10 on 10: December

I stumbled across a fun little project. It's called 10 on 10 over at a Little bit of Sunshine.  You take 10 photos (1 every hour) on the tenth of each month.

A little snapshot into my day. Happy 10th everyone!

Good morning!

Lucy's fist ornament

Kicking and a punchin.

Tummy time!

waking up from a nap

dog naps.

The little bean burrito.

Lucy's first stocking and my favorite stocking hangar!

cuddles (probably after a nap).

 supper time.

Its amazing how much of my day has that cute little lady in it. And as soon as next week, my day is going to be so different because I'm headed back to work. Oh how I'll miss that little bean burrito.

nursery.

Crib, Nursery Bedding, Blocks & Pendants made by friends, monitor, curtains: Shabby Chic Target

chalkboard frame, shelves, headbands: handmade

Glider: Consignment, Zinc "L", toy basket

mirror, frames, laundry basket :Home Goods, changing table dresser, baskets

End table, lamp: Home Goods

Song of Solomon 4:1 Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead
.

Month 2 Favorites

Lucy is 2 months old! We can't believe it's already been 2 months. The time really does start to fly by as Lucy gets more squirmy, smiley, and has begun sleeping longer stretches through the night. 

Here are our 2 month favorites that we couldn't have lived without over the past month!

1. Bamboobies: super soft washable nursing pads. These are awesome leak proof nursing pads that stay soft against your skin. Bonus ** if you leave one lying around while nursing you will be less embarrassed by bystandars because they are cute little heart shaped pieces of fabric and not weird circle maxi pad looking things (like disposable nursing pads). My sister has renamed these "hooter hearts."

2. Passy's. As I mentioned in my original post, Lucy wasn't interested in passy's the first month. We kept "plugging" away {har har} and finally found her favorite from the Dollar Tree. She now has a new favorite: MAM Pacifiers. These seem to stay in her mouth better while she's taking her naps than the Dollar Tree passy's do. My advice, try them all until you find the one your baby likes! They are a lifesaver in stores, car rides, during immunizations, and general times of fussiness.

3. Play Gym. This is what we spend most of our awake time during the day on. (And by we I mean Lucy.) She loves to swat at the little dangly toys that play music, and there is a mirror and lots of colors for her to look at when she is on her tummy for tummy time!

4. Undercover Mama Nursing Tank.  This tank top clips onto your nursing bra and can be worn under any normal shirts to create a nursing shirt! Let's be honest, nursing tops are frumpy. And terrible. This tank top turns most of your clothes into nursing clothes without your belly getting exposed while nursing in public! (Any stretchy tank top will work too, you just have to be willing to stretch it out and may not be able to wear it again in your post-nursing future.)

5. Costco Kirkland Diapers. My sis-in-law swears by these diapers. And at $31.99 for 216 diapers at Costco {that's $0.15 each} the price is awesome. Plus they come in bulk, because lets be honest, you go through a ridiculous quantity of diapers every week. They work just as well as Huggies or Pampers, and even have the little yellow line that turns blue when they pee for itty bittys.

6. Nursing cover. Cute and awesome for nursing little ones while you are out and about.

7. Passy clip. This was a sweet gift from one of my husbands cousins and it is absolutely adorable. It's personalized and great for traveling and getting out and about with baby. It forever answers the question, "where's her passy?"

8. Swing. I've heard some babies don't like these. But for us, it is a registry must! When Lucy starts to get sleepy and wants us to snuggle/rock/cuddle her and we are cooking or cleaning or trying to be hands-free, we plunk her in the swing and she loves it. She coos and talks to the little birdies in the mobile as they dance around above her head and we use it just about every day. She's only fallen asleep in it about 2 times; however, I have friends who used it exclusively for getting their little one to sleep.

9. Video Monitor. We are just now trying to get little Lucy to take naps in her crib, so that we can eventually get her to sleep in her crib through the night as well. This monitor is awesome because it has a video with night vision where you can keep an eye and ear on baby while she sleeps. You can also spy on your husband when he is up giving a diaper change too, because the controls are on the handheld device. This pose shown in the monitor above is what we call "Roller Coaster Ride." She makes the most awesome poses with her arms while sleeping-and we love being able to catch them on the monitor.

