27 Weeks Preggers

 

Old Navy Top and skirt... Not Maternity 

 

Pregnancy: 27 Weeks

Weight Gain: 25 pounds

Sleep: Having some CRAZY dreams! I should keep a notebook near my bed because I could make some awesome movies from what I am dreaming about. Everything is just so vivid and real.

Names: We have a name!!!! We have told Emma and look forward to telling the rest of our family next week!

 

Feeling: Okay... drained by the end of the day but not horrible. I have told work that the 12 hour shift will need to end at the end of July... this pregger girl cannot handle 12 hours in her 8 and 9th month!

Health:  Placenta is looking good and is no longer low and I have not had any additional issues breathing recently

Movement: Still very active. Not too uncomfortable.

 

Belly: Measuring about 2 weeks ahead right now, still a faint linea negra and my belly button is still flat. I thought that it would have poked out by now!

Next Appointment: OB- July 16th at 30 Weeks!

Non-Baby Highlights of the Week:

• Matt's brother Al came into town last night!
• We leave for Michigan on SUNDAY!!! not looking forward to the drive but happy to have a week off from work! Also excited about the chance to see the puppies!
• Started to train my co-worker so that she can sit in for me when I go on Maternity leave!!

Puppies at 4 weeks!

I love that we get weekly updates on our puppies. They turn 4 weeks today 

Week 26

With my cute hubby celebrating Father's Day!

Under 100 days to go!

Pregnancy: 26 Weeks

Weight Gain: 20 pounds

Sleep: Sleeping horribly. I just cannot seem to get comfortable and every time I move I'm in pain.

Names: We have a name!!!! We are going to tell Emma first on the way up to Michigan in a little over a week and we want to tell Matt's mom before telling anyone else.

Feeling: Feeling drained.... After a long day I just have NO energy. I am beyond ashamed of my home at the moment. On the weekends I'm in full nesting mode and things get cleaned and organized but during the week... forget about it! Emma has started to take on the task of loading and unloading the dishwasher which is a HUGE help!

My Back is starting to hurt again so I'm going to start getting a 30 minute massage weekly.

** Public Statement Announcement** Later today I will post again about the AMAZING woman who gives the BEST back massages and at the BEST price!

Health:  Went to the doctor last week about my breathing and he said that it could be due to acid reflux... It is common to develop during pregnancy and not something that I had experienced with Emma... But I have started taking Zantac 75 right before bed and so far so good. Doctor said that if I have another breathing episode we will need to take some additional precautions but for now I'm trying to avoid them.

Movement: I'm feeling very consistent movement now and know exactly when this baby's active periods are.  He is most active at night, so fingers crossed that this changes outside of my belly!

Belly: Measuring about 2 weeks ahead right now, still a faint linea negra and my belly button is just about flat.

Here's my standard shot...

 Next Appointment: OB, Glucose Tolerance Test and Ultrasound: Monday, June 25th at 27 Weeks!

Non-Baby Highlights of the Week:

· Yesterday after my work trip to Ft. Campbell I came home to beautiful flowers and dinner made by Matt and Emma! What a good way to spend my birthday!

· Two couples came over for dinner on Saturday night. We ended up just grilling and it was so nice to have a low key evening with good friends!

· Celebrating Father's Day on Sunday. Emma was with her dad so Matt and I just spent the day together. Including dinner with my parents at L'Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls.

Baby Park Room Update

Here is what the room looked like the last time I shared... Not too much going on.

Here is what our current status is!

I am in love with the dresser from Nadeau in Alexandria. At $868 it was a splurge but still WAY better than the one on my "design board" from Restoration Hardware. For the same dimensions the Restoration Hardware piece was $1695 AND the one that I bought goes farther to the floor so it has more storage and I think way more personality. Matt and I both agree that this a piece that we plan to have forever and we both feel that it can be utilized in other areas of the home later. For now however we will add a changing pad and use it to store our little man's clothes on one side and toys on the other.

Here it is close up:

Crib assembled w/ fabrics:

We will be adding some finials to each post. I've purchased some from West Elm on sale... I want to see what they look like though before I share.

This is also the wall that the wood will go on and Henry (Formally known as Herold... I decided to change it up...)

