Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday! For some reason, today felt like it should have been Thursday all day. Since it is Wednesday, I wanted to play along and share some things I'm loving today!

1) I got the phone call today saying that our nursery furniture is in! We ordered it over 8 weeks ago, so I've been anxiously awaiting its arrival. Hopefully, we can swing by and pick it up after work on Friday. Once we get everything in place, I can't wait to share photos!

2) Our first shower is this weekend, which I am definitely loving! Some dear friends of ours are throwing us a couples shower and I can't wait to see everyone and celebrate Emerson's impending arrival!

3) Aveda hair products.

I broke down and bought some the other day after getting tired of my hair color fading too quickly after hair appointments. It smells so, so good and left my hair super manageable. I got the color conserve shampoo and conditioner as well as the smooth infusion glossing straightener and have loved the results so far! Definitely recommend.

4) My new camera! I had been wanting to get a new point and shoot before the baby came and did some research online to figure out which one would be the best bet for me. After discovering that Best Buy had this one on sale for a great price, I bit the bullet and picked it up yesterday and love it so far. We have a DSLR for high quality photos, so I just wanted something small and easy to use for day to day pics. The cute color is a plus, too! (I promise I did not pick it for the color alone . . . it really was the only one they had left at the store.)

5) My husband:

Obviously, I love him all the time, but he has been super sweet and thoughtful lately, which is extra fabulous. He has been working long hours lately, trying to get everything in place so he will be able to take some extra time off when Emerson arrives. On Monday, he even surprised me with a "happy". . . one of the items from my fall wishlist. 

What are you loving today? Link up and let everyone know! 

Fall Wishlist

Happy Thursday! Only one more day til the weekend and I couldn't be happier about that! The temperatures have slowly been changing around here and it feels like fall has finally arrived. Change in season equals change in wardrobe, and fall just happens to be my favorite season, both clothes and temperature-wise! There's nothing like a crisp fall evening, the smell of bonfire, the sound of leaves crunching and the taste of a good glass of pinot noir. Here are the items on my fall wishlist this year:

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I've always loved these coats for fall and cooler winter days. I think the quilted look is so classic and love the pop of pattern/color on the lining.

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This monogram gold necklace has been on my wishlist for a while. I probably need to just bite the bullet and order it. I think it's the perfect size for an everyday gold necklace and love the monogrammed detail.

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I don't think these really need an explanation. :) I have had my black Revas for a year and a half and love them. The tan pair would be great for fall!

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Again, I've been eyeing LV bags for years and have always leaned toward the Damier Azur print, but lately, I'm thinking that the Monogram Canvas would show less wear (I have a tendency to be pretty hard on bags). I keep telling Michael that LV bags last for years (and years!), but he doesn't seem to believe me. Hm. Maybe it can be my push present??

Are there any items on your fall wish list? 

28 Week Update

*Please excuse the formatting of this post. I've redone it over and over and can't figure out the spacing/photo issues. Oh well!

How far along: 28 weeks 

Size of baby: Weighs about 2.25 pounds and is almost 15 inches long!



Movement: All the time. Even have felt a couple of cases of baby hiccups. Last night she was moving so much that it actually woke me up. So fun. :)

Photos:

Milestones: Officially in the 3rd trimester! What I'm looking forward to: Our couples shower on November 5. So excited to celebrate with friends and family. Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: N/A

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Sleeping on my back. Also, I wanted to brighten my smile  for our upcoming photo session by using some white strips, but apparently, that is not recommended during pregnancy. Oh well. I guess I'll save them for January!Total weight gain/loss: Lost 10 pounds in the first trimester and now have gained 7.5 of those pounds back. 

Sleep: Still sleeping great!  Getting up about 2 times per night to go to the restroom. 

Best moment of the week: Getting to see her via our 3D ultrasound last week. Absolutely incredible! Pic below. Everyone who has seen the photos says she has my nose and chin and Michael's lips. I can't wait to see what she looks like in person!

Menu Monday

This week, I actually made it to the grocery store on Sunday (a lot of times, this gets put off until Monday or Tuesday after work) and planned several good meals, so I thought I'd share. Here's what's in the lineup in our kitchen this week!

Sunday: Crockpot chili with cornbread. It was delicious (so delicious that I forgot to take a picture!) and well worth the heartburn it gave me!

Monday: Chicken tetrazzini with oven roasted broccoli. I am not the biggest fan of chicken (I know, I'm odd), but Michael loves chicken and pasta, so I try to throw in some chicken into the rotation every once in a while.

Tuesday: Amy's Organic Pizza with salad. Has anyone else tried these? They are delicious and we seem to eat one at least once per week. I usually sprinkle on a little extra goat cheese for good measure.

Wednesday: Dinner out.

