Little by Little

So the nursery is coming along a little bit at a time. We still have a lot to do but over spring break I was able to complete 2/3 of the bedding (yay)! My friend, Erica, and I got together the first Sunday afternoon of break and took on the crib skirt. I'm so thankful that Erica is talented on the sewing machine and can make things without needing a pattern. After sewing with Erica, I was encouraged to get out my own machine. So, I decided that I would make the crib sheet and I have to admit it was a complete FAIL. I cut the fabric exactly to the tutorials measurements and it ended up being too small. I was a little disappointed but quickly decided that since I had left over material that I could make crib bumpers instead. After looking at tutorials online I pulled out my machine and got to work.  I have to say that the hardest part was turning the ties inside out but fortunately my wonderful husband was a whiz at it! I'm also thankful to my mother-in-law for ironing and manning the machine to make the ties while I cut out the remaining fabric. The process went so much faster with my sewing wenches!

Here's the finished crib skirt and bumpers: (All I have to do now is make a blanket)

Here are a few pictures of some other fun things that will be going in the nursery...

Decoupaged "E" that sits on the shelves above the crib

Mobile to hang above the crib

My great-grandpa made this cross for me for my baptism.  It needed some TLC so my grandma took it home when she visited in February.  She repainted it and put new pink & green strings on it.  I really love how it turned out and it will be a special item for Ellis' room.  

That's all for now on the nursery. It's been so much fun getting ready for Miss Ellis! We can't wait for her to get here!

28 Weeks

It's crazy to think that we're already 28 weeks this week! I know that technically 12 more weeks is still a long time but I can't help but think about the fact that my mom had me 3 weeks early and my grandma had her a month early! That perspective makes it seem like we really don't have that much time. Not to mention that I've been working on the nursery but it's not anywhere close to being done! (More on that in the next post)  So here's the belly picture you've all been waiting for... I don't think it really does justice to how much I've grown in the past month but I'll let you be the judge.

28 Weeks

Saturday March 24, 2012

• Ellis weighs about 2 1/4 pounds and measures approximately 14.8 inches
• She can blink her eyes & may be able to see light
• She moves around constantly, which can sometimes be uncomfortable but for the most part is comforting to this momma!

Last Wednesday I went to the doctor for my 27 week check up. I had only gained 3 pound this month and I passed my glucose test (YAY!)! I've been having some dizzy spells lately but the doctor said that my blood pressure was on the low side of normal so if anything she thinks it's caused by low blood pressure when I stand up after sitting. So she said to just get up slowly and if I get dizzy to sit down for another minute. Ellis' heart rate was 143 bpm, which is pretty consistent with what it has been. I'll go back in 2 weeks for a 30 week appointment and then after that I'll go every 2 weeks.                                                   

23 weeks

So technically I'm 24 weeks at the time of this post but the belly pic and information from the doctor's appointment are from 23 weeks. It just seems like time's going by so quickly that I don't always stay caught up on the blog.

We had our doctor's appointment on February 22nd and once again were able to hear our sweet little girl's heartbeat.  It was steady at 145 bpm, which is close to where it's been at the other appointments.  The doctor said that I was measuring a few days ahead at 24 weeks but isn't changing the due date from June 16th.  I was surprised to learn that I had gained SEVEN pounds since my last appointment but the doctor said that I had room for growth so she's not worried. So far, I've gained 15 pounds which she said is right within average.  I haven't had any problems besides being sleepy and having heart burn so I can't complain too much.  I'm also feeling Ellis move consistently, which is one of the best feelings in the world.  Here's a belly pic and some fun facts about Ellis.

Sunday February 19th, 2012

• Ellis is approximately 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound
• Ellis' inner ear mechanism (cochlea) is fully formed, so she hears what we hear but at a different level
• The book says I might be able to see her move but I haven't noticed that yet

Ellis,

I already love being your mommy. It is so wonderful to 

feel all of your little kicks and squirms. Your daddy is so 

excited to meet you and loves it when you kick his hand.  

You've already captured his heart! You also have 

grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and 

cousins who love you very much and can't wait to see

your pretty face. You are so loved already, little girl! 

Love,

Mommy 

Party Time in Conway

Two weekends ago Matt and I went to Conway to help Aiden celebrate his 3rd birthday.  I can't believe that he is already 3!  He is such a fun little boy who is definitely ALL BOY.  He loves playing with cars, rough housing and especially loves his grandpa and uncles.  And although they are getting fewer, he is still sweet enough to give hugs and kisses.   

