Nothing Better on a Snow Day

We are on Snow Day #4 for our area in South Carolina. In the school district's defense, we did actually get some snow this time that stuck - maybe 2 inches??? Puff has already left to go to work, but I was proactive and took the day off ahead of time. I saw on The Today Show that Boston has 100+ inches of snow this winter and they have taken only SEVEN snow days. We've probably had a total of 3 inches of snow/ice this winter and are on snow day number FOUR? ::sigh:: I foresee school being closed tomorrow as well, since the roads probably won't totally clear off for the buses. Ugh! Is it spring yet?

Anyhoo... a little photo dump of some of the snow day activities we have been doing the past few weeks!

A sweet snuggly nap with Mommy

Baking brownies - Who needs milk & bread???

Finger painting

Making music

Dreaming of summer while playing in her pillow pile

Dress the Bump

Now that I'm full on in maternity clothes all the time, I thought I would share a few of my outfits I've been wearing the past month or so. I hate buying lots of new clothes, or spending a bunch on them, but the matter of fact is that I *must* buy clothing that fits. No matter how large this belly gets! So, here we are... a smattering of my wardrobe as of twenty or so extra pounds - showing the last of the non-maternity stuff I have dared to bare!

Dress: Boden (non-maternity)

Leggings: Hue from Belk (non-maternity)

Boots: Nine West

Top: Maternity from clearance rack at Macy's

Pants: Maternity from Old Navy

Sweater: Maternity from LOFT

Tank: Maternity from Old Navy

Skirt: Non-maternity from Old Navy (in a few sizes up)

Boots: Old

Sweater: Non-maternity from Target

Tank: Non-maternity from Old Navy

Skinny Jeans: Maternity from Old Navy

Shoes: Toms

 

Pinspired Wanderlust

When Pinterest first became big 3 or so years ago, I was indifferent. In fact, I still am a little bit. I pin shit weekly, but rarely go back and reference it. Who knows though - maybe one day I will need to know how to make a burlap wreath or get inspiration for a maternity photo.

Alas, I have lately been bitten by the travel bug (not traveling internationally since 2011 will do that to you when you're ME) and I have been pinning travel inspiration left and right.

Want to plan a train trip to Norway? I got you covered.

 

Itching to drive down the Pacific Coast Highway? I know Puff is.

 

Think Iceland will be the next best thing to New Zealand? Yup... I pretty much pin something about Iceland every other day. And that country isn't that big. Do I really need 27 different itineraries and tip lists? Yes, I absolutely do.

But the thing I've been stuck on the most lately? LISTS.

I'm a sucker for a good list. And Pinterest travel lists are no different.

26 places you can drive to!   (HERE)

 

 

 

10 Little Towns in Europe! (HERE)

 

 

 

25 Places to see now! (HERE)

 

 

I'm pretty confident my travel bug will never go away. I'm already thinking about 2016 trips (probably just to visit family in Michigan and Florida, plus trips to The Fort and maybe to Charleston or Hilton Head for a quick weekend getaway) and then 2017 (probably Disney in the spring, followed by Puff's 40th birthday surprise trip that fall). Does that mean it's going to be 2018 before we leave the country again? Possibly. Where to then?

Iceland?

 

Or Slovenia/Croatia?

 

Decisions, decisions.

The world is just too big. And too awesome. My wanderlust is getting out of control. Better get Bimmer and Healey a passport!

Ice Age

Little bonus post for you today. Bimmer and I are on day 2 1/2 of school being closed because of the inclement weather. Of course, the weather is much better than it is back home in The Fort, where they have an ungodly (or ungodly to me) amount of snow. What did we get?

Ice.

About an inch of it. All I have to say is that I am sooooooooooooo thankful that we didn't lose power! That's always a worry since we have large trees in our yard and ice tends to stick to power lines. Bimmer had really hoped for snow, so even though it wasn't exactly time to build a snowman, we made sure our little princess go to play outside. In her defense, it did LOOK like snow !

 

Sledding with Daddy was a highlight. Going down the icy sidewalk actually was a lot easier and faster than the snow was last year! They are calling for record breaking cold temps the next few days. I always think that if we can live through February, we will be in the clear. Here's hoping this week is the last of it!

