40 + 5 & no baby yet....

Well then. 

Here I am, 5 days past my due date. 

Still very much pregnant.

No major signs of labor yet.

I've had some contractions here and there...in fact, last night I was just sure I was going to wake up in labor, I went to bed in so much pain. But no. I woke up feeling fine.

Speaking of labor, right now Keith is in the kitchen making me 'red raspberry leaf' tea. The neighbor, who had a baby 6 weeks ago, gave some to us as it's rumored to be a 'natural' labor induction method. I just googled it (seriously people, what on God's green earth would we do without professor google?) and apparently it 'should be in every pregnant woman's kitchen'. This article says so, so it must be true. How have I not heard of this earlier? Well, all I can say is, if it's gross, I'm not drinking it. 

Update, 10 seconds later: It's good! With sweetener, of course. I'll drink three cups and Liam is sure to be born on 10-11-12 after all!

Hmm, now what other 'natural labor induction' methods are there?

Well, first of all, there are only a few that the actual doctor told us might work. Sex and walking are two that I remember her mentioning. 

There is actually a chemical in sperm (prostaglandin) that is the same chemical in a drug doctors give women to help soften the cervix. 

So. Yeah. Let's just say, ladies, that husbands all over the world are suddenly more than willing to lend a hand and do whatever they can to be helpful. 

Also, can I just say for the record how much someone 40+ weeks does not feel like walking? I mean, I'll do it, and I have, trust me, but not with much enthusiasm or vigor. Plus, who wants to go into labor exhausted? 

I plan on being well rested when I go into labor. Fresh out of the shower, with a new face of makeup. I also plan on not sweating or messing up my hairdo when I'm in labor. 

Would you like to hear my plans on how my newborn baby won't have any diaper blowouts, and will never be fussy or irritable?

Here are some other labor induction methods that I've heard of, though from what I've read, none of them are medically-proven. According to WebMD, whattoexpect.com, etc., if your body isn't ready to go into labor anyway, none of them will work. (I mean, obviously).

Castor Oil. (this is one I will absolutely not, under any circumstances, be trying) I've heard of drinking castor oil to bring on labor before. What I did not know until recently was that castor oil is a laxative. Uhhmmm....yeah, ok, trying to push out a baby while simultaneously being stricken with a bad case of the runs sounds pretty gruesome to me. 

Cohosh? What the heck is that?!  

Evening Primrose Oil. Said to help the cervix thin and dilate. You can take it in capsule, or actually just rub it right onto your cervix. (Because I rub my cervix all the time, don't you??)

Spicy Food. Definitely got called out as a myth by one of my midwives. But I like spicy food, so I'll keep eating it.

Nipple Stimulation.. ? Yes. Indeed. It has been said that nipple stimulation releases oxytocin, which brings on contractions. It's also been said that nipple stimulation can cause contractions to be extra long & extra painful contractions. No and No.

Anywho, needless to say, there aren't many methods I'm trying or am willing to try. I am really hoping that this little dude decides very soon to just come on his own!!

I will say that I really, really don't want to have to be induced at the hospital. Obviously there's only so long we can wait, so if it comes to that I'll do what I have to, but it's not even close to being my favorite option. Mostly, I don't like the idea of having to get a pitocin drip at all.  

 

'The use of pitocin does not, however, duplicate the natural progression of labor. Pit induced labors have longer, harder and more painful uterine contractions....'

http://www.birthresourcenetwork.org/resources/54-pitocin-the-whole-story-

 

Ugh. Sounds awful. And then of course, there are risks of induction to baby as well, most of which I really don't like reading about. I'm not a worrier-type, and I'm honestly not really that worried about it, (everything in life comes with risks, right?) it's just not ideal in my mind.

Tomorrow I have an appointment and I'm going to have my membranes stripped.

I know a few people who've gone into labor soon after having this done...even one girl who's water broke as they were doing it!

So....fingers crossed!! 

 

40 weeks, 3 days...still...pregnant...

Well! Here I am, three days past my due date and still pregnant! I never had a 'guess' or prediction or whatever as to when our baby boy would be here, (like many other people did!) but I will say, I definitely expected him to be here by now! But he's not. Fashionably late. :) And we are just trying to wait patiently. This just goes to show you that life simply cannot be planned.

