Spring is here!!

Although it doesn't feel like it! Last week's weather was blown away by a cold front that came in yesterday... so all of our big plans to work on our garden and water barrel may be put on hold. I don't want to be out there in the 40 degree weather, so I can't blame Scott if he doesn't either :)

We went to Lowe's yesterday for some preparation for our newest projects. Here's the evidence:

four bags of garden soil, two plants for our pots, and our previously purchased rain barrel, garden in a box (above ground frame for garden), vinyl gutter and downspout (for rain barrel), gutter parts (who knew there were so many!!)

So, what is a rain barrel? Simply put, it's a trash can with a metal grate on the top and a spot near the bottom. When it's attached to a gutter downspout, it fills with rain water to save for watering plants. You can find more info here: EPA website

Besides saving money on our water bill over time, our rain barrel will allow us to reuse the water that's already coming down into our yard on our potted plants and in our beds. The initial cost was about $100 for the barrel and gutter parts, but for a home with gutters, that cost would be cut in half. We bought our barrel at the annual sale in Baton Rouge for $50.

Remember last year's Oklahoma Redbud tree? It's finally blooming! There are still buds to open, but here's a photo of the tree from today:



Our tree isn't the only thing growing... my belly is! Here are yesterday's photos at 21 weeks pregnant:


and a few diaper cakes I've made for baby showers I've been to recently:


Next weekend we'll be in Miami! Since it doesn't look like many of our projects will be finished today, I'll have to update with the finished product at another time.

20 week belly shot

getting bigger by the day!!

So, I hired a painter!

When we first moved into our home, we painted one of the rooms (the smallest room, too!) It became Scott's office. We chose a curry yellow, and while we both like the color, it's really loud. Neither of us had a lot of experience painting, so we just got what we thought we needed and went for it. After it dried we decided we weren't too happy with the outcome -- and since the color of the room was so drastically different than the previous color, we had to use 2 coats of primer and three coats of paint for the smallest room in the house. With the cost of the drop cloths, the brushes and rollers and other tools, the job cost us over $200. Not cheap, especially considering we could have gotten someone to do it for us for that job (and we'd be happy with it!)

There are other rooms we have been needing to paint, but I told Scott I wanted to make sure we were happy with the results if we were going to spend the money. If that meant hiring a painter, that's what we'd do -- but I didn't want us to drop a ton of cash and be unhappy, then end up hiring someone anyway. So we made a deal -- he would paint the hallway, and if he did a good job, he would paint the other rooms. If we weren't happy with it, we'd hire someone and just pay to have it done.

With the baby on the way, I've been feeling a lot of pressure to get these things done. Part of me knows it will be harder to do once the baby comes, but a bigger part of me believes that if we wait, it will never be completed! With 20 weeks left in the pregnancy, we decided to get moving.

This week we went to Lowe's and chose a color for the hallway (a bit lighter than the previous color). Scott did a little research and found that we had the wrong rollers, so we went ahead and got the correct ones. Aside from rollers, paint, and tape, we really didn't need anything. Scott spent his time today taping off, edging, and rolling the paint. Now that it's complete I've decided...

I've hired a painter! Fortunately for us, he's cheap -- Scott did such a great job, he's been hired to do the other jobs :)

Scott found that the turtle tape was significantly better than the regular blue stuff. By using the correct tools (and likely by not allowing me to participate!), the job was completed at a professional level, but at a small cost! It only took one coat of paint, no primer (since the colors were so similar) and really didn't cost much.

Check out the man in action:


and the end result:


(color variations caused by lighting in the room)

Very pleased! Can't wait to start the nursery :)

the ultrasound photos

They're not great scans, but here are the photos!








My back has been killing me today -- not sure if it's regular baby pains or if it's from walking the 4 mile lake and then cutting the grass yesterday. I'm thinking the former was the culprit and the latter aggravated the problem. It's tough because I'm finally feeling up for doing things, but my body doesn't want to keep up!

At my last doctor's visit, I'd gained a total of 7lbs. The doctor wants me to gain a pound a week, putting me around a total weight gain of 28lbs. I realize this may be somewhat out of my control, but I'm still trying to be healthy. Occasionally I crave McDonalds french fries... but I've only indulged twice! Maybe tonight will be #3...:)

A few weeks ago my sister found out she's pregnant! She's due late October and it's so exciting. I've been holding onto the news for a while, but it looks like she's sharing the news now -- so I don't have to keep it secret anymore!

We finally decided against the combined guest room/nursery. Baby Tyler will get his own room -- a luxury I didn't have for many years! Hopefully he'll appreciate it :) There really wasn't enough room for everything we (or, I, actually!) wanted in the nursery and a bed. Now we (or, Scott, actually!) need to get the room painted and then I'll see about ordering the rest of the furniture.

Oh, and I started a registry online! I haven't actually been to the stores to add things, but in case any of you enjoy browsing registries (I know I do!) you can check Babies'R'Us and Target online. There are still a few duplicates, like the jogging stroller... not sure which one we want yet. Also not sure if my extremely tall husband will be able to use either one! We shall see.

it's a boy!

More later...!

18 week belly picture

I feel like I don't look this way at the beginning of the day, but I definitely do toward the end!

Not really in the mood for writing right now -- but here's my most recent belly pic!






Edit: From the morning of 2/27:

(proof that it does grow throughout the day!)

the (slowly) growing belly

In my sixteenth week, Baby Stead will grow from a navel orange to the size of an avocado!! I am amazed by the recent growth and all of the changes in development. This week, the tiny bones in Baby Stead's ears are in place, making it likely that he or she can hear me! Fortunately my coughing has almost ceased, or the poor baby would be sick of me before meeting me.

Starting last weekend, we've done a lot of baby stuff! It was actually coincidental, as it started with me shopping for a girlfriend's baby shower. We were at Babies'R'us (which was a HORRIBLE experience, by the way... I have rarely had such poor service, and never when spending so much money) and I saw the display for a crib I'd been eying online. The only thing was that this crib, the one I loved, had been out of stock for a month! At one point Babies'R'us took backorders, but then they just stopped and no one would say when it would be back. Well, it was on display, so we thought we'd ask if they had it!

An hour later, we found out that they did (hence the extra-poor customer service that was provided by the assistant manager Curtis) and there was one left!!! We had to get it, right?

So we did! Following some other troubles (they gave us the wrong one, so we had to bring it back and exchange... uh!!) on Tuesday of this week we ended up with our crib. And what did we then do? Put it together, of course! Realistically, we didn't want it taking up space in the guest room/soon-to-be-nursery, but I was afraid if we didn't at least inspect it, we'd end up with a defective one past our return date. Now that it's together, it's not coming apart! I've just kept the door closed to that room -- we need to move out some furniture before it will look live-able :)

Here's a stock photo:


I don't have a complete photo of it in the room, and it doesn't have a mattress or any bedding anyway, but here's one of Roxie. She had a difficult time allowing us to put it together :)


I couldn't stop looking at diaper bags, and when I found this one I loved it. It happened to be on sale, so it only made sense to buy it, right?! I like that it's gender neutral and it's something I will be able to re-purpose in the future. (It's also made out of recycled plastic -- but that's just a plus!)
check it out:


Lastly, my belly photo for this week.. forgive me for looking very very tired! It was taken at around 6:30am!


Next week we're going to North Carolina to visit Scott's aunt and uncle at their beach house. I'll update with photos when we get back!