Heart to Heart

Puff and I have never been big on Valentine's Day. In fact, we've had a strict "no gift" rule since the get-go. Just a card and a fancy dinner.

 

Bimmer's favorite babysitter, Cole, came over in early February to let Puff and I get our fancy dinner date night underway. It was the best date we've had in a long time - we really needed it. This pregnancy and our work schedules are making time for us as a couple near impossible, and it's wearing on us both. Thank God we have such good friends who are willing to help us out!

 

We are pretty adamantly opposed to going out on actual Valentine's Day... the chaos and the congestion and traffic and the PEOPLE... God help me. Puff did surprise me with some travel books (one for Iceland, one for Poland) which was pretty awesome. He got some chocolate covered orange peels as a consolation prize, since I hadn't planned on any gifts! Bimmer had a class party on the 13th (or "bal-en-tyme" party as she says). I so want to be the Pinterest-worthy mom with the cute tags and such, but I'm just not. What did Bimmer give out? Little boxes of heart stickers that her amazingly cheap mom bought at the Dollar Tree. The kids are 2 - they won't care.

 

 

 

On actual Valentine's Day, we just exchanged cards as a family. We always get one for Bimmer and stash it with her birthday cards. That way when she's 30, she'll have a box full of cards she will probably want to trash. Last year, we got her a little Minnie Mouse car as a gift, so we wanted to keep with the small gift (since Easter isn't that far away with the over-stuffed Easter basket I am already prepared for) so we got her a little monster that poops candy.

 

 

 

I did, however, fall in love with Bimmer all over again when she came to get her special treat (a Valentine's cookie from Panera) wearing this outfit...

 

 

 

Yup - the love of my life!

Nursery Woes

The one and only thing I have regretted with both Bimmer (and eventually Healey) is the lack of having a proper, what I dreamed of in my head, type of nursery ready for them upon arrival. Bimmer's was close, but just wasn't quite exactly what I had always envisioned.

 

 

 

The problem? I was unemployed during most of my pregnancy, making it financially irresponsible to spend a shit-ton on her room. Even paying someone a few hundred bucks to paint the walls seemed out of reach. Bimmer won't ever remember her nursery. She won't care that I had never intended for it to double as a guest room. She won't know that it took us until she was almost 2 before we painted the room a color that won my heart.

 

 

 

And Healey? Well, poor second child. This kid isn't even going to really get a room. At least not at first. Or well, sorta, kinda. It's just complicated.

 

(This photo was taken a few years ago, before minor updates, including new paint)

 

 

I don't want to put Healey in Bimmer's room straight off the bat. That wouldn't be good for her sleep habits and I just feel like it would disrupt more of us than we hope. But Puff and I will also need some sleep too. So, what do we do with the baby when the other person is "off duty" and needs some rest? We have gone through a multitude of options - including storing, moving, and/or selling the furniture in our "office" to put in another bed and make that a baby room temporarily. Or does the person who is off duty just get to sleep in the big bed in Bimmer's room for awhile and we keep Healey in the master in a rock 'n play? There are just so many things to consider.

 

Damn The Bungalow for being so damn small. You're cramping my style, in more ways than one.

 

So while I envision a gorgeous Pinterest-worthy domain (eventually) for Healey, and some big girl updates to Bimmer's room, we're stuck in a bit of a quandary until we add on to The Bungalow (or move) which will all hopefully happen before Healey turns one.

 

Don't want my poor, neglected second child to be sleeping in the dining room forever.

Party it Up

I was all set to write today about a 3 year old's birthday party we were to attend the first weekend in February, but after Bimmer's behavior issues at school (which embarrass me to be around other parent's in her class) and the fact that it was a gorgeous 60+ degree sunny day, Puff and I opted out of attending. However, it does bring up a good point.... Are kid's birthday parties out of control?

 

(Images via Pinterest)

 

 

Bimmer isn't 3 yet - she will be in May. And I had hoped to rent a picnic shelter at a park to invite some people to celebrate this year, but with Healey due only a few weeks later, that isn't going to happen. We'll just have to hold off until year 4, when we can also maybe sneak in a "Healey is turning 1" component to it that hopefully Bimmer won't notice. But these days, at least in my world, it seems like a picnic at a park for a birthday party just doesn't cut it.

