Lean Tank
I LOVE these tanks! Long enough to cover the belly and not too lightweight so they can be worn alone. They are on sale right now for $6 in stores-- $6!

Rio Chandelier Earrings--Silver
$39 - stelladot.com
Another favorite piece for the summer

TOMS Womens Canvas Classic
Who doesn't love Toms? They are comfy, cute, and they give you warm fuzzies because you know they donate a pair of shoes for every one you buy


What to wear after baby arrives? Check out my long established Mommy Uniform


My stats are as followed:
How Far Along: 33 Weeks, it's getting really real folks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 17 lbs and trying to hold steady

Maternity Clothes: Ugh. Bottoms only at this point. I refuse to wear maternity tops.

Gender: Girl!! I am so excited about having another sweet daughter!

Movement: Yes! She isn't quite as much of a mover as her sister was, but she definitely holds her own. I feel her the most in the early evening, and she often responds to Lily's voice. I take this as a sign that they will be very close sisters

Sleep: I give up.

What I miss: Wine. And not having heartburn after everything I eat or drink. A glass of water will give me heartburn at this point.

Cravings: Lettuce and mangos... like a monkey.

Symptoms: Heartburn. Heartburn, oh and heartburn. Does waddling count as a symptom?

Best Moment this week: Don't know if there are really any "bests" at this point? I do love how Lily likes to touch my belly. If we ask her who's in there, she'll say "sis" sometimes. Warms my heart.

We're Expecting... Again!

So, I have neglected this little blog for far too long. I thought I would make this next entry a good one :) Aaron and I are expecting our second child on June 13th! We couldn't be more thrilled! Lily is going to be a big sister, only 17 months older, although she has no idea what that means yet. It truly feels like our family will be complete once baby #2 arrives!

In all honesty, this new arrival came as a surprise to us, but it feels completely right! I'm so excited about having my two babies close together so that hopefully they will be very close and always have each other as a friend and support in life. I am already getting excited about vacations we can take to Disney World and the like without having to wait for the youngest to catch up to Lily.

We were thrilled to be able to share the news in person with Aaron's family over Thanksgiving. Lily made the announcement for us with her cute t-shirt we ordered from Etsy. Everyone was excited and surprised, which is the exact reaction we had hoped for.

We should find out the gender toward the end of December and I can't wait. I've already started decorating the baby's room in my head-- French theme for a girl and a vintage travel theme for a boy. It's a bit easier this time since we have furniture planned out already. We know that this room will hold my old dresser and nightstand from childhood, and we'll move the rocker/glider from Lily's room over (we plan on putting a little kitchen for Lily in it's place so she can play in her room more), so all we need to find is a crib and fabrics once we know what Baby will be.

We've seen Baby at 8 weeks and everything looked great! I spotted it's little heartbeat right away. It's funny, but the baby seemed bigger than Lily was at that stage, although I'm sure it was just the angle of the ultrasound. We get to see Baby again on Thursday and hopefully we will get to hear the heartbeat as well. I'll feel completely secure after this ultrasound because I'm at 12 weeks and it will mean that we have gotten past the most worrisome stage. It's less likely for one to have a miscarriage at this stage. I'll post ultrasound pics at this time, and probably put a little something on Facebook, maybe add some photos of my growing baby bump. Mommas aren't kidding when they say you show sooner with the second baby-- good grief!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Best, M

Lily Fun!

Something amazing happened... Lily got her first TWO teeth! The first started popping up last Monday, and by Tuesday morning, we had another one! I can't believe how fast my baby is growing up. She wasn't too fussy either, just a little Tylenol and a bit of chewing on Sophie and she stayed pretty pleasant. I can't get a good picture, but I'll keep trying!

She also learned how to blow raspberries at the beginning of last week. Below is a hysterical video of this, and if you notice, she DOES NOT like me to laugh at her. She gives me the evil eye every time I start to giggle. She does this pretty consistently. She doesn't mind if her daddy laughs, just mommy. I have no idea what this means...




I just started my provisional year of Junior League and we had our first meeting last week. Our AMAZING program is called FIT.

This is what it is all about:

The FIT Program (which stands for Food In Tummies) is a new project of The Junior League of Austin (JLA) and a unique program designed to provide weekend nourishment to children grades K-5 who qualify for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP – which provides free and reduced meals). FIT, managed by the JLA in collaboration with the Del Valle Independent School District, aims to help these hungry children by delivering backpacks of nutritious food each week to a Title 1 elementary school during the 2009-2010 school year.

I'm so excited about having an outlet to volunteer and get more involved in the community. It's food for my soul and I hope that Lily will feel the same way when she gets older.

Lita is leaving us for 10 DAYS to cruise. I don't know what I am going to do... I know, I know. I am spoiled by Lita, and so is Lily. But, we love her company and we will be counting down the days until she returns.

Friday Favorites (for Lily)

Friday Favorites: Lily Edition

I'm a HUGE Carter's fan! I love that they have sooo many cute littel dresses and onesies that I can dress Lily for everyday. Here are two she wears A LOT!

Lily's favorite stuffed animal right now is her sock monkey. She will wrap her arms and legs around it when she is playing in her pack n' play. It's adorable. Lita found it a Walgreens. Can you believe it?



My favorite baby toy right has to be Lily's jumparoo. She wants to stand ALL the time, and having something for her to jump and play in is wonderful! I was stressing over which one to buy, " Is this one safe? Does she need one with THAT many toys? Or is that overstimulating? is this one girly enough? In the end, my neighbor graciously gave us theirs since they don't need in anymore. Fun fact: Their daughter is one year to the day older than Lily. I couldn't find a picture of the one they gave us, but this is the general idea:



We also love her play gym. In the last couple of weeks, its been her favorite place to play and on it, she taught herself to roll from her back to her stomach. Such a smart girl! :)




What are your favorites?