Baby update Week 16 picture

Well tomorrow marks week 17 and I can't deny the bump any longer, had to unbutton my pants today. App says baby will double in size in the next few weeks, crazy to think we are almost half way there.

I feel great still and look forward to our appointment on Monday. This would be THE appointment to find out the sex of the baby but we are still going to wait. I will post pictures from our appointment though for anyone who wants to see our little munchkin.

Can't wait to head to San Diego next weekend for a wedding and long weekend with my family. We have a ton of fun planned and will try to post some pictures.

Pumpkin King 2014 Voting is Now OPEN!!!

Please follow the link to the voting survey...I will close the voting Sunday 11/2 at 8pm so get your vote in now :-)  Be sure to push submit at the bottom of the survey to finalize your vote, you make your selection, a check mark is shown and then you push submit to lock in your vote.  Please only one vote per person.

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1867008/Pumpkin-King-2014

We had such a fabulous time this year, we had so many great friends and family with us.  So much food to enjoy and the company was fantastic.  Thank you all for joining the fun this year and we look forward to next year.

Now, what is our next party.......

Have to include a picture of my family

Week 15

Couple days late but here we go. Tired after long day of painting, finish up painting base boards tomorrow then decorate. Wahooo!

Room progress

We painted today! Tomorrow I will paint the baseboards white and it will be complete. Can't wait to put the blinds back up and get some new curtains. Shelf and TV to be rehung and then baby stuff can move it.

Maternity Clothes

Thankfully I'm not in a bind and scrambling to find maternity clothes, my skinny jeans are still fitting comfortably.  But I was curious about what other mother's found to be their fav maternity brand.  It seems that places like Ross and TJMaxx have a VERY limited, if any, maternity section and that is where I was hoping to campout and find the deals.  I gearing up for an Old Navy and Target trip but the majority of their items are online and this whole S, M or L endeavor is a little simplistic for me, especially in the pants world.  Since when do jeans and work pants come in S, M, or L???  And which of those categories will I fall into when I'm 8 months pregnant?!?!?  And then how in the world do I buy them online without trying them on?  See my dilemma?  I know I know, 1st world problems...but I find it very confusing.  I don't wear a small pant size pre pregnancy but is that what I'm supposed to wear now?  What about those tiny people wear smalls normally, what do they do? 

Any who...the real purpose of this blog entry is to find out if there are any lines in particular that have worked well for you all?  I really only want to get the basics and not spend a ton of money on clothes, but I'll need work basics, casual basics and a winter coat...any thoughts or suggestions would be great!  Send me links those are even better!

Thank you everyone for any information you have to share :-)

100 days down, 180 left to go

We made it to the triple digits! Feeling good and just trying to enjoy the trip. Things around the house haven't really changed yet, sleeping in with the pups and enjoying our weekends.

Would like to make a trip to buy buy baby and do some hands on shopping so I can shop smarter on Amazon :) maybe I will do that Monday when I am not working, yes!!! This Tuesday is my one year work anniversary, it is amazing how quickly time has flown by this last year.

Look forward to this next year and all the work challenges and baby excitement.

Progress Pictures

Weeks 11-14

 

 

Still haven't quick figured out how I should stand to make these work better but as the time goes by the belly will be more pronounced and it won't matter how I stand.  And at this point I better not change things so they can all be the same.  I need to find an App that will make these into a little video and can watch the progress easier

Poppin' Ranch Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

This recipe is definitely  moved into one of top slots, especially since fall is upon us.  Pam, our friend in Colorado, used the crock pot to make the chicken prior to combining for the finished product.  She threw the chicken broth and chick breasts in the crockpot and cooked.  Last night I just used a can of shredded chicken from Costco because I was too lazy/hungry to wait for the chicken to boil, cool and shred.  Turned out great and I would definitely go this route again.  Enjoy everyone :-)

 

Poppin' Ranch Chicken Pot Pie

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 packet ranch dressing mix, divided
2 10oz cans cream of chicken soup
10oz can cheddar cheese soup (I used the fiesta cheese soup)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
15oz can mixed vegetables, drained
15oz can corn, drained
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, divided
1 can Grands biscuits
1 teaspoon garlic salt
salt & pepper

Mix together soups, chicken broth, and milk in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in shredded chicken, corn, mixed vegetables, ranch seasoning (reserve 1/2 tsp for topping), salt and pepper. Spread chicken mixture into a 9x13 pan, or two smaller baking dishes if freezing. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar over chicken mixture. Cut Grands biscuits into 8 small triangles and place biscuits over cheddar in dish. Top biscuits with reserved ranch seasoning, garlic salt, and remaining 1/2 cup cheddar. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through (check a few in the center to make sure they're done). You may need to put foil over dish towards the last 10 minutes of cooking to prevent over-browning. (was very liquid, tastes delicious just be careful removing it from the oven)

 

Week 14

Goodness, 3.5 inches! So tiny but baby could be 20% of ultimate length already, crazy that it happens so fast now and without me really even knowing.

