 Hellooooo! So here's an update, ya'll.
I'm moving right along! I'm yearning for the first trimester to me done with so I can have more energy and feel better! This photo was a little funny when we shot it because I don't have a bump but definitely feel a little bit more "fluff" than normal. Lack of working out maybe? haha PHYSICAL: Aside from no bump, 10 weeks has been pretty good to me. Woohoo! I'm feeling better than I was - that's for dang sure! However, I still don't feel AWESOME and still have the same 'ol fatigue here and there. At 9 weeks 6 days on December 26, I woke up with inflamed hips and thought it was from the light number of squats, leg lifts, and kickbacks I had done the previous day. NOT the case! For the next two days my hips were achey which I soon realized my body is preparing to give birth...hello! MENTAL: This is a mental game for sure! I'm so so grateful I don't have to work full time and give HUGE props to those pregnant mamas that do! It's hard for me to fathom the idea of having a 9-5 and actually surviving the first trimester SPIRITUAL: We're praying for baby and asking for very specific things in the baby's health such as perfect eyes, hearing, heart, and all things. FOOD: My appetite is pretty consistent, although I get full on smaller portions than normal. Non pregnant...pssch I can eat more than some men! #ilovefood I don't obssess over diet and frankly don't "diet". Ila and I strongly believe in food as a lifestyle. I've watched various people "diet" and fluxuate with their weight rather than have a cheat day or two or include "moderation" in their food choices instead of extreme "cutting out". Of course, different personalities work for different people. For us, however, choosing a whole food diet with a cheat meal or day or little treat is better than going off the band wagon as most of us are guilty of. The below are just some of my food choices for meals and snacks. I hope this helps! Or as Kai would say "lunch" for every meal. : ) REMEMBER protein, fat, and fiber at every meal! BREAKKY: 1. Gluten free organic quick cooking oatmeal with organic blueberries or apple and chopped organic nuts 2. Protein smoothie with greens and fruit (add organic peanut butter or other nut butter and be sure you have protein in there and not just fruit) 3. 2-3 organic pasture raised eggs with sea salt on sourdough toast with avocado and berries. LUNCH: 1. Green salad with veggies and a protein 2. Protein smoothie 3. Nitrite/Nitrate free turkey meat, hummus and carrots, 1/2 an avocado, a couple slices of apple ***With keeping your weight in mind and for blood sugar purposes, choose apples, pears, and berries over other high sugar fruits. DINNER: 1. Protein, salad, veggies (can add rice w/ coconut oil)- so yum! 2. Organic Soup- there are TONS of easy-to-make healthy recipes out there and so yum! Also great for leftovers! ***Your dinner meal can/will determine a lot of your weight gain. But remember to be gracious with yourself as well as smart for you and baby. : ) SNACKS: 1. Spoonful of Organic peanut butter -Sprouts makes a good one without sugar. CHECK YOUR LABELS! DO NOT SKIMP ON NON ORGANIC NUT BUTTERS! PAY THE EXTRA MONEY IF FEASABLE. 2. Tblsp of protein powder in applesauce -May sound crazy but if you have a solid protein powder and need a quick little pick me up try this. I don't recommend flavored proteins with this...I tried it, and it was NOT a memorable experience. Good laugh though! 3. Sliced apples and peanut butter 4. Hard boiled egg w/ Himalayan Sea Salt- If you can stomach eggs, do your very very best to have at least 2 eggs per day. This is a great little pre bedtime snack and helps balance out your blood sugar for the morning. This has saved me! (But I ike eggs...so there you have it!) FITNESS: Now that I'm feeling better, I finally started my boxing membership again and I can't tell you how excited I am to get my sweat on and build back some muscle! The classes I'm taking are either boxing, kickboxing, or cardio/boxing. I can pretty much do everything besides crunches and oblique work. However, it is important to strengthen your deep core. Even if I don't feel like working out and have no energy at all, I do my very best to get my butt in the gym because it gives me such an incredible boost of energy. It's just so worth it! Just remember, active mamas produce healthy babies but ALWAYS listen to your body! : ) That's all for now! Comment below with questions! Love, C
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 Hey all! So I'm one week into the third trimester at 29 weeks. After having an amazing second trimester, my pregnancy symptoms are starting to act up now hitting the third trimester. It's funny how each of the three trimesters are true to the symptoms they're known for. The first trimester I had major naseau, food aversions and fatigue. Once I hit 12 weeks, or the second trimester (to the day), the naseau went away, I regained tons of energy and felt amazing. On the very day I hit the third trimester and at the present, my energy levels decreased and I began to feel lethargic. Not only that, but other third trimester symptoms like heartburn and swelling started creeping in. Literally to the day! Below are more of my pregnancy stats now that I am rolling into the final trimester. FYI Baby weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is around 15 inches long. Crazy! Weight Gain: 15 lbs to 16 lbs. I have maintained this 15 to 16 pound weight gain for about the past month. While I would normally be concerned that I'm not gaining the recommended 1 pound per week and have remained so constant at 146 lbs., I am still right on target for a 25 to 35 pound weight gain. Again, last pregnancy I gained 20 pounds in the last trimester, so I wouldn't be suprised if that happened again. Given that baby still needs to pack on roughly 5 pounds or so, I will at least gain 5 plus pounds - hopefully a little more. Exercise: My energy level has officially tapered off at 29 weeks. I am so thankful that I've felt energized throughout the majority of my pregnancy, but unfortunately I've hit a point in which my energy levels are at an all-time low. Currently, our family is in Aspen, CO for Christmas, so in all fairness, the altitude might also be affecting those energy levels. However, if the altitude isn't to blame, I'll place the blame on third trimester pregnancy symptoms. It may just be hormones at this point or the extra energy used to grow and carry baby.. whatever it is, I am super lazy as of late. Generally, my personality is to get up, energized in the morning, ready to seize the day, especially after having a bit of caffeine, which I am still incorporating into my diet (especially now!). The past few days, I have gotten up in the morning, feeling like I don't want to get out of bed. And when I do get out of bed, I am not looking forward to tackling the day only because of how lethargic I feel. All I want to do is crawl back into bed and regain energy, but even if I crawl back into bed, I am not rejuvinated from a nap or relaxation. Boo. I'm hoping this is just a little phase I'm going through and that I will regain that energy as my body adjusts to the third trimester symptoms. As it relates to exercise, I am not motivated AT ALL to workout. I do notice, though, when I do workout I gain energy (duh!).. it's just tough to get to the point of getting myself to exercise at this point in the game. At this point, yoga/streteching, pilates, and toning classes are what I have been focusing on. Also, walking on the treadmile at a brisk pace and on a slight incline has been helpful and low impact, while also helping increase my heart rate. Nutrition: My eating habits are all out of wack at 29 weeks pregnant. I think it's fair to blame this on the shrinking size of my stomach paired with acid reflux. Lately, it feels as if I have no room in my stomach and thus, have no appetite