Sunday // Pancakes

Firstly, I got new mixing bowls and dishes for Christmas, so I have been enjoying using them, a lot. I've never had the proper size mixing bowls, so this is a new and fun thing for me, definitely. 

But, today, pancakes are just what I needed. A relaxing morning at home with breakfast from home.. there is nothing like it. I absolutely love pancakes.

Christmas ReCap

I don't know about you, but after Christmas I've definitely needed some much needed relaxation and recuperation. Outside of our lovely trip to the hospital, the holidays were exceptionally grand - full of food, family and excitement. Our Christmas got cut short with a visit to the hospital because of high blood pressure, which ended up with me finding out I was having contractions 4 minutes apart (and not feeling them, what???). They ended up giving me a shot to stop the contractions and then sent me home. They ended up stopping the contractions because I was only 35 weeks, but the medicine has worn off and they have started again, but they aren't painful enough to be of any concern. Luckily for me, I have an appointment tomorrow that I am looking forward to finding out more about what is going on with my body and baby. 

It was a bit nerve racking, but I am very proud of Cody and being there for me and asking tons of questions. He is such a great guy, I couldn't be happier.

What I Wore // Christmas Eve

Top: Sears Maternity; Pants: Cotton On (Non Maternity); B-band from Target

I've been having a very hard time being comfortable. Waddling around with a big ole stomach in my way had been more than discomforting at this point, but I am trying as hard as I can to enjoy it. Being 35 weeks plus and my little man is starting to drop, slowly but surely. I've also been having at least 2 or 3 contractions an hour and they've been pretty consistent, so I've been trying my hardest to just relax and enjoy my stomach while I can.

I've also been battling a pretty intense cold, so I'm hoping that that will go away soon. 

All in all, I am ready for my little man to be here, once he bakes a few more weeks. I can't wait to share about his arrival and my struggle through the beginning of motherhood (:

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Crochet Square Blanket

I had started this project about a month or so ago. I had honestly gotten bored and wanted to do something in the time I was just sitting around doing nothing (which isn't very often), so I started this square blanket. I had mentioned it in a previous post. It's 3 colors: black, white and grey. I had started it because I have an insane obsession with blankets and I can never find one that I'm willing to spend money on, so for $25 worth of yarn, I got this lovely blanket. 

I absolutely love this blanket, and it's obvious by the dog hair on it, that my dogs do too. Eventually, I want to add more squares to it doubling it in size and eventually making it a king size blanket. It just involves me going to the store and picking it up and currently with holiday time, I'm just not in that much of a rush, but eventually I will. I really look forward to it. 

My main goal with this lovely blanket was to make it almost like a comforter for our bed or a lovely blanket to take outside and sit on. Just a diverse, huge, whatever blanket. It's always really rewarding when it is something that you have spent the time making and you reap the benefits from it. It overall took me two weeks to do because I crocheted each square and then put them together. I love how it turned out and I can't wait to crochet more things.

If you want to make a blanket like this, the squares are 50 chain stitch by 50 single-chained rows. I will share a tutorial on how to crochet the squares together. 

Sharpie Mug DIY

I had first heard about these on abeautifulmess.com, they had done a His + Hers Sharpie Mug DIY and I thought that would be a perfect gift idea for someone one. So, I bookmarked it and went on my way. Then, Christmas comes around and I think it's perfect to throw in for our parents gifts, since they are becoming grandparents in the beginning of 2014.

 Things you will need:

~mugs - dollar store mugs work perfectly because they don't have the expensive glaze on them (that makes it harder for the sharpie to stick).

~Sharpie

~an oven

I was going to use washi tape to help decorate, but that didn't end up going so well.

 Decorate how ever you please. These are for my mom and dad. I decorated my mom's with gold polka dots and I left my dad's plain (otherwise he wont use it). Once decorated, it is important to let the sharpie's dry, which can take anywhere from 6 to 24 hours.

Then, place the mugs in the oven before you turn it on. Then turn it to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. I found that this higher temperature helps bake the sharpie on and making it last through the dishwasher. Turn the timer on for 30 minutes, once it goes off turn the oven off and leave the mugs in the oven. This is important so they don't crack. 

