DIY stretchy car seat cover

Taking a break from pregnancy/house update/vacation posts to write about a DIY project I recently made.  I fell in love with those striped, stretchy knit car seat covers that seem to be everywhere on blogs and social media right now.  I have a heavier weight car seat cover that I used with Arlo, but for this summer baby I wanted something lighter and more breathable that still allowed me to provide shade and protection when we need to.  I had planned on just buying one of these covers, but realized I could easily make my own for a fraction of the price - and I already had the materials on hand!  I had recently bought several yards of stretch knit material to sew baby hats and headbands, and realized I had the exact amount I needed to whip up a seat cover - and in a striped black and white pattern just like the one I was planing to buy.  I think in times like these it was just meant to be...

I based the size of this cover to fit a Chicco Keyfit 30, but I think it would likely stretch to accommodate most brands of infant car seats.  One of the best things about this project is that it's multi-purposed - it can also be used as a high chair cover, nursing coverup, or shopping cart cover.  It folds up to a compact, lightweight, portable size so you can always have it on hand in the diaper bag.

Ok, on to the tutorial!

DIY stretchy car seat cover

Materials needed:

• lightweight stretch knit fabric - fabric that has a lot of stretch to it works best
• coordinating thread
• scissors

1.)  Start by prewashing your fabric.   Although I don't think stretch knit will shrink too much, it's a good practice to always prewash everything before you sew.

2.)  Cut your fabric to 29" tall by 63" wide, making sure that the width is the stretchy part!  note: if your car seat is larger than a Chicco Keyfit, you may need to cut your fabric a bit wider.

3.)  Fold fabric in half width-wise (see photo below) and lay flat so fold is on left, and fabric is wrong side out.

4.)  Stitch up right side of fabric using a zig-zag or stretch stitch if your machine has one.  (Ignore the pins in the photo below for now, I am about to explain those...)  Your fabric should now be in the shape of a tube with the top and bottom being the open part.

5.)   Keeping fabric wrong side out, lay your fabric flat again.  Measure and pin the corners as I did in the photo below, 8" over from each side and 14" down from the top.  Put a pin in each of those locations and then run pins between them, making a triangle shape.  I used a marking pen and straight edge to draw a line first, then inserted my pins along the line.

6.)  Repeat for other side.

7.)  Sew along the pin lines, again using a zig-zag or stretch stitch.  Now is a good time to mention the walking foot.  I recently purchased one for all the knit fabric projects that I am in the process of making, and let me tell you - it is a game changer!  A walking foot helps to feed the fabric evenly on top and bottom, avoiding the annoying bunching that can otherwise happen when working with knits.  I highly recommend one if you plan to work with this type of fabric often, they run only about $20 at JoAnns.

8.)  Using a rotary cutter (or scissors), cut off triangle of fabric that you just sewed.  Repeat for other side.  note: don't cut off the stitched line that you just sewed!

This is what it should look like at this point:

Hey, guess what?!  You are done!  That's how incredibly easy these are.  Turn it right-side out and pop on your car seat!  The small hole is at the top and the larger hole is on the bottom.  There is no need to hem the top or bottom because this type of fabric will not fray.

See how stretchy it is?  So easy to peek at baby!

I was just a tiny bit sad that I had used up every inch of this fabric that I bought without making a baby hat, which was this materials original intended use.  Well, I had used up almost every inch...  I realized the two cut off triangles could be sewn into a piece large enough for a newborn size hat!

Now, I can say that I used up every inch....

This cover (and hat!) cost only $10 for the fabric, about a third of the price of a ready-made one you might buy online.  It only takes about 10-15 minutes to sew up and would make a great gift as well.  If you make this tutorial please let me know, I would love to see pictures and know how it worked out for you!  Here is a picture I found on Pinterest showing how else you can use a stretchy cover like the one I made:

happy sewing!  :)

toddler crafts

I have been ready and waiting for Arlo to reach the age he is at right now.  My pinterest feed will prove it.  Ever since he was just a newie who couldn't even roll over, I have been furiously pinning toddler crafts and activities that I hoped we would one day do together.  Well, that time has arrived, and oh boy am I excited!  Over the past month or so, we have done a couple of new activities together each week.  Most were free or cost next to nothing, and all held his attention longer than any store-bought toy ever has.  I thought I would share a few of them here today.

First up, homemade bubbles.  I came across this oversized bubble wand they had on display at the local toy store near our house.  They had it all set up outside to play with, and Arlo's face lit up the second I picked it up and showed him what it did.  I bought him one on the spot and headed next door to the grocery store to buy the ingredients for the DIY bubble recipe that was included with the wand.  They are the best bubbles ever, super cheap, and the recipe makes a TON, but we have been making 1/3 of a batch at a time.  Every evening after dinner Arlo stands by the back door and says "bubbles.  bubbles.  bubbles!!"  because he knows that evenings are when we head out to the back deck to play with bubbles and the water table.