My next Dr. Appt. isn't even until Friday, nearly a week past my due date! (I tried to get in sooner, but that was all they had!) I'm really hoping he's here by then, but again.... practicing patience. 

 A friend pointed out to me that if he's born Thursday, his birthday will be 10-11-12. That would be neat!

This past weekend was *possibly* our last weekend as 'non-parents' (though I think I've said that about the last three weekends....haha) and I will say, this has been the most relaxing, enjoyable weekend we've had in a while! I think part of the reason was because we have everything done! No huge items to check off our to-do list. Car seat is in the car, bags are packed, & every nook, cranny & crevice of our house is cleaned. Keith even cleaned out the garage & backyard spotless.

So it was very, very nice to just relax over this long, holiday weekend.

My due date was Saturday, & we decided to go out for breakfast just like we did the day we found out I was pregnant. 

We went and bought Liam a (very cute!) little owl humidifier, went mini-golfing, saw a movie, & had dinner with friends. (Actually, I lied, we saw two movies this weekend. Figured we may as well get them in while we still can!)

We went on several beautiful, relaxing drives, just riding around with the windows down & taking in the beautiful island scenery (I'll never get sick of it!)

We did lots of walking! Several malls, the zoo, a walk on the beach, even took the dogs to the dog beach! Trying our best to coax him out :)

We had a lot of good food, spent a lot of time together and with friends, and really just enjoyed ourselves!

If this does end up being our last weekend as a twosome, I'm very happy with it, & happy with the memories we made!

 

The humidifier was Keith's idea... I wasn't sure we needed one since obviously it's already humid here...but he was so excited about this owl. :) AND we are very glad we got it, we've tried it out in our room for a few nights and are seriously amazed at how much cooler it makes our bedroom at night. This one is a 'cool mist' humidifier & we got it from Best Buy.

Liam's 'first' zoo trip. We were racking our brains trying to think of other places to go that would involve walking & we settled on the zoo...

Liam got a very cute toy out of our trip. 

Since I got to 40 weeks, ( I wasn't sure that I would, or that I would be able to get a 40 week belly pic) I was able to do a few side-by-side comparisons. 

If you are pregnant...Do this!! You won't regret it! It's amazing to look back on, you won't believe the changes!

I still don't...

Now this one really surprised me! I really didn't think that two weeks would make much of a difference, but I can definitely see it! That boy is a-growing, even still.... TIME TO COME OUT!!! I am just prayyying, oh lordy, that I do not have a ten-pound baby.... pleaseohpleaseohplease!!!

And then of course, just for fun :) I remember thinking so much earlier how 'big' I was, and how I didn't think I could get any larger. HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! That's funny.

How far along? too far :)
Total weight gain: I think the final verdict is about 40 pounds.
Stretch Marks: Notta one! I am so thankful. (Though I've heard some ladies went their whole pregnancy without getting them, and then got some between weeks 40 & 42...comon LIAM!)
Maternity clothes? I can only wear either maternity pants, yoga, or skirts/dresses...there are a few regular shirts I can still fit...man....I am so excited to get my body back.
Sleep: I woke up twice this week literally COVERED in sweat. Like, dripping. Gross. I had to get a towel one night. And when I came back to bed, I could see little wet splotches of sweat on the sheets. I say again: gross. One of the joys of pregnancy, right ladies!? But I will say this...That cool mist humidifier HELPS! Big time! Since we put it in our room, I haven't been sweaty at night at all.
Best moment this week:  That amazing, relaxing weekend I talked about. Sometimes in life, you need to just have no plans, kick back, and see where the road takes you. Hard for me to do sometimes, because I am a planner and always like to be prepared, but I'm telling you, it's worth it!
Miss Anything?  Like I said...excited to get my body back and be able to wear some cute, regular clothes. Ahh..skinny jeans, how I've missed you!
Movement:  I want to say I read somewhere that the movement kind of slows down as the baby runs out of room...I suppose it's slowed down maybe a little, but right now as I'm sitting here, I swear he is taking both fists and just slamming them on my uterus like he's pounding on a drum.
Food cravings: Nothing huge. I did insist on going to this little bakery for donuts this morning.
Anything making you queasy or sick: aside from the thought of giving birth?
Gender: All I can say is, IT HAD BETTER BE A BOY!!!!!
Labor Signs: There were a couple times this week where I had very intense cramping & a few contractions. Once today I was doubled over in pain that took my breath...but just when I think maybe it's the start of something, it goes away.
And I have not lost my mucus plug yet. (If you don't know what that is...b/c I didn't before I was pregnant... well, google it.)
Symptoms: Swollen feet, swollen belly, tiny bladder.
Belly Button in or out? I don't even know what to say about my poor bellybutton anymore, it's just plain deformed. 
Wedding rings on or off? off! My hands still really aren't that swollen, but I don't want to take any chances.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy. More relaxed than I've been in so long.
Looking forward to: Tiny button nose. Picking out his outfits. 4 am feedings, just me and him. Seeing him in his little swing. Hearing his cry! Smelling his freshly bathed skin. Going on walks around the neighborhood. Trying out my Moby. Newborn Photos! Seeing his first smile. Knowing what color his eyes are. Watching him sleep. Being able to finally mother him outside the womb. :) :)
Showing: I'm sure people watch me suspiciously as I enter any public place to 
A. make sure my water doesn't bust on their shoes and
B. make sure they don't need to take me to the hospital!