at all. I am used to eating certain portions throughout the day and knowing my hunger cues extremely well, but when I eat those same portions, I fill up WAY faster than usual. To top it off, I literally never feel hungry, but also know that I need to eat, so I feel like I'm kind of shooting in the dark. I start to eat, but then stop quickly because it feels as if there is no room in my stomach to fit any food. Even with small quantities of food, I get acid reflux, which also makes me want to stop eating. You'd think the silver lining would be that I feel leaner because I'm not eating as much, however, it feels the opposite. Because of the acid reflux, I feel that full, disgusting feeling, as if I've eaten too much. I'm one of those people that hate overeating - it makes me feel super nasty - so, I have this constant feeling like I've eaten a huge meal when in fact I've just eaten a small portion of a meal that I would normally eat. So bizarre! Thanks, third trimester pregnancy symptoms... Pregnancy Symptoms: Acid reflux. I'm still practicing my warm lemon water in the mornings but it's not working like it used to. I'm really having to incorporate portion control and eat tiny tiny meals (more like grazing) throughout the day. Hoping this acid reflux goes away! Also, itchy skin. The skin on my belly is definitely thinning out as my belly expands, creating that itchy feeling. I don't have the line on my belly yet (it's called something - linea nigra or something). I developed this around 8 months with Lincoln, so we will see if it happens with baby number two. Fatigue - yes! Ugh, I dislike being tired. Also, restless leg syndrome. I notice I get this later in the evening, generally when we are driving home from a dinner out. It doesn't bother me when I'm asleep at night or anything like that; only certain times while driving in the car. Fetal Movement: This baby still likes to move, but isn't moving quite as much as he/she had been a few weeks ago. I'm actually thankful for this because I was starting to think that my baby was going to be super hyper, and as a mom, I don't think you want two super active kiddos haha!! Baby has also gotten the hiccups a few more times, but certainly not as much as Lincoln had gotten them. He hiccupped all of the time. Predictions About Baby's Gender: Initially, I thought we were having a girl without a doubt. I gravitated towards all things girl, including nursery decor. Not only that, but I haven't gained the weight I did with Lincoln. I have been eating a heck of a lot healthier this time around but in my first pregnancy, I definitely didn't pig out (even though I wasn't as strict with my diet) - and ended up gaining 60 lbs, when I feel like I really shouldn't have put on that much weight given my diet. So the lighter weight gain makes me think it may be a girl? Or maybe I'm just luckier this time around. Also, in the beginning with this pregnancy, I was a little defensive when people would tell me they think that I'm having a boy - as if to protect the fact that I'm having a girl, which was the reverse of what I felt in my first pregnancy. I would get defensive when people said I'm having a girl. But truth be told, at this point, those feelings have subsided majorly and I feel equal towards each gender in all ways. I even think that it may be a boy at this point, which would be super exciting. Two little boys would absolutely rock my world. Who knows!! Either way is a huge blessing. Thoughts About Delivery: My new OBGYN is all set and ready to go. I also know the hospital I am going to deliver at, although I have yet to visit and check out the premises. I also haven't pre-registered or done any of the delivery preparation stuff. It's funny because in my first pregnancy, I had all of this stuff done wayyyyy before it needed to be done (like a crazy person); second pregnancy, you are much more relaxed and go-with-the-flow. But I really do need to start getting prepared for delivery, including doing a tour of the hospital facility, pre-registering and doing things like driving and knowing the route to the hospital, making preparations for family to come out, designating someone to watch Lincoln through my delivery, etc. All of this I haven't really given much thought to, and like I said, last time I had excel spreadsheets, word docs and powerpoint detailing every step of my delivery plan lol. I will say that I do know that I am going to get an epidural. During my last pregnancy, I knew I would get an epidural, but also wanted to try and go as long as I could without getting one to let my body progress naturally. Once those contractions kicked into high gear, I'm telling you that I have never felt a pain like that. I don't say this to scare people, only to make it real that contractions are no joke. I am a tough girl and have a decent pain threshold, but contractions are insanely painful in a unique way that almost makes your body go out of control. Now, the thought of not getting an epidural is a little bit silly to me. I am absolutely getting an epidural. I'm not sure about timing - when I will get one, i.e. at what phase. It worked perfectly during my first delivery (and I will do a post on my delivery story with Lincoln). Essentially, my water broke and I started having mild contractions. We booked it to the hospital and the contractions gradually started getting stronger (but not unbearable), then they started to get stronger and stronger and then it seemed like out of nowhere, I was in a state of uncontrollable and out-of-body pain from the contractions. The epidural gal had come by asking me if I wanted the epidural earlier (before the pain had gotten to this point), and I told her I was fine - because I thought that I was! However, knowing what the contractions feel like at around 5 to 6cm dilation is a whole different story than at 2 to 4 cm dilation. Ideally, I'd love to get the epidural right around 4 cm dilation, but I know that timing this can be quite tricky. I expect that my delivery with baby number two will be even faster than with baby number one - which was around ten hours total from my water breaking to deliverying my son. They even had me "labor down" for about an hour and a half which I thought was unnecessary (although I'm not sure) -- because I'm pretty sure the nurses and doctors were attending to other patients lol. So all in all, I had a quick first delivery. That said, I WILL be getting an epidural with this baby, it will just be a matter of when. There is a part of me that almost wants and likes to feel the pain to know that I made it to the point of pain, and then to get an epidural. I don't know why but it makes me feel like I in fact "labored." If I get the epidural too soon and feel no pain at all, it may be weird to me to have not felt that pain. SO WEIRD. I know. I don't know why I feel this way. Why torture yourself when you can easily get an epidural right away? We will see what I ultimately decide, but I do need to start thinking about it. Preparation for Baby: So the nursery is coming together slowly but surely. It's harder than I thought to plan a nursery because Lincoln is going to use the baby's crib until the baby outgrows the mini crib we have for him/her. Once Lincoln outgrows the crib, he will hopefully be ready for a toddler bed - we got him the cutest bunk beds!! But until then, it's all about logistics. So as of now, the baby's crib is in Lincoln's room, so it's hard to plan a nursery without having a crib as a centerpoint. I trust it will all come together soon, but I am running short on time with only 11 weeks to go. Not to mention, I have an entire home to furnish!! Other than nursery interior design, I do have a lot of the supplies that I need for baby. A lot of those things I used and use for Lincoln is what I will use for baby. I should probably go through a checklist of items I need - yes, that is a good idea! We will do a post