Then, here comes the BIG test, run it through the dishwasher. 

Wallah! 

Have fun making these!

It's All About Tea // Stress

Sometimes tea time is the only thing that can calm you down. Stress has been very relevant in my life lately and sometimes I just need to sit with my cup of tea and think about what is really important and what's not. Sometimes our minds get caught up in frivolous things, mainly material things that just don't matter. Sometimes if it does matter and it is important we work ourselves up so much that we are just too stressed out to even think of a resolution. I get like that a lot. And sometimes I just need to sip on my tea and write what I'm feeling and most of the time I come up with solutions. Most of the times, it works for me. Other times I get so worked up I go about cleaning and being a real pain, and that's not what I want to do. I want to keep myself collected and organized and write things down.

I'm feeling particularly stressed out this week because it seems all our bills are due the week before Christmas.. isn't that just dandy. So, I've been budgeting in Christmas gifts (because we are so last minute) and our bills and it works just fine, but I let myself get worked up about it. They say not to share your problems with money or anything on your blog, but let me put it to you straight: we are only human. Money and stress and everything in between make us human. And if we can't be honest with one another and share how we feel then we aren't going to get any better. I like a space where we can share our trial and errors with coping with stress or what we have done as a great way to budget. 

So throw them out there. I keep a planner and I pretty much balance everything through that.

DIY Geometric Onesie

Things you will need:
onesie (the size you prefer)
fabric paint
paint brush 
potato
knife to cut the potato

I had seen Abi Porter form vanillaandlace.blogspot.com make one of these for her son, so I decided that I wanted to try it. It doesn't take any time at all, it took literally 10 minutes to do including drying time. So, last night I went out and bought 0-3 month onesies, fabric paint, and a potato. In the potato I cut out a triangle and used it like a stamp (if you already have a shape stamp that you want to use - go for it). I used black fabric paint and went stamping away. Make sure you let the front side dry before you go to the back.

I'll definitely be sharing pictures of little man in it! I think that geometric stuff for little boys is absolutely adorable. And I plan on make a few different colors and shapes.  I've been in such nesting mode that I have had all these plans for his part of the room, but I haven't had any energy to do so. So, I'm hoping that that'll change because I only have a few weeks left until I meet Alexander. It's time to hopefully get my move on. 

I must say, the end of my pregnancy is really kicking me in the butt. You know, the normal pregnancy aches and pains; Not being able to sleep comfortably, waking up multiple times to go pee, aching back, being overly tired on top of not sleeping well.. you know, the normal. AND I'm 34 weeks. But, I am definitely enjoying it while it lasts; an excuse to not have a flat tummy and always have to go and do things. Yes, I'm the lazy type. 

Christmas Traditions

My absolute favorite time of the day, around the holidays, is when it is dark outside. That's the time when our home comes alive. I keep main lights off and just thrive off the energy of the christmas lights and decorations. They're absolutely gorgeous in my eyes. I much rather be working with the holiday cheer than anything else, right now. 

Having a small apartment, it works out excellent. Lights are just everywhere and they actually fill up the home quite nicely. 

Our Christmas tree skirt this year is one my mom had made for my dad and her back when they were dating 20 plus years ago, it has their names on it, so I flipped it upside down, but I definitely think adding a tree skirt to the tree added a really nice touch. Before that, it just seemed naked. Being on a budget, it was really nice for her to give it to us because sometimes tree skirts can cost a lot of money, even for ones that are just made out of felt. We, also, weren't going to do stockings this year, but my mom was going through her Christmas stuff and she had these extra ones from when we were kids, I absolutely love them. Cody's is scooby-do and mine is bugs-bunny, we also have a tweety-bird one for alexander next year. I love the nostalgia of keeping Christmas decorations alive from previous generations. It makes the holidays way more enjoyable. Especially when you gather around as a family and talk about memories, which are extremely important. Cody and I are really wanting to create a lot of memories as a couple and a family with Alexander on the way. 

