Monthly Archives: March 2016

Weekend in Review

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I’ve been terrible about keeping up with this blog, as the days and weeks are literally flying by. Regardless, here’s my little weekend in review…

We had a great (and busy) weekend. On Friday after work, we had dinner with my closest little love, Marci, her hubs and babes, her parents and one of Charlie’s classmates and his family. I cannot rave enough about how fun this was.

First, I absolutely adore every minute I have to catch up with Marci and smoosh her ADORABLE little guy. And second, it was a lot of fun to chitter chatter with the other family. I actually went to middle and high school with the dad, so it was just great to catch up.

Funny story… it was around 8:45pm and C was turning into a wild woman. Definitely still behaved, but hyper… my mom would refer to her mood as “punchy.”

Anyway, the dad, Dave, was laying on the ground next to his 7 or 8 month old baby (who C was OBSESSED with) and Mark was laying on a spot on the floor across the room. In C’s wild, happy oblivion, she climbed up on top of Dave and gave him loving, happy pats as she said “Dada.” At first I responded with, “Yes, that’s Eli and Ari’s dada.”

Then, as the others in the room started making comments like, “Wow! Do you believe this kid? Look how comfortable she is… etc.” I started to think, “Well, no… I don’t believe this actually.”

Me: Charlie, you know that’s not Daddy, right? Look at his face. That’s Ari’s Daddy…

Charlotte: (Starts backing off slowly as she looks at his face and realizes that she is not sitting on top of her own daddy.)

As soon as she realized her little mistake, she booked it to Daddy’s arms while I proceeded to cry from laughing so hard.

On Saturday, we went to gymnastics class, which was fun. I haven’t gone in a bit, so it was nice to see how much she’s progressed. Of course, the day I join, Charlotte takes a tumble off of a 3 foot high mat. Thankfully, she really is the toughest little girl ever.

We looked at her in shock and said, “Are you okay”… she thought about it for a few seconds and said, “yeahhh.”

  After gymnastics, we decided to head over to a local farm that welcomes guests. Unfortunately, they were closed for winter; however, the gentleman allowed us to come check out the few animals they had at this location… one chubby bunny, a ton of the LOUDEST, squakiest ducks and 3 pigeons.

Regardless, it was enough to entertain C. In fact, she’s been making duck noises nonstop ever since.

   

  

  

 Before C’s nap, we were also able to get her little art station hung up in her room. I LOVE how it turned out! Now, I just need to finish her table and chairs. 

 That evening, we went to my sweet Carrie’s son’s 2nd birthday party! It was a farm theme and absolutely adorable! Charlie loved it! She played with balloons and toy animals, ate applesauce, cake and berries and got to be with mom and dad. What could be bad? 

    
    
    
    
 On Sunday, we went to Home Depot and Whole Foods in the morning. HD gave away little plastic easter eggs with wrapped chocolate bunnies inside. We’ve never given C chocolate, so we just let her play with the candies assuming she didn’t know what they were. Sure enough, when we looked down at her, she was silently indulging in some chocolate. We let her take one more bite and then called it quits on the chocolate. 

     
After our errands, we went to my parents’ house for brunch and some playtime. Then, post-nap, Mark’s Dad and Step Mom came over for a pizza dinner. 

    
    
    
    
 All in all, it was a great weekend!

Some other cute pics: 

    
    
 

32 Weeks – ONLY 8(ish) TO GO!

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  How far along: 32 Weeks! Can you believe it? Only 8 weeks left… technically! Although who REALLY knows. Learned that one with pregnancy #1.

But seriously, this has been the fastest pregnancy ever. It’s all a total blur. The weeks are so fast, it’s hard to comprehend. I feel like the remaining 8 weeks are just going to fly even faster and our sweet little mister will be here.

I think Charlotte is starting to get it a little bit. Clearly she’s obsessed with babies, but she talks a lot about the baby in Mommy’s tummy. She’ll say “shhhh” because the baby is sleeping. And she gets all excited and wants to put her hands on Mommy’s belly. It’s all very sweet. I literally cannot wait to see her shine as big sister.

Total weight gain: Over the past 3 weeks, I gained 2.5 lbs (as of Monday), which is great! I’m up a total of 23.5 lbs, which I’m totally good with. I just looked, and at 31 weeks with C, I had gained 26 lbs.

Maternity clothes: I went to Destination Maternity / Pea in the Pod last weekend and left totally bummed out. The only thing I actually liked was this $130 faux leather coat. The lady tried to convince me that I could wear it after… but I wasn’t sold. So, I left empty handed.

Here’s a  link to the coat. It was cuter in person.

