Spring Cleaning

I have the next couple of days off of work due to Jewish holidays so I am using this opportunity to get some serious spring cleaning done!! After Adam and I found out that we were going to have a baby, we put "deep clean the house" on the list of things to do before she arrives. I've been busy scrubbing base boards, cleaning windows, wiping down walls - everything tiny thing you can imagine. I have to take a short break in a bit to take Daisy to her regular vet so he can check on her, but other then that I am just cleaning today!!

Last year during the Jewish holidays Adam and I had just closed on our house. I cannot believe that we've been here a whole year (although we technically closed on the 9th I think)!! We still have a long way to go in this house, but it really does feel like home! I cannot even count the countless dollars we spent at Home Depot/Lowes/Benjamin Moore, the many hours we spent painting, or the number of back and foot massages we gave to each other after working for 14 hours straight a lot of days! It's been a lot of work!! Happy 1st Anniversary house...I hope you enjoy the spring cleaning!! Here a few pictures of the house right before we moved in. I will post some "one year later" pics this afternoon (after I clean so it's all pretty)!!

The front of the house (and no...those are not our cars)


The living room (standing in the dining room and looking at the back door)


The dining room (check out the beautiful border...ha)

Caroline's Crib

The crib has arrived!! It looks so wonderful in the room. I cannot wait to get the bedding and mobile on so it's ready for our little girl. My parents delivered it on Saturday and they and Adam put it together. I sat in the glider and watched...and then complained about how hard I had worked. Pregnancy allows you to do things like that. It's almost required. Anyway, it looks great!! We got these cute little letters from Three Sheets in Homewood and spelled out her name above the crib.





I am really pleased with how everything is looking so far. We've still got a bunch left to do - but it's getting there.

Poor Little Daisy

On Saturday morning Adam and I woke up and started getting ready to go and get breakfast at Magic Muffin. Sweet Daisy just did not want to get out of bed!! She's normally a lazy little thing - but this was more than normal. We finally got her up and out and just assumed that she was having a tired day. After a full day of running errands and doing stuff around the house, we noticed that Daisy was just not herself. She wasn't greeting us at the door, she didn't seem to care about food or treats at all and she was laying on her bed in our bedroom by herself. Then we noticed that her tail was tucked under her body. Adam picked her up so we could investigate and she let out the most heartbreaking yelp. She was shaking and clearly in pain. I started to get a little nervous so I looked up her symptoms on the internet (although my New Year's resolution was to NOT try and diagnose anything over the internet) and I found this horrible story about a dog with a spinal disc problem. Adam and I quickly rushed Daisy to the Emergency Vet Clinic. They examined her and determined that she had somehow hurt her back. She is in pain - but the good news was that nothing is broken and it is not a disc problem. They gave her a shot of doggy morphine and sent her home with a prescription for doggy pain killers. She's been resting since last night. My poor baby obviously doesn't feel good but I can tell that she's starting to get a little better. It's so horrible to see any animal in pain - and especially one that's a member of the family!!

29 Weeks

I had my 29 week doctor visit today. Everything went well. Caroline measured at 30 weeks. She weighs about 2.5 pounds - about the weight of a butternut squash (LOVE the babycenter.com weekly emails) Her heartbeat was good and strong. I will go back again in two weeks for another checkup and will also have a consult with the anesthesiologist. After that I will probably be going to the doctor every week until she gets here. It feels like I am always at the doctor's office!! I know that once she gets here it will all be worth it! Adam and I are going to be doing lots of stuff in the nursery this weekend so I'm sure I'll have some fun pictures of our progress.

The Dresser

The dresser/changing table has finally arrived!! We put it the nursery and it looks perfect!! I just love the darker wood with the bright walls. Hopefully this weekend we'll get all the stuff put up on the walls and get her cute little lamp to sit on the other side of the dresser. All we have right now is the changing pad.



The crib has arrived to Huntsville so it just needs to get to our house...but we're just about done with the nursery!! I am really happy with how the room is coming together and cannot wait to see it completed!!

28 Weeks - Finally 3rd trimester!!

Today I am 28 weeks pregnant. I am now in the third trimester with only 12 weeks to go (if she stays in until her due date). I hope that the next few months go by super fast although I'm sure they won't... Caroline's been moving a lot lately. I think that she wants to hurry up and come out!! This week she weights about 2.25 pounds and is about 14 inches long. She will be doing a lot of growing in the coming weeks (which ultimately means that I will be doing a lot of growing too).

In other news, in honor of the start of the third trimester Adam and his brother cooked me a fabulous dinner. It was so nice to be able to relax and be served. If only it could be every night... Anyway, here are some 28 week belly pics.

