Three Weeks Later...

Hello, friends! Is anyone still out there?

It took me a little longer than I expected to get back into blogging after Rowan made his appearance three weeks ago (and holy crap... how has it been three weeks?!). I feel like I'm finally coming out of the newborn fog, so it feels good to get back to this little space of mine!

I have to thank my amazing husband, family, and friends for checking in on me, bringing us dinner and dessert, visiting, and sending help in the form of Starbucks gift cards. Y'all really know the way to a new mama's heart!

I thought I'd get back into things with a little life update, so in case you're like me and you wonder how the first few weeks of life are for a new mama... here you go!

Labor + Delivery

I thought about sharing Rowan's birth story but it actually went almost exactly as I had hoped, with very little drama to share, so I'm not going to dedicate a full post. Here is my quick recap:

Contractions started Monday afternoon (02/09) and progressed very quickly. (Contractions hurt like hell, thank God for the epidural.) My water broke at the hospital. I labored for 9 hours at the hospital with 45 minutes of pushing.

One thing I don't recommend is getting pain meds through your IV as you are waiting on your epidural. They made me so incredibly loopy, I could barely respond to questions and I was dozing off in between contractions, but yet the pain was definitely still there.

Baby

We learned at Rowan's 2-week checkup that he gained almost 2 pounds and grew 2 inches in his first two weeks of life. He is already growing out of newborn sleepers because of his length!

It's safe to say this kid loves to eat. Breastfeeding is going well so far but I do admit that its a little frustrating feeding every 3 hours. Though that's much better than every hour... Rowan cluster fed all night for the first week we were home. That shit was rough.

Postpartum

Since my delivery went pretty smooth I've felt really good aside from the lack of sleep. Two things I was not expecting after birth: tailbone pain and night sweats. Ugh. Someone please tell me the night sweats go away soon?! I can't even stand to smell myself. Just another glamorous side effect of pregnancy I suppose...

My husband has been absolutely amazing taking care of me, Ruby and Rowan. You really do fall in love with your husband even more when he becomes a Dad. I could listen to him read to Rowan or sing him goofy made-up songs all day.

Ruby

Ruby is so adorable with Rowan, I can't even handle it. She was a little forceful with her kisses at first but she has learned to be more gentle. She follows you with Rowan anywhere you go and is protective of him around new people.

Yesterday Rowan was fussing in his Mamaroo so Ruby nudged my leg, walked over to the mamaroo and looked at Rowan, then looked at me.. like, "Hey are you going to do something Mom?" I mean, too cute!

Blog Plans

I don't plan on going full out "mommy blog" on y'all but I definitely plan to share some of my favorite mama + baby things very soon! I'll also get back to regularly scheduled programming once I can entertain more thoughts besides when did my kid feed last and what was his diaper like.

I'm not sure how we got so lucky to call this little man ours. He brings us so much joy, all of the sleepless nights are 110% worth it! We're feeling so blessed!

I hope you have all been doing well, I'm so excited to catch up on my blog reading!

 For our privacy, I have removed some photos from this post. Please do not copy or pin images from this page.

 

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Rowan's Nursery Reveal

Rowan's nursery is officially ready, now all we need is for him to make an appearance! It has truly been a labor of love and I'm honestly surprised we pulled this off before his arrival. I'm pretty sure if my husband heard one more word about the rocker, shelves, or crib skirt I might have been a single parent.

Though some of the DIY projects were a lot of work, I'm so happy with how everything came out! I wanted the room to be soft and calming but also have some masculine, industrial-like details that can grow with him.

There was at least one pregnancy hormone-induced melt down about the presence of the queen bed in this room. I hate that it takes up so much space but with a 2 bedroom house, we absolutely need the extra bed for visitors until we can buy our first home (hopefully this Spring... yay!).

I tried to avoid a full-fledged theme but I did love the star bedding and that inspired the DIY mobile. One of my favorite items is the watercolor calligraphy print of lyrics from one of our favorite Coldplay songs, which went with the whole star thing too. And completely unrelated to stars, I threw in some adorable elephant details. Random combo I know, just go with it.  

