Father's Day

I am so terrible at posting anything on time these days.  The excuses are endless, so I'll spare you...Anyways...

We had such a great Father's Day weekend.  Aaron had traveled to Vegas at the beginning of the week and then I went to Chicago at the end of the week so we were all ready for some R&R and time together.  Saturday I ran errands, cleaned and tried to get most of my weekend chores out of the way earlier in the day.  At night, we had friends over for a BBQ (although the weather didn't cooperate and we ate inside).

Sunday, Aaron got to pick what we did.  He played with Zoe while I ran and got his last present.  Then we got Zoe ready to play in her pool.  She LOVED it.  She probably would have stayed in it all day if we would have let her.  And a baby in a cute, little, pink bathing suit?  Cutest.thing.ever.  We threw in a few of her bath toys and she was happy as can be.  We were all having so much fun, we didn't even realize Wally had escaped and was almost to Woodward Ave.  Ugh.  We quickly wrangled him and continued our poolside fun. 

Aaron and I lounged in the back and ate lunch and read while Zoe napped.  Once she finally woke up, we all walked up to the park so she could play on the swings for a bit.  She thought they were so so, but daddy pushing her and jumping at her?  HILARIOUS! :)  Will her giggles ever stop melting my heart?  I doubt it.  We made a quick stop to 7 Eleven on our way home and then it was time to get dinner ready and start the nightly routine. 

As usual, the weekend went way too fast, but it was so nice to have such a relaxing time.  Zoe did so many projects for daddy!  She made him a card, footprints at her old daycare, and a footprint hanging thingy at her new daycare.  Then we did this which I found on Pinterest a long time ago and wanted to make sure I did when we had kids.  I thought it would be neat to update the pictures every year as she gets older. 

Five Years!

I can't believe it's already been FIVE years!  They went by so fast. And to think of all that's happened since. We bought a house, got a dog, had a horrible miscarriage, and now have the cutest and best little baby ever. 

Aaron came home from work early and surprised me with these! My parents are coming tomorrow and are going to watch Zoe so we can have a date night. Here's to another amazing five years :)

The Birth Story

I really had no idea what to expect when it came to delivery.  I knew of my friends' stories, I knew of the stories I saw on TV and movies, but you just never know what your story will be.

Saturday, October 27, we went out with friends to have dinner and watch the Tigers in the World Series.  I left the bar a little early and went home to watch the game from the comfort of our couch in my PJs (the bar is within walking distance).  I told Aaron to stay out and have fun knowing this would be one of our last child free evenings.  He came home around midnight and thankfully hadn't drank much at all considering what was to soon follow...

I woke up around 3:30 am with bad cramping.  This had happened a few nights before so I didn't get too excited.  Then I started waking up every 10-15 minutes with time able cramping.  That was when I got my hopes up just a little.  By the 4:00 hour, I was having contractions, not just cramping.  Aaron woke up around 5:30 or 6 am when I was doing my breathing.  He was much more calm than I thought he would be and rubbed my back when I needed him to.  I decided at 6:45 am that it was time to get up and get ready to go.  I showered and finished packing my bags and Aaron did the same.  By 7:45 am when we left the house, my contractions were about 3 minutes apart and extremely painful.

We arrived at the hospital and get checked into triage.  This part was the worst by far.  They monitor you to make sure you are far enough into labor to stay.  The machine wasn't accurately capturing my contractions, so to the nurse, they looked 6 minutes apart which they would send you home.  I knew they were closer than that since I was obviously in severe pain.  Finally, the machine starting tracking them at about 3-4 minutes apart.  They also check your dilation to make sure you are progressing.  Now, they did this at my past two doctor's appointments and while it was uncomfortable it was not bad at all.  Umm...what they were doing to me in triage was sheer torture and so painful.  They did their best to do it in between contracts, but it was still bad.  At this point, I was 4 cm dilated.

They finally admitted me and pain relief was in site.  I worked on my breathing and staying calm while waiting for the anesthesiologist.  When that doctor walked in the door, I could have kissed him.  I fell in love instantly (not really, but close...) :)  I thought the epidural would be painful but they numbed the area first and I could hardly feel anything they were doing.  I could still feel the first contraction but it was much more manageable.  Then I couldn't feel the second at all.  Such amazing relief.  I give serious props to women that do this naturally.  There is no way I ever could have.