I'M SO EXTREMELY PREGNANT!

Come on Liam! Ready when you are.....

Sew Swap!

A little while ago, I joined up in a 'sew swap' hosted by one of my new Instagram friends, Ashley. Ash blogs over at the Little Willow Tree. Cutest little blog with tons of sewing ideas, tutorials, and more! I've actually done a few tutorials of hers myself and learned some new tricks of the trade. :)

Being relatively new to sewing, it helps to get tips from more experienced sewers!

So anyway, when I saw that she was doing a 'sew swap' I knew it sounded like it was for me. She assigned everyone that signed up a partner, (someone we didn't know, of course!) and the assignment was to sew something for them based on a small questionnaire she sent out.
I was assigned to sew for Jaime from California. Since I learned that she was a busy mom, I wanted to make her something practical, but of course, cute as well! So I made one of my favorite little 'practical' cute gifts for her, this little clutch: (and of course, wanted to incorporate at least one of her favorite colors, which was red...)

This was so fun to do!

Unfortunately I didn't get an item from the person that was assigned to sew for me yet, but I think maybe it's because sometimes, things take forEVER to get to Hawaii!

But now I have something to look forward to, can't wait to see what it is!

Be sure to head over to the Little Willow Tree to check out all the other cute sew swap items, & I hope we can do this again, ladies!

My Etsy Shop.... Finally!

Something I've wanted to do for a long long while...Finally I've accomplished! I opened an Etsy shop!

(Just in time, too, there is no way I would have had the time to start this up with a newborn around!)

I graduated from The Art Institute a few years ago after studying Graphic Design for what seemed like forEVER....And haven't found a single 'real' design job. I've done some side/freelance projects here and there, but nothing too serious or consistent. Design jobs are definitely hard to come by, especially when there is stiff competition and most want to hire someone with lots of experience. 

This is a way that I can still do what I love to do, keep my design skills fresh & get some more experience myself. Plus, I may make a little money in the process and I'll be able to work my schedule around it!

Right now I just have a few items listed, mostly nursery art that I designed for Liam's room and invitations I've done for parties of my own, but I'll add more and more as I have the time!

A few of my favorites that I've listed so far:

Recognize that one? Yep, it was my shower invite.

[not to brag...but I loved it.]

Some cute name art, inspired by the one I did for Liam's nursery. :)

&& I've got some more name art in different styles, too!

One of my favorite little nursery quotes :)

This little print can be done in so many different colors!

Anyway, I could post all of them here, but where's the fun in that...then you couldn't check out my shop for yourself!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LaLunaDesigns

P.S. If you know me, you know that design is not my only creative outlet...I've taken to sewing recently as well. So eventually, during the gobs of free time I'll have while taking care of a newborn, I do plan on opening a shop with some little handmade goods, too. Because in my opinion, the world needs way more cute little boy stuff.

