Belly By The Week: Round 7

WEEK 36
WOW! Can't believe we are to this point already! Seems like yesterday when I was taking pictures of the "then chubby belly I thought I had!" It scares me that the pregnancy has gone this fast...how will I feel 9 months after baby is here!?! Anyway, yesterday was also our 36 Week appointment and final (scheduled) ultrasound. Bittersweet. Baby wasn't very cooperative with images, so its very difficult to make out their position. Not sure if I will post them or not. Baby has hair (confirmed through ultrasound--no surprise there), all major organs look perfect, and baby is measuring a week ahead. (Baby's estimated weight was 6lbs. 14oz.) and I am 1 cm dilated! (And feeling great, but ready for baby to come anytime!)
Here is a recap of all the belly pics to celebrate the past 9 months... and, yes I do wash my clothes, I noticed looking through these that I have the same pants on for several weeks in a row. xo

4 Weeks

5 Weeks

6 Weeks

7 Weeks

8 Weeks

9 Weeks

10 Weeks

11 Weeks

12 Weeks

13 Weeks

14 Weeks

15 Weeks

16 Weeks

17 Weeks

18 Weeks

19 Weeks

20 Weeks

21 Weeks

22 Weeks

23 Weeks

24 Weeks

25 Weeks

26 Weeks

27 Weeks

28 Weeks

29 Weeks

30 Weeks

31 Weeks

32 Weeks

33 Weeks

34 Weeks

35 Weeks

36 Weeks

The Nursery Reveal

WEEK 36

The big reveal! I am so excited to have the nursery complete and be able to share it with all of you. I completed it a few weeks ago when I finished and added my final craft project to the nursery: The crib Mobile. It was such a sense of relief and excitement to know that it is ready for baby's arrival! I am very happy with how it all turned out and love that each little piece has its own story.

 I hope you enjoy the pictures and remember I spent less than $500 to do it!

This is the view from the doorway. The crib is to the
immediate left and the closet is to the right.

I am standing in front of the dresser to get this view.

The crib with storage bins underneath.
The quilt backdrop is one that my Great
Aunt Nancy made for me when I was born.

Reading corner.
Baby has quite a book collection already! 

My funky thrift store antique rocker.
One of my favorite pieces and
quite possibly Andrews least favorite.

Picture collage above the twin bed.
Top picture: is an antique print of Noah's Ark.
Bottom left: is a bible verse (John 3:16) that
a close friend wrote when she was little, she
passed away from complications of a car
accident when I was in High School.
So happy I found a place for this in the Nursery.
Bottom Right: is an antique print that was used
in a neighbor's mother's nursery. It was a very
special gift to receive. It fits perfectly!

This collage is on the wall looking straight in from the door.
Very top shelf is of antique-wooden Fisher Price toys
from my collection.
The wooden numbers are antique tracing tools
that were used in schools for young children to learn how to
draw the number. (Kind of difficult to see, but the
round button is where they would place their
pencil tip and could trace the motion of the number-
the button slides.)
Bottom Right: Ultrasound photos of Baby starting at 5 weeks.
Bottom Middle: An antique needle point alphabet about America
Bottom Right: Top picture is of Andrew as an infant, bottom is me.
Can you guess where baby's picture will go??

This picture looks cluttered, but it will have to do.
On the wall is the large antiqued U.S. map
to the left (TOP) is a vintage postcard of Michigan
(Middle) is a vintage postcard of Tennessee
(Bottom) is a Norman Rockwell metal sign that reads,
"What a wonderful world."
The dresser is stocked, but is also being used as
storage ground for items that don't have a home yet.
To the far left of the dresser are the packed hospital bags!

Can't forget the rocking horse that started it all...
(It was my first purchase for the nursery.)
I repainted it. It sits on a crate full of gift items
that need to be put away. Eventually,
I hope to put small books/toys in the crate...

Top 10

35 1/2 Weeks
With Andrew's help, this is a list that I compiled of  the 10 ITEMS that I would not have made it through the pregnancy without: (*Note: people are not items, so i did not list my husband as one of these top 10, but if i had included people, he would be #1 on my list...) 
In no particular order...

