Happy

Good bye, 2013! Hello new year! These past 365 days have been simply wonderful. Of course any year in which a baby is born is extra special, so having my first child totally tops my list of awesome things that happened in 2013! I don't remember much about my year other than being pregnant, having my baby, and raising her for these last 5 months, but that's okay! 2013 will just be considered the year of ELIANA! :)

This past year I learned that I am stronger than I thought I was. I learned better patience, and abundant love. I learned how to trust God more with my finances and the health of my family. I discovered the true meaning of self-sacrifice while my body was not my own for quite some time. I grew closer to my husband, even though I thought we couldn't get any closer! I spent a lot more time with my crazy but charming parents, siblings, nieces and in-laws. I excelled at my job and was offered a new position that I'm excited to begin soon. I played games, went on dates, shopped, cleaned, cooked, and nested. I gave birth to a sweet baby girl and recovered from surgery. I breast fed, changed diapers, and conquered sleeplessness. I provided for my family, paid all my bills, and still managed to celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas ... with presents!

I am blessed, and I know it! The Lord has certainly provided for us in miraculous ways, and I am grateful for all the opportunities I have been given this year. The fact that I can bring my daughter to work with me, (and that her Daddy, Uncle, and Grandpa can stop in and see her all day long!) is probably the most unexpected blessing of the entire year. I'm sure there are many who wish they had this ability, so I will not take it for granted! It hasn't always been easy to work full time, take care of my family, and generally function as a new unit of 3, but I wouldn't change one bit of my circumstances.

Having a child is like baking a cake. Sure, you have to dirty the pans, the spatula, the mixer and the bowl. You have to use up all your ingredients and waste electricity heating the oven. You have to wait and wait until the cake bakes, and then wait some more as it cools. You have to mess up the counter to spread the frosting and add the sprinkles..... But then you get to eat cake.

.......... Anyway! .......... I hope everyone else had a fantastic year! Take a moment to think about your blessings and accomplishments. If there seem to be too many to count, thank the LORD! On with 2014! May it bring you great joy.

xoxo Liz

Work

I can't say I'm exceptionally happy to be back at work, but I will say that I'm happy the transition was not too hectic! It's been three weeks, so I can officially say bringing my daughter to work is ... working! My office is now complete with a pack-n-play, changing table and bassinet for Eliana to sleep in. You must be thinking my office is HUGE, but those things are all combined into one unit! It's really quite nice. I feel Eliana is safe enough to be left alone while she sleeps, and I carry a baby monitor around with me just in case. I’m so grateful that my husband works with me, too. He is able to play with Eliana on breaks, and check on her if I’m in a meeting or otherwise disposed. I’d say, at least for now, we have a pretty great set-up.

Other than me going back to work, not much has changed. I’m definitely more tired than I thought I would be. Some days I come home from work wishing I could go right to sleep, but I know a night of cooking, cleaning, making bottles and taking care of my daughter is ahead of me. Zach is a ton of help, of course, but there’s only so much he can do! It doesn’t help that it gets dark so early. I hate losing daylight; I always get so depressed when it’s dark at 6pm. Before you know it it’s going to get dark before I even leave work at 4:30! Crazy. But hey, that’s all part of fall, and I do love the season.

Speaking of the season, 4 years ago I got married!! I always knew I wanted to get married in October. Here in New England, the leaves have changed, and the trees are as vibrant as they will ever be. The weather is cool and comfortable and my scarf collection is finally starting to make its debut. Plus, I’ve been given the cutest fleecy fall/winter gear for Eliana, and she looks super sweet all bundled up!

This weekend my husband and I are going for a quick overnight to Newburyport, MA. It will be the first time we travel out of the state with our little peanut, and should be quite the adventure. We will be staying with friends of the family and will get to relax, walk around a quaint little town, see the ocean, eat at yummy restaurants, and have an overall great wedding anniversary trip. There’s something so special about sharing a momentous occasion with our daughter! I can’t believe we are those people already! A family! My FAMILY and I are going to Newburyport! That’s going to take a while to sink in.