There are a whole bunch of recipes out there to make your own bubbles, but this one has been working out great for us:

12 cups water
3 cup dish soap (we use the blue Dawn, not the most "natural" but makes awesome bubbles!)
3/4 cup corn syrup

*simply mix together and use.  makes a whole gallon!  try and keep the solution from sitting out in direct sunlight as it will make them last longer.

The next craft project we worked on was watercolor paints.  Arlo has used crayons and markers in the past, and has done some painting at the babysitters house.  I bought the regular Crayola watercolors, and he loved it.  His favorite part was dipping the brush in the paint.  And then into another color.  And another.  So basically, all the colors end up mixed together but he had fun in the process.  He painted on a huge piece of scrap white cardboard as I wanted him to have a large, blank canvas that wouldn't move around on him easily.

The next one is more of a homemade toy than it is a craft project.  I came across the idea on Pinterest.  Basically you just take an empty plastic food container (I used an Earth Balance tub) and cut holes in the top to push pom poms through.  I have also seen something similar with an empty Parmesan cheese canister and straws to drop through the holes on top (would love an empty cheese container from any of you cheese-eating readers, ha.)  This activity didn't hold Arlo's attention for that long (too easy?) but he seemed to have fun for a few minutes. 

I made Arlo a pair of binoculars earlier this week out of two empty toilet paper tubes, some tape, construction paper, and yarn.  He loved them and played with them all afternoon.  Even this morning he was still enjoying just wearing them around his neck!  This was another idea from le Pinterest.

And I saved the best for last.  Homemade play dough!  I made this last week and Arlo has been playing it with almost daily since.  He calls it "may mo" haha.  I was feeling a bit ambitious when I read the recipe, and made three batches all at once because I wanted to have more than one color on hand.  This was a good idea in theory, however it ended with a trashed kitchen, flour everywhere, and multiple pots and pans to wash.  Next time I will probably stick to a single color, or try and find some natural food dyes from whole foods so I can make a big batch of plain white, then divide it up into smaller amounts and add color.  I used this recipe, and to make the individual colors I used spinach, fresh cherries, and tumeric.  I love that the inguredients are all natural and food-based and I didn't have to worry about what would happen if he tasted it, which surprisingly, he didn't.  I can't say the same for Lucy though, she ended up with quite the snack when we stepped away for a diaper change.  Let's just say she drank a lot of water that afternoon, and we have been very careful to keep it out of her reach ever since!

I gathered up some random toys and baby-safe kitchen utensils to use with the play dough, and Arlo even learned how to roll it into a ball with his palms, and roll it into a log on the table (with some help.)   I have a feeling this recipe will be well loved in our house for a long time to come.

One thing that I love about all this, is that when he is bored of these projects and crafts, the items can easily be tossed into the recycling bin or compost pile, unlike bulky plastic toys that spend the remainder of their life with us shoved in the corner or stored in a closet somewhere.  Not to say we don't have any regular toys, trust me we have plenty.  But I love the idea we can come up with a fun new thing to play with together, usually without ever having to leave home.  #DIYforthewin  :D

That's all for now, but according to my Pinterest page there are like, 794 more toddler crafts that I need to do while Arlo is still this young, ha.  Better get to it!

Thrifty baby

It's been a long time since I shard a thrifty baby post!  We have scored some great stuff lately between Craigslist and yard sales.  Here is what we have found!

Inglesina Fast Table Travel High Chair

This is my best find in months.  The cover washed up to look brand spanking new, and I can't wait to take a trip so we can use it!  Ours is more of a burnt orange color (matches our car seat and my car)  Price new: $60  We paid: $7!

Plan Toys wooden drum set

Arlo won't be able to play with this for a while yet, but it was too good of a deal to pass up at a yard sale.  Price new: $54  We paid: $0.50 (yes 50 cents - which is basically free. looks new but didn't include the drumsticks so I will have to find those elsewhere)

Busy Zoo Activity Cube

Craigslist find, and while I paid more than I wanted to, I still feel like it was a fair price.  The newer version is called the "zany zoo" but has all the same exact activities as our older model called "busy zoo."  Price new: $60  We paid: $25

Munchkin White Metal Auto Close Baby Gate

Not the most exciting find, but probably the most needed right now!  We found this gate at a yard sale this past weekend and paid just $10.  Price new: $55.  Installed it immediately at the top of the stairs and I am sleeping so much better at night because of it  ;)

Kiddieland Ride on Push Car

Another craigslist find from the same sale as the travel high chair.  I had been looking for a wooden walker/push toy but couldn't pass this up for $4.  Price new is only $12, but Arlo loves sitting on it so much pressing the siren buttons and grabbing the wheel that it was well worth the money.  Still have my eye out for a wooden one though.

