tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177770778081981922024-03-13T07:50:15.396-04:00The Naptime ReportAbbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.comBlogger320125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-69622303820764474202018-08-26T21:40:00.000-04:002018-08-26T21:40:44.246-04:00The Paradox of Preschool<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eA8GfEthzrk/W4NWPu4Bn1I/AAAAAAAAFdA/UUkeSromvBYutp9-G0QvyjlUX2tTO6FgQCLcBGAs/s1600/6B6A3476-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eA8GfEthzrk/W4NWPu4Bn1I/AAAAAAAAFdA/UUkeSromvBYutp9-G0QvyjlUX2tTO6FgQCLcBGAs/s320/6B6A3476-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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First, let’s just say it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It goes fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But it does.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I send my 3<sup>rd</sup> child off to pre-k tomorrow morning
and while there have been days that have lasted, I swear it, 50+ hours, the
past 5 years have just zipped on by.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I remember the hot summer of my pregnancy with him, my ever-swollen
ankles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember how we arrived at the
hospital a mere 11 minutes before he was born {let’s be honest…I’ll never ever
forget that}.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember his first
smiles, in the baby swing that was set up in the kitchen in our first home that
was never meant for 5 humans to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
remember his first steps, and the hours we spent in speech therapy waiting on
the first words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember wiping tears
from my eyes when he looked up at the night sky and exclaimed “dark!”, one of
the first spontaneous words he spoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All of this talk about speech is funny, because now the same child never
stops talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Before I lose you, never fear…I remember the other things,
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember cleaning out pair after
pair of underwear as we potty-trained {he wasn’t easy}.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember throwing lots of them away,
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember wondering why on earth I
ever thought having a third child was a good idea {that was just this
morning}.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember the throw-down fit
we had in the middle of an elementary school assembly we were attending for the
older two kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember the 30-minute
tantrum because the bag containing his cookie from Starbucks wasn’t folded
correctly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Amidst all these tender and not-so-sweet moments catalogued
forever in my brain, it’s time to decorate the assigned tote bag, don the
laminated name tag, and send this boy off to pester another woman for 3 hours
per day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And that, right there, is the paradox of it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been earnestly waiting for this
spirited child to spend a few hours away, to have a break, to not answer 5,000
questions about dogs and microwaves and rocketships and q-tips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a little brother who will relish the
alone time with mom, and the 3 hours will be filled with errands and work and
glorious trips to Target with only one child.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But on this, the eve of the big send-off, I’m wondering if I
can’t just have another week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a
little more time enjoying the child who pushes the envelope and is a pioneer
into the realms of his mother’s sanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
want a break from him, and I simultaneously want more time with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that it’s here, I’m wondering how it came
so quickly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In the morning we’ll surely make more memories for me to
file away; his nervous smile as he walks in, his gleeful hug as I pick him
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a few weeks’ time we’ll have a
new routine, and I will wonder what I did before preschool {and then in June I’ll
swiftly remember}.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
This is nowhere near the end, but it is something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And like many of the ‘somethings’, this one
pulls at the heartstrings a little.<o:p></o:p></div>
Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-63846619730892762542013-11-03T19:38:00.001-05:002013-11-03T19:38:39.289-05:00Photo Dump for Emily<div style="text-align: center;">
Emily is using some photos of Max for a project she's doing {paparazzi much?}, and I was going to just email these to her, but it occurred to me that the Grandmas might enjoy seeing them. Feast your eyes.</div>
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Ah, I love this photo. I look like I got hit by a truck. Because I did. The hard, fast labor truck.</div>
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3 weeks in, and Henry still loves Max. So thankful.</div>
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See that envelope in the background? Those are the films of my crooked back to show the anesthesiologist before my epidural is given. Still not over it.</div>
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Love this.</div>
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This picture is blurry, but I don't care. It's a precious moment that I'll never, ever forget.</div>
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Overall, I was pretty bummed that we didn't bust the camera out until Max was born. It's probably good, otherwise he'd have been born in the hallway or something. I was so excited to take some really fun shots of the actual labor process, but Max meant business.</div>
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The other 'missed moment' was the final full-belly shot as we left for the hospital. I was mad that we forgot, but then again, that might have made for a hallway {or car!} delivery. So we took one as we came home. I have the full-belly shots of me in this exact location with Ella and Henry, right as we were leaving for the hospital, hence the belly shot here.</div>
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Ah, third children and their rough upbringing.</div>
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Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-84603405778127042242013-10-11T21:36:00.000-04:002013-10-11T21:36:20.500-04:00Welcome to the World, Max Peffley
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ella’s labor was 24 hours, and Henry’s was 16 hours. I’d heard that the third baby can come
faster, but I was wholly unprepared for this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I woke up Wednesday morning having a few contractions. They were about 10 minutes apart and mildly
painful. I got the kids fed and dressed,
and after Ella was at school, Henry and I ‘relaxed’ by downloading 5 new
dumptruck apps for the ipad.. Some
friends came over to play at 10:30, and by then, my contractions were
gone. I was bummed that they’d died off.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After we got Ella from school and I laid the kids down for a
nap, I decided to take a nap as well {I never EVER do this}. When we all woke up, I took the kids on a
2-mile walk, pushing them both in the stroller.
I felt great on the walk, and
decided there was no way I was having a baby anytime soon if I could push 100
pounds of kids for two miles and feel fine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nic called and was going to be late getting home, so I
pushed the kids on the swingset for awhile and then made dinner. As I was getting Henry ready for bed around
6, I noticed a few contractions. Around
6:30, I decided to start timing them.
They were about 10 minutes apart and were actually starting to hurt. At 6:30, I called my friend and doula, Anna,
and we decided I should eat dinner, take a shower, and monitor them over the
next hour. I got Ella settled for bed,
and by the time I got out of the shower, they were 2-3 minutes apart and
painful, but only lasting for 40 seconds {I still thought it was maybe false
labor because they weren’t very long…idiot}. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2e1Rs2GCoQk/Ulimx8VnkQI/AAAAAAAAD1U/CuQ9upLMuo0/s1600/IMG_9637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2e1Rs2GCoQk/Ulimx8VnkQI/AAAAAAAAD1U/CuQ9upLMuo0/s400/IMG_9637.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I talked to Anna, and she decided to head over and help me
decide what to do. I also let Nic know
that he should probably come home soon.
