Baby Noble: 24 Weeks!

How far along? 24 Weeks 
Baby Size: She weighs 1.5 lbs now and is the size of a cantaloupe!
Total weight gain/loss: 20 pounds.  I'm convinced I gain all of my weight over the weekend.  I weighed myself Saturday morning and I hadn't gained anything and then Monday morning...BAM gained a pound and a half.  I was told at my doctor's appointment last week that I gained too much weight last month (I guess 5 pounds in one week wasn't so great but Seattle was totally worth it!) so I'm trying to take it easy and work out a little harder.
Maternity clothes? This week has been rough.  Today, I looked like I was a nerd going on a safari.  My shirts fit okay but I'm so limited with pants and bottoms.  I stand in my closet in the mornings and just eventually end up grabbing something because I stood there too long.  I have SO many clothes.  I'm frustrated I can't make it work with what I have.
Stretch marks? Still in the clear!
Sleep:  I've been sleeping OKAY...it could be better.  I've also been waking up SUPER early so I'm hoping that will change soon.
Best moment this week: We had sod laid in our front yard!  Finally!  It feels good to not be the ugly house with no grass anymore.  I also got the results from my glucose test today and everything came back normal!  
Have you told family and friends: Yep!
Miss Anything?  My waist.  Running.  Feeling skinny.  Full access to my closet.  Sleeping on my stomach.  Margaritas.  
Movement: She's moving like crazy now!  For a while I thought maybe I was just going to have a calm baby but now she does little Tae-Bo sessions in the mornings and at lunch time.  When I touch my stomach, I'm convinced I can feel her little limbs moving around.  It's such a cool feeling.

Food cravings:  We bought a pineapple and have been snacking on it all week and it's pretty much been the best thing ever.

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope!
Have you started to show yet: Yes
Labor Signs: Nope...but I did do too many lunges on Saturday so that + being 6 months pregnant makes for a very sore, waddling Chelsea.
Belly Button in or out? Still an innie!  Carson keeps telling me how terrified of outie belly buttons he is, so I secretly want it to come out just so I can mess with him.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!!

Looking forward to:  Summertime!  And Texas on Friday!!!!!

Baby Noble: 23 Weeks!

Our backyard still needs a lot of work but it was too beautiful to not take pictures outside.  This is one of our blooming peach trees!  Carson had a gardener over to look at our grass situation and he noticed how well the trees were pruned and complimented Carson on him hiring a professional pruner.  Well, that professional pruner is ME!  Maybe I missed my calling.

How far along? 23 Weeks 
Baby Size: She's the size of a grapefruit.  I think when I'm done pregnant I want to line up all these fruits that my baby is supposed to be the size of.  They seem super inconsistent.
Total weight gain/loss: 19 pounds
Maternity clothes? I'm definitely taking advantage of the gorgeous weather and I've been able to wear a good bit of skirts and dresses.  
Stretch marks? Still nothing new.  I do see my old stretch marks more than I ever have since they've faded. I hope those will go away again once I lose some weight after having the baby.
Sleep:  Rolling over has become quite the process.  Think of trying to turn your car around in a tight space...that's what it feels like to roll over.  My hips have also started to hurt after laying on my side for too long.  The past couple of nights, I've been sleeping with a pillow in between my knees and that has helped a TON.  Less back pain and not as much hip pain.
Best moment this week: Buying our first bit of baby supplies!  I also bought a dresser on Saturday that I'm working on sanding down so I can paint it.  Hopefully it will be tall enough and wide enough to be used as a changing table.  
Have you told family and friends: Yep!
Miss Anything? I miss being able to lay on my stomach.  I wanted to lay outside for a bit this weekend but there was no comfortable position to be in.  I ended up giving up.
Movement: She either loves lunch time or hates it because that's when I feel her move around the most. 

Food cravings: It took 6 months, but for the first time ever over the weekend, I made Carson go with me all the way across town at 9:00 for Chipotle.  Worth.  It.

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope!
Have you started to show yet: Yes
Labor Signs:  I'm definitely experiencing a good bit of what I think is round ligament pain.  And I also had a dream that I went into labor last night.  It wasn't pleasant.
Belly Button in or out? Still in, but barely!  
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!  Unless I drop a freshly made breakfast cake meant for Sunday School the next morning.  Then, I will become a mess and cry.

Looking forward to:  TEXAS.  Sandal weather.  Wildflowers.  Sweet tea.  Family.  Friends.  BBQ.  All around Texas amazing-ness.

Baby Gear!