on preparation for baby soon - I for sure need it!! And no, my hospital bag is not yet packed. I packed this way in advance for my first, and he ended up coming one or two days after his due date, so this time around I think packing my bags about a week before will do the trick. Oh, the joys of being a second-time mom... :) xx, ILA   Ohhh the first trimester joys! Why is it I don't recall it feeling this debilitated the first time with Kai? Hmm... maybe because it wasn't! It's INTENSE, ya'll...! I'm experiencing very similar symptoms as with my first pregnancy; however, this second pregancy I feel worse and have stronger symptoms more often... as in most of the day. I remember the "hungover" feeling kick in around late afternoon when I was pregant with Kai but felt ok besides exhausted the other part of the day. Here's a little breakdown of the weeks up until now: WEEK 5 and 6: EXTREME exhaustion, felt like absolute yuck/blah/hungover/semi-miserable off and on throughout the day, and getting up in the middle of the night to pee (therefore, sleep is interrupted and not so great). Again, different than my first (from what I remember)! My uterus doubled in size (FACT) and I found it difficult to suck in at times. I had a bloated feeling off and on. Already feeling a bit uncomfortable sleeping on my back unless my knees are up. Who sleeps with their knees up?! WEEK 7: To the day, I felt I had turned a corner for good and then two days later I was back to feeling amazing - NOT! What the heck?! Bloating feeling also continued... I'm now very careful when I brush my tongue because my gag reflex is hypersenstive. Don't worry, no vomiting going on over here! WEEK 8: Still feeling the major blahs and like I want to fall asleep or curl up in a ball on the couch and moan the feeling away. LOL! However, I do have moments, sometimes up to a couple hours, of feeling good or even great, usually after I've eaten or worked out and gain some energy and brain power. BAM! For me, the trick is to eat small meals or snack throughout the day on healthy, whole foods. And no, I haven't done it by the book. I've had some sweets, pizza two times, and non organic food when we go out to eat. And frankly, 90% of the time I don't feel like cooking and choose something that is quick and easy - no not fast food! But let's be honest, we're #mamaskeepinitreal and I know some do it by the book but that's just not my personality. Also, sometimes you just feel like altogether CRAP and have the just-feed-me attitude - no matter what it is. Well sort of... ; ) With all that said, I am still being VERY conscious of my intake of whole foods and buy only organics. FOR MY "YUCKY" FEELING: Sufficient protein and my Thorne 5-MTHF vitamin along with my Shaklee Vita-Lea multivitamin/multimineral w/ iron seem to help the most. Also the Shaklee Stomach Soothing Complex tablets help my tummy. Sometimes I have to really force myself to take all my vitamins because I know they give me a boost (of course after I've eaten a balanced protein packed meal). I'll be doing a blog post on my prenatal vitamin regimen soon! I notice if I don't eat soon after I wake up in the morning, my blood sugar drops extremely low, and I start to feel worse than yuck. So, I get my buns downstairs and cut up an organic kiwi or two and stuff it in my mouth and almost instantly I feel better. I then get going on a little breaky which consists of sourdough bread w/ grass-fed butter topped with 2-3 scrambled eggs and 1/2 an avocado. This really has been hitting the spot for me. Let me also reiterate something you guys may have seen on our Instagram or heard me share on a story about sourdough bread. It MUST have the ingredient "sourdough starter" (more to come on this in another post).
8 WEEK DR. APPOINTMENT: We went to the doctor last Thursday for our first check up and ultrasound. I was 8 weeks 1 day apparantly. We got to hear the baby's heart beat and all was great! I have a small cyst on my right ovary which the nurse practioner assured me was very common and said more than likely it will disappear very soon. Hakunamata friends, hakunamatata. I weighed in at 124.6 pounds and five feet 5 1/2 inches and measured 8 weeks 5 days on my ultrasound but still have a due date of July 26. We were told ultrasounds are not 100% accurate, and that is why my due date is based off the first day of my last period, which was October 19 (while we were in South Africa)! I barely remember any of this since my first pregnancy which is funny. It seems like so long ago that I was 24! And let me just say this time it is a MUCH better experience having my wonderful husband by my side! He is simply amazing and of course made the entire doctor's office laugh out loud pretty much our entire appointment. He even thought it would be comical to get on the scale to be weighed, and of course it was. What a dork! OVERALL PHYSICAL BODY CHANGES: Very little. However, I can now fill out my bra SIGNIFICANTLY more (not complaining). Thank you for reading! Ila and I love sharing our journeys with you and hope it inspires, helps, or encourages you! Comment below if you guys have questions or anything you want to say. Ila and I would love to hear from you! Yours, H thursday december 15: |
  romans 15:13 |    |
Rug | Linen Sofa | Side Chair | Ottoman | Coffee Table | Chinese Credenza (one-of-a-kind) | Side Table | Floor Lamp | Table Lamp | Pendant Light | Decorative Pillows | Log Vase
Okay all... so one of my many passions among other things is decorating and designing our new home! If you know me, you know that if I'm given a project (whether it's wedding planning, nursery planning, you name it), I will go 110% all out. Since given the task of decorating a new home, I have invested tons of my time (when Lincoln is napping) into space planning and decorating our home in Nashville. I have studied interior designer blogs and Instagram profiles, and have followed design trends in order to figure out what style suits me the best. I have come to realize that my decorating style is a combination of traditional, transitional with a slight tinge of mid-century modern thrown in there. I also love rustic elements, including lots of wood elements and tons of Restoration Hardware pieces :) Some of the top design blogs that I have come across include Studio McGee (my absolute favorite), Becki Owens, Kathy Nutt Design, and Blackband Design. There are several more designers that I have gotten inspiration from, but these four are my go-to's.
The above photo is a design I created for our sitting room. I tend to only go with neutral colors because I think they are timeless and you don't tire of them easily, but with this house, I decided to take a leap of faith. We had a few of the prieces of furniture in the photo above already, including the Belgian Linen Sofa for Restoration, the coffee table (which is actually our dining room table that I am coverting to a coffee table because it is too pretty to part with), and the Chinese credenza - which is a one-of-a-kind piece that my mother-in-law (a very design savvy woman) got us as a house-warmning gift. These pieces set the base for our house in which I built off of.
I then found inspiration from a home that Studio McGee designed - you can check it out here. I literally swoon every time I paruse through her portfolio of work. The Rangeview Reno and Modern Mountain Home projects are my favorite. Her shop is also where I have selected several of my furniture pieces from - and is oh-so-cute. I could literally furnish my entire home with items from her shop. Anyways, back to my love for the Rangeview Reno project done by Studio McGee, I instantly fell in love with the Palisades rug in the living room, which Studio McGee sells in her shop. I purchased the rug on a Cyber Monday sale for about $1,500 and this gave me a great palette and baseline to work with in addition to the furniture we already owned.