By the time they both got to our house {at about 7:35}, I knew we needed
to get to the hospital. I thought I was
maybe 4 centimeters dilated or something, but I was going to die if I didn’t
get an epidural.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We called my mom, Nic’s mom, and Nic’s parents’ house. No one was answering their phones, and I
started to stress out even more.
Luckily, we were able to reach Nic’s brother, Brent, and he was there by
the time we were done getting our things packed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Contractions were still about 2-3 minutes apart, lasting
about a minute, and suuuuuuper painful at this point. When Anna saw my face during the contractions,
she was pushing us out the door. Driving
to the hospital was terrible, and I was feeling like a total loser for being
such a wimp. I fully expected to get to
the hospital, get checked, and be 4-5 centimeters at the most.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we got to the door, I got right out of the car. I didn’t care if Nic or Anna was with me; I
needed that epidural. The lady at the
check-in desk and I had a conversation like this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: I’m in labor.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lady: Okay, when is
your due date?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Saturday.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lady: How
exciting! And how far apart are your
contractions?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: {pauses for a
contraction}<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lady: {eyes open
wide}<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: 2-3 minutes,
lasting for a minute<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lady: Okay then. And what baby is this?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: #3.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lady: {eyes open even
wider} Ooooookay! I’ll call right
now! Ok!
Let’s call back!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I sat in the chair for a few minutes while they ‘found’ me a
room. At this point, I was starting to
lose control. Anna and Nic made it in,
and Anna was putting pressure on my back, which helped a little. There was a poor, poor couple sitting there,
waiting on a tour. Sorry lady, this is
what real labor looks like.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They got me the world’s most awkward wheelchair, and wheeled
me back. Having had two epidurals
before, I knew that it takes about an hour before you have enough IV fluids to
be able to get the epidural. I was
begging {read: shouting} to be taken to
a room so I could have the IV right away.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They took me to the triage room, and I was SO MAD. I was shouting at everyone who would listen
that I did NOT want to waste time in the triage room; I needed the epidural
RIGHT NOW. Literally, screaming my head
off. Totally not in control of the pain. Since
my other labors were so long, I just thought for sure I was in for a long
night, and I wanted the pain to go away.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f-tQlX7BEUk/UlimxxNqjuI/AAAAAAAAD1c/_q4IXvAPTso/s1600/IMG_9721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f-tQlX7BEUk/UlimxxNqjuI/AAAAAAAAD1c/_q4IXvAPTso/s400/IMG_9721.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They asked me to
undress and put on a gown before they checked me. I definitely didn’t wait for the door to be
shut, ripped my clothes off, and got the gown on ASAP. The nurse checked me, and I shouted at her to
get me the epidural right then. She got
a funny look on her face, and I just knew.
I knew it wasn’t going to happen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was screaming at
her {the poor, poor thing}, asking how far dilated I was. I was completely shocked when she said 8.5
centimeters. No wonder I was in pain: I was in transition!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I really
started to freak out. I knew in my heart
of hearts that I was going to have to do this without any pain meds, and that
just wasn’t my plan. I’d already given
up control, and I was screaming at everyone in the hallway that I couldn’t do
it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They got me
transferred to my labor room, and we happened to see that couple taking a
tour. I’m afraid I wasn’t on my best
behavior, and continued to shout at everyone in sight about an epidural. It’s what you’d imagine a scene from a sitcom
would look like. Oh well. Just a taste of reality for her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, we got to
the room about 2 minutes later at 8:25 {this is less than an hour after Nic got
home from work….so glad we live so close to the hospital}, and I was checked
again: fully dilated. If it’s not clear by this point, I was
freaking out. I was begging anyone who
would listen that I needed that epidural.
They were all very nice, and were trying to find a way to tell me that
it just wasn’t going to happen. The OB
was still at home, so they called her on in, though I’m sure they didn’t think
she’d get there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p5pEX9lQIjw/Ulimxx9IADI/AAAAAAAAD1Y/pBuXKQfA-4s/s1600/IMG_9749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p5pEX9lQIjw/Ulimxx9IADI/AAAAAAAAD1Y/pBuXKQfA-4s/s400/IMG_9749.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Miracle of miracles,
she did get there. At this point, I was
literally pulling my hair out, trying to get the pain to go somewhere
else. Like I said, I’d totally lost
control. She broke my water at 8:32 {she
must also live freakishly close}, and encouraged me to try a few pushes. Breaking my water did relieve a lot of
pressure, and she told me that if it looked like the baby wasn’t going to come
quickly {I was at a +3, so I’m sure she knew how fast it was going to happen},
we could try to get an epidural in {still didn’t have an IV at this point}.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I pushed twice,
maybe three times, and the baby’s head was out.
I was still screaming at the top of my lungs that I was going to give
up. I was so sure I couldn’t do it. I was begging them to just pull the baby out,
or better yet, just cut the baby out.