At this point, I tried to get some sleep.  I talked to my aunt on the phone.  My parents also stopped by for a little while.  I had to gently kick them out since I knew I was getting close to needing to push.  The doctor came in to check my dilation and I was 8 cm just before my parents got there.  The doctor came back after they went to get lunch and I was at 10 cm and +4 station.  Definitely go time.

The pushing was by far the worst part.  I knew the only relief to the pressure would be to actually deliver the baby.  And I knew that could take hours.  My doctor assured me though that it would go much faster since I was at +4 (+5 is crowning).  And yes, it was painful.  I'll spare the details :)

After about an hour and half of pushing, baby Zoe made her debut at 2:40 pm (less than 12 hours of labor)!  The doctor let Aaron announce the gender.  We were so incredibly in love with her instantaneously.  Aaron and I both cried.  They put her on my chest immediately while Aaron cut the cord.  He went over to watch her get cleaned up while they put me back together.  I did not have to have an episiotomy but I did have a second degree tear and needed stitches in the front and back of my lady bits.

My parents came in once I was all cleaned up and Aaron's parents made it to the hospital right then as well.

It really was the most amazing experience and so worth all of it.  I would do it all again in a heartbeat to feel that instantaneous love.

And so begins the next chapter of our life...

Daddy's Little Girl

Aaron was very attentive throughout the pregnancy and I knew he'd love this little baby and be a great daddy.  But I definitely was not prepared for the flood of emotions I would feel when watching him with his little girl.

It's amazing how you fall in love with someone and know you want to spend the rest of your life with that person.  Then suddenly, in an instant, this new little person that the two of you created comes into this world and you now look at your husband completely differently.  I never knew that I could love him any more than I did before.  Yet I do.

Seeing him with Zoe brings tears to my eyes every day.  The nicknames he has for her, the cute voice he uses when talking to her, the way he always wants to hold her, and is so worried when she cries.  Unfortunately, he has to go back to work on Monday.  The other night, he realized it was already Thursday and said he has no idea how he's going to leave her Monday morning.  Melt.my.heart.

And that's just with her.  He has been such an amazing help to me.  He was up with her several times into the wee hours at the hospital so that I could get my rest upon his insistence.  He has taken care of dinner every night, taken care of Wally, ran errands, gotten up with her and I at night even when he doesn't have to, and so much more.  I have no idea how I'm going to do this alone once he goes back to work.  I wish we could stay this little family of four each day for the whole 6 months I'm off work.

He also surprised me with a gift in the hospital.  I was definitely not expecting this.  He made it very clear for several years that he thought "push presents" were silly.  And I would never expect him to get me a gift.  But he came back to the hospital after playing with Wally and pulled out a little, teal bag (every girl knows what that means).  He bought me the perfect pearl earrings from Tiffany's.  Now I can finally get rid of the not so lovely everyday earnings I had that were about $5 :)

I can't wait to watch Zoe grow up with her daddy.  I love them both so much.

Nursery Reveal and Guest Room

Finally, here it is!  Sorry for the quality of some of these pictures . Our house has terrible lighting to begin with, and this weekend has been very rainy so the rooms were rather dark.  Oh well, you get the gist of it :)

This is the view from the hallway.  Eventually, I have artwork plans for above the dresser, but we need to find out the gender first.  I bought embroidery hoops in various sizes and plan to put gender specific colored fabric in them.  I figure it's not too difficult of a project that I should hopefully be able to handle it once things get settled after the baby arrives.

This is the view of the crib from the doorway.  Don't worry, we will take everything out of it once baby actually is sleeping in the crib.

This is the final side of the room.  I'm so glad I held onto my college night stand all these years :)  Who knew I'd finally find a spot for it again?  We have one picture to put over the lamp once we buy a frame.  And Aaron is in charge of DIYing the birth announcement once baby is born (that will go on that wall as well).  I found a few cute ideas for the lamp shad too on pinterest that involves fabric, so I plan to tackle that when I do the embroidery hoops.

And here are some close ups....

Mobile made with love by Aaron.  He worked on this many nights and finally finished while my mom was here.

My mom spent quite a bit of her time here working on this crib skirt.  We couldn't be
happier with it!  It saved us a ton of money and it exactly what we wanted.
The mug and what's inside was from when I was a baby (my mom found it for me).
I found the "pouf" online.  

We also redid our guest room in the process.  It used to be our office only.  Here are the after pictures.

Aaron painted these canvases for above the bed.

We bought a new duvet and bed frame from IKEA.

A new home for our diplomas.

