Nursery Storyboard

Alphabet wall- DIY project that probably takes more time than I actually have, but I LOVE this. Can you tell that I want my baby to read early?

pst... this is all part of my plan to keep walls neutral and liven them up with some color and three-dimensional fun! Okay, I am officially having a lot of fun. And... I have to say... I think I'll be doing this theme either way. It's gender neutral and tranquil, yet super fun!! Look at that huge button. That alone makes me want to cry. And I have some white furniture that needs repainting, so I already have a lot of the stuff needed to complete my dream nursery. OH MY GOODNESS. I am ready to start this project. This nursery is my Christmas gift. LOL.

Bedding, $160 Babies-R-Us

The crib that I want is similar to the one in the picture and costs $200.

I was also thinking of using some vintage alphabet flash cards to put in various frames throughout the room, maybe even spelling out baby's name on a little shelf above the crib. The rest can be hung from string and clothespins in a corner of the room, and I think I will then tire of my love of the alphabet.

At that point, I might even start on some punctuation or definitions. LOL.

Seriously, I just googled "definition art".

In the early winter, I think we'll make a trip out to IKEA and come home with some cool toys, a spiffy hanging chandelier, and some paper lanterns.

And then I think we'll have our budget nursery well underway and prepped for little Dragan! I have to go get ready for work, but this was a lot of fun!

seventh grade-wowza

It's always fun to find old pictures. I was cleaning out one of our desks today, and I found this totally random gem from the seventh grade, back when overalls were a staple for the cool kid! Okay, maybe they weren't, and maybe I was a dork back then like I am now. . .

Anyhow, wish my hair was still that thick. Don't miss those Bert and Ernie brows for anything, but it's fun to think back on the days of yesteryear, a simpler time-- although we didn't think so!

Baby Registry Panic Attack Rant

No one told me that a baby registry would lead to a headache.

I know that I'm a little premature here. We don't know what we're having until November 4th, but I wanted to get a head start and do a little bit of research. I feel like I'm going to vomit. I seriously had a near panic attack trying to read all of the reviews on car seats and strollers. I am not ready for this! I don't know what I'm doing. I'm in love with the idea of a baby, but I seriously have no idea how to take care of a baby. It's been an eternity since my days of highschool babysitting, and I doubt I even remember how to change a diaper! And I don't think I've ever held a newborn beyond the initial "meet the new baby" kind of thing. And that had to be thirteen years ago with my little cousin!

So, I am a fresh bundle of nerves, and I want to cry. I'm googling suggestions for new moms, and I am lost in a whirlwind of breast pumps, infant carriers, and swaddling cloths.

I am attributing this to hormones and the fact that we're going to be moving in a month. Thankfully, I have a couple of friends who are first-timers like me who have already made their registries and had their babies. When you're alone and looking at that stuff, it can be extremely intimidating. You don't want to get stuff you can't use, and you don't want to get something that's going to be on safety recall in a couple of months. You also want to get something that's going to practically grow with you and your child.

It's finally beginning to hit me. Being a mommy is hard work, and this baby has about five more months to cook! No wonder some moms have mental breakdowns. It's way too early in the game to be getting this overwhelmed. Granted, this is the first time I've allowed this to happen...

I just want to cry, cry, cry...

In other news, I had my appointment yesterday. Everything's going great so far! Check it out... I've only gained 6 lbs this entire pregnancy. I gained 10 with the miscarriage, so that's 16 lbs total from any sort of pre-pregnancy. And that was a good 30 lbs heavier than my wedding weight, so... haha.

It brings me back to this, though. I just want to cry!

week of insanity ramble

Okay, so we got some word back on the house! It's in the middle of inspection right now, but the appraisal went well. Just a little more time now and then I'll post pictures.

I'm ecstatic to get inside and decorate it. I'm a little iffy about the amount of yardwork I'll have to do. I am seriously the opposite of a greenthumb, but I look forward to learning. Brandon's in a horticulture class this semester, so I'm sure he'll be able to help! The house is beautiful! I can't believe it's ours! Seems like a dream to not be renting anymore.

This week is proving to be a busy, hectic week so far and it's only Monday.

Yesterday, my macbook greeted me with the white screen of death. We've only had it for two years, so it was a complete surprise. Apparently, there's a trend of macbooks' hard drives going out when system updates are performed. I'm crossing my fingers that that's not the case, but all of this happened in the wake of a system update, so I'm not too optimistic. It wouldn't be such a big deal if it weren't a $1500 computer. I'd always heard that macs are golden computers that never have anything go wrong, so I'm a bit turned off right now. We're going to go to the apple store some time this week, but it'll be tough finding the time. I really don't want to drive to Green Hills and stand in line for an hour or more to be told to shell out $500 for something that should not have happened in the first place. I will be desolate if my pictures are lost. That was really the only thing I had on that computer, and we didn't have anything backed up because we didn't feel the need to go the extra mile. "Macs don't crash!"

Anyhow, we both worked today (my day was long and involved Christmas lights, garland, and floral wire) and went over to my in-laws for an eventful dinner of chicken marsala. So good!

Tomorrow we both work and Brandon has class, and then on Wednesday I have my 16/17 week prenatal checkup and lunch and dinner plans while Brandon has work and class. We're also taking of our cats to be spayed and declawed that day. I'm a bit nervous.

The rest of the week is work and packing and trying not to go insane. I'll have to let you guys know how it goes. I'm already tired!

for all the geeks like me

I am quite easily one of the most awkward people you will probably ever come into contact with. This entry has pretty much written itself several times over in my head the past few years, but now I'm finally sitting down to write it.