Last Saturday morning Matt and I visited Smoot Lumber to find wood for Emma's loft bed and while we were there we picked up two pieces of rough cut cedar... Now I am NOT a fan of the ceder. I think that the smell will mess with our little ones nose! Matt however is convinced that once the wood dries out and we stain it that you will not be able to smell the cedar... So I said let's get two pieces and try it out. So they are currently drying out in our basement and Matt is going to stain them next weekend. Once they are stained we will place them in the nursery and see if they smell... I'm about 99% sure that Matt is not going to win this battle.

My mom and I discussed the fabric Samples two days ago... We decided where we would use various fabrics, took measurements, and placed our order. We have decided to go with the fabrics on my design board. I'll share more about the fabrics when I do a post about my mom sewing the bedding.

So.... that is our progress in the last week. Next week I hope to tackle the cedar, finding a paint for the walls, Ceiling light fixture, and brainstorming on our two closets. Also... I have not given a thought to the on-suite bath off the nursery...

My to do list for this room is:

• Vacuum Baby Room
• Clean windows
• Inside
• Outside
• Deep Clean Carpet - Holding until we do wall... figure the wood will get the floor a little dirty
• New doors on closet
• Built in bookcase behind door
• Paint
• Rustic wood plank wall
• Crown molding
• Paint ceiling
• Reupholster Glider - Decided that this was not needed
• Make bedding
• Window treatments
• Blinds
• Curtains

To Buy:

• West Elm Elephant
• Ceiling light fixture
• Rug - Using a rug that we already had in Matt's Office
• Dresser
• Baskets
• Artwork
• Finials for bed
• Paint
• Fabric for bedding

Still a lot to do but we are making progress...

P.S - this is where I will be today.. yup my big old pregger belly will be strapped into a blackhawk while on a work trip!

Thirty by Thirty UPDATE

Thirty by Thirty UPDATE

With 28 approaching... TOMORROW... I figured I should give an update.

Here is my Thirty by Thirty

1. Get Married Married the most wonderful man January 29, 2011

2. Become a Home Owner - Matt and I bought a home in Alexandria on September 17, 2010

3. Take Emma to Disney World -  We took Emma to Disney November 2011 and had a BLAST!

4. Go Scuba Diving
5. Become a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)
6. Go on a Winery Tour - Traverse City Old Mission Wine Tour

7. Get a Dog - Going to be welcoming a little puppy in July

8. Take a Cooking Class
9. Run a 5K

10. Plant a Vegetable Garden

11. Take a Photography Class
12. Spend a Minimum of 4 days Hiking and Camping with Matt
13. Take Emma Camping

14. Cook a Full Thanksgiving Dinner
15. Do a Family Photo Session and use the Picture for a Photo Holiday Card - With a new baby on the way this is sure to get done this year

16. Go to Europe with Matt
17. Take Dance Lessons - Took a hip hop class... decided that this white girl cannot keep up

18. Give up Fruit Snacks- I had done really well before becoming preggers  

19. Take a Family Vacation with another Family
20. Enlarge a Photograph that I’ve Taken and display as artwork in my home
21. Become a Government Employee
22. Find a cheap and hideous piece of furniture to refinish/reupholster and make it BEAUTIFUL
23. Create a Fitness Goal and stick to it- worked out with a trainer before my wedding
24. Redesign and decorate an entire home… on a budget - work in progress... I understand that a home is always a work in progress but I think once we complete the nursery and the lower level Den I will be able to cross this one off.
25. Get my Event Planning Business up and running
26. Become active in the PTA
27. Give Emma a brother or sister - Baby Park will be arriving in  September!

28. Become organized enough to scrapbook
29. Cook at home for a full Month... another SUPER Hard one
30. Go two months without buying clothes

So I literally only crossed off one item since the last update and I only have two more years to go and 18 items to go...

Puppies at 3 weeks!

Cannot believe that in a few weeks one of these cute puppies will become the newest member of the Park Family!

We are so excited that we will be able to make a stop in Canada on the way up to Michigan in a few weeks so that we can meet the puppies in person!

Started eating puppy slush this week!

25 Weeks

Dress: Gap

So, how about that belly! I feel like it's grown so much over the past week.  Maybe I'm just going crazy but it does look and feel much bigger. Two more weeks until 3rd trimester!!!

Last week was kinda crazy and it definitely took a toll on my pregnant body

Pregnancy: 25 weeks

Weight Gain: 20 Pounds

Sleep: I had been doing well up until last night. It was horrible.. was having weird dreams and I just couldn't get comfortable. waking up and moving every 30 minutes.

