Nursery Progress

I feel like we are getting a pretty late start on this whole setting up the nursery thing (at least comparatively).  Nonetheless, between now and January there has been SOME progress... and I know that it will be ready for her when she does arrive.  We have chosen to go with a light mint color for the walls, with light pink and lavender accents.  I don't really like having a big "theme" for the room (matching curtains, matching lampshade, matching bedding, matching everything), but obviously I wanted some sort of idea to tie everything in the room together.  I initially thought we would go with some owl items (Ryan went to Rice and owls are everywhere right now!)  However, I then thought - why just limit it to owls??  Let's include some other baby forest animals!  Well, thanks to Pinterest I realized this was not necessarily an original idea... although not too overdone either.  I was able to find a few inspirational pieces that guided the dream for this room, including a wooden fawn clock and a mobile made of cute little felt animals (which you will hopefully see later!)  SO needless to say we are going for a very subtle "baby woodland creatures" theme, (as long as it's not too cartoon-y though!) 

The room that we chose to use as the baby's room was previously used more as a storage room than anything else... so I thought I would document it's previous, uh...state.  Here are some before pictures...

Yes, there was a mattress in this room, so technically it could have functioned as a guest room, right??

Boxes from wedding gifts.... yes we have been married for over a year...

Paint samples!  I really wanted something light, pastel and between a green and a blue.  We also thought maybe we would go with a light lavender at some point... so that's up there too.

More colors... I HATE picking out paint colors!  From experience, I know that a color can look completely different once it covers an entire wall.  I really liked these two, but I knew the one on the right would look too blue once it was up, and the one of the left would look too green.

We ended up going with Behr's "light mint".  Here is my sweet sweet husband in action!

Before we painted the ceiling and trim white, this color looks super cucumber-y under the artificial light.

One month before our due date - the crib and mattress have arrived!!

Ryan and his helper setting up the crib.

The finished product :)

Now on to the decorating phase!  So much "work" to do ;)

Babymoon!

When we found out that I was pregnant, obviously there were so many emotions.  Mostly happy, some terrified... the only thing that I was (just slightly) sad about was the fact that Ryan and I never really had a chance to do any travelling as husband and wife.  I have become even more grateful for the amazing and perfect honeymoon that we got to take, but other than that we have had no married-people vacations!  I realize that this doesn't mean that we won't get to travel after baby or even with baby...but it will never be the same.  No just taking off when we want to, or travelling without 3500 pounds of junk, no leaving town without constantly thinking about and checking up on another little person that we will be missing so much.  I definitely mourned the loss of this (and only this) particular freedom.  And yes, I do feel slightly guilty for feeling this way... after all, God had just blessed us with the most wonderful gift ever.  That is why it was so important to us that we take some time to get away together.  To take a very long weekend trip and be together, just the 2 of us, before we are under house arrest for 20 something years.  (Just kidding... kind of.)

We truly agonized over where we should go.  We had such a hard time picking a place!  On the one hand, we wanted to go somewhere where we could relax, obviously.  We looked into Astoria, OR and Santa fe, NM initially.  On the other hand, we also LOVE New York, we know it, we know we like visiting there...so that was always an option as well.  However, we hesitated to jump right on New York because we have been there several times before and thought that maybe we would want to try something new.  I would also be 31 weeks pregnant... so there's that.  (Not exactly conducive to walking the streets and public transportation of New York - at least to someone who is not used to living that lifestyle each day.) However, we started running into a lot of issues with each location.  We literally had ONE weekend to take this trip, but it seemed that with every option we ran into some huge obstacle.  We started looking into other locations... Florida, South Carolina, Las Vegas...the list goes on.  I already felt quite uneasy about planning to take at trip at 31 weeks pregnant, but literally the next "free" time we had available was 3 weeks before my due date!  Yikes!  That was simply not an option.  (Like, physically not possible.  Even if I was crazy enough to think I could do it... the airlines [and my doctor] will not even let you on a plane past...36 weeks maybe?  Something like that according to their policy...)  There were some points where I got so frustrated, sad and upset with the situation that I almost told Ryan to just cancel the whole thing.  Thankfully, Ryan talked with one of his sisters who was planning a baby shower for us for the weekend following our trip, explained the situation to her and asked if trading weekends was a possibility.  She said yes!  We were still about 6 weeks out, so as long as we made a decision quick and let her know then we would be able to make it work.  I am so so grateful for her flexibility.  (With this plan, I would be 32 weeks pregnant on the trip, so I was still a little uncertain of how I would feel/where I would be at in the pregnancy and how I would cope with travelling - but I didn't care because now we could at least TAKE the trip!)  Once we switched dates, that opened up New York as an option (and Santa Fe was also still an option as well).  I think we both knew what our choice would be.  New York is a place that we know and love, we could spend some time with my soulmate (aka college roommate) Jenny and her husband Matt who live in the city, and NYC is not exactly an "easy" travel destination with kids in tow, so we knew we wouldn't have a chance to go back for a while.

