Pregnancy photo project

So, I decided to try to take a photo every week to see baby's growth. As you can see towards the end I got lazy. If you missed any of the updates, you can go here

At 4 weeks, when I found out I was pregnant

                     

At 8 weeks, confirmed with an ultrasound

                                  



  
                       Week #15 I ran/walked a marathon, it sucked but I finished it

                                         
                     Week #18 at walt disney world in Florida with my mom

20 week ultrasound, confirming gender. I was team green and did not find out the gender

     

                                    


                                                      

                                                week # 30 in sacramento visiting friends

            

   
                                      34 weeks pretending I am not pregnant

                   

                                   36 weeks maternity photoshoot      

  37 weeks getting lunch with my seester

                               

 and my last week being pregnant

the last belly shot I have at 39 weeks and 4 days



It is pretty neat to see the progression over the weeks.
and.. this is what we got.



Did you do a photo montage of your pregnancy? I would love to see it.

~ Steph ~

The week of August 24th: my last week of being pregnant

Looking back, since it's been a few months since I started this post and had  time to think about it, this is the week my life was never going to be the same.

I didn't know it would be my last week of my pregnancy, although I had predicted that this baby would be born on August 28th, just 5 days before my EDD (estimated due date) on september 2nd. The week was pretty normal for me including my last week of work, running errands and drs appointments. I wrote out everything I did that week, but what for? Too cherish it, no I am good and I don't want to bore my readers.

Things came and went as they normally do things were becoming harder, but not impossible.
I actually loved being pregnant, I felt beautiful and womanly with my extra weight and cankles.

                                             

To end this story and begin my birth story of little miss willow,. Friday was not my day and things went array from there. I fell taking my laundry to my car on the same crack I fell on when i was 20 ish week, I don't know if i hit my belly or not but my knees were scraped up and so was my ego. This was before my drs apt where my bp was high, again and I got a one way ticket to triage.. Oh fun, this again. I was upset and felt like my chanes of having the labor I wanted were out the window.

I'll leave this post here.. To be continued

~Steph~

November

November has been insane

 Willow and I have been to Laughlin, Sacramento, and to my sisters (near Palm Springs)

We moved to a bigger apartment

Mommy started skating and conditionally passed her skills test, got re-drafted, than got a 2 day mom-cation

It has literally been one thing after another (in a good way)

Back to our regular scheduled posts soon

I am thankful for wonderful friends and family that support me, I would not be here without them.

Halloween

One of my favorite holidays.

I love love love get dressed up and making my own costumes

I knew this year would be no different even  with baby the events would just change

My criteria were comfort, some warmth (mainly for baby) and cute factor

So I went to Pinterest for some inspiration

As my plans formulated I knew we would be truck or treating and wanted to use my carrier for ease

After much debate, I chose this for inspiration

Source

I bought a yard of white felt and 1/2 yard of red. Than cut stripes about an inch in width glued those on with a glue gun. Told my husband I wanted the zig zag top and he measured and cut that for me (I am bad at measuring and precision). I did the popcorn sign by free handing the bubble letters in red and gluing them to the white and outlining it.

The dots candy box was suppose to be for her candy catching. I used a granola/cereal box for the dots and painted it yellow. I free handed the candy and tootsie sign, I used markers to color it all in. The dots emblem is made the same way at the popcorn above.  

For her outfit she is just wearing a long sleeve onesie and yellow striped pants. For my costume I borrowed my husbands white shirt and red bow tie. We did not go trick or treating because I was too chicken to go by myself  but we did go to a party with a friend and her kids. We were told we would have won first place if she had prizes, which was awesome. 

There you have it.

What did you dress up as? Did you make it?

Baby fever

 So is it me or has everyone seriously been pregnant this year?

I feel like I have made a ton of blankets since March (thats only 6 months ago).
So for your viewing pleasure, here they are
They are all a little different .. I need variety in my life

It started when one of my really close friends adoption went through
1. Aqua and teal shell pattern

That got me started on the everyone else.. And my creative juices going
Next was a friend having her second boy and me getting a little ambitious,
so ambitious it took me an extra 6 months to finish.
2. Ombré blue apache pattern

Than my sis in law who was having her first child (boy)
3. Forrest green popcorn stitch (on top of that pile)

heres a better picture

a friend in chicago with her first (boy)
4. Raindow yarn V stitch with a twist blanket

Its a funny story because my sis in law, this friend in chicago and I were all at my bro in laws wedding 2 and half years ago and now having all our children in the same year

a good friend having her second, a girl
5. Flowers in the garden
Grey and pink single crochet with crocheted tulips added



a friend having twins (boys), I made two blankets using the same yarn but two different patterns and borders
6. A blue popcorn and green shell

 a friend had a premie baby (girl) she was just able to take home.
7. Purple wave pattern


and one for my baby
8. a color block single crocheted blanket

 

I still have 4 more to make this year and one I can't show you yet since it has not been sent out yet.
What is your go to gift for new babies?

