Baby Shower Version 2.0 {Recap}

 We are officially baby shower-complete!  I had my second baby shower this past weekend back home in Ga.  I must say it was so to get away, and back down South.  My mom hosted my shower, and along with the help of my dad and brothers, the event with off with out a hitch.  Hubs & I made the 10 hour, 600 mile drive down on Thursday and even though it was long, it was fun and well worth it.  I didn't even get sick, nope, not once!  I have so many pics, and I honestly don't even have all of them, because every other person who came took pics too!

Stop & Smell The Roses Vlog Linkup

Hey everyone, I’m linking up with Mandy from House of Rose for her monthly Stop & Smell The Roses link up.  It’s a great idea and the concept of the vlog about what you are currently thankful for.  On another note, it also gives me an opportunity to come to you all live and in action (I guess!)
Here’s what I’m thankful for right now:

I’d love to know what your thankful for! Be sure to check out the rest of the link up on Mandy’s blog. –She has a really awesome blog btw.
Happy bumping!
xxoo,

How I Organized My Baby Shower Gifts

Going off of my previous baby shower post, I promised I would do a post on organizing baby shower gifts.

Getting a plethora of gifts, especially for a baby that isn't even here yet, can be overwhelming.  I know it was for me!  As I mentioned in my previous post, we drove back with a car full of gifts, which I was pleasantly surprised we managed to even fit most everything into the car.  Upon arriving back home, Hubs unloaded everything, but didn't exactly organize when he brought it into the house.  I didn't expect him too, but I also didn't expect him to dump everything on our living room floor.  To be fair it was midnight when we got home, and after the long drive and traffic, I'm just glad he brought everything in.  I'm one of those people that has to unpack as soon a they return from a trip.  I unpack all my clothes, throw them in hamper, set all my toiletries back up, and put away anything else that I bring back with me from a trip.  Now at 12 o'clock at night I wasn't going to do all this with the presents.  However, the next day its got done and it got done fast.  Hubs & I could possibly be moving before baby gets here, so right now we have forgoed a setting up the nursery.  This means that right now, everything has to stay downstairs until we get word of if we need to move.  I saw no reason to lug everything upstairs if we have to end up packing it up anyways.  Even more reason why I needed to have everything organized and put off into a corner. 

The first thing I did was take everything out of the bags and wrapping that was in one. I needed to get a good idea of everything we got, so leaving stuff in bags was a no-go.  I picked a designated spot in my living room, and began to stack all the packaged items, like diapers and such up against the wall.  We received lots of diapers and wipes, so these were easy to put away.  Next I put all other gifts around this, so it would serve as a platform for smaller or fragile things.  As I stacked everything, I was able to record exactly what we got, so I'd have an idea of what we still needed.  I recommend this tip for anyone in my position.  Don't just bring everything home and not keep track of what you got.  Its important to do this, not only for you, but for the purpose of updating your registry(ies).  It helps me to have everything right out in the open, so that when I'm thinking about what we still need to get baby, I can look right at it.

Before

After

So, as you can see there is light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to getting organized.  I pride myself in my organization skills, and I'll definitely be doing more posts on organization.  Just remember practice makes perfect, organization requires maintenance and diligence.  Take it step-by-step and one day at a time.

Hope this is helpful to you all!

Happy bumping!

xxoo,

Baby Shower Version 1.0 {Recap}

This post is list 3 weeks overdue!  I actually wanted to take my time and type out this post, so that I could paint the best picture possible.  Okay, not really, I just knew it was going to be a long post and have been procrastinating to write it.  I already have another post in my drafts about organizing baby shower gifts, so that on will be up soon.  The thing of it is that I have another shower coming up in two weeks and that one will, I'm sure, be completely different than my first one. 

I sent the invites out last week, so everyone should be busy RSVP'ing at this point.  Fortunately, my mom is taking care of all the RSVPs so I don't have to deal with that aspect of the shower.  I did hand make the invites, save-the-dates, and thank you cards, and help out financially as well, so I definitely had my hands in the mix.  My mom, bless her, handled about 80% of the shower planning.  She booked the venue, did the favors, and put together most of the guest list.  Mom did consult me on the menu, favors, theme, etc, etc, etc... So again this shower coming up will be completely different than the one I had over the 4th of July weekend.