Clothes, clothes, and more clothes

The tubs pictured above are filled with clothes for the entire next year.  One is size 18 month and is filled with t-shirts, shorts, summer PJ's, bathing suits (somehow I accumulated nine suits, which means we will have to take a lot of trips to the beach!) and sandals.  The other large tub is size 24 months and includes jeans, long sleeve shirts, a brand new winter coat, winter PJ's, vests, and boots.  Arlo is pretty much set for all of 2015! The smaller tub has a few 3T things that I found recently at a sale and couldn't pass up.  I am picky about the condition of the clothes and only buy things in very good or like new condition.  Best part - I paid just $0.50 to $1 for each item!

What is the point of these thrifty baby posts?  Well, I would be lying if I didn't say I get all giddy and excited about scoring amazing deals on anything I possibly can, and often want to tell everyone I know about all the useful stuff I bought for next to nothing.  But the environmental benefits to buying secondhand rank just as high on my list of reasons, as do the cost benefit.  I want to prove it doesn't have to be expensive to raise kids, and truth be told, with the exception of the baby gate for safety reasons and the clothes for obvious reasons, the other items on this list are not absolute essentials, and never would have entered our home if we had to buy them new and pay full price.  Babies actually need very little, and Arlo is often more entertained by old rubber spatulas, empty cardboard boxes, and mismatched tupperware containers than he is by the "baby toys" he has.  I am thankful that he has everything that he needs and then some, and happy that something I love doing not only saves us money, but helps to save the planet at the same time.

Happy thrifting y'all  :)

33 weeks

I have had this nagging feeling all day that I was suppose to be doing something relatively important today, and I can't seem to remember what it is... pregnancy brain has returned!  So I spent the morning sewing more baby stuff for my friends who are also expecting, and now here I sit writing my weekly post (a couple of days earlier than usual I might add!)  This weekend was mostly spent working on more house projects, although yesterday I spent the morning yard sale-ing which I haven't really been doing much of for the last few months.  I scored a few household items but also picked up some great baby things as well.  I am most excited about the whale bathtub I found yesterday at the consignment store.  It was only $8 and is normally $22 new so I feel like I scored a pretty good deal.  I feel a little relieved every time I can cross something off the "baby shopping list".  One step closer to being ready!

33 weeks + 4 days

At 33 weeks, baby B is about the size of a pineapple (wait didn't that happen a couple of weeks ago?  I guess he is a bigger pineapple now!) weighing in at around 4 pounds and measures about 17 inches from head to toe.  He is rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal.  These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.  He is keeping his eyes open while awake and also starting to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing.

While I was researching the information above, I came across a website about babies born prematurely, with pictures that coordinate to the weeks gestation they were at birth.  I couldn't help but look through the 33 weekers, and while they are very small and attached to many tubes and monitors, they still look miniature versions of normal newborns.  It's hard to imagine that our little guy looks like these babies at this point.  So thankful that we have made it even this far and that he seems to be doing so well.  His strong kicks these days are enough to shake my whole body and make my belly dance in the cutest way...

33 weeks + 4 days

I jinxed myself last week when I said sleeping was going well and my back pain had resolved.  A day after I wrote that post, I had a three night run of insomnia and my sciatica came back!  Fortunately last night I somehow slept nearly nine solid hours and my back is again on the mend.  I know the difficulty sleeping is pregnancy related, but I truly believe the back pain is just my injury flaring up like is has been doing on and off for the past two years.  I expect these things to come and go now as I go through the last couple months of pregnancy.  One day at a time, and today I feel pretty great so there you have it  :)

This week we will be headed to D.C. to visit Erik's family for Thanksgiving.  This will be our very last trip until baby B decides to make his appearance.  We will be staying close to home after this knowing that in just a few short weeks it could be "any day now".  However, we learned on the first night of our birthing class that the old school thought of "40 weeks gestation" is no longer thought to be the case, in an average spontaneous (non-induced) pregnancy, most babies arrive at 41 weeks and one day.  That knowledge coupled with the fact that first babies often come later than earlier, has me planning on being pregnant for at least an extra 8-10 days past the due date.  I am really hoping to avoid any sort of induction or labor augmentation, so I will seriously go to 42 weeks (to the minute!) before I allow for any medical intervention.  Let's hope it doesn't come to that... 

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and spend some fun time with your families.  And for my shameless veganism plug - do yourself (and the turkeys) a favor and try a Field Roast this year.  I promise you won't be disappointed!

