35 Weeks and Hair Product Love

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along? 35 Weeks (and I totally forgot to do a 34 week post.  Shame. On. Me.) 

Size of the baby?  Avery weighed 6 lbs 3 oz as of this past Tuesday.  Big girl!  Bless her heart in the 93rd percentile.l  

Maternity Clothes?   I'm loving my maternity leggings and loose tunic type shirts.  I purchased a maternity slip late in the ball game and it's the best thing I've ever purchased.  The slip is a spandex (think Spanx) like material and I'll wear it long after the baby comes.  It's a smooth feel under all dresses.  I highly recommend one.   

Gender?  Girl!  Avery Elizabeth

Movement?  All the time.  She's been less active now at night, which is nice, but there is a lot of pressure on the side of my abdomen when she moves her back and behind around.  It's a strange feeling.    

Sleep?  What sleep?

Cravings?  I have been craving Gummy Lifesavers, pumpkin anything and chocolate milk.  

Symptoms?  Lots of pressure down low and lots of (period-like) cramping.  I think my body is starting to prep itself for labor.           

Best Moment of the Week?  Seeing sweet Avery on the ultrasound this Tuesday.  She looked like a real baby.  Her nose and lips were so cute and I couldn't believe how she is actually inside of me.  I cried for the first time during an ultrasound, besides the time at 20 weeks when my dad cried in the ultrasound room which made me tear up a bit.  Can anybody not hold back tears when their dad cries?

 35 Weeks of Baby Love (forgive my husbands laundry in the hallway)

On another note....

After obsessing with the blog The Small Things Blog, and after watching Kate's various hair tutorials (I especially love her Bouncy Curled Under), I can vouge that this Aquage stuff she recommends really, really works!  I've never had my fine hair look so voluminous.  I met my BFF Ashley for lunch at Nordstrom today and she said my hair looked extra poufy.  What a friend! 

Find it.  Try it.  Love it.  And watch Kate's tutorial on how to actually use it.  

                                 Front - Super Poufy                                    Back - Extra Super Poufy 

                And then someone snuck into my shot.       I guess she wanted her own photo op. 

Lastly, could these headbands at Nordstrom be any cuter?

Playing Catch Up

I don't even know where the time is going.  It seems to be flying by.  Blogger brain block has gotten the best of me and it's hard sometimes to even think of a creative post.  Maybe it's the baby brain. Who knows.  Thanks for being patient and hanging in there with me.  Here's just a compilation of what's been going on lately.  

1.  Yesterday we had an ultrasound to see how big Miss Avery has gotten.  And let me tell you, she's gotten big.  Four weeks ago she was 3 lbs 12 oz.  As of yesterday she was 6 lbs 3 oz at just shy of 35 weeks.  If you're wondering how that compares, it's like she's a 37 or 38 week baby, although my uterus was only measuring 34 weeks.  We had a laugh about it but then my doctor brought up the idea of a c-section.  

Major anxiety set in.  If she's too big towards the end of the pregnancy there is a risk (especially with having GD) that her shoulders could be too big to deliver vaginally.  She even mentioned doing an amnio to check for lung maturity but I'd rather just wait to go naturally then to have the amnio.  I want to do what's best for my baby but I'm scared.  I will also add that my blood sugar numbers have been great and they don't have much to do with her size.  

2.  Speaking of GD, I am craving anything and everything sweet.  It has been rough.  And you know what's on the top of my list?  Salted caramel anything from Starbucks.  I treated myself to a SC short size hot chocolate (read: kids size) at Target one day and it was delicious.  I've even tried the SC mocha latte and frappuccino and they were soo good.  When this baby comes, J will be running to Starbucks daily for me.  

3.  We ordered the chair for our nursery.  After much consideration I dropped the Pottery Bard Kids chair idea and opted to order one from a local baby boutique, Rattle and Roll.  It was considerably less and there was no charge for shipping.  The fabric is a green and white geometric design and it's perfect.  