Hubs & I got in town on the Wednesday before the shower to spend time with the fam and celebrate the 4th.  We went and saw Kevin Hart’s comedy special Let Me Explain with his bestfriend and his sister and to a cookout with the parental units and my sister-in law on the 4th.  The following day, we went to the mall, had lunch, and stopped by Hubby’s old job to say hey to his former boss.  She was really nice and excited about the baby.  We retreated back to the house for the remainder of the evening, where we watched tv and played with the dogs.

The next day, the big day , everyone got up and out and let me to my own devices at the house.  Even Hubs was commissioned to help set up and run errands for getting the shower underway.  He unfortunately did not get a chance to rest all morning like I did.  I was able to wake up, catch up on some blog reading, watch some tv, take a bubblebath, get dressed, and just relax.  No one would let me help :-/  I’m not used to being in such a position, but I did embrace it and sat back and relaxed. 

My Mom and brother came down to the shower, and they arrived about an hour and a half before the event.  Hubs and his parents got home in the nick of time to change over and head back out to the shower.  His parents left a little bit before we did, and Hubs & I, and Mom and bro left.  We arrived at a really nice clubhouse decorated with the super cute bubblebee theme.

I even got a corsage!

And of course we were dressed to the nine I our yellow and black, in homage to the bumblebee theme. – Check out the tiara I got and ribbon Hubs got! ;-)

Sissy in-law made this adorable diaper wreath. – Girl has skills! 

Mom & I

We ate, we laughed, we played games, and of course we opened presents!

Did I just say presents?! Yep!

We drove home with a carload, yep 10 hours back to Va with all this!  I unpacked and organized the following day.  We left the stroller, crib, and changing table at my in-laws, so we will eventually get that when we are ready to set up the nursery.  Hub & I couldn’t believe how much stuff we got, especially considering that we were getting two showers.  My in-laws and sissy in-law took most of the pics, so I’ve only included a few my bro took from my phone.

Overall, it was a lovely shower and I didn’t have to lift a finger.  That was the best part!  It was really so lovely so have so many people be excited for us and the baby.  I felt so blessed and can’t wait for the next one (that is shower, not baby…not quite yet, lol!).

Stay tuned for version 2.0 in about two weeks.

Happy bumping!

xxoo,

Baby This Week | 26 Weeks


Baby is the size of a head of lettuce, or just an actual head lol!  I can't believe I have something that big inside of me, its crazy! Baby's eyelids separate and the eyes are starting to open. Lungs are beginning to develop surfactant, which allows them to inflate. Baby has begun to sleep for longer periods as well.  Little one is about 14 inches in length and weights almost 2 pounds.This week marks a major milestone in baby's hearing and sight. Little one's hearing system (cochlea and peripheral sensory end organs), which began fine development during week eighteen, is now completely formed, and over the next few weeks, he or she become increasingly sensitive to sound. Very soon, I'll be able to feel him or her jump if they hear a sudden loud noise. Sound passes easily into m uterus, which helps the ears develop. Her eyes are almost fully formed, although they are blue, because a baby's eyes don't get their final color until a few months after they are born. The air sacs of the lungs, called alveoli, will be developed by the end of this week and will begin to secrete a substance called surfactant that keeps the lung tissue from sticking together. 

Baby's lungs continue to develop, and she is taking small breaths of amniotic fluid inside your womb. These small breaths are getting little one in shape for their first breath of fresh air.  Veins are visible through baby's transparent skin, but soon that will change, as it begins to turn opaque. If baby is a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

Baby – Can we say super duper active!  I literally think that this kid is awake 24 hours even though they say the baby sleeps majority of the time.  I can tell baby has gotten bigger and stronger by its movements.  Sometimes they even startled me because they can be a little intense.  Baby definitely seems to be a lot more responsive to touch and noise, more to touch most recently.  Little one likes to hang out all over the place and I can’t quite decipher whether he or she is head up or down.  Sometimes I feel movement way down low and other times I feel it pretty high up.