I knew I wanted a grey leather chair to compliment the colors in the rug and also to offset the warm tones of the sand-colored linen sofa. I searched high and low to find the right grey leather chairs that were a fair pricepoint. I did fall in love with some from Gabby Home, only to find out that they cost $2,400 each!! Needless to say, this was far out of my budget (I have all of our furniture in every room budgeted out). Yesterday, I recieved an email that Anthropologie Home was having a 20% off sale and decided to check out their side chairs to see if they had any that would suit our family room. Low and behold, I found the perfect tufted leather chair (see photo). I purchased two - and they were a fair price on sale at around $1,500 each. I also bought the cute little ottoman to add a fun pop of pattern to the room.
All of the other elements play off of these pieces. The room is a combination of traditional and modern furniture with rustic and bohemian tones. I also love mixing bronzes with silvers to add to that look. Anyways, this is our family room so far! Can't wait to show you all the final outcome and also to share more rooms to come.
xx,
ILA
The above photo is a design I created for our sitting room. I tend to only go with neutral colors because I think they are timeless and you don't tire of them easily, but with this house, I decided to take a leap of faith. We had a few of the prieces of furniture in the photo above already, including the Belgian Linen Sofa for Restoration, the coffee table (which is actually our dining room table that I am coverting to a coffee table because it is too pretty to part with), and the Chinese credenza - which is a one-of-a-kind piece that my mother-in-law (a very design savvy woman) got us as a house-warmning gift. These pieces set the base for our house in which I built off of.
I then found inspiration from a home that Studio McGee designed - you can check it out here. I literally swoon every time I paruse through her portfolio of work. The Rangeview Reno and Modern Mountain Home projects are my favorite. Her shop is also where I have selected several of my furniture pieces from - and is oh-so-cute. I could literally furnish my entire home with items from her shop. Anyways, back to my love for the Rangeview Reno project done by Studio McGee, I instantly fell in love with the Palisades rug in the living room, which Studio McGee sells in her shop. I purchased the rug on a Cyber Monday sale for about $1,500 and this gave me a great palette and baseline to work with in addition to the furniture we already owned.
I knew I wanted a grey leather chair to compliment the colors in the rug and also to offset the warm tones of the sand-colored linen sofa. I searched high and low to find the right grey leather chairs that were a fair pricepoint. I did fall in love with some from Gabby Home, only to find out that they cost $2,400 each!! Needless to say, this was far out of my budget (I have all of our furniture in every room budgeted out). Yesterday, I recieved an email that Anthropologie Home was having a 20% off sale and decided to check out their side chairs to see if they had any that would suit our family room. Low and behold, I found the perfect tufted leather chair (see photo). I purchased two - and they were a fair price on sale at around $1,500 each. I also bought the cute little ottoman to add a fun pop of pattern to the room.
All of the other elements play off of these pieces. The room is a combination of traditional and modern furniture with rustic and bohemian tones. I also love mixing bronzes with silvers to add to that look. Anyways, this is our family room so far! Can't wait to show you all the final outcome and also to share more rooms to come.
xx,
ILA
Hey all! So the last month has been a bit of a whirlwind. We closed on our home in Nashville, packed up all of our belongings of our little Georgetown condo, and officially made the move from DC to Nashville. From packing up boxes to organizing movers to waiting for our belongings and searching for the right furniture to space planning bedrooms - it has been quite a bit over the past few weeks. Nonetheless, my pregnancy journey is going great! Check out my stats below that have transpired over the past month.
HOW FAR ALONG: 28 weeks. I've finally hit the third and final trimester!!
TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: I’m currently weighing in around 146 lb. I weighed this at both my 26 and 28 week appointments. I stepped on the scale at the YMCA the other day and weighed 144 lbs. So anywhere around a 14 to 16 pound weight gain is where I stand right now. This is very average for a 25 to 30 lbs weight gain in totality, maybe even on the lighter side. With my first pregnancy, I gained a whopping 20 lbs during the last trimester. Even if I end up gaining that this time around, I'll end up close to a 35 pound weight gain, which I would be more than happy with, compared to my 60 pound weight gain in my first pregnancy.
DIET: My diet has been okay - I've been trying to eat as healthy as I can while on the road and with the moving process. We have been staying in hotels a lot and didn't have our cooking utensils at the new house, so I had to make do with eating out and vying for healthy options. That said, I've been pretty good about watching my diet, although it would be healthier if I were eating more meals at home. I really try to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full, and to fill up on the healthy stuff first. I must say it is harder to dictate when you are full while pregnant. For some reason my fullness meter doesn't activate as readily as it does while not pregnant.
WORKOUTS: Working out has been a bit of a challenge with the move, as well, although I have been pretty active packing and moving boxes and getting the new house organized. I also found a newfound love for barre classes which I started in DC after realizing that running and yoga were a bit much at this point in pregnancy. Barre class has been the best pregnancy workout so far, especially as my belly has grown and my body has changed. It provides a bit of cardio without straining my belly, and it's quite easy to make modifications. It also helps me to tone areas that I wouldn't otherwise be focusing on with running. I really love barre and hope to find a great class in Nashville. Speaking of Nashville, Ryan and I recently joined the YMCA- which is AMAZING. The Y offers childcare with our membership, so I drop Lincoln off at the kid's club and get to workout without distraction. This is a game changer and the price is something that a nanny couldn't beat. Lately, I've been partaking in spin classes and also took a step class. My butt gets a little soar from spin class due to the extra weight I'm carrying in my belly, but overall it is a lower impact workout and easy on my pregnant body. Step class is also awesome and allows me to get some good cardio in without straining muscles. I'm so glad I found this outlet and also a place that offers classes; workout classes are my favorite because it forces me to work hard and also to get in at least an hour workout. Currently, we are on holiday vacation at my parents home in Colorado. Today, my mom and I took a class at that member's club they belong to that focused on toning. I'm happy to say that at 7 months pregnant, I am still getting in solid workouts. While it isn't every day, it is something that I'm proud of!
MATERNITY CLOTHES: So my belly has definitely grown - and so have my thighs! I now fit into the maternity clothes I had bought when I was pregnant with Lincoln. They are still a bit baggy, but are doing the trick, and hopefully will for the remainder of my pregnancy. My ski jackets also still fit me, which is coming in handy with the cold weather both in Nashville and in Aspen.
STRETCH MARKS: None yet! I am noticing my veins popping out quite in a bit more - like in my belly, there are tons of veins!! I remember that a breastfeeding consultant I hired with Lincoln told me that veins, especially prominent veins running through your breasts (TMI), are really good because it indicates good milk flow.
