I'm 31 Weeks Today!

Pardon the delay in posts. I've got many, so they will just keep funneling through today and tomorrow, quite frankly, as they are long overdue. 

This pregnancy has flown by, with every ounce of energy going with it! Saying that I'm 31 weeks pregnant has a very out-of-body feeling to it. I remember taking my test and looking at Weezy, saying it was a waste of a good pregnancy test, only to look down and be in complete shock when I saw the digital screen display the word "pregnant" after a few moments. (See... it was a good test!) 

Since Thanksgiving, I would have to say my only poor experiences with pregnancy have been fatigue and sciatica pains. If I don't have something to really perk me up- a cup of coffee or big plans- I usually find myself eating breakfast and falling asleep on the couch shortly after. I have been upset in the past because it's a bummer to wake up and have missed the whole day, but all of that rest has kept me healthy and away from sickness. So, it's really all in how you look at it, I guess. 

I talk an awful lot about the home decorating, organizing, and endless project list that I have, but if you were to visit, you'd quickly notice most of the work must be done inside my head because I've made very little physical progress. Along with keeping busy and being social, I've discovered some really great ideas for our home, yet I don't manage my time wisely, so much of it is still in limbo. 

The office is the room that has served as a catch-all for the other rooms as I've dragged every item out of their prospective homes in an attempt to sort through them. The guest room is actually where I've slept for the past week due to the fact that the master bedroom is an utter disaster. I've piled all clean, unfolded laundry on top of the bed, miscellaneous items there (trying to organize, yet again), and it all gets jumbled even more when the dogs get excited and jump on the bed. It's just a mess. 

What I've accomplished in this past month and a half is the following: 

I've organized the pantry, as best as I can- sans labels. Everything has a home, expired items have been discarded, and I now know exactly what's missing/what needs to be purchased at the grocery store. That's a huge plus. I LOVE these baskets with handles because they make it so easy to just kind of pull them out like a drawer and reach what I need. 

I've selected the wall color, and painted the entire nursery- with the exception of trim work. 

I've painted and distressed the crib (with the exception of the feet), so it's that much closer to the look and feel of her room! This was Annie Sloan's Old White chalk paint.

The kitchen has been literally ransacked of all the things that don't belong, including old pots and pans. It's about as organized as it'll ever be, just disregard all of the clutter on the peninsula (to the left of the sink). Those things are helping me give homes to items in junk drawers and the living room closet, however it's simply remaining an incomplete project. 

I also re-finished the furniture in the master bedroom. I actually did these first, due to the fact that I was new to refinishing furniture and these were in much worse shape, which meant that it'd be great practice before I tackled Ali's furniture. These are done in Annie Sloan's Chateau Grey. The lighting just doesn't do it justice, I promise. I'm in love with these colors.

In addition to the projects, I was able to have a wonderful Christmas with my work family, my family, my husband's family, and my sweet, crazy dogs at home. This was basically how I ushered in 2013- I went to my sister-in-law's place for the goodies (yummy!) and in the following days, I celebrated on the couch with my sweet dogs. They aren't easy to pose in 10 seconds, so timers on cameras don't quite help after all. 

I'm sure the theme of this post is "too many irons in the fire." Heck, I'll just say that's been the story of my life. If someone were to warn me that I'd be 31 weeks pregnant and feel like there was still so much to do, I wouldn't have believed them, due to the fact that I really thought my alone time with a hubby on deployment would have been beneficial to my productivity. But I've managed to still find lots of sleep and have a strong need for extra help when it comes to the house. I'm one big mess, I know. 

Progress in the Home

Oh goodness. Where to begin? 

I researched how women get that "nesting" bug in pregnancy, when it usually occurs, and what forms it usually takes. I learned a good bit! Apparently, if you're later in your pregnancy- like towards the tail end- "nesting" can actually be a sign that you are about to go into labor. (Part of me thinks this is silly, because if you're at the tail end of your pregnancy, that's enough of a sign you're about to go into labor). But all in all, women at any stage of pregnancy can be stricken with this nesting bug! And it can take many forms like cleaning baseboards and organizing, to an extreme of rearranging furniture and remodeling the home (or at least finding a need to). 