Me – Sitting in an up-right position for long periods of time is uncomfortable.  I’ve put on about a pound from last, and the belly is getting bigger by the day.  No swelling, pre-term labors signs, or other crazy stuff going on, thank goodness!  Sleeping on the other hand can be a feat, and not because I still get up throughout the night to use the restroom.  It’s because my belly is getting bigger and I’m having to figure how to adjust to it.  I’m seriously going to start putting a pillow down and having that next to my belly while I sleep.  I have also noticed that I’ve gotten heavier, or rather my belly has so turning over and even standing up from laying down can be challenging at times.

Hubs – As usual he is doing good.  I think the baby shower made the baby a little more real to him and he’s even more excited.  I really think he would like for baby to come out and automatically be 3 or 4 years old so he can play with baby, go places, and dress him or her up to look like him.  Hubs is working more, so he’s not home at night much, but always calls to check on me and baby and make sure we’re okay.  He’s on dinner duty for the next two nights, so I know we’ll be getting some good grubbin’!

Until next week folks…

Happy bumping!

xxoo,

Pregnancy Belly | Strawberry Sorbet and other delights

We went strawberry picking last weekend and unfortunately strawberries have a relatively short life span. They are good for about 5 days if kept cool, but after that they pretty start disintegrating and getting mushy. I noticed this more with the fresh picked strawberries we picked, but that could have been because they made a long 10-hr drive from Ga to Va the day after they got picked. I had some store bought strawberries in the fridge sense earlier last week and they were actually still pretty good looking. Nonetheless, I chopped up all of them and puréed them into a a sorbet this morning. I thought I'd share my recipe while I'm waiting for the sorbet to freeze solid. I will post picks once the sorbet is completely frozen and ready to eat.

I've always, always loved sorbet, my faves being strawberry and raspberry.  I've made strawberry sorbet in the past before, but never a raspberry so it's next on my agenda.  Who knows, I might even delve into a blackberry.  Anyhow for your viewing and reading pleasure here are some picks of the strawberries we picked and of hubs and I just having fun at the farm and the recipes.

Strawberries still on the plant.  I never knew they grew like this!

Variation in young/mature strawberries.  Notice the color variation from green, to yellowish-red tint, to bright red, to deep red.

Strawberries hubs & I picked.

Hubs & I being silly! ;-)

More silliness!

Strawberry shortcake that my mom had. It was made with the farms fresh picked strawberries and topped with their homemade strawberry ice cream. Hers is minus the quintessential whipped cream, because she doesn't like it. She loved the strawberry shortcake, and we even tempted to purchase one of the farm's homemade strawberry pound cakes, but figured she'd hold off and have a reason to try something different next time. The shortcake itself was the same strawberry pound cake, so she still got her fix.

Strawberry ice cream that is homemade at the farm. Hubs & I had one each, so yummy. Funny thing is that neither one of us are big strawberry ice cream people, even though I love strawberries, but this ice cream was delist. Baby liked it too!

Mom's strawberries that she picked. And yep those are my pink and khakis flats.

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe

2-3 lbs of fresh or frozen strawberries, cut in into halves

1/4 cup of OJ or lemon juice. I used OJ, because I didn't have any lemon juice on hand.

1/4 cup of sugar or honey. I used sugar, because I didn't think about honey until after the fact.

A splash of vanilla extract. Roughly a 1/2 tbsp to 1 tbsp, depends on how much flavor you prefer. I'm guesstimating I used about 1 tbsp.

Add all ingredients to a blender and purée. Once puréed transfer mixture to an ice cream maker, if you have one. Or you can freeze in a container, however I recommend the ice cream maker, because the sorbet will set up better.

*The pictured sorbet was not done in an ice cream maker, so it turned out more icy than previously made ice cream maker versions that I've made.

Happy bumping!

xxoo,

Tenns