Names: Down to Four possible names:

Alexander Matthew Park

Robert Matthew Park

Hunter Matthew Park

Grayson Matthew Park

The name that I've always loved from the beginning is currently off limits... Ashton Matthew Park. I've always loved the name Ashton but hello that is also the name of my boss AND the due date is my boss's birthday... soo a little too close to work for right now. But you better believe that down the road when I have another job there will be a little Ashton Park in our family.

When I tell people that my favorite name is Grayson they tend to say that they hate it and before you know it they are calling the baby Grayson and it has become their favorite name... I still do not think that Matt is feeling it though so I suspect it might be the next name to go.

Feeling: In general I'm feeling okay. Work is draining and I have probably been over doing it the last few days but I'm in good spirits and I am going to try to take it easy this weekend... but if you know me you will know that is impossible. :)

Health:  I've started swelling a little in my hands but I think that is just from the summer heat. The wedding band might be coming off in the next couple weeks. I had hoped to wear it the whole pregnancy... we will see.

I've also had some odd breathing problems recently. I've woken up a few times in the middle of the night unable to intake air though my mouth. I would take in a breath and it would get stuck in my throat and I would cough. I could still intake air through my nose... so I would always just go back to sleep and I was fine in the morning. Well... on Monday that was not the case... I had issues from 3 -11 a.m. and my friends all convinced me to head to the doctors. At the same time I was having over 7 Braxton Hicks contractions in an hour which is something we have to go to the doctors for anyway this early in pregnancy... so off I went. Doctor said I was not going to go into labor and said that it was probably stress related due to the issues I was having. I am going to new see an Ear, Nose, Throat Specialist on Monday. I'm sure that all will be fine they just want to scope my throat and see if there is anything abnormal. 

Movement: Little one is currently kicking as I type. He really does seem to move all the time. Head is currently down and kicks are not too painful yet.

Belly: Measuring about 1 week ahead. My belly button is still an innie

Non-Baby Highlights of the Week:

• Surprising Matt with the laundry room! He thought that we all did a GREAT job... now we just have to wait for those new appliances
• Emma's School Student Transfer request was officially approved and we are excited to be back at our old school with her friends!
• Friday will mark Emma's official start of summer vacation!!! I cannot believe that she will be starting 3rd grade next school year.

It's a GIRL!!!

Who gets a puppy in their third trimester?????  WE DO!

Matt has always wanted a Weimaraner puppy and so when he started talking about it over a year ago I said, "fine... just as long as we get the dog before I'm pregnant." Well once we started trying that turned into, "as long as we get the dog in  my first trimester." After I got pregnant... I told Matt that if we were going to get a puppy that it would need to be BEFORE the third trimester or a year after the baby was born... At 20 weeks I was sure that I was in the clear. Matt hadn't even STARTED to research a dog so I figured that we would just be waiting . There was no way that Matt would get motivated in time and even if he did I figured that he would not be able to find a good hunting line with puppies available for pick up in my second trimester...

Well... Matt did end up getting motivated. In fact he found two possible litters. One in Maryland that came from more of a "show" line and one in Canada from a hunting line. We went two weekends ago and looked at the ones in Maryland and decided that while the puppies were SUPER cute and we would get them before the start of my third trimester that we would hold off and go with the puppies from Canada.

So yes... that means that at 31 weeks we will welcome a little girl into our house!

We have put in our deposit for a puppy from NorthLink Weimaraners . The cute puppies were born on May 24th and there were 2 males and 6 females in the litter. We went with NorthLink because they come from a hunting line (which is what Matt wanted), they were HIGHLY recommended, and I really like that they match families with dogs based on your wants and the development that they observe from the puppies to make sure that we will truly get the best pup for our growing family. Thank means that we

Here are the puppies at 1 day old!

Here are the little puppies at 18 Days old.

On our way to Traverse City in a few weeks we will be making a detour up to Canada to meet the puppies! Emma cannot wait. She is already thinking about girl names.

Starting Point for the Nursery

So now that the laundry room is complete I am 100% focused on the nursery.

Late last week I shared with you some photos that I found inspiring and I shared our "mood Board"

I also wanted to show what the room currently looks like. Currently this is a room that I am just throwing in any baby related items with no rhyme or reason... but  all of that is about to change!