Well, my friends, I have the latter. I have never been more motivated to get this house in shape! I have been inspired to do so many things with it, and have accomplished a good bit in the past two weeks (thanks to family and friends!). 

As I mentioned in a much earlier post, we had ripped up our carpet and been living with concrete floors in our living room. It looked like we were in the middle of construction for 4 months, but prior to that, it looked worse because our carpets were so ragged and torn. So, we decided to get more wood floors in place of the carpet but agreed to take some time with picking everything out and paying for such a big project. I'm so happy to say that they are finally done!! 

Our awesome floors and sweet little Weezy Weez!

So, this is a picture of the foyer leading into the living room, with 2 different brands and colors of floors, matched as well as we could possibly match them (considering the floors in the foyer were discontinued). 

Because they don't jump out as being very different, fortunately, the space feels much larger and warmer than carpet and concrete! 

Another task has been painting. I had a painting party with a couple of friends, Mom, and my brother, and we accomplished quite a bit! But second coats are necessary and my mom is the bomb at trimming the walls with her steady hands, so we just take it week by week and when she gets in town she does trim so I can roll! 

This is just a snippet of the colors that are going into the foyer and living room. The foyer is a "Lyndhurst Timber" and the living room is a couple of shades lighter, called "Lyndhurst Beige." 

I went darker in the foyer because of the chair rails. I figured it's safe to be a little more dramatic there, and then lighten it up a couple of shades in the living room, since it's a much larger space! I look forward to completing the foyer with a few pictures (I don't know of what, just yet) and maybe a long console table to the left, centered on the wall. 

I just wanted to show a pic of the fireplace because the color of the walls kind of bounces off the fireplace better than in the other pictures. My next (surprisingly cheap!) project is to put up crown molding in the living room that matches the foyer. I have matched the trim paint at Lowe's and I'm just ready to make the living room look polished! I have no idea when that will be, but I'm so thankful that it's a really affordable project!

Ha! And this last pic just cracks me up. Mom visited last night and a good portion of today, with the intention of painting. What's funny is that she saw the condition of the windows- cobwebs, trapped flies, dust, hair- and she suggested we just clean for a bit. Hey, I'm not going to turn down help with cleaning, and I humbly admit, there are things I miss and/or just prioritize differently with my schedule. She cleaned and steamed floors, I did 2 loads of dishes, and then she did a bit of trim work while I helped sweep and dust. By the time she had to head home, I was bouncing off the walls, feeling so good about the house! It smelled so fresh, the dogs were super tired from playing outside, so I wasn't distracted by them. I just decided it was time to go through the fridge and take yet another humble look at the food that had gone bad, and the many poor fruits and veggies I didn't get to in time. I sure learned my lesson this week! 

After I took everything out, cleaned each shelf and drawer individually, and placed things in an orderly fashion, I just had a moment to my dorky self that I just really wanted to remember. So I grabbed the camera once more. 

Anyway, I could go on and on. This Monday, painting should be complete. This includes the kitchen, which I will take more photos of once it's finished! 

In addition to this week, I will be going through a lot of clothes and items in our bedroom and garage and donating them. I just want to get all of this crummy clutter out of the house before I'm too big to comfortably tackle this stuff, or simply before my daughter arrives and has her own belongings taking up space (which I have to admit, I'm more than happy to give up!). 

Anyone else feel the same as I do about getting the house completely ready for the future and all it brings? It's an overwhelming, lovely feeling. I could nest forever. 

Where is the time going? And what am I doing with it?

Ahhhh, Sweet November. 

Wait, What?! It's November already?!

Yep... it is indeed. And I've gone way too long without posting on here. But, that's going to change. I've got more ideas and more energy to boot! So what's been happening since my last entry? Below is a list of my main schedule, and what keeps me so out of the loop these days: 

Working. I work between 4-5 days a week, unless I've requested time off for any particular reason. I really enjoy work right now, and as long as I feel good, don't push myself so hard that I get sick, and keep a level head (despite fluctuating hormones, and my overall forgetfulness), I'm going to keep working. However, because I work in a restaurant, it means that I give up nights of family dinners with my in-laws and weekends of pumpkin patches and yard-sales because those are our peak hours. Oh, and Thanksgiving and Christmas are work days, as well, but I feel like I work with another family, so all is good!