24 weeks

Every time someone I know makes an announcement that they are expecting, it seems like the pregnancy flies by in the blink of an eye.  One day I hear they are pregnant, and before I know the obligatory newborn photo is showing up on my facebook feed.  I think to myself "wow, that baby is here already?!  How can that be?"  I assumed with being the one who is pregnant, that time would not move so quickly.  I was wrong.  Every week seems to pass faster than than the one before it, and suddenly here I am at 24 weeks (25 tomorrow!) leaving us with only 15 weeks (give or take) to go.  How can that be?  Wasn't it just recently that I was nervously preparing for our eight week ultrasound, hoping and praying that there was a healthy little peanut with a heartbeat in there?  That wasn't really 16 weeks ago was it??  If the next four months go by as fast as the last we will be holding this little guy in our arms before we know it  :)

At 24 weeks the baby is the size of a cantaloupe, measuring in at 10.5 to 11.8 inches and weighing around 12.7 to 20.8 ounces.  He is growing steadily, gaining around 6 ounces every week!  The once see-through skin is gradually becoming more opaque and is developing a new pink glow, due to the small capillaries that have recently formed.

24 weeks + 4 days

Physically, I am still feeling great overall.  In the past week I have had some small discomforts, but a vast majority of the time I still feel pretty normal!  I started to notice that my belly (more on the inside than out) felt like it was really starting to stretch in the last week, but that only lasted a day or two.  Maybe Sprout was going through a growth spurt??  Something else that has started in the past couple of weeks is a slight difficulty when standing up from a squatting position.  It feels like my legs are weaker, or that I am holding something quite heavy.  It's such a strange sensation, cause I really don't feel like I am very big or have gained nearly enough weight to warrant this symptom!  Unfortunately I have also having some back pain on and off for a little over a week, but it's hard to say if that is related to the pregnancy or not.  I have an injured disc in my back that has been flaring up occasionally for the past two years, pregnant or not.  I am hoping it's temporary and I can get back to my usual self soon.  Stretching exercises seem to help so I have been doing those when I think about it...  Fortunately I have still managed to avoid a lot of other pregnancy symptoms commonly experienced at this point - no swelling, leg cramps, or stretch marks (not even the linea nigra yet.)  And my belly button is still kind of flat, but I am expecting that to pop out at any minute, hehe...  Current food interests these days include sweet potatoes, kale, coconut or soy yogurt, and "tomato toast" which is toasted gluten-free homemade bread topped with veganaise and sliced tomatoes, YUM!!!

24 weeks + 3 days

The jeans I am wearing in these photos are Target brand maternity jeans that I scored for just $2 at a baby & kids consignment sale last weekend.  They are a little big on me right now but I figure I am not really getting any smaller these days...  I also found some super cute clothes for Sprout and a few other maternity things at the sale.  This sale was great - it was like a massive yard sale with only baby stuff and all in one big room.  I was in heaven, ha!

Next up, a delicious vegan/gluten-free yellow curry recipe, and hopefully over the weekend I can finally finish up and post a new pattern I have been working on for the etsy shop.  Oh yea, and the 25 week update too!

23 weeks

Note to my future self:  do not plan anything important (or unimportant) on all Friday the 13th's from here on out.  I am not a superstitious person, but last Friday was one that I would love to erase out of my mind completely, and the only thing I can think of that made everything go wrong was that it was the 13th!  Needless to say, we didn't end up taking our anniversary trip to Charleston, SC as planned.  I won't go into detail (because frankly I never want to revisit the details of that rediculous day) but I will say that pretty much everything that could have gone wrong did.  It involved 9 hours in the car, about 45 red stop lights, severe back pain, a car that sounded like it was going to break down at any second, and the worst lunch ever in a city I never want to visit again - Florence, SC.  And then the whole day ended up back at home, with nothing to show for it besides two plates purchased at an antique store and an empty gas tank.  Ha!

Anyways, the weekend improved drastically the next morning and ended up being a really good one in the end (see, it was the curse of the 13th I tell you!)  On to the 23 week pregnancy update!  :)

23 weeks + 4 days

At 23 weeks the baby is the size of a grapefruit, measuring about 10.5 to 11.8 inches in length and weighing in somewhere between 12.7 to 20.8 ounces.  (Seems a little strange to me, I have never personally eaten an 11 inch grapefruit, but maybe the people at thebump.com have!)  This week, the baby is forming little nipples, and the face is fully formed - it just needs a little fat to fill it out.  He is listening to our voices and other noises, which makes me hope that is is starting to adjust to Lucy's occasional barking.  I would prefer he come out already able to sleep through that  ;)

As far as my symptoms go, nothing too new to report.  Although I will say that this evening I feel so incrediably full.  I had to force myself to eat something for dinner when I got home, as all I had eaten since lunch was a little bit of pineapple and some carrots + hummus.  Not enough calories to call a meal!  I also feel like things are really starting to stretch on the inside.  The last few walks I have taken I have gotten crampy (like runners cramps) in my very lower abdomen, and I am really not overexerting myself at all.  It always goes away when I get home.  Baby B is definitely moving around more everyday as well.  The other night he got into the weirdest position, it was like two giant humps sticking out of my belly!  I showed Erik and he was laughing at the weirdness of it all.  I think it was a butt and head sticking up but I couldn't really tell.  Also, yesterday he was kicking so much, I lifted up my shirt and actually saw various parts of my belly pop out when he kicked.  I love just sitting and feeling/watching him move...

