Bouncing Baby #22 - Everything Else Needed for Baby

Hello my wonderful readers! We made our big trip to Target and Babies R Us to use our completion coupons for some of the things left on our registries. We decided that we would try to get anything that she would need through 6 months first then the rest of the stuff we can get later. We didn't get much at Target because our registry was small anyways so there wasn't much left. Some extra sleep and plays, onesies and storage containers. We also got all the stuff for the medicine cabinet like: gas drops, saline solution, teething tablets and infant Tylenol. We got a nightlight so we won't be tripping over everything on the way to get her in the middle of the night. The big haul was Babies R Us because most of our registry was there. We started with breast pump and the steam bags to clean it, storage bags for milk, nipple cream and breast pads. We went on to bottles, bottle brushes, nipples, pacifier clip and pacifiers. We got a Vicks vaporizer for our room because that is where she will be sleeping and I heard they are good for stuffy rooms, which ours can get from time to time. We got everything she will need for her car seat: mirror and strap covers. Everything to take a bath was next on the list: lotions, soaps, spout cover and hooded towels. We got a few more receiving blankets and burp cloths, along with a changing pad cover and liners, also grabbed one more swaddle me blanket. We got a baby book which I have had so much fun filling in the first parts about me and Aaron meeting and finding out we were having her. We bought her one toy, the one where you stack the different size rings, almost everyone has had one growing up (both of us included). We got a nose aspirator and butt paste diaper cream. Then we went to Target.com and got her four classic children's books we both loved as a kids and a Pink glow worm (which we both also had as a kid). It was exhausting but so much fun and relieving all at once to get everything she needs and we want her to have. Now I have to wash all that needs it and put it all away in its place. Hope your getting as excited for her arrival as we are. Loves. 

Bouncing Baby #21 - Weeks 37 & 38

Hello my wonderful readers! Week 37 has started out pretty darn good. I am feeling good besides the fatigue I have fought all pregnancy. I woke up Tuesday and felt like I could breathe a little easier and a little pressure in my pelvis so I think she has dropped just a little. Also Tuesday was Moms group at church and we had a wonderful speaker talk on how to teach and show your children the Bible, it was wonderful, I took lots of notes. I got all the rest of the stuff needed for the hospital and our bags are packed and ready to go when Penelope decides she wants to come. Aaron put the car seat in the car Wednesday and I got all the things for the doggy ready for my dad to come when we are at the hospital. This week we also went shopping for the rest of the stuff we thought we needed off our registries, which was relieving to do (keep your eyes peeled for that post). I feel like we are prepared now with all that we need. We ended the week with a nice little lunch baby shower thrown for us by Aaron's work, they are awesome! Below is me at 37 weeks, Full Term!!!

Week 38 started out with my list of things I wanted to deep clean each day to get ready for Penelope to come, everyone calls it nesting, list started with deep cleaning the kitchen, bathroom and spot cleaning the carpet and everything in between.  Also I am very into scrapbooking so I was able to finish all the pages I wanted to get done before she comes including our wedding, it is always a relaxing activity for me. (maybe down the road I can do a post with some of my scrapbook pages I've done) We put the bags and anything else besides the last minute things in the car so they are ready when she is. Tuesday was a busy but wonderful day. Started out with my last time going to Moms group until after the first of year because I'm not going to the second session due to baby coming. We had a wonderful craft where I made a little something to keep track of feedings for Penelope. After the group I went and got myself a pedicure and haircut, it was relaxing and felt good to do something for myself, even though a lot of the time I do feel guilty doing stuff for myself. Below is my purple toenails and my new haircut (back to bangs and just short enough to still fit in a pony tail), don't mind my swollen feet haha. 

After the pedicure and haircut, Aaron came home from work and we went to the doctor for our routine visit for 38 weeks. My blood pressure is wonderful just like it has been this whole time, Penelope's heart rate is good also, just like it has been and for the important part, she is head down! And I am dilated 1 cm and 60% effaced. It's very exciting to know she is on her way already coming out. The rest of the week is just finishing my list of nesting and resting and waiting for her arrival. Hope your just as excited for her to come as we are. Loves.

Bouncing Baby #20 - Baby Showers :-)

Hello my wonderful readers! We were lucky enough to have three baby showers thrown for us by both of our mothers and Aaron's work. My mom's shower was first on September 27th at about 35 weeks pregnant. My mom held her's at her house in Ceres in the backyard and just had a relaxed atmosphere, which is what I like. She had a hot dog bar for the food, with all the toppings that me and my husband love on hot dogs.

 We got a lot of good stuff that Penelope will use a lot, these are just a few of the pictures. 