My personal pregnancy 'must-haves'

At the beginning of my pregnancy, I remember scouring the array of mommy blogs out there and taking in tons and tons of helpful information. I really find that the best way to get good information and advice is from each other! 

I read several of these 'pregnancy favorites' lists and loved trying out things that others had suggested, so I've compiled my own list of my personal pregnancy 'must haves'.

1. Yoga pants! Around month six or seven, you will love having these around! (*Tip: Get a size larger than you'd normally wear. Your waist will thank you for it!) My favorite for yoga pants, shorts, & capris is Victoria's Secret Pink. I don't like to look frumpy, and all of them are super cute, not to mention multi-functional. I wear them to bed, around the house, and to the gym. They're perfect to run quick errands in and still look somewhat put together. 

2. Good chapstick! It's crazy how dry your skin/lips can seem during pregnancy, and I've used chapstick like it's going out of style! Burts Bees has always been one of my favorites. 

3. Ok...maybe it's just me...but I HATED swallowing prenatals. First of all... Um, horse pill much? I found that I would actually kind of groan inwardly when it came time to take mine, and I was so thankful when I found these at Target....chewables!! They're yummy and so much more fun to take. These are about 9$ for a two-month supply.

4. When it came time for me to really start looking for maternity clothes, I had a super hard time finding things that I thought were cute. I also had a really hard time spending $30+ on maternity pants/bottoms that would only be worn for such a short time. I was so glad when I found these skirts at Old Navy. Cute, SUPER comfy, and multi-functional...AND you can wear them when you're no longer pregnant. Trust me, when you're 39 weeks pregnant, you just might want to live in these. 

5. I found these fruit bars in the ice cream section at the grocery store very early in my pregnancy. These are perfect when you're trying to eat a healthy diet, but still want a little sweet treat! They're made with all fruit and have a healthy dose of vitamin C...Double Score!

(Side note...I never got super nauseous or sick in my first trimester, but for anyone that does, I'm sure these would be good to have around!)

6. If you've been pregnant or are pregnant, I don't even have to tell you what happens to the tatas! Now, as I mentioned above....I'm a lover of Victoria's Secret. I can't even tell you how many cute VS bras I had that no longer fit. That's right, I went up an entire cup size in my first several months of pregnancy. (This is not a complaint!) However, rather than buying a bunch of new bras (I'm sure after I finish nursing my old ones might fit again...) I've seriously lived in bandeaus like these pups from American Eagle. I don't have to tell you how important it is for your girls to be comfy, and bandeaus are perfect for that! Now obviously there will be times you'll need something more supportive. I personally just got something cheap at Target...your size will change again when your milk comes in, and then again when you stop nursing, so as awesome as it is to have a sweet new rack, don't bank on it staying that size!

7. Ahh, the dreaded stretch marks. I was so worried about getting them at first.  I bought a bottle of BioOil at Longs. I think it's about 12$ for the small bottle, and it lasted me a good three months. I honestly can't say that I swear by this stuff.. I stopped using it after those three months and switched to just a good Vitamin E lotion for my belly, but I love the way this stuff smells, and I've always, always heard fantastic things about it. It did seem to work fantastically when I did use it though! I was just too lazy/never got around to getting more.

(I am very thankful to say I didn't get a single stretch mark! I personally think it's a combination of keeping your skin hydrated, not gaining too much weight, and genetics. Yeah, can't do anything about that last one unfortunately.)

8. It is so important to stay hydrated, even more so when you're pregnant! Hydration for two! Not only for obvious reasons, but I really think it helps out a lot with the dry skin and stretch marks as well! This little Starbucks tumbler helped me drink water in style :) I find that I'm more likely to do something if it's convenient (aren't we all!) and it's so easy to just fill it up and go! You don't even have to take a lid off to drink. 

9. Ok, back to the whole boob situation. If you are pregnant in the summer, or live somewhere like me where you can wear a bikini year-round (don't hate!) you will need a new bikini top! (or a maternity one-piece. I have personally been most comfortable with my belly un-restricted, but everyone is different!) 