This corner is still a little unorganized but you get the idea.  Aaron spent the money his parents
gave him for becoming an architect on this chair (he's been drooling over it for years).
He painstakingly made this desk from reclaimed wood.  I think he started it in the spring
and just finished it a few weeks ago.  He did such an amazing job, but I told him he's
probably too slow to make this a side business :)

37 Weeks: Winter Melon

How big is baby: Baby is the size of a winter melon this week 18.9-20.9 inches and 6.2-9.2 lbs.  Umm...I'm hoping this baby is not 9.2 lbs with still 3 weeks to go!!  I doubt it since I'm measuring right on track, but I can't even imagine.

Stretch marks: No.  

Sleep:  Hip pain.  Waking up at least twice now to go to the bathroom.  Still really hard to roll over.   Now I'm waking up more and more just randomly.  I still feel pretty rested during the day though so so far, it's not a big deal.  Basically, exactly the same as last week.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions:  Fruit and sweets.  Thankfully this pregnancy is winding down because the fruit selection is definitely lacking now that it's fall.  No more watermelons :(

Exercise:  Walking when I have time which really hasn't been very often.  My mom and I went for a nice long walk while she was here.  It felt so good!  Once work slows down (Monday - yay!), I plan to try to walk every day.

Gender: We'll find out in a FEW WEEKS!

Movement: All the time.  Still some rather uncomfortable jabs to the right side.  Last night, there were some serious shots to my ribs as well.  I had to stand up so that there was more room for this little one.  

The belly:  Definitely there.  

What I'm spazzing about:  Nothing really.  

What I'm loving:  Being full term!  And having everything we can crossed off our list.  I feel so much better. 

Symptoms:  Sore hips at night.  Still some reflux but it's gotten better.  Numb patch at the top of my uterus.  Cramping and more and more braxton hicks contractions.  These are getting pretty crazy some days.  The doctor said not to call until I am having serious (can't talk or walk) contractions 4-5 minutes apart) so I'm no where near there yet, but things were definitely uncomfortable last night.  Swollen feet and ankles. 

I'm also 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced so things are progressing. The doctor said that it might mean they'll see me before next week or it might mean I'm going to be overdue.  There is just no telling.  She did say that it's a very good sign and that it's good to get those early centimeters out of the way.  So we'll see!

What I'm looking forward to:  Being done with busy season.  Less than one week and I can't wait!  It will be nice to take it easy at work and be able to leave at a decent time to go home to relax, run errands, go for walks, etc.

Also, as long as baby holds off, Aaron and I plan to take a weekend getaway next weekend to downtown Detroit.  We thought about this weekend, but he has a serious sprain from soccer last weekend.  We don't plan on doing anything too crazy, but I want to get to the local cider mill (even though I can't drink the cider) and walk around along the trails they have, go out for one last fancy dinner where we don't have to worry about a babysitter, and then stay down there at our favorite hotel.      

Best moment of the week:  Having my mom here.  I was so sad to see her go.  She was such a huge help.  Everything that can be done is crossed off our list.  There are two things I want to do still in the nursery that we have to hold off on until baby is born (I'll do a reveal soon, hopefully, of it thus far) and then we have to pack our bags.  I was hoping to pack at least some stuff early, but I need almost everything I want to pack so I think I'm just going to wait and hope my labor is slow :)  I do have my list made out though so it's just a matter of putting the stuff in a bag. 

Waldo's World - Graduation

We've been taking Wally to obedience training in preparation for the baby.  There wasn't anything major we were worried about, it was more to help with some small things.  There were only 5 dogs in the class so we had really good one on one attention.  And Wally loved it because it was one hour a week filled with endless treats, a kong full of peanut butter, and endless amounts of attention from us and the instructors.

He graduated a week ago.  And....he won "Best Trick!"  Aaron was so nervous about how he'd do, but clearly he did great.  Everyone voted for him!  He had to jump up and give Aaron a kiss on the lips.  It worked!

Now we just have to make sure we keep practicing what he learned every once in a while.

Yes, Wally and Aaron got a trophy with a hot dog glued to the top :)

Wedding and a Shower

Time is just seriously flying by.  Sometimes I wish I could just slow it down so that I have more time to blog, get things done around the house, work, etc.  Lately, there just isn't enough time in a day or a week.  It's so crazy to think this pregnancy has just about 9 weeks left.  NINE weeks.  Unfortunately, this is the most busy time of year for me at work which is making my stress level higher than I'd like.  I'm doing my best to remember what's most important, but it's hard for me to not get something done.  Which means I'm probably doing too much sometimes whether it be working longer hours or getting things done around the house.  Aaron does a good job of reminding me to rest and to take it easy.