I love my Kate Spade baby bag, which I got for 70% off during one of the big sales. The only downfall is not having a crossbody strap but I purchased one on Amazon and can clip it onto the stroller straps if needed. Not super glam, but functional. 

Our biggest splurge was the rocker, but it was completely worth it! You can remove the rocker legs to convert it to a traditional chair later on. Plus it was a quick ship option, we shipped it directly to the store for free, and used the 20% discount during the Pottery Barn Kids friends and family sale.

 

Eventually we may get some kind of bumper and toddler quilt but since we can't use them until Rowan is older, I didn't bother.

 

The crib skirt and curtains are made from Restoration Hardware flat bed sheets. I loved the color and couldn't find something similar anywhere else, but let me tell you... linen is not easy to work with! The crib skirt is adjustable (I used ribbons to tie it to the mattress frame) so I do love that aspect.

 Sources

Wall Color: Benjamin Moore "Grey Owl"
Crib: Jenny Lind
Crib Sheet: Aden + Anais in "Night Sky"
Crib Skirt: DIY, using this RH Baby & Child Twin-sized flat sheet in "Ocean"
Curtains: DIY, using this RH Baby & Child Queen-sized flat sheet in "Ocean," tutorial here
Pewter Curtain Rod: Bed Bath and Beyond (similar here)
Rocker: Charleston Rocker by Pottery Barn Kids in Washed Grainsack Dove Grey
Pom Pom Throw: Hattan Home
Lumbar Pillow: RH Baby & Child 
White Pouf Ottoman: Land of Nod
Side Table: Target
Basket under Side Table: RH Baby & Child
Lamp: Target
Changing Table/Dresser: Craigslist, redone by my pregnant self
Changing Pad Cover: Aden + Anais in "Night Sky"
Diaper Pail: Ubbi
Basket on Changing Table + in Closet: TJ Maxx 
Drawer Organizers: IKEA skubb boxes
Calligraphy Print: A Fabulous Fete
Elephant Print: Oh Hello Dear
Baby Mobile: DIY, tutorial here
Shelves (with books): IKEA Ribba Ledges
Shelves (above dresser): Target 
Zinc Letter: Anthropologie 
Wooden Name Blocks + Truck: Little Sapling Toys 
Teether: Alex + Ally
Elephant Stuffed Animal: Pottery Barn Kids 
Picture Frames: Michael's, H&M, and World Market

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38 Weeks

Whoa belly!

How far along: 38 weeks! Also known as 5338 weeks pregnant.

Size of Baby:  My app says a swiss chard (whatever that is) but lets just tell it like it is, he's fully cooked!

Gender: baby boy

Best/Worst moment this week:  Finishing the nursery! And not going into labor while my husband was out of town...

This week was a tough one because we lost my husband's Grandfather, one of Rowan's two namesakes, and I couldn't be there with my husband and his family at the funeral. We are so sad that he didn't get to meet Rowan but we know he is watching over his great-grandson from above.

Weight gain: +36lbs. Just keeping it real here folks.

Maternity clothes: Even maternity shirts are starting to get tight. See above.

Stretch marks: Happy to say my belly is free from stretch marks (just some broken capillaries near the old belly button piercing, which according to my OB will go away). On the other hand, the ladies have matching stretch marks (and their own zip code these days) so take it from me and apply that lotion to other places besides your belly!

Belly button in or out: Still half in, half out

Wedding Rings on or off: Can't wait to wear these again!

Sleep: Actually slightly better, I think out of sheer exhaustion I just sleep through my need to pee five thousand times.

Miss anything: Being in the "cute" stage of pregnancy as opposed to the "feeling like a whale" stage

Movement: Still lots of shifting, stretches, and hiccups. He's really active between 11 PM and 1 AM so clearly we have a night owl on our hands!

Cravings: This kid may or may not be made out of chocolate.