What items could you not live without at two months with your little one?

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever." Psalm 136:1

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving from our little indian!  

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." Psalm 107:1 

Roasted Green Bean Not-so-casserole

Thanksgiving is less than a week away! That means its time for menu planning and recipe choosing.

Every Thanksgiving I was in charge of green bean casserole--in all of its creamy, cheesy goodness.

Ever since having a baby and breastfeeding, I have had to start watching what I eat. I am still working on losing some baby weight, and we discovered Lucy has trouble digesting any dairy products through my milk.

Cows milk products can cause some babies to be extremely fussy and gassy. So gassy in fact, that they have trouble actually burping or getting the gas out. So I cut dairy out of my diet. {Which is sad. Very sad.} But when you have a screaming baby who you can tell has a terrible little tummy ache, you will eat only cardboard for the rest of your breastfeeding life if it will make them happy!

So I have had "fun" trying to find dairy-free but delicious substitutes for my favorite meals.

If you are going low fat or dairy-free this Thanksgiving, these roasted Green Beans with bacon and caramelized onions will not disappoint. They are roasty and delicious with flavors of roasted garlic, nutmeg and mushrooms {which are missing from the pics, because the husband detests mushrooms and I have to cook them on the side}. This is true love people.

Roasted Green bean Bacon and Garlic Not-so-casserole
1 lb snipped and cleaned green beans
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
2 slices of crispy cooked bacon, diced
4 cloves of garlic, thickly diced
1 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 cremeni mushrooms, thinly sliced (not shown)

Preheat oven to 425. Toss green beans, bacon onions, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil, nutmeg, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes until onions are caramelized and green beans are soft (but not mushy) and not longer crisp.

What is your family's go-to veggie for Thanksgiving?

How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.  Psalm 31:19

Thankful for...

Passy's!

Everyone told me that you can try every passy on the market and your baby will end up picking the one they like.

Well, we were beginning to think Lucy was just NOT a passy kind of gal. Every one we tried she scrunched up her face and spit out or gagged on.

We were okay with life without a passy because that meant we wouldn't have to break her of it in the future. But, passys come in handy when driving or shopping and when you have a fussy baby who is having trouble settling down for her nap. So we kept trying...

Then, I remembered a passy we had in this adorable corsage my aunt made me for my baby shower, full of baby socks and a passy and ribbon. (Seriously adorable-my friends suggested she sell them.)

And lo and behold...its her absolute favorite. When I asked where it was from so I could grab some more, my mom told me it was from the dollar store.

So at 2/$1 little Lucy is in love with her fashionable but thrifty binkys.

And she feels glad. And thankful.

Thankful for...

The holidays are approaching, the holidays are approaching!!

And there is nothing that could make this new mom and little baby happier.

With Thanksgiving next week, I plan on sharing some recipes {if I can ever find time to cook.}

In the meantime, I will share what I am thankful for.

Today, I am thankful for Aden & Anis Swaddle blankets. We seriously use these every day. Get them for your prego friends. They will want to hug your neck.

 They are thin and soft, and stylish, so they keep baby warm and swaddled up cozy.

Plus they make great car seat blankets.

I'm also thankful for skinny trees {which are SO in this year.} And sisters. And decorating skinny trees on November 12th.

Month 1 favorites

I loved reading other blogs with favorites new moms couldn't live without...so, here are my top 5 must-haves for month one:

Rock N' Play Sleeper. We originally had a different bassinet/moses basket which was flat. Lucy kept spitting up all over herself and was very restless in the flat bassinet. After reading a zillion reviews about how people were getting 4-5 hours of sleep with this sleeper, I was determined to try it out. This is awesome! It sits right beside our bed and cradles baby so she barely notices when we put her down. If she wakes in the night I can lean over and rock her a little and she will often settle back to sleep. And we have gotten 4-5 hour stretches of sleep now that we have the rock & play! I've also set this up in the bathroom while taking a shower and blowdrying my hair and she is happy as a little clam in the sleeper!

