Can you PLEASE stick around after Livingston is born?
I may not be able to breathe, and my belly may look like I have a balloon stuck up my shirt, but my hair has never behaved more perfectly!
Baby Meade
24
Aug 10
24 Weeks!
24 Weeks
Total weight gain: Last time we went to the doctor, it was 10 pounds total. But my tummy has POPPED over the past 2 weeks, so I think it’s probably more like 14 or 15 now!
How big is baby? Livingston is the size of an ear of corn; almost a foot long!
Milestones: Her lungs have started developing “branches” of her respiratory “tree” (as Baby Center says), and her brain is growing quickly. She is also developing taste buds like crazy.
Maternity clothes: My maternity shorts are too small now… RIP. Too bad it’s still hot. I think our next step is to buy a pair of nice maternity jeans, but I’m glad to report that I was able to wear – and button – a pair of my pre-pregnancy jeans tonight! (They do have a little bit of stretch to them.)
Sleep: Besides the fact that I get up 2 to 3 times a night to use the bathroom, I’m sleeping fine. The dreams are still vivid, and I never really get enough sleep, but that’s okay. I’m still sleeping. And I love my full body pillow, even though I kick it out of the bed by the morning because it gets too hot.
Movement: Livingston has settled into a pretty predictable wake/sleep pattern. I always expect to feel her around 10:00PM… that’s her most active time of day! She is kicking so hard now that you can see her little thumps by just looking at my tummy. Kris thinks it’s funny! She also responds to hearing his voice, which I love.
Food cravings: Ice cream. And I think my co-workers were a little taken aback today when I almost had a complete hissy fit because there was no chocolate in my office. Who am I? And I’m not really nesting in terms of cleaning… I’m cooking. A LOT. Like, I’ve become OCD with cookbooks and baking things from scratch and planning our meals. It’s a great way for me to de-stress, but also, I think there’s this nesting thing happening with it.
Belly button in or out? Well, I’m seeing more of it than ever before, but it’s still in. I don’t think it will pop out. I have a pretty deep belly button!
What I miss: A flat stomach. I know that sounds crazy, but my tummy is tight like a tick and it’s becoming uncomfortable and I have forgotten what it feels like to have a flat stomach.
Best moment this week: Relaxing with Kris on Saturday. It was a great weekend, and I’m looking forward to another one in just a few short days!
PS – Stay tuned… in the next few weeks, we’ll be finished with the nursery and I’ll post pics! Can’t wait to share it with you!
12
Aug 10
Oh snap!
Blogging to you live this evening from Livingston’s new swivel rocking chair!
And guess what? It’s vintage.
And guess what else? My mom snagged it for only $100!
My nursery decorators (AKA my mom and her friend Tammy) are currently hanging drapes in the nursery and Kris and I are cracking out on the laptops. I hear drilling… I’m impressed that they know how to do this.
I’ll post pics of the progress tomorrow!
Now it’s time for… the 30 Day Blog Journal!
I missed yesterday’s edition – Day 11 – a recent photo of yourself!
So the two were taken a couple of days ago, pre-haircut.
And this one was taken this morning, post-haircut!
Now, Day 12 – something you’re OCD about.
This is a confession. I think I seriously have OCD about electronics and fires. I check our house multiple times before I leave (every time). The iron, any laptops that may be plugged in, fans that are on, the oven or coffee maker or toaster oven being on. Before I leave work, I make sure that the cords of the laptop aren’t tangled. At night, I’ll even get out of bed to make sure that we didn’t leave the oven on.
Now tell me if that isn’t real OCD.
10
Aug 10
Day 10
A photo taken over 10 years ago of you:
The Limited Too like WHOA. Check out the paci necklace…yikes.
Yesterday was a true Monday and I was non-stop for 13 hours. After a trip to the Aldi after work, I was able to throw something in the oven and put my feet up for a while. It took everything to keep my eyes open long enough for dinner! Kate Livingston is moving a lot these days, and it’s really fun to feel her wake up and let me know that she’s alert. When I first started feeling her movements, they were mainly on the left side of my abdomen. Now, I’m feeling her all over! Baby Center tells me that she’s 8 inches long. Can you believe it! 22 weeks today!
I called my doctor’s office today about the heartburn, and there’s not much more that I can do besides what I’m doing already. It’s powering through two Zantac 150′s per day, plus the Tums I take on top of that! The nurse suggested that I switch to Prilosec OTC to see if that makes a difference, but this may just be one of those pregnancy inconveniences that I have to learn to live with. But I don’t wanna!