Well, we've officially started buying baby gear!  I'm still afraid to buy too much because I would absolutely hate to buy something we'll end up not needing.  We hit up a yard sale and consignment sale last week and got all of these things for less than $300.  We REALLY wanted a BOB Stroller because of the hundreds of positive reviews on Amazon but we couldn't really justify the price and the ones we've seen on Craigslist are gone within hours.  So here's what we bought:

1. Peg Perego Uno Stroller Pram--Carson's boss recommended this type of stroller to him and when we saw it at a consignment sale, we got it.  I'm not sure what exactly we needed to be looking for in a stroller but this one is able to lay all the way down for the baby to sleep, so that's kind of cool I guess.  We kind of bought it because of how much it costs new.  Surely the more expensive things are more expensive for a reason, right?

2. Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 30-30 Infant Car Seat--Crazy Italian brand with crazy names.  We actually got this, the base, and the stroller for 1/3 of the price that we would have paid full price. 

3. Baby Trend Expedition Jogging Stroller--I found this at a yard sale for $20!  It's an older model and the front wheel is locked so in order to turn it, you have to pick up the front.  When I was talking to the family about how to use it and everything, their son walked by and said "It's like being on a motorcycle!"  So clearly children are big fans.  I don't think it'll be a huge issue that the wheel doesn't turn.  I'm just excited that I found one.

4. BabyBjorn Baby Carrier--This was only $15.  I imagine it will be awesome to have both hands available while still having the baby attached to you.

After we bought the stroller, we realized we had no idea how to collapse it.  We stood in the parking lot for a solid 10 minutes trying to figure out how to get it to collapse down to fit in the back of the car.  We definitely still have a lot to learn.  My friend Megan let me borrow one of her baby gear books but I haven't read it yet.  Hopefully it doesn't say anything bad about the things we've already bought!

Any moms reading--is there anything you had when your baby was first born that you used all the time that surprised you?  Or was there something you really thought you would use all the time and ended up never using?

Baby Noble: 22 Weeks

How far along? 22 Weeks 
Baby Size: She's the size of a papaya these days.  Who eats papaya really?
Total weight gain/loss: 17 pounds still...thank goodness
Maternity clothes?  I got my awesome maternity jeans back from the tailor and they're perfect!!! See evidence below!
Stretch marks? Still none.  Hopefully I can keep this up!  Just got my 2 tubs of body butter in the mail yesterday.  I should be set for the rest of the time I'm pregnant.
Sleep:  Still sleeping great!
Best moment this week:  On Saturday, we were relaxing and I suggested that we try to watch her move from the outside.  Carson was all "There's no way we'll be able to see anything!"  So I promptly lifted up my shirt and we got to see her wiggle and move around!  It was absolutely amazing.  Needless to say, we spent quite a bit of time over the weekend staring in silence at my belly.  Lots of, "Ooooh...did you see that? moments" 
Have you told family and friends: Yep!
Miss Anything?  I miss not having back pain.  I've tried working out lately and it's not having the miraculous effect that it had in the first trimester.
Movement: Still lots of rolling motions as opposed to kicks.  We love being able to see it now.
Food cravings: Nothing really...I am a little upset that I only have 1 egg left for tomorrow and that I can't have my usual 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast.  Maybe that counts.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope.

Have you started to show yet: Yes

Labor Signs:  None.

Belly Button in or out? Very shallow, but still in!

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Very happy!  Lots of exciting things happening soon!

Looking forward to:  We just found out last week we're going to be spending Easter 

Weekend in Texas!  We could not be more excited.  From Friday morning until Sunday night we'll be in Houston!  I really wanted to try to get all of my friends together for a dinner or something but I immediately got overwhelmed with the little amount of time we'll have there and the obligations we already have with family and gave up.

Proof that I do wear more than black tee shirts...

Baby Noble: Nursery Inspiration

I love talking to mothers that have daughters.  It almost makes me tear up when they tell me how their daughter is their best friend and that they are the best things that have ever happened to them.  One overwhelming thing that I hear a lot is that their daughters are their "sunshine".  I love that so much that I've convinced Carson that we should decorate Baby Noble's nursery in yellows, blues and greys.

I'm HOPING that we can actually do some decorating.  I still feel like we're running out of time!  So here's what I have in mind...

This is the color scheme just not the same application:

from projectnursery.com

from projectnursery.com

I want to make a bunting similar to this one from vintagegreenlimited's Etsy Shop:

I want to buy this sign from kspeddler's Etsy Shop:

This mobile from goshandgolly's Etsy Shop is adorable:

I love these sheets from Unison Home: 

And I love these curtains from Carousel Designs:

Maybe stripes and chevron is too much...I definitely want some kind of printed curtains though.  I'd love to make them on my own but my sewing machine is still in the box!  Maybe one of these weekends I'll bust that out and make some curtains.  