4.  Also, we finally ordered our stroller!  We went with the Bumbleride Indie in seagrass.  I did a lot of stroller research and this one had great features (and looks pretty modern).  I love the air inflatable tires so we can take it virtually anywhere.  I wasn't a huge fan of the travel system strollers and J preferred this one too.  

For a car seat we're going with a Maxi Cosi Mico, which had amazing safety features. Dilemma...what color should we go with?  Black?  Steel Grey?  Brown?  

  

5.  Do you tweet?  I finally signed up for an account for this blog {@aweddingstory} but I've got to admit, it is so confusing.  I'm still not sure if I love it and I've seen a lot of exclusivity between bloggers.  If I get a mention, I love to respond but a lot of people do not reciprocate.  Maybe I jumped on the bandwagon too late in the game.  

6.  Have you been watching any of the new prime time programming?  We are loving The Sing Off, The Biggest Loser, Up All Night, The Office, NCIS and several others.  I'm trying to give Whitney a try but I'm not in love with it.  The DVR is so full and I love it!  

7.  We've been taking our pre-baby classes and they have made me feel much better about the overall baby experience.  I took a breastfeeding class and surprisingly I'm looking forward to it.  I'm looking forward to lots of bonding time with Miss Avery.  

8.  I've been so excited to decorate for Halloween and Fall this year and I've been finding great ideas on Pinterest.  My fabric rag wreath from this post is almost finished (fabric sneak peak above) and I can't wait to show you!  Here are some great ideas I've found via Pinterest.

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Giveaway alerts!  

Happy Home is giving away a Scentsy plugin + lots of Scentsy goodies!  

Simply Smithwick is giving away a $20 Starbucks card!  

Essie Winner

I know I promised to announce the winner on Friday but somehow the time got away from me.  So, without further adieu, the winner of the Essie giveaway is....

Courtney @ One Fine Wire 

Courtney, get in touch me with me today {elassiter13@gmail.com} and let me know which polish you'd like in addition to Lady Like and also your contact info so I can mail your package right out!  Congratulations!  

And a huge THANK YOU to everyone who entered the giveaway, blogged, FB'd or tweeted.  I'm excited to get to know my new readers.  Everyone has been so kind.  Have a great Monday!  

Essie Giveaway for Fall - Closed

Y'all sure do like nail polish posts!  After lots of reader comments and emails, I've decided to host an Essie Giveaway for Fall from their latest collection, Brand New Bag.  Each color is inspired by a handbag.  Your nails will be ready for latte sipping and pumpkin picking!  Sound like fun?  I thought so.  Here's what's up for grabs...

One (1) bottle of my favorite polish for Fall, Lady Like (#5 below) and one (1) bottle of your choice from the Fall 2011 collection.  The colors for you to choose from are below!  Note-Colors are not true to real life, but just examples.

1/Glamour Purse

2/Power Clutch

3/Very Structured

4/Case Study 

5/Lady Like 

6/ Carry On 

The contest is valid from today, September 19, 2011 to this Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 12 pm EST. To enter you must leave a comment and be a follower of A Wedding Story or join on the sidebar. Google reader does not apply.

Other entries:

1.  Blog about this giveaway and send me a link.
2.  Tweet this giveaway and use @aweddingstory to share.
3.  Share this on Facebook with a link to this blog post.

There is a total of four entries for this contest!  Good luck!  Winner will be announced Friday morning by Random.org and will have over the weekend to claim their prize.  Please email {elassiter13@gmail.com} to claim your winnings!  Otherwise, a new winner will be contacted.

Nail Polish Favorites

I was at Target last week and just about fell over when I saw the new Fall Essie 2011 collection colors.  They are tres lovely.  So, I whipped my phone out right in the aisle and googled several of the colors.  I found this really fun polish blog, Musings from Manhattan and she has reviewed almost all of them.  Score!  