Thursday: Crockpot Potato Soup with salad. I made this a couple of months ago and it was a big hit, so it's making a repeat appearance. This gal gave me the recipe. It's supposed to get chilly on Thursday so I thought it would be a good meal to warm us up. Here's the recipe:

Crockpot Potato Soup Ingredients: 1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hashbrowns 3 14oz. cans of chicken broth 1 can of cream of chicken soup 1 medium onion, diced 1 medium carrot, shredded 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tsp. kosher salt 2 tsp. ground pepper 2 tbsp. Hidden Valley Ranch mix 1 pkg. cream cheese Directions: Combine all ingredients except for the cream cheese in a crockpot, stir to combine and cook on low for 6-8 hours. One hour before you're ready to serve, cut the cream cheese into smaller squares (about 1 inch pieces), add to crockpot and crank the heat up to high for the last hour (until the cream cheese melts). Top with shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, diced green onions or sour cream.

On that note, I'm off to clean up the kitchen and then relax with Michael. Good night!

Wonderful Weekend

Happy Sunday!  Between the great Sunday night TV (Dexter and The Amazing Race), cooking a nice meal and relaxing on the couch and just spending the day together, Sundays are quickly becoming one of my favorite days of the week.

We've had quite the relaxing weekend around here. We stayed in Friday night and ordered Chinese. Yesterday, we go up and headed downtown to the Majestic for brunch and then walked down to the South Main River Arts festival for a little while. We ran a couple of errands, and then I came home and finished (for now) our hallway gallery wall:

Today, we ran out to Collierville so that I could pick up a few things for Emmie at the Baby Gap sale. I got quite a few adorable items, including this little dress:

(available here)

Baby Gap's clothes are definitely my favorite that I've found thus far and today they were taking an extra 50% off all markdowns...score! Anyway, we ran to the grocery store and Target after that and now we are about to enjoy some chili and cornbread for dinner. Yum!

Have a great Sunday evening! 

Wednesday Loves

Good morning! I hope everyone is having a fabulous week. The temperatures have finally begun to feel like fall in Memphis and it's wonderful (well, at least I think so!). Here's what I'm loving this week!

1) This little gadget:

We finally broke down an bought a Keurig a couple of weeks ago and it has been a lifesaver. Since I'm (mostly) drinking decaf and the husband likes regular, I was just skipping my morning coffee at home and getting a decaf PSL from Starbucks most days. Now, we can each have our preference (and it's much easier on the wallet)!

2) Our weekend morning ritual. For the past couple of months, we have been taking the dogs to the dog park each Saturday & Sunday morning. They LOVE it and it's such a quiet, peaceful way to start the day. Here's a picture from this past weekend.

Our two boxers, Ella & Lola, like to play in the water while Oliver, our Boston, prefers running around and terrorizing the other dogs.

3) These Gap Maternity leggings:

Purchase them here.

I bought a pair in charcoal grey a while back and fell in love with them, so I also bought them in black. I wear these things all. the. time. at home and I'm sure that I'll be wearing them with boots/oversized sweaters this fall & winter, too!

4) This coat:

 Purchase it here.

As I mentioned, it has gotten a little chilly here in the past couple of days, so I picked this up to wear during this not quite peacoat, lightweight jacket weather. It's cute with jeans or work clothes and I love the fact that it's water resistant, too!

5) This gal! Her birthday was Monday, so go wish her a happy belated birthday! :)

What are you loving this week? Go play along!

26 Week Update

It's that time again...time for another pregnancy update! I'm 26 weeks (plus one day, if we want to get technical) along and still feeling great. Here's my update!

How far along: 26 weeks 

Size of baby: About the length of an English cucumber (14 inches)  and weighs about 1.75 pound! 

Total weight gain/loss: Lost 10 pounds in the first trimester and now have gained 6.5 of those pounds back. 

Sleep: Sleeping pretty well. Getting up 1-2 times per night to go to the restroom. 

Best moment of the week: As I was typing this post, the painting and rug were just delivered. So, clearly, I stopped what I was doing, unpackaged them and put them in her room. They look so great...I can't wait to post pictures! 

Movement: Lots and lots. Last week, while in a meeting, I could see her moving through my shirt. It was so neat! 

Food cravings: Still not having any really strong cravings, but smoothies, greek yogurt with pumpkin and honey and granola bars have been sounding good lately. 

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: N/A

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: I would love to have a mimosa! 

What I'm looking forward to: Our 3D ultrasound next week. Unfortunately, along with that comes my gestational diabetes test. Let's hope it goes well!

Milestones: Less than 100 days to go (97 to be exact). Yes, we keep a countdown on the fridge. 


Please excuse the photo...this one was taken after work as opposed to before work. Apparently, I am a morning person, as those photos have been much more presentable. It looks like Oliver had to sneak in there, too. :)

Wednesday!