I have sooo many bikinis, but once my girls grew, none of the tops fit. I decided it would be best just to get a good, supportive top that would match most of the bottoms I already had. I got this one in white. The good thing is, it should still fit while I'm nursing, and it comes with a removable strap, so it's super easy just to throw a nursing cover on and pull the top down without taking it completely off.
(p.s. yeah, sorry about the super hot VS model...just what we all want to see when pregnant, right?! Don't worry...you'll get your body back...and if you don't, well, you've grown a child and are a better person because of it!)
 

39 weeks... So close!

No baby yet! Will this be my last update before Liam? I ask myself that every day now........

How far along? 39 weeks, 3 days. 4 Days until my due date!
Total weight gain: Ok, so the weight. Throughout my pregnancy, I never once had a doctor/midwife say a single thing to me about it. Not a peep. My weight gain has been pretty average for my size, (At this point I think it's about 40 pounds...maybe a tad above the 'recommended' amount) and it's not something I ever, ever worried about. I went in for my 39 week appt. and saw a nurse I hadn't seen before. She said... 'looks like you gained two pounds this week...how's your diet?' What I wanted to say was... Lady, don't you know that sometime next week, I'll be LOSING about 25 pounds in a day!? But I didn't. I just smiled and told her that my diet was fine.
Stretch Marks: Notta one! I am so thankful.  
Maternity clothes? Actually in this photo, I was able to cram myself into a non-maternity shirt! Amazingly! 
Sleep: Still sleeping quite well, other than a few bouts of 'morning' insomnia. Keith leaves for work at a God-awful hour, (like, 5am. vomit.) and he always wakes me for a good-bye kiss. Usually I fall riiight back to sleep, but this week I have been not able to! Maybe just excitement... ??
Best moment this week:  This week has been very good overall...I feel like Keith and I are both very relaxed and just enjoying our last bit of time as a twosome!
Miss Anything?  Just the usual... my cute jeans, being comfortable, and margaritas :)
Movement: It's so uncomfortable at this point. I mean, I know that I will dearly miss it when he's outside the womb, but at the same time I am ready to eat without getting jabbed every ten seconds!
Food cravings:  Nothing major and I have to say, when you are this pregnant, your appetite decreases significantly. I cannot fit nearly as much food in there as I used to be able to!
Anything making you queasy or sick: aside from the thought of giving birth?
Gender: Oh Boy! 
Labor Signs: Sunday night late, I started having some intense pains... A few contractions, but mostly just bad cramping. It even woke me up very early Monday morning, so I was thinking....maybe this is the start of something...?? I had my 39 week appt. Monday and had my cervix checked...barely dilated! At all! She said the outside of my cervix was opened just a little, but that little man seemed 'very comfortable' in there. NOT what you want to hear when you're this uncomfortable!!
Symptoms: Feet still swell almost every day, & I've just this week started to get a very annoying backache.
Belly Button in or out? outeroo
Wedding rings on or off? off! My hands still really aren't that swollen, but I don't want to take any chances.
Happy or Moody most of the time: I am happy and relaxed! Everything is done & I am just enjoying my last bit of 'free time' to do whatever my heart desires. I actually found myself wondering what to do this morning...I've had a 'to-do' list for so long that now that I don't it's like idk what to do with my time! I ended up cleaning my already very clean house. I had a huge burst of energy and even 're-organized' the magnets on the fridge. Yep. I'm that type of person.
Looking forward to: I am quite looking forward to having my body back & feeling like 'me' again! 
Showing: The basketball is very hard to hide :)


 

Nursery Deets--Where I got everything!

Here are Liam's nursery project details!

I love, love, love crafting, so there's a lot in here that I just made/repurposed/designed myself, but if it can be purchased somewhere, I'll do my best to let you know where I got it!

If I forget something or you're wondering where I got/how I made a specific item, feel free to ask.

I didn't really have a specific 'budget', just that I wanted to be as thrifty as possible here. (Having a baby gets expensive, after all! I wanted to make our dollars stretch!)

By learning a few new skills--aka picking up sewing for the first time in my life, scouring Craigslist endlessly, thrifting, & shopping at discount stores (Ross, TJ Maxx, etc.) and Amazon, I was able to put this entire room together for under $500.

It definitely took a lot more time/work than just buying all brand-new, fancy things, but to me it was a labor of love + it's more unique and more my style.

Rug: Urban Outfitters

Hamper: Ross. Came with a plain tan liner, so I sewed a new one from this fabric. 

