Crib Bedding!

I have become a blogging fool! Posting my uneventful small joys in life right now are one of the things on my list that keep me occupied each day. I was so excited when we got our bedding delivered this week. It was really difficult finding something that wasn't theme based, but was still girly and went with the room. This Nautica bedding set is colorful and just girly enough! It is obviously not washed and pressed yet, but thought I would post what it looks like. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

THANK YOU!

We just wanted to tell everyone "thank you" so much for everyone's prayers. Our doctors appointment went well yesterday. My numbers have not decreased from last week so we decided not to do the surgery. I am on bed rest for at least the next couple of weeks and we'll take it from there depending on how the baby and I are doing. I will be going to see my high risk OB every week to make sure my numbers are still looking ok. Please continue to pray that everything goes well. Brandon and I both really felt at peace about the news we heard yesterday, so thank you so much again!

Nature's Perfect Nursery

The nursery gets closer and closer every day to being finished. Our wall decals came in yesterday and Bran put them up for me last night! They look adorable and I have to say I love them. Once we get the rest of the furniture and decorations in here it will be all ready for her arrival!! If you want to see more pictures they are posted in the slide show from the previous post!

Kaizen Your Process - Cost Savings

Since I am home on bed rest right now I have TONS of time to think of ways to save money, things to do before the baby is born, and all the things I need to deep clean before she arrives (I think I might be nesting a bit). By the way for those of you that don't know; the baby is doing GREAT, but there is something a little corky with my anatomy (go figure) that has caused me to be on bed rest until we see the perinatologist again on Monday. Today's post will be some ideas I have gotten from other people and some of my own to help cut cost right now:

• Making your own laundry detergent (Shannon says it is really quick, easy, and CHEAP) http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/make-your-own-laundry-soap.html
• Sounds to me if you play the system right you can get some amazing deals using coupons and this website: http://www.couponmom.com/
• Using towels instead of paper towels...for mirrors newspaper works best!

Make my own cleaning products (I always used just the basics, but found out that you can add essential oils to make everything smell a little better):

• All purpose cleaner: 1 part vinegar to 1 part water and 8 drops of lemon essential oil (use in spray bottle)
• Toilet cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda around the edge of the toilet bowl and then add 1 Cup of vinegar. It foams up then just scrub as usual.
• Floor cleaner: 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar. And mop away!
• Glass cleaner: Piece of crunched up newspaper, pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol and clean mirrors or any glass surface…..Works GREAT!!
• Removing Hairspray Residue (this is a new one I've found, but haven't tried yet)
  You can use this formula to remove hair spray residue from any hard surface -- vanities, tile, floors, walls, etc. Mix a solution of 1/3 liquid fabric softener and 2/3 water in a spray bottle. Spray on the surface to be cleaned, and wipe. Not only does it remove hair spray, it also acts as a dust repellent and shines vanities beautifully.

Well that is all for today tomorrow I will be posting a list of idea "to do" items to prep for our arrival...All you moms out there will have to let me know what other things I am forgetting!

20 Weeks Along

I have had a lot of requests for more belly pics...I wish all my AZ friends and family were closer! :( Bran and I have both been very busy. Ok...Brandon more so then me. He is busy getting the Land Cruiser finished, the baby room finished, working a lot, and helping me with the house work! What a good hubby he is! I will post some more pics this weekend of all the things he is working on right now.

Still feeling great as I enter into my FIFTH month. Wow - the time is just flying by. I can't believe I'm more then 1/2 way there. It will be so WONDERFUL when she is here and a part of our family. She is now able to hear our voices...so we are going to start reading a quick little bedtime story aloud every night. It is so exciting to read about how much more she grows and develops from week to week. Ok...here are some more pics:

it's a GIRL!!!

I'll start by saying it is a GIRL. Bran and I had our ultra sound today and they measured everything (heart, organs, legs, arms, mouth, and so on). The conclusion was that we have a perfect little girl. It was truly amazing to see such a precious little baby that is already so well developed. I feel blessed and so incredibly happy to be given such a WONDERFUL gift! Bran is very excited and says he is going to be so lucky to be surrounded by such lovely ladies (lol).

She is quite active already and just like her mother loves to eat!!! After I eat it is like a little party inside. I have to say she just might be quite the little rocker like her father. We were jamming out the other day in the car and she was going crazy - dancing I'm sure!! I am so excited to finally get to start shopping. Those of you that voted girl were right; we're thrilled and couldn't resist sharing it with the rest of you!! Here are some pics...


Kind of obscure to me...but the tech was 100% certain!

Side profile

3-D pic looks a little funny this early on
(and the umbilical cord was in front of her face).
She looks nice and snug!

GIRL or BOY???

Just a quick little update. We go to the doctor on Monday to find out what we are having. I had a normal check up 2.5 weeks ago and we took a quick peak to see what we were having. After 20 minutes of bending and stretching, clearing my bladder twice, and multiple positions we decided our little stinker wasn't going to uncross it's legs! We are hoping he or she will not be so shy on Monday. We will get all our measurements done on Monday as well. We already know from the last ultrasound that he or she has 10 fingers and 10 toes and everything else looked GREAT at a quick glance. I have been feeling the baby move a lot now - AMAZING!!! I absolutely love it when I feel a little tap from the inside. I am DEFINITELY bigger and I'll post pics for everyone to see next week (5 months!). Bran and I are already in LOVE with our little one, and we can't wait until Monday. I'll post some pics of him or her Monday night. Hope everyone is doing wonderful!!!