To get ready for our short trip, I have to go to the store tonight to get some supplies. Target to be more specific. I must say, I absolutely love Target. Some of the items I buy might be a tiny bit more expensive than say, Wal-mart, or a grocery store, but I don’t care. I don’t know how nice your Wal-Mart is, but mine makes me feel like the total scum of the earth when I shop there. Dilapidated aisles, sorrowful-looking employees, and the truest definition of “raggies” for customers. It’s really quite a shame. I find myself in such a dark place when I go there, it’s seriously not worth the small potential for savings.

Looking back on what I just wrote, I must sound like the rudest, elitist-jerk-face ever!! I apologize if you took offense. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, LOL! I’m normally not like that, but it’s true, and you probably feel the same way if you live where I live. If not, than disregard my last paragraph and let’s move on.

Anyway, the fact that I’m going to Target after work excites me. That might sound pathetic to most of you, but there’s nothing quite like retail therapy, even if I’m only purchasing necessities like formula and diapers. I still love filling up my cart and running that credit card through the register just the same! And I also love shopping with my husband. Do your husbands enjoy shopping with you? Mine may not particularly care for it, you’d have to ask him, but he’s a great help and a funny person to talk to and entertain me as I walk around the store. He also keeps me on track when I wander. Target has a way of sucking you in, and since the sun sets so early, there’s something very daunting about going in when it’s light out, and leaving when it’s dark! “OMG how long was I in there??” ;)

Another thing I get to do before we leave this weekend is pack! Yes, I did say it was just an overnight, but never underestimate how much detail-oriented packing can excite me! Plus now I get to pack for my daughter! (She’s like the gift that keeps on giving!) When Zach and I decided to take this short trip a few weeks ago, I already had a tiny duffle bag in mind for Eliana’s onesies and toys. :) She is going to learn early on how fun proper packing techniques and organization can be! Am I sounding a little obsessive and compulsive? I don’t mean to! Man - what’s wrong with me today?!

I better just quit while I’m ahead. Besides, my break just ended and the baby is sleeping! This is prime working time!! Take care everyone.

xoxo Liz

Maternity

Well, I definitely feel like a parent now. There's nothing quite like a crash course in raising a child! This little peanut is a lot of work, but she brings her father and me so much joy! Eliana is doing well and just celebrated her 7 weeks on earth with us last Thursday. Since I last wrote, this child has done not much other than grow and grow! She's already too big for most newborn outfits, and at least one dress I never had the chance to put her in! Much to my dismay, while getting ready to go to church with Eliana for the first time, I was unable to zip up the silky floral number I had giddily laid out for her debut. Don't worry, she still looked beautiful in her 0-3 month stand in; we've got 2 or 3 more months before she outgrows that one.

Eliana eats about 4 and a half ounces of formula per feeding, about 6 times a day. I was recently reminiscing about the "two ounces, every two hours" schedule that tied us down just a few weeks prior. I can't say I miss that! Those nights were rough, but now we have a great schedule worked out that has me only getting up once per night. I've been trying to go to sleep around 9 or so, and Zach feeds the baby around 11; he's usually up that late anyway, and doesn't mind pushing the feeding back an hour if the peanut is dead asleep or not hungry yet. That leaves the 3AM feedings to me, which I faithfully and only sometimes begrudgingly do, then up again at 7 while Zach gets ready for work. I usually get to lay low, and even sometimes get a quick nap in before noon while Eliana rests, but starting October 7th I will be getting ready for work in the mornings alongside my husband!

That's right, folks ... maternity leave is O-V-E-R. Boy do I wish I could be a stay-at-home mom, but my unavoidable student loans make me a slave to the 9 to 5. (8 to 4:30 to be exact, but you get the idea.) Working at a family company has its perks however, and I am going to give bring-your-daughter-to-work a good ol' college try. I'm not getting my hopes up for this transition to be perfect, but truth be told I don't have another option at this point. My budget no longer allows for luxuries like affordable childcare or two-ply toilet paper. Okay, the toilet paper was a joke, but seriously, I haven't purchased many non-essentials since Eliana was born, and I don't intend to for quite some time. I'll just keep praying for the finances to make ends meet, and to keep Baby happy, and healthy, for a very long time.