Publix Baby Club

Everyone with a baby/small child needs to sign up for the Publix Baby Club. I did it several weeks ago and have been very pleased so far! I got a package delivered to my house today with a bunch of coupons - most of them were great like free lysol, free hand sanitizer, buy one get one diapers. I also got a copy of the American Academy of Pediatrics Caring For Your Baby and Young Child. You can even sign up online...so seriously, do it if you have babies and if you're thinking about making babies, then remember to do it!!

The chair is here!

Our nursery chair finally arrived!! It looks perfect in the room. It is so comfortable and will be perfect to feed/rock Caroline. Adam practiced by rocking Daisy and he gives it two thumbs up. We also hung up the book rack that Adam got Caroline for Christmas and a couple of picture frames. We still need to get a floor lamp to put behind the chair, but other than that - that corner of the room is done! The dresser/changing table arrived to the store today so we're going to pick it up tomorrow. My mom picked up the crib yesterday and that will be arriving soon as well. After that - we've just got to get the stuff up on the walls and we're ready for a baby!!

I passed!! (and 27 weeks)

I took the second (long) glucose tolerance test today. I passed!! I am so glad that it's over. For the past few days I have been following a special diet (most of the time...). I couldn't eat from midnight last night until after the test today. They took my fasting blood sugar level - which was great - then I had to drink a HUGE cup of the "glucola." It was horrible. I thought I was going to throw it up but they told me if I did, we'd have to start the test over so pure willpower to finish the test kicked in. They pricked my finger every hour after that. All my fingers are now sore. I don't care what anyone says - getting your finger pricked is just as bad as having to give blood out of the arm. At least it's all over now!!! After the long hours of torture I got to have my regular two week check-up. Her heartbeat was strong and steady. I have gained some weight and now weigh 112 pounds. Caroline measured on the big size (but in the normal range). She is a perfectly healthy, strong baby!! Only 13 more weeks until her due date. Once it gets closer to time we'll have a better idea of the birth plan. I just wish I could know now. Will I be induced or not? Will I have a c-section or not? I am getting super anxious about the whole labor and delivery process but I guess there's not much I can do about that part right now.

Chili Cook Off

This weekend was so fun!! After working at Lil Lambs on Saturday morning, Adam and I went to the Exceptional Foundation's Chili Cook Off. The weather was beautiful. Adam's dad joined us and we had a blast. We met up with some college friends and spent the afternoon sampling chili, drinking beer (or water in my case), listening to music, and catching up with old friends. We cannot wait to bring little Caroline next year. It truly was a perfect afternoon!

Lil Lambs

This weekend was Lil Lambs - the consignment sale at Trinity UMC. Since I was volunteering on Saturday, I got to go to the preview sale on Thursday evening. I got some really good deals!! I got a few cute summer outfits and even one that was already monogrammed "Caroline." It was perfect!!



I also got her a bumbo seat, a changing table pad and cover, some videos, and a cute little "Caroline" monogrammed bag. All in all - I got some fun stuff and volunteering was pretty fun too. I only had to deal with one crazy person (who seriously put up a fight over a $4 skirt - but that's another story). I cannot wait for the fall/winter sale!

New Pictures

We hung some new pictures in our house today. I had seen a few architectural prints at an antique store recently that I REALLY loved..but they were just out of my price range. I happened to be searching on craig's list the other night and came across a set of 3 architectural prints for only $45!! They were already framed and matted - and I knew they would be perfect. We don't have very much on our walls at all since I'm so picky about the art that we choose. Adam did such a great job hanging them!

The wall before


The wall after


A close up of one of the prints


The little nook area (with the hanging crosses - leading to the master bedroom) still needs a couple more things. I am looking for a small chair and/or maybe a floor vase, who knows? These pictures make it closer and closer to being complete!! I love getting stuff done around the house!

26 Weeks

Today I am 26 weeks pregnant - so close to being in the third trimester! It's hard to believe that I'm this close to having a sweet baby girl! Each week I get an email from babycenter.com that tells me what's going on developmentally with the baby and how big she is - she's the length of an English hothouse cucumber this week. It always makes me laugh to picture some fruit or vegetable inside me. Here is a 26 week belly pic.



I meant to take better pictures - but it's been a very week at work (and it's only Tuesday!!) and I've reached a point in my pregnancy where I am always uncomfortable. It's hard to sleep at night, sometimes because she's kicking and sometimes because I cannot get comfortable. Needless to say I am exhausted. I put my pj's on the second I got home and went to rest so that's the best I can do! On another note, we're going to get the dresser/changing table this weekend!! So now we have all the major furniture. We may need another little table to put beside the crib, but we can handle that later. I'll post pictures of that later.