15 weeks to go!

Today marks 25 weeks (or 15 weeks to go)!

Things are still going well. I'm sorry these are so boring and that I don't have anything to report! Though i'm sure at some point i'll say, it's getting more uncomfortable.. that hasn't happened quite yet.

Things get a little crampy sometimes but I do believe that's normal considering I'm growing a human.

I did have something exciting happen on Friday though.

I got new jeans!! I ordered from Old Navy online and I freeeaking love them. Way way way wayyy better then the ones I got from Motherhood Maternity, not to mention, these don't make me look like I have a wide rear-end (or not as much). They are super comfortable and I'm sure i'll get another pair soon because I can't just wear one pair of jeans all the time (or can i?)

Let's see.. what else? Well you saw the post I did yesterday on one of my nursery projects. I'd also like to report that my parents came down on Friday and showed us how to set up the crib (we were clueless!) and it looks great. Here's a picture!

I need to do some touch-ups on it but it looks brand new with it's white paint job. Can't wait to see what the bedding looks like on it.

Next week I'll be creating Roman Shades for the room and hopefully sewing some crib sheets if there's time. I have finally decided on colors for things. I can finish the mobile next weekend too (or maybe this week) and also the wall piece I'm working on. Super pumped for the DIY things to come! (don't worry, i'll post all about them).

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

The Nursery {Part 3}

Part 3 is all about DIY.

I will probably have multiple parts to this "Part 3" since I have a bunch of projects going and a bunch in the queue.

For now, I'll show you the one I completed this weekend.

I saw this on Pinterest and liked it. I only recently thought about adding it to the nursery.

So here's my mini tutorial if you want to create your own.

Supplies:
Canvas (mine is 12 x 12)
White paper
Wax Paper
Puffy Paint
Mod Podge (or homemade version*)

Steps:

Step 1, put your design on your piece of white paper, what you want to trace with the puffy paint. Since I liked what I saw on Pinterest, I just copied it. It may not be identical but I did the best I could free-hand.

Step 2, put the white paper under the wax paper and use the puffy paint to trace the outlines. Since i'm right handed, I went left to right to avoid smudging what I had already done. I probably didn't make as thick of a bead as I should've but it turned out fine.

Step 3, let it dry. The puffy paint said 4 hours. I just waited until the next day.

Step 4, peel it off the wax paper, carefully! Today, I spent time peeling and placing the pieces exactly where they would go but on the table just to make sure I had it down.

Step 5, apply one coat of mod podge to the canvas where you'll be sticking the puffy paint peels to.

Step 6, move each peeled piece over to the canvas, this wasn't the easiest thing but it surely wasn't difficult. Piece by piece I recreated the same design by staring at my original sketch.

Sorry, this is probably hard to see.

Step 7, after each piece is laid, put another coat of mod podge onto the canvas work area.

Step 8, let it dry. Test it later and if it needs another coat of mod podge, do it.

Ta dah!

This would also look cool with a different color puffy paint. I liked the white on white but it would really stand out in a different color.

*I created my own mod podge by combining one bottle of elmers glue and then filled the bottle with water, shook it and added it to the old sauce jar, then I shook that. Easy peasy. {I found the 'recipe' here}

The time that's left

I think I might start counting backwards next week when I hit 25 weeks.

Because there's only 15 weeks to go after that.

Those 15 weeks will include birthdays and baby showers, halloween, thanksgiving, christmas and new years.

In those 15 weeks I have a lot of projects I want to accomplish for the nursery as well as obvious shopping to be done for christmas.

In those 15 weeks we'll be spending 6 of them at a childbirth class. I'll be spending another couple hours at a breastfeeding class. And hopefully then we'll know a lot more than we know now.

In those 15 weeks, my tummy will have grown to hold a baby the length of an ear of corn to the size of a watermelon. I already feel like I have a watermelon, so this is going to be interesting.

In 15 weeks, I'll start to get my body back (though i'm sure that'll be a longer process then I can currently imagine).

15 weeks from now I'll be holding a baby in my arms instead of in my tummy. I'll feel her kick with her limbs out in the world instead of feeling them on the inside. I'll hear her little voice cooing (and obviously crying). Alex will get to hold her instead of feeling her kick and punch.

I can't believe I'm growing a tiny human!

Crock Pot Chicken Chili

I did not take this picture. Click Here.

I saw this on Pinterest (where else?) and it looked yummy, so I pinned it.

I put all the ingredients into the crock pot last Friday morning. We ate it for dinner that night (obv). I had two large bowls (that I really could not fit) and it was delicious. Possibly the best chicken chili I've ever had. Couple that with the easy factor and it was a hit for me (us). I even bought the ingredients at the store the next day so that I can make it again soon.

Try it, you won't regret it.

Check it!

Ever spend 10 minutes shredding chicken that you needed for a recipe? Me too. I actually hate shredding chicken but sometimes it has to be done.

Well, thanks to Pinterest (of course) and whoever actually came up with this. I will never shred chicken by hand AGAIN!

{pin}

Did you know you can shred chicken in your stand mixer in just a couple minutes flat?

NOW YOU DO!

24 weeks

This is the start of month six.

Things still going well, nothing new to report.

Lots of movement now that I can often feel on the outside.

She's kicking as I type.

Guess that means she loves my blog already??

Last week we signed up for our childbirth classes. They begin the 3rd week of October.

Yesterday we visited Erin, David and baby Addilyn. She is ah-dorable. It was awesome to hold her and it made me realize I should start working my arms out now. She slept so peacefully the whole time we were visiting.

I can't wait to hold our little sweet pea in my arms in 16 more weeks!

The Nursery {Part 2}

Let's talk about furniture, shall we?

My parents were generous enough to lend us the crib and changing table from when we were babies. My niece used the same crib and changing table when she was a baby as well. (I'm aware of the current crib safety standards). They both started out a vintage yellow gold. We decided to spray paint them white. I don't have a picture of the crib yet because we can't figure out how to put it together, but when we get it together, I will post it. In the meantime, here is the before and after of the changing table.

This next piece, I found while shopping at a consignment sale with Erin. I couldn't believe it was still there when I arrived because I got there rather late and it's a very nice piece. I need to redo the drawer liners but it will definitely hold a lot. We weren't planning to buy a dresser so this is going to work out perfectly! And it fits right inside the closet.

We bought this shelf from Ikea and Laurel lovingly helped me put it together. I need to figure out what's going to go in the shelf holes but I think it's going to fit really nicely in the room overall. Plus, you can't have enough storage, right?

Please ignore the changing pad, it obviously won't be going on this.

And last but not least is the rocking chair we just got off Craigslist for a steal! It's such a nice chair. I'm actually sitting in it right now bc our computer chair is broken. I thought for a minute about painting it white as well but I just can't. Regardless of the fact that it doesn't really fit into the room, I just can't disgrace it like that. I'll be putting a nice cushion on it though for comfort, hopefully that'll tie it to the room a little bit better.

This weekend I went to AC Moore and Michaels to get some supplies to make a mobile. That will probably be featured in part 3 of this nursery series along with another craft I plan to do for one of the walls. Still on the list of things to do is sew crib sheets, curtains, a crib skirt and recover a bumper for the crib. I also want to recover the bassinet that Jess is letting us borrow. It's frilly and white and I don't really like the styling. Lots more to do but it will all definitely make the nursery more cozy for the little one.

Updated to add the Crib image on 10/9/11:

Here is the crib all put together with a little help from my parents! It looks great in the room and I'm very excited to sew the crib sheets, recover the bumper and eventually put the quilt on it. Eeeee!