Monthly Archives: March 2012

a great trip

Posted on by

4

I had a wonderful time on my trip back to Chicago… the weekend was filled with family, food, and a lot of laughter.  I wish I had taken dozens of pictures to document the trip, but I really enjoyed being in the moment and making the most of my brief time back home

Of course, one of the highlights of the trip was my baby shower!  It was really wonderful to spend the day with family and friends.

Everyone was very generous and between all of the gifts and gift cards, this baby is going to have everything he needs.

I will share some pictures from the shower soon.  Thank you to Victoria for being our professional photographer for the day! (And also, check out her fabulous blog Frankfully)

It’s been extremely rainy out in Spokane; literally record setting amounts of rain.  So, unfortunately, this will probably be a weekend spent primarily indoors.  I guess I should spend some time working on the nursery.  I now have a lot of books to work with and that vintage print I found is framed and ready to be hung.

so many fun books!

 

a to z

 

Our crib mattress, changing table and more are all on the way!  We are getting deliveries from UPS almost everyday.  It’s so much fun… but I’m starting to feel bad for this delivery man.  He is truly bringing me at least one package per day.  Can you tip UPS delivery men?

I guess I also need to pack my bag for the hospital and install the car seat, just in case?

I’m in the middle of week 33… and I truly don’t know how this baby is going to have any room to grow for 7 more weeks.

goodbye toes!

Here’s hoping some sunshine and dry weather is headed to the Pacific Northwest.

This was the beautiful scenery I had to leave behind when I flew back on Tuesday… Oh Spokane… I hope the flowers start blooming here soon!

blossoming trees at my in-laws house... taken with my iPhone

8 years

Posted on by

1

Today is my 8 year anniversary with the husband.   We haven’t been married for 8 years, but it has been 8 years since our first date.  At the time, I was still in college, living in Chicago with two roommates and not yet the legal drinking age… And now, 8 years later, I am married, very pregnant, and living in Washington… Things have certainly changed.

I have been searching for pictures of the two of us from the beginning of our relationship, but I’m not having much luck locating anything before 2006.  Anyway, here are a few pics of the husband and I over the years…

June 2006... About 3 days before getting engaged...

 

Christmas 2007

 

Bridal Shower

 

Wedding... 06/28/2008

 

Oahu 2008

 

Maui 2010

 

Kauai 2011... I was secretly a few weeks pregnant, but had no idea...

It really is crazy how quickly time goes by…

Husband and I are going out to dinner tonight to celebrate the anniversary at a restaurant downtown called Clinkerdagger.  It’s right on the Spokane River with great views.  I’ll be sure to take a new baby bump pic and share it asap!

hypnobirthing

Posted on by

2

I’m planning on doing the unmedicated childbirth thing, so I did some research, looking for a class to help me on that path.  I settled on HypnoBirthing.  I know it sounds kind of… bizarre or ‘out there’, but it really is just a method of relaxation.  It’s all about understanding that what is happening to your body and to the baby during labor is completely natural, normal and positive.  There are breathing techniques, visualization exercises and a lot of good tools to help you cope.

So, the husband and I went to the first class last night.  I really enjoyed it.  Husband may have enjoyed it a bit less, but he was a good sport.  We watched a few birthing videos, and I have to say it was pretty amazing to see how calm and relaxed the women were while they delivered their babies.  I am hoping to have a similarly pleasant experience.

In some local news, Marshall’s just opened last week in Spokane and apparently it’s the place to be.  I ventured a trip there, undoubtedly less excited than the local Spokanites considering I’ve already spent my fair share of time shopping this store… However, I didn’t take into account the fact that I now have a new category to shop… baby boy clothes!  I might have gone slightly overboard, but this baby is going to be here in just over 8 weeks and he needs something to wear… right?

Too much?

Lastly, unrelated to babies, our house in Tinley Park closed this morning!  It is such a relief to have that off of our hands.  Obviously it’s a tough time to sell, and we feel very lucky to have sold in a (relatively) short amount of time.  Hurray!

SOLD!

zzzzzzzz

Posted on by

5

So… yesterday I spent approximately 15+ hours in bed…

No, I have not been put on bed rest… I just suddenly have the energy level of an elderly woman.  I’m not quite back to the level of exhaustion that I was at the beginning of this pregnancy, but I am definitely far more tired than I was just a few weeks ago.  Ugh.  9 weeks to go!

I have such admiration for all of those mamas who worked through their pregnancy.  I cannot imagine working at Anthropologie right now (my most recent job)… standing on my feet for 8+ hours a day and trying to look cute and ‘on brand’.  I feel extremely lucky to have spent this pregnancy at home where I can nap or rest pretty much as often as I need.