SO... to make a REALLY long story super short... we decided on New York City for our babymoon, and here is a little photo-tour of our long weekend there!

Good morning New York!  Day 1 - the only day with GOOD weather:  sunny and cool! This is the view from our upper west side hotel room at Hotel Beacon.

Day 1 breakfast at Good Enough to Eat.

The most intense (and amazing) french toast I have ever had!!

Walked all the way around the reservoir in Central Park!  (Took us a little longer than the average person because we had to take multiple breaks to find a bathroom!  My fault - too many liquids at breakfast.  Oops!)

Dinner at of our favorite restaurants - Cleopatra's Needle.  Awesome Mediterranean food with live jazz every night!

We love live jazz!  And window seats :)

Cafe Lalo - (think "You've Got Mail!")  We grabbed some tasty dessert to go!  (So hard to decide - literally hundreds of dessert choices!!)

Day 2 - after a long day of walking through Chelsea and all the way back up to Columbus Circle with Jenny, we stopped for a little coffee break.  Now THIS is my kind of (decaf!) mocha... it came with its own pot of chocolate to pour into it!!!  We ended up walking 6+ miles today!

Baby Kresta's first time in New York :)

Day 3 - You can't go to New York and NOT walk by the Friends building at least once.  It's the law.  We just happened to pass by on our way to dinner in the village in some nasty nasty weather - cold, rainy and windy!  Luckily most of the morning was spent indoors, hanging out with Matt and Jenny :)

Day 4 - Walking around after a tasty breakfast at Irving Farm Coffee Co.

Quick stop at Levain to pick up a little snack for the plane... best. cookies. ever.

Ryan and his lobster roll at Luke's.

Pizza and a coke on a stoop.  

A mocha (and a large belly) at Cafe Lalo.  Sadly, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks were NOT there.  Can you believe that??

My advice to any couple married, with no kids... travel while you can!  Go on trips together.  Get away for the weekend.  (Go visit Napa BEFORE you get pregnant!) Even if you just drive a few hours away, take advantage of the time you have together and just be married.  Just the two of you.  Because you just never really know when God is going to say "It's time".  (And if that time happens to be 11 months after you get married... well, then... your time is a little more limited :) )

It's scary not knowing what life is going to look like after the baby gets here, but I know that it is going to be better than it is now.  Not easier, but better.  And I do look forward to taking our children on family vacations and showing them the amazing things (and more!) in the world that our parents showed us.  But I am also very grateful to have had this time to spend with my husband, no strings attached.  And I always look forward to the times when I get to be with him.  Kids or no kids. :)

Week 32

This is really getting out of control y'all!! 

Major events:  Second half of our babymoon in New York;  Found a doula for our birth!!

Size of baby:  Jiacama (? Whatever that is??  I couldn't find a large enough one in the store... oh well)

Sleep:  Slept almost 6 hours straight one night!  Insane!!  But then Ryan got really sick on Monday and I haven't really slept since... :(

Cravings:  None

Movement:  Yep!

Belly button in or out?  In... barely...

Missing:  Bending; moving; not feeling SO crammed full!

Best part of this week:  Ryan was able to feel both of her feet kicking around!  It's so cool to be able to feel different body parts... the feet are so much different feeling then when her butt pokes way out of my side!  Also, one of my prenatal yoga teachers (who also happens to have some doula training) has agreed to be our doula!  I really love her and am so excited that she will be helping us through this journey.

Hardest part of this week:  Ryan has been very sick this week, so it has been difficult doing everything on my own and not having him available to support me.  (I keep trying to tell myself that one day it could be me taking care of several sick people all by myself! That helps me get through the day...sometimes)  The other thing that has become quite hard to deal with - all of the aches and pains!  Round ligament pain - this is fairly sporatic, which is good but man sometimes it just feels like someone is twisting a knife in my lower right side.  Worse than round ligament pain though... pain under ribs.  Early in my pregnancy, I experienced pain right under my bra strap line around my chest.  It felt like someone had put a rope around me and was constantly tightening it.  The muscles would also get numb and tingly.  At first, I really thought that I just needed to (yet again) buy larger bras.  But the pain did not go away whether I was wearing a bra or not.  So after looking around online, I found that a lot of other women experience this as well.  Apparently your hips aren't the only things that need to expand to support the baby - your rib cage grows too!  The last few weeks though, the pain has intensified and has moved to just one spot (right under my bustline from the middle to middle right side).  The skin is constantly numb and burning and when I push on it, it is quite painful.  I do hope that this pain is just due to the baby pushing up and forcing my chest cavity to expand and that it's not something more serious, but I definitely plan on bringing this up at our doctors appointment next week. (We are now going to the doctor every 2 weeks - aaah!) 