 Aaron liked the food, hence his thumbs up haha. 

 Above is my niece riding on my grandma's walker, she just discovered she could do that and wouldn't get off haha. Below is me and my awesome friends, first one is Sharayah she is about 24 weeks pregnant here with a baby boy :-), next is my friend Mallory, I'm sure you have seen her in multiple posts :-).

 Above is me and my cousin Ashlee, she came from LA to the shower, next is me and Aaron with my brother. Below is me and my mom and then me and Aaron with our beautiful cake. 

This cake tasted amazing! It was white cake with strawberry filling with "the good" frosting whipped cream frosting haha. Overall we had a wonderful time at the shower and were so thankful for everyone and everything.

My mother in law's shower was next, on October 11th at about 37 weeks pregnant. My mother in law held her's at her house as well, in Brentwood, which is the house we used to live in. The theme was Peter Rabbit. Everything was done so beautiful and we had delicious food thanks to our family members. 

 

Above left is Aaron demonstrating how tiny she is going to be haha. To the right is us cutting our beautiful cake. 

The backyard looked amazing and the decorations were beautiful. 

 

 

We were blessed by so many people with so much wonderful stuff for baby Penelope.

Above is a good picture of me, Aaron, his mom and godparents.

Above is a good one of my parents and below is a good one of my grandparents.

Above left is my mother in law and to the right is a good one of Aaron and one of his favorite cousins. 

Above is a wonderful diaper cake we received with so many little goodies, below is a picture of our beautiful cake. 

Overall the shower was wonderful and beautiful and we were so very blessed by our friends and family and we are so thankful for it all. 

The last shower was held on October 17th at almost 38 weeks pregnant. It was thrown by my husband's work and was a really nice little lunch where they gave us a great gift and we are so very thankful for them and all they do. 

We now need to quickly find out what we have a need for left and get it before she decides it's time to make her appearance. Exciting and nervous is this mommy to be. Loves. 

Bouncing Baby #19 - What's in my Hospital Bag.

Hello my wonderful readers! About week 34 I started getting everything together for my hospital bag at week 37 I think I had everything I needed finally in my bag. I have read so many different lists from a million different people, it seems like, on what they brought to the hospital so this is the list I have come up with for me, baby and daddy to be. Warning! There are some feminine products so if you have issues with seeing them you should turn away now. :-) 

For me I packed:

Sanitary pads X-long X-super X-huge haha, flip flops, slippers with the rubber soles, a couple plastic bags for any wet clothes I wear to the hospital, two pairs socks with non skid bottoms, notebook and 2 pens, copies of birth plan, copies of infant feeding plan, and the exercises from our birth class, disposable and washable breast pads, a bath towel, a pair of leggings and a pair of sweats (both dark colors in case any leakage), two short sleeve t-shirts (both are V-neck for easier nursing hopefully), a robe ($10 score off Target clearance rack), 2 nursing bras, and 5 pairs of cotton granny panties. There are two things I am debating still on bringing that are not pictured, half the lists I have read say yes to them and half say not to worry about them so I am thinking on the breast pump and nursing pillow. 

 All goes into the bag below that I got from Target in August of 2013 for my honeymoon. Also in the same bag will go all the baby stuff. Also my toiletries bag will fit inside too (Forever 21 purchase also August 2013 for honeymoon). 

 Toiletries: Jergen's healing lotion, HPA Lanolin, face wipes, mini Tupperware has prenatal vitamins and tums inside, EOS mint lip balm, Vaseline ultra healing for lips, puff ball for shower, headbands, hair ties, bobby pins, hair brush, mini mirror, comb, hand sanitizer, bottle with Tylenol in it for hubby, toothbrush in holder, toothpaste, hair spray, body spray (Bath and Body Works Country Chic), contact lens solution, body wash, deodorant, shampoo, mascara, concealer, contact case, extra contacts, hemorrhoid cream.

 For baby Penelope: a 6 pack of wipes, 2 newborn diapers, diaper cream, receiving blanket, hat, socks, mittens, her coming home outfit, and the little first aid kit for her.  There will also be a blanket in the bag for her but we are still seeing the weather right now and which one we want to bring. 

Daddy to be: Underwear, socks, sweats, pj bottoms, sweatshirt, 2 t-shirts, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, deodorant, razor, and a blanket. 

 Above is the car seat all set to go into the car in the next couple days (will be installed by the time you read this ;-)). Below is a couple towels for my seat on the way to the hospital in case I am leaking anything and a trash bag to put them in, also the seat protector that will go under the car seat. 

 Extras: Camera, in the Tupperware is extra batteries, gum, change and cash, also not pictured will be a magazine for my husband, snacks and a phone charger.