I’ve started noticing other people’s waists over the past few days. As mine is disappearing… I’m kind of jealous of others! I am now at the point that I have to peer over my belly. That’s a weird thing to do. No more looking straight down and seeing my toes.
And ya’ll keep my Maid of Honor and college rooms Cara in your prayers over the next couple of weeks! She and a group of MUSC soon-to-be-dentists are traveling to Africa to perform extractions. They’ll be keeping a blog during their trip – I’ll share the link when I find out what it is!
Happy Tuesday!
3
Aug 10
21 Weeks Pregnant & Day 3
(Is this a creepy face? Not sure. Anyway, you get the gist of the large belly I’m sporting these days.)
Livingston, you’ve been in my tummy for 21 weeks! You like to kick me near meal times and when I’m relaxing. Your father played Harry Connick Jr. for you last night and also some opera music. We think that it will make you smarter! (Or at least develop a good taste in music!) Your Honey is helping me design your nursery and you are going to love it. It’s full of different shades of pink and yellow and you have black and white polka dot curtains! I think those will be your favorite because when you’re first born, that’s what you’ll be able to see the best.
We keep telling your brother Nimbus that you’re on your way. We think he knows something’s up – he’s been acting funny lately.
You’ve made me a lot hungrier in the past two days; I haven’t had much of an increased appetite before now. But today at lunch, I couldn’t resist the mashed potatoes to accompany my Lean Cuisine!
We already love you so much and can’t wait to meet you in December. I wonder all of the time what you look like – If you have your dad’s chin or my eyes. But there is one thing we don’t question: You will have a head full of dark brown hair!
We love you baby girl.
It’s Day 3 of the 30 Day Blog Journal at Just to Keep in Touch. Favorite TV show?
Oh… yall.
RIP. Bring out the black wardrobe.
I miss you Jack and Kate…
Image via ecanadanow.com
Other shows we enjoy? Work of Art. ANYTHING on the Food Network. COPS. Austin City Limits. Top Chef.
Honestly… we’re holding out for fall TV and hoping there will be something decent to watch.
28
Jul 10
There are many things that no one tells you about pregnancy… for your own good.
When I envisioned pregnancy, it was all about my cute baby bump, all of the sweet little clothes that we’d purchase fill the baby’s closet, the smell of Johnson & Johnson lotion, and the joy of bringing home our first baby that had a mixture of Kris’ and my best features.
This is also known as Pregnancy La-La Land. I still go there often. I mean, when we registered for baby gear last week, I walked the aisles of Target in a dream-like trance.
That is, until I started seeing spots and my vision got super fuzzy and my OB/Gyn’s office had just conveniently closed and all Google wanted to tell me was that I was in the beginning stages of Pre-eclampsia. A Snickers bar and a little rest in the Target food court didn’t fix it. And a phone call to my mother, and then one to Laurie Beth, convinced me to head home, drink a bunch of water, and take a nap.
Of course, I woke up 3 hours later after a mini-migraine and was completely fine, but these are just the things that no one tells you about pregnancy.
I guess I thought I’d do pregnancy like some sort of Earth Mother… you know, like all glowy and floaty and beautifully pregnant.
But then 6 weeks hits and you literally feel hit (by a baseball bat or some other bludgeoning object) and you’re like, “Eh, this is not what I signed up for.” There is a MYRIAD of other super fun symptoms. Like the ones that most advertising usually targets old people with (prune juice anyone?), and you’re like “HELLO! Why is this not talked about in normal lady conversation?” We need to be warned!
Or maybe it’s for our own good.
I’m a control freak. I like lists and I like agendas. I like to know on Tuesday what our plans are for Friday. So you can imagine that I’ve done a lot of reading and research on pregnancy, labor & delivery, post-partum recovery, and the first few months of baby’s life. Honestly, I’ve scared myself with some of the discoveries I’ve made. I’m trying to have a great “g0-with-the-flow” attitude with this pregnancy, and for the most part, I’m doing a great job. But when it comes to the labor & delivery of this child, I have little control. I know what kind of a birth plan I’d prefer, but that doesn’t mean that it will go according to my plan.
I guess I’m just saying, Google wisely and sparingly. Educate yourself but don’t freak out when you discover some of the more concrete details about pregnancy, labor & delivery, and recovery. Because it’s easy to freak out about stuff like that. (I’m typing this mostly to remind myself.)
And seriously, when I feel her move throughout the day and night – which has to be one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced – it’s all worth it.
24
Jul 10
Livingston’s Wardrobe!
I hope that this doesn’t sound superficial, but I think one of the wonderful things about having a baby girl are the sweet clothes and bows! When we visited our family in Moncks Corner this week, my mother-in-law gave us our first “bow ribbon” with mini-sized bows for when Livingston is first born all the way up to a substantially-sized bow with an “L” monogrammed button (in pink, of course!)