Somehow, it is Wednesday again! Each week feels like it's flying by. Anyway, let's get right to it. Here is what I am loving this beautiful Wednesday!

1) Shopping for baby clothes. My mom and I hit Baby Gap/Gap Maternity this weekend and I got a few things for Emerson. Not only are the clothes adorable, but it just feels so much more real when I'm buying things for her. Here are a few of the things I got her:

I coudn't resist the polka dots. I loved the brown and tan colors, too, so I bought it in a size I'm hoping will fit her next fall.

Adorable lace trimmed leggings to match!

I'm not normally a big animal print fan, but thought this little sweater was just too cute to pass up.

2) Crockpot cooking. I've been using my crockpot like crazy lately. I had forgotten how easy and convenient it is to add a few ingredients in the morning and come home to a ready meal. To me, crockpots just scream warm, fall food. 

3) This stuff:

I've been looking for a good daily moisturizer that will help with fine lines & spots and I think I've found my solution. I've been using it for a month or so now and can tell a big difference in my skin's texture and tone. It's super lightweight, so I can wear it under my makeup without it making me look oily. And you can't beat the price! Here is a link for more info/to purchase it.

4) This little guy:

That's Oliver, our 1 year old Boston Terrier. He is just about the sweetest thing ever and has been super cuddly lately, which I definitely love.

What are you loving this week? Go play along!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Happy hump day! I decided to play along this week with What I'm Loving Wednesday since I always enjoy reading everyone else's lists.

Here is what I'm loving this week...

1) Essie's Fall 2011 Collection

I bought "Case Study" this weekend and painted my nails Sunday night. It's a great, neutral fall color. There are a couple of others I'd like to try, too!

2) Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks

I know it's predictable, but I couldn't go without mentioning it. I think I've had 15 or so since they came back. My go to order is a grande, decaf, non-fat, 2-pump pumpkin spice latte (no whipped cream). So delicious!

3) This painting:

It has been the inspiration piece for the nursery, and I'm finally going to order it this weekend. Can't wait!

4) Banana Republic Leather Bracelets

I bought one last year in navy and got the one pictured above this past weekend and love it. They're great for layering and so versatile!

Go visit Jamie and see what everyone else is loving!

24 Week Update

Good morning! Somehow, I am 24 weeks pregnant today...wow! I'm trying to do these updates weekly, but it's looking like it will be every 2 weeks instead. Oh well! Maybe spacing them out will make them a little more interesting...more room for change. Anyway, here we go:

How far along: 24 weeks

Size of baby: About the length of an ear of corn...12.5 inches long and 1.25 pound!

Total weight gain/loss: Lost 10 pounds in the first trimester and now have gained 5 of those pounds back.

Sleep: Sleeping pretty well. Getting up 1-2 times per night to go to the restroom.

Best moment of the week: Having strangers acknowledge the pregnancy. I finally feel like I'm past the "is she or isn't she" phase and now it is pretty clear that it's a baby bump!

Movement: Moving and grooving all day long! It still amazes me.

Food cravings: Veggies, sweets, smoothies.

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: N/A

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Sleeping on my back, wine, caffeine (I'm still having a little, just not nearly as much as I normally would)

What I'm looking forward to: The furniture coming in! I can't wait to see everything come together.

Milestones: 6 months along!

A picture from the weekend:

Weekend Recap

I can't believe another weekend has come and gone. It's always too fast. We had a great weekend...the kind where you get a lot done, which is my favorite! Friday, we grabbed dinner at Sweetgrass Next Door, which was yummy. A friend introduced me to it this week and it was so good that I convinced Michael to take me back there again. Egg & avocado sandwich? Yes, please.

Saturday, we finally swapped out all of the summer plants for some fall ones. Love it. Mums everywhere:

Saturday night we went to dinner at one of Michael's client's houses, which was lovely. Michael discovered that he likes gnocchi, which is very exciting. I'm hoping to find some recipes so I can make it one night soon.

Yesterday I had book club, which is always fun, and this week we discussed my pick, Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. I didn't quite finish it (my own pick...for shame!) but I really enjoyed what I read. When I got home, I worked on my latest masterpiece (that may be a stretch!), but I am quite proud of it:

It was a little time consuming, but overall a lot of fun to make. I love it! I'm thinking I may want to take up knitting or something. It's nice to have something to do while we watch TV at night. Speaking of TV, Amazing Race started last night and it looks like it will be a great season. And finally, we are only 6 days away from the season premier of Dexter. Cannot. Wait.

That's all for now!

22 Week Update

I apologize for the blogging hiatus. It's been a crazy couple of weeks and I'm hoping to find more time to update soon. In exciting news, I'm 22 weeks today so wanted to get a quick update in.

How far along: 22 weeks

Size of baby: About the size of spaghetti squash...11 inches long and 1 pound!