Believe it or not, my life is not ALL baby. Okay, okay, yes it is ... but I still like talking about other things! Football for example, I love football. Football reminds me of all things Fall. Cool weather, pumpkin flavored everything, and late nights cheering on my favorite team in the NFL, (which may or may not be 0-4). I'm in a "pick-'em" group with two of my brothers, and it totally adds to my enjoyment of the sport. I'm way more interested in the outcomes of the entire league since I have to correctly predict who will win each game. I can't say I'm exceptionally good at the entire picking process, but I am currently beating both of my brothers, so I've got bragging rights for now!

Today is one of my brother's birthdays! Happy birthday, John! I'm so interested in the way people celebrate their birthdays around me, and I'm sure I've touched on this subject before. Most people in my immediate family truly enjoy celebrating their special day. Growing up, we always made a big deal about birthdays with cake and singing, awesome presents when money allowed it, and cheap tokens of love when money was tight. There was always plenty of excitement leading up to the day, and when it finally came to an end, we felt like we were blessed with another year of life. It seems like a majority of people over 30 don't actually like their birthdays. I know some people hate getting older, and they associate getting older with a birthday, but seriously, it's not like one day you're 29, and the next day you're a whole year older. It's more like one day you're 10,585 days old, and the next day you're 10,586 days old! If you're pissed about getting older, than why aren't you upset about the day after your birthday? I think the day should be more of a celebration of the anniversary of your birth. Does anyone hate celebrating anniversaries? "Aww man, Zach, being married to you for 4 years totally sucks!" Um ... not exactly.

Anyway, back to baby for a minute, I just saw a video of Eliana moments after she was born for the first time! I'm not sure how almost two months went by before I saw it, but Zach was going through files on his phone and started playing some of the videos of the baby. It was not at all what I had expected. Most people's "fresh-out-da-womb" videos/photo are, well ... gross. Instead Eliana was all cleaned up and lying there squirming, letting out little short cries as the doctors checked her. It warmed my heart to finally be a part of that special moment. At the time all that was going on, I was on the other side of the room getting stitched up! Zach also had a video of Eliana staring deep into his eyes in the recovery room before they wheeled me out to bond with my daughter. That moment was special, too! She was already rooting, waiting patiently for her first meal; Zach said he couldn't believe how long it was taking, and felt bad that the baby had to wait so long! And here I thought things moved rather quickly! Still, after watching those videos, I'm convinced people should celebrate the anniversary of the day they were brought into this world; it is nothing short of a miracle.

Until next time,

Xoxo Liz

Labor

Well folks, we did it! My husband and I gave birth to little Eliana Catherine on August 8th!! I say my husband and I because, let me tell you, this was the biggest joint effort of the century. Of course, if you ask Zach, he will say I was such a trooper, and what I did to get this baby out was the bravest, hardest, most self-sacrificing act he has ever witnessed. All that might be true, but I know I could not have done half of it without my best friend beside me, and he deserves just as much credit as I do. :)

I want to write about my labor for future posterity, but I'm choosing to leave out all the "excruciating pain" parts. Anyone who has ever had a baby knows what it's like, and anyone who hasn't had a baby does not want to know. Plus, if I ever have hopes of another child someday, I certainly don't want to remember the really, really bad parts. ;)

It all began Wednesday morning when I went to my final check-up. The doctor wanted to see if I had dilated any more than the 1 centimeter I was a few days prior. It was 8 days past my due date, and the induction was already scheduled for Thursday morning. The doctor looked, but since no progress had been made, she asked that I check into the hospital that night to begin dilation with "cervical balloons" before the Pitocin in the morning. Zach and I kept joking that sticking a bunch of "balloon animals" in me was not exactly the restful night I had imagined before the birth of my child! Alas, nervous as hell, we checked into the hospital at 6:00PM Wednesday night, and the nurses began prepping me for my long stay. I got into the oh-so-flattering hospital gown, got violated with 3 attempts at a successful IV, started the antibiotics and fluid drip, and, yes, endured the horrible experience of "balloon animals." The doctor left me to sleep for the night, offering me an Ambien just in case the cramping that sometimes occurs with these "animals" was too painful to sleep through. You can imagine my surprise when a short while later, I was having full-on contractions! The nurse said I could no longer take the Ambien, so hours later, once the contractions became absolutely unbearable to me, (and my husband's hand,) I finally got some Stadol after a 2:00AM call to the doctor had to be made.