House work. It sounds silly as much as I talk about house work and the things that I do around here. Some days really are better than others in regards to how much I actually get done. (For instance: I can sweep, mop, dust, and clean the shower, but the dishes are still piling up, and the laundry still sits in a heaping pile at the bottom of my closet!). I have been picking out paint samples, putting them up on the walls and living with them, trying to see which ones I love. I've priced the cost of replacing baseboards for when the floors get replaced (tomorrow!!!), and I've looked at ways to make the bathrooms and bedrooms way more organized and efficient for future guests- especially guests who plan on helping me at the tail-end of this pregnancy and/or when Anneliese arrives. Not to mention, the regular upkeep of a 4 bedroom house with 2 1/2 baths is really overwhelming right now. I am getting really close to getting it all just as it should be, though. 

Socializing. Between grabbing lunch or dinner with friends, having friends over (only the good ones who don't mind my house in its condition, haha!), and even trying to tutor one day a week, I stay busy on my 2-3 days off each week! I try my best to put myself out there and just go out in town, even if it's by myself, just to run into people that I know, and make a connection each day. In 4 days, Justin will have been gone 2 months now. It's still going well on my end, but I have to say, it's only because I make plans. There's only so much you can watch on Hulu before you just break down and need a personal connection with another human. Oh! And some days Justin catches me on chat, and we talk for an hour or so. Everything stops when I see him online. If I had plans to wax my eyebrows before work, it goes down the drain :) I don't answer my phone or get out of bed. I just lay there and chat with him until he says he has to go. 

Doctor Visits. Okay, so this doesn't really take up much of my time. I just threw it in there because I happen to have 2 this month. The 20 week check-up went as well as it could have with what Anneliese would show us. But there were still some measurements that needed to be taken which simply weren't going to happen that day. So, I'm scheduled to go back on Nov. 8 to hopefully get the rest of them. Thankfully, I feel her moving really well this week, and by the way it feels, I am convinced she's doing somersaults 24/7. So I'm hoping we can get her to do a LOT more on the ultrasound this next Thursday! I was reassured by a friend that it's really common to have to come back for additional measurements, and my doc said nothing jumped out at him as abnormal, he just needed to see more. 

Pinning. I now admit that I have a Pinterest addiction. I have been using Pinterest for quite some time now, but I have just carelessly pinned outfits and decor that I really love as inspiration with no direction. Anneliese's arrival honestly gives me tons of direction! It may sound silly, but I know that lots of baby things will be taken care of by my mom, in-laws, friends, and family. I already have 7 boxes of beautiful clothes for her. I have no idea when she will have the time to wear all of it! So, I'm relaxed about her needs as of right now. I really think that I'll be happy to shop for her after the baby shower. That way, I can hunker down and really focus on getting things that were missed, just before she gets here. Plus, I still have a ton of ideas for her room, which are all just budding at the moment. So Pinterest has really helped me with other things, like making my own laundry detergent (in another post!), shower cleaner, wreaths, and all of those simple organizational tips that I'm now really interested in using! I've even been so excited, I've reorganized my boards. It's ridiculous. But it certainly helps me feel a little more squared away with future projects and getting things done before motherhood :) 

Anyway, I have many more topics I'd like to touch on, whether it's today or tomorrow, or whenever. Stay tuned for my cleaning recipes, updated floors (!!!), painted walls, and my review and experience with prenatal yoga :) 

Until Soon. 

Oh So Tired!