Looking forward to:  Ryan not being sick anymore!  I hope this is sooner rather than later...

Emotions:  I am currently feeling SUPER stressed about the next 7ish weeks.  When I look at our calendar, I am so overwhelmed with how much we have going on.  I keep trying to tell myself that it's "fun" stuff, but that doesn't really change the fact that we don't have a free moment!  When April started booking up, I made a rule:  Nothing after April 30.  The answer is no.  We need that month for us.  But as May is quickly approaching... we seem to keep bending this rule.  I hate saying "no" just for the sake of saying no... but at this point we don't even have a free day to set up the nursery until 2 weeks before my due date... let alone go and  buy the actual furniture!  I think even for non-planners that must be stressful... I am a BIG time planner and just reading that sentence makes me feel like I'm having a panic attack.  I am trying to focus on the wonderful thing that is coming... but I am so incredibly overwhelmed with crap right now.  (And yes, I realize that your whole life it will always be one thing right after the other.  The junk never ends!  I just wish it could pause.  For just a little bit.  Before this baby gets here...)

Week 31

No usual belly pic this week this week...more babymoon pics coming soon!

Major events:  Babymoon in NYC!

Size of baby:  Coconut

Sleep:  No sleep... up and down constantly, never comfortable and I am now back to the once-I'm-up-I'm-up thing again...  I usually go to sleep around 11 or midnight, up at 1 or 2 and then up again at 3:45... usually I'm up for a few hours after the 3:45 bathroom break... sometimes I will go back to sleep around 5 or 6 for a few hours, but not always.  I am very grateful that I have never been a big sleeper.  Don't get me wrong it's not that I don't LIKE sleep or that I enjoy being tired... but I have never been someone who requires a lot of sleep and I can function pretty well on very little sleep for quite some time.  I DO wish I could take advantage of actually having the option to sleep right now, as I know that pretty soon when I sleep isn't going to be up to me.  However, I do hope that my current sleep patterns are somewhat preparing me for the lack of sleep and sleep schedule that I will be going by very shortly.

Cravings:  None

Movement:  Constantly.  And I love every minute of it. (Despite the fact that I am now getting headbutted in the bladder.)  I already get sad thinking about NOT feeling someone else constantly turning and squirming inside of me. 

Belly button in or out?  In.  Poor guy is barely hangin on!!  Just a few more weeks dude - you can do it!  (and yes for whatever reason my belly button is a male)

Missing:  Being able to bend in the middle.  It feels SO uncomfortable even just to barely squish my belly - slouching is not an option!  

Best part of this week:  Babymoon (obviously!)  but ALSO... I think one of my yoga instructors is interested in being my doula!  Although, nothing is official yet, I am SO beyond excited. 

Hardest part of this week:  Nothing major... just dealing with all of the aches and pains... especially that round ligament pain.  OUCH!!

Looking forward to:  Baby showers coming up this month!

Emotions:  Anxious, excited and happy!  While some days I am super ready and some days I feel super NOT ready for her to be here... Oh my goodness this past week I have been SO anxious for her arrival!  Obviously, I want her to stay in there for a little while longer...but I am starting to really look forward to the day she decides to meet us.

Week 30

Major events:  Grandma's 80th birthday

Size of baby:  Head of cabbage

Sleep:  Terrible.  Still recovering from a cold I caught last week... sleeping has been miserable

Cravings:  None, although I have been on a huge ice cream kick the last several weeks

Movement:  It got really freaky this week y'all.  I was laying in bed and all of the sudden my belly started violently shaking back and forth.  I can't even describe what it felt like...but my stomach LOOKED like those giant circle parachutes that you play with in elementary school P.E. class... when all the little kids shake it up and down real fast!  Freaky. 

Belly button in or out?  In.

Missing:  Sleeping on my back, sleeping on my stomach, sleeping...

Best part of this week:  Hanging out with my mom and sister!

Hardest part of this week:  Being sick and not able to work out.  I finally broke down and went on a 3 mile run.  It had been about a week and a half since my last run and I am scared of what will happen if I go too long without running!  I also started back up with yoga after taking a week off from that as well.  

Looking forward to:  Babymoon in NYC THIS WEEK!!

Emotions:  Never been happier.  I know I still have 9 weeks to go... but I have truly loved being pregnant.  It makes me so happy!