The doctor politely refused {she really was a saint, with all of my screaming
and carrying on} and explained that she wouldn’t be cutting the baby out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I pushed one more
time, and Max Peffley was born at 8:41, 16 minutes after we got into the
room. I obviously never planned for this
to be a natural birth, but it sure was. In the world of TMI, no stitches needed, so I'm feeling fantastic. One
glitter crown and gold medal for me, thankyouverymuch.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-62249419665668761782013-09-07T13:06:00.000-04:002013-09-07T13:06:08.964-04:0035 Weeks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vMozJtFGYwA/Uitc7Lm3tYI/AAAAAAAAD08/vsv-0c0ZbOM/s1600/35+weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vMozJtFGYwA/Uitc7Lm3tYI/AAAAAAAAD08/vsv-0c0ZbOM/s400/35+weeks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So close, yet so far...</div>
Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-46334992407096075022013-09-04T21:22:00.000-04:002013-09-04T21:22:02.296-04:00Our Summer Project<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
I just posted this over on our house blog, but wanted to post it here, too. Because I'm obsessed.<br />
<br />
*******<br />
<br />
It's the moment you've all been waiting for. The moment where I give you more information and more photos than you wanted about the project that took just a little bit of our souls.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Just as a refresher, we started <a href="http://www.bigplanslittlebudget.blogspot.com/2013/08/kitchen-wall-demo-discovery-phase.html">here</a>. And then got crazy with some <a href="http://www.bigplanslittlebudget.blogspot.com/2013/08/kitchen-wall-demo-blind-header.html">serious structural changes.</a> Behold, the finished project:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jpw_PzDX1Y8/UifTnd9eT2I/AAAAAAAADzs/TvlXlswx3wo/s1600/IMG_8498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jpw_PzDX1Y8/UifTnd9eT2I/AAAAAAAADzs/TvlXlswx3wo/s400/IMG_8498.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qHtytylQl6c/UifTnkvTvYI/AAAAAAAADzw/zQlVU1_BUmg/s1600/IMG_8499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qHtytylQl6c/UifTnkvTvYI/AAAAAAAADzw/zQlVU1_BUmg/s400/IMG_8499.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It just makes our kitchen and family room feel SO BIG. The funny thing is that we gained ZERO square footage, and absolutely no additional living space. Really, we just gained a countertop {which is AMAZING}, and some open space. Proof that more is less.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-11ugR1Y2FMY/UifTnwarmSI/AAAAAAAADz4/4xFbz-3z8lM/s1600/IMG_8502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-11ugR1Y2FMY/UifTnwarmSI/AAAAAAAADz4/4xFbz-3z8lM/s400/IMG_8502.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For the color scheme of the kitchen/family room, I went with gray, light blue/gray, and navy with accents of coral, teal, and red. It sounds busy, but I've been super happy with how it all pulls together. Very soothing.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The pendant lights are from Lowe's, Allen + Roth. They take the Edison bulbs, but other than that, we looooove them. And at $50 a pop, they're a pretty good deal.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vi4gOG69Fsg/UifTohd8DmI/AAAAAAAAD0E/KfKC1iuMc_c/s1600/IMG_8503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vi4gOG69Fsg/UifTohd8DmI/AAAAAAAAD0E/KfKC1iuMc_c/s400/IMG_8503.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
After great and serious deliberation, we painted the family room, hallway, and kitchen the <a href="http://www.bigplanslittlebudget.blogspot.com/2013/03/wanna-clolor.html">color of our bedroom: hidden cove.</a> The original plan was to go with the ever-popular Rockport Gray, but we got the sample pot {ALWAYS get the sample pot, guys}, and I didn't *love* the way it looked with our backsplash and granite. And every woman deserves to love her kitchen, am I right?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I absolutely love the way a soft blue-gray plays off of our white cabinets and blends well with the cool undertones of our backsplash and granite. I was pretty nervous about having a decisively blue living space, but I'm so glad we made the plunge.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-inGCnDSILtw/UifTpJoZ-BI/AAAAAAAAD0M/xrqq2niFuow/s1600/IMG_8505+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-inGCnDSILtw/UifTpJoZ-BI/AAAAAAAAD0M/xrqq2niFuow/s400/IMG_8505+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's a shot of the laundry doors and countertop {and also shows how it is open to the family room}. For the countertops, our long-term plan is to go with a solid white top {quartz or corian}. For now, though, we just put a piece of white plyboard on top, and sanded and sanded and sanded. Then added some trim to the edges, and painted it with our cabinet primer {Zinsser} and paint {Sherwin Williams' Pro Classic tinted to Benjamin Moore's Simply White}. It looks great, and has held up really well all summer long. We don't really use this counter space as 'prep space' in the kitchen, so that might help, but we think it's a fantastic short-term solution.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Aren't the laundry doors cool? I Pinterested around {totally a legit word} and gave Nic some images of barn doors. I wanted something with character, but not something totally crazy. And he delivered! I painted them with the cabinet paint and used simple window sash hardware as the closure.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VZKaDV8bGRg/UifTpoCS-xI/AAAAAAAAD0Q/z8dJ9cNEY-U/s1600/IMG_8506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VZKaDV8bGRg/UifTpoCS-xI/AAAAAAAAD0Q/z8dJ9cNEY-U/s400/IMG_8506.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They definitely swing wide when opened, but it's not an issue since they're only opened when I'm switching laundry loads. One thing we love is that we can't hear the washer or dryer at all when the doors are shut {which is important because these puppies are literally in the middle of our living space}.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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We did need to put these wheels on the doors to offer support since they are so big and heavy. I love them though; I think it adds some character.</div>
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As for laundry storage {one of my top concerns}, we obviously could have quickly and easily built something that fit between the washer and dryer. I was taking a stroll through Target one day, though, and found this 'desktop organizer' for like 12 bucks. I added some casters and some cute hardware {also Target!}, and it works perfectly.</div>
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So here's what we started with:</div>
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And here's where we are:</div>
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We're just so happy with how it all turned out!</div>
Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-34206790387367379302013-08-29T20:20:00.000-04:002013-08-29T20:20:29.654-04:007 Things About Team Green<div style="text-align: left;">
As you know, we're not finding out the gender of this babe. I've always wanted to be surprised, and Nic never does. Now that we have a boy and a girl, I was able to sway him. Here are 7 things about being 'team green' that I didn't know.</div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">People love to say, "Well, I like to be prepared". I understand this sentiment, I really do. Preparing for a baby whose gender is a surprise is different than preparing for a baby whose gender you know. However, that doesn't mean that we're NOT preparing. In our case, we have boy clothes and girl clothes, so I'm washing both in the itty-bitty sizes. I made some burp cloths that work for boy or girl. I'm making a gray and white quilt for the baby. I'm preparing a place in our room for the baby to sleep {which is where baby will sleep no matter what gender}. I'm prepared.</li>
<li>It drives people crazy. Oh man! I had no idea people cared about this. So many of our friends and family members are pretty perturbed that we don't know boy or girl. It amuses me that people care that much, but maybe I should be flattered?</li>
<li>People love to say, "that's the way it should be". I don't know why this drives me crazy, but it does. There isn't a way it 'should' be. People can do whatever they want! If they want to find out the gender beforehand, great. If not, great. I've been surprised at how opinionated people are about this.</li>