Total weight gain/loss: Down 7 pounds as of last Friday.

Sleep: Not sleeping as well as I'd like. It's getting more and more difficult to get comfortable.

Best moment of the week: Buying things for the nursery. It's coming along. Once the furniture arrives, we'll be taking lots of pictures.

Movement: Every day, several times a day. I love it! Michael was finally able to feel it the other night, too. :)

Food cravings: Sweets (mostly cookies) and lots of veggies. I'm hoping the veggies balance out the cookie cravings.

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: N/A

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Sleeping on my back, wine (it would have been so helpful this week...sigh).

What I'm looking forward to: My next doctor's appointment.

Milestones: None this week.

19 Week Update

I can't believe I'm almost halfway there! In baby news this week, I've bought her bedding (yay!) and hope to get the office (soon to be nursery) cleaned out and painted this weekend. If that does get accomplished, pictures to come. I also need to post a recap of our Florida vacation....hopefully that will happen this week.

Now, for the update. Here's a photo I took this morning with my phone:


Getting pretty big! It's all happened in the past few weeks, so it's still odd to see.

How far along: 19 weeks

Size of baby: About the size of mango, or 8.5 oz

Total weight gain/loss: Still down 9 pounds. Eventually it will catch up to me.

Sleep: Waking up a few times to go to the restroom, but getting used to it!

Best moment of the week: Shopping for her. Girl stuff is so cute!

Movement: Almost daily now. Mostly at night before I go to bed. Michael hasn't been able to feel it yet, but hopefully soon!

Food cravings: None, really.

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: N/A

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Sleeping on my back.

What I'm looking forward to: Cleaning and organizing the nursery and starting to paint.

Milestones: None this week.

17 Weeks and It's a . . .

Well, our little one did not cooperate at our ultrasound last week. The legs were crossed the whole time so we were not able to find out. Sad! Luckily, we have a close family friend who is involved with wonderful clinic here in town and she was able to get us an additional ultrasound yesterday.

I went in prepared this time and had a Starbucks Chai Tea Latte right beforehand to get the baby moving. As soon as we started the ultrasound, we were able to see that the legs were thankfully not crossed and we got quite a few great shots that confirmed what we are having. . .

It's a GIRL!!!

Michael was right! I was convinced it would be a boy, so I guess my intuition was off. We are very excited, though. Everyone keeps telling us that little girls are for spoiling, so we will be happy to do that! Now the shopping can begin!

And now onto the update:

How far along: 17 weeks

Size of baby: About the size of an onion, or 5.9 oz

Total weight gain/loss: Still down 9 pounds

Sleep: Waking up a few times to go to the restroom, but getting used to it!

Best moment of the week: Finding out that it's a girl!

Movement: I think I've felt some little flutters. Nothing major yet, though.

Food cravings: None, really.

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: N/A

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Wine and seafood. We are heading to Florida this weekend for a vacation and while I can eat some seafood, I normally eat it every day that we are on vacation, which is a no go this time.

What I'm looking forward to: Relaxing at the beach and then getting to start decorating her room.

Milestones: 4 months along!

Four Years

Yep, today is our fourth wedding anniversary! I can't believe it's been four years. While we've seen and done a lot in the past four years, it still feels like it was just yesterday.

Today is also "baby day"! We have an ultrasound scheduled for this afternoon, so hopefully the baby cooperates and we can find out what we are having. I'm still thinking it's a boy, but Michael thinks it's a girl. We'll see who is right!

We are looking forward to celebrating both milestones this evening!

16 Weeks

Wow! I can't believe I'm 16 weeks along today. Some days it feels like it's flying by, while others, it feels like January will never be here. I've seen this on a few other blogs and thought it was cute, so here we go:

How far along: 16 weeks

Size of baby: About the size of an avocado, or 3.5 oz

Total weight gain/loss: Down 9 pounds

Sleep: I'm still sleeping pretty well. I'm trying my best to not sleep on my back, but it still happens occassionally, since that's how I'm most comfortable.

Best moment of the week: Looking at baby clothes at Gap this weekend. Too cute!

Movement: I think I've felt some little flutters. Nothing major yet, though.

Food cravings: None, really.

Gender: Hopefully finding out Thursday!

Labor signs: N/A

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Wine. Obviously.

What I'm looking forward to: Finding out if we are having a boy or girl!

Milestones: 4 months along!

A New Chapter

They say the third time is the charm, right? Well, this is my third attempt at blogging, so maybe it will stick this time! My motivation for blogging this time comes from a different place, though . . .

On May 12 of this year, mine and my husband's lives changed forever when we found out that we were expecting! I am due on January 17 and cannot wait to meet our sweet baby.

So, I'd love to be able to document this journey so we will always have reminders of this special time.

We'll see how this goes!