30 Week

30 Weeks

I've been a slacker on this post . Actually, not so much as slacker as I was supposed to have my appointment on Monday but didn't have it until Wednesday so I thought I'd wait to post this.  Whatevs, I'm busy. 

So 30 weeks....10 to go.  Just writing that made my stomach do flip flops.  All is well though for sure I'm feeling it.  I broke down and bought a pregnancy pillow.  Baby girl likes to hang out in the "penthouse" as her Lala says ....in other words up under mama's ribs.  That makes it just a touch hard to breath.  I have some photos on my phone of her up there--I'll have to post one . It's weird how big and pokey I am at the top  when she does that.

My last two appointments were three weeks apart to get me back on track and I gained 5lbs in theory.  I say in theory b/c 10 mins before my appointment I scarfed down a Wendy's Hamburger :)  So that makes total weight gain 14lbs.  Not horrible. 

I'm not swelling thank goodness BUT based on how she's laying for sure I can feel it.  I get this really sharp pain in my pelvic "joint" (I don't know what else to call it) which I can only assume is from where she is. 

We ordered her custom crib stuff and I've been working on a piece of artwork that I'm so thrilled about.  We also added the lanterns over her crib.  I'm in love with how the room is turning out!

I made my appointments from now until October 7.  Insane.  I can't believe we're already talking about that but we are. I also talked to my OB about my fears of delivering early and/or on the highway :)  I'm hopeful to make it to 39 weeks and then try a few measures (NOT pitocin if I can help it) to get things rolling.  None sound fun but I'd be very happy not to be induced.  I'm also happy to hear that the chances of our hospital not admitting me just b/c I'm not in "active enough" labor are slim to none.  Regardless I'm prepared to bunker down in the hospital lobby if need be :)

29 Weeks

29 Weeks

Cruising along.  Baby girl is still moving and groovin' and we still have LOTS to do.  Some moments I'm anxious, mostly I just know it'll get done.  I think I'm starting to put on weight like I did with Emerson so I'm trying to watch that.  Not much else to say :)

Well Hello Third Trimester

28 Weeks

I feel like I've been hit by a bus.....the third trimester buss.  Lord help me I'm hoping it's just the result of a long long weekend with an uncomfortable toddler thanks to her run in with some pavement. 

It's funny, the first trimester crawled, the second feels like it flew and now I'm starting the third.  Bananas.  Apparently I passed my glucose test which is awesome.  Baby is doing well and I've gained all of 9 lbs.....granted 8 of it was last month :)  Baby girl is having a dance party in there to the extent that I have a sore spot on my belly from her hip/butt/heel pushing out.    It's also super weird to fell her pushing around sometimes--it's way more than Emerson ever did and sometimes it freaks me out a bit. 

Despite the fatigue and discomfort I'm still doing my best to enjoy each day.

DIY Changing Table-Finished Product

We finally finished the changing table and I'm thrilled!  The plexiglass proved harder than we thought but all and all I'm over the moon with it.

The original.  Solid wood but a hot mess

The doors.  You can't tell here but one of the pieces of plexiglass had a crack and another had a black permanent marker on it.

The top just to show how scuffed it was.

After sanding Matt put stain on it.  Because of the natural wood combined with the wear and tear as shown above this was a little more challenging.  Our goal was to get it somewhere near the crib color.

As you can see this piece has a black marker line.  This was far and away the trickiest piece.  Because it's a solid piece of wood I ended up having to crack it (gently....if that's possible) with the maillot and screw driver.  Then I pulled out and discarded each of the pieces.  Eventually we replaced the plexi but not after trying a bunch of other ideas.

At the suggestion of Home Depot we added a primer to help with absorption.  It concerned me b/c as you can see it went on VERY streaky and having not worked with a primer I wasn't sure what to make of it.

Antique white paint

Drawer fronts painted. 

Finished product!

The fabric we ended up finding on fabric.com (after searching high and low at JoAnn's).  The knobs are from Target.  Ironically after looking at all sorts of specialty knobs those were the ones that worked best.   As for the drawer fronts, originally we thought we'd be able to slide out and then back in the plexi but that just wasn't happening.  We had to take plexiglass and, after cutting it to the approximate size, cut it again.  Matt then wrapped the plexi  in the fabric and then wedged the pieces back in one side, then the other.  He then screwed them in place just in case.  I came through and covered the inside drawers with a basic white drawer liner contact paper.  I trimmed the drawer fabric on the inside, hot glued it down and then put the contact paper over that.  The reason was mostly because I didn't want it exposed though I'll admit it's not beautiful.  However, it's clean and safe. 