That sleepless night was pretty rough, but Zach helped me through the pain, and the drugs were very, very nice. The Stadol finally wore off a few hours later, and the nurses began to prep me for the Pitocin that morning. After what seemed like an eternity of painful contractions, nurses coming in and out, vitals being taken on me and the baby, internally and externally, the wonderful man with the epidural was finally called in. By this time I was 5 centimeters dilated, and although the baby was not lowering, we kept laboring in the hopes of progression. I'm not sure what time it was when the doctor first hinted at the possibility of a cesarean, but I remember it being the best potential news of the day! Poor Zach started to get super nervous, as no one wants to see their wife in pain, let alone cut open on an operating table, but after the long night and day I had just endured, the thought of it ending soon was well worth the extra recovery time.

When the doctor finally made the call, I agreed with a giant smile on my face. It suddenly became very real to me that I was about to meet my daughter for the first time. Zach got dressed in some sexy hospital gear, and I got wheeled down to the operating room. My body was shaking like crazy, but my mind was somehow calm. I just kept breathing deep and praying hard that all would go smoothly, and my little peanut would be safely delivered. The doctors were fantastic, and everything went off without a hitch. I was surprised by how quickly it all went down! After I was prepped, Zach came in the room and held my hand tightly as I felt what can only be described as an out-of-body experience. I couldn't feel anything below my arms, but I knew I was being filleted like a fish! For someone who has never so much as broken a bone, being awake and operated on was quite the ordeal! I want to say within 15 minutes of beginning, my sweet baby girl was out of my womb, squirming and crying, and being oh-so-perfect. Daddy was able to be right next to Eliana as she got cleaned up, weighed, and assessed. Vitals were great, everyone was happy, and all of a sudden, we were parents. Just like that. Pregnant one moment, and a mom the next. As of 6:09PM, our lives were officially changed forever.

The next 4 days in the hospital were a blur, or at least that's what it feels like now. Recovery was no picnic. Getting in and out of bed to use the bathroom, or feed my child, or really do anything at all, required lots of help, even when I was maxed out on pain killers. Visitors came streaming in, which broke up the days nicely, but getting used to the pain and all-night feedings on very little sleep was tough. With the Lord's blessing, we made it through. We were all packed and ready to leave on Sunday afternoon, but Eliana developed a little jaundice, and we had to stay an extra night. Watching my little one all alone in an incubator was incredibly sad! I know it's normal, and many babies get treatment after birth, but feeling like I could do nothing to help is not exactly the most fun "new mom" experience. :( I'm sure moms who have been there can agree, even when we know everything will be alright, it's still hard to watch. Thank God all was well the following morning, and we were elated to finally take Eliana home. 

There's nothing quite like walking into your own apartment after staying in a hospital for 5 days. Everything looked prettier and felt happier than before. I was experiencing all of life differently, as cliché as it sounds! But once again, life as I knew it had officially changed. I was no longer responsible for just myself, and that humbled me quicker than I imagined it would.

