Petunia Pickle Bottom - I'm in love with my diaper bag

For Melissamakah (my week long birthday holiday) day 3 I got the most wonderful gift from Miles. I have been eyeing the Petunia Pickle Bottom "Cake" diaper bag even before I knew I wanted a baby. So naturally when we got pregnant that is what I wanted. Then it was just a matter of girl or boy to decide on the color. Clearly we are having a boy so then it was the question of black or brown. Does it match the baby's room or does it match the stroller? So you are probably reading this thinking to yourself how ridiculous I am and you are probably right but after a lot of back and forth I went with black. I don't want to push my black stroller with a brown diaper bag. And would I really showcase my diaper bag in the baby's room once the baby actually gets here? HA probably not. Even though the bag was a little (a lot) more than I wanted to spend or should spend I needed it! We did luck out so I told Miles this would be the perfect birthday gift (two months early). The deal was that if he bought it it had to be put up and never looked at until my birthday. IT'S ALL MINE NOW AND I AM IN LOVE!

This might be a little preview of what the baby's room looks like even though I said I wanted to wait until it was done. 

Tonight we also had dinner at Abuelo's with some pretty special friends of ours. It seems the older we all get the harder it is to get everyone together, A birthday is always a great excuse to see as many as can make it. Good mexican food, great company, a beautiful/stylish insulated bag from Ashley/Dustin, a bag full of goodies for the baby from Rob/Amie & a cookie cake with a big lady on it. I really enjoyed tonight. Thank you everyone. It really meant a lot! 

Melissamukah

When it comes to my birthday some might say I am a little spoiled by my husband. For some reason Miles has always thought that my birthday should be something extremely over the top and special. It has become not only a day of celebrating me getting another year older but a week of celebrating. Each day Miles gets me some special gift and then I get my main gift on October 15th. Those that know us have learned and joke that this week is something we like to call Melissamukah. So with the baby coming this year I set a limit and told Miles not to go overboard because stuff for Gavin was much more important to me. Did he listen? It is day 2 of the birthday holiday and NO he did NOT listen.

Day 1 - I went into a shop downtown about a month ago and fell in love with this little antique end table that matched my baby's room perfectly. At the time I didn't have my chair in and as we all know I still don't have my furniture in so I decided to pass on this great item and wait until I knew what I needed. I was on the phone with Miles while looking at this end table but he really had no idea what it looked like. So yesterday when it appeared in the garage I was shocked. It is no surprise that Miles ignored the shop owner with her idea for which one I liked and went straight to the one I had seen a month ago. Yes, we are that couple. I'm not going to share a picture of it just yet but as soon as we get the crib and dresser I will get things in place and show off the end result. Week 16 of my furniture order being placed and still nothing. I would not recommend getting furniture at the Baby's Room in Rogers unless you order it the second you think you might want to get pregnant. Sorry for the side rant.

Day 2 - I got home from my nephews soccer practice and  Miles was showing me how to use the new baby monitor and he had this set up in the baby's room in front of the monitor. I got the sweetest ring from David Adams Jewelers that has Gavin Witt on it. I'm in love with this baby and he isn't even here. The best part about this gift is it was made to fit my right hand but since my fingers are swollen and FAT and my wedding ring won't fit right now I have this one to wear instead.

Other Events:
Miles had another client (Callie Summers) send him home with a baby gift after a photo shoot he did. 3 baby Einstein books, a snack pod, a bathtub corner cubby, a colorful rattle & the most precious book called Belly Button Book! I read the whole thing to Miles and got excited about reading it to Gavin soon. Thank you Callie!!!

