Link Up Friday

I'm joining two link ups today and I'm going to see how it goes.  Thankfully they play by the same rules so it should go smoothly.  Here are my five for the week:

1. Maternity Clothes.

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Not sure if this is a yay or a nay.  New clothes usually equals fun but maternity clothes are not cute and not very exciting to shop for honestly.  I'm trying to have an open mind and I realize that this is going to happen but I want to be adorable like the above photos in my inspiration board...where are these clothes?  My mother in law sent me a gift in the mail to help me start off my maternity shopping frenzy...let the madness begin.

2. Kens Korny Corn Maze

Oh it's my favorite season and I have so many activities to cram in the upcoming few weeks.  Like the corn maze - we must complete the corn maze!  Ken's always has a fun design and it changes every year.  It can take a while to finish but that's what makes it a challenge.  We haven't been to the pumpkin patch either...an activity I hope we can get in this week.  A corn maze followed by pumpkin picking with a late night showing of Gone Girl is pretty much my dream weekend.

3.Lays Lattice Cut Aged Cheddar Chips

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I chose a small bag of these chips last weekend when we had an early dinner at Firehouse Subs.  I will not be buying them for the house though.  NO WAY are these chips coming into our house!  They are so yummy that we would eat the whole bag in one sitting.  I don't usually like chips and I generally don't care for salty snacks but these were a delicious treat.

4. Fancy Pants Dog Bed

Look at fancy showing off her new bed!  R decided to turn an old pallet that we had downstairs into a bed for our hound.  He completed it with some banister decorations from Home Depot turned upside down to make legs.  It was a quick afternoon project and Lady seems to appreciate that she no longer has to sleep on the floor.

5. Creamy Chicken Taquitos

recipe via pinterest

I like Mexican food.  I've always liked it, it may not be my favorite and it may not be the type of food that I routinely ask for but I definitely like it.  The pregnant me LOVES Mexican food and eats it multiple times per week.  I pinned this recipe over the weekend and R made it last night...it was delicious, a winner, and will become part of our regular rotation.  We didn't make it in the crockpot as suggested, he actually baked the chicken and made the filling in a pot on the stovetop.  Next time we will have better prep and use our slow cooker.

First Trimester Favorites

I'm trying to document this pregnancy as I go along but keeping it a secret for the whole first trimester has put me a bit behind.  I'm in my fifteenth week now and looking back on the first three months, I really don't remember much other than the insane fatigue.  I did find some relief in the other symptoms with a few great products though...here are my picks for first trimester survival.

1. I switched to Dailies contacts because I had some extreme dry eye.  In fact I found out I was pregnant at four weeks and was in the ophthalmologist office by week five.  It was my first symptom and considering I already suffer with dry eyes he thought it best to change my contacts.  I use these along with Refresh eye drops and I haven't had a problem since.
2.  La Croix Curate or any La Croix flavored waters.  I love them.  It makes me think that I'm drinking soda and the fuzziness helps with any upset stomach.
3.  Orange juice, an ongoing craving and I can't drink water first thing in the morning.
4. Earth Mama Body Butter, I purchased this to help keep stretch marks at bay.  I can't say that it works yet because my belly has just started growing but it's super moisturizing and smells nice.  I'll be using it at least for another month before I'm out.
5. Tums Smoothies.  This is a need.  I naively thought that heartburn was a problem in the third trimester but it was one of my first symptoms.  I had to eat tums before almost every meal up until week 9.
6. Spring Valley Prenatal Gummy with DHA.  I found these at Walmart and I think they are the best tasting gummy vitamins (and I've tried several).  They don't have iron so you may need an additional supplement.
7.  Sea Band Mama.  Lifesaver!  I thought it might be a gimmick but wearing these allowed me to work on my feet without the queasies.  I also get nauseated at night so I wore them while I slept with no problems.  They are suspicious though if you're trying to keep it a secret, thankfully we keep it igloo temperatures at our clinic so I was able to wear them and cover them with a long sleeve cardigan.
8. Victoria's Secret Sleep shirt.  My husband bought one of these for me as a gift the same week I found out I was pregnant.  I purchased a size up and I love to lounge in it at night and in the afternoon for naps.  It's gotten a lot of action over the past several weeks.
9. Aveeno Body Wash Fragrance Free.  I was using a scented body wash by St Ives and was really sensitive to smells so I had to switch.  I thought I would hate an unscented product but I actually love the formula which is surprising because I've never used Aveeno before.  I may be willing to try the scented version after I have the baby. Target also has an Up and Up version that is a bit cheaper but works just as well.

I enjoy reading lists from other mamas and mamas-to-be and it has helped me tremendously with what to expect and how to plan.  If you're expecting (congratulations!), I hope my suggestions can help you cope.

Five on Friday

How exciting that five on Friday is back in action!  I wasn't going to participate this week because I couldn't get my post typed last night.  By Thursday I'm usually wiped out and need extra sleep.  But in the eleventh hour I'm going link up if only to get back in the groove.  Here we go, my very favorite five:

1.