But, that's not the point of this post :)  A week ago, we went back to Rockford for my cousin's wedding and our first shower.  Both were so much fun!  

My grandpa really enjoyed talking to his guy about the car!

Our table numbers were on the back of these pieces of wood.  Such a great idea!

My mom and aunt enjoying themselves too much :)

My Aunt Linda and I :)

My Aunt Cathy and I :)

Our shower invite from the Taylor/Menke shower

I realized we really need to work on more photos at our next shower.
This was the only one of us two!

Tomorrow is my work shower.  I can't wait :)  And this weekend is Labor Day which means an extra long weekend.  Aaron is heading back to Rockford for part of the weekend to see a few of his high school friends so Wally and I will be catching up on some of my DVR shows :)

30 Weeks: Cucumber

How big is baby: Baby is the size of a cucumber this week 15.2-16.7 inches and 2.5-3.8 lbs.  The fruit/veggie sizes really confuse me sometimes.  I mean, a cumber seems smaller to me than a squash.  But I guess there is a difference in length.

Stretch marks: No.

Sleep:  Waking up multiple times per night now.  Usually only getting up to go to the bathroom once at night during the week.  I can at least fall back to sleep right away though so far.    

Diet/Cravings/Aversions:  Still fruit and more fruit.  

Exercise:  Walking, YMCA. 

Gender: We'll find out in October!  

Movement: All the time.  Lately, the movements have been less tap, tap-ish and more like the baby moves a limb, hits my stomach, and then slides the limb along the inside of my stomach.  I feel like I'm going to see a footprint or hand print when it happens.  

The belly:  Definitely there.

What I'm spazzing about:  Nothing really this week.

What I'm loving:  Having almost everything crossed off our list.  And only having 10 weeks left!  Well, probably more assuming I go late.  But still 10 weeks just seems crazy close!

Symptoms:  Sore hips at night.  Heartburn...mostly just reflux right now.  Terrible back pain at work.  And most recently, I've been noticing a small numb spot at the top of my uterus.  I called the nurse today and she assured me it's normal.  It has something to do with my nerve endings stretching.  I've also been noticing more cramping particularly when working out.  I've felt good on the elliptical.  But one day while walking Wally, I really didn't think I'd make it home.  The doctor told me to ease up a little and see if that stops it.  If not, she said it might be time to give it up until after the baby is born since top priority right now is to keep this baby cooking for 10 more weeks.  I went for walks since and felt great so maybe I just was dehydrated that day or was walking a little too fast.

What I'm looking forward to:  I have my work shower next Monday.  And in less than 3 weeks, we have my shower with my side.  I have it on my list this week to organize the nursery in it's end position and to start organizing our shower items (what needs to be washed, etc.).       

Best moment of the week:  It was a crazy week/weekend with getting ready to go to Rockford this past weekend.  My cousin's wedding was very nice.  And our first shower was perfect.  My mother-in-law really did a great job of putting it together.  And everyone was so generous with gifts.  Baby T feels so loved already! 

Worst moment of the week....Aaron lost his wedding ring :(  He had a golf outing on Friday, and he never wears it golfing, so he put it in his pocket (not the best idea which he realizes).  At some point it fell out and it's no where to be found.  He feels HORRIBLE.  Thankfully, he bought the cheapest ring they had when we were buying it 4 years ago.  So it's not about the money at all.  The ring did mean a lot though sentiment-wise.  It was blessed at our wedding...etc.  Now we just have to get to the store to get him a new ring.

Out With the Old...In With the New

Another item to check off our list!  Well...partially at least. 

When I graduated from college, it was time to get my own wheels.  I was very, very fortunate that my parents bought us cars to borrow from them all throughout high school and college.  They were by no means fancy (our first was the Pontiac Sunbird that shook uncontrollably going any speed over 55 mph...highway driving was interesting), but they did the trick and were GREATLY appreciated.

In December 2006, I bought this beauty...a 2006 G6 GT.  She had a great run, but now has quite a few miles so we decided we either needed to run her into the ground or sell her now while we could still get some money.  We chose the latter now that we have a baby on the way.  She's now posted on Craig's List and waiting for her new home.  We've had several bites over the past week, but nothing too serious yet.  Fingers crossed she's gone in the next month.  I don't want to have to renew the registration again!

