Beach Trip

Brad and I had a great time last week relaxing at Pine Knoll Shores in spite of the noreaster that hit the coast. It is so funny because each of the 3 times we have been to PKS we have experienced 2 noreasters and the beginning stages of a hurricane. Although it was pretty windy a few days it really only rained at night for the most part. We spent a good portion of our time back and forth from our townhouse and Emerald Isle where my aunt, uncle, cousins and their kids were staying. Brad enjoyed fishing in the afternoons although he didn't catch very much, while I curled up on the porch with a few books I had been wanting to read. All in all it was a very relaxing vacation and as always it was so fun to get to spend a whole week together. I know we need to relish these next few months before we are a family of 3!

On the way home yesterday we started talking about all of the projects we needed to accomplish before the baby comes and we realized that we have a lot to do. For me the most daunting task is getting everything out of the nursery so we can get all the baby's stuff in. Right now both of our extra bedrooms look like a tornado hit. I feel like I am at a stand still until we get a shelf put in the guest room closet for me to put some stuff from the nursery in there. I just have to keep telling myself to take one thing at a time and it will all get done!

Here are a few pictures from the beach. Since I am showing more now I kept on telling Brad we needed to take a picture of my growing belly, but it never happened.

We're off to the beach!

Tomorrow after church Brad and I will be leaving for a week at Pine Knoll Shores. We are so thankful for the Allen's who graciously let us stay at their townhouse for FREE! All we have to pay is the cleaning feel for a whole week at the beach. We are looking forward to a little R & R as well as spending some time with my aunt, uncle, cousins & their families who are staying just down the road a little bit. This will be the first time since our honeymoon that we have been away just the two of us for a week, and with the baby coming it will probably be our last for a while. We plan on enjoying every minute of our time together!

First Movements

Last night I went to bed and while I was laying there with my hand on my slightly protruding belly I finally felt our baby kicking! At first I just dismissed it as gas but then I felt it 3 more times in the same vicinity over 5 minutes. It was just the slightest little thump, but it was so great! I called to Brad who was still watching TV in the living room and he came in to see if he could feel it too. Unfortunately it is hard for him to feel anything at this point, and of course about 30 seconds after he stopped trying I felt it again. Hopefully he'll get to feel something soon!

Evidently we have bad luck with cribs!

Well, ever since we brought the crib home from the consignment sale on Saturday I have been thinking about googling the model number just to make sure it was safe. Well, today I finally got around to looking and guess what....it was one of the many cribs made by Jardine (320,000 to be exact) that was recalled back in June because there is a problem with the slats and spindles breaking, causing possible strangulation and other injuries. YIKES! I am so thankful for that little voice in my head telling me to check things out more. Could it be my mother's intuition kicking in already?
Needless to say we are taking the crib back tonight and getting our money back. I think now we will probably be buying a brand new crib, although at this rate I wouldn't be surprised if the next crib we buy was recalled at some point as well.
As for the pack-n -play it is currently out on our back deck airing out. I sprayed a whole bottle of Febreeze on it this morning, so we'll see if it helps at all. I am thinking about putting it on Craig's List and explaining the whole situation just to see if anyone wants it. If not, to Goodwill it must go!

A lesson learned the hard way

So, here is a good thing to remember when shopping at consignment sales....ALWAYS smell the stuff you are thinking about purchasing!!! I learned this lesson the hard way last night when I got out the pack & play to show Brad the "great deal" I had bought for the baby. As I am taking it out of the bag I realize it reeks of smoke! UGH! As you can imagine this was very frustrating to me for a few different reasons, one because we paid $45 for it and two I just feel bad for the poor baby who had to live in the midst of second hand smoke! In my opinion smoking is one of the stupidest things someone can do to themselves (hello Lung Cancer!). But to do it in the house with your baby, I mean really?!? That infuriates me!
Even though I still won't be able to ever put our baby in this disgusting portable crib, I don't want anyone else's baby to be put in it either. I have decided to at least Febreeze the heck out of that thing and air it out all day tomorrow to see if it makes any difference at all. Then, I will probably take it to Goodwill and take the loss. Neither Brad or I feel right about selling it to someone else directly, it really just needs to go sit in a landfill somewhere if you ask me. So, our search for a used, but clean Pack & Play with a bassinet attachment continues...

