Baby’s Room Art

Michael and I had this idea for the baby’s room.  Well, we have had lots of ideas for the baby’s room, but this one is for the artwork.  We are going to do two of these pieces over the dresser.  We wanted to involve music.  Music has always been a huge part of both of our lives and it will play a huge part in our baby’s life.  He/She already likes to move around a lot whenever we play music.  He/She really likes Nine Inch Nails and Florence and the Machine and will kick so hard when we are listening to them. 

I have been working on this artwork for about a week and a half now.  It is detailed and colorful.  I think a baby’s room should have bright colors.  The first song we picked (Michael’s pick) was Three Little Birds, by Bob Marley.  First, who doesn’t LOVE Bob Marley.  His words are perfect and calming.  I think it is a great addition for our little one’s room.  I hand did the lettering, so that’s what took the most time.  I now have to figure out what the other song or quote will be.  I just can’t decide.  There are so many of my favorite songs and even quotes that mean a lot to me.  I really want something meaningful to both me and Michael. 

23 Weeks

How far along? 23 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 8 lb
Maternity clothes? Yes, now most of my shirts look a little too short when I wear them.  I finally found a good pair of maternity jeans.  Citizens.
Stretch marks? No-Thank goodness.
Sleep: My sleep is good, but it is filled with bathroom breaks, baby acrobatics, and weird dreams.
Best moment this week: This week was a long week of work travel.  I learned no redeye flights until after I deliver and I will try and avoid flights over 4 hours.
Miss Anything? I miss being able to sit on an hour flight and not having to use the restroom.  Sometimes they don’t even turn off the seatbelt sign and get a little annoyed when you get up. 
Movement: Lots of movement.
Food cravings: I really had to have a Starbucks white mocha this week.  First real caffeine drink I have wanted (besides cola).  I got the smallest size and didn’t drink it all but man it tasted good!
Anything making you queasy or sick: I think I have finally moved past this.  There are definite smells that make me go yuck, but they don’t make me run to the bathroom.
Have you started to show yet: It is funny how people still can’t tell, because I feel like it is huge.  I also love how (while traveling) people will notice the bump and look at it, and you can tell they want to say something but they don’t.  Even Michael has noticed people looking at it.
Gender: We are not going to find out.
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: It was a sad week for the Razorback football team.  I have felt a little edgy this week, but that was probably more from exhaustion than baby.
Looking forward to: I am looking forward to being home a few weeks before traveling again.

I have the say that I love my parents, or at least my Mom.  I love my Dad too (a lot), but my Mom kept all kinds of baby books from my childhood.  It is awesome! It was fun looking through the books and remembering certain ones.  I, of course, had my favorites as a child and now I have them for our little one.  It is nice to know our little one will not have a shortage of reading material.  We have already decided to start reading to the belly.  More Michael will read to the belly, since the kiddo hears my voice ALL the time.  Check out my bookshelf with all the New/Old books.  LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

Week 22

Hotel room photo.  Sorry, this week was a crazy travel week and I was gone all week and had a busy weekend preparing to fly out again on Monday.  Plus a Razorback football game that was disappointing.

How far along? 22 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 7 lb (according to the doctor)
Maternity clothes? Yes, for the most part.  I have been throwing it a shirt or pants that’s not maternity.
Stretch marks? No-Thank goodness.
Sleep: Sleep has been so much better lately, as long as the baby doesn’t decide he/she wants to start practicing flips.
Best moment this week: I have been traveling all last week and have been very busy, so that’s why I didn’t get a shot this week with my chalkboard.  The best moment this week was my Mom getting to feel the baby move.  He/She moves a lot at the Razorback football games and I was telling my Mom, who then felt it.  Yay! Plus every time the baby moves Michael can feel it. 
Miss Anything? Being comfortable on a long flight.
Movement: Lots of movement. 
Food cravings: Nothing unusual this week.
Anything making you queasy or sick: I had no problems this week.
Have you started to show yet: The bump isn’t going away.
Gender: We are not going to find out.
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: It was a good travel week.  Besides the airline not letting me change my flight to an earlier one I was happy.
Looking forward to: I have a lot coming up in the next few months from baby showers, to vacations, to fun work trip.  I am definitely looking forward to keeping busy.

Seeing Every State

I love traveling.  I get to travel for work a lot, and right now I am in the middle of my busiest travel season.  I am currently out of town.  I come back for the weekend and then head out again next week.  This is my typical fall.  I am especially excited about my travel this fall.  Why? 
I have a goal in my life that I want to travel to EVERY state.  Prior to 2012 I had been to 32 States.  I really was proud it was over half.  This has been a good year for new places.  Before the year is over I will add 4 new states (2 already with 2 more upcoming).  I keep a map in my office to show all the places I have traveled, all the places Michael has traveled, and all the places we have gone together.  We pin each location with different colors to distinguish the difference.  There are a few cities we don’t include, but we include major cities.  If I included all the cities, I would have several hundred pins in Arkansas alone and around the Chicagoland area. 