SWELLING: Once I hit 7 months, I started getting a little bit of swelling. I noticed that my wedding ring is getting tighter and my feet and hands look a little puffy. At 7 months in my first pregnany is around the time that I removed my wedding ring because it wouldn't fit. I also wasn't able to put my wedding ring back on until about 6 month postpartum - crazy! I hope this time around with my average weight gain that I will be able to wear my ring longer and to put it back on sooner postpartum.
SLEEP: So I'm sleeping really well, but around 27 weeks, I did go through two nights in which I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back asleep. Two nights out of my entire pregnancy so far is pretty good, I have to say. I did read on my "The Bump" app that having trouble sleeping in the third trimester was very common, although after those two random nights, I haven't had much of a problem at all. I do notice that I am slightly less energetic throughout the day, but nothing that is out of the ordinary during this time in pregnancy. I am still able to workout and play with Lincoln during the day, which I feel great about!
BEST MOMENTS RECENTLY: Seeing the baby at a 28 week ultrasound! I was able to see a very prominent profile picture of him or her. Looking at the little cutie, made me think it might be a girl because he/she looked so pretty. Not sure if this makes sense, but the baby looked very feminine to me. If he/she is a boy, he will be a very pretty boy, which will be the opposite of Lincoln - not because he isn't the cutest little guy I've ever seen, but because he is purely boy and looks purely boy - not much of a pretty boy at all.
MISS ANYTHING: Missing my runs still but also really happy about my big belly! Not sure about everyone else who has been pregnant, but I LOVE having a big ol' pregnancy belly. It makes me feel so girly and all powerful for some reason. You also feel delicate in a way that either your hub or friends/family/strangers should somewhat attend to you haha! I mean, it is common courtesy to be kind to a pregnant lady right? Since we are in Colorado, I am missing our Nashville home which is AMAZING but also love being present here with family. WINE - I am also missing wine. Ry and I went on a date night last night to one of our favorite restaurants, Campo di Fiori, in Aspen. It is so romantic and definitely called for a glass of wine... I miss it dearly, but pregnancy is definitely worth giving up some of the things you love!
MOVEMENT: This baby sure is a mover and a shaker. Lincoln wasn't a huge mover - he would just move at certain times throughout the day. I think this baby moves wayyyyy more consistently throughout the day letting mama know that he/she is there. Haven't felt as many hiccups. Lincoln started hiccupping like crazy at 7 months, which is exactly when I felt his first set.
FOOD CRAVINGS: Not craving a whole lot but I feel like my appetite both increases and decreases at this point. Sometimes I feel like I could keep on eating and eating and eating. Other times, I feel like my belly gets full so quickly and I don't have much of an appetite. Other than craving all of the delicious sweets (like everyone else during the holidays), I feel like my diet and cravings are very normal to what they would be when not pregnant.
ANYTHING MAKING YOU QEASY OR SICK: Nope.
LABOR SIGNS: Not much. I had Braxton Hicks awhile back and notice cramping when I run or strain my body too much, but other than that I don't feel much of anything. The ultrasound tech also checked me for any preterm dilation and I wasn't dilated at all, which is a good sign at this point.
MOOD: Very positive. I am so happy to have a *home* now and feel so thankful to be at this point in our lives. Wow. The anticipation of a new baby is both exciting and worrisome. I am so excited to fall in love with a baby who has a new personality and so much love to offer the world. Ryan and I fell hard for Lincoln and it seems unfathomable to think that we could do the same for another. This is where the anxiety seems to set in. I love Lincoln so much and have fears that he will have a tough time transitioning with a new little one. I also feel that Ryan and I will need to transition ourselves to having TWO children rather than one. It has been a dream having one baby, and to have two I'm sure will be a dream as well - I just don't know how - ha! I also sometimes take people's comments to heart when they say, "Enjoy having one, two changes the game." --- and stuff like that. I LOVE hearing positive comments which I hear a lot of too - like, "You will find a newfound love for this baby and two will become the new norm." or "Two close together are so much fun because they play together." or "Two is much easier than what people say it is." I love hearing the positives - just dislike hearing the negative ones. Ryan and I definitely the kind of people who make the best out of the situations we are given, so I keep reminding myself of how amazing it will be to have a new little addition to our family.
PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS: I've had a bit of acid reflux once I hit the third trimester. I have TUMS by my side frequently. I haven't been drinking my lemon water because of travel, but hope to get back on this to help reset my system in the morning. I really think warm lemon water in the morning is a game changer, helping reduce acidity throughout the day. I also have noticed more aches and pains - nothing to write home about, but just making it harder to be super mobile and active. For instance, it is a challenge to get up off of the floor if I am down or picking Lincoln up has gotten more challenging. All in all, I feel healthy and thankful for the way my body is responding to this pregnancy.
GLUCOSE CHALLENGE: I took my glucose test and scored an 83!!! What, what. That is really good, I think? Disclaimer - I did have a smoothie in the morning that could have thrown it off lol - don't tell the doctor. I'm pretty sure you are supposed to do the test on an empty stomach. The doctor forgot to tell me and I forgot to remember! That said, I'm not concerned at all that I am a candidate for gestational diabetes, especially with how healthy my weight gain has been. With my second pregnancy I am a low more relaxed. I remind myself that they didn't have tests and ultrasounds in the past like they do nowadays, and to relax about all of these requirements that doctors have. I know that a doctor would think I'm crazy to say that, but I just trust in my body and trust in God and think that my pregnancy is 100% healthy and on track.
DOCTOR'S VISITS: So I had a 26 and 28 week pregnancy checkup. I did this because I needed to have a final appointment at Georgetown University Hospital before I left for Nashville. During this appointment, I got my Tdap shot and did the glucose test. I also transferred over all of my documents to the new doctor in Nashville. I then had a follow up appointment with my new doctor in Nashville. She is AMAZING. I needed a follow up ultrasound because baby's kidneys are slightly dilated and have shown so since my 24 week ultrasound. The doctor isn't at all concerned about this because she says it is so mild, but also wants to keep tabs on it. I will have a follow up ultrasound to check this out at 32 weeks, but need to do an ultrasound at that point anyways. I also got my Rogham shot because I am a negative blood type. This was no big deal! It's crazy to think I'll be delivering at a new hospital and also in Nashville, but I look forward to the process - especially because I'm firm on getting an epidural :)
LOOKING FORWARD TO: Everything!!
HOW FAR ALONG: 28 weeks. I've finally hit the third and final trimester!!
TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: I’m currently weighing in around 146 lb. I weighed this at both my 26 and 28 week appointments. I stepped on the scale at the YMCA the other day and weighed 144 lbs. So anywhere around a 14 to 16 pound weight gain is where I stand right now. This is very average for a 25 to 30 lbs weight gain in totality, maybe even on the lighter side. With my first pregnancy, I gained a whopping 20 lbs during the last trimester. Even if I end up gaining that this time around, I'll end up close to a 35 pound weight gain, which I would be more than happy with, compared to my 60 pound weight gain in my first pregnancy.
DIET: My diet has been okay - I've been trying to eat as healthy as I can while on the road and with the moving process. We have been staying in hotels a lot and didn't have our cooking utensils at the new house, so I had to make do with eating out and vying for healthy options. That said, I've been pretty good about watching my diet, although it would be healthier if I were eating more meals at home. I really try to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full, and to fill up on the healthy stuff first. I must say it is harder to dictate when you are full while pregnant. For some reason my fullness meter doesn't activate as readily as it does while not pregnant.
WORKOUTS: Working out has been a bit of a challenge with the move, as well, although I have been pretty active packing and moving boxes and getting the new house organized. I also found a newfound love for barre classes which I started in DC after realizing that running and yoga were a bit much at this point in pregnancy. Barre class has been the best pregnancy workout so far, especially as my belly has grown and my body has changed. It provides a bit of cardio without straining my belly, and it's quite easy to make modifications. It also helps me to tone areas that I wouldn't otherwise be focusing on with running. I really love barre and hope to find a great class in Nashville. Speaking of Nashville, Ryan and I recently joined the YMCA- which is AMAZING. The Y offers childcare with our membership, so I drop Lincoln off at the kid's club and get to workout without distraction. This is a game changer and the price is something that a nanny couldn't beat. Lately, I've been partaking in spin classes and also took a step class. My butt gets a little soar from spin class due to the extra weight I'm carrying in my belly, but overall it is a lower impact workout and easy on my pregnant body. Step class is also awesome and allows me to get some good cardio in without straining muscles. I'm so glad I found this outlet and also a place that offers classes; workout classes are my favorite because it forces me to work hard and also to get in at least an hour workout. Currently, we are on holiday vacation at my parents home in Colorado. Today, my mom and I took a class at that member's club they belong to that focused on toning. I'm happy to say that at 7 months pregnant, I am still getting in solid workouts. While it isn't every day, it is something that I'm proud of!
MATERNITY CLOTHES: So my belly has definitely grown - and so have my thighs! I now fit into the maternity clothes I had bought when I was pregnant with Lincoln. They are still a bit baggy, but are doing the trick, and hopefully will for the remainder of my pregnancy. My ski jackets also still fit me, which is coming in handy with the cold weather both in Nashville and in Aspen.
STRETCH MARKS: None yet! I am noticing my veins popping out quite in a bit more - like in my belly, there are tons of veins!! I remember that a breastfeeding consultant I hired with Lincoln told me that veins, especially prominent veins running through your breasts (TMI), are really good because it indicates good milk flow.
SWELLING: Once I hit 7 months, I started getting a little bit of swelling. I noticed that my wedding ring is getting tighter and my feet and hands look a little puffy. At 7 months in my first pregnany is around the time that I removed my wedding ring because it wouldn't fit. I also wasn't able to put my wedding ring back on until about 6 month postpartum - crazy! I hope this time around with my average weight gain that I will be able to wear my ring longer and to put it back on sooner postpartum.
SLEEP: So I'm sleeping really well, but around 27 weeks, I did go through two nights in which I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back asleep. Two nights out of my entire pregnancy so far is pretty good, I have to say. I did read on my "The Bump" app that having trouble sleeping in the third trimester was very common, although after those two random nights, I haven't had much of a problem at all. I do notice that I am slightly less energetic throughout the day, but nothing that is out of the ordinary during this time in pregnancy. I am still able to workout and play with Lincoln during the day, which I feel great about!
BEST MOMENTS RECENTLY: Seeing the baby at a 28 week ultrasound! I was able to see a very prominent profile picture of him or her. Looking at the little cutie, made me think it might be a girl because he/she looked so pretty. Not sure if this makes sense, but the baby looked very feminine to me. If he/she is a boy, he will be a very pretty boy, which will be the opposite of Lincoln - not because he isn't the cutest little guy I've ever seen, but because he is purely boy and looks purely boy - not much of a pretty boy at all.
MISS ANYTHING: Missing my runs still but also really happy about my big belly! Not sure about everyone else who has been pregnant, but I LOVE having a big ol' pregnancy belly. It makes me feel so girly and all powerful for some reason. You also feel delicate in a way that either your hub or friends/family/strangers should somewhat attend to you haha! I mean, it is common courtesy to be kind to a pregnant lady right? Since we are in Colorado, I am missing our Nashville home which is AMAZING but also love being present here with family. WINE - I am also missing wine. Ry and I went on a date night last night to one of our favorite restaurants, Campo di Fiori, in Aspen. It is so romantic and definitely called for a glass of wine... I miss it dearly, but pregnancy is definitely worth giving up some of the things you love!
MOVEMENT: This baby sure is a mover and a shaker. Lincoln wasn't a huge mover - he would just move at certain times throughout the day. I think this baby moves wayyyyy more consistently throughout the day letting mama know that he/she is there. Haven't felt as many hiccups. Lincoln started hiccupping like crazy at 7 months, which is exactly when I felt his first set.
FOOD CRAVINGS: Not craving a whole lot but I feel like my appetite both increases and decreases at this point. Sometimes I feel like I could keep on eating and eating and eating. Other times, I feel like my belly gets full so quickly and I don't have much of an appetite. Other than craving all of the delicious sweets (like everyone else during the holidays), I feel like my diet and cravings are very normal to what they would be when not pregnant.
ANYTHING MAKING YOU QEASY OR SICK: Nope.
LABOR SIGNS: Not much. I had Braxton Hicks awhile back and notice cramping when I run or strain my body too much, but other than that I don't feel much of anything. The ultrasound tech also checked me for any preterm dilation and I wasn't dilated at all, which is a good sign at this point.
MOOD: Very positive. I am so happy to have a *home* now and feel so thankful to be at this point in our lives. Wow. The anticipation of a new baby is both exciting and worrisome. I am so excited to fall in love with a baby who has a new personality and so much love to offer the world. Ryan and I fell hard for Lincoln and it seems unfathomable to think that we could do the same for another. This is where the anxiety seems to set in. I love Lincoln so much and have fears that he will have a tough time transitioning with a new little one. I also feel that Ryan and I will need to transition ourselves to having TWO children rather than one. It has been a dream having one baby, and to have two I'm sure will be a dream as well - I just don't know how - ha! I also sometimes take people's comments to heart when they say, "Enjoy having one, two changes the game." --- and stuff like that. I LOVE hearing positive comments which I hear a lot of too - like, "You will find a newfound love for this baby and two will become the new norm." or "Two close together are so much fun because they play together." or "Two is much easier than what people say it is." I love hearing the positives - just dislike hearing the negative ones. Ryan and I definitely the kind of people who make the best out of the situations we are given, so I keep reminding myself of how amazing it will be to have a new little addition to our family.
PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS: I've had a bit of acid reflux once I hit the third trimester. I have TUMS by my side frequently. I haven't been drinking my lemon water because of travel, but hope to get back on this to help reset my system in the morning. I really think warm lemon water in the morning is a game changer, helping reduce acidity throughout the day. I also have noticed more aches and pains - nothing to write home about, but just making it harder to be super mobile and active. For instance, it is a challenge to get up off of the floor if I am down or picking Lincoln up has gotten more challenging. All in all, I feel healthy and thankful for the way my body is responding to this pregnancy.
GLUCOSE CHALLENGE: I took my glucose test and scored an 83!!! What, what. That is really good, I think? Disclaimer - I did have a smoothie in the morning that could have thrown it off lol - don't tell the doctor. I'm pretty sure you are supposed to do the test on an empty stomach. The doctor forgot to tell me and I forgot to remember! That said, I'm not concerned at all that I am a candidate for gestational diabetes, especially with how healthy my weight gain has been. With my second pregnancy I am a low more relaxed. I remind myself that they didn't have tests and ultrasounds in the past like they do nowadays, and to relax about all of these requirements that doctors have. I know that a doctor would think I'm crazy to say that, but I just trust in my body and trust in God and think that my pregnancy is 100% healthy and on track.
DOCTOR'S VISITS: So I had a 26 and 28 week pregnancy checkup. I did this because I needed to have a final appointment at Georgetown University Hospital before I left for Nashville. During this appointment, I got my Tdap shot and did the glucose test. I also transferred over all of my documents to the new doctor in Nashville. I then had a follow up appointment with my new doctor in Nashville. She is AMAZING. I needed a follow up ultrasound because baby's kidneys are slightly dilated and have shown so since my 24 week ultrasound. The doctor isn't at all concerned about this because she says it is so mild, but also wants to keep tabs on it. I will have a follow up ultrasound to check this out at 32 weeks, but need to do an ultrasound at that point anyways. I also got my Rogham shot because I am a negative blood type. This was no big deal! It's crazy to think I'll be delivering at a new hospital and also in Nashville, but I look forward to the process - especially because I'm firm on getting an epidural :)
LOOKING FORWARD TO: Everything!!
You guys! We're preggo! Woohoo! After six months of trying, we're having a little Burchell! I've been wanting to share with you all since the day we found out but needed a few days to tell family and friends.
Thanksgiving Babies
What's so neat about this pregnancy is Kai and baby Burchell will be days apart! Baby is due July 26 and Kai's birthday is on July 31. I found out I was pregnant with Kai five years ago on Thanksgiving! It was completely unintentionally. This pregnancy, however, I took the test purposefully on Thanksgiving so I could say I found out I was pregnant with BOTH babies on the same day - Thanksgiving!
The Signs
When I missed my period by one day it came to mind that I might be pregnant. But I didn't want to disappoint myself (haha) so I just told God I trusted His timing. Then another day passed and another...then my boobs were tender and bigger (or less deflated - hahahahha), and I realized it wasn't just in my head. So when the breast soreness didn't subside and I still hadn't start my period, I decided to not say anything to Duke and wait a couple more days until Thanksgiving to take the test! I even went to a couple local stores to find something to surprise Duke and Kai with if the test was positive. I found the "Everyone loves a big brother" shirt for Kai man and a teether in the shape of a camera (because Duke is a photographer) and a "Daddy Loves Me" baby book for the hubbs.
Come Thanksgiving morning, Duke, Kai, and me were snuggling in bed. I got up nonchalontly to take the test. Right before I sat down on the pot, I chuckled to myself and took a moment to tell God I trusted His timing and thanked Him for all He had done. I think I was laughing at myself about thinking something might have been wrong with Duke... again, so funny! I took the test, waited a few moments, anxious excited to see the results, I peeked over at the test and there it was a tiny faint pink line and one dark pink line. I held in my excitement and text Ila a screenshot of the test for best friend support and reassurance (cause that's what friends are for, right?) and to see it was positive because the line was ultra faint. haha! I then realized it was just because it was early on in my pregnancy, and I had a small amount of hCG in my urine.
SIDENOTE: "Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) is a hormone normally produced by the placenta. If you are pregnant, you can detect it in your urine. Blood tests measuring hCG levels can also be used to check how well your pregnancy is progressing, including your baby’s development. After you conceive (when the sperm fertilises the egg), the developing placenta begins to produce and release hCG. It takes about two weeks for your hCG levels to be high enough to be detected in your urine using a home pregnancy test." -pregnancybirthbaby.org
Once it finally settled in that I WAS pregnant, I went downstairs to get the gifts for Duke and Kai and hopped back in bed. I watched them open them happily, without sensing anything. Duke looked at the camera shaped teether and baby book and pondered a moment. I then read Kai's shirt outloud, "Everyone loves a big brother." Duke then said, and I kid you not, "What does this mean? What do we do..." haha! I laughed out loud. I feel like only Duke would say that - it was hysterical! I love him so much! It was such an amazing moment...at least for the two of us. Kai seemed more interested in his toys.. : ) We spent the remainder of the morning like giddy children (well, I did). Duke was more excited on the inside. haha!
We ended up telling our family later that day by having Kai wear his special t shirt. Everyone was delightlfully shocked and so happy! Needless to say, we had a lot to be thankful for. : )
Also, please thoroughly enjoy D's creepy, stellar stache. And I thought Movember was over?
Love,
Cate, Duke, and Kai
#weareburchell
Thanksgiving Babies
What's so neat about this pregnancy is Kai and baby Burchell will be days apart! Baby is due July 26 and Kai's birthday is on July 31. I found out I was pregnant with Kai five years ago on Thanksgiving! It was completely unintentionally. This pregnancy, however, I took the test purposefully on Thanksgiving so I could say I found out I was pregnant with BOTH babies on the same day - Thanksgiving!
The Signs
When I missed my period by one day it came to mind that I might be pregnant. But I didn't want to disappoint myself (haha) so I just told God I trusted His timing. Then another day passed and another...then my boobs were tender and bigger (or less deflated - hahahahha), and I realized it wasn't just in my head. So when the breast soreness didn't subside and I still hadn't start my period, I decided to not say anything to Duke and wait a couple more days until Thanksgiving to take the test! I even went to a couple local stores to find something to surprise Duke and Kai with if the test was positive. I found the "Everyone loves a big brother" shirt for Kai man and a teether in the shape of a camera (because Duke is a photographer) and a "Daddy Loves Me" baby book for the hubbs.