Here are the two I chose and I love them.  I've found that neutrals and soft colors look much better on my skin tone than pinks or reds (which I use to wear all the time).  And they look better when your nails are are the shorter side and clean looking.  Please note these are NOT my nails but from the Musings from Manhattan blog.  Her nails are what I'm striving for.  

Essie Glamour Purse, Fall 2011

Essie Ladylike, Fall 2011 (currently on my nails) 

What is your favorite nail color for the fall?  Please share! 

  

33 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along? 33 Weeks

Size of the baby?  Avery is around 4.5 pounds and over 17 inches long.  This is crazy to me.  It is still so surreal that there is a baby inside of me, even though she reminds me of it every minute of the day.  We have another ultrasound in a little less than two weeks, so we'll get an update on her size.  I'm truly okay if I go over my due date now as long as she is healthy.  I have to remember who this is all about.  

Maternity Clothes?   I'm trying not to buy any more maternity clothes BUT the fall clothes out there are too cute.  Hopefully I can wear some of it after the baby and cover myself as I lose the weight.  

Gender?  Girl!  Avery Elizabeth

Movement?  Constant.  She moves all over the place and since she's so big now, I can definitely feel the pressure of where she moves or positions herself.   

Sleep?  On and off.  I guess that's to be expected at this point.  I've been waking up in the middle of the night for hours on end.  I know I'm being prepared to have a baby.  

Cravings?  Strawberries, which I can eat.  Praise the Lord!  And Archer Farms (Target) Caramel Crunch trail mix.  I can't eat too much at a time but it definitely satisfies my sweet and salty cravings.  Gingersnaps too.  I can eat 3-4 with a glass of tea or milk.  

Symptoms?  A little more cramping this week.  I was in Target last week with my mom and it hit me like a ton of bricks.  It felt like I was starting my period.  The doctor decided to go ahead and check my cervix and although I'm not dilated yet, she's definitely dropped down and headed into place.  

Best Moment of the Week?  Lots of them!  Here were my favorites:

• Having the carpet installed in the nursery and entire upstairs.  It's an amazing change. 

• Going to my first baby shower.  My BF hosted a beautiful shower for me at a swanky hotel.  I'm still waiting on some pictures and when I get them I'll make sure to post.  I couldn't eat any of the sweets at the shower so Ashley requested I be served diabetic foods and they catered to my diet.  It was amazing.  Avery is a lucky little girl to have so much love surround her and her mama.

• Getting my diaper bag!  It was my birthday gift from Justin and I couldn't be any more thrilled. It's a Kate Spade Stevie diaper bag in black and white.  It's not really zebra, more of a woodblock pattern and inside is a deep purple with gold polka dots.  

33 Weeks (looking very tired)

32 Weeks and A Birthday

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along? 32 Weeks

Size of the baby?  Avery is probably over four pounds by now since she was 3.12 last week at this time.  She is really growing and my belly is the size to prove it!  

Maternity Clothes?   Yes and I'm so excited that my maternity jeans that I bought back in March still fit in September.  Score!  

Gender?  Girl!  Avery Elizabeth

Movement?  Sometimes I feel like she's going to jump right through my belly button.  She moves around like crazy and I love it most of the time but sometimes she'll wake me up numerous times in the middle of the night.   

Sleep?  This week hasn't been so great sleep-wise.  I cannot seem to get comfortable.  Hopefully in another eight weeks or so I will be able to sleep comfortably although it will be for very short spurts.

Cravings?  Of course I have cravings but I can do nada for them.  

Symptoms?  Waddle walk, sore feet and hands, headaches, cramping.  It just keeps getting more fun.  The gestational diabetes diet has made me very sluggish and very tired.  It feels like all my calories are going to the baby and I'm depleted.  I actually subbed in 2% milk for the skim milk the doctors office recommended and it has made me feel so much better.  You can actually become depressed and off-kilter mentally if you don't have enough fat in your diet.         