Ok, I have spoken at length with people about just how tired I still am. I feel like I ride this roller coaster of ups and downs with regard to sleepiness. My ups consist of feeling like I have an average amount of energy on an average day. My downs literally consist of exhaustion to the point that I'm emotional about it. When I'm at work, I just want to sleep upright in my chair in the office for any given amount of time. I have to delay my paperwork until the beginning of my next day, simply because the end of the shift brings fuzziness and sleepiness with lots of emotions. Sometimes I'd love to complain, but overall, I know it's all for good reason! I'm so happy for the catalyst to my exhaustion (little Ali), but I sometimes wonder if I'll be gliding through the second trimester just as tired as I was in the first. 

Anyway, most days, I wake up with the help of Pinterest. I check my emails on my phone, check for Facebook messages from my husband (since that's his easiest way of communicating with me), and I browse Pinterest! For some reason, looking at those insane ways to clean things with half the effort, or some mother's home management organization binder, helps me gain enough motivation to get out of bed. 

Once I get out of bed, my teeth are lucky to be brushed right away. My hair is just thrown right back into a ponytail without brushing through the tangles. My face usually has day-old makeup because I went to bed too tired to take it off. And my clothes are covered in dog hair because they have replaced Justin in the cuddling-while-sleeping department. In other words- just you try to stop by my house before noon to check on me or say a quick hello. I will not come to the door- but it's not to avoid you. It's to prevent you from seeing me this way! 

I remember back in high school when I'd have such tedious attention to detail with organizing my belongings. I lost it sometime when I began to feel the all too familiar "senioritis" that so many of us experience as we get close to graduating. Since that time in my life, I have this repeat pattern of letting things build up in the house- laundry, dishes, dirty carpets- until one day I just have this huge burst of energy and I tackle it all until I'm totally and completely exhausted. I love to clean the baseboards, sweep and mop the floors, and scrub toilets, but only on the days when I've just had enough of the mess. After that, it just builds back up to an unbearable state, and I do it again. 

Well, the good thing about Justin being gone, is that I'm forced to confront this pattern, and I have to make (good) changes. The bad thing is, I never see the burst of energy where I get it clean in the first place, for me to begin practicing keeping it that way. So... it's just the dogs and myself, cooped up in my time off, together and not answering the door for fear of a stranger even seeing my raccoon eyes and hairy wardrobe! 

I guess this is where I need to suck it up and clean anyway. But I'd much rather be a two year old with a temper tantrum and say, "Nooooooo!!!!" ... at least that's the dialogue in my head. 

I sure hope this energy comes around. I feel like if I could just. wake. up. I'd be able to get through this messy home and get myself to a point where I could start fresh and reintroduce those good habits I used to keep to prove that I do value my belongings :) 

Until soon! 

Home Improvement(s)

Buying a home was exhilarating, as you might know from one of my first posts. We were so hopeful for this home, and it could not have been an easier transition into home ownership, as opposed to many stories I've heard. 

The house was new, as well, so we just hopped right in and felt like we were living in a palace! (If you'd seen the small apartment we lived in, in San Clemente, CA, you'd completely understand!). Of course, no house is perfect, even new! We were warned by the lady who managed our "walk-through" to get as much noted as possible, but that we'd inevitably find little things here and there over time, that show the home's imperfections. It's just part of the experience, ha! 

Of course, I really cannot and will not complain. What I'm mentioning in this post is not reflective of my dissatisfaction with our home- only a reflection of our overall experience as new homeowners. 

The first thing that really caved, was the builder-grade carpet. We have two dogs and Georgia red clay in the back yard, and it just couldn't hold up- at least not in the living room. So, after Weezy hit a stage of separation anxiety and ripped up some carpet in our living room (ultimately leading to crate training, which has been a lifesaver), I honestly had to say I was thankful for the segway into making it go away! :) Of course, it's not an immediate fix we could afford right away, so we've been living with concrete floors for a while now- but at least it looks better and is easier to clean. Below is a picture of the damage I came home to one day: 

...yeah. 

