Paper Lanterns Decor

I have 2 white, round paper lanterns in my room, each with a light inside.  I've always loved their look, whether in the home or when decorating a patio area, an outdoor space for a wedding or just a party.  I found this picture here at Apartment Therapy.

I'll definitely be adding this look to Mia's nursery, I just haven't decided on the colors I want.  The best part is, the price for these is so cheap!  Head on over to Asian Ideas and check out their paper lanterns here for different sizes and colors and for some unbeatable prices.

I Love Lamp...

I came across an old wooden lamp that I used to have in my bedroom years ago.  I'm not crazy about its look now, but instead of tossing it, I know I can give it another go with a new coat of paint and a different shade.  I found this great redo at Apartment Therapy.

           

 Check out the details here.

28 Weeks Pregnant {Chinese Cabbage}

My little Chinese Cabbage and I have made it through 28 weeks are now entering our 3rd trimester!

(Average measurements: 14.8 inches, 2.25 pounds )

• Dominic and I rummaged through my garage and sorted out all the house stuff that I took to San Diego with me when I lived there.  We're still hoping to be moving out soon.
• The stress over finding a house has continued to be hot and heavy this week.  Halfway through the week, we heard from the owners of the house we really want to rent, but nothing is certain yet.  We know the current tenants are moving out in February sometime and we just have to arrange a time to meet with one of the owners and view the house.  All of our eggs are currently in this one basket.
• Dominic began making his very first quilt this week, and finished it within just a few days.  I showed him how to do it, but he did all the work himself.  I'm very impressed with this man.  What's even cooler than this?  The quilt is for his daughter.  What a special gift, one that I know she'll love for life :)
• We had a hospital tour scheduled this week, but it was rescheduled for next week.
• The word has continued to spread at work among my students.  "Miss Misty, is there really a baby in your belly?"  One 6year old girl said, "When you have the baby, it's really gonna hurt."  Ya, thanks.  More of their parents have been catching wind of the news, too, and I've been getting more "Congratulations!" and "Wow, your 6 months along already?  You look great!  I was giant at this stage in my pregnancy."  I don't really know what I'm supposed to look like at this point, so I guess it's a relief to hear that I don't actually look like a whale.
• I'm trying out a new and hip walk...it's called "The Waddle"
• I'm hitting up the bathroom significantly more now.  This makes wearing leggings everyday way more appealing to quicken the potty process.
• I feel more stretched.  My belly is tighter and harder, so I'm nervously awaiting stretch marks any day now.
• I put music to my belly for the first time.  Song chosen: Papa Was a Rolling Stone, by The Temptations.  I think Mia could use a bit of soul.  I love this song right now.

Photo via www.babycenter.com

Baby Center's information for week 28 says, "By this week, your baby can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.  You're in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you're like most women, you'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester. 

At this point, you'll likely visit your doctor every two weeks. Then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits. Depending on your risk factors, your practitioner may recommend repeating blood tests for HIV and syphilis now, as well as doing cultures for chlamydia and gonorrhea, to be certain of your status before delivery.  Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it's relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS."

27 Weeks Pregnant {Cauliflower}

Ok, baby Cauliflower...27 weeks down and more-than-I'd-like-to-count-right-now to go!

(Average measurements: 14.5 inches, 2 pounds)

• Dominic and I had a delicious sushi dinner date.  Don't judge me...I know which sushi is "safe"!
• We continued our "house hunt" over the weekend.  We found one we liked and viewed it with the property manager.  We both could see ourselves living there so we filled out the apps, even though it's a little more $ than we'd like to spend.  But here's the thing: Dominic's friend owns another house that we both like even BETTER than anything we've seen and his current tenants are supposed to be moving out, but we don't know when.  They can't get a hold of the tenants (going through a divorce).  That means we're stuck on which basket to put all of our eggs in.  We're running out of time and the stress of it hit us pretty hard this week.  Do we keep searching? Or do we hope for "The One" to come through, hopefully before Mia does.  Literally.
• My friend, Noelle, gave me 2 trash bags full of maternity clothes!  Woohoo!  In one of those bags is an awesome pair of skinny maternity jeans.  Kind of funny using the words skinny and maternity in the same sentence.
• I had Martin Luther King, Jr. Day off from work (a perk of being a teacher) and I think Mia was pretty stoked about it.  That night, she made my belly look like a water bed with all of her movements.  They've officially gone from little bumps and pokes to strides and wave-like motions.  Amazing.
• Had another doctor's appointment..the one where you drink "the juice" to test your glucose levels, I guess?  Anyways, you have 5 minutes to drink the orange stuff, then you have to wait an hour and get blood drawn.  I've heard it tastes awful but I disagree.  I actually liked it.  I was tempted to ask for another!  Well the results came back and everything is fine.  I also got my flu shot.  Yuck.

• Movies watched: Contagion (it was good, but a little anti-climactic and slow) and Hall Pass (it had its few funny moments...glad I waited until it came out on cable).
• In other pregnancy related updates, my nose is still constantly stuffed, my lower back continues to bother me at times, my belly is getting bigger by the day, I'm so easily winded and find myself out of breath often, my nipples are starting to become sensitive again...but most importantly, NO CONTRACTIONS! :)

Photo via www.babycenter.com

     My BabyBump phone app says, "This week your baby looks like a thinner, redder, more wrinkled version of what she will look like at birth, but in the next few weeks more fat will fill out her appearance.  Your baby's immune system is continuing to mature as are your baby's lungs which are still practicing breathing amniotic fluid.  Just when you were getting used to your second trimester, you may find new uncomfortable symptoms beginning during your third trimester.  You may notice more leg cramps due to the pressure of your uterus on your veins and nerves running from your torso to your legs.  Remember to stretch and move your legs to ease or prevent cramping."