I never could have pulled off such great pregnancy style... image from The Daybook

In other baby news, the husband and I attended a ‘prepared childbirth’ class over the weekend.  The instructor was a lovely British woman named Claire who I was obsessed with.  Her charming accent made all of the info seem delightful– even when she discussed episiotomies and forceps…  She talked a lot about natural childbirth, which is my plan, and shared that she had an unmedicated home birth back in London with her 10 pound, 2 ounce son.  Yikes!  Here’s hoping my baby boy does not reach quite that weight before birth.

Some baby gear is starting to arrive at the house.  The crib should be delivered on Thursday and my diaper bag is arriving tomorrow (so excited… I got a great deal on a Kate Spade diaper bag during an online sample sale!).  One thing that has arrived is our infant carseat.  I have to say despite the ultrasounds, the weight gain and the almost constant kicking I am now getting from this little one, the fact that I am actually going to have a baby in two months doesn’t always feel quite real.  But, taking that carseat out of its box (and trying to figure out how it works) gave me a bit of a reality check.  This baby is on his way!

the reality check

sweet home Chicago

Posted on by

2

Since we arrived, I’ve been feeling pretty good about the move to Spokane.

Aside from a few snowy moments, the weather has been pretty great.  It’s in the 40s almost every day and we get a lot of sunshine.
The scenery is beautiful… rolling hills, fir trees, mountains, etc.

taken with my iPhone... some local scenery from my walk with Riley

But today a distinct feeling of homesickness just hit me. It started with something really random… I came across a photo on Instagram of a group of people, which was clearly taken on a CTA bus… and that was it!  I was suddenly yearning to be back home.

Now, I probably haven’t been on a CTA bus in several years (I was always more of an L rider), and I’m not sure how an image of the Chicago public transit system could bring up anything but memories of bad smells, cramped commutes and sketchy encounters with strangers… but for some reason, today, it made me remember everything I love about Chicago and being home in the Midwest.

It’s silly. I know. I am going to be back in town in just a few weeks for my baby shower… and while I may not be able to visit a lot in the next several months, with a newborn baby and all, I know that Chicago will always be there… and I can come back and visit anytime.

I guess I’m just not as well adjusted to the new locale as I thought I was.

But I’m staying positive and finding things to love here too.  And above all else, as cheesy as it sounds, as long as I have my husband, my pets and soon my little baby boy, I am home.

sunset in Chicago... taken with my iPhone last summer during a boat ride on the lake...

food!

Posted on by

2

Luckily I have not suffered from any cravings that are too crazy during my pregnancy… no pickles and ice cream or any other stereotypical food combinations.

However, my sweet tooth does seem to be on overdrive most days.  I am finding excuses to include Nutella in almost every meal…  Although I know it will be a bad idea, I have plans to try out this recipe later in the week… Nutella Rice Krispy Treats

I say it’s a bad idea because I will undoubtedly eat the entire pan by myself, possibly within a 24 hour period.  But come on, how amazing do these look?

Yum! from this blog

In an effort to balance out my blood sugar, I am trying to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables as well.  I have discovered an amazing little cafe here in Spokane which has some delicious (semi) healthy options.  It’s a little place called the Maple Street Bistro.  Two of my favorite items I’ve had so far are their artichoke and leek soup, and veggie delight sandwich…

artichoke and leek

veggie delight on focaccia

Of course I may have also sampled their chocolate chip scones, carrot cake and mint mocha latte… but only after eating some veggies first 😉

a modern vintage cottage?

Posted on by

6

I find myself constantly trying to define my home decorating aesthetic.  The problem is I often find myself making contradicting choices that don’t fit well into one exact style.  I like a cottage feel, but not too country.  I like modern pieces, but they can’t feel too harsh.  I like vintage and eclectic, but not too bohemian.

My opposing aesthetics are top of mind right now as I am in the process of planning and decorating the nursery.  I’m not relying on any certain theme for the room… I’m just trying to pick pieces that I love and am hoping that it will all come together in the end.  Am I crazy?

I think I’ve finally settled on a crib…

Initially, I wanted all white furniture for the nursery, but I like that the espresso finish incorporated into this crib helps tie it in with the rest of our furniture throughout the house.

I found some great vintage children’s wall art that I am definitely using.  I loved one image in particular (of course I forgot to take a photo of it before I dropped it off to be framed), but here are some of the other pieces that I got at the same time, to give you an idea.

Vintage Wall Art courtesy of this lovely Etsy seller

The room we are using for the nursery has some great built in shelves, which I am planning to use for storage (obviously), but also as a way to display books, toys and a few framed pictures.  As soon as I have made more progress, I’ll share pictures.

I’ll leave you with a ‘baby bump’ picture.  I’m almost 30 weeks!

How can I get any bigger?!

Oh baby!

We did a few shots where I actually posed for the camera, but this random candid shot showed my belly the best.  10 more weeks to go!