This past week since we brought Eliana home has been fantastic. My husband was able to take off work and help with everything the baby and I needed. My mom has been here almost daily to lend her hand in shopping and cleaning, and more family members have given us meals and visited with us to help break up the days. I'm getting so much love and support from everyone I know, and it has meant so much to my husband and me. I'm healing well from surgery, and while I just took the last of my pain killers tonight, I think I've been managing the pain and discomfort like a boss. :)

Daddy went back to work this week, and Eliana and I have been doing great on our own. I still appreciate the help I've been getting, but it's nice to also do some things on my own with my little girl. I do need to remember that I'm not wonder woman, and I should probably take it slow, but I am encouraged that my child seems content and happy all day long. Nights are going well, too. The first few were rough as we got into the swing of things, but now Eliana sleeps through the night, and only wakes when I get her up to feed. That probably won't last forever, but I'm certainly grateful for the rest I've been getting. True, it's only 2 hours (if I'm lucky) between waking, changing, feeding, burping, pumping, and waking again, but I'll take it!

My pregnancy was no walk in the park, but it yielded the most amazing little creation, complete with the God-given capacity to love more than I thought was humanly possible. Zach and I are so blessed Eliana Catherine is finally here to stay. Please, keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we become more accustom to parenthood! We are up for the challenge, since after just *counts* 12 days, we can already tell how rewarding it will be. :)

Xoxo Liz

Watermelon

Happy almost Independence Day everyone! I hope you have a nice relaxing day planned for tomorrow, and the extended weekend if you're lucky enough to have Friday off too! (Not so lucky here!) Tomorrow I'm going to sleep in and do some baby prep or cleaning before a picnic at my mother's house. A laid back family gathering with good food and company is exactly what I need to break up this long week. As you can imagine, my days and weeks seem to be getting longer and longer. Sometimes I think time stops all together during the uncomfortable sleepless nights I've been having. But tomorrow is a time to forget all of that and RELAX with my loved ones. When I asked my mother what to bring to the picnic, she said, "How about a watermelon?" Ha ha ... I get it ...

It just so happens I carry a watermelon with me quite a lot these days, as that is the new "fruit measurement" of my little girl. 6 pounds, 5 ounces of juicy delight. We just went to the doctor last night for an ultrasound and check-up. Baby's head is down, and ready to deploy. She was stretching, and drinking, and waving at mommy and daddy, as if to say "Can't wait to meet you in person!" Well, we can't wait either, little one, so hurry up and come on out!

I'm really happy with the progress we've made in preparation for our sweet little arrival. I'd say the nursery is compete, minus the rocker, which should be coming soon. I recently bought a bookshelf from Target that I turned into an open closet with tension rods for hanging outfits, and pretty baskets for folded blankets and onesies. I'm really happy with the way it came out. Thanks to Pinterest for the idea! It certainly helps for a small old house like ours, with no closet and limited room for a large dresser. Plus, seeing these adorable outfits on display is refreshing. Every day, if I'm feeling stressed or sad, or if I need to gain a little baby perspective, I go and sit in the nursery, look at all the stuff, and feel better. The sleepless nights, the getting up to pee every 20 minutes, the general lack of energy or motivation to do anything at all, really takes a back seat when I shake a baby rattle or hold a tiny dress in my hands.

I keep saying to myself, "Keep your eye on the prize!" With less than 4 weeks till the baby's due date, and the possibility for her to decide to come any time before then, I really need to stay focused on the end result, and a little less consumed by the day to day ... misery? My pregnancy reminds me of the movie "What to Expect When You're Expecting." If you've never seen it, two women, who are pregnant at the same time, have polar opposite pregnancies. One woman is happy all the time, barely phased by the whole ordeal, and bubbly and elated in everything she does. The other? Not so much. As you can imagine, the second woman's pregnancy resonates much more with me. Sure there are happy times, when someone says, "you look great!" or you feel the baby kick, or you set up the nursery. However, most days you're too sick to move, or too emotional to function. The kicker to the movie was that most women appreciated the honesty of the painful, miserable pregnancy rather the perfect one.

Now, I wouldn't say I'm MISERABLE, but this pregnancy was certainly not what I imagined it would be. And for all I know, the next one might be completely different! I just think it's important to be open and honest rather than feel like there's something wrong with me. I know I'm not alone! I also know that pregnancy, good, bad, or ugly, will still yield the greatest gift anyone can hope for, and that is worth sticking it out for. So if you see me looking overwhelmed, or hear me complain one too many times, you are free to remind me to ... come on, everyone, let's say it together ... "Keep your eye on the prize!!!"