 

Let's meander over to Pinterest for a hot second, shall we???

 

 

 

Bimmer has been to a handful of birthday parties since last year. Several, those of co-workers and friends, have been more low-key and "normal." The two we have attended for kids at her school? One was at their house, but they had rented a bouncy castle. The other was at Monkey Joe's, which is an indoor bouncy castle heaven. The party we skipped? It was at a stable complete with petting zoo and pony rides.

 

::banging head against wall::

 

Puff has been wrecking his brain on random occasions to come up with ideas on where we could host an "awesome" party for her. The zoo? A children's museum? An airport? Who knows... we have some time to decide. But let's be real... I don't foresee any ponies in my daughters' future. Sorry kids. Mommy and Daddy just don't love you enough. Obviously. @@

Past Halfway

 

Read about Bimmer's 20 week update HERE.

 

Since my last update, a miracle has happened - my nausea has all but gone away! I mean, it hasn't gone away COMPLETELY but boy is it significantly better without having to take nearly as much medication! In fact, as long as I eat something before bed and stay on a pretty strict 5:30ish dinner followed by a 9pm bowl of cereal, the nausea is pretty well under control. Although I also have to stick to my 5am poptart, followed by a 7:15ish second breakfast, followed by another late morning snack routine. Yes, I feel like I'm eating everything under the sun, but I'm also not puking daily, so it's a compromise I'm willing to make.

 

I've had some lower back pain here and there, that started to get a lot worse in week 18. Thankfully, rest and Tylenol seem to help at this point. I fought a cold shortly after my last update, which always sucks, even more so when you can't take anything to relieve it. Oh - and I started to feel Healey fluttering around in there sometime between weeks 16 and 17. It was subtle and not super frequent, but it was definitely that feeling.

 

Now that we know Healey is a girl, it is getting soooooo hard not to go shopping for her! I just have to keep in mind that we have almost ALL of Bimmer's old clothes, and with their birthdays slated to be only a few weeks apart, the seasons should work out wonderfully in the clothing department. I have decided I am going to get Healey a new sleeper for hospital newborn photos and then another new one to come home in (since we kept Bimmer's in her keepsake box). But other than that, she doesn't need anything new to start. As much as that pains me - it will save the wallet for more important things like diapers and formula!

 

I went to the dentist during week 18 and my gums were in rough shape. I knew they were - they had been super sensitive lately. Last go round, I ended up with 923043 cavities after my pregnancy with Bimmer since the hormones just got me all out of whack. Here's hoping some bleeding gums is as bad as it gets. Those are a lot more easily remedied!

 

I have also staggered into some of my maternity clothes. I *hate* maternity jeans with a passion. They never stay up right! Ugh! I did buy some skinny ones this pregnancy though that I have yet to wear. Hoping they work out! I do have some size 12 pants that I got from a friend/Banana Republic outlet last go round that are working perfectly right now. I love being able to still button something. Anything. For as long as possible, right?

 

Send in the Clowns

Growing up, my parents were pretty good about taking me to see the circus pretty often. While I honestly have no distinct memory of those trips, I do remember the field trips my girlfriends and I would take in high school. Why? Who knows. Obviously, we weren't the cool kids. But oh, how much of a hottie was that Ukrainian (maybe?) guy named Gabor who was in that acrobatic troupe. Ya know... the one that came back two years in a row and we totally stalked? Or maybe that never happened and we were drunk in someone's basement? Nah... you totally know we were at the circus.

 

 

 

Puff and I went with Kimhead a few years back...

 

 

 

But when Bimmer got here, I could not wait until she was old enough to go. There's just something spectacular about the circus and I wanted her to witness it. So after she did so well on her Disney on Ice excursion (HERE), I plopped down the cash to take her. And get that girl some cotton candy! I have no idea how she even knows what that is, but darn it, she wanted some!

 

 

 

The entire first part of the show, Bimmer kept shouting, "This is so exciting!" That was all I needed to know we had made the right decision to take her. Some parts, she wasn't so keen on (like the dancing poodles) and others, she was entranced, like the BMX bikers. The $14 cotton candy was steep, but worth it. Since then, she keeps wanting to raise my shirt to tell Healey about the circus and the "elephants who stand on two legs and spin!" She asked me last night if we can go again next time.