We have a vision for the room, that's the first step!  Now we just need to start buying/making stuff!

Baby Noble: 21 Weeks!

How far along? 21 Weeks 
Baby Size: She's the size of a pomegranate...supposedly.  Judging by my weight gain, she's either tripled in size or I just ate way too much this past week.
Total weight gain/loss: I hopped on the scale yesterday and unless it was lying to me, I think I've gained 5 pounds since last week.  Bringing me up to a total of whopping total of 17 pounds gained.
Maternity clothes?  I finally got those awesome maternity jeans hemmed last night.  I should have them in a week and I definitely need them.  I wore a dress yesterday that seemed totally pregnant-worthy and I felt like I was suffocating all day.
Stretch marks? Nope!  Just bought 2 more tubs of the most awesome body butter ever to get me through the next couple of months.
Sleep:  I've been sleeping really great lately.  It's getting harder to move around at night.  Sometimes, Carson has to help me get out of bed in the morning.  I'm sure that's going to be real fun in another couple of months.
Best moment this week:  Spending the weekend in Seattle with my sweet husband!  He's been so great while I've been pregnant and he always makes me feel pretty.  I'm so thankful to be married to such a wonderful man!
Have you told family and friends: Yep!
Miss Anything? Margaritas.
Movement: Lots of movement!  It's less sporadic these days and feels more like she's rolling around in there rather than kicking.
Food cravings: While we were in Seattle, there was one night that I just HAD to have a PopTart.  Thankfully, there was ONE left in the vending machine at the hotel and it had my name written all over it.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing
Have you started to show yet: Clearly...I'm huge.  (See above photo)  I don't know how people handle being pregnant when they have to dress up every day for work.  I'm very lucky that I get to wear whatever I want and I certainly take advantage.
Labor Signs:  None, but I did have a dream about it.  It was terrifying!
Belly Button in or out? It's only a matter of time before I can no longer consider it to be an 'innie'.  It's getting quite flush...
Wedding rings on or off? On, but I do take off my Aggie Ring most days.
Happy or Moody most of the time: HappyHappyHappy!
Looking forward to:  Spending a relaxing weekend at home and catching up on some sleep

Seattle Recap: Day Two!

Saturday morning we woke up and had only 2 solids plans for the day: Chihuly Gardens and the Sounders Soccer Game.  We set out for some breakfast but didn't make it far.  We ended up at Top Pot Doughnuts where we split a disgusting amount of food.  Their coffee was so-so.  I'm not HUGE on doughnuts so to me, they tasted pretty much the same as any other doughnuts.  We passed this place a lot on our trip and it was ALWAYS packed so people like something about it, that's for sure.

After breakfast, we headed straight to the Chihuly Gardens.  I've never seen anything like it in my entire life.  It was a little pricey but totally worth it.  We were thinking it was all going to be outside but there was quite a bit of art inside.  This was the kind of art I wanted to see while in Seattle.  I almost felt like we were in a Dr. Seuss book.  The glass was whimsical and beautiful.  Pictures really don't do it justice.

Next stop was Olympic Sculpture Park.  My favorite part was the Richard Serra exhibit.  I'm almost positive I saw an exhibit of his in Barcelona and I loved it just as much there.  It was awesome seeing it outside though.  These pieces of steel are huge.

Saturday was MUCH colder than Friday so after walking around so much outside, we had to head back to the hotel to grab jackets and warm up for a bit.  

As we were walking  Friday, we noticed a Seattle Sounders schedule posted on a store window and on a whim decided to go to Opening Night on Saturday to celebrate our Anniversary.  We've known for a long time that we want to follow the traditional wedding presents and decided we wanted tickets as our paper gifts.  As soon as we saw that schedule, we knew we had to go!  We stopped by a Pro Shop and picked up some Sounders Gear so we could look official.  People in Seattle seem to LOVE their soccer team.  As it got later on Saturday, everyone was decked out in lime green.  We spent a good bit of time in a bar and then grabbed some dinner before heading to the game.

On the Underground Tour, the tour guide had mentioned that the soccer fans gather in a nearby park and all march to the stadium together.  We were able to go and walk over with the fans.  It was so much fun!  It did start to rain though on the way there...and it rained and rained.  We stood in line for over an hour to get ponchos and I'm so glad we did.  Best $10 we ever spent.  

Things I learned in Seattle on Day Two:

• Definitely take a rain jacket and a poncho if you ever visit Seattle. If you want to be really cool, make sure the jacket is a North Face.
• Weekdays are obviously better for traveling--all the hobos and peddlers came out on Saturday.
• Suede shoes aren't the BEST choice
• Know the score of the soccer game if you're wearing a Sounders scarf and beanie--people WILL ask.

Sunday morning, we grabbed breakfast at Biscuit Bitch and headed home.  We had an absolutely fantastic time in Seattle!  Now time to look forward to some more traveling.  We have a trip coming up at the end of this month, we're headed to Vegas at the end of April, and headed to Texas at the end of May for Carson's sister's wedding.  Busy travel season for us!  Hopefully being pregnant won't slow me down too much.

Seattle Recap: Day One!

We just got home from the most amazing weekend in Seattle!  We ate fantastic food, drank delicious coffee, and had a wonderful time.  We absolutely loved Seattle and are already piecing together in our heads a week-long trip to take in a few years.

Hotel Five was wonderful and was in a perfect location.  We were almost exactly in the middle between The Space Needle and Pike Place Market.  They served cupcakes 24/7 in the lobby...they weren't fantastic but who cares?!  There were free cupcakes!  There were free bikes if you wanted to borrow them from the hotel and they had a complimentary umbrella in our room.  Speaking of complimentary, we had a Keurig (which I guess is standard these days) and free bottles of water every day.

On the first day, we set out early Friday morning to get some coffee and breakfast.  We had some delicious pastries (and bought some tasty macaroons!) right across from Pike Place Market at Le Panier and then strolled through the market before it was open.

We stopped by the Seattle Art Museum next.  I was really hoping for some cooler exhibits.  The cars in the lobby were the coolest part.

After the museum, we got a bite to eat and took the Underground Tour.  We learned a LOT about Seattle's history and got to walk through some of the underground streets.  It was really cool and a lot of fun.

Next, we stopped by the Columbia Center Sky View and saw the sun for the first time that day!  It was perfect that we got to see the whole city after the tour because we understood so much more about certain buildings and areas of the city.  We saw amazing views of Seattle and it only cost $6 each!  Apparently the Space Needle is MUCH more expensive and we were much higher up in this building.  I think we were on the 73rd floor.

Next stop was The Seattle Public Library.  Seattle has some of the coolest architecture I've ever seen. It's very European and parts of it reminded me so much of Barcelona.  We picked up a few books for us and the baby at the library store.  Can't pass up used books in great condition!

Carson headed back to the hotel to take a nap and since our hotel was really close to a really awesome shopping area, I totally took advantage!  I got some maternity stuff at Gap and then stopped by H&M and Forever 21.  Seattle is serious about being green though and every shopping bag that I got, I had to pay an extra 5 cents.

I headed back to the hotel and got ready for dinner.  Carson had made reservations at The Coterie Room.  We split the 4 course tasting menu and had a nice, long 2 hour dinner.  I loved it.  We didn't feel rushed and we had plenty of time to talk.  Carson got to try Beef Carpaccio for the first time and I tried Cracklins for the first time!  The rest of the courses were delicious.  The only part of the meal we weren't too keen on was the Star Anise Ice Cream that was on top of our Pear Gallette.  Talk about a strange flavor...

After dinner, we strolled around 2nd Avenue and ended up heading towards the Space Needle.  There's a giant IMAX theater right by the Space Needle so we ended up seeing a movie.  We headed back to the hotel and got back around midnight.  We hadn't planned anything before we got to Seattle but our day was full, seamless and absolutely wonderful!

Things I learned in Seattle on Day One:

• People seem to embrace Starbucks.  No one thinks (from what I could tell) that it's overpriced coffee.  We pretty much found that all coffee was the same price everywhere.
• There weren't as many local coffee shops as we thought there would be.  There is almost a Starbucks on every corner and people seem to be totally fine with that.
• I walked more than ever before on vacation.  I never bring the right shoes on vacation because I want to look cute but I will always bring at least one pair of tennis shoes from now on.  I was in so much pain.  My feet and legs are actually still sore.  I mapped how far we walked and it was between 10-15 miles for the whole weekend.  My legs feel like we walked 50 miles.
• Seattle people LOVE The North Face.
• Downtown Seattle is a $45, 20 minute cab ride from the airport
• Once we were Downtown, it was really easy to get around.  We didn't have to use any public transportation.
• I didn't feel like we left California.  People in Seattle are very similar to people in San Francisco.
• I felt incredibly safe walking around at night.  Friday night we walked from 9-10 and after midnight to get back to our hotel after the movie.  There weren't many homeless people at all.