Week 33

I feel like all Miles and I do anymore is either 1. work or 2. think about this precious baby that will be joining this world in seven weeks. Although work is necessary, the baby is way more exciting. I am not someone that likes uncertainty of any kind. So when we found out we were having a baby and then having a baby boy the lists immediately started developing so that maybe I could wrap my arms around what is about to happen. I mean nine months should be a long time right??? WRONG. And the idea of making a list to plan for a new addition to our family was unrealistic. People say that until you become a parent you really have no idea what you are up for and that is so true. We don't know what we are doing and still with all of that uncertainty I am beyond excited for what is to come. I am so far out of my comfort  zone right now and still have a peace about it all knowing that Miles is going to be right here and this is OUR adventure. Plus with a name like GAVIN WITT this is bound to be a cool kid :) 

Now that that is out of the way here is an update one what we have done and what I will start stressing over soon. The baby's room is no longer a guest room which my sweet husband has to kindly remind me of every time I call it that. We didn't have to paint the room because after two years of being in this house I still like the color and it matches the fabric I picked out perfectly. We got our chair in last week and it is the most amazing chair I have ever sat in. I had a vision for the chair that I wanted and now that it is in it is everything I had envisioned. I sometimes go in that room and sit in my chair and think about having a baby soon to rock to sleep. Miles and I also found the perfect curtains for our bay windows. While he was at a wedding I went out and bought some curtain rods and decided I was going to waddle up a ladder and hang them myself. Then after learning that I was not strong enough to screw in the screws I waddled back down the ladder and let Miles put them up the next day. My mother as you know agreed to make the bedding and just this past weekend got them almost all the way done. I was a little worried about the fabric I picked out but she did such a good job and they are better than I expected and even wanted. I thought about putting up some teasers of the room but then decided the final product would be better. The only thing holding me up right now is the Baby's Room (the store). My furniture has taken about 14 weeks at this point to come in and still nothing. A little annoyed to say the least but they promised us it shipped yesterday. 

We had our first baby shower last weekend. The girls really made us feel special and I fully plan on creating a blog post soon for that fun day. We got so many things for Gavin. Last night we got in our Chicco pack and play. It was quite the adventure watching Miles drag that thing out. Who knew you could have that much goodness in one box. Tonight we got a package from his parents and it had our video monitor in it. YIPPIE!!! Another toy for us to get out, play with & hope we don't break before the baby gets here. Here are a few pics we took below as well as a few fun gifts we have gotten that are practical and we have no idea how to use them. FUN STUFF! 

                              Miles had a client surprise us with these baby TOMS. I'm in love. Thank you Lisa!!!

      I found this little camera onesie online and as cheesy as it is had to get it for Miles. Gavins first camera around his neck. 

Chicco Playard - Graphica

                                    My sister got us this Chicco 360. Pretty sweet contraption :) 

                                                                   Summer Infant Video Monitor 

29 Weeks

This Thursday will be the start of week 31 of my pregnancy. At 29 weeks (on our 2 year wedding anniversary) Miles asked if he could take some maternity pictures of me. If you know me you know I do NOT like pictures of myself. After a near meltdown in the dressing room while trying to find an outfit I gave in because it is important for us to remember what it is like to have a sweet baby boy growing inside of me. Every time he moves it just blows me away that all of this is possible. I don't love being pregnant but I sure am excited to meet Gavin in 9.5 weeks. If you don't like my big belly don't scroll down :) 

Vintage Shower & Sweet Harper Grace

Kim - Joe - Cade - Harper

A while back (a long while back) I hosted a baby shower for my sister. As you are starting to notice I do not like traditional "baby" stuff. So when I found out I was having a niece it made planning the shower that much more fun. Little girls are EASY. My one request from my sis was I don't want a lot of pink. Clearly she wasn't interested in traditional either. I personally LOVE pink but went with the next best thing PURPLE mixed with a touch of mossy green and gold. Some of the stuff I used was new and some was stuff that I found around the house that just worked.

Invitations:
I couldn't do store bought invites for this shower (not that there is anything wrong with store bought invites). There was just nothing that was PERFECT. I had my mind made up what I "NEEDED" so my husband helped bring my idea to life. We sat down and this is what we came up with. It fit my theme just the way I envisioned it.

On the Menu:
I wanted to keep this fairly simple but still appear very fresh. This was toward the beginning of my pregnancy so energy was something I was lacking and food was starting to become a burden. I don't think I even at one of the cupcakes that I made for this shower and don't think I have made a batch since (even though I heard they were tasty).