Consignment Sale

Today was the big Kids Everywear consignment sale, and boy did we get some good deals! The most exciting purchase was a crib! We have been researching cribs through a great book I bought "Baby Bargains" the last few weeks in anticipation of going to this sale. "Baby Bargains" is a great book because it rates all sorts of baby stuff, kind of like Consumer Reports, except it also includes personal reviews from consumers. So this afternoon when we went to look again we took our book to make sure we knew whether or not to buy a crib. Well, the one crib that I really liked happened to be a well rated one so we bought it for $75! It is a white (which we hadn't originally wanted) sleigh style crib with bead board on the headboard and foot board. I love it! It's very "Pottery Barnish."
Our second purchase was a dresser/changing table which is also white. It isn't in perfect condition, but the drawers open and close easily and there aren't too many dings. For $60 it looked great to us. The only thing I need to do is change out the knobs and it will be really cute. If we were to have purchased both of these items brand new we could have easily spent $600-$700 so I feel good about what we bought.
The last thing we bought was a Pack N Play with a bassinet and diaper changing attachments to leave in Brevard. We decided to buy one to leave there so we will have a little more car space when we go to visit Brad's family. Sorry there are no pictures, the crib is currently in our living room because it wouldn't fit through the door of the nursery. As soon as I can I will post pictures.

I can't wait to sleep on my back tonight!!

This morning Brad and I had another Dr. appt. and everything went well. The doctor said that at this point things couldn't be more normal, which we praise the Lord for! We got to hear the heartbeat again, which she found a lot quicker this time around since the baby is bigger now. That is just the most amazing thing to me to be able to hear that little heart beating inside of me...WOW! We have scheduled our ultrasound appointment for Oct. 8 at 3:15. I already had a talk with the baby that she or he better show us the goods that day, or else!
One of the most exciting things the doctor told me this morning was that I didn't have to worry about sleeping on my sides for a while. This news was thrilling since I have had quite a time this week fighting the urge to lay flat which has lead to some restless nights. I am going to sleep so good tonight, I can hardly wait!
This afternoon I am going to volunteer at the Kidseverywear consignment sale that starts this week. I have heard so much about it from my friends at church and I am excited to see it for myself! I am looking forward to scoping things out this afternoon so when Brad and I go tomorrow I'll already have a lay of the land. We are going mostly to look at cribs and other furniture type items but I may pick up a book or two as well since I love children's books! Monday I'll go back to hopefully get some good bargains on maternity clothes.

Busy Beaver is Back

Busy Beaver, that's Brad's nickname for me when I get in the "zone" of trying to accomplish many different tasks in any given period of time, leaving little for rest and relaxation. Although Brad has not always loved this trait in me, (he often can't just sit and relax when I'm working like crazy) over time he has grown to appreciate my desire to be on top of things. For me I've learned that if I don't get right on a project it just doesn't happen, so this is how I have learned to operate. Plus, there's just something super rewarding for me about sitting down at the end of the day knowing that I have been productive.
Well, for the first time in a few months the busy beaver is back in action and it feels so good! Last Saturday I cleaned our bathroom until it was completely spotless and I was so excited about it! First of all, it felt great to actually have the energy to accomplish such a task and then just looking at out sparkling tub made me so happy. So, now that I'm tracked out for 3 weeks (Woo Hoo!) I am contemplating all of the tasks that I want to tackle over the next few weeks before we go to the beach.

Here is my list so far:

1. Plan and cook dinners: I hope to try out some new easy recipes now that my appetite is back and I can actually stomach the smells.

2. Go through my closet: I've had a few friends lend me maternity clothes and I need to find room for them now that my regular clothes aren't really fitting anymore.

3. Make a coupon notebook: My friend Lauren has one and seeing hers last week inspired me to do the same!

4. Clean out the closets in our guest bedroom and what will be the nursery: this task I dread the most because we don't have very big closets. I'm already wondering where we are going to put all the baby stuff we will be getting!

5. Favors for our women's outreach at church: I need to go to Michaels, AC Moore, to get some ideas for the christmas gift tags we will be making and come up with some possible designs.

6. Figure out what to do with all of my craft supplies: they are currently in a desk that we will be getting rid of so I need a new system that will hopefully fit in a closet! Ugh..I have a lot of rearranging to do.

7. Read: I just bought some books from Amazon last night they are 1. The Vaccine Book 2. On Becoming Baby Wise 3. Baby Bargains