The weekend was packed with family time and a lot of fun.  My grandparents came down from Iowa for the party and stayed with mom and dad for the week.  On Saturday we went to lunch with Mike, Adrienne and the boys.  Mom also invited them to Aiden's birthday party, so they came over Saturday afternoon.  When Aiden found out that Lincoln was coming to his party he was so excited.  Those two had the best time together.  They barely stopped playing long enough to eat cake and open presents.  Here are a few pictures of the birthday boy with his cake.  (I'm horrible at actually getting my camera out and taking pictures so these are from my mom's Facebook.  I'm trying to get better about taking pictures.)

  

Unfortunately, we didn't get to see Rob and Kaye because they were on a ski trip to Colorado. I have to admit that I'm a little envious of their time playing in the snow!  Here are a few more pictures of us with our nephews (that were taken with my camera!) We just love these little boys so much!

Take 1

Take 2

Take 3

Nursery Ideas

Shortly after finding out we were expecting I started thinking about the Baby's nursery. I always thought I would be the practical mom who did a gender neutral nursery so that I wouldn't have to pay for new bedding and decorations with each child. However, after talking to several moms I learned that even if you have all girls that decorating ideas and style will probably change with each child. I was also having a hard time finding "neutral" bedding that I liked. I kept being drawn to vibrant colors, whether it be a boy or a girl. So I talked to Matt and we decided that we would do a very boy or very girl nursery!

Our first purchase for the baby room was this cute little rocking chair that we found in an antique store in Conway. It was already the perfect color for a little girl's room and we could always paint it for a boy. (Good thing we're having a girl because I love the color!)

The second purchase was this children's wardrobe off of Craigslist. It needs some TLC but once it's painted, has new hardware, and a door I think it will be a fun piece for Ellis' room.

After a lot of searching we found a crib from Target that we love. It came in this week so we already have a place for Ellis to sleep. We also found a chair and ottoman from Babies R'Us. It took some effort to find it in-stock at the distribution center but we did and it should be in next week!

My good friend, Erica, has offered to help make the bedding. She's a whiz on the sewing machine and I'm sure everything will turn out great! This is the fabric we're using.

Crib Skirt and Blanket

Crib Sheet (Not the best picture, but you get the idea)

So far it's been a lot of fun picking things out for our sweet little girl. I can't wait until it's all finished and ready for her!

Ellis Says "Hi Daddy!"

So I've been feeling Ellis move and kick for about 2 1/2 or 3 weeks now. At first I thought that it was my tummy rumbling or indigestion but quickly figured out that it was her. When we went in for our doctor's appointment on 1/26/12 we asked the doctor when Matt would be able to feel her move and she said it would be another 4 weeks or 5 weeks.  Since then, every time Ellis' moving like crazy I've told Matt about it and he puts his hand on my belly.  Once his hand is on my stomach she moves even more, but he hasn't been able to feel it.  Well this past Thursday, February 2nd, she was kicking me pretty hard. I told Matt to put his hand on my belly.  He did and started talking to her, saying, "Ellis Claire, it's daddy..." And then as if to say, "Hi daddy!", she kicked his hand! It was the neatest thing for him to be able to feel her, especially since we didn't think it would be this soon.  I can tell that this girl loves her daddy already!

This belly pic was also taken that night.

February 2nd, 20 Weeks

• Size of Ellis: 6 1/2 inches
• Weight: 10 1/2 ounces
• Fun Facts: Her sensory system development is moving at a rapid pace. Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.  Research suggests that she may be able to hear outside the womb.

The Reveal Party

Last Friday night, the day after our ultrasound, Matt and I had a party at our home, with close friends to reveal the gender. We had told our parents on Thursday night that we were having a girl but asked them to keep it a secret until after Friday night. (They did a GREAT job!)

Decorations & Finger Food

I have to admit that Matt is WAY more creative than me so the way we revealed was completely his idea. Everyone had to pick either a blue balloon, to indicate "boy", or a pink balloon, to indicate "girl".  After choosing a balloon people stood on the "boy" or "girl" side of the room.

Team Boy

Team Girl 

(Andy's balloon popped on accident... 

he saved the surprise by stepping on the slip of paper quickly!)

On the count of "three" everyone popped their balloon. There was a note inside each balloon letting the person know if they were correct. It was so much fun to see everyone's faces as they read their notes!

Girl Note: "Great Pick! Ellis Claire DeMott will be here in June"

Boy Note: "Well you had a 50/50 shot, better luck next time"

The party was so much fun and it was wonderful to share this moment with our closest friends!  And a special thank you to our friend, Kelsey, for taking great pictures for us!