I also keep a map on the computer where I color in each state I have visited.  I look at this map and can’t help but want to plan our next vacations.  This year we will be driving to Gulf Shores, and so I will get to pick up Mississippi and Alabama.  I have to go to Virginia again this fall and really want to drive up to West Virginia just to add that very random white state.  I want to ski Deer Valley some day, and I want to go to Yellow Stone.  I could add a few new states that way.  Who knows when that will happen.  Maybe we could drive to Wyoming and hit up several of my blank states.  That would be a long long drive.  By the end of this year I will have been to 36 states.  I can’t wait.  Once I hit 40 states I will definitely start trying to get the last 10.   

One crazy weekend

This last weekend was completely crazy.  It started wild and crazy.  Friday right after work, we got hit by a storm.  I was actually working late in my office and on the phone with a west coast colleague when the wind outside picked up.  The colleague I was speaking with could hear the wind and my plants hitting the window.  I looked outside and I saw things flying by my office window.  I told her, I got to go I will call you back it is like the Wizard of Oz here right now.  We had several LARGE items flying through the neighborhood.  I guess it was straight line winds, caused from the cold front that collided with our warm temperatures.  Here are a few photos from the aftermath:

Our neighbors did have a full fence before the storm…they weren’t the only ones who lost part of their fence.One of many trees that snapped.

We were lucky and had no damage.  Our next door neighbor had damage from that fence blowing into the roof and other parts of their house.  Our house was completely missed.  No trees lost and no fence. 

Saturday, we woke up to a beautiful fall like temperatures.  We took out baby for a walk around the block and then headed to Fort Smith to hang out with my brother, who was in town, and watch the Razorback game.  The game was very disappointing.  Our defense sucks or did not perform to their abilities.  We had lots of injuries, which were scary and sad.  My Mom made us a nice dinner and it was great to spend some quality time with my brother.  I miss having him around all the time.  I know he will be a great uncle come January.  Kids just LOVE him.  I think it is because he speaks to them the same way he would speak to anyone.  He also wears glasses and I think kids like that.  He was being silly with me and we took a picture together.  Next time he comes home will be Thanksgiving and I will be much bigger, so we needed to photograph the difference. 

Being silly.  Yummy Hog Cake.

Sunday, was a relaxing day for me.  It ended up being a relaxing day.  Michael had plans to play golf, so I was planning to be crafty and work on a project for the baby’s room.  I went to Hobby Lobby to get supplies and it was closed.  I then went to another store to look at some baby stuff and it was closed.  I then took that as a sign to just go home and take a nap.  I didn’t nap, but I did watch Lifetime movies. 

9/11

In Memory!

21 Weeks

How far along? 21 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 6 lb
Maternity clothes? Wearing a maternity shirt in this picture.
Stretch marks? No-Thank goodness.
Sleep: I have had the weirdest dreams this last week.  I have also had some back pain, which is making it harder to sleep.
Best moment this week: I had a lot of good moments this week.  We went to a Razorback Football game! My brother has been in town and he got to see my ever growing belly.  He thought it was odd on me.  Gabby made me laugh due to baby movement.  I learned our baby also likes Nine Inch Nails.  If we want to get him/her going play some of that and he/she starts moving.  The fireworks and crowd noise at the football game also made the baby move a lot.
Miss Anything? Nothing this week.
Movement: Lots of movement.  Can’t wait to get Michael to feel the baby more.
Food cravings: Nothing unusual this week.
Anything making you queasy or sick: I had no problems this week.
Have you started to show yet: Yes, and it is getting harder to hide the bump.
Gender: This week I had thoughts of cute little Razorback girlie attire.
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.  Good week.  It was a 4 day work week, and baby and I got to spend some quality time with Uncle Eric.
Looking forward to: Hitting less than 100 days until the due date.
We received our baby bedding this week! It has been fun for Michael and I to try and find something neutral for our little one’s room.  We kept coming back to the one we got and finally took the plunge and purchased it.  Here are a few pictures of the bed and bedding.  The room is no where near being decorated, but it is definitely in the works.
Noticed the little bear on the left.  It has our baby’s heartbeat inside.  My Mom and I made it at Build-A-Bear a few weeks back!

20 Weeks

How far along? 20 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 6 lb
Maternity clothes? Sometimes, in the picture I am wearing all my normal clothes, but I have started to wear a few maternity shirts.  They definitely make me feel more pregnant than fat.
Stretch marks? No-Thank goodness.
Sleep: This has been a good week for sleep.  Maybe I am just so exhausted I have slept better or maybe I am finally learning how to sleep on my side.
Best moment this week: Ultrasound appointment!  My Mom and I also went to Build-A-Bear with a recording of the baby’s heartbeat from the 4D ultrasound and made a teddy bear for him/her. 
Miss Anything? Being able to fit into my Razorback gameday attire.
Movement: Lots of movement.  It is usually the same time everyday and in the same place.  Hopefully this is a sign of a routine!
Food cravings: Nothing unusual this week.
Anything making you queasy or sick: When I overdo it, I feel a little queasy.
Have you started to show yet: Yes, and other people are also starting to notice.
Gender: Still thinking/hoping it is a boy, but have had a few feelings of girl this week.
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.  This was a great week and long weekend.  The Razorbacks won their game, and being there just made my whole week better.
Looking forward to: I don’t have anything this week I am looking forward to, unless you count the fact that I only have to work 4 days!

Here are some of my 20 week anatomy ultrasound pictures.  I have to say that even over the last two weeks the baby looks a little plumper.  He/She also really enjoyed running away from the ultrasound tech.  She did not agree that it was cute.