Symptoms: Exhaustion, sore swollen feet, round ligament pains. And my face is officially chubby

Labor Signs: Some cramping but no contractions yet. I wasn't dilated at all last week but I think he has dropped since then so lets hope for some progress at today's appointment!

Nursery: Full reveal coming MONDAY! 

Looking forward to: That moment when I can tell Steve to grab our bags because the babe is on the way :) Who knows, maybe this will be my last bumpdate?!

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36 Weeks

It's been so miserable outside lately so today's bumpdate was forced inside. And yes, I totally copied that pregnancy silhouette photo floating around Pinterest. Ignore the double chin, will ya?

How far along: 36 Weeks (aka 9 months! Whoa!)

Size of Baby:  A large cataloupe (19-22 in., 6 lbs)

Gender: sweet little baby boy

Best moment this week: Taking a breastfeeding class, installing the car seat, and seeing some of the crazy positions this big babe gets himself into. When I get up from laying on my side, my stomach is completely shifted to the left and it looks so wild!

Weight gain: +34lbs. Doc says this will slow down a bit so lets hope!

Maternity clothes: Living in leggings, big sweaters, and my husband's t-shirts. I basically feel like a sausage stuffed into all my maternity clothes these days.

Stretch marks: Sadly I think two small stretch marks just appeared yesterday above my old belly button piercing. Ugh!

Belly button in or out: Half in, half out

Wedding Rings on or off: Keeping both rings off just to be safe

Sleep: Sleep has been minimal because of the constant shifting from side to side, which requires so much effort. I don't know how my husband sleeps through it!

Miss anything: Not having water and/or snacks spilled on my shirt, wearing normal clothes, the gym

Movement: Shifting. Punches to the hip bone. Long stretches in all directions. Some movements can be pretty uncomfortable.

Cravings: Cold water, bananas, and just about any sweet I can get my hands on

Symptoms: Still the usual suspects: exhaustion, sore back, and aching feet. The heating pad has been my friend lately!

Labor Signs: Still nothing! My OB says its okay not to have Braxton Hicks so that made me feel better. I start my weekly appointments tomorrow so we'll see how long this babe decides to stay put!

Nursery: Hoping to have the full reveal in the next week or two... until then you get this little sneak peek!

The drapes and pillow still need to be ironed... don't judge.

Looking forward to: Holding my baby boy in my arms, followed closely by an over-sized glass of Pinot Noir.

Thoughts at 9 months:

- At the end of this week we'll officially be full term! I'm excited to hear any news of progress in the labor department (though I seriously doubt there will be any yet).

- We've officially finished all childbirth and breastfeeding classes so we're as prepared as we're going to be in that department. I definitely suggest taking classes if you're prego, they are free at the hospital and the breastfeeding class was really informative.

- Initially I predicted Rowan would be a January baby, despite his February 11th due date. But now I'm thinking he is going to stay put until February 7th and Steve says February 2nd... so we'll see! Anyone have any bets?

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28 Years: My Unrealistic Pregnant Birthday Wishlist

Today I turn 28. Considering I thought I was already 28 for most of this year, it doesn't seem that new to me. All I can think about right now is how I'd really like to go get my free Starbucks drink but its a bitter 19 degrees outside.

{Photo via}

To be honest 2015 has been a bit of a blur so far. At 35 weeks, I'm lacking energy and whatever I do have I put towards crossing things off of the massive pre-baby to-do list. I had big plans for the blog this week but haven't been able to get to any of them, so today I give you a pregnant girl's birthday wish list.

1. Someone to make decisions for you

I'm terrible at making decisions. Not the big decisions, like who to marry... that one was easy. Even naming the baby... not that hard.

It's the little things, like what to put on the registry, colors for the nursery, etc. that I can't handle. Example: I am currently debating which swing to keep. 

We picked up the Mamaroo because the other swing was already making an obnoxious clicking sound, but really I think all swings make their own sounds. I'm leaning towards the Mamaroo though, just hoping the babe likes it! Any mamas have a preference?