1. My Pregnancy Sleeping Pillow (used in half of the first trimester, all of the second, and the first half of the third)
2. Body Butter (I used Sanctuary by Mum to Be from Motherhood Maternity)
3. TUMS (purchased in Extra Strength, economy size)
4. Water Bottles (I found that if I drank water out of a travel bottle versus a glass I would consume much more, daily.) I never leave the room or house without one in hand or an extra in my purse.
5. Ocean Spray Cran/Grape Juice (It is still a challenge every day to consume enough water, but by mixing this juice in with the water, it helps tremendously, especially when I was nauseous)
6. Hot Showers. Showers have been my form of "medicine" when I am not feeling well. I am hoping that I will be able to find the same comfort during labor in the hospital in the massaging shower included in our Delivery Suite.
7. Sweatpants and/or leggings. Enough said.
8. Sports Bra/ Nursing Sleeping Bra. It seemed like every time I bought a new bra, my boobs would grow, so instead of wasting more money (knowing I would eventually have to buy nursing bras), I opted for the sports bra or a nursing sleeping bra. There came to a point where I could not wear any bra with under-wire because of the pressure it would put on my rib cage and the counter pressure the baby was giving in the opposite direction. (And wearing no bra has ever been an option for me...)
9. Applesauce and Go-Gurt (my dependable go-to snack foods)
10. Sweet-tooth fixes: 
1. First Trimester: Jolly Ranchers
2. Second Trimester: Mike and Ikes
3. Third Trimester: Dots

I'm sure there are still items that deserve credit for helping me through those long nights or nauseous days, but the items listed have contstantly been my life savers throughout the pregnancy. I will continue to update this list if I feel any honorable mentions are in order as I finish out the pregnancy in the next month! I also plan to compile a future similar list of items that I would not have made it through Labor and Delivery without....

Baby Showers

WEEK 35
With our trips to MI dwindling down as we got closer to baby's arrival, my mom decided to throw me an early shower when we went home in July (I was about 4 months). She compiled all family sides from both Andrew and I to make one shower. Theme of the shower was vintage/antique baby. She had the shower at a local pizzeria in our hometown and had it catered with pizza rolls, salad and bread sticks (did I mention the homemade strawberry shortcake for dessert!?) YUM! Many family members from both sides contributed to the shower in more ways than one. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP! THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL GIFTS! It turned out to be a beautiful day and although nobody got to see a giant pregnant belly or feel baby kicks, it was a very special day that reminded me how blessed we are with a wonderful family (friends included) and how lucky baby is to be joining this great group of people. Here are a few pictures from the fun day!

This is a stool that I used when I was little from my GG's house.
The books are one's from my childhood.

This is a photo of my Mom's childhood bear and
the receiving blankets were used when I was a baby.

This table held photos of Andrew and I as newborns
as well as a few other special ones. Lullabies played
from the record player during the shower.

The bassinet is one that Andrew and I have set up
in our bedroom for a temporary baby sleeping area.
It was mine when I was a baby. The baby dolls were
ones that I had and played with as a little girl.

Grandma M (Andrew's mom) made these cute bars as
a favor for guests to take home. My cousin Jackie made
cute cracker jack box favors to take home, also!

Me opening gifts....

Me.

During the shower we played a couple cute games put on by baby's Aunt Tree and I also had each guest fill out a baby stat guessing sheet that I have combined to make a fun scrapbook for baby to look back at.
Guests had to guess:

• Date of Birth
• Time of Birth
• Weight
• Length
• Boy or Girl
• Hair Color (if any)
• Baby's Name

It was very fun to see what everyone came up with and I am so glad I did it! As it gets closer, I will post the guesses in a mass calendar screenshot. We said whoever is closest will receive the first few pictures of baby before everyone else...(although the Grandma's disagreed with this--and added they will be the first and then the closest guess will...)

 Shower #2 was put on by my friend, Megan, here in our home last Friday evening. We didn't have as large of a turn out as expected, but I wouldn't have changed a thing about it. It was so nice to have an intimate gathering that allowed us to sit and relax and visit (and be entertained by the toddlers who also attended). There was lots of fun, love and laughter that filled the house. I'm not sure if she was going with a certain theme, but if i had to guess one it would be "ADORABLE" and she nailed it to a T. The main color she used was yellow, which she accented with sunflower centerpieces, yellow frosted cupcakes with candy pearl sprinkles, lemon cookies, lemonade, and a burlap banner that read "Congrats Sadie" in yellow paint. She also incorporated all our maternity pictures and sprinkled candles throughout the house that gave it such a wonderful cozy glow.We didn't play any games, but instead had guests write on a calendar of their guess of when baby will arrive and each guest wrote a note to add to a "Wish Tree" that Megan made out of spray painted twigs and lights which I was to keep :) Here are a few pictures from the shower (minus the food table, because every time I was near it I was filling my plate for the 2nd and 3rd time and taking a picture was the last thing on my mind...)

Me opening gifts.

The mantle decorations Megan put together
(all DIY)...pretty impressive!

Pictures of Andrew and I as infants and toddlers
scattered the bulletin board and at the bottom,
pictures of our baby's ultrasounds held the
DIY Gift Tags that Megan made in place.
She used the bassinet as a gift table.

This table had the Baby arrival guess-date Calendar that
each guest wrote on and the "Wish Tree" that Megan
created sprinkled with love and well-wishes for the baby
and parents-to-be.