It's been rather warm this December, which has not been enjoyable at all. I'd love for it to cool down at least 10 degrees for the Christmas, but I doubt it is going to! One day we will have our white Christmas. 

A tradition that Cody and I have started is opening one gift a day until Christmas. This only started because we both have a very hard time not telling each other what we got for each other. We just both love Christmas time and giving what we got to each other. And we try very hard not to go crazy with big items, since we do get more items than not. We aim to keep the gifts at rather low costs, whether they be DIY or just that one item that we haven't been able to get from the store yet. It really works out for the both of us and we love it a ton. So, we are going to do the same thing when Alexander is born, just to keep our own little tradition alive. For me, it's really enjoyable. It's like our own 12 days of Christmas, but sometimes it's a little longer than that. 

I hope to keep this tradition up and maybe start a few more, like decorating the Christmas tree and house together. Things that we can do as a family and keep it family oriented. I love Christmas time. If I could, I would leave the tree up and never take it down.

What are your favorite traditions that you and your family do?

Packing for the Hospital

When you get to the 34 week mark (which I am on Saturday!?!?!?!?!), they recommend that you have yours and the baby's hospital bag pretty much packed and ready to go. So, reluctantly, I started packing my bag. I say reluctant because I am in denial and am extremely nervous for the time to come. It is definitely overwhelming and exciting. 

Here is a basic list of what I packed for myself:
~dry shampoo
~comfy large shirts (3)
-sweatpants (3)
~underwear I am willing to throw away (bought some from walmart)
~maxipads
~disposable nursing pads (whether you decide to breastfeed or not, definitely comes in handy)
~nursing bras (I am planning on breastfeeding)
~nipple cream
~toothbrush and toothpaste
~deodorant
~brush
~makeup bag
~camera and camera charger
~phone and phone charger
~books (2)
~blanket and pillow (Im weird about hospital stuff)
~possibly going to throw my computer into the mix (all depends)

There is probably something important I'm missing, but fortunately I live right across the street from the hospital.

Here is what I packed for baby:
~receiving blankets (2)
~burp clothes (2)
~bibs (2)
~mittens (2)
~socks (2)
~onesie
~going home outfit
~diapers and wipes
~pacifier
~boppy aka nursing pillow

I pretty much packed what I would in a diaper bag to bring with me for him.

When looking online for recommended lists, they all seemed great, but for  
some reason they all felt like they were missing something. They aren't, I was just overthinking it. I pretty much made my own list and had at it from there. 

I'm sure there will be something I'm missing at some point, but I'll figure it out. I will also probably update later what was actually an essential and what was unnecessary.

Is there anything that you packed that you thought was a must have? Or something you forgot that you thought was a must have? Definitely leave your advice in the comments below.

Where Did the Weekend Go

 1. Sun in the window // 2. Christmas tree lights.

I feel like time is just flying by. Just a blink of my eyes and the weekend is gone. My lovely weekend started right about Friday afternoon and I took it slow and relaxed. I have been having a very hard time coping with how tired I have been getting and not being able to sleep, which causes me to be extremely unmotivated - not a good sign. How did any of you cope with pregnancy tiredness? I've been trying to get a jump on things, but I just can't. I do push myself to do things, and luckily I did get a bit done this weekend, but it just feels like the chore list is never ending (of course!).

Cody and I have been watching the show called Portlandia on Netflix and I absolutely love it. It's pretty much just overly dramatic skits about the people in Portland. It definitely makes me laugh and I love that. 

Then, on Saturday was my baby shower... man, was that day full of people and talking and stuff! It was fantastic! I haven't been around that many people in a while and it made me very much appreciate the people that love me, Cody and Alexander and are very willing to spend there time and money to give us things. We ended up getting everything we needed and then some, which was truly such a blessing. Once I got home, I attempted to start organizing a few things, but I was overly exhausted and went to bed at 8 o'clock with achey hips. I slept for 15 hours that night and woke up and started organizing things until I went shopping with my mom and grandma. Now, let me tell you, that wasn't a good idea. When these ladies shop, they shop. I, again over exerted myself, but it was truly lovely to spend the afternoon with them. That night, I couldn't sleep very well, so I finished organizing as much as I could and was actually able to get it all done. It was fantastic. 