We've (and by we I mean Aaron) been researching my new car for quite some time.  I knew I wanted a crossover/SUV.  I knew I either wanted an Edge, an Equinox, or a Terrain.  The next step was for Aaron to do his magic and research the heck out of each of them.  After much debate, we chose the Edge.  Now, I come from a GM family.  My grandpa, grandma, great aunt, and dad all worked at GM for life.  I would be the first in my family to venture into new territory.  At one point years ago, I planted the seed with my dad that we may get another brand and we were told we wouldn't be able to park in the driveway (he was kidding....I think).  I was a little nervous to tell him our choice to say the least.  He took it very well.  But the Edge just made more sense...it was wider which would be more comfortable for Baby T and Wally when they ride together and it would be better when we have two kids and need to fit two car seats.  The trunk space is also huge compared to the other two we were considering.  And I LOVE it!  It has so many fancy bells and whistles I've never had before :)  And without further ado...my new wheels!

Aaron was unfortunate to get pulled over the FIRST night we had her.  Luckily, it was just for not having our headlights on and the officer was very understanding since A. we had just pulled off the road to figure out how to turn them on and B. we had proof we had just purchased the car and had no idea what we were doing. 

24 Weeks: Cantaloupe

How big is baby: Baby is the size of a cantaloupe this week (10.5-11.8 in and 12.7-20.8 oz).  As I mentioned before, apparently, during these weeks, they start to measure the baby from head to toe.  Previously, the average size was measured from crown to rump...that's the reason for the range and no change from last week.  But cantaloupe??  That's a pretty big fruit I think.        

Weight gain/loss:  At my appointment last week, I think I was up a total of 14 lbs. so far.  According to What to Expect When You Are Expecting, I'm still in the normal range.   

Stretch marks: No.

Sleep:  Still sleeping well minus my one bathroom break in the middle of the night.  Baby has decided on certain nights that having a dance party at 2am, 4am, or 5am is a great idea.  I usually am able to roll over and fall right back asleep after I have a short, "quiet" conversation with Baby :)  

Diet/Cravings/Aversions:  Fruit.  Pizza.  I decided to change it up a little bit and bought strawberries, blueberries and cherries for the beginning of the week.  But don't worry, I have a watermelon on the counter, and I'll be cutting it up in the next day or so.  And I got my pizza fix twice this week.  Pizza on Monday and tonight we had homemade calzones.  They were amazing!  I'll post the recipe soon.

Exercise:  It's finally cooled off a little, so I can walk outside again.  

Gender: We'll find out in October!  

Movement: Aaron got to feel the baby even more this week.  I can definitely see the kicks poking out now sometimes when I look down.  It's so nice to finally have a daily reminder that everything is ok.  I read somewhere today that baby feels most active between weeks 24 and 28 while baby is still small enough to move around like crazy.  After week 28, I guess baby starts to run out of room.    

The belly:  Bigger and bigger it seems.  My clothes from Old Navy finally came!!  I have a client meeting at work tomorrow.  I'm not quite sure yet what I'm going to do since my suit jackets only match my pre-pregnancy pants.  I'm hoping that the bella band is still an option.

What I'm spazzing about:  Nothing really this week.

What I'm loving:  We ordered our crib!  It should be here in the next week.  We are out of town next weekend and then in Grand Haven with family for a few days so I don't think we'll put it together for a little while.  I'm just excited to have it!

We decided on the car we are going to buy as well.  We are going this weekend to see what the dealer has and test drive them.  I'm slightly stressed about trading in/selling my car, but we'll figure it out.  I'm hoping the trade in value is decent and we won't have to weigh the option of trying to sell it on our own.

Also, we have our appointments set up with two, potential pediatrician's.  Both came highly recommended and the people I talked to on the phone were super nice.

Symptoms:  Sore hips at night.  Still more heartburn.  I really do think I've been feeling braxton hicks contractions here and there at the end of the day.  I've read that it can be normal this early.

What I'm looking forward to:  Spending time with family over the next few weeks.  My sister and her boyfriend are coming in from Denver and staying with us on Sunday.  Then we are going to a Tigers game with my parents on Monday.  We are spending the following weekend with my family, and then we are headed to Grand Haven that Sunday to spend a few days with my in-laws.          

Best moment of the week:  Crossing even more off the list!  I am a total list person.  And the great presents that Beeba sent the baby :)  She ordered a cute sleeper/hat outfit and toy from our registry (there was a bit of a mixup on the outfit but Buy Buy Baby was great about fixing it).  She also sent a soft baseball toy that can be clipped on to the car seat bar or stroller.  She is a HUGE Tigers fan so she said it was a must.  Thanks again Beeba!