Boppy Pillow: This pillow is essential to breastfeeding. It helps with positioning and a comfortable spot for baby to doze while nursing. It is also an awesome prop for little ones who want to hold the baby.  I recommend one for each floor of your house. I only had one the first few weeks, but thanks to my wonderful friends, I now have a second one in our bedroom. Now I don't have to tote it upstairs with us every night when we go to bed!

Vibrating Baby bouncer: This is a great little seat to clip baby into while you are cooking, watching TV, etc in the house. It has toys for her to look at, it vibrates and plays music, and if she dozes off for her afternoon nap and starts getting restless, it bounces! We use this every day.

Medela Pump in Style with Tote: This pump is great! It is on the pricey side, but I read a lot of reviews that it is excellent for those going back to work, as it is efficient at pumping both sides at once. I got the hands-free bra to go with it (so you can actually do things with your hands while pumping). It's not loud, it doesn't hurt, and it comes with all of the bottles and things you need to pump. I've started preparing my supply for going back to work, and hubby has even gotten a chance to give the baby a bottle too! 

Zippered Onesies: Lucy has lived in these since day one. We put a little short-sleeved undershirt under to keep her warm, they cover her feet, and they are easy to zip up in the middle of the night (no trying to line snaps up while you are half asleep changing a diaper!) 

What were your favorite one-month items?

" I have loved you with an everlasting love." Jer 31:3

Happy 1 month & a birth story

One month ago, {yesterday} me and the husband went to the hospital for the 2nd night in a row, with contractions 4 minutes apart. We had been sent home the night before because "I was smiling too much" and my contractions weren't "bad enough yet".

We arrived at the hospital very punctually on our due date 9/25/12 at 2:00am in the morning, in full fledged [back] labor. When they checked my cervix and said I was still only a 1 or 2 cm, I could have cried. Luckily my amazing doctor felt my contractions on my stomach and saw how much pain I was in and decided to admit me. Bless her, bless her, bless her.

By 7am I kindly pleaded for an epidural. My hubby was in charge of rubbing my back every 2 minutes for an entire minute, and at that rate, I knew we would both be worn out! Thankfully I had the best L&D nurse Jenny, who did everything possible to accommodate us, and the best anesthesiologist a girl could ask for, my pain went from an 8-9 without the epidural to a ZERO with. Yep. Praise the Lord above for the person who invented epidurals.

By 9am I was 5 cm and they had broken my water. My contractions strangely enough slowed down, a little pitocin was administered, we visited with family and hung out all day, and we were ready to push by 2pm.

My sweet sister, husband, mom, mother-in-law and nurse Jenny prayed over the baby in my belly before we started pushing. Straight from their lips to God's ears, sweet Lucy Mae was born 51 minutes later at 2:51pm.

I couldn't have asked for a better birth story and a better L&D nurse, and obstetrician. My hubby cut the cord and I truly fell in love with him all over again, the day I saw the look on his face the moment our daughter was born.

As we welcomed our new Lucy home, our family and friends surrounded us with food, snuggles for Lucy, naps, and even chances to dash out of the house to get some sanity. We even got to go out on a date for our anniversary.

We now have a 1 month old baby, who can hold her head up pretty well, smile beautifully when you coo and sing at her, can drink from a bottle {of pumped milk}, has pitifully had her first cold, and who is outgrowing her newborn baby clothes and diapers every day.

A month has flown by...we are so excited for the months to come!

Happy 1 month Lucy!

Lucy 2 weeks

2 weeks of squeeks and grunts and sleepy yawns.

2 weeks of our first diaper blowouts, getting peed on, and thrown up on. 

2 weeks of zippered onesies and squirmy feet and middle of the night dancing/swinging/singing sessions.

2 weeks of angelic eyes staring up at mom and dad.

2 weeks of falling incredibly in love with this sweet little gift from God!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not changelike shifting shadows. James 1:17

week one with Lucy

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 1Samuel 1:27

40 weeks...baby Lucy is here!

If you have been anxiously awaiting a 40 week belly shot, I have something even better for you.

The baby has made her debut!

Lucy Mae arrived on her due date 9/25/12 (how very punctual of her) at 2:51pm at 7lbs 15 oz and 20.5'' long.