<li>It's hard. Maybe this is because we've found out beforehand with Ella and Henry, but it has been harder than I anticipated. About 2 days after the 20-week ultrasound, I was seriously bummed. I would hope and hope and hope at each appointment that I'd get another ultrasound. But now, at 34 weeks, I'm so happy that we're still 'Team Green'. I think I just needed to get used to the idea.</li>
<li>It's fun. I've enjoyed thinking about whether this will be a boy or a girl. I definitely don't have any 'feelings' at all either way, and I'm carrying completely different from either one of my other pregnancies. I'll go a few weeks thinking it's a boy, and then a few weeks thinking it's a girl. Another thing that has been fun is being able to sort through and wash boy clothes <i>and</i> girl clothes. We'll be taking some of both to the hospital {and have some of both ready at home}, so it adds to the fun and anticipation.</li>
<li>Bonding has nothing to do with knowing the gender. This is probably one of the top 'concerns' people have. They assume that since we're Team Green, we can't 'bond' with the baby or that we don't care. We do care, and whether or not you know the gender, there is still a little life inside of you. </li>
<li>It makes us REALLY excited for labor! I'm anticipating giving birth more than ever. I just can't wait!</li>
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Our 'going home' outfits. Girl is from Ralph Lauren {thrifted}, boy is from Petunia Pickle Bottom {outlet and Henry's going home outfit}.</div>
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Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-86004508692022130992013-08-26T19:36:00.000-04:002013-08-26T19:36:50.935-04:00My BabySo both Ella and Henry have their special blankets that they sleep with each night. Ella's is made from minky fabric and came with her crib bedding set, and is named 'cozy'. I made Henry's when he was about 6 months old and I felt bad for him because he didn't have a super soft, thick blanket. I used flannel and some minky-ish fabric. His is name 'wankie'.<br />
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So, of course, No. 3 needed a special blanket. Awhile ago, I'd pinned a beautiful herringbone quilt that seemed easy enough to make; just triangles pieced together. I had a garage sale a few months back and used that time of just sitting in the garage and watching my ankles swell {sitting is what does it for me} to get started. I used white flannel, and then was mad because I couldn't find gray flannel. I was scared to order it online because I'm crazy picky about gray. So I just used some Kona cotton.<br />
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I used 8x8 squares {cut into triangles}, and then after I had the front completely done, I decided to start over. I know it seems crazy to start over after all that work, but two things: 1. I found some gray flannel locally, and really wanted the whole front to be flannel, and 2. I really wanted the pattern to be smaller. I know myself well enough to know that if I didn't *love* it, I'd spend the next 10+ years staring at my kid snuggling with it, wishing I'd just started over.<br />
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So I did, using 5x5 squares, and flannel for both the white and gray. Soooo much better. For the back, I just used some minky fabric, and I didn't use a filling or batting of any kind. I don't love baby blankets with batting since they aren't as flexible.<br />
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I used a zig-zag pattern to quilt it {just following the pattern of the front}, and it was pretty easy. I'd read some things online that discouraged any type of 'patterns' on a regular machine, but I had my heart set on it. I just pinned it *really* well, and took my time. I think it looks great, and much better than a square quilting would have looked with the herringbone pattern.<br />
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The binding is a perfect yellow flannel that I found at Joann's. I <i>obsessed</i> over this binding. I'd known from the beginning I wanted the gray and white herringbone, but couldn't picture the binding. I thought seriously about a gray and white stripe {and actually bought the fabric}, but then decided it should be a solid color. I bought a deep teal and this yellow, and decided to go with the yellow. I know it's super trendy right now, but I just love yellow so much.<br />
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It was so fun to spend the time making this quilt. Since we don't know the gender + we already have tons of clothes for boys and girls, this was one of my 'big' projects. I'm so happy to have such a beautiful blanket to snuggle this babe in!<br />
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Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-5164170572199846872013-08-13T20:44:00.001-04:002013-08-13T20:44:29.228-04:0030 Weeks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Eh, 31.5, but at least I remembered to take a photo...</div>
Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-30764273453409398852013-08-12T22:34:00.000-04:002013-08-12T22:34:01.667-04:00Ella is 5!<div style="text-align: center;">
Like every mother everywhere, I go back and forth between thinking that it's impossible that she's been here for 5 years, and thinking that there's no way it's only been 5 years. Sweet girl. If there's one thing we can do around here, it's celebrate a birthday. Here's how it all went down.</div>
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Over the weekend, cousins came to grandma's and we celebrated the August and September birthdays.<br />
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Oh, and there's this boy. The one who had a birthday party at grandma's a few months ago, but still thinks that <i>every</i> birthday is HIS birthday. I guess it's not a bad attitude to have.</div>
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We love to perpetuate the myth by just buying him presents. Actually, this one was from Uncle Jeff. See? Not spoiled at all.</div>
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Then today {her actual birthday}, we opened presents {new TOMS, dance clothes,</div>
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and some little Disney princess babies? I don't get it but she went crazy over them last week at the store.}.</div>
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Then we headed to Starbucks for breakfast, per our birthday tradition.</div>
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Cake for breakfast.</div>
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We played at the park, took naps, and went out to eat at Logan's {ella's request; she loves the peanuts}. Then we had cake at home.</div>
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We had a great day celebrating our sweet girl.</div>
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She's great.</div>
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And, yes, this boy thought it was his birthday, too.</div>
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Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-1916387910751060852013-08-05T12:35:00.000-04:002013-08-05T12:35:00.105-04:00BabymooningOver the weekend, I did something I've never done before. I kissed my husband and kids goodbye on Saturday morning, and headed to Columbus, Ohio, to hand with my college bestie.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jbBOK2qgBTA/Uf_TB9wEUzI/AAAAAAAADuA/3VQK1vQREws/s640/blogger-image--1984087326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jbBOK2qgBTA/Uf_TB9wEUzI/AAAAAAAADuA/3VQK1vQREws/s400/blogger-image--1984087326.jpg" width="289" /></a>We're both 30 weeks pregnant, and wanted to get together before these babes make their debut. We'd considered meeting at the zoo with our husbands + kids, but then thought that maybe a weekend sans responsibility would be fun.<br />
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Boy were we right! I've never done a 'girls weekend', and it was fantastic! We stayed at a really nice hotel at Easton, an outdoor mall. We pretty much just walked around and talked and ate. We did leave the hotel/mall area to find a ghetto fabric shop and to search for nursing bras. We're that exciting.<br />
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On Sunday we slept in all the way until 8:30 {obviously we're both moms}. Mostly, we just enjoyed people watching and listening to people marvel at the sight of two largely pregnant women walking around together.<br />
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I'm so glad we just did it. It was kind of hard to find a weekend that worked, but we did and it was so so fun.<br />