Announcing my pregnancy!  I finally told my coworkers and posted to social media at the 14 week mark.  Definitely excited now that I don't have to be so secretive!

2.

Liz Lange Maternity leggings.  I don't like anything tight around my belly right now.  It was easier when it was warm and I could live in dresses but now that the weather is cooler I need proper legwear.  These are awesome! And as a bonus I got them 25% off using my Cartwheel app.  All women's clothing qualifies but it expires tomorrow.

3.

Frozen yogurt.  Original Tart.  With Fruit.  BIGGEST craving ever.

4.

Anyone found a new favorite show in the Fall line-up?   I'm still not sure if any of these will be renewed since they all opened with mix reviews but we have been watching Gotham, Scorpion, How to Get Away With Murder, and Forever.  I've had so many favorite shows cancelled that I'm excited to find something new to watch.

5.

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Fall is here and my Halloween decorations are up.  We didn't go all out this year but it looks a bit more festive.  I love the cooler temps and there is a strong probability that I'll be baking more in the immediate future.


So glad the girls are back!

My Pregnancy So Far...

All day on July 22 I had a feeling that I might be pregnant.  I had some weird cramps the day before and just felt...different.  I can't describe it, my brain just wouldn't stop the thought.  When I left work I called my husband to see if he wanted to go with me to the store because I was going to pick up a test. He probably felt I was being overzealous, we hadn't been trying long and I hadn't missed a period yet.  We picked up a cheap test, the kind with the blue dye...I had a faint, very faint shadow of a line on both tests.  Back to the store R went to get a digital test, I took one that night that read PREGNANT.  I took one the following morning that read PREGNANT.  We were both in shock!  Excited but in total shock.

Then came the excruciating wait for an OB appointment.  My new doctor wouldn't see me before 8 weeks and by my estimate I was 4 weeks and a few days pregnant.  I had to wait it out and it was painful, in the meantime I tried to find as much reading material as possible on what not to do when pregnant.  That long list of delicious food that I can't have...yep, I memorized it.  I downloaded a handbook off my OB's website that was extremely helpful and I purchased a few books off Amazon. Old girl scout habits die hard...I try to be prepared!  Even R purchased a Daddy's Guide which he has enjoyed, it must be hilarious because I hear him laughing at some point in each chapter.

I snapped a photo at 5 weeks.  And really there were no visible changes until I hit 13 weeks when I started to have more bloat, especially at the end of the day.

I'm not trying to be narcissistic by posting photos but I wanted to be able to compare my growing bump.

I also looked up some common questions that other bloggers answer when they do bump updates and I plan to keep a record throughout my experience.  It's something I want to remember forever!

This is a photo that we snapped on the day I started my second trimester.

Weeks 4-13

Size of the baby:  from a poppy seed to a lemon

Total weight gain: I was down 2 pounds until week 10 mostly because I was queasy and sleeping all the time.  But now I have gained 4 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight.  The doctor says I'm on track.

Maternity clothes: I have purchased two comfortable maternity dresses but other than that no.  I usually wear a size four and my pants and dresses still fit.  Though the waist band is tight at the end of the day for the past couple of weeks.  I will probably break out the belly band in the upcoming weeks. Some of my tops don't fit correctly, they emphasize the "pooch".  It's not really a formed bump at this point.  A friend of mine loaned me some tunic style tops that should get me through the next several weeks.

Gender: not a clue but I think it might be a boy.  My husband had a dream that it was a boy.  Neither of us has a preference, it's a baby and it's precious.

Movement: nope, it's too early

Nursery:  Hubs and I have been on Pinterest a lot and we've been discussing ideas.

Sleep: I slept almost the entire first trimester, no seriously I did.  I had no energy during the day but I would get a small burst of energy at night.  Oddly when I laid down to sleep at night, it would take forever to get comfortable.  I take several potty breaks but that's not super unusual for me.  Weeks 4-6 I had some mild cramps when I laid down.

What I miss: feta cheese, wine on the weekends, poached or soft cooked eggs

Cravings:  Bacon and ham - odd because I am not the biggest pork fan.  Pickles, broccoli cheddar soup, buttered toast, and Reese's cups (regular size not minis).  Lemonade and Orange Juice - I love anything that is a bit sour.

Other symptoms:  I'm getting some mild "pulling" pains - probably ligament pains, dry eyes, fatigue, queasiness in the middle of the night or if I haven't eaten in a while.  The doctor prescribed me Diclegis when I don't need every night but it's a God send when I do.  Nausea only seems to hit me around midnight.  It seems to take me forever to get started in the mornings, for the past several weeks I have to drag myself out of bed.