We are madly in love and over the moon with our late night party animal.

Thanks dad for the awesome collage!

thirty nine. {according to my iPhone}

How far along? 39 weeks--only 3 days till baby's Due!!

Sleep: My sleep is very unproductive. And I had a dream last night I had the baby but was so drugged up I didn't remember anything and kept asking the husband "how big was she" "when was she born", etc. Can we say anxious much?

Best moment this week: Hanging out with my sister from Texas and all her babies!!! (See my photo obsessions above.)

Miss Anything? A glass of spiced cider Sangria would be real good right about now!

Movement: Yes! Baby is running out of room and her movements have a lot more force behind them now. I can't wait to hold her in my arms and see those little hands and feet that have been poking me all along, but treasure the feeling and know I will miss it!

Food cravings: Crunchy ice and chocolate. And chicken pot pie. Tried She Wears many Hats' recipe this week and it was unbelievable. 

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: Still having regular Braxton Hicks...and according to doc I'm 1 cm. Yippie. But that's all the progress we've made so far. 

Belly Button: Pokin out.

Symptoms:  Braxton Hicks, a big ol' 9 month (almost 10 month) prego belly, packed hospital bag, and carseat in the car. Lets get this show on the road!

Wedding Rings: No. Soon my little sparkly friends, soon. 

Looking forward to: Baby!! We have been patient and we have watched you grow in my belly. Now pelase get the memo and start moving things along. Thank you and we love you.

 ^"Whenever a woman is in labor she has ^[a]pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a ^[b]child has been born into the world." John 16:21

Worth the wait...stuffed zuchinni boats

4 days and counting until our due date for the bean!

And dear Lord, the wait is exhilarating and simultaneously could drive this new mom and dad to be nuts at the same time.

So, in the meantime, I cook. And we wait.

And we brace ourselves, every time a round of time-able Braxton-Hicks comes along.

And sigh a great big sigh every time they disappear.

These stuffed zucchini boats require a little bit of preparation and attention, and a little bit of waiting. But it will be worth the wait.

Crispy zucchini boats stuffed with tomatoes and onions in creamy parmesan and white wine mixture with crunchy breadcrumbs that will make your mouth water and your stomach happy.

{And it won't require nine months of baking to indulge in the end result. }

Stuffed Zucchini boats
adapted from Rachael Ray's Mama Elsas Stuffed Zucchini

2 large zucchini, sliced in half horizontally
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup white wine (can substitute chicken broth)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup breadcrumbs or crushed ritz crackers
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425.

Slice zucchini in half horizontally, and slice 4 rows of cuts 3/4 of the way through the zucchini lengthwise. Add cuts horizontally throughout the rest of the zucchini, creating a 1/4" lattice. Using a spoon, scoop out the zucchini, leaving boats remaining. (Be careful not to get to close to the edges or the boats will not hold up.)

Place zucchini boats on a baking dish and drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over zucchini. Roast for 7-10 minutes until browned and slightly tender, flipping once halfway throughout.

While zucchini is roasting, heat a pan with remaining olive oil to medium heat on the stove. Add zucchini "meat" (previously scooped out of boats), onion, and garlic and sautee 2-3 minutes until tender and translucent. Add wine to the pan, scraping up the brown bits and reduce wine to half about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes (drained) and parmesan cheese. Cook 2-3 minutes until thick and creamy.

Stuff zucchini boats and top with bread crumbs. Turn oven to BROIL and and heat for 2-3 minutes until breadcrumbs are crispy. Serve and enjoy!

thirty eight.

How far along? 38 weeks-11 days till Due Date...but who's counting?

Sleep: Sleeping sometimes. And waking at 3am sometimes... STARVING and needing an english muffin and peanut butter. And then taking some leisure time to read. Yep, at 3am. 

Best moment this week: The beautiful fall weather that has blown in to NC. Just in time to make this 9 mo pregnant lady much more comfortable! And my first cup of coffee with Pumpkin creamer this year!

Miss Anything? Sangria.

Movement: Yes, little swishes and a foot swirling about on the side of my belly all day long. I will miss feeling this sweet thing move around in my belly and taking her with me everywhere I go.