My Lovely Belly Lump

Yeah, that's right...I sing the name of this post to the tune of a Black Eyed Peas song, so what?

Here it is, kids: My first shared pictures of my baby bump belly lump at 26 weeks and 4 days.

Kinda reminds you of a whale and its blowhole, don't it ;)

 Oh yeah, and before you go...mind voting for my blog by clicking on the link (followed by one more link)?  Thanks!

26 Weeks Pregnant {Hothouse Cucumber}

Hey there, my little "cucumber"!  We've made it through 26 weeks, together :)

(Average measurements: 14 inches, 1.75 pounds)

• I went off my uterus relaxing medication.  All week long, I've been a tad bit nervous that my contractions may show their ugly face again.  So far...nada.
• As posted here, I was surprised with the Back 'N Belly Chic!  I've been praying to the pillow gods to bless me with some sweet, cushioned back support.  Well ask, and ye shall receive.  My darling fiance (oh, how I love thee) ordered this bad boy for me online and on my bed it now lays.  I call it my "pea pod."  I feel so secure and cozy in it.  My one complaint: I don't want to get out of bed in the morning when my alarm clock goes off.  It takes me about 15 minutes to exit the "pea pod."
• I've been doing a poor job of getting to bed early.  Sleep is gold.  Current goal: asleep by 10pm.
• We've checked out more houses for rent this week.  Still haven't found something we can both agree on.  They haven't been horrible, but not real winners either.  The search continues...
• Thursday, I went home from work an hour early due to bad heartburn and back pain/cramping.  Ugh, double whammy!  My salad's dressing was way to vinegary and was trying to burn a hole through my stomach.  I was on my feet most of the day, more than I'd prefer, and my back was killing.  I went home and spent an hour just trying to get comfortable.  I finally felt normal after dinner.  I get the message, tummy...bland/mild food from here on out.  Boring...but worth it.  If anyone has any tips on avoiding heartburn, or how to alleviate it once it starts...SPILL THE BEANS!
• My little Mia has been noticeably LESS active this week.  What happened, baby?  I only feel her maybe a handful of times in the day, and the movements I do feel are small flutters.  Slight concern has settled in.
• More of my students are noticing my baby bump.  I already mentioned that my 2nd graders all know because their teacher told them.  One of those kids said to me the other day, "Miss Misty, my baby cousin was born with a hole in his heart.  I think it's because God has to make babies so fast, and then he uses a sling shot to fling them down into the mommy's belly."  I had a few other younger students actually notice all on their own.  "Are you pregnant?"  Yup...got the bump for sure, folks.

Photo via www.babycenter.com

My BabyBump phone app says, "By now, your baby's lungs and brain are much more developed.  In fact, your baby can likely detect light and dark through the optic nerve.  Your baby can now also hear more than just your rumbling tummy, such as outside noises like your partner's voice.  Earlier in your pregnancy your blood pressure probably dropped.  But now, the reverse is in effect with your blood pressure increasing a bit.  And it's likely you'll still have an aching back as the weight of your belly continues to grow and shift forward.  When moving or bending and lifting, it's important to maintain proper posture.  For additional back support, some women favor maternity belts which provide support under your belly and stabilize your back."

 

Spelling in Style

I came across these really cute and affordable (if you have a short name) letter decor at Anthropologie a few days ago and had to get em.  They're soft, covered in fabric and the edges in corduroy.  Each letter (even if it's the same letter) has a slightly different pattern, so it was fun rummaging through the bins to find the perfect one.  Once we finally find a house, I'm so eager to hang these up in my little Mia's nursery.

Photo via Anthropologie

Order letters online here , $14 each

Baby got "Back 'N Bellly"!!!

As you pregnant gals know, and you future preggers will know...being pregnant isn't the most comfortable situation to be in.  I'm 25 1/2 weeks along and I've already been introduced to some back discomfort and "pinches," as I like to call them.  I'm at a point where they're bearable and not painful just yet, but they're not going away and I know will only come stronger as time goes by, and as I grow.  I've mentioned many times to my hunny that I'd just LOVE to have one of those "mommy pillows" to sleep with to help support my tummy and my dang back.  Well...that sneaky lil' stinker was listening.  He ordered this bad boy in the mail and surprised me today with it!

It's a Back 'N Belly Chic contoured body pillow by Leachco.  You can find one here.

And here it is, waiting patiently for me to jump carefully climb into bed and cuddle it until morning.  I'm thrilled to have one of these, let me tell you.  Aside from keeping a constant supply of ice cream in the freezer, this is the best gift Dominic could have given me.  You just can't put a price on comfort and a good night sleep.  What a thoughtful and giving guy I have.  Thank you!!! xo

(FYI: I painted the art on the wall.  It was a an art class assignment when I was attending SDSU.  It's Nicole Richie)

Although I haven't usehhhd itet, here are a few comments left on my Facebook page about it, from 2 pregnant gals in their almost 8th month!...

"This is way better than mine... get it!! Especially if you're gonna be on bed rest for awhile. It's only gonna get harder to get comfortable as you get bigger... trust me!"

"YUP - this is the one Whit's letting me borrow & I LOVE IT!!! Don't wanna give it back LOL! It's freakin' awesome!! Helps with the fart burn & breathing easier at night too cause it keeps you a little erect."