I entered my second trimester today, 1/3 of the way there, party time :)

Think I will snag some paint samples this weekend to nail down the base for baby room. So many things to think about and then do, I can't wait to get started. I love transforming our home and what a better reason than this.

I am thinking about having the crib bedding made because all the more neutral sets I have seen are zoo animals and green, Brown and cream.  Anyone have that stuff made our know someone who does make them???

This weekend is filled with fun events, Halloween costume making and brunch with pedicures to follow. Oh yeah and no work Monday...hehe

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Sore abs?!?!

So starting on Sunday my ab muscles have felt like I had just completed an intense workout when it fact I had done no such thing. I thought maybe the pushups I had been doing were staying my core but really I haven't been doing that many pushups and never before did pushups make my abs sore.

After a little internet research this evening it turns out it is totally normal. My ab muscles are stretching out to make room for my little peanut. Does that mean I have a bump in my near future?? Sounds like it to me :) all down hill from here...so thought I would document my sore mid section for all those out there that haven't done this before. Makes sense that they as but never would have expected it and hadn't had any of my friends tell me about that part of their experience.

Hopefully the 6pack and wee one will settle down a little and the soreness will subside soon.

I do love the sign there are things happening in my incubator ;) hard to tell otherwise.

The Blog is BACK!!!! Next house project/Baby Announcement

So for all those that aren't Facebookers, I figured I would post here as well.  Also, wanted everyone else who has already seen the FB blast to know the blog is back and I am hopeful about updating it more often now that we have a pretty big life event to track :-)

For those that didn't pick up on the hints, Kyle and I are having a baby in April.  April 9th to be exact (or as exact as we can right now), I am 13.5 weeks right now and feeling great.  I know it puts me in the easy to hate category but if we didn't go to the Dr. every couple weeks and see the ultrasound images I wouldn't even know I was carry around a little one.  Kyle says I'm confusing the nurses with no symptoms, HA!  We are not planning to find out the sex of the baby until on or around April 9th, I have always wanted the surprise and anticipation just seems like it will make the whole experience (and birth) that much more rewarding.  I know I know, it is moving and touching and nothing will ever be able to describe the feeling of having baby but it is just something I want to experience and so that's what we are doing.  Granted, I know the ultrasounds are pretty detailed now a days so baby may give us a show that spoils the surprise but we are aiming for the delivery surprise.

We are thrilled to be past the first trimester and hopefully clear of the danger zone.  We did have a failed attempt before so it makes this time around just that much sweeter (I can delve into that experience on another blog, I would say after I've had a glass of wine or two but guess that won't happen for another half a year or so). 

Anyways, we are thrilled to have this experience ahead of us and can't wait to share the ups, downs, tears and laughs with everyone who reads this blog as we go.  I feel like I've been around the block with babies for all my girlfriends along the way but this is all very new and exciting for me.  I haven't had that many questions for the doctors up to this point and I sometimes feel that is wrong of me, BUT I feel very prepared and informed from everyone's experiences.  So thank you thank you for all you gals out there who have shared your experiences, although sometimes gruesome, with me and helping me feel better prepared for this journey. 

If you have words of wisdoms or can't live without items you want to share, by all means email me (sirgens@gmail.com). I want to try and keep the "crap" to a minimum, yeah yeah everyone says that but how many are successful???, but I have to at least try, right?!?!?, so any input on the best stroller (I DO NOT want a giant monstrosity), bassinet, bjorn, etc. please share. 

Last thing for now, enjoy the obligatory ultrasound picture and the baby announcement.  Don't have a "bump" yet so won't start posting those type pictures until you aren't just seeing my extra 10lbs (don't I wish it was just 10) due to my husband's home brewing tummy. 

Thank you everyone for the well wishes, we are excited and looking forward to this life changing experience.  We are ready for this next step of our journey together...bring on the swim meets, baseball games, band recitals and girls scout camping (no I'm not pulling for one or the other ;-))

Announcement

Baby at 12 weeks 4 days