• Chicken Salad Crescent Sandwiches
• Fresh Fruit Cups
• Cupcakes (of course)
• Veggies
• Chocolate
• Purple Punch

Decor:

• Cupcake Holder (decorative tree found at OOPS that just happened to be perfect for cupcakes)
• Metal Serving Tray and Utensil Holder from POTTERY BARN
• Glass Beverage Dispenser (Bed Bath & Beyond)
• Wooden Boxes (repurposed from a gift that was sent to us)
• Glass Canisters 
• Small Canning Jars (Walmart) with customized labels (created by Miles)
• Tulle & Ribbon (Hobby Lobby)
• Birdcage, Eggs, Paint & Moss (Hobby Lobby)
• Utensils, Napkins & Plates
• Harper Banner (homemade craft)
• Diaper Cake (one of the other hostesses graciously offered to make this)

The Gifts: 

• Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bag (my favorite diaper bag company)
• Tutu Outfit with Matching Ruffle Socks (The Baby's Room)
• I Love My Auntie Onesie 
• Legging with Bling on the Bottom (Three Monkeys) with a matching headband

                     Me -- Kim -- Mom -- Grandma -- Aunt B -- Kerry -- Lindsay

Here are a few shots my husband and I have taken of sweet Harper Grace so that you get the entire picture of why this shower had to be so girly and custom. We just love this precious girl!

WE HAVE A NAME

With three months and twenty days to go it is all starting to sink in. MILES AND I ARE HAVING A BABY!  As you know we were pretty secretive with the whole name process. We really wanted that to be something that was just us and then make people love it once we KNEW. I went through the 100,000 name book, the unique name book and the massive web search all the while keeping a running list of prospects. If both Miles and I didn't love the name it did not make the list :)  With that said, we know! Baby B will be named  Gavin Witt Boyer. Gavin because we love it. Witt because it is Miles middle name and a big part of the business we have worked to build. Boyer because that is what we are. I hope you all love it as much as we do. If you don't just keep it to yourself because it isn't going away (hahaha).

If the name wasn't more excitement than you could take here is what I have been doing lately. SHOPPING! Not shopping for little boy clothes but shopping for little man Gavins wardrobe. As you can see he is going to look a lot like his daddy! I just got a gap package in the mail today which are not shown above but trust me they are pretty stinking cute. Lindsey & Matt Lovelady got G his very first pair of Sperry's (top left). How cute are those??? Thanks again guys. We have received several other fun gifts that aren't shown above but trust me they are all adorable!!! The little lion was something I had been eyeing prior to getting pregnant and then it just so happened that it matches a portion of the fabric for the bedding my mom and I will be making. WE WILL HAVE TONS OF PICTURES TO COME AS THINGS KEEP MOVING ALONG.

As I'm sure you can tell my husband created this entire blog post for me (at least the picture part of it). I don't typically like photos of myself but I have had several requests for "bump" pictures. I am still a little hesitant about my growing belly being the center of attention. It just isn't natural. The first photo was taken in June while we were in Rhode Island. As you can see I was hardly showing if you can even tell. The second photo was taken in Alabama. Still not showing very much but getting there. The last set of photos were taking last minute on the side of the road on our way to Cade's birthday party. 

Aside from choosing a name, shopping and growing we have of course been keeping busy. I have made several passes at my own closet trying to make room for my "big girl" clothes. If you can get enough energy to actually clean it out, the best time is when you are preggo. Nothing little and cute is appealing at all and goes to the helping hands pile :) Gavin has been kicking and rolling for weeks now. He even kicked the dog the other day. It was pretty neat the first time Miles felt it. This little boy is strong. I am still sleeping good between bathroom breaks at night. I am LOVING food! I am HATING heat which is reflected by our high bill this month. I'm not sure what else to say besides I am loving the thought of meeting Gavin SOON! Check back soon because we have our 3D/4D ultrasound on the 18th!

Baby B Makes Three

Half way there!  Awhile back Miles and I found out that we were having a baby. Yes, it was planned but not expected so soon! It was a "hey Miles guess what" kind of moment followed by a "WOW" followed by an "is that a good wow or a bad wow" from me :)

The FIRST TRIMESTER was tough. I know everyone always told me how tired I would be and how food just wasn't the same, but I think I always just thought to myself "It couldn't be that bad". Well let me just tell you how it really has been for me and why my blog has been neglected.