There will be a handful of things we grab at the last minute because we will be using them until then: My glasses, two pillows with dark colored pillow cases on them (so not to get them mixed up with the white ones from the hospital), birth ball (this will be in the car already), my wallet with my ID and Insurance card in it, and the extra key to our place to give my dad so he can come take Charlie (our fur baby) out and keep him fed, depending on how long we are in the hospital. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing what we are taking, it is all getting very real to us now that we are packed and waiting for go time. Loves. 

Recipe Time - Breakfast Casserole

Hello my hungry readers. I thought I would share a super simple but wonderful recipe I came across on Pinterest, tried and it was a hit! It's a simple breakfast casserole, you could make it before time, freeze it or just heat it up or eat it right after you make it. 

Ingredients: 1 package crescent rolls, 1 pound mild breakfast sausage, 6 eggs beaten, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish

3. Brown breakfast sausage

4. Line bottom of baking dish with crescent rolls

5. Poor in browned breakfast sausage

6. Poor in the beaten eggs

7. Poor shredded cheese over the whole thing

8. Bake for 30 minutes

9. Enjoy!

This was such a hit at Moms group and with my husband, I encourage you to for sure try it! Loves. 

Bouncing Baby #18 - Weeks 35 & 36

Hello my wonderful readers! Week 35 started with washing my first load of baby stuff for Penelope. I have never been so excited to do laundry and fold little clothes in my life haha. I got everything washed and put away from the first shower so there won't be so much at once after the next shower. Aaron put together everything we have that needed assembling and put batteries in them. We had a wonderful speaker at our Moms group this week, her name is Ashley Urke at domesticfashionista.com. She talked on serving your husband and it was a wonderful message I thought and I took a lot from it on how to just be a better wife attitude wise and how that will help me be a better mother also in general. I have been really symptom free this week besides fatigue, which I have had my entire pregnancy. I have had a hard time remembering to drink as much water as I need lately because I am doing other things, so I felt that this week, which I am working to fix. Other than that I have still craved mushrooms, cinnamon rolls, and breakfast sausage haha. Charlie went to the groomer this week and got his haircut to be ready for baby. Week ended with my brother coming to visit me for the day while Aaron went to a bachelor party, which was fun and we just hung out. Below is me at 35 weeks and Charlie before and after the groomer :-).

Week 36 started with a busy Monday! So Monday started the week with going to a Moms group outing to the pumpkin patch. This cute little local pumpkin patch was really cute and all the kids had a great time. Later that afternoon we had a doctor's appointment and everything is good with little Miss Penelope and me. My blood pressure was wonderful and I have not gained more weight than I am suppose to overall. I did have a wonderful strep B test at this appointment, it's a test they do after 35 weeks to test for bacteria that very few woman have but if you have it they have to treat you while your in labor so you don't pass it to the baby. After that appointment we both got our flu shot which my arm still hurts a little haha. We had our last baby class that night on breastfeeding, which was very informative. Tuesday was a kind of busy day as well. It started with Moms group where I made a nice breakfast dish that was a hit. (recipe to follow in another post) We made tissue paper flowers that were pretty fun to make and actually prettier than I thought they would turn out. After Moms group my mother in law and Aaron's great aunt came to our house to go to lunch, which was nice. The rest of the week was relaxing and just getting rested for once. The week ended with our last baby shower in Brentwood thrown by my mother in law (post to come soon). Otherwise this week has just been catching up on rest and really just the same cravings as previous weeks. 

Hope you are getting as excited as we are as the weeks get closer to meeting our little girl. Loves. 

Bouncing Baby #17 - Maternity Pictures

Hello my wonderful readers! Today is the day to share with you the maternity pictures we took a couple weeks ago! They are so awesome. They were taken by a friend of ours C&S Photography ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/C-and-S-Photography/310972232319972?fref=ts ). She took the pictures at the Pageo Lavender Farm ( www.pageolavenderfarm.com ), which if you remember is where we got married. It was really nice to go back there almost exactly a year later after getting married there. My husband, Aaron, is wearing just some light colored Levi's, a black polo from Old Navy and all black Vans. I am wearing an $8 dress from Walmart.com maternity section, black flats I think I got at Payless a long time ago, and my pearls that Aaron gave me for a wedding present. The little shoes used are Vans, we bought the little wooden P at Joann's and I painted it pink, the verse is 1 Samuel 1:27 and I just used stencils on scrapbook paper to make it look nice, and the book "Guess How Much I Love You" was a gift from Aaron's mom.

 **This one of Aaron with the little shoes is my favorite**

I hope you enjoyed these just as much as we enjoy them. Loves.