Last week I saw the midwife for my monthly check-up and she said everything looks great.  According to the measurements taken at the ultrasound he is in the 43rd percentile for growth, which she said was average.  She also doesn't think I am on track to have a 10 lb baby (like Erik was) and that was a bit reassuring.  I have gained 11 lbs so far, which is actually a little less than I thought.  The midwife said since I am in the 25-35 lb recommended weight gain category, I should have gained about 10 lbs by week 20.  So I am pretty much right on track for being 23 weeks.  The next visit is in 4 weeks, and then they will be seeing me every 2 weeks.  She also talked with me about signing up for birthing classes soon.  I keep thinking all this stuff is way in the future, but it's really just around the corner I guess!

And lastly... Part of the reason the weekend got so much better was my sale-ing trip on Saturday morning.  I picked up quite a few great things for baby B, but the biggest score was a like-new Chicco Liteway Stroller (in blue!)  The parents selling it said that they used it with both of their daughters but I can't see how...  Even the wheels look new.  Did they only drive it on carpet?!

Amazon price $140.  I scored this stroller for just $30!!

I was all set and ready to buy or register for a much more expensive (and fancy) stroller...  But after I picked up this one I really don't think there will be a need.  I can't imagine it really being a necessity for the first couple of months (he will be arriving in January after all) and this will be perfect starting when he is a few months old.  It reclines flat and has a 5 point adjustable harness so it can be used with babies that are quite young.  So happy I found this deal!  I also picked up a Maya Wrap Sling (in my size and in blue) last week for...  $1!  True story.  It was at my local thrift shop without a price tag, and the (somewhat rude) lady behind the counter just made up a price when I asked her about it.  I quickly forgave her for her rudeness since I was so happy to score this $70 sling in excellent condition for next to nothing. And just like that, the weekend was instantly made better.  I came home with our awesome new(ish) stroller and some other assorted goodies, spent some quality time with Erik and Lucy, and suddenly the awful Friday the 13th was (nearly) forgotten...  :)

20 weeks

20 weeks.  5 months.  140 days.  However you want to look at it, we are halfway there.  How did this happen?  I put in a request to slow down time weeks ago and somehow the opposite has happened...

In all seriousness, it feels great to be exactly where I am.  This weekend we took another road trip to see family, this time it was my parents in Tennessee.  We spent a couple of days just hanging out at their house, and on Saturday drove down to Chattanooga for a bike race that Erik was in.  This was my parents first time being at one of his races, and while it was a road race and we really only got to see him take off and then later cross the finish line, it was still pretty exciting.  The finish was on top of a mountain with the most beautiful scenic overlook.  You could see all of downtown Chattanooga, the river that winds around the city, and all the surrounding mountains.  During the race, my parents and I had a couple of hours to explore the area while Erik was hard at work on the bike, and wouldn't you know - we stumbled across quite possibly the one and only yard sale in the area consisting of all baby stuff, lol.  I don't have to even scope them out anymore, I just let the sales come to me!  ;)  I found a few cute outfits (not that I really need anymore) and also scored one of the items from my "baby wish list" on amazon...  a rock and play sleeper, amazon price $75... I paid just $5!  Sweet deal.  It needs a little cleaning but is otherwise in perfect condition, and the whole top comes off to go in the washing machine.  My mom bought a folding travel crib to keep at their house, and they also got a great deal.  She got a Delta Port-a-crib that looks brand new for only $25.  Amazon price $140.  Have I mentioned how much I love sale-ing season?  ;)

rock and play sleeper and port-a-crib

So now at 20 weeks, the baby is the size of a banana (head to feet) measuring in at about 6.5 inches and weighs about 10.2 ounces.  He or she has working taste buds and is swallowing several ounces of amniotic fluid every day.

20 weeks + 2 days

He or she is also moving quite a bit, and I can definitely feel it when it happens!  Mostly I feel lots of kicking, but occasionally it feels like a squirm or flip on the inside.  Actually, the day we arrived at my parents house, the baby was kicking so much, sometimes every few seconds, for most of the evening.  They were so strong and right in front of my belly, that both my parents and Erik got to feel several good kicks.  I read over the weekend that I won't be able to feel movement from the outside for a few weeks yet, so I am quite surprised we can feel it this early.  Erik immediately made a comment about the baby's strong legs (future cyclist he is sure!)