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Excuse my fat face in this picture, but there is a new American Girl store at Easton. Just about every little girl was toting around a new doll. I'm a big AG fan, so we stopped and I {naturally} found the cutest little swaddle blanket to take back to Ella and her bitty baby. The doll I'm next to is Molly, whom I've had for well over 20 years. Ella loves playing with her now!<br />
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Today it's back to the reality of insanely crabby toddlers {I have one who has been screaming for 4 hours straight...good thing I'm not taking it personally}, paying bills, and cleaning the house in its state of being mom-less for two days.<br />
<br />Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-29124363695161983882013-07-30T22:47:00.000-04:002013-07-30T22:47:48.559-04:00Belt It, Baby: How to Make a Belly BeltI wrote this post wayyyyyy back at 8 weeks pregnant, but never did post it. Not sure why. But it's a good and useful one! Behold:<br />
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So my body just loooooooves being pregnant. By week 8, the bump is out and proud. I've actually not gained any weight yet {shocking...I have yet to gain less than 100 pounds per pregnancy}, but my body has re-arranged every little cell to produce a lovely little lady lump. With this being #3, and pregnancy #5, my body was <i>on it</i>. There's no hiding this one.<br />
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I really can't complain, though. I guess I'd rather look preggo in the first trimester than look awkwardly chubby for awhile. Don't worry....I cover awkwardly chubby later on in the pregnancy.<br />
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But I hate maternity pants. H. A. T. E. I love the comfort factor, but hate the way they make me look. They just make my thighs look terrible. I mean, there's no way my thighs could be the problem. It <i>must</i> be the pants. Ya. The pants.<br />
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So in looking for a reasonable solution {tried the 'Be Band' with Henry's pregnancy...um no}, I came across the 'Belly Belt'. Love the concept. I was one click away from ordering, when I got real with myself. $20? I bet I can make this thing with the junk I have hoarded in my craft closet.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOGWrNmcQIU/UU-13Jmv5II/AAAAAAAADfo/mjORlon9KiA/s1600/belly+belt+header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOGWrNmcQIU/UU-13Jmv5II/AAAAAAAADfo/mjORlon9KiA/s400/belly+belt+header.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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You'll just need 3 buttons, some knit fabric, and a small bit of wide elastic. I used navy blue knit since I had it on hand and I thought it would best 'match' my jeans. Blue or black elastic would obviously have been better, but I had white on hand.</div>
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So first you need to cut the fabric and elastic to the length you need. I cut mine way too long at first, but it was really easy to cut it down later.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hyBcJkIQNLc/UU-2q9tdKBI/AAAAAAAADfw/0KHQlFcFtYg/s1600/belly+belt+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hyBcJkIQNLc/UU-2q9tdKBI/AAAAAAAADfw/0KHQlFcFtYg/s400/belly+belt+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The knit should be pretty close to a square shape, since it will eventually be used to cover the zipper area. Next, just make a casing for the elastic. I have a knit stitch on my machine, but didn't even use it. A regular straight stitch worked just fine for this.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--wEgV8RjYjE/UU-3rlEYGPI/AAAAAAAADf4/Zw6kUxkJtZc/s1600/belly+belt+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--wEgV8RjYjE/UU-3rlEYGPI/AAAAAAAADf4/Zw6kUxkJtZc/s400/belly+belt+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Set the knit aside; we'll work on the piece of elastic. Make a buttonhole close to one end. My machine has an automatic buttonholer, but it didn't like the elastic much. I just did this manually, and it worked great. You'll also want to do a quick zig-zag on the edge, too.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nHxILM7k9n4/UU-4Hb55UZI/AAAAAAAADgA/mRKt_ML73oE/s1600/belly+belt+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nHxILM7k9n4/UU-4Hb55UZI/AAAAAAAADgA/mRKt_ML73oE/s400/belly+belt+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now you'll need to add three buttons. I used my machine to put them on, which was super fast. Use <a href="http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/08/sewing-tips-attaching-buttons-with-a-sewing-machine.html">this tutorial</a>. Also finish off the end of the elastic with a zig-zag stitch, which isn't shown here.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vDzbig2V3vQ/UU-4qHtZ0pI/AAAAAAAADgI/rNUuCGN-dUc/s1600/belly+belt+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vDzbig2V3vQ/UU-4qHtZ0pI/AAAAAAAADgI/rNUuCGN-dUc/s400/belly+belt+4.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>
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And that's pretty much it! Just slip the elastic into the casing and you're all set! I made my elastic a little long, so I just snipped off the last button, and moved it to the other side.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jX-cw_r-9wc/UU-5G8BgY3I/AAAAAAAADgQ/sxhm-lsNSV4/s1600/belly+belt+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jX-cw_r-9wc/UU-5G8BgY3I/AAAAAAAADgQ/sxhm-lsNSV4/s400/belly+belt+6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's the size of mine when I finished.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nPkrUBvNOJ0/UU-5ObkdRhI/AAAAAAAADgY/wNXcBwKL1Cg/s1600/belly+belt+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nPkrUBvNOJ0/UU-5ObkdRhI/AAAAAAAADgY/wNXcBwKL1Cg/s400/belly+belt+7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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To use the belly belt, just put the button of your pants through the buttonhole, and then loop the buttonhole of the pants through one of the buttons on the elastic. Then as your belly grows, you can move on to the other buttons. The knit drapes down {tuck it into your pants} to cover the area that would normally be zipped.</div>
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Here's an awkward selfie of my crotch to illustrate:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sPlNXk-ejk4/UU-6O1y2KkI/AAAAAAAADgg/RvYXxoVmEf4/s1600/belly+belt+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sPlNXk-ejk4/UU-6O1y2KkI/AAAAAAAADgg/RvYXxoVmEf4/s400/belly+belt+8.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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White elastic was clearly not the best option, but my shirts cover it up, anyway. I'm just happy that my thighs and rear-end still look normal <i>and</i> I get to enjoy all of the benefits of elastic-waist pants.</div>
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I'm happy to report that I'm still using this at 30 weeks. I definitely am wearing some maternity pants, too, but I have a few pair of non-maternity pants that I'm still rocking with this contraption.</div>
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<br />Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-60683652741733161952013-07-24T18:40:00.001-04:002013-07-24T18:40:26.589-04:00Summatime<div style="text-align: center;">
This poor blog. I haven't felt much like blogging, but I'm sick of looking at my pregnant self in a swimming suit right up top there. So here's a photo dump of some of our summer.</div>
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Miss Ella had her first dance recital. She did great. And will not take off the costume.</div>
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Nothing like an appropriately-sized pool for two kids.</div>
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When it rains, we terrorize the library.</div>
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When it doesn't rain, we head to the lake!</div>
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We were the awesome parents that busted out sparklers at 7pm on the 4th of July.</div>
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Henry's first s'more. He was a fan. And a mess.</div>
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We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. Doesn't seem possible!</div>
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More time at the lake.</div>