~ Steph ~

Traveling with a baby on an airplane

As mentioned in this post, baby Willow went on her first flight just shy of her 4 week birthday.
It was an hour flight each way and from pretty small airports.
We have a 4.5 hr flight next week out of two of the largest airports in the country so this was a big test run for that, to find what works and what doesn't.

I read this blog post of helpful hints from Jamie at C.R.A.F.T. on the subject awhile ago and took most things into consideration.

In my experience, so far, this is what I have learned 

( I am by no means an expert, but this is what worked for us)

1. Wear your baby

I love wearing my baby (since I don't have a stroller), she usually falls asleep and I can nurse her while wearing it and nobody knows 

This  blog post from Our Knight Life on baby wearing and breast feeding really struck with me because I was having so much difficulty and self conscious issues doing it in public. I read the post and started practicing and it has saved my sanity.

Also, when wearing your baby during security, YOU DO NOT NEED TO TAKE THEM OFF. 

2. Ask for stuff

Ask your friends and family at your destination (that you trust)  if they have  a car seat or anything else you may need to limit the amount of STUFF you need to bring.
I know my friends and family were more than willing to help and even offered.

With this trip and the trip we will be taking next week to Illinois, our friends have offered to help and let us borrow. As an option car rentals also rent car seats, but take that at your own risk

3. The rule of 3's

If bringing formula, only make 3 oz or bring 3 oz of water and you will not have a problem

I supplement and sometimes in the car or in public she just wants a bottle. I had one made specifically for take offs and landings which we never used but we had it ready just in case.

4. Fly Southwest

( this is not a paid post and I was paid or perked to promote this company in any way)

So, Southwest does not have assigned seating it goes by when you check in for the flight. You are allowed to check in 24 hrs before hand. If you get a boarding pass in the 'A'  section you are amount the first 60 people on the plane and can pretty much choose anywhere. Southwest also does mommy boarding between the 'A' group and 'B' group in case you muss out and still get a decent seat.

Also, with southwest you can check up to two bags for FREE.

This made my life easier because In The terminal I only had to worry about my baby and the backpack full of all of our stuff we needed. When flying with an infant it's no longer about your entertainment for the flight it's all about there's. 

5. Bring baby's birth certificate or birth record 

I had brought this sheet of paper with me "just in case" because of Jamie's post and I needed it both ways. Although baby is lap sitting with you, they still need there own boarding pass.

6. Clothes for mama
I have found if I wear a "nicer" shirt, I wear a nursing tank underneath so that when I breast feed the nicer shirt goes up and nursing tank goes down and still covers your torso. This is what works for us and makes me feel like I am not flashing the whole world my boobs. You will still have to take off your shoes at security so wear slip ons. I made this mistake the first flight and wore boots in which I singe handedly had to unzip and try to put on while wearing the baby. With any flights bring a sweater cause it gets cold on the plane and be comfortable.

7. Feed the baby
You want to feed the baby or have them suck on something during take off and landings. I had the baby in the carrier in the airports while we were waiting for our flights and she fed while I was walking around so for the flight she was asleep. I AM NOT GOING TO WAKE A SLEEPING BABY to hope they go back to sleep, it doesn't work that way. So during take offs and landings I just put a pacifier in her mouth and we were good during both flights.


(baby sleeping on the plane)

8. Family bathrooms
I now look for these since becoming a mom and they are AMAZING. It is a giant room with a changing table, usually built into the counter not those plastic fold down ones, a toilet, large sink and just room to move and take your time. It was nice to be able to use the bathroom and not think these is someone waiting for me in that long line or I need to hurry up and change the baby.

These are my helpful hints.
 Is there anything you do while flying?


~ Steph ~

baby update: 1 month

Miss Willow is 1 month old (as of last week), I am a little late to the party.

Our time at home started a little rough with jaundice and weight issues, we had to start supplementing and sunbathing our little peanut. As of her 4th day of life she was back up to 6.7 lbs from 6.3 lbs the day before and her jaundice levels were within normal, so we were in the clear.

we attempted a milk in where we stayed inside all day and just nursed the heck out her trying to increase my milk supply. 

At two weeks old, we still had out belly button stub and were showing off our muscles. 

At three weeks, grandma Sena visited from chicago. 

We had another drs apt and she was 7.13 lbs and 21 1/2 in long.

we also started doing tummy time. 

Right before four weeks, we took our first airplane ride to sacramento to meet auntie k and uncle s and meet up with daddy for the weekend. She slept on both flights and did really well until we were on the ground and not moving.

we took a ferry to san francisco for the day

beautiful views from the back of the ferry

on the airplane on the way back home.

Miss Willow at a whole month.

She can hold up her head sometimes, likes the car seat about 70% of the time, loves baths, likes to fight sleep, and eats her hands a lot.

~ Steph ~