While we were taking my weekly photos outside my parents house this weekend, we also snapped a few of Lucy as she ran around their yard during one of her "spaz dog" bursts of energy...  Here is my favorite:

photo credit for this awesome shot goes to Erik  :)

And one of us sitting on the "rock couch" in the back yard...

 

 

 

love this little Munchkin!

We are now home for a couple of weeks before we take our next trip.  Looking forward to the ultrasound which happens next week!!! 

18 weeks

Another great weekend, and another reminder that time is flying by way too quickly these days.  Is it possible to somehow slow down time and enjoy this awesome summer just a little bit longer?
We spent this weekend at home, but still managed to keep ourselves quite busy.  Friday was a lazy movie & popcorn night.  Saturday was my usual early morning yard sale-ing (more on that later) and an afternoon mostly taken up by house projects.  A few were in the nursery and we also bought some new furniture for our screened in porch which is finally starting to take shape, so the projects were actually quite fun.  Saturday evening Erik had a local crit race which I was excited to be able to go to, most of his races involve a long drive and a full days commitment to attend.  I am so proud of him, he got 3rd place in the P/1/2 race and his teammate got 1st!  I always have so much fun watching his races and love to see him in his element.  Sunday we got to spend the afternoon with some friends we hadn't seen in quite some time which was great.  The next two weekends will be spent traveling, which seems to make time fly by even faster.  Slow down summer!

On to the weekly update.  18 weeks along now, and I think that I am finally starting to look obviously pregnant.  Earlier this week while at work one of my patients family members nervously asked about "my belly."  I excitedly responded that yes, I am pregnant!  He was the first person to ask so far, and it kind of surprised me as I still see myself as just a little thicker in my middle...  But as I was editing the weekly photos tonight I guess I started to see what he saw, and the bump is bigger than I think it is...

18 weeks + 4 days

18 weeks + 4 days.  and finally wearing one of the maternity tops I bought recently  :)

At 18 weeks the baby is the size of a sweet potato, measuring around 5.6 inches and weighing in around 6.7 ounces.  Developmentally there is nothing too significant to report of.  At this point the major systems are formed, the baby is looking very "baby like" and from this point on it's really about just growing bigger (for both of us I guess!)

After I though I felt movement last week I was sure by now that I would have felt something else.  I have been having weird sensations of bubbles popping in my belly, but I am not sure whether or not it is actually fetal movement.  When I read in my baby books that I would probably have trouble determining what was a movement and what was gas/digestion/etc, I thought there was no way that would be me - when the baby moved I would know for sure.  But it's actually much harder to figure out than I thought.  I think these could be movements, but they are so faint and last for such a short time it really is hard to say.

Otherwise, the symptoms are the same.  Although as my belly grows I am sure that my bladder is shrinking to abnormally small proportions, as I almost constantly feel the urge to pee.  Sleeping is still a little difficult, partly because every night involves so many bathroom trips and partly because I have become the worlds lightest sleeper.  A squirrel farts outside the window and I am instantly awake.  Ok, so it's not quite that bad but everytime I roll over, Erik rolls over, or Lucy makes a tiny noise I am up.  Perhaps this is natures way of preparing mothers to be up all night with a newborn.  In any case, I feel great most days even functioning on less sleep than usual, so I really can't complain.

So Saturday during my sale-ing adventures I found mostly house related stuff but I did find one baby item...  A new-in-box manual breast pump.  Amazon price $40, I paid $2. 

I do plan to pick up an electric pump, but in reading the reviews I realized that a manual pump is much smaller, lighter and easier to use while traveling or to have as a back-up.  Also, I recently learned that starting back in May of this year, insurance companies are now required to cover not only lactation consultants for new mothers, but they are also required to provide them with a new electric breast pump or rental of a hospital grade pump.  So I will be letting our insurance company buy me a fancy electric one as a baby shower gift, ha!

Things to look forward to: DC next weekend and a trip to Tennessee the following.  Oh yea, and our next ultrasound which I have scheduled for Sept 6th!  Counting down the days until we find out if our little sweet potato is a boy or girl...

But I still want to slow down summer.  Just a little.

DIY felt bunnies + thrifty baby finds

At the recommendation of my husband who heard about it from a coworker, I recently started following a new blog, Going Home to Roost.  It is a very sweet blog about plant-based eating, simple living, and cute crafty things.  On it, I came across this adorable tutorial for a DIY felt "bunny with a baby" and after finding myself home this weekend with some spare time and all the materials required to make it, I decided to whip one up for myself!

Here is the version from the tutorial on her blog:

I didn't have pink felt so I used brown.  Also, my white felt began to fray so my bunnies look a little bit scrappy!  I think they still turned out pretty cute and will make a sweet little decoration in the nursery, maybe sitting on a shelf or hanging on the wall  :)

I also came across some more great finds while sale-ing this past weekend...  Strangely enough, after I recently shared my feelings that I think this little peanut is a girl, everything that I came across at a few different sales was for a baby girl....  I couldn't help myself, I went for it and at only $1 per piece, it didn't exactly break the bank.  And how could I say no to that sweet pink dress??