Also, this weekend I decided to give myself a mini goal.. I need to take more photos. More photos out and about, lifestyle photos.. anything. I need to take more and better my "phototgraphy" skills. I love taking photos, but sometimes I get so distracted that I just don't do it. I don't like that.

How was your weekend?

My Pets

My pets are, in all honesty, my best friends. They love me just as much if not more than I love them. They are dependent on me and they know that. We've grown into such a routine. I wake up in the morning and take them out to potty, come in and feed and water them. Then, I get ready for the day and take them out again before I leave. They truly are wonderful and hairy and all things in between. Sometimes I feel crazy having 3 animals in a one bedroom apartment with a kid on the way, BUT it wont be like this forever. And I absolutely love these animals with all my heart. I used to think that I wouldn't ever care to have animals, but then I met these guys. Mika, the one in the top picture, is a shepherd/husky mix and she is by far the spunkiest dog in the world. Very protective of me, but not in a barky aggressive manor. Jazz, a.k.a Cat, annoys me beyond belief at times, but if I walk by he will lay on his back for a belly rub. I love that. He can be a pain when he decides to knock down the ornaments and candy canes in his reach on the tree. Now, its only half decorated because of him. Julius is a sweet cuddle bear. He hates cuddling, but when he is in the right mood it's perfect. Animals are work and I'm hoping that they will do very well with Alexander on the way. I'm taking the proper precautions with them when it comes to introducing them, but I'm just anxious. 

Some steps that 'experts' say to take are:

1. Get a blanket with the baby's scent on it and take it home to them and have them smell it.

2. Do a gradual meet. While you are holding the baby and our partner has control of the animal, let them sniff the baby.

3. Keep an eye on them and never leave them alone together. There could always be a bad moment, even if the dog doesn't show any aggression. 

I have faith in my pups, Mika is very loving. Too loving. She has also been very affectionate to my bump, so maybe she will do well with him. Obviously I will share all about it. I'm very excited.

Also, tomorrow I am 33 weeks and it is my baby shower. Definitely excited.

Currently // Crocheting

I'm working on a crocheted blanket, which is generally what happens when I get a little bit bored and I have a little bit of extra money laying around. Instead of spending money on a blanket I am not sure if I would like or not... I go ahead and make my own. This one is three different colored yarn; black, grey, and white (my favorite go-to colors). 

I've had it through my head for some time that I would be able to get this done in a week, yeah ok. Knowing how I get when it comes to distractions, it just didn't happen. I decided to change up my pillows and completely redo the blanket, which were minor setbacks. I am hoping to have it completely done this weekend, but we will see how that goes.

Also, I am working on putting a small tutorial together on crocheting. I think it would be some fun to do.

Updated Pillows // Living Room Update

In my bits and pieces about my living room I have/had these pillows that I just wasn't liking very much. They are the red/tan/brown ones that have circles and squares on them. Those pillows just didn't work for me, but they came with the couches when we got them, so I dealt with them until I was going to figure out what I wanted to do with them or I got new ones. Then, the other day while I was on Pinterest looking at different pillows, I had remembered that I had bought fabric a long time ago and hadn't done anything with it. So, when I took it out to look at it, it just worked.

 It worked by just fitting in with the random scheme of things. Of course she had to model.

 That adorable face, I just couldn't resist.

 I went ahead and made this couch the green and blue couch, since I had a blanket and everything flowed and matched. I absolutely love the touches the updated pillow gives. At least I am satisfied, for now.

 I had these three different types of fabric, so I decided to go ahead and remake all four pillows. It was pretty easy. I didn't do any exact measuring or anything. I laid the pillow on the fabric while it was in half and cut around it leaving enough room for error. Then I flipped the fabric inside out using the fold seem as and end. I hand stitched the two sides and then pulled the pillow out meanwhile flipping the cover right side out. The folding the two edges in, I stitched it on the outside as narrow and as close as possible, so it wouldn't be so noticeable. 