Nausea -

• From the time I woke up until I went to bed I felt like I could throw up. Luckily I never did. 
• Brushing my teeth in the morning and sometimes at night made me gag. 
• After the first month I learned to despise chicken (which WAS my food of choice most nights of the week prior to being preggo), Cheeto Puffs and Mac & Cheese. I still will not eat any of them even at week 20.
• Sometime it got so bad that Miles would have to hide his food or eat in the other room because the thought of him eating it would make me want to throw up. 
• Disliking food led to not cooking which is why there have been no blog posts in a while. If I cooked it I wouldn't eat it. 
• AND THE WORST: not being able to tell the people at work that the smell of the food they are heating in the kitchen makes you want to run out the front door

Sleep - 

• All I wanted to do was sleep. At work I wanted to sleep, when I got home I wanted to sleep and then when night came I could not sleep. Vicious cycle!

Tears - 

• I have to admit, I haven't been the crazy basket case that apparently some people become. Miles says I have actually been pretty easy to deal with. BUT that is not to say I haven't had a few random moments where I cry in a movie that I would normally not be affected by or have a minor melt down because OMG I AM HAVING A BABY!!! 

With all of the above you also have to somehow put on a smile and act like you are 100% because you can't tell anyone the good news or why you feel terrible. 

People said "Don't worry, the SECOND TRIMESTER will be better". When the second trimester came and I still felt like crap I began to lose hope that I would ever be normal again. BUT I did! Finally I feel like a human again. Lazy just isn't my thing and it was starting to get the best of me. Now the Nausea is for the most part under control but then you step into a whole new set of issues. 

Weight Gain - 

• I don't know about you but I am pretty consistent with my weight. I have pretty much always been about the same size. As I get further along in the second trimester my baby gets bigger and bigger. Example: right now I am growing a baby inside of me that is the size of a cantaloupe. OMG I AM HAVING A BABY!!! So naturally as the baby grows into larger fruit and veggies, I am growing into sizes that are unfamiliar to me. NOT MY FAVORITE! 
• Not only does your belly grow, but other parts of your body start to grow...

Clothing - 

• During the first trimester it was cute that I had to unbutton my pants when I sat down. Now that I am in the second it isn't so cute that I can't button or zip my pants. Which leads to my second bullet...
• Maternity clothes...UGH! Do they even make cute maternity clothes around here? I feel like I am wearing a body suit when I put on a pair of those pants with the elastic waist that goes up to my boobs. They are comfortable though :) 
• Dresses are my new best friend! 

Potty Breaks - 

• Lets just say I get up anywhere between 3-5 times a night...
• How do you get any work done when you are expected to drink that much water???

Out of Breath - 

• Walking across the house can wear you out depending on the day. Maybe a slight exaggeration but still it is pretty bad.

Sleep - 

• The more pillows the better! 

Now for the fun part of the second trimester: IT'S A BOY!!!! ISN'T HE CUTE????

We finally had our first ultra sound and found out the gender of baby b! The switch from baby/it to a he/boy is a real eye opener. So what's to come????

Baby Furniture -

• We found the perfect crib, dresser & hutch at the Baby's Room in Rogers, AR. My parents graciously offered to buy them for us. I will have pictures to share in about 10 weeks when it all comes in. 

Baby Bedding - 

• TOUGH TOUGH TOUGH
• If I were having a girl I could decorate 10 nurseries but since I am having a boy it has been a little bit of a challenge. All of the pre made bedding is less than thrilling. SOO...we have picked out fabric to have it made. I just need to make sure it goes with my furniture before we begin. Pictures to come as we make progress. 

Names - 

• Names are HARD! Your child has to live with this for the rest of their life and it is all your fault if you pick a bad one :) Needless to say we don't have a definite name yet but several prospects. NO I WILL NOT SHARE UNTIL IT IS PICKED AND DEFINITE. 
• If you throw out names before it is decided people pick them apart. 

Baby Clothes - 

• Let the shopping begin! 
• I want my baby boy to look like a little man not like a baby blue mess :) Personal preference for sure. 

Well that is a brief look into what pregnancy has been like for me so far. I'm sure nobody cares but it is nice to have it written down somewhere to look back on one day.