I also saw this shirt there, which I just loved. SO  FUNNY… but $38… I don’t think so. 

 Stretch marks: Still going strong with no stretchies… although, I had a dream this morning that I put on a two-piece swimsuit and was SHOCKED to see that my stomach was ALL stretch marks. I’m hoping that isn’t a premonition. I secretly have goals to rock a (tasteful) midriff bearing dress and bikini in my future.

Sleep: 75% of the time, I feel like a turtle stuck on its back. But really, sleep hasn’t been too bad.

Best moment of this week: You guys… Charlotte was dressed as a furry teddy bear. What could EVER be better than that? She was happy and huggable and delicious. Let’s just call the whole month made. 

 We also celebrated our anny last weekend, which was so much fun! I forgot to take a photo, which is a bummer. I wore my new faux leather pants… I was a fan. We went for a delicious dinner at this French restaurant on the lakefront. It was perfect. We had a wonderful 2+ hour dinner and just really enjoyed each other.

Afterwards, we went to the casino to play some blackjack, which is just so much fun… except that we lost $80. That was a bummer. But still, SO FUN! I can’t help it… I love gambling. Thankfully I’ve only actually played cards at a casino twice, so I’m still up overall 🙂

Miss anything: I’ve been having some heavy wine cravings. I think it was that glimpse of spring we had. White wine on a spring evening. Heavenly.

Movement: Last night the tiny tot tried to escape. I swear he was trying to find his way out of my lady bits. He continues to be a mega wiggler. I often find myself suffering from severe twitches caused my his need to give my internal organs titty twisters.

Food cravings: There is this Veggie Pesto Breakfast Burrito at a local coffee shop by me… Nothing makes my mornings better than starting it off with one of those suckers (with the deliciously spicy salsa) and a vanilla latte.

Anything making you queasy or sick: I’ve recovered from my cold!! This one was definitely short-lived (only about a week), but SUCH a dousy. It got me whining and crabby. But I’m feeling good now.

Have you started to show yet: Ba bump.

Gender: Little brother bear.

Labor signs: Oh no, no. Although we are starting all the prep for it. We hired a new doula, I’ve been reading positive birthing stories and researching VBAC’s… I’ve been trying to get our ducks in a row! We’re definitely in the home stretch.

Belly button in or out: It reminds me of the weird alien’s mouth from Max & Me…

max and me

Wedding rings on or off: On! Last time I made it to 36 weeks… we’ll see what happens this time.

Happy or moody most of the time: I think I’ve been happy. You’d have to ask the hubby. I was crabby last night and I’ve been sick, so I’ve been whiney. But happy? Whatever, I can’t remember so whatever it was doesn’t count and just defaults to the happiest, sweetest woman ever.

Looking forward to: Marky’s birthday is next week! We’ve been celebrating MarKch all month with weekly presies. I love birthdays!! Going out for another date next weekend to celebrate 🙂

More Costumes!

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Charlotte had another Purim celebration at school yesterday… so of course, she needed a new costume. God forbid she wears the same costume twice.

So, being that I have issues, I forced Mark to stay up late with me on Wednesday night so we could whip together another costume. This time, we would transform our little Super C into a cuddly little black bear.

When I made her Super C costume, I used liquid stitch instead of sewing, so it was pretty darn easy. The downfall? She smelled like glue (yeah, that can’t be healthy). This time, I didn’t have enough time for the glue to dry and wanted to avoid the stench… so Mark and I were left sewing.

I started with a furry vest of mine that I just don’t wear. I put it on C and made some very rough measurements (she was not feeling it). Then, I got to chopping. I cut every which way until the adult sized vest was a bit more toddler-sized. Then, I sewed buttons on the back to fasten it.

I used excess fur on the knees of her pants and to make ears.

After about… 4-5 hours, we were done! 

 And, just like magic, our little C wore her costume all day. In fact, I think she really enjoyed it. She loved the ears and had a great day!

   

  

 Nana came for the celebration. It was a literal BLAST! So much fun watching our sweet girl. And, during the service portion where they spoke in only Hebrew for about 40 minutes, little C sat on my lap SO PATIENTLY. I was bored and chatting up Nana, but Charlotte was such a patient, good girl. I was proud.

  

  

  

   
   
    
    
   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
   
   
    

 

Charlotte’s First Performance

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In celebration of Purim, Charlotte’s school put on a carnival with a special little “World’s Greatest Circus” Show. Each of the kiddies participated in some way, including MY GIRL!

When we first arrived, I dropped C off with her class. The “staging area” was chaotic with kids and stage people getting everything ready. Little Charlie, being the timid little miss that she is, was instantly overwhelmed. I tried to get her pumped up, but ultimately, left her standing with her teacher… in tears sobs.