 

Yes, baby, I think we will.

Going on an Edventure

Ever since I lived in Columbia, I have wanted to visit the EdVenture Children's Museum. In fact, I worked next door to it for a hot second and never even peaked inside. So once we had Bimmer, I knew it would inevitably me on our "Must Do List" to swing on over there to check it out. And what better time of the year than January? Yuck!

 

So we loaded up the car and hit the road to Columbia for a girl's only day. We had big plans... Kimhead was coming with us and later in the day, we would meet up with other college friends and get to meet Baby Ford for the first time. So exciting!

 

 

 

As far as children's museums go, neither Puff nor I are all too keen on them. In fact, we both lose interest after about an hour. But Bimmer loves them and that's what matters. (And Kimhead was excited to have a kid to go with!) We spent almost 3 hours there and that was plenty. I loved that they had a library area and the "Snowville" slide was fun - even if it is only seasonal. I would think in warmer weather, their outdoor butterfly garden and water table would be fun. Although at $11.50 per person (no price difference for kids or adults) I felt like it was a little steep. Although maybe that's not any different from any other museum.

 

 

 

After all that fun, we stopped at a Macaroni Grille in the suburbs of Columbia and met up with Rach and Biner and baby Ford, who is 10 weeks old. He was such a sweet little chunky monkey and I was anxious to see how Bimmer would react to a baby. She made googly eyes at him for awhile and at first when I was holding him, she came over and giggled at him and rubbed his hand. After he spit up all over me, she was kinda done with him for a minute. But then came the inevitable - she wanted me to hold her. When I said I was still holding Ford, she went over to Kimhead for her to hold her. Finally, I was going to give Ford to someone else to hold and Bimmer was very adamant that I "give him back over there." When we left, she tickled his toes and waved bye to him.

 

I definitely still think she is going to be a good big sister. It will just take some time for her to warm up to Healey. It was sweet to see her with another baby and I am so anxious for her to meet her baby sister.

Drink Up, Baby

I've never been a big drinker. I mean, I had my binge nights back in college where there were a few shots followed by a few mixed drinks that some cute guy bought me because he liked my boobs. But never anything totally outrageous. Heck - I've only ever puked one time EVER from drinking. And Puff and I together? Ha. We have never seen the other one drunk. And we've been together going on 7 years.

 

 

 

In my old age, I've decided I'd much rather have a virgin pina colada by the pool since a) it's cheaper and b) I don't like the taste of alcohol anyway. So it is really hard for me to comprehend how some people can have such a need for alcohol in their life that they cannot even stop drinking for the 9 months they are pregnant.

 

 

 

I have never knowingly had one sip of alcohol during either of my pregnancies. I know I probably had some rum like the week after I conceived Bimmer, but nothing after that. Right now, two of my fellow co-workers are pregnant - one due a few months before me, one due a few weeks after. And I have witnessed both of them with wine and champagne. Sometimes on consecutive days. Now, they aren't imbibing on a ton of it - max 2 glasses that I have ever seen in one evening - but still.

 

I know you shouldn't judge other people on decisions that they are making that don't affect you any - but their decisions *could* affect their child. And I just cannot, will not, ever agree that it is OK to drink while pregnant. Not even a little bit. Why take the risk?

 

I definitely have addictive tendencies in some areas of my life. So, yes, on one hand, I get it. But these women aren't alcoholics. I feel like they are giving into wanting to be "part of the cool crowd" and can't say no when a glass is offered to them. Or maybe they just really like the taste and have a craving for it. Who knows. But it's so hard for me to sit back and not criticize them for their decisions.

 

Will their babies probably be OK? Sure. Just like Healey will probably be OK because I have a little bit of caffeine every now and again. I get it - there is science behind not drinking, but it's probably OK to have one here and there as well. Just like me and my favorite Coke from McDonald's.

 

Am I crazy to think it's ridiculous that someone can't give up alcohol for a measly 9 months? Or am I just over-reacting in my hormonal pregnant state?