2. Warning signs for when the hormone hurricane is about to come through

If you didn't experience the inconsistent waves of crazy-woman hormones during your pregnancy, then congratulations are in order. They come out of nowhere, usually provoked by something truly mundane like an eye roll from your husband or the fact that you ran out of toilet paper. There's no warning, you just erupt in a fit of anger and tears.

3. Unlimited pedicures and foot massages

I didn't truly understand this until I hit about 33 weeks and it started to feel like I had been walking around a theme park for days. Something about those 20+ pounds you pack on wreck havoc on your feet, so unlimited spa pedicures whenever you deem necessary would be ideal.

4. A free pass to slap a hoe for insulting prego comments 

Remember when I told y'all about the woman who asked if I was checked for twins? Yeah I would have slapped her if it were socially acceptable. She's just lucky the hormone hurricane wasn't rearing her ugly head at that very moment!

5. Slip on shoes and leggings all day, every day 

Who am I kidding, I already live by this rule.

6. A promise that your water won't break in public

I may or may not become a hermit in the last few weeks of this pregnancy. I know most women's water doesn't even break until you're at the hospital, but that doesn't mean I'm not terrified of having that gush of water while I'm drinking my Icee, shoving my face with popcorn, and buying diapers at Target.

7. Pain-free recovery

I secretly despise the women who tell me their recovery wasn't that bad. Either you're lying or you're one of the lucky few and are giving me false hope. I'll be the one preparing for carnage with my 5 jumbo packs of overnight super pads, Tucks, and granny panties.

8. Someone to pick up everything you drop

At some point you will get to the point where it is easier to leave things on the ground than bother picking them up. I've recruited my husband for pickup duties, he's doing great so far.

9. A stash of wine and Starbucks gift cards waiting for you after delivery

Because 9 months without caffeine and alcohol was torture.

And there you have it my friends, the unrealistic guide to birthday gifts for the knocked up ladies. Anyone have anything else to add?

Linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts on Thursday! 

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34 Weeks: Baby Countdown is on!

How far along: 34 Weeks

Size of Baby: Pineapple (19-22 inches, 4.9+ lbs)

Gender: sweet little baby boy

Best moment this week: Taking our hospital tour, it was pretty surreal. And my husband commenting in our childbirth class that he wasn't going to help with the baby for the first 6 months... and none of the people realizing he was joking. Good one babe.

Weight gain: +30lbs. Translation: feeling huge!

Maternity clothes: Ready to burn my maternity clothes. I've been attempting to wear non-maternity pieces but it's not going so well.

Stretch marks: Still clear! Thank you belly butter!

Belly button in or out: Might be in the beginning stages of popping, hard to say

Wedding Rings on or off: Keeping both rings off just to be safe

Sleep: Going to bed late and waking up early thanks to baby kicks and pregnancy insomnia. Plus 3-4 pee breaks per night. Lovely.

Miss anything: Sleeping comfortably. Champagne.

Movement: Lots of big shifting movements and hiccups almost every day. The movements are starting to be uncomfortable so I can imagine the babe is getting cramped in there!

Cravings: Still loving ice water and orange juice

Symptoms: Total exhaustion. Aching back. Oh and my feet feel like I've been walking around a Theme Park for days

Labor Signs: None yet, not even Braxton Hicks. I'm measuring right on track but for some reason I feel like Rowan might be a January baby!

Nursery: SO close to being complete! I cannot wait to share it with you all!!

Looking forward to: Holding our little man in our arms! What could be better? Can't wait to see what good stuff 2015 has in store for our little family!

A much needed mani-pedi is on the agenda this weekend :)

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32 Weeks

How far along: 32 weeks... 8 months!

Size of Baby: A head of lettuce (he is measuring a little big, so we know he's over 4 lbs already!)

Gender: all things blue

Best moment this week: Completing our registry and feeling like we have what we need...even if its totally unorganized at the moment.