Food cravings: Crunchy ice, bananas and peanut butter or peanut butter on an English Muffin (sometimes at 3am).

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: Some Braxton Hicks that are coming in regular spurts. Which have started to hurt a teeny bit. And then they disappear....

Belly Button: Opposite of innie.

Symptoms:  Braxton Hicks and Heartburn!

Wedding Rings: Nooope.

Looking forward to: My sister coming up this weekend from Texas! Yeeeeehaw. With all of her adorable babies [who are not really babies at 8, 6, 3, and almost 2.]

"Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise." James 5:13

37 weeks according to my iphone

How far along? 37.67777 weeks [our chalkboard wall got hijacked so I had to improvise this week...just in time for 38 weeks.]

Sleep: We had a fun weekend full of wedding festivities for our two dear friends which equaled lots of sleep after! 

Best moment this week: Wedding festivities for Mr. and Mrs. Gabbard!! And our friends from NY Boston who have been visiting all weekend, along with my little sis!

Miss Anything? My ankles.

Movement: Yes! Although its a lot more subtle than when she had lots of room to move around, I feel her scrunching up and feet and hands swirling about all day long.

Food cravings: chocolate and crunchy ice.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: Some Braxton Hicks that are becoming more regular! As in about 10 minutes apart, as in freaking me and my husband out this weekend. Now that we've made it to the wedding, she is welcome to come whenever her little heart desires! (Unless of course she wants to wait until my sisters can be here.)

Belly Button: The turkey timer is out!

Symptoms: Swollen feet, achy pelvis, Braxton Hicks

Wedding Rings: No, and I miss them dearly.

Looking forward to: My sister coming up in one week from Texas!! And of course, baby making her big debut!

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4 NIV

DIY Bookshelf Ledge [Pinsday]

Happy "pins"day!

I'm so excited to show you our latest DIY Pins-piration.

Why am I excited?

Because you also get a sneak peak to the bean's nursery.

But just a peek. We are still moving things around and adding more ruffles and pizzaz, so the final product will have to wait.

At our first baby shower, each guest brought a book for the baby to help start off her library. This was a fantastic idea--we went from zero books to tons of books for us to read to baby.

We debated back and forth on where to put & how to display all of these books in her room.

Until we stumbled upon ClassyClutter's blog on how to DIY your own bookshelf ledge (via Pinterest).

It was amazingly easy (especially if you let your sweet husband do all the work), and very, very  inexpensive.

We used leftover trim paint to paint the shelves, and only had to buy the wood (2x4's and 1x4's) and anchors to anchor the shelves into the wall. (Roughly a $10 project).

Check out ClassyClutter's blog on how to assemble your own DIY Bookshelf Ledge. I bet it would also be a super fabulous way to display picture frames and knick knacks too!

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

thirty six.

How far along? 36.5 weeks-Holy cow we are having a baby this month!

Sleep: Hmmm. I think me and the baby have different definitions of sleep. She thinks night time is dance party time. I, on the other hand, would like to sleeeep.

Best moment this week: I had a scare with the baby's movements slowing down, and got to take  a "non-stress test" which involves laying in a recliner while hooked up to a fetal monitor and contraction monitor while clicking a clicker every time the baby moves. Baby bean decided to prove me and the doctors wrong by moving a hundred times in the 20 minutes I sat there. and it was fun watching the fetal monitor bounce up and down and a big huge relief to this momma.

Miss Anything? Ahi tuna. mmmm. That will be my first post-pregnancy meal I think.

Movement: See aforementioned "best moment of the week."

Food cravings: coffee? Crunchy ice. And no, I'm not anemic. It's so cold and so crunchy!!! 

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: Just a few Braxton Hicks here and there. And she's moving down in my pelvis slowly but surely. 

Belly Button: Out out out.

Symptoms: Achy pelvis and hips makes this lady move verrry slowly this week. 

Wedding Rings: Sigh. One day I will get to wear my favorite sparkly diamond rings again.

Looking forward to: My sister coming up in two weeks from Texas!! And seeing a friend from NY next weekend and two of our dearest friends getting married! Let's hope baby holds off till then, and after that all bets are off!

 ^"He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created." James 1:18