Best Moment of the Week?  Today is my birthday!  I guess 29 isn't so bad after all.  It means Avery will be coming soon.  Justin also surprised me with the fact that he got to take the day off.  That's truly the only birthday gift that I need.  He took me to Cracker Barrel this morning (after giving me the sweetest card ever) and I indulged in a really yummy breakfast.  My blood sugar numbers were fine too (although I don't need to check my morning numbers, just did it to check and make sure they were normal).  The biscuit with jelly was like a slice of heaven.  I've got a fun filled day ahead and even though it's pouring down raining, it won't get me down!  

Accent Wall

Please tell me I'm crazy for even thinking it.  I'd probably be even crazier to attempt it.  At eight months pregnant they would say, what are you thinking!?  Oh, but I wanna.  I found this tutorial for painted wallpaper at Jones Design Company and I'm highly debating it for one wall of the nursery. I'm not into accent walls but I thought this just might do the trick.  I am in love with it!

Too ambitious?  Too perfect?  Let the voting commence.  

Accent Vlog or I'm So Embarrassed

I got a wild hair to jump on the bandwagon and do an accent vlog today, so I'm linking up with Jenna's Journey.  This would have been posted about ten hours earlier except for the fact that it took 300 minutes to upload my video to YouTube.  There must be an easier way.  

Anyhow, I am so embarrassed.  I actually can't believe that I'm posting this but sometimes you have to go out on a limb, ya know?  Real life friends and mom, here is your daily laugh!  

Please excuse my:   a) dark roots   b) awful bra lines    c) overall heftiness 

The instructions are to say these words:

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

And answer these questions:

What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?

What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?

What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?

What do you call gym shoes?

What do you say to address a group of people?

What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?

What do you call your grandparents?

What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?

What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?

What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

So, what do you think?  Do I have an accent to you?  After I watched it back again, I thought that in no way sounds like me, but my husband thinks it does to a tee.  Zoinks!  Hope you've had your daily dose of entertainment!

31 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along? 31 Weeks, 1 day

Size of the baby?  We had an ultrasound this morning and Miss Avery weights approximately 3 lbs 12 oz and is in the 75% percentile.  Oops, big girl!  She was moving all around and the sonographer called her very "busy."  So busy in fact that she kept taking the wand and jabbing my belly with it to get Avery to turn around.  Sore momma, that's all I have to say about it!  Oh, and we confirmed that she is definitely a girl!  If she goes to full term we're looking at around a healthy 9 pounder (as long as blood sugar levels stay normal).  

Maternity Clothes?   Most definitely.  How will I ever go back to regular pants with a waistband and zipper?  

Gender?  Girl!  Avery Elizabeth

Movement?  She is definitely a mover.  Over the past few days I've felt her in a different way than I had before.  To the left of my belly button I feel a pressure sensation.  The sonographer confirmed that it was her back rising and moving.  I can put my hand there and feel her back and then feel her move away a bit.  She is head down with her back on one side of my belly and her limbs on the other side.   

Sleep?  Not too bad these days, praise the Lord! 

Cravings?  Let's be honest, I can't give into my real cravings because of GD.  However after a peach twizzler, peach tea and peaches in syrup craving, I gave in and bought some peaches.  But they spiked my blood sugar.  Go figure!  

Symptoms?  Headaches here and there and higher blood pressure.  This week it was 130/77, which is very high for me.  They are going to keep an eye on it just in case.  I have changed all of my eating and have lost over 4 pounds in the past two weeks.  Total gain this pregnancy has been 26 pounds and I probably won't gain too much more at all.  Not a bad deal!      

Best Moment of the Week?  Seeing Avery on the ultrasound again and seeing how big she has gotten. I just love her so much and can't wait to hold her in my arms.  I also got two see Avery's two best friends today, Sam and Bella who are 11 weeks old.  They are waiting for Avery to get here so they can play! 

31 week bump!