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And our first tubing adventure! At 9am, no less.</div>
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A quick zoo trip this morning. Too bad we couldn't actually hang with the friends we went with...crabby toddlers are the best.</div>
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Hope you're enjoying your summer, too!</div>
Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-43348227546743830662013-07-10T12:57:00.000-04:002013-07-10T12:57:03.452-04:00What I Wore Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Oh, these dumb posts. I'm a sucker for them. My maternity fashion is, um, severely lacking, but you get what you get.</div>
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Beachy chic July 4th at 26 weeks.</div>
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Suit: Shade {not maternity}</div>
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Swim Skirt: Shade {also not maternity. also? not buttoned.}</div>
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shirt: kohl's maternity</div>
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cami: shade maternity</div>
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belt: gap</div>
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skinnies: old navy turned maternity by yours truly</div>
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sweater: thrifted {originally from gap, not maternity}</div>
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scarf: gift from my mom, maybe?</div>
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skirt: thrifted {originally from express, not maternity}</div>
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shoes: target, total toe-pinchers</div>
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had to share this blurry bonus shot. i bought this skirt the year we got married. one of my favorites. i wore the heck out of it, and then dropped 30 pounds. i personally love that when i'm late into the second trimester, i can once again properly wear it.<br />
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Linking up with the Pleated Poppy. I want her clothes.<br />
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<br />Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-8444328400934800692013-07-01T22:34:00.004-04:002013-07-01T22:34:59.528-04:0025 Weeks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Moving right along, here!</div>
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Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-85321061443640174622013-06-18T22:03:00.000-04:002013-06-18T22:03:25.042-04:00This is 30I still have a few months to hang on to the glory of my '20s, but Grace over at Camp Patton blogged about it today and it sparked a small flicker of blogging motivation so I'm going with it.<br />
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I like the idea of titling of bunch of posts about my random life 'This is 30' and the going back to read them in 10 years and cracking up. We'll see.<br />
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So today I took the kids to the zoo by myself. When I say 'by myself', I mean without meeting friends + more kids. We almost always meet people there {adult conversation while the kids are all occupied by animals!}, so this was new. And actually fun. I was surprised at how much they slowed down and looked at some of the non-animal stuff. We did see some friends, but Henry was too distracted by the prospect of the train jungle-gym {not sure that it was intended to be a jungle gym, but whatever} to do more than a quick sprint-walk to say hi.<br />
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Then this afternoon we were found livin' it up at Meijer since we literally only had brown rice and 1 banana left in the house. Aside from having to wait in the 6-child line to ride the penny horse, we made it out alive and kept it under 100 bucks. Win-win.<br />
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During dinner, Henry took a flying leap off of the chair and chipped a tooth. Not sure what that means, but it isn't lose, so here's hoping it's not black in the morning. And here's hoping there's no expensive/sedation dentistry involved.<br />
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In other news, I started watching the entire Gilmore Girls series again. It's bittersweet because I know in a few months when I finish I'll spend a whole month having Logan Huntzberger withdrawal. <br />
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So this is 30. I'll take it.<br />
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<br />Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-50619347896885529282013-06-11T09:18:00.000-04:002013-06-11T09:18:04.830-04:00Make My DecisionSo here's my rule of thumb whilst growing a person: choose one thing per day to be absurdly and inappropriately obsessed with and/or stressed about. Last night's theme seems to be carrying into this morning, so let's see what ya'll think.<br />
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We're talking bassinets. Some background pointers:<br />
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<ul>
<li>our babes are in our room for at least 4-6 months. i do my best not to co-sleep, so a safe place to sleep is a must.</li>
<li>i'm a crazy nut about safe sleep places. no bumpers or extra fabric.</li>
<li>our room is small, and we now have a king bed in there. there is room next to our bed for a bassinet, but something that's fairly easy to move around would be awesome.</li>
<li>the way something <i>looks</i> is seriously important to me.</li>
<li>we're not rich.</li>
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<b>Option One:</b></div>
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The bassinet stand we made when Ella was a bun in the oven. It rocks and moves easily, and looks really nice. We've used it with both kids, and never had a problem. The only bad thing is that after 2 kids, the basket was trashed and we got rid of it. Now I can't find a moses basket for under $40 {Hobby Lobby no longer carries them}. One bad thing is that we probably shouldn't use it past 3 months. Another upside to this one is that it would give me a project to work on.</div>
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<b>Option Two:</b></div>
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This Fisher Price contraption. It gets good reviews, and we've had several friends who have used it and liked it. It's on sale until the 22nd for $50, plus I get 5% off with my Target card. It rocks, and is super easy to fold down and move. It also has a 3-point harness so it's probably a little safer. The main thing I'm worried about is that it sleeps at an incline. I'm afraid that if we have babe sleeping at an incline for 6 months, we'll have created a habit that is tough to break. The biggest downfall? It looks like stupid baby stuff.</div>
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<b>Option Three:</b></div>
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This pretty thing from Overstock. This is by far my favorite, but the only thing that is keeping me from buying it is the price. It's $100, which isn't bad, but I'm not sure if we'll have more kiddos after this or not. We haven't decided, so I hate to spend that kind of money on something that might only be used for about 6 months. Aside from that, I feel like it's the safest, best-looking, and the one that would definitely work until the babe is moved into the crib.</div>
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You'd think that after two kids I'd have a better idea of what I want, but not so much.</div>
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What would you do?</div>
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Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-91631833583256971022013-06-09T21:51:00.000-04:002013-06-09T21:51:49.289-04:0020 WeeksI'm 22.5, so time to get this thang posted. Worst picture ever {bad time of day, rookie photog}, but I was having a good outfit + hair day. Never pass that up.<br />
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<br />Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-56258149513375872572013-05-28T21:41:00.001-04:002013-05-28T21:41:09.103-04:00Hank is 2!<div style="text-align: center;">
This sweet guy turned 2 today:</div>
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Sorry for the photo drop. I just love him. He is sweet and so funny. He has the most tender heart, and will surely be the class comedian. He loves Ella more than anything, and I'm so thankful for the relationship they have.</div>
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Here are some things about Henry that I don't want to forget:</div>