Here's the thing. I hate running into old acquaintances when I'm out and about in public. It's not that I don't want to see said acquaintances and see how they're doing. No, it's always nice to catch up outside the world of facebook and social media, but it's crippling to me. Words get lost on the tip of my tongue, and this overwhelming shyness and loss of confidence creeps in, and then I say something totally random. I think it's because I've been reliant on keeping up with people by not actually having relationships (ie. facebook), so I've lost the ability to hold a decent conversation that's not punctuated by something awkward . The people in my current life know me to be the nutty, eccentric person that I am! The people from my past... well, I don't really know what they think of me, and it bothers me when I start to mull over the possibilities. I lose confidence in myself quickly these days. I'm embarrassed to admit that.

Anyhow, I guess shyness and social awkwardness doesn't end with high school or even college. For some of us unlucky ones, it can even follow us into adulthood! I don't know if it's a lack of exposure to people or what over these last few years or working in the degrading industry of retail, but I have suddenly, in my adult years, become very anxious when I'm around people I don't know or don't know very well or haven't seen in years. Again, it has nothing to do with the person and everything to do with me and my own perception of myself. I've run into so many people from my past lately! Today, I ran into someone who I didn't mind seeing again and who is very lovely, but I digress... it's always nicer to run into someone when you're not wearing a frumpy-too-big-for-you-maternity-top and have your hair done! (Guess which two things weren't quite on my side.) I always imagined that I'd be a blonde, size 2, gorgeous sex bomb by the time I ran into anyone from my past! Delusional, I think. And then there's the fact that blonde and my complexion don't mix. 'Nother story for another entry, friends.

Pete Wilson, our pastor at Cross Point, had a blog the other day about the way we hide behind and market ourselves through social media. We're one way to those around us, and then we have another distinct internet identity. I'm not talking internet predators or living lies, I'm just saying we want to be perceived differently from our reality. If we're showing pictures of our home, we normally clean it up to make it appear spotless. If we're tagged in unsightly pictures of ourselves on facebook, we automatically go through and remove the tag so we're not associated with the five double chins that so ungraciously appeared. (Since becoming pregnant, I've developed a fixation with my chins. Call it BDD or insanity. Whatever.) We want people to see the air-brushed shell of what we really are. At least, that's how I operate. I don't mean to include the entire population in this ramble. . . this is just me musing. And I can't help but feel like I am sometimes a letdown when you really get to see the true picture. Thanks, society! Or thanks, Jami's bad body image.

I just thank God that I was never one of those people who were bullied or traumatized because I would probably be always stuck in the past and watching my every move. I would always have an internal monologue going. We watched You Again tonight for Grace Group. (Not the best movie choice, but whatever...) I cringed the entire time and thanked God that most of my school experience was fun and care-free!

Anyhow, this was just a freebie for you. I know every single person out there has awkward moments from time to time. And it makes the moments awkward, not us. :)

Seriously. I am Ugly Betty!

100th post/belly pics/ maternity fashions modeled by moi/ random pictures from Brandon's camera ;)

Well, in honor of it being my 100th post on my public blog,  (This blog existed before and was available to a limited few!) I decided to treat you guys with--erm, make you suffer through some belly pictures and a maternity fashion show, compliments of my mother-in-law who graciously took me shopping yesterday morning after hearing about my Sunday morning meltdown. :) 

Basically, I didn't have anything to cover my gut and my one pair of maternity jeans were in the laundry so I stayed home from church and felt sorry for myself.  So... insert my mother-in-law, a Kohl's coupon, and an hour of nonstop pregnancy fashions! An hour later, I was a new woman who didn't feel quite as frumpy and pitiful. 

It was a great day before my body decided to reject everything I put in my mouth. :/ 

Surprise, nausea! I guess you're not over yet! 

On to the fun! (Please pretend my hair and makeup are amazing, and I don't look like I've worked a nine hour day.) 

I love how empire waist shirts make you look even more pregnant! 

I don't know what happened to this picture below. I guess I accidentally edited it? Haha! 

The one below is actually a dress that I plan on wearing with tights! So cute!

And down below is the eight week difference in belly (and face!). I was eight weeks and starting to bloat in the second one. Jeans still fit. First  one is tonight, almost 16 weeks! Really starting to pop I think! 

Below, before we were pregnant in Atlanta! :) Miss the nondouble chin! 

Okay, so I haven't posted about this yet because I didn't want to jinx it.  We bought a house! It's not completely a done deal because we haven't gotten the sellers' signatures, but that should happen tomorrow. When all is said and done and official, I will post pictures. Hopefully, I will have some pictures of my own soon and not listing photos. When you post listing photos, the address of the house comes up in a google search and links to your blog, fyi. 

That means that I have to put my big girl shoes on and work on decluttering and packing up the rental house. We have some small repairs to do, and it feels a bit overwhelming with our busier schedules, colder weather, and minor pregnancy complications getting in the way. When I say complications, I don't mean true complications. I mean migraines interfering with well-meaning plans to gut kitchen cabinets, nausea ruining the best of intentions when it comes to finishing multiple loads of laundry, and your typical, run-of-the-mill fatigue and swelling of the feet. 

A tylenol and bowl of ice cream later, I think I am feeling a little more up to the task. I'm incredibly excited yet filled with more than a fair share of nerves. This is truly the busiest, most draining time of year for a lot of people, and I hope that, despite fatigue and stress, we're able to come out of this alive and still loving each other.  I find myself overwhelmed when I think of all the projects in addition to both our jobs and Brandon's school. 

In other news, I hate going downstairs to do laundry in the cold, smelly, spidery basement. 

I am so thankful that "our" house has a laundry hookup upstairs and down the hall from the master bedroom. 

In other other news, I am going maternity clothes shopping on Tuesday.  I didn't go to church with Brandon this morning because I couldn't find anything in my closet that still fit okay! This lower belly is popping, and it's not all that attractive when crammed into my mediums and larges!