 The lamp on top in the picture above is from Emerson's old room with a coral shade from World Market. Frankly I'm thrilled with it. Now to finish off the wall decor. 

27 Weeks

27 Weeks

Do you like how my belt is up in my shirt?  Yea, classy.  That pretty much sums it up lately.  So this is the 27th weeks, aka the last week of the second trimester.  For as slow as the first went by this one has gone as slow....except exactly the opposite.  I'll admit that I'm getting a little sentimental.  Also they talk about how the first and third trimesters are so tough but that the second is soooo great.  That scares the bejesus out of me given how tough this trimester was and if THAT is good?  I mean yea, I wasn't puking all the time but oofta, still.
All and all things are going well . I'm in a lot more discomfort but I think that has to do with the fact that my ligaments etc are already loose.  Girlfriend has been all over the place today--at times I swear she's sideways. 
Tomorrow I have my 27 week appointment and the fabulous Glucose test.  The test itself doesn't really bug me so much as the inevitable sugar crash.  I'm also wiser this time around and man almighty I don't want to have to stick myself daily.  I'm also curious about weight gain.
Tomorrow also marks the beginning of the bi-weekly appointments.  Guess it's time to kick it into high gear.

26 Weeks and more Room updates

26 Weeks

I don't feel like there's a whole lot to report this week.  I'm feeling pretty good but with the same issues---Tired, feet hurting, getting stiff after sitting and generally feeling worn.  I go in for my glucose test next week so fingers crossed there.  I've also hit that point where I know why and how I gained so much with Emerson.....oh Ice Cream, you are the devil.
This week my friend let me borrow her doppler and I wanted Em to hear.  As soon as the heartbeat came on she looked shocked, then picked up the reciever and put it to her ear like a phone and said
"hello baby sister, this is Emerson Belle Dossett" and then had a whole conversation with her :)  At one point she asked why baby sister wasn't talking back and I explained she's too little to talk.  The whole thing just melted me.

As I wrote about last night we're working on the changing table and room.  I've been searching for the right color coral which has proven rather difficult.  In the photo below you'll see two of the options as well as the wall color

 I LOVE the one on the right (stripes) but the blue is slightly off and Matt's just not a big fan for whatever reason.  The on the left I bought today and while it works it's a bit bold so tonight I bought this online

Frankly I think the color and patter is better for what we're going for.

I also works on getting the plexiglass out of the doors.  I tried to get them out in full pieces but that just didn't happen so I had to crack it and pull out the pieces.....turns out it's great stress management

Tbe stain tonight

The drawer with plexiglass

 

The Tools

Just hack into it and then start pulling it apart.

 After this I proceeded to wash these in scolding hot soapy water (again) and then I've decided I'll be spraying them with bleach water just in case. 

Finally the big bummer is the chair doesn't fit well in the room.  I really thought I would cry.  I love that chair but especially b/c it was pricy but Matt insisted I get what I want.  I'm so sentimental.  Luckily we can use the chair back downstairs and we found this one:

same idea, MUCH smaller footpring

DIY Changing Table

I used to think I was an out of the box thinker, or at least somewhat so.  Then I met Matt and boy was I wrong. The challenge is that while I end up loving what we do when we follow Matt the process kills me.  As it turns out I'm also a check list kinda girl.  Pre Matt I probably would've just walked into  Babies R Us and picked out a crib, changing table and dresser and then Check Check Check-DONE.  Now...not so much. 

Matt is also big on giving baby girl 2 something of her own.  I love the thought behind it but I do find it interesting giving that he's a first born and never had to deal with hand me downs. 

We've been looking and found this on ETSY Changing Table

There are two main issues with this piece
1.) it's $365
2.) it's in norther NJ and they don't ship

At the point at which Matt suggested we go up there and rent a truck to bring it back I knew we may have to have a reality check.  That's when Matt found this....one that I had seen but not given two thoughts about because....well look

Luckily my husband has a keen eye for detail and realized right away it's the same one but for $75.00 and in Gaithersburg MD. He headed up there today to pick it up.  When I asked him what he thought he only responded "good bones".  He's right, good bones indeed but damn.  It stunk of cigarettes.  It needed a good cleaning.  Then as we started to disassemble it we found this:

Why yes, that is a Trojan.  The only bonus is that it was unused. 


So now the plan is to sand it down, stain the top dark, paint it an off white, remove the plexiglass and cover it in a coral based fabric and then add some fancy knobs.  Here's hoping it works out!  Pictures to come.