Best moment so far:  How can I pick?!?!  I had my first ultrasound at 8 weeks and saw a little heartbeat fluttering away even though the baby looked more like a cocktail shrimp.  I saw an actual baby at my 12 week ultrasound though.  My mom went with me to the appointment and we were able to see the baby with it's hands over it's eyes and we saw a close up of the tiny feet.  Best moment of my life! 

 We also heard a heartbeat for the first time. We told family and close friends at 8 weeks, though our moms knew the same week we tested positive.  My lab results were all within goal, so far so good!  In the last week I told my supervisor and my coworkers and over the weekend we took an announcement photo and posted it to social media.  There have been so many special moments over the last 10 weeks, some of them have been simple private conversations between R and I over our joy!

Oh and we have so many nicknames for the baby:  Bean, Nugget, and occasionally Biscuit.  You can tell that I'm always hungry now :-)

Our little secret is out...

Well I know I owe the ol' blog an explanation for my break.  It's a happy one...

We are pregnant!

I've been asleep for the better part of 14 weeks.  Truthfully if I wasn't at work or a required "life" event then I've been in bed and blogging has been a pretty low item on my totem pole.  But, my energy is returning and I have a lot of catching up to do so expect more posts soon.

National Lady Belle Day

A very happy National Dog day to our own Lady love!

She has only been in our lives since June but our family isn't complete without her.  Please consider pet adoption for your next furry family member.  Our girl has perfect manners, was easy to train, and feels as if she always belonged to us - our rescue success story!

#BluetickLove

Summer Lovin'

Sorry for the cornball title, but I just couldn't resist...

I've neglected my blog with really no excuse.  When your husband and best friend are both wondering when the next post is going to happen then maybe it's time to get typing. Truthfully I've been exhausted lately, work has really done a number on me.  Anyone else feeling the pressure?  We have a mini vacation planned this month and I'm so ready!  I'll have a summer updates post up soon so I can fill you in on the fun things R and I have been doing - so far I've been living it instead of blogging it.  For now I'll post a few of my Summer favorites..there have been quite a few.

Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in light.  An oldie but a goodie.  I've returned to this concealer for summer, it's lighter and has a bit of a brightening affect.  I've been so slack on my self tanning so bronzing and brightening are absolutely necessary.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess.  My beloved Nars bronzer has officially bit the dust and after finishing two of them, I thought I'd give another product a try.  I like this one so much more!  It's not for contouring but I really don't do that anyway, this gives the face a fantastic glow and it shows up so much better than Nars on my skintone.  And I'm paperwhite...just sayin'.  I always liked that Nars didn't make me look muddy but it also didn't give me the punch of bronze that I wanted.  I'm sold.

Mario Badescu Drying Cream.  Note this is the cream not the Drying Lotion.  It's formulated with sulfur to dry up any spots and help them heal faster.  Major score - it helps prevent scarring!  This has been on my "to try" list forever...why did it take me so long to buy it?  Word to the wise, it absolutely stinks but it gets the job done.  I only use a small amount to spot treat at night and IMO it works so much better than salicylic acid and I've never been a big fan of benzoyl peroxide because it burns my skin.

Dance Fitness with Jessica.  I've done several of her youtube dance workouts and I've enjoyed them, when I found out she was making a DVD I had to have it.  You know, for the rainy days, or the blah days, or the days when idon'twannaworkout.  She's fun.  She isn't annoying.  And she's the jam.  If you're interested but aren't sure about the price she has a preview on her website and her Youtube channel has several of her past dance routines so you can try before you buy.

It's a 10 miracle leave-in.  This is another train that I hadn't boarded yet.  Honestly the whole line felt gimmicky - truthfully how many products claim to "do 10 things" in "just one use".  I can't speak for the shampoo, conditioner, and other styling aids but the miracle leave-in with keratin does exactly what it says.  I wore my hair curly on a humid day with just the leave-in and a minimal amount of Herbal Essence hair mousse without a bit of frizz.  It reduced my drying time and helped prevent flyaways.  The only con is the price but it works better than anything else I've ever tried.

Burts Bees eye cream for sensitive eyes.  Oh my eyes, my overly sensitive, often watery, sometimes bright red eyes.  I've switched my contacts to dailies and that seems to help but I've tried to cut down on eye products in general.  I only use eye cream on my orbital bone but I've been paranoid about using harsh products near my eyes - I'm even skipping eyeliner most days.  Enter this cream..I've been using it for a few weeks and it moisturizes, helps my makeup glide on, and hasn't irritated my eyes once.

Kemps Frozen Yogurt.  Yum.  Even my husband like it, we fight over the thick fudge swirl in the Moose Tracks carton.

You're the Worst, a new show on FX, please tell me you've been watching!  It's hilarious.  Or it's my kind of hilarious at least.  R and I love it.  We were interested in the first episode because it followed another new FX show, Married.  We love both shows but this one has us rolling.  The main female characters talk to each other exactly the way my bestie and I talk to one another.  Frank, to the point, and often sarcastic.  #loveit #straightup