Clockwise from top left:  Gap Baby dress, baby's first "North Face,"  and several sleeper gowns that I can't seem to stop buying.  Plus two adorable blankets.  Everything like new or new, and only $1 per item.

If this baby is a boy, I am going to have a lot of stuff to hand over to a friend or coworker that has a little girl.  Either that or our little guy is going to wear a lot of pink, ha!  ;)

I am still shopping for mostly gender neutral stuff as we have another 6 weeks or so before we find out if this is a little baby boy or girl.  By that time though, most of the big yard sales for the year are over and it will be too late to find deals as great as these...  So when I come across these adorable things that look brand new but cost so little, it's kind of hard to walk away!

15 week update in the works, coming up soon! 

13 weeks

Since I usually post my weekly updates towards the end of the week (and this week I am even later than usual), I am now actually almost 14 weeks and just a couple of days away from the second trimester!  It is crazy to think I am 1/3 of the way to meeting this little peanut  :)

I am feeling great, with the exception of some poor sleep these past few nights.  Not sure why, but it could have something to do with changing my work schedule last week.  I started working longer shifts but fewer per week, and this means I need to get up earlier than usual to get to work on time.  So far though I love it, I am enjoying my last of four days in a row off, and it seriously feels like I am coming off a mini-vacation.

The only other symptom I had this week was some sharp pains in my lower abdomen/groin area that lasted only a few seconds and only happened a few times.  I remember reading something about round ligament pain recently, and after looking it up I am quite sure that is what those sharp pinches were.  I was actually kind of excited about it once I realized I was having a new pregnancy symptom, ha!

Here is a little photo recap of the last 4 weeks and end of the first trimester:

For the pre-bump photo I used one I had taken last year since I didn't do any "before" photos this time...

So here we are at 13 weeks, baby is the size of a peach, measuring in at 2.9 inches long and weighing in at about 0.81 ounces.  The teeth and vocal cords are forming this week, and this tiny peach sized baby already has fingerprints!

13 weeks + 4 days

I realize that with a dress on it's hard to see the tiny start of the bump that exists, but I had no desire for anything but a comfortable slip-on dress today.  It has been so hot out!  There isn't much of a change in the belly area, if anything I almost feel that it got smaller, is that possible?  I have been pretty active the past few days, walking a lot and even did yoga twice.  As well, my appetite is leveling off, I am not ravenous all the time as I have been in past weeks.  So maybe that has something to do with it...

One of the best parts of this weekend was my yard sale-ing adventure yesterday.  I found some amazing stuff for super cheap!  I was downright giddy when I got home, lol...  I walked away with around 30 pieces of baby clothing (including a yellow rain jacket, ralph lauren sweater, and several sleepers) for get this - 20 cents a piece!!!  The girl who was selling them was very motivated to get rid of everything and was only asking $1 for 5 pieces - some were complete sets too.  People, this price is basically free.  Everything I picked out was like new or in great shape and mostly sized newborn - 6 months.

The next great find was a piece of furniture for the nursery.  I found the perfect rocker and ottoman set in nearly-new condition for only $25 total (they were asking $30) and I later realized I probably would have paid a lot more.  It has a removable slip cover that is completely washable, and after laundering the whole thing it looks brand, spanking new.  I imagine this thing was around $200 new?  Maybe more?  It's really nice quality!  I set it up in the nursery with a few little crocheted items I made last year...

At that same sale, the lady was selling a brand new moby wrap for only $5!!  The current price on amazon is $48.  I have a similar wrap that I made last year but for $5 I was willing to pick up a moby as well, just in case mine doesn't work the way I want.

My last amazing find was a brand new fuzzi bunz cloth diaper, still with the original price tag of $18.95 attached.  I scored this for only 25 cents!!  I looked at the lady like she was crazy when she told me the price, but I wasn't going to argue with her!  ;)

We plan to cloth diaper so I am always on the look out for them at yard sales.  I am not opposed to used ones that are in great condition, but to find one brand new was pretty awesome.  I also came home with a lovely purple blanket for the rocker in the nursery ($2), a 12 pack of brand new cotton pre-folds for diapering or burp cloth use ($0.25 for all 12), a picture frame for the nursery ($1), and a few soft rattles with the tags still attached ($0.25 each.)  It was like the yard sale gods were smiling down on me yesterday, haha...

After buying the rocker and seeing how things look as I slowly add to the nursery, I am getting super excited to start decorating in there.  I know it is still early, but I can't help thinking about all the cute things I want to add to that space.  I must have walked by the nursery 15 times since yesterday just to see the little corner of stuff I set up.  Further decorating will have to wait a few weeks though.  Next weekend we are headed up to Michigan to visit with Erik's parents and attend my family reunion, all the was up in Alpena.  My next two posts (if I find time to do them) will be coming from "up north."  Hopefully I will be able to pop in at least once and just write a little about how the trip is going.  Until then..