I hope you all have a great 4th of July. Have a slice of watermelon for me!

xoxo Liz

Bigger

Two more months to go!! I can't wait to finally meet this little one growing inside of me! She's moving around a lot more, and even though her living quarters are becoming quite cramped, I know she's enjoying her time in the womb. Daddy sings to her, and tells her to be nice to Mommy all the time. She mostly flutters around at night after dinner. Sometimes she shakes me so hard, I let out a big "Oh my!!" which prompts hubby and I to sit and watch my belly for more activity until we get bored. I swear, this child is just as stubborn as her mommy. She moves like crazy until we have our eyes set on her. Then she decides she's totally over it and goes to sleep or something. Still, every little kick or push reminds me of the precious gift I am carrying and I couldn't be happier for that.

But let's be honest, it's not like I could forget that I'm pregnant. Every time I need to get up from a lying position, or need to bend over to tie my shoes, I feel very, VERY pregnant. Little baby Patterson is nearly 4 pounds and 19 inches long! Can you believe it? I have a "What to Expect" app on my phone that gives me weekly updates on my baby as well as daily tips for mommy. My husband has the same app and never misses the chance to talk to me about ANY daily tip that involves sex talk of any kind. "Hey honey!! (he'll say with a big grin) ... did you read today's 'What to Expect' tip???" He really makes me laugh. ;)

Since I last wrote, I had the most lovely baby shower! It was such a nice time and everything looked so beautiful. My mother, sister-in-law and cousin worked so hard to make the day perfect, and it was! I wore a pretty floor length blue, teal, and white color-blocked dress, and my mother and I both sported teal flowers in our hair. Ya know, so people could identify us as the special ones ;). I can't believe how much nice stuff I got, too! I know that's what most people expect at a baby shower, but not me. I was mostly excited to see everyone, have some good food, and celebrate my pregnancy! Instead, I got to do all that AND bring home tons of booty for the baby! We got everything from a gigantic stroller and beautiful changing table, to adorable onesies, books, and bibs. My family and friends were so super generous to us and our baby, I still haven't fully comprehended how much stuff we have! And with gift cards and checks, we were able to do a little shopping of our own to finish off most of our registry! Seriously folks, if you came to my shower or sent us a gift, please know every single offering of your talents, money, and well wishes are overwhelmingly dear to my heart, and I am still basking in the Glory of our Lord who has provided it all. THANK YOU!

What's next? We are checking things off our list every day. Zach and I already put the car seat and bases in our cars. We built the highchair, bouncer, crib, and pack n' play, and organized every blanket, outfit, toy and teether. The baby's room is coming along nicely, too! We hung up decorations from the baby shower that my cousin made, as well as some beautiful letter pictures made by my dear friend, Sarah, that spell out B-A-B-Y (provided we hung them correctly, lol). We even bought another air conditioner yesterday! I've learned to never underestimate how HOTTT it can get in our third floor apartment, and this year with a new baby, I will try to be as prepared as possible!

The only items on my last minute list are more onesies for baby (so we don't have to do laundry 3 times a day), a few mattress pads and sheets for our crib and pack n' play, storage bins for the nursery, and lots and LOTS of diapers. Not bad for 2 whole months left to go! Still, I'm grateful for the short list since finding the energy to shop around all day is getting slightly more difficult! Not to complain or anything ;). If there has been one constant throughout this entire pregnancy, it has been the patience, love, support and understanding of my incredible husband. Not only does he physically pick me up when I'm down, but figuratively, too!! He's my partner in crime throughout this entire endeavor and I couldn't be happier for my choice in a mate! Seriously ladies, if you're considering getting married, make sure you think about those vows!! Ask yourself if you KNOW your man will have and hold you for better or WORSE! I consider pregnancy one of the earliest times a marriage could truly be tested. If you have a husband like mine, I'm sure you can agree how blessed you are! Thank the Lord for these great men!!

And on that mushy note, I shall leave you. Thanks for reading, and leave some love. Also, for those of you who had girls, were you afraid to rip off all the tags and wash all your girly baby clothes for fear your baby could potentially pop out a boy?? Let me know. ;)

xoxo Liz

Girl

It's a ... girl? That's what they tell me! Do I think I'm having a girl beyond a reasonable doubt? Not exactly. My ultrasound technician says she's pretty sure and she's never wrong. What I heard? "I'm nowhere near positive, and I'm due for a failure." Regardless, I still have a healthy baby growing inside me, and that's all I can really ask for. Praise God I've made it this far! It seriously hasn't been easy for me but I can't tell if that's because I'm a complainer, or if my pregnancy is just hard. Most woman tell me every pregnancy is different so I shouldn't assume they will all be like this. Not like I'm thinking of more children yet. I'm focused on popping this one out first.

As of two weeks ago, I am six months pregnant! I know it's been a while since my last post where my baby was the size of a peanut! Now she's larger than an eggplant, weighing over 2 pounds, and growing by the minute! I'm feeling little flutters but no crazy punches yet. My placenta is on the top, acting like a pillow between my baby and me, so doctors say I'll feel movement later than most women.

We have the baby's room painted light gray and mint green. I'm not a crazy PINK EVERWHERE kind of person. My cousin and I picked those colors long before I knew the baby's gender because I like neutral colors for walls. You can always girl-i-fy the room later with bedding, wall hangings, etc. I finally registered at Target and Babies R Us for some super cute things, as well as functional things for baby Patterson. Registering was both fun and odd. I LOVE registering for babies, and weddings, and buying off other people's wedding/baby registries always make me happy. That being said, baby registering isn't all fun and games! You can't just pick out every cute outfit imaginable. You actually have to plan for what your baby will need. 70 super sweet onesies? Perhaps. A car seat? That's more like it. Teddy bears galore? If you must. Nasal aspirators? Now you have it! It took a while, but my family and multiple online checklists were very helpful. Listen, if you're a first-time mom like me, ask for help! You may think you'll need 14 rubber duckies in various colors and shapes, but most moms will tell you it's better to register for diapers!

In a week or two I will be in my 3rd trimester, and I hear that's when the real fun begins. Uncomfortable will take on a whole new meaning, and it will be about 20 degrees hotter every day. I'll be busting out of every shirt I own, and will most likely clean my house from top to bottom on a whim. Things to look forward to? My baby shower, finishing the baby's room, living in a clean house for once and, most importantly, meeting my little bundle of joy for the first time!! Lots of exciting things coming my way.

You may be wondering how my husband is doing with all this. Not too bad, I must say. He's supportive and kind, and always asks how his "girls" are doing. (It's really very sweet when he asks.) He was such a big help painting the nursery, and helping me with my registry, and thinking of baby names any chance he gets. AH! Baby names! Here's something I can answer for the masses. No, we do not have a name picked out yet! That is probably the number one question I have been asked since we found out it was a girl. Of course we are talking about names, and I have tons that I love, and Zach has many great choices, too, but we both agreed not to announce the name before the baby is born. If we find the most perfect name before then, I'm going to have such a hard time keeping it a secret, so half of me wants to stop discussing baby names all together! I jokingly tell my husband, "If you don't want me to spoil her name, we better not talk about it till I'm in labor!"

For now, my life consists of working all day, eating dinner and going to bed early. I really shouldn't complain  ...  I do love me some sleep, but finding a comfortable position is harder than it seems. There are only so many pillows in the universe, and most of them are completely useless to me. But hey, once I fall asleep (and before I inevitably get up to pee in the middle of the night), I am in complete peace.  Weekends are my favorite. That's when I get to sleep the most! And since I just came down with a cold, I'm sure this weekend will entirely consist of drinking orange juice, sleeping, and yes ... inevitably getting up to pee. What more does a pregnant woman need?

Well, that's all for today, blog-ville. Hopefully I will have some exciting things to share in the weeks and months to come! Take care, and leave some love in the comments below!

xoxo Liz