   

 We all got a seat and I sat there stressing. Will Charlie actually get out on stage in front of all of these people? No way. Oy. Is she going to start bawling her eyes out in the middle and I’ll have to go and grab her?

I know, I know… ultimately, who cares? But I was nervous for her!

The introductions dragged on, but then, it was finally time! The kiddies came out and our little nugget walked in front of the big crowd holding one of the K4 student’s hands. 

 I was so impressed already, so imagine how surprised I was to then see my SUPER C volunteer to be the first little daredevil superhero to go through the crazy ring of fire…

Here’s her shining moment: 

 Want to know pathetic? I literally teared up. I know, so sad… but I got so stupidly nervous for her and she just did it! Like such a big girl. I was proud.

   

  

  

  

  

 After the show, Charlie enjoyed all the games at the carnival! She even stayed still and got her hand painted. Our little tot is really growing up so quickly.

   

  

  


   

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

   

31 Week Visit

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Today I had my 31 week OB check. The coolest part was the fact that I now officially start going every two weeks. Crazy, right?

I’m in the home stretch(ish)! 

My stats:

Heart rate: 96 again… Seems so high. Nurse said maybe because of my cold, but it was the same last time.

BP: 100/50

Weight Gain: 2.5 lbs since last visit (3 weeks ago) – 23.5 lbs total

Baby’s heart rate: 140-145 

The only real question I asked was about whether or not I needed another ultrasound. I remembered her mentioning one, but couldn’t remember why or when.

Turns out it’s just for sizing purposes (to determine how big the baby is) and since I wouldn’t opt for a c-section regardless of how big they’d claim the baby to be, I opted out of the ultrasound.

So, another quick and easy appointment. 

OB schedule:

Every two weeks for the next 4 weeks, then every week. Only 5 appointments left!!

Time is going to fly.

So Many Weekends…

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3/10/16

I have been hoarding photos. So, here’s a review of some of our past few weekends through and excessive series of photos…

   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
 

31 Weeks Here! Single Digits Left…

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 How far along: 31 Weeks!! Holy crap guys. Remember when I was going to post weekly bumpdates? Oops. Things got a little busy these past couple of weeks, but here’s one… and right on time!

Also, only 9 weeks till the big due date. That’s pretty crazy, huh? Especially since time is literally just flying by. This little nugget will be here before I know it!

Total weight gain: I have an appointment with my OB on Monday, so the answer to this one will have to wait. How do I feel? Like I wish someone could walk around with me holding up my belly. That would help.

But really, I definitely don’t feel as pregnant as I look in photos. Every so often I see a photo or a mirror glance at a weird angle and I’m totally thrown off. Holy hell! Who is that?

I don’t recognize myself.

But that’s okay! The positive is that this baby is such a wiggler… makes me feel like we’re “spending time together.”

Maternity clothes: I bought a couple new shirts and a pair of faux leather leggings. Clearly a maternity must-have. I haven’t worn them yet, but maybe this weekend.

Stretch marks: Still going strong with no stretchies.

Sleep: Sleep has been on and off. Last night was an off night. Definitely could have done without my bout of insomnia from 3-5… but what can you do?

Best moment of this week: Well, these past few weekends have been great! I’ll post more about those in a separate post, but it’s been a happy week. Charlie turned 20 months, Mark and I celebrated 3 years… all good stuff!

Miss anything: Putting my socks on with ease.

Movement: The other night during our parenting class, my back was killing me. To get a little relief, I put my hands under my belly and essentially held it up with my hands. Apparently, the lift caused the little man to require a readjustment because he instantly made a huge movement. The cool part is that he moved in a way that it literally felt like he was in my hands… like I was holding him. I spent the rest of class trying to replicate the experience with no luck.

Food cravings: Nothing too crazy these days.

Anything making you queasy or sick: My toddler… but I don’t think that’s what this question is referring to. But dang it… C and I are cold-ridden again.

Have you started to show yet: Big ass belly.

Gender: A Mister.

Labor signs: Just the run-of-the-mill Braxton Hicks.

Belly button in or out: It’s a very strange crater-like inny outty. Don’t ask…

Wedding rings on or off: On!

Happy or moody most of the time: I’ve been good these past few weeks! We’ve had a lot of fun.

Looking forward to: We are celebrating our anniversary this weekend! Hot date with my hubs at a fancy shmance restaurant… what could be bad? Also looking forward to my OB appointment. I don’t know why, but I am. Hmmm. I am hoping to schedule a hair appointment, so that’s exciting, too! All good things.