It's really simple to do, no matter what kind of pillow you have, especially if you have enough fabric on hand. I love these pillows ten times more and they don't irk me when I go out into the living room. And they are great to mix and match if I want!

Have you had any pillows that you have given a makeover?

Painted Branches // Dining Room Decor

So, knowing me, I always love to change things up. Pretty much all the time, especially when I'm sitting around the apartment doing absolutely nothing. That's pretty much when I come up with ideas to do things, i.e. move furniture around, change artwork, decorate pillows, make blankets.. whatever comes to mind, I'll do. Cody has come to the point of when he comes home, he just asks what I have changed or what new project have I decided to start doing. In a weird way, I like it. It keeps my creative juices flowing, but being 8 months pregnant, sometimes I find myself in a bad 'I can't lift this' situation. So, I've been having to take a little bit of a chill pill on rearranging furniture. But, that hasn't stopped me from moving things from one place to the next. 

ANYWAYS, I was out walking our dogs the other day and I just decided that I wanted to take a few branches inside and paint them, especially since I have paint and brushes sitting around not being used...so technically it was a free project for me. This branch is the only one that I decided to keep because all of the other ones turned out just not right. This piece works perfect in our dining room and definitely pulls the curtains in together.

What are some fun projects you have come up with while sitting at home?

Christmas Tree

This year, I didn't think we were getting a Christmas tree. It just didn't seem practical to us, at first, in this tiny space. Then, I had went through a nutty nesting moment (actually, this was more Cody than me) and we moved the furniture around in our apartment (moving couches and whatnot) and it opened up a lot of space. It was actually kind of surprising how much living space it gave us. I liked it, a lot. Then, there was an amazing deal on the Christmas tree, so we just had to do it. 

I absolutely love it. I love Christmas and the lights and sounds and just everything it brings. This will be Cody and I's last Christmas as just the two of us and there is something very exciting about that. I am definitely looking forward to the changes that are to come. Anyways, adding a Christmas tree really did make our home what it needed to be this Holiday Season. It's pretty to look at and it just brings it's own sense of cheer. 

What's your favorite part about Christmas? 

32 Weeks // 8 Months

Dear womb-dweller, I am very much looking forward to your arrival. The doctors think that you will end up coming sooner than expected because you are getting large, very quick. At my last appointment they said that you were measuring at 34 weeks instead of 31; it's been a week since then and I know you are still growing and growing. I am looking forward to what they have to say on December 12th. I love feeling you kick and move, especially since you are becoming more responsive to my touches and movements. I just wish you would share your wonderful movements with other people more. 

I am definitely content with you staying in here for another month or so, just be careful how much weight you gain little man. We have the baby shower coming up this weekend and I am very much looking forward to getting the rest of what we need for you. There are a lot of people that love me and now you and they'll be showing their love this weekend. I'm excited to spend much needed time with friends and family. Then, I'll come home and crazy organize and probably wear myself out beyond belief..that's normally how it happens. I'm just very excited, anxious and nervous for your arrival. It is just around the corner. But, I can't wait to hold you in my arms. I love you Alexander, and I can not wait to meet you.

Life According to Instagram

1. I'm handing down some of my stuffed animals and blankets to Alexander. // 2. Selfie, of course. That was before a dinner with a really good friend of mine. // 3. My fake flowers in the window. I really love having flowers, but I hate how quickly they die, so I've been trying to find different types of flowers that work for us. // 4. Alexander's part of the room. That's what I see when I'm laying in bed, so it's from my perspective. I really can't wait for his arrival, but first my baby shower is next weekend (: // 5. 32 weeks photo. I've been growing very tired lately, I do not enjoy it. // 6. Tired face and messy hair do.

This past week has been a long week. One filled with good food and a very lazy me. As the third trimester keeps trucking on I've noticed that I have become more and more tired and I just can't stand it. I really wish I wasn't this tired, because I know in the next few weeks I will of tons of baby stuff to organize and get ready for the little one. Hopefully this week I can work on getting some of my energy back. 

Also, the blog turns one this week! Happy Birthday Sincerely Me, Always! It's definitely been through some changes, and I would say for the better (: