She Is Here!

Kate Elizabeth arrived at 3:47 AM on 10/26/2013.

On Friday afternoon, I was outside watching Wyatt play and mentally preparing myself for one more week or so of pregnancy and then POOF (or drip if we wanna get technical)...it was time to go to the hospital!

We had some heart rate tricks during this labor, and the nurses started preparing C Section paperwork, but we pulled through for a successful VBAC.  I am so very blessed to have had an easy labor and delivery and a healthy baby girl. 

I have quickly learned how often I refer to Wyatt with masculine nicknames.  I keep calling Kate "buddy".   I am working on using Mrs. Buddy or finding a better way to talk to my lil girl.  She resembles Aunt Jemima (in the cutest way possible)...ha ha! We are home from the hospital and working on resting while the families keep my buddy Wyatt.

Big brother isn't quite sure what to think of Mrs. Buddy/Aunt Jemima/Kate yet.  At the hospital, he had a few funny statements.   "What's that one?" while pointing at Kate and "He has no teeth".  Big cousin said "she doesn't have arms yet?" since they swaddle them up so tight.  Something to giggle about.

I am off to relax and await the next feeding.  Moo-Hoo!  Can't wait to take some more pictures...and some naps.

Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch on Tuesday.  I was hoping to overdo it and cause some labor signs. No luck!  Wyatt loved it, but really he spent most of his time sitting on two toy tractors.  We might have been sorta hogging the tractors.  I just kinda gave everyone a look like "you can ask him to share but you have to find something else to make him happy because im not going too".  Nobody bothered him. ;)

I hope we make time to decorate / carve these pumpkins.  Today should be another fabulous weather day.  Planning to hit up a playground or two this morning, but I have learned that playgrounds don't allow for much mom sitting at this age.  Maybe this will bring on some labors. More likely just pain with no bebe.

Ramblings

39.5 weeks and trying to keep a positive attitude by expecting baby girl to never come.  I know she will be here within 2 weeks...hold on to that.  I have a Dr. appt tomorrow where I will probably get a no progress report but I am anxiously awaiting that appointment.  She will give me a deadline.  Perform now for VBAC attempt or we schedule your c-section on MM/DD/YYYY. 

I managed to take out the recycle today and put Crock Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla soup on. I am a tortilla soup snob so I am not sure if this one will be a hit, but at least there are chicken thighs in it. And at least I will not have to attempt to cook dinner this evening.  I am thinking we are going to chick fil a for lunch.

I already instagrammed this, but you should definitely make sweet potato irish nachos by Skinnytaste.  Then you should definitely add leftover steak fajita meat, jalapenos and cayenne pepper. 

Of all the things that could bother a pregnant lady, you know what is my worst problem right now? Carpel tunnel.  How lame is that.  This was the number one keeper awaker at night but I bought the little wrist brace and life is much better.  This problem should go away after I have the baby and depuffify.  

I don't sleep very well these days (see carpal tunnel).  You know what I do instead?  I shop.  Ugh.  I find all kinds of cute clothes and things that I can't use any time soon because I am up about 50 lbs.  Bwah ha!  I did buy some shoes.  Not just any shoes.  $175 ballet flats.  I thought Hunter would go nuts when I told him.  He was all "do you like them?"  "are they comfy" "thats ok". 

I have never spent that much money on any shoes, and it seems kinda silly to spend that much on ballet shoes but I NEEDED something to wear once I can't wear flip flops every day.  And canvas Toms get dirty too fast when walking around outside or at the playground.  And ballet flats are the most blister giving, non supporting, uncomfortable shoes evah.  Not these babies. I bought the Clover Green Tieks.  And I can wear them with no breaking in at 9 months pregnant.  Tested and approved.

I also have a subscription box addiction.  I mostly read about them and don't order them, but be warned everyone with an upcoming birthday.  You will be getting some of my faves (glossybox, popsugar musthave, etc, etc).

Off to log some hours at work...better strap on my wrist brace.

I welcome all distractions now.  Now is the time to send funny emails, good recipes, and pictures of your life.  I would love to think about anything aside from not having this baby yet.  :)

Target Shopping Discounts Update

I still love my Target (the Red Store).  Even though this town doesn't have a Super Target, they have a pretty decent sized grocery area so I can buy eggs, grapes, and toddler shoes all in one trip without fighting the lines at the Blue Store (Wal Mart).  Maybe I will teach Wyatt real store names next year.

A quick update for how I save money at Target.  Yah..it requires work, but I kinda love doing this stuff right now since I have the time.

Target Tip #1:
Open a Target Red Card (debit or credit) and receive 5% off of everything every time.  You also get free shipping on their website and 30 days extra for returns.  My fave thing..anything you order online can be returned in store.  I wish all stores did that. 

Target Tip #2:
Check out the Target coupons before you go.  You can find them on their website here and you can sign up for an email or text with a preview of the coupons here. This one is kinda a pain because you have to actually physically print the coupons...you can't show them off on your phone.  At least the website is easy...filter/sort, click, click, click, and then print all of the coupons you are interested in with one more click.  You can combine these with manufacturer coupons.

Target Tip #3:
Sign up for Cartwheel.  The biggest downer of this one is you have to have a facebook account so they can track your every move and all that fun stuff.  Just make sure your settings are set to publish Cartwheel information to you only and not your friends.  The best way to take advantage of this is to download the app on your phone so you can manipulate your cartwheel as you put stuff in your basket. 
You can put around 15 items in your cartwheel and then the app generates one coupon bar code that you can show at the register to receive your discount.  You get at least 5% off of everything in your cartwheel but sometimes can find 20% or 30% off.  These can get combined with your Target coupons, your manufacturer coupons, and your Target Red Card discount.   I search cartwheel every time I put something in my cart to see if there is a cartwheel discount for it and quite often there is.  I love the Cartwheel collections you can sort through to find the discounts (Top 20 Grocery, Weekly Ad,  Fall Essentials, etc). If you don't have a smartphone, you have to build your cartwheel at home and print off your coupon code in advance. That means you can't change your cartwheel for a crazy cool impulse buy.


I have already saved $11ish dollars on two trips using cartwheel and I only purchased items that were on my list for those two trips. Sometimes miracles do occur at Target.  Like I said...there is a bit of work here but you can get some pretty good savings if you are going to be doing damage at Target anyways.    Target has the best splurgey fun items...pumpkin spice marshmallows,  $0.50 fingerless gloves, and that dinosaur footie jammie that your 2 year old needs.

This is my favorite Target funny...

Our Pink and Aqua Nursery Nook

Kate's nursery nook is complete!  I love it, and everything came out better than I could have imagined thanks to some hard work from all of the family.

I did not want to clean out our guest bedroom / office and turn it into a baby girl room if we were only going to be renting this house until she was about 3 months old.  Our master bedroom has a little offset area, so we focused on fixing that up.  Since that project has started, we have learned that we will probably be living here a bit longer.  Oh well, when we are ready to give Kate the boot this beautiful nook will transfer to a big room without any problems.

The Bedding and Bed:

• Chevron crib skirt with hot pink trim customized by Take Me There Totes
• Aqua fitted crib sheet from Target (online only).
• Breathable Baby mesh crib liner from Amazon with pink polka dot trim by Take Me There Totes
• DaVinci Kalani crib in white from Amazon. 
• Safety 1st Heavenly Dreams crib mattress from Amazon.
• Quilt and pillow customized by Take Me There Totes

The Curtain / Valance:

I have an excellent room darkening window blind on the window that I can raise and lower, but I needed something to give the space some color.  Take Me There Totes created a valance to match the trim on the mesh crib bumper. I should buy a curtain rod that matches the white a bit more, but maybe another year. 

Decor Over the Crib:

• The bunting was created by Take Me There Totes.
• The K was purchased by my sister from Hobby Lobby and covered in fabric purchased at Hobby Lobby as well.

  The Dresser / Diaper Changer:

• The dresser is a goodwill purchase for $40.  Hunter sanded the dresser and repainted with Behr Interior Flat Enamel in Ultra Pure White.  This matched the crib perfectly.  He spray painted the cabinet hardware with Rustoleum Metallic Finish.
• The diaper changing pad cover is by Sweet Heart n Sunshine in the color Tiffany.
• I have filled the top drawer with all diaper changing necessities, extra sheets, and an extra changing pad cover.  The middle drawer holds clothes, and the bottom drawer holds blankets, burps, and bibs.  All of the extra clothes are currently in tubs or on hangers in Wyatt's closet.  He doesn't mind sharing for now.  

 Over the Changer Decor:

 My sister purchased quite a few frames from Hobby Lobby and spray painted them to match the room.  She filled some with fabric and some with pictures.  Once I get some fabulous newborn pictures, I will update the decor.  Paint colors are: Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Gloss in Blue Ocean Breeze, Krylon Short Cuts in Hot Pink, and Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Gloss in Classic Gray.

Room Dividing Curtain Rod and Curtains:

Wyatt has always needed a dark room for sleeping.  Since we will be sharing a room, I wanted to find a way to block out some light and maybe even add a bit of sound blocking.  Since this is a rental, we couldn't mount random curtain hardware in the middle of the room. 

• Bed Bath and Beyond sells a tension curtain rod that spans 120".  So far, this seems very sturdy.
• I purchased 3 of the Eclipse ThermaWeave Fairfax Grommet Panel (52"x84") in the color Gray from Target.  They do a pretty good job of blocking light. We will see about sound. 

 Everything Else:

• I have a few cute baskets that have her toys, books, and hairbows around the dresser area on the floor.  As she gets older, she will need more storage (see moving to another room in future).
• I have a glider in the living room.  With a second kid, I guess I won't have the luxury of kicking back and relaxing in a baby room.  I will need to be in the center of the action. I have stuffed the pockets with burps and bibs and wedged the boppy between the glider and the couch.
• I purchased another camera for the video monitor not because I will need to watch her while she is sleeping in our room, but so I can be doing things around the house with Wyatt and she can sleep in her room. 

Everything is ready.  I just need a baby girl now.  Two to three more weeks people.  We can do this!

Veggie Tales

This week has been a week of vegetable adventures. I must have been having some strange and healthyish cravings while strolling through the grocery store.

BLT(fried and green) - Yes, I bought green tomatoes with intentions of making a tomatillo / green tomato salsa, but I turned it into a bacon, lettuce, fried green tomato sandwich with chipotle mayo.  I would do this again!

Tomatillo Cheese Grits from Homesick Texan - I am obsessed with grits as long as they are slow cooked with milk and other tasty stuff.  Breakfast grits I can do without.  I served this up with some shrimp cooked with salt, cilantro, butter, and lime.  A Mexican version of shrimp n grits perhaps? 

Spaghetti Squash sorta like Steamy Kitchen Says -  Spaghetti squash might be my new favorite veggie. I absolutely loved it.  Hunter appreciated it too.  I thought Wyatt would dig in thinking it was pasta.  He did call it pasta but detected the intruder immediately and decided not to have anymore.  Maybe if I try the spaghetti squash and cheese (mac n cheese style) recipe he will go for it. 

Roasted White Carrots inspired by PW - I had thyme and I impulse bought white carrots. I roasted them along the lines of the PW recipe. 

Well peeps, I have a little more than 2 weeks left until my due date and I am rrrready.  I spend my afternoons trying to convince Wyatt to do things where I get to sit.  Sometimes I even fall asleep on the couch while he plays in the living room.  I am tots sure I would wake up before he get into something he shouldn't.  I think I bought THE last thing I need to buy before baby girl arrives. I got one last haircut. I washed clothes. I mostly packed our hospital bags.  Car seat check. I don't sleep at night. I only want to sleep during the day.  The usuals.  Just need a baby girl here to stir up some things.

A dose of cuteness...Wyatt found a little stuffed baby dolly that is not for him.  He has been carrying her around and taking her to read books before nap.  He propped her up by us and put a dump truck in her lap.  Sharing!  We call her "baby girl" and he gives her hugs and kisses.  I can only hope he is this sweet to his sister.  I also hope she can claim her "baby girl" back someday. 

September Product Favorites - Mama and Toddler

Mama:

Aquaphor - I am putting this on my lips at least twice a day..usually more.  Regular chapstick is not cutting it and no matter how much water I am drinking right now my lips hurt and feel so dry.

Progressive International Collapsible Cupcake and Cake Carrier - I should have just borrowed a cupcake carrier from my sister, but I needed one ASAP and I have Amazon Prime so I just bought the one that is recommended by America's Test Kitchen and Annie too. This was pretty slick, easy to use, and collapses to half the size.  I recommend it! 

Toddler: 

Melissa and Doug Grill Set - Wyatt got quite the birthday haul and we haven't had enough time to really play with all of the new toys, but this grill set has gotten a surprising amount of play time.  Two older cousins came for a visit and enjoyed playing with it too. 

Play Doh, Play Doh, Play Doh - Something we can do that is indoors.  Play Doh is pretty easy to clean up if you keep it on the tile floor or the kitchen table.  We got the Steam Roller, Trash Tossin Rowdy Dumptruck, and a Cutter/ Roller set similar to this. I think his favorite part is picking out the color that we play with. Mama's rules...only one color out at a time.


Construction Trucks and Tractors in a Toolbox -  These are almost all new trucks and tractors AND if you put them in a tool box with little compartments it gets even better for your toddler.  Wyatt knows every single one of these because if we misplace a specific one, we look for it for a long time before I can distract with something else.  Current faves are Backhoe, Forklift, and New Holland Loader.

I need some ideas for a little gift from baby sister to Wyatt when he meets her for the first time (the Internet says).  Anybody?  Current ideas...Mr. Potato Head, a Tow Truck toy, a matchbox car.

Hello October

October is here....baby girl's theoretical birth month.  Whoo hoo!

Did you remember to pay your rent today? In my tiny town, I have to physically drive to the realtor to drop off a rent check. What a strange idea.

My tiny town IS getting two starbucks though...one in a grocery store and one at our "mall". Now if we can just get some thai food, I will be ready to settle in for a while.

So here is a list of the pumpkin things I have tried so far this season:
Chex Pumpkin Pie Crunch
PW's Pumpkin Smoothie
Phyllo Pumpkin Bundles (had some phyllo and some punkin to use).  Not too shabby. 

And a few pumpkin things to try:
Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
Pumpkin Crunch Granola

Now please excuse me.  I must go put on some panel shorts because my belly button feels like it is going to explode and I can't even handle a shirt touching it.  I don't think it is normal for innies to become half outties.