Anyway, the next issue we had came about when we called the company who originally did our flooring for the contractor. We just wanted to replace the carpeted area with the laminate wood flooring that we already had. Well, it's a discontinued product (which the contractor probably installed due to a discount for this very reason). So, we were advised that we may be able to find some spare flooring via warehouse websites, but to be cautious because they could be the leftover, less "matchy" pieces of the batch. So, we decided to just go with something drastically different. To be honest, I haven't loved anything I've picked out so far, but I don't want to pay for the leftover existing flooring, knowing that if anything ever happened, we'd have to start over with something different anyway. Why not make the living room flooring different, and replace the rest of the house with the new flooring if we ever feel the need to? All I know, is I just hate feeling like the house is "undone." But, I'm so so grateful for what we already have. Oh, and we're not doing carpet again. With animals, potential allergies of family and friends, and the upkeep, it's just not worth it.

Once the floors are done, I'll be THRILLED to host dinners and have people over and really celebrate our home, making it warm and inviting, just as I've always hoped to. 

The next thing that I noticed (actually my mom noticed- Thanks, Mom), is that some of the fixtures in the bathrooms just don't match. We have bronze door knobs, brushed nickel light fixtures, and shiny silver faucets. Of course, the bathrooms are nice and clean, and serve their function, but those little details are certainly ones that we never even thought of when we were in awe of our new home. One day, inexpensively, we can fix those features to be designed more cohesively, and ultimately, for future resale. But that's nothing compared to the joy we have of living in our neighborhood and knowing that we've accomplished the task of buying a home in the first place. Again- I'm just speaking of my experience. I'm sure everyone learns this when they have lived in their homes for a while! 

And finally, the most recent project I've tackled, was just last night! Our kitchen has a dining area (the only dining area, since we opted out of a formal dining room as a necessity), and the cabinetry in the kitchen is gorgeous, yet they are all quite shallow. If I had chargers or larger plates, they'd have no place in the kitchen unless we created shelving, or gave up space in the pantry. So... Ikea came to the rescue! 

I found this beauty there, and once I realized it'd fit into our little nook next to our table, I just couldn't pass up extra counter space and storage, so that when little Ali gets here, we have more room for bottles, plates, and her serving ware. 

Here's what I built all by myself last night!! 

This sucker took me 3 hours to build, and was super heavy duty. Don't worry, I used discretion when I was building it as to how to lessen the load of moving it from place to place. I did not overexert myself and kept thinking, "Man, I'm a handy-woman!" 

So for a really inexpensive project, I added 74 inches of counter space, 3 drawers and 148 Inches of shelving to our kitchen space. And all I can think about is using this bad boy for a buffet over the holidays! 

Well, I'd better stop while I'm ahead! I still have so many more posts to update, but I needed to talk about the house for once!

Until Soon!

Recap from the Recliner

But seriously, I really am sitting in my recliner, writing. I cannot seem to wake up for the life of me! 

Ahhh, so it's been an eventful 10 days since I've last written. Justin is still enjoying his new gig, and he's made tons of buddies to make the most out of the next year. I'm still so happy about that. I got a little visit with him in Indianapolis, which went really well, but was all too short. Huge thanks to my brother, who was able to house-sit for those 2 days :) 
Here's a few pics from Indianapolis that, I think, really show how pretty that city is! 

We went paddle-boating on the Canal Walk that goes through the city! It couldn't have been more beautiful, and since it's a college city, there were tons of people out running, biking, and just soaking up the amazing Fall breeze. 

I am not someone who enjoys picking up and leaving on a whim to fly stand-by to a destination where I haven't gotten a hotel or means of transportation, but I wanted to see my hubs. I don't know if I don't enjoy that because I'm pregnant and just generally feel too tired all day, or if I just had anxiety about leaving the house on a whim. Either way, the trip turned out really well, and I'm thankful for a good time with Justin! 

When I returned, my grandparents were staying in a beautiful little cottage in Serenbe, called the Mimosa Cottage. I called them when I got in, and they just raved about the amazing french toast they had for breakfast and the fact that they could watch a wedding from the front porch of the cottage. I don't think their stay could have been any better. They spoke to so many people out on the property and really connected with the serenity in Serenbe ;) That's obvious, though. 

I snagged a pic of them eating dinner in their cottage, and my chicken pot pie from The Hil, earlier that day!

And finally, what's been going on this past 10 days? To be honest, I'm still bumming around for the most part. I have been enjoying work so much, and although I'd love to take some time and visit family out of state while I'm feeling up to it, I have too much going on with the pets and the house. And every single day I go to work, I realize how happy it makes me. I see people I care about, sharing in my joys and offering company. I also eat really well (let's not overlook the obvious!), and I have something to do that takes my mind off living alone. 

Pretty soon, I'll be working on the house- finally getting some paint on these barren walls- and starting some other projects for... well every single room. The nursery is on my list, but jeez, it's like we just moved in. I have a ton of ideas and no desire to execute any of them at the moment. Fortunately, I have an awesome momma who is pushing me in that direction with every phone call: " Did you check out floor samples?" "Did you get some paint swatches?" " What do you want to do with window treatments?" 

Man, if I didn't have her, I'd be sitting in a house with concrete floors and things still in boxes. 

So, to end this post, I have yet another set of photos that reflect this past week: 

My belly is growing (although really, half the time it still feels like gas), my dogs are lazy in the back yard, and my cat is getting weird in his old age. 

OH! And I find out the sex of the baby tomorrow! 

Home Sweet Home: A lovely cliche...

Well, I'm happy to say it was in the Lord's will that we buy a house!!! It's incredible! I always heard people talking about how having a home is motivating, because every time you pull up in the driveway, you see what you're working for... and I totally understand that feeling. It's not like a burden, and it doesn't make me scared; it just makes me really proud of Justin and myself and inspires me each day, because I feel like we're on a really great "track" in our life. If we were to have babies one day, I'd already be giving them so much more than I had when my parents were pregnant with me. We have a stable, beautiful place we can call home, in a great neighborhood. I love my job, and I adore my husband. And anything that happens from here on out is just... good!

Speaking of babies; I have baby fever once again. I don't think it's something that ever goes away when you have been pregnant once before. It's like something inside of me changed and my "mommy" instincts kick in and every child I see is so precious and every baby just melts my heart. I know you don't have to be pregnant previously to feel this way, but I think that's what did it for me. I can't wait to be a mommy! I probably shouldn't post this in a blog, and if it makes it to the final draft, it's because I'm desperate to speak my feelings without having to directly involve anyone or be accountable to anyone at this time. I don't want someone to call me and ask how I'm feeling, if I had symptoms this month or not. I don't want to talk about how I think I'm pregnant, only to find out it's just a hormone-enraged period afterwards, leaving me more confused and upset with my body. Justin and I aren't actively trying to have a child soon, but "accidents" happen, and I like to be on high alert so I don't experience another miscarriage. That's probably why I'm so quick to think I'm pregnant, prematurely cutting out alcohol, caffeine, and cleaning the litterbox. But yeah, I don't want anyone to directly be involved in my baby wishes, because as I continue to hope for a pregnancy, it's easier to just deal with myself when the time comes for me to take a test or start my period. It's just nicer to know that I don't have to relive it in several conversations... I can just move forward and hope for the best in the coming months.

But I'm not sorry for myself for any of this. My miscarriage was mild compared to so many other women out there. My pain that I feel at the start of each period is mild, considering I have so much ahead of me to keep me preoccupied and busy with our plans for the future. I think the sadness I feel when I know I'm not pregnant is just a bittersweet feeling, because I don't get to have that crazy exciting feeling when I see the positive results on my test... I don't get to imagine my baby and its hair, eyes, nose, future name, and how I'll do the nursery. Since we are not actively trying for a child, it's not a huge deal that we become pregnant or not. But I just remember how my stomach flipped, my heart jumped out of my chest, and my nerves ran straight through my fingertips when I saw the word, "PREGNANT" on my test that day. Back in 2008. Man, that was the coolest feeling...

Okay, well that's another huge life decision that I must leave up to God's timing. It's definitely His will that I am living for, and I keep trying to whole-heartedly accept His plans for mine and Justin's life together. It's been an awesome ride so far, so I trust that the Lord has some great plans for us!!

AMEN people!

:)