View from the door.

View from bathroom door

These closet doors will be coming down ASAP! They do not work at all!


View from back corner looking towards bathroom and the door to the room

So we have two closets in this room.. one for hanging and this one that is all shelving. I would like to remove these doors (Place them on the other closet) and make these shelves into a built-in bookcase.

Things are already changing in the nusery... here are two of my favorite guys putting together the crib! YAY!

Baby boy park will be using the same round crib that we used for Emma. However, he will NOT have girly fabric coming down from the sides... I figured adding finials to the tops of the post would be a much more masculine approach. :)

My to do list for this room is:

-          Vacuum Baby Room

-          Clean windows

o   Inside

o   Outside

-          Deep Clean Carpet

-          New doors on closet

-          Built in bookcase behind door

-          Paint

-          Rustic wood plank wall

-          Crown molding

-          Paint ceiling

-          Reupholster Glider

-          Window treatments

o   Blinds

o   Curtains

To Buy

-          West Elm Elephant

-          Ceiling light fixture

-          Rug

-          Dresser

-      Baskets

-          Artwork

A lot to do but I'm excited and cannot wait to bring out little man home to his room... Even though he will sleep in our room for the first couple of months in a cradle.

Laundry Room

So I did it! I cleaned out our CRAZY messy Laundry/storage room this weekend and started a little remodel.

Matt was out of town for a mancation... and hadn't been too receptive when I had brought up this project a few other times... so of course I decided to tackle on my own while he was gone... Sometimes that is just the only way to get things done!

It started with a massive clean out of the space

Here is the laundry room before... oh the shame... it was so dark and messy. I would just literally throw things in here when I didn't know what to do with them and things had gotten out of control!!

Look at that horrible floor and gross brown peg board along two of the walls! Even my dishes had become disorganized on my bakers racks.

Here are some built in shelves that were completely out of control.. and this is after I had already cleared off most of the stuff... ehhh the shame... I cannot believe that I am sharing this! oh and you cannot tell from these photos but the wall color is this dirty looking off white... not nice and crisp.

Ehhh... and do not even get me started on this. our extra towels on a broken shelf above the washer and dryer (it was broken when we bought the house... why did we never fix it?) The ugly water heaters, Emma's clothes folded but not put away on the dryer, and the pile of laundry on the floor. Oh not to mention a few boxes that we STILL haven't unpacked from our move a year and an half later... hanging my head in shame.

Well after a FULL weekend and a lot of help from my amazing parents this is what Matt will come home to tonight!!!!

Goodbye UGLY floor! Hello pretty painted pegboard. I painted with Benjamin Moore NO VOC paint so baby park is safe! The color in these photos (Taken late last night) comes off as a light blue but the real color is more of a gray/blue.

ORGANIZED bakers racks! With bins that hold baking supplies, random gifts, table cloths, and cloth napkins

Hefty bins purchased from KMart with Martha Stewart chalkboard labels. I still need to write on them but these bins hold our K-Cups, Rags/Microfiber cloths, and light bulbs.

More organized bins and labels. Also, all of my beautiful china from my grandmother is now put in amazing Crate and Barrel containers so that everything stays safe. 

I also purchased this AMAZING wooden divider to hide our hot water heater and other ugly items... It was purchased from Nadeau in Alexandria. This store is easily becoming a favorite! They have such unique pieces and great prices.

In fact, I will be looking at Nadeau for a larger desk to go in this little alcove by the door... for now I just moved a table and chair that we had somewhere else in the house... but this is where I will house my sewing machine. (which rocks by the way! I made some great burp clothes that I will share on a later post)

The room is by no means done (I just couldn't do it all in a weekend)... Here are the few projects left:

· Paint the ceiling... it is still the ugly yellow/white color

· Replace all of the light switches and outlets so that they are pretty and white

· New desk/table for sewing

· Determine what to add back to the other side of shelves and how to make it organized. Thinking baskets...

· Hang cork board and weekly calendar on the wall by my sewing table

· Floor molding in a crisp white

· Paint doors

Oh and get ready for these!!!!

We bought them a few weeks ago and there was NO WAY that these beautiful GE Profile appliances could come home to the old laundry room. I couldn't let them see my shame...

Fingers crossed that Matt is happy!