Week 29

Major events:  Bayou City Classsic 10K; daylight savings time (woo woo!); caught a super bad cold;

Size of baby:  Butternut squash

Sleep:  Usually bad, but it varies from night to night.  I have been trying to stop drinking liquids early in the evening to help with bathroom trips throughout the night... seems to be helping.

Cravings:  Sugar, chocolate, sweets.  Always.

Movement:  Tons of movement every day.  Plenty of rib kicks, bladder stomps and somersaults.

Belly button in or out?  In!

Missing:  Those AWESOME 1st and 2nd trimester hormones that cause your sex drive to skyrocket.  You basically turn into a dude and want action all. the. time.  It's amazing.  Not so much in the third trimester... Sorry Ryan :(

Best part of this week:  Running a 10K and feeling GREAT afterwards!!  I was so happy to be able to say I did it, I cried my eyes out in Ryan's arms immediately after I crossed the finish line.  (I had my first "bad" run last week, just 3 days before the race.  I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to run the 10K.  Looking back, I think I just did too much that one day [yoga AND a 4 mile run] But I ran great, finished and felt so good!)  It was one of my best runs in a while and I am so grateful.  

Hardest part of this week:  Getting sick!  I was hoping to go this whole pregnancy without catching anything...but Tuesday afternoon it hit me. I haven't even felt pregnant at all these last few days because all of the symptoms from this cold have taken over my body.   I am SO lucky that Ryan was working from home on Wednesday because we had a doctor appointment.  I don't know what I would have done if I had to face that day alone.  Also, OH. MY. GOSH. Holy heartburn.  I have never had heartburn like this before and it. is. horrible.  I woke up at 3:30 a.m. (the morning of the 10K of course) in so much pain.  I woke Ryan up around 4:00 a.m. because I just couldn't bear it.  I was never able to go back to sleep.  Hot tea seemed to help a little.  Luckily, it's been a few days since I have experienced this... (I even had pizza for dinner one night and had no issues.  Yay!)

Looking forward to:  Babymoon less than 2 weeks away!  And also picking a name.  There are still a couple of top contenders that we are debating between, but I think we are getting close!

Emotions:  Excited for baby!  Made a packing list for the hospital and a list of postpartum necessities to buy, which just intensifies the anticipation.

Some pictures from this past week...

Pre-race shot.  My shirt says "Yes, my doctor says it's OK to run".

Post race with my mom and Eric.

Me and my mom feeling good.  (MAN I wish I could have a post-race beer!!)

My best friend and biggest fan. :)

Sick = kleenex, liquids, ice cream, chocolate and HGTV.  Blegh.

Week 28 - Officially THIRD trimester!

Major events:  The first week of my third trimester!!  Minute maid classic (aka Rice baseball), a wedding shower and Ash Wednesday/the beginning of lent

Size of baby:  Eggplant!

Sleep:  Bad :(

Cravings:  Nothing specific lately... other than the obvious: chocolate and sweets!

Movement:  Yes!  So much...some days she is way more active than other days and I can now usually feel where she is in my belly now based on hard spots.  Her kicks and turns and movements are getting so strong!!

Belly button in or out?  In!

Missing:  Not feeling like a roly polie!  Also, despite how much I truly LOVE having a baby bump, I definitely continue to miss my small belly and being able to move around like I used to.

Best part of this week:  Starting to take some yoga classes!  (It is SOO great being around other pregnant ladies!)  I took myself out on Monday to a late breakfast/early lunch before the prenatal class.  It was so nice being out and about!

Hardest part of this week:  I have definitely started to notice this pregnancy taking a toll on my body.  So many aches and pains, running is getting much more difficult and general discomfort is drastically increasing.  But on Monday morning I woke up in tears because I was in quite a bit of pain.  I basically felt like I was having bad cramps, but I truly think I was just feeling my uterus growing and stretching, as well as my pelvis widening and opening up.  I just walked around the house crying for a while, took a hot shower and tried to relax.  (Luckily Ryan was going in to work an hour later than usual, so he was home to comfort me in the beginning.)  It gradually faded away, but at this point I feel like I am pretty much sore and/or uncomfortable at all times (if it isn't one thing it's another).  This has definitely been my biggest struggle this past week.

Looking forward to:  An action-packed weekend!  (Which will probably take me several days to recover from... just being out "late" on Saturday night took me 1-2 days to recover from the sheer exhaustion.)

Emotions:  Multiple meltdowns this week... sometimes over major things, sometimes over tiny things and sometimes just over feeling generally overwhelmed.  I do still love being pregnant despite sometimes feeling quite sad/upset about stuff.  I know that it's all part of it :)