Worst (but most informative) moment this week: Learning about pain management (read: seeing the epidural needle) and watching birth videos during our childbirth class. Holy hell what did we get ourselves into?!

Weight gain: +29 lbs... Woof.

Maternity clothes: Getting so sick of wearing the same things but I refuse to buy anything else from this point on

 

Stretch marks: Still in the clear.. woo! My OB said if I don't have them by now, I probably won't get them so lets hope she is right!

Belly button in or out: Still in and flat

Wedding Rings on or off: On maybe half of the time but no swelling elsewhere (yet)

Sleep: I've been a total night owl lately. I think once I get the nursery done I will stop thinking about it so much and stop online shopping from my bed.

Miss anything: Wearing blouses. Random?! Its just one of those things you can't wear unless you get a maternity version (not as cute) and I have been wishing I had some for dinner dates lately!

Movement: Lots of shifting going on and some hiccups! He pushes his butt up against my belly a lot and I noticed a heel pushing out the other day. It is so entertaining but slightly uncomfortable now. I never know what he's doing in there....

Cravings: French fries and Christmas cookies. Together or separate, I don't discriminate. 

Symptoms: Tired and out of breath quickly, hungry all of the time, and having difficulty putting on and taking off socks/shoes. Yeah I'm definitely feeling 8 months pregnant!

Labor Signs: None yet but we know Rowan turned and is now head down... woo! I'm starting my 2 week appointments this week, whoa!

Nursery:  Making some major progress finally! I have a couple DIY projects to do, like turning an expensive Restoration Hardware sheet into a crib skirt, so wish me luck! Stay tuned for more sneak peeks until its ready for the full reveal!

Looking forward to: Christmas! We're not traveling from here on out so I'm excited to have visitors and a few days off from work.

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Our Baby Shower

And just like that another weekend has flown by! As I attempt to clean up the glitter and pine needles from decorating our tree, I thought today might be a good day to share some pictures from our baby shower!

It was so surreal being at my own baby shower! My Mom hosted and I'm amazed at how perfect everything turned out, especially considering she had just hosted Thanksgiving 2 days before and had a house full of people the whole weekend.

The Little Pumpkin baby shower theme was perfect and all of the little details and time my Mom put into planning it made it so special. I helped her out my designing some water bottle and favor labels with parts of the baby shower invitation.

The favors were mason jars filled with pumpkin granola and Reeses pieces. This recipe is so easy to make and I loved how my Mom decorated the jars! The dessert table also included iced pumpkin cookies and homemade fudge, along with the cutest baby shower cake ever!

A friend of mine, my maid of honor from the wedding, made the cake and cake topper. It was so perfect and delicious, I still can't get over how talented she is! (See our Florida Gator cake topper she made here.) It was really special having her involved and it's safe to say the cake was a hit because it was completely gone by the end of the shower!

Yes... my parents have a giant Senior picture of me on the wall. #onlychildproblems

Knowing I'm not one for complicated shower games, my Mom decided on baby shower bingo (a huge hit with most of the crowd, they get intense about their bingo) and a really easy trivia game with questions about Rowan and a few about my husband and I as kids. My friends and family also cut out pieces of yarn to wrap around my belly and see who was the closest to the size of my bump. (Side eye to those of you who thought I was gigantic!)

So many of our friends and family pitched in to help us with diapers, everyone was so generous! I think we are stocked in the diaper department now!

Dress {Pink Blush Maternity, sold out} Similar here and here.

Rowan was completely spoiled by our friends and family and I couldn't have been more thankful to see all of them at one time since we aren't able to make it up to visit often. We were so excited to get home and organize everything for our little guy. A special thank you again to my Mom for hosting, Justine for the cake, and my cousin Amy for taking photos for us! 
 

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30 Weeks + Mini Nursery Update!

How far along: 30 weeks! 10 more to go!

Size of Baby: Butternut Squash (About 17 inches and 3.1 lbs)

Gender: all things blue

Best moment this week: Most definitely Thanksgiving and our baby shower! We were totally spoiled by friends and family so now we have most of what we need. Just a few more things left to pick up and get organized!

Weight gain: I refuse to look after all the food I stuffed into my pregnant face this past week...

Maternity clothes: Mostly maternity with a few extra big sweaters thrown in

 

Stretch marks: Still in the clear (from what I can see) but lathering up with Mama Bee's Belly Butter every chance I get

Belly button in or out: In and almost flat

Wedding Rings on or off: Off most of the time :(

Sleep: Great aside from the 2-3 pee breaks each night. Love having my bump nest to support the belly

Miss anything: Definitely missed wine with my Thanksgiving dinner this year

Movement: Lots of shifting and kicking going on. The babe is still (very obviously) transverse so I get a lot of kicks on my hip bones and the bump looks super crazy when he stretches in both directions.

Cravings: Any type of food, so hungry!

Symptoms: Getting tired much more easily these days. My back and feet get sore more often and I feel like I'm peeing constantly, but overall I feel great.

Labor Signs: None so far, not even a BH contraction. I know I have time for him to change position, but I'm really hoping he moves head down soon so I can stop stressing!

Nursery: We finally have our rocker! I was nervous about the grey rocker with grey walls but I think with a white throw and a little pillow it will break it up a bit.

Now we need an ottoman. What do y'all think? White morrocan pouf or something with a pattern like this or this?

We ended up going with the Charleston Rocker from Pottery Barn Kids (pretty appropriate name, right?!) in the "Dove Gray" Washed Grainsack fabric. The fabric and color was kind of by default... it turns out if you purchase this or one other fabric/chair combination and have it shipped to the store, you can save on shipping and surcharge costs ($140!). Plus we got 20% off with the Friends and Family sale, so it made it kind of a no brainer. It's so comfortable, I absolutely love it!

Looking forward to: Our ultrasound tomorrow and putting up Rowan's Christmas stocking! I also cannot wait to start baby laundry with all the cute onesies and sleepers we got this past weekend... we're getting so close!

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The Bump

Happy Monday, friends! We're on the road today so I thought it would be the perfect time to share our beautiful maternity photos, taken by Jodi of Tickled Blue Photography.

These photos were taken on probably the dreariest, coldest Fall day but Jodi worked her magic and we could not be happier with them! I don't know how she did it, but she managed to make two incredibly awkward people look good in front of a camera... I say "good" loosely because my hair could have cooperated a little bit more, but hey I'll take it.

Dear Rowan,

 

Your Daddy, Ruby and I have moved a lot in the past few years, but Charleston will always hold a special place in our hearts because this is where you are joining our lives. We have spent almost two years here now, our entire marriage, and it has been the happiest two years I can ever imagine.

We could not have been more excited to see those two little lines and the word "pregnant" on the (many) pregnancy tests I took, it didn't feel real at first. We thank God every day for you and ask that you continue to grow as you should, happy and healthy. We thought you were a boy from the start and were so happy to have it confirmed at 4 months. You're named after your Papa and your Great Grandpa "Chub," both amazing people who love you more than you know.

  

Over the past seven months we've prayed for you, prepared your nursery, heard your sweet little heartbeat, and felt your little (and big) kicks. So far you enjoy laying sideways in mama's belly, prime location for kicking my hip bone. I don't mind because those kicks are constant reminders of the blessing God has entrusted us with.

I can't help but worry and think about you at all times, but so far this pregnancy has been good to me. I went from having lots of food aversions to eating everything, but mostly carbs and sweets. I just have to make sure you like pizza and cupcakes as much as your Mommy and Daddy do.

 

I can't imagine a day without your Daddy by our side. He is the most loving and thoughtful person I know. He's patient, brave, and selfless. He can always make me laugh and has been by my side through even the worst of the pregnancy hormones. I hope you take after him, he will teach you so many things.

We promise to try our best at this parenting thing, but be patient with us because we have no clue what we're doing! Just know that we love you with all of our hearts and are so thankful that we'll have you in our arms in just a few months!

Love, 

Mommy

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