I want our baby girl to look like a baby girl for as long as possible. I don’t want her in jeans, or little “mini-mommy” outfits. We’ll be dressing her in soft cotton onesies, bubbles, sweet rompers, and smocked dresses! I’m also loving the Kelly’s Kids bunting sacks for newborns. We’re getting Livinston the red and white polka dot bunting sack since she’ll be a Christmas baby…
Baby Bunting Sack from Kelly's Kids
My best friend Laurie Beth also called me yesterday to tell me about a precious website called Just Ducky Originals. I love this dress – and it’s on sale right now! I’m going to order it today!
Smocked Marmalade Bishop dress from Just Ducky Originals
And don’t forget about Cary Hairbows. It’s time! I’m not a fan of the headband with a humongous bow for little babies, but Cary Hairbows does have a cute selection of single bows.
Cary Hairbows in Bow Confetti
I also found this little jacket on sale at Boden yesterday that will be perfect for Livingston’s first few chilly months in South Carolina:
Teddy Button-Through jacket from Boden USA
16
Jul 10
You better watch out, better not cry…
What’s on my brain today?
You’d never guess.
It’s Christmas cards.
Yeah… that Christmas card that you never got from us last year. And that baby announcement that you will get this year! (Or perhaps in January of 2011? I’m not putting pressure on myself to get her announcement out before the New Year when I’m due in December.)
The feature card of the year will be for… are you ready for it?
Kate Livingston Meade!
Livingston is my middle name and my grandmother’s maiden name, and that’s what she’ll go by!
I’m thinking about finding really unique letterpress designs for our cards, and I’m already scoping them out so that we’ll be well prepared in advance so that I can’t use the “It’s too late for me to pull something together” excuse. I’ll send our Christmas cards out in early (early!) December with a baby bump family pic, then Livingston’s announcements out as soon as I can after she’s born!
Here are some of the beautiful letterpress designs I’ve found!
Elum's Snowy Blanket
Elum's Pom Pom Hat
Elum's Ice Caps
11
Jul 10
Topsy-turvy Baby Meade, our stroller of choice, and a dairy-free quiche recipe.
Kris and I spent our second weekend in a row at Ocean Isle with my parents, and on our way home from the beach today, Baby Meade tumbled, bumbled, and kicked his/her way around my belly for the major part of 2 hours! Plus, it probably didn’t help that Kris and I stopped in Gallivants Ferry at the General Store for boiled peanuts and glass-bottled Sun Drop. Oh. My. Stars. It was worth it.
We picked Nimbus up from the country and he is flat exhausted, except we bought him a new Chuck It ball today. So he’s prancing around the backyard like the King of Persia with his new prize. He couldn’t be a happier dog.
This evening, we visited Babies ‘R’ Us, and I’m not going to lie, we were totally disappointed with the selection. It was like a glorified Big Lots. So we drove over to Target and were much more impressed with the selection there – but we’re still being super picky about our stroller. I think we’re going to invest in a used Bugaboo Cameleon stroller off of eBay.
Image via BabyStrollerReviews.org
Not sure what color we’ll get… probably something neutral so that if Baby Meade is a boy and Baby Meade #2 is a girl, and vice versa, they’ll both be able to use it.
I need to use up some of the items in our pantry, and as you know, we are a dairy-free home. Here’s the quiche recipe that I’m using tonight!
Dairy-free Broccoli & Onion Quiche
(Note: This recipe makes enough to fill two 9” frozen deep pie crusts)
Ingredients:
- 2 frozen deep 9” pie shells
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 4 broccoli spears, chopped (I thawed and chopped the frozen kind)
- 2 bags of veggie shreds (I used one mozzarella-flavored and one cheddar-flavored)
- 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 5 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups of soy milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In one bowl, mix together the flour and veggie shreds. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, onion, and broccoli. Pour the flour and veggie shred mixture into the egg mixture, and combine well. Add salt and pepper to taste (I used a good bit of pepper). Divide mixture between the two pie shells (and then I grated a little more pepper and sprinkled a little more kosher salt onto the tops of the quiches).
Bake at 350 degrees for 60 – 70 minutes.
I love quiche because you literally can use ANYTHING that you have in your pantry in them. Instead of the broccoli and onion, you could use bacon, diced tomatoes, and basil. Or, you could use ham and spinach. The possibilities are infinite. Also, if you are a dairy-eating home, substitute the soy milk for half and half or milk and the veggie shreds for your favorite cheese.
Bon appetit!