Glider: Amazon.com

Pillow on chair & changing pad cover-handmade myself. Fabric from fabric.com,

Premier Prints ZigZag Twill Girly Blue, & Red Minky Dot

Baby Blanket-Handmade with Michael Miller Flannel Zoology Sea fabric

Curtains: Sewed Myself with this fabric 

Lamp on dresser- Target

Plastic Bin on dresser-Target

'Liam' letters- Urban Outfitters 

Owl Wall hanging-TJ Maxx

Hanging pom garland-Handmade

Fabric Bin by chair-Target 

Nightstand: Craigslist find

Chevron Bins: Target

Frame: Ross, came black, spray-painted white

Owl: TJ Maxx

Lamp: Already had, painted the shade from white to yellow

Shelves: Handmade and painted by my awesome hubby :) using this tutorial

Little Sail Boat softy- Handmade by me with this tutorial 

Crib: Jenny Lind Davinci

(Thanks to grandparents for buying Liam's crib!!)

Crib sheet, skirt, blanket, & pillows handmade by me, fabric found on fabric.com

For the crib skirt, I used Premier Prints ZigZag Twill Girly Blue

Pillows:

Riley Blake Chevron, Medium Yellow & Medium Black, Same fabric as skirt, & Remix Dots Celebration

Sheet: Pimatex Basics Polka Dots Yellow 

Here is an awesome, super easy crib sheet tut.

Sock Monkey: Handmade by a dear friend

Crab stool: Ugly brown stool we had sitting around the house, painted & hand stenciled by the awesome husband :)

Bunting: Made myself, same fabric that I got on fabric.com for everything else, I also used Remix Zig Zags Celebration & Premier Prints Zig Zag in addition to the others.

 Gallery wall 

(probably my favorite part of his room!!)

All the frames here & elsewhere in the room I either got at Goodwill, or the cheap 3$ ones from Wal-Mart and then spray painted.  All together I think I spent maybe $30 on my frames.

The three red frames on the right & 'Oyster' prints I designed myself. All of them I had printed at Office Max for less than six dollars!

Feel free to contact me if you'd like any of these or something similar! (I'm still working on getting an Etsy shop up & running)

UPDATE!

You can purchase my nursery prints here. 

 

'Be Fearless' poster- TJ Maxx

Steamship Print-- Got years ago at Target 

Owl & Feather watercolor print: Danielle V Green Illustrations on Etsy

'French Fry' quote painting--handmade by another dear friend

Crib Mobile: Handmade by me using this tutorial 

'Dreamer' canvas painting, made by me using this tut.

'Dream Big' & 'Greatest Adventure' prints-Designed myself & printed at Office Max.

(Purchase any of my designs here!)

Frames-

Had these puppies sitting in the back of my closet from a yard sale years ago. 

I just strung/taped twine to the back and clipped pics on with mini wooden clothes pins. :)

Giant Tricycle- Purchased years ago in Colorado at a local furniture store

Little onesies--Handmade by me 

Door hook-hangy thing-

Ross

 Little 'toy' bin in corner-TJ Maxx

Dresser--Awesome Craigslist find (came as a set w/ the nightstand for 100$ all together!)

Repurposed dresser & knobs myself. 

I was going to buy new knobs, but couldn't bring myself to spend 35-40$ just on new dresser knobs. All I did was cut out circles of fabric I already had and mod-podged them to the front of the knobs. 

Chalkboard:

So I got this ugly frame on the left from Goodwill years ago, thinking maybe I'd one day use it for something...And I did! I ended up having to cut out the middle, which was just cardboard, and replaced it with a piece of plywood painted with chalkboard paint. The frame I simply spray painted. 

One other recommendation I have for being 'thrifty' is....Start buying diapers, and sign up for Amazon mom!

It's free to sign up, and you get awesome discounts on diapers/wipes in bulk when you use their 'Subscribe and Save' program. I think we have at least 6 months worth stockpiled. (Thankfully space wasn't an issue for us so we were able to do this!)

If you have a Prime membership (great to have if you live somewhere like me where you end up having to order things online a lot) you get free shipping on almost everything!

And I think that's all--

Let me know if I left anything out!!