11 Weeks + the Parental Announcement!

Finally.....  We got to share the happy news of the pregnancy with all of our immediate family!  We told my parents and sister last weekend on Friday night (E's parents were unavailable then), then on Saturday morning got to make the big announcement to his family.  Everyone was of course, very excited - and I think we did a pretty good job surprising all of them!  I captured their reaction on video...  See below for a clip of the best parts!   (Side note:  if you are just starting to read this blog, at the time of writing this the settings were still set to private.  It did not go live until after we shared the news with everyone...)

To tell my parents, we called them up and told them that we were thinking of getting something for the house, and we wanted their opinion of it first.  They asked what it was, and I said it would just be easier to e-mail over a picture so they could see it for themselves.  The picture we sent over was the ultrasound photo.  My Dad has really been wanting to buy us a housewarming gift of our choice, and before he saw the photo he asked if this might fall in the budget for their gift to us.  I laughed and told him I didn't think so, because this "item" was going to be very expensive.  We all had a good laugh over that once they learned what it was!


(note: this is really more of just an audio recording than anything else since I basically just recorded me holding my phone to capture their reactions.  The video of Erik's parents reactions was much better since I actually recorded Erik instead of just the phone.  Rookie mistake!)


It was a little trickier trying to think of a surprise way to tell Erik's parents since we are in North Carolina, his Mom is in Michigan and his Dad is currently on the east coast for work.  We had to call them on a 3-way call to tell them both at the same time.  To set up this video for you a little - Erik and his Dad are always joking about building this huge garage in our yard and making the upstairs an "in-law" apartment so they can move down and be closer to us.  At the beginning of the video, Erik starts in with their usual back and forth commentary on this "planned project" and asks them how many kids we would need to have to get them to move on down and live in the not-yet-built "in-law suite."  I don't think his Dad realized right away where Erik was going with that question, haha  ;)




So here we are at 11 weeks (actually almost 12) and I am feeling even better than last week.  The nausea has almost completely subsided, and most days I don't even have any.  Energy levels are still not quite normal but pretty close to it.  The biggest change this past week is in the belly area.  I am still not really looking pregnant, but there is a lot more roundness going on down there.  I read somewhere that this is the time to wear "loose, flowing clothing" to hide the beginning of the bump, but I have found myself embracing what is there by wearing fitted tanks and shirts (except for at work where I am still trying to hide it!)  It's a little bizarre to look down and not see my usual self, but it's also pretty awesome to think about what is going on in there.

11 weeks + 3 days

The baby is as big as a lime this week (that seems huge to me!)   Measuring in at about 1.6 inches long, he/she has about a 1:1 head to body ratio, and now weighs in at about .25 ounces.

Developmentally, the fingers and toes have lost their webbing, and tooth buds, hair follicles, and nail beds are forming.  Apparently this little one is also already waving it's arms and kicking it's legs quite often.  I wish I could see or feel it, but I know that comes much later...

Yesterday I went yard sale-ing (a favorite Saturday morning activity of mine during the spring/summer) and scored a few sweet things.

In my treasure hunting (primarily for baby stuff in recent weeks) I am always on the lookout for wooden toys and found this little Haba fish.  Since these things cost anywhere between $12-18 new on amazon, I was pretty happy to pick up this little guy in excellent condition for only $0.50.  I have scored a few other Haba toys for around the same price at previous sales.  I also hit the jackpot at the thrift store and picked up five new pregnancy/baby books (for only $1 each), including two by Dr. Sears.  I have read great reviews on his books and I am looking forward to reading those.  When I got home, Erik and I had a lot fun reading through the Baby Name Wizard together.  He picked out names that I said "no way" to and everything I picked out he didn't like either, lol...  Fortunately we have some time to settle on just the right one.  Although I will say -we do have a girl name that we both agree on, but that will remain between just us for now.

The shoes in the above photo were not found at a yard sale, I actually had to buy those from the store...  But I do have a good reason for baby shoe shopping already...  This upcoming week is when we are planning to share the pregnancy news with extended family and friends.  I thought of a clever way to tell my co-workers and it involves this photo (and the baby shoes) below...

I plan to secretly hang the photo up at work this week on the bulletin board with the caption below it "Someone's family is expanding by two feet.  Can you guess who?"  I have a feeling it won't take them very long to figure out who put it up there, but it will still be a fun little way to share the news.  Our first appointment at the Birthing Center is on Tuesday, and if all goes well we are going to share the news with everyone else.  Just two more weeks left of the first trimester - I am so happy to be right where I am  :D