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<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">he refuses to eat sitting down...must be standing.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">he loves to watch the washing machine turn.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">he loves tools, specifically tape measures and flashlights.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">he loves to put his hand between my shirtsleeve and my arm.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">he says nearly every word correctly, except milk. every single liquid is 'nuk'.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">he loves pizza so much that he does a little dance of excitement when he sees a pizza box, complete with flapping arms and shouts of gibberish.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">when Henry wants something, he shouts, 'i do!'. over and over.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">if the rating scale was sleep alone he'd be my favorite...he sleeps 14 hours at night, and takes a 2-3 hour nap.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">he must, at all times, have something in each hand. it's usually a train engine, a car, or a bobby pin.</li>
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We had a great day...we went to Starbucks for breakfast in party hats {family tradition}, played on the trampoline {our gift to Hank}, and took Ella to dance class.</div>
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Please excuse my lovely singing voice, and watch this ad. or. a. ble. video of Henry blowing out his candles.<br />
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We love you, Henry Ronan, and are so glad you're here!</div>
Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-36915432816486240032013-05-16T14:02:00.000-04:002013-05-29T20:17:15.235-04:00Up to My Eyeballs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Update! Because I know you're all so captivated by my landscaping progress, I'll just go ahead and cross things off as a get them done. How's that for super exciting?</b></div>
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I'm feeling super overwhelmed, so I'm making a list and blogging it. Isn't that what everyone does? Mmmmmkay.<br />
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I don't know if it's some type of strange manifestation of nesting {I nest even when not pregnant}, or spring fever, or just my crazy self, but I've started landscaping our house myself. Nic has been working crazy long days {20 hours...not even kidding...wish I was}, so it's pretty much up to me. So far, though, it's been going well:<br />
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With a great weather forecast this weekend and a husband who swears he's not working, here are some items on our to-do list:<br />
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<li><strike>finish lining the driveway with brick</strike></li>
<li><strike>finish lining the sidewalk with brick</strike></li>
<li><strike>buy more brick!</strike></li>
<li><strike>trim greenery in front yard</strike></li>
<li>extend flower beds down the side of the house and line with brick</li>
<li><strike>figure out how to breath new life into my transplanted peony {I did move two, and one is doing great, so that's a win}</strike></li>
<li><strike>find some super helpers to finish assembling the swingset in our backyard {a gift for the kids for birthdays from a slew of grandparents...so exciting!}. the age of 4 is not known for patience, and Ella has been trying so hard wait patiently for this to get built</strike></li>
<li><strike>move the large logs out of our yard from getting the tree cut down {we're using some for stools around the fire pit}</strike></li>
<li>figure out what on earth to do with the large amount of ghetto mulch/dirt from the tree stump</li>
<li><strike>cross my fingers/toes/arms/legs/eyes that my in-laws' rv is moved tomorrow so that I can figure out what to do with that side of the driveway</strike></li>
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Ok! Feeling better already. Here's to a sweaty weekend!</div>
Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-63403457821082156582013-05-08T13:45:00.002-04:002013-05-08T14:17:29.606-04:00Five Favorites<div style="text-align: center;">
This is part of a link-up, but I'm too lazy. But I liked the idea. So here are 5 of my favorite things.</div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">Open windows. I love this time of year. Fresh air in the house, windows open all day and night. Our house has the magic combination of floor plan + window placement + direction to the sun that allows us to keep the house comfortable without the stupid ac until it's about 85 degrees. It's lovely, really.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Garage sales. This town is garage-sale crazy. I usually pack up the kids + snacks and head out on Thursday morning. If you're not out at 8 on Thursday, the good stuff is gone. It's madness. And terribly fun.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Parenthood. I recently watched the whole series on Netflix, and now I'm catching up on this season. It's a fantastic show.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Mac Prep + Prime. As I'm winding up my 20s, I found I was needing some attention under the eyes. I bought a random moisturizer with retinol {apparently the magic ingredient} and then some of this prep + prime. I love it! It's a great, lightweight wrinkle filler for daytime.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Jet's! And OH MY GOSH my brother-in-law just informed me a new one opened up HERE IN TOWN. I might die of happiness. And of course they don't deliver to our house, so you can bet I'm packing up my troop to grab takeout tonight. Nic's out of town again, so it's only reasonable that we survive on pizza for the next three days.</li>
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Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-51267334807164352642013-05-07T08:10:00.001-04:002013-05-07T08:10:35.088-04:00At Least I'll Have My ArmsAs this pregnancy progresses, it has become quite clear that it will be next-to-impossible for me to keep my weight gain in check. That was expected; I've never gained less than 90 pounds. Granted, a good deal of it is water weight {I swell terribly in the last weeks...months...}, but a good deal of it is not.<br />
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Honestly, with both Henry's pregnancy and this one, I've been so careful about what I'm eating. I don't really even want sweets this time around, which is uncharted territory. I think a suuuuuuper slow metabolism is to blame. Anyway.<br />
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One thing I loved about Henry's pregnancy was that since most of it progressed during the winter {born May 28th, and that spring was really cold}, I rarely needed to bare my arms. This time around, though {October due date}, I'll be wearing as little clothes as possible in those hot summer months.<br />
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I found this workout on Pinterest, and it seemed doable. I've been using 6-pound weights and doing three sets of 10 reps each every morning. I'm not convinced you can actually see results yet, but I can sure feel it! Give it a try!<br />
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Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-21791277060137612772013-04-28T21:13:00.000-04:002013-04-28T21:13:09.190-04:0015 Weeks<div style="text-align: center;">
Since I'm now 16 weeks, I figured it's time to edit and share the 15-week photo. With Ella and Henry I took photos every 5 weeks, starting at 15 weeks, and was so happy to remember to do it this time!</div>
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I'm rather surprised at how big I am, but I really haven't gained much weight {for my obscene pregnancy weight-gain standards}. We'll see. Snort.</div>
Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-8899320682715840512013-04-19T22:38:00.001-04:002013-04-19T22:38:06.837-04:00Survived.<div style="text-align: center;">
I know this is, like, nothing for some {most?} of you out there, but Nic has been out of town for two weeks. And if you're my real-life friend, you're sick of hearing about it.</div>
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But he comes home tonight, so I thought I'd blog about my survival. Of course, I had help from friends and family who watched the kids for me, fed us, and listened to my complaining.</div>
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So to survive, we... </div>
