Week 24....Happy Halloween

(Milkman & 1950's Housewife)

(Sporting my new PJs)

Aversions

Nothing

Cravings

Nothing (so boring)

Cloth Diapers!

After discussing cloth diapers with many different friends and family members, researching for days online and attending a cloth diapering class at the Birth Center we finally decided our plan of attack.

We are going with pre-folds from Green Mountain Diapers, and a few different pocket diapers from Sunbabies and Fuzzibunz. We purchased our pre-folds and Sunbabies and registered for Fuzzibunz, so we should be all set to cloth diaper this kid. With the recommendation from the Birth Center, we kept our numbers lower so that we could really test out what works for this kiddo before we order all of one kind.

Last week the pre-folds from Green Mountain arrived and I was so excited to unpack these cute little diapers. Sure, diapers are diapers and once they are full I imagine the cute factor wears off, but for now, it is pretty dang exciting!

Week 23....

Yep, this belly is getting massive, I often wonder how in the world this could be my belly. I walk by the mirror and have to take a double-take as I am HUGE. Supposedly it is measuring right on target for how far along I am....it is hard to believe.



Aversions

Nothing

Cravings

Tomato Bisque Soup from Cosi

Hot Chocolate from Dunkin Donuts

Birth Center Baby

Now that Allouette has passed all prenatal testing with flying colors, I decided it was finally time to head over to the midwife owned and operated birthing center here in Wilmington. As most of you know, I am a huge believer in natural medicine and so I felt that it was my duty to at least check out the birthing center, even though I went into it with reservations.

Learon and I sat through the informational meeting and then took the facility tour. After reviewing the set-up, processes and services available, as well as having our many questions answered, we officially decided to have this baby at the birthing center. Which means..... as long as there are no complications and I go into labor somewhere between week 36-42, this baby will be born out of the hospital, epidural-free and in the water birthing suite. Yes, we are hoping and planning for a water birth.

I fully understand this sounds crazy to some, for those folks, I recommend the movie 'The Business of Being Born' which is available for streaming on Netflix.

So there you have it, Allouette is headed for one of those so-called 'natural' births. I remember back in the day I would often say that the only thing natural about my future labors would be the fact that I would not be wearing make-up.....oh, how time changes people and their points of view.

Check out the Wilmington, DE Birth Center.

Oh, What A Heart

Today was my fetal heart echo appointment and as expected, Allouette's heart is gorgeous, beautiful, and PERFECT! After an hour & a half of ultrasound and echo review there is absolutely no concern and she has been given an all-clear, which means that we are officially done with special ultrasound doctor appointments.

We also discovered that she is now 17 ounces, which is a little more than double what she was last month, no wonder my belly has been growing by leaps and bounds.

So there you have it, 22 weeks & 1 day, and Allouette is well on her way.

Nursery Bedding

After much searching I finally tracked down some crib bedding that will match with Allouette's nursery plans.

We are still planning on going with the raspberry & white wall paper on one wall, black chalkboard on one wall and the other two will have painted stripes. Before we were planning on doing pink, white and pinstripe red but after finding the below bedding I am thinking we will add a stripe of green as well. I know to some this might sound a little crazy, but trust me, it will look just perfect.

Week 22...

Getting bigger....shockingly so.

Multi-tasking with the best of them

Aversions

Nothing

Cravings

Nothing

Yeah, kind of a boring week this week as far as Allouette is concerned. The only main change is my hunger level which seems to be growing to match the belly or vice-a-versa.

The Nursery...Before

Although I swore up and down that I would not create a nursery prior to having this baby in my arms, I am quickly being drawn into the world of nursery design.

Here are a few 'before' shots to prepare you (and me) for what is to come.

 Currently this little room is painted yellow, but the yellow is a bit aged and looking worse-for-wear and so it's got to go.

 Learon put that gorgeous stroller together for me, here is the gift from my folks in all of its glory.

 The inspiration for the room, hard to tell in the photo, but the red is a kind of rasberry red, not a true primary, but leaning slightly into the purple world. This wallpaper will go on one wall, most likely the wall with the window which you see first when you walk into the room.

I found this dresser at our local Salvation Army last year and it will be perfect for Allouette, thinking I will be sanding it down and painting it white.

So the next steps are as follows:

1) Pick paint colors to accompany the wall paper

2) Find a sweet little chandiler to replace that awful fan

3) Talk Learon into letting me pull up the carpet to reveal the gorgeous hardwood floors underneath

Keep you posted as I go.



Week 21....

A little over half-way done, feeling pretty good but still finding the need to puke on a semi-regular basis....which hasn't stopped my belly from expanding!

 (Disclaimer, no those aren't stretch marks, not yet, just sleep marks, but I am sure the stretch marks are just around the corner)

Looking pretty sly at 21 weeks

Aversions

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tomatoes

Cravings

Cheetos (oh the good life)

Gifts for Allouette!

We have approximately 20 more weeks until Allouette joins us on the outside, however, she is currently one LUCKY girl as she is already receiving gifts! My parents decided that for Allouette's shower they would pay for an infant carseat/stroller combination and all Learon and I had to do was figure out which one we wanted. Well after a little research and a trip to our local Target, we found the perfect set for her, that same day my mom ordered it up and within a week it was already here!

Learon brought the box inside and as we were both thrilled to receive the gift we quickly unpacked it and tried out the carseat in our car to ensure a good fit. It is just the most beautiful carseat in the world, as far as carseats go, not too girly, but a very classic look.

We still need to put the stroller together so future pictures to follow of the entire combo.

As I am a child that was brought up in search of garage sales, I have recently found children consignment sales to be the most exciting place in town on a Saturday morning. Learon has been the best husband in the world, waking up with me at 6am on his one and only day to sleep in, to head out to whichever consignment sale is taking place, wait in line with me and once the doors open, tackle the room. We have mainly been on the hunt for a crib & mattress, clothes and random cute things. We have found a few cribs, but nothing that is really a good deal, or if it is, it is not quite right for her room. However, handsdown, consignment sales are the best place in town to get infant/baby clothing! We have spent $37 so far, over the last two weekends and have a massive stack of super cute, excellent quality clothes for this little girl, some of it has never even been worn.

Oh how I love a good deal!

And there you have it, not even out of the womb and already on her way to being spoiled!

Week 20...

Aversions

Brownies, go figure, I made a pan of brownies for a friend's wedding shower and the smell of them alone made me not want to ever eat brownies again. Overall, my pre-pregnancy chocolate cravings are pretty much non-existent.

Cravings

Spaghetti sauce