Three Years ❤️

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Today marks three years of marriage with my love. While it feels like time has just flown by so quickly, it’s also hard to believe it’s only been three years. It’s hard to imagine a time without my husband by my side.


I’m a very lucky woman. While we’re not always rainbows and butterflies, we’re always working… on our marriage, on our communication, on our love.

 As parenting becomes less about simply keeping Charlotte alive and healthy, and more about shaping a human mind and heart, it becomes more clear. I have truly ended up with a man who gets me. Someone who shares my passions. Someone who wants to live and love in the same way.

 I’m married to a very amazing man, husband, father. My children and I are beyond lucky to have such strength and love and silliness from now until forever.

 Happy Anniversary, sweet man of mine. Being your wife and starting a family with you has been seamless… like, this is the way it was always meant to be. I can’t imagine my world without you. Thanks for being you and for choosing me. I love you deeply.

My Baby is 20 Months!

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My tiny sweet Super C will be 2 years old in 4 short months. Where did the time go? 

   
 We celebrated with banana flax bread at lunch and enjoyed a fun-filled Wednesday… A full day with Nana, swim class with Daddy and nighttime stories with Mommy.  

 I swear, I’ll post a real 20 month update soon, but for now, just a big Happy 20 months to my sweet pie.

A Big Girl in a Big Girl Bed

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The weekend I’ve been stressing over for MONTHS finally arrived: C’s big transition from crib to big girl bed. Let’s just say, we were a little ill-prepared.

We decided that we would start on Friday evening to maximize the number of sleeps (night and naps) in the big girl bed over the weekend. However, the room wasn’t totally ready for a toddler’s free reign.

So before bed, Mark and I were hauling around to complete the following:

  • Install video baby monitor
  • Install little lock purchased on Amazon for sliding door closet
  • Take Charlotte’s side table (that’s way too tippable) and mini person table and chairs out of the room
  • Tie up “reading nook” canopy netting
  • Put plug protectors in all of the outlets
  • Switch the door handles so that the lock is on the outside (we don’t need the tot locking herself in the room… or us out)

By the time we finished, it was around 7:30. Kind of a late start for nighttime routine, but we got on our way. We both tried very hard to relax and settle into the routine, but I’m not sure how well we did. I think we were both still feeling a little rushed from our last minute toddler-proofing tasks and definitely anxious about the transition.

Anyway, we read books, brushed teeth and then took Charlotte into her new room. Instantly, she seemed on edge. We did her normal bedroom routine of saying goodnight to all her “guys” and cranking her music box. Then, we put her in her bed. She refused to lay down and was clinging her teddy.

Mommy: It’s okay. You don’t have to lay down. Here are your guys and here’s your blanky. There are books if you want to read, but it’s time for bed, so Mommy and Daddy are going to leave. We’ll see you in the morning. We love you!

Charlotte: <Cue the sobbing>

Daddy (to Mommy): Should we stay until she settles or falls asleep?

Mommy (to Daddy): Nope! We have to believe that she can do it! (To Charlie): We love you! You’re such a big girl.

Charlotte: <More sobbing>

Mark and I scurried out of the bedroom and immediately grabbed the monitor. While Charlotte cried, Mark began making suggestions, “Maybe we should send Toby in there?”

I don’t know where all of my inner mom strength was coming from, but I reassured him that she could do it and that we had to give her a minute. Through the monitor speaker, I told her that we loved her and were so proud of her and that we’d see her in the morning.

Then, she was quiet. She probably only cried for about a minute after we left her room. Then, she sat very quiet and still, clinging onto her teddy, for a good few minutes.

And all of a sudden, she seemed to relax.

She grabbed a book and had a nice little read. 

 She laid down and chatted. 

    
 And then, just like that, she fell asleep! 

   
Throughout the night, she rolled around enjoying her newfound space. And, she slept without a peep until 7am. Not to mention the fact that she stayed in bed the ENTIRE time!! 

    
    
  

Wake up time!

 
The next day for naptime, the anxiety of the new bed was gone. She laid down and started to chat and play as she normally does. Then, Teddy fell out of the bed. She stared at him for a few moments until she decided to go after him. She crawled out of bed, picked up Teddy, and marched around to the other side of the bed where the step stool is located, and climbed right back into bed. A minute later, she threw Teddy out and repeated the process. Then, she went to sleep.

The rest of her naps and night sleeps went just as well.

So, it’s official! Our tiny tot is officially a BIG GIRL sleeping in a giant, full-sized bed.

As I mentioned before, I purchased these bumpers to put under her sheets and help keep her from rolling off the bed. I’m a huge fan.