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...enjoyed the not-freezing weather that lasted 4.6 seconds.</div>
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...went on a pilot visit to the dentist. No cavities for Ella, I had a slew of complications from my out-of-control teeth that required an afternoon with a numb mouth.</div>
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...went to church looking semi-presentable.</div>
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....cut down a tree. This was a surprise for Nic. How exciting am I?</div>
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...got brave and ventured to Red Robin when the need for greasy sustenance arose.</div>
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...went swimsuit shopping. Hank came home with a speedo. Not even kidding.</div>
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...classed it up at the store and read mags without buying.</div>
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...installed a tip-out false drawer under the sink. I *hate* sponges {shudder}, so I did this mostly for the future ease of changing hardware. Signs of a home improvement junkie.</div>
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We made it!</div>
Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-76021241966359958112013-04-09T22:44:00.003-04:002013-04-09T22:44:51.345-04:004 Things I Won't Regret<div style="text-align: center;">
Not to be confused with one-million-things-I-currently-do-that-are-unspeakably-stupid.</div>
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I've had a couple run-ins lately with some Negative Nellies, and it's been weighing on my mind. I just don't get the my-way-is-obviously-better-than-your-way mentality. Life, and especially parenting, is full of gray areas, and there are very few ways to do it 'wrong'.</div>
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So in an effort to shift my thinking <i>away</i> from the negativity, here are 4 things that I'm positive I won't regret in the future. I guess I should qualify that just because you don't do or agree with these things doesn't mean you're doing it wrong! Don't think that I think that. I'm just sick of feeling negative energy and so, like I said, here are a few things that I do that I love:</div>
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<b>Non-negotiable nap time.</b></div>
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A dear friend recommended a sleep book when Ella was just a babe, and the darn thing changed my life. I'm a self-proclaimed nap nazi and it works well for us. In this house, sleep is revered and protected. I've missed out on lots of fun and social stuff because I was busy 'protecting' the nap schedule or a bedtime. There are some pretty obvious benefits to *not* having a schedule for your kids, but my 2+ hour break every day is pretty darn fantastic. There's no way I'll look back and regret that!<br />
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<b>Eating dessert.</b></div>
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I'm not one of these rail-thin mommas. I'm not overweight by any means, but no one will ever think I'm malnourished. I could weigh 100 pounds if I wanted to, but I just enjoy food too much. I can't imagine giving up my daily Starbucks or my after-dinner dessert. Same goes for exercising. There was a time when I was super into running. I'd end up spending most of my Saturday running and then recovering from the 15-mile run. I enjoyed it, but by the time I was ready to hang out with the family, the day was gone. It works for many people, but I much prefer my daily 2-mile jog whilst pushing 2 kidlets in the jogger. I don't think I'll regret choosing yummy food and family time over being a size 0.<br />
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<b>Picking my battles.</b></div>
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At Target the other day, I was getting 'the look' because Henry was being loud. He wasn't whining or crying, just getting excited about seeing different things. Let me tell you, I wasn't about to shush him. Sometimes I feel like 90% of my job as a mom is to say 'no'. So I say 'yes' as often as possible. I don't think our kids are bratty, but I absolutely pick my battles. You win some, you lose some...and excited behavior in Target at 10:30 on a Tuesday isn't a battle I'm choosing. I don't think I'll regret letting my kids be kids.<br />
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<b>Blogging.</b><br />
I've been blogging for about 6 years, and there are few things I enjoy as much as looking back as what I wrote years ago, and even months ago. Sure, it helps me keep track of what our family was doing, but there is also an honest, open aspect to blogging that I adore. I love seeing where I've come <i>as a person</i>, and remembering my emotions that were behind every post. Sometimes {ok, a lot of the time} I'm a little embarrassed when I read back, but I like that a part of me is exposed like that. It's good for me. People seem to either love or hate blogging, and I feel like it might be losing its gusto. Love or hate, I know I'll not regret sharing and recording our life.<br />
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So there. Out with the negative, in with the positive. :)</div>
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<br />Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517777077808198192.post-34672094985854116002013-03-31T21:56:00.000-04:002013-03-31T21:56:09.733-04:00What I Wore {Easter}<div style="text-align: center;">
Do you read <a href="http://www.camppatton.com/">Camp Patton</a>? Seriously funny. I may or may not laugh aloud alllll the time. Love Grace's sense of humor. And her style. And her hair. Okay, creepy part over.</div>
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Grace is hosting an Easter Outfit link-up, so I figured I'd join in since I made the kids' outfits. Ella's preschool had a fundraiser last month {well, they have one every stinking month} that involved professional photos. As a photog myself, there's not much I love more than paying too much for sub-par photos of my children. Le sigh. They suggested Easter dresses for the photos, so I whipped up these threads for the kidlets.</div>
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This was the best we could do for photos. It was a balmy and breeeeeeezy 30 degrees, so I'm not sure why we weren't all smiles. I just wish you could see Ella's dress better...it's so darling.</div>
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For Ella's, I didn't use a pattern. I wish I'd have at least written down how I made it, because it fits her so well. The gathered neckline and sleeves make it so forgiving! I'd love to make a few more. For Henry's tie, I kind of used <a href="http://www.vanillajoy.com/toddler-neck-tie-tutorial.html">this pattern</a>. It turned out really cute, and fits great. He was quite possessive of it today, so I think I'll make him some more!</div>
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As for me, here I am at 12 weeks with the No. 3.</div>
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Why am I inhumanly large for just passing the first trimester? I'll never know. My body loves to grow, I guess. My dress and sweater are from Old Navy {dress, maternity}.</div>
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Our Easter was great. We spent the weekend with Nic's fam, and then headed to my parents' after church today. It was a nice, low-key way to end the weekend. Ella stayed overnight, and I celebrated by de-junking her room. She's a pretty serious packrat.</div>
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As a side note, I did a variation of Resurrection Eggs with my primary class today, and loved it. Then they did the same thing in sharing time...sorry kids! Seriously, though, it was great. I modified what I could find online, adding Christ's visit to America and also mentioning that He hung out with us on Earth for 40 days before the ascension {should that be capitalized?}. I'm absolutely crowning it a new family tradition. Google it and check it out...a pretty cool teaching idea.</div>
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Happy, happy Easter!</div>
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<a href="http://camppatton.com/" title="Camp Patton"><img alt="Camp Patton" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IKoL1-ctJ0I/UVXVTJ3TfjI/AAAAAAAAHrY/hFqry3Fs6Cw/s1600/Button.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
Abbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547903710862115016noreply@blogger.com10