Come Thanksgiving morning, Duke, Kai, and me were snuggling in bed. I got up nonchalontly to take the test. Right before I sat down on the pot, I chuckled to myself and took a moment to tell God I trusted His timing and thanked Him for all He had done. I think I was laughing at myself about thinking something might have been wrong with Duke... again, so funny! I took the test, waited a few moments, anxious excited to see the results, I peeked over at the test and there it was a tiny faint pink line and one dark pink line. I held in my excitement and text Ila a screenshot of the test for best friend support and reassurance (cause that's what friends are for, right?) and to see it was positive because the line was ultra faint. haha! I then realized it was just because it was early on in my pregnancy, and I had a small amount of hCG in my urine.
SIDENOTE: "Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) is a hormone normally produced by the placenta. If you are pregnant, you can detect it in your urine. Blood tests measuring hCG levels can also be used to check how well your pregnancy is progressing, including your baby’s development. After you conceive (when the sperm fertilises the egg), the developing placenta begins to produce and release hCG. It takes about two weeks for your hCG levels to be high enough to be detected in your urine using a home pregnancy test." -pregnancybirthbaby.org
Once it finally settled in that I WAS pregnant, I went downstairs to get the gifts for Duke and Kai and hopped back in bed. I watched them open them happily, without sensing anything. Duke looked at the camera shaped teether and baby book and pondered a moment. I then read Kai's shirt outloud, "Everyone loves a big brother." Duke then said, and I kid you not, "What does this mean? What do we do..." haha! I laughed out loud. I feel like only Duke would say that - it was hysterical! I love him so much! It was such an amazing moment...at least for the two of us. Kai seemed more interested in his toys.. : ) We spent the remainder of the morning like giddy children (well, I did). Duke was more excited on the inside. haha!
We ended up telling our family later that day by having Kai wear his special t shirt. Everyone was delightlfully shocked and so happy! Needless to say, we had a lot to be thankful for. : )
Also, please thoroughly enjoy D's creepy, stellar stache. And I thought Movember was over?
Love,
Cate, Duke, and Kai
#weareburchell
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Hi all!
So we are *finally* gearing up for our big move from DC to Nashville coming up in less than a week. Wow. With this move comes lots and lots of planning, planning, planning. To give some background, we purchased a 4 bed/4 bath home in Nashville that, needless to say, is MUCH bigger than our tiny 670 square foot condo that we are currently in. The home is new construction, so we won't have to worry about putting money towards repairs or improvements, but the house does still require a lot of love (and money) to make it feel like home. Aside from furniture, we are getting bids on building out some of the space, like getting built-in cubbies, storage and a desk in our mudroom, finishing out the garage, adding a fence, etc. Man oh man, houses are a lot of time and money, but for a person like me, who absolutely loves new projects, this is the perfect opportunity to use my business/creativity skills to tackle the massive project we have ahead.
A lot of my time has recently been dedicated to budgeting out furniture and fixtures for our new home, while also working on an interior design plan. In upcoming posts, I will be sharing plans room-by-room for our new home, so ya'll can see the space plans and also the finished product as we complete the design. Today, I want to share the plan we have for baby's nursery! I am *so* excited that I get to finally decorate a nursery. Most of you know that I didn't get to decorate a nursery for Lincoln because we lived in a 1 bedroom condo (which we still live in today). Thus, our impending move feels like a dream because I finally get to put my pregnancy-nesting urges to work. Check out the image below and I will give further detail in terms of my thoughts, pricing and sources.
So we are *finally* gearing up for our big move from DC to Nashville coming up in less than a week. Wow. With this move comes lots and lots of planning, planning, planning. To give some background, we purchased a 4 bed/4 bath home in Nashville that, needless to say, is MUCH bigger than our tiny 670 square foot condo that we are currently in. The home is new construction, so we won't have to worry about putting money towards repairs or improvements, but the house does still require a lot of love (and money) to make it feel like home. Aside from furniture, we are getting bids on building out some of the space, like getting built-in cubbies, storage and a desk in our mudroom, finishing out the garage, adding a fence, etc. Man oh man, houses are a lot of time and money, but for a person like me, who absolutely loves new projects, this is the perfect opportunity to use my business/creativity skills to tackle the massive project we have ahead.
A lot of my time has recently been dedicated to budgeting out furniture and fixtures for our new home, while also working on an interior design plan. In upcoming posts, I will be sharing plans room-by-room for our new home, so ya'll can see the space plans and also the finished product as we complete the design. Today, I want to share the plan we have for baby's nursery! I am *so* excited that I get to finally decorate a nursery. Most of you know that I didn't get to decorate a nursery for Lincoln because we lived in a 1 bedroom condo (which we still live in today). Thus, our impending move feels like a dream because I finally get to put my pregnancy-nesting urges to work. Check out the image below and I will give further detail in terms of my thoughts, pricing and sources.
Drapes | Crib | Sheet Set | Leather Pouf | Decorative Pillow | Side Table | Dresser | Heart-Shaped Shelving | Panda Artwork
The nursery incorporates mostly neutral tones, and if you know me, you know that I am all about the neutrals... maybe a little too much. To get me to use color really puts me outside of my comfort zone. Lucky for me, Ryan and I aren't finding out the gender of the baby. As a result, I get to keep this nursery within my comfort zone using neutral beiges, blacks, whites and greys. I do use a pop of color that lends itself towards the baby being a girl, as you can see in the pink bohemian rug. This rug is AWESOME and is something that we are getting from my parent's ranch home in Colorado. I think it's sweet, so I'm trying to find a way to use it in the home. Plus, I have an inkling that baby could be a girl... but who knows! Boy or girl, we are happy either way - and the rug can easily be used some other place in the home. BUT, for now, I think it compliments the nursery very nicely.
The overall feel of the nursery is bohemian and rustic, which is the overall tone of design we are going for in the entire house. To get to the specifics of the items in the photo... the drapes are Restoration Hardware - no surprise there. They are a Belgian Linen Cross Weave which gives the space some textures and warmth. The crib was purchased from buybuy BABY, which mimicks the design of the Babyletto crib, but for half the price. I also got it on sale. The sheet set is a Morrocan/Bohemian print, also from Restoration Hardware. I am still up-in-the-air about the pattern of the crib sheet because there are so.many.options out there, but at the end of the day, I have to make a decision :) The chair is also coming from my parent's ranch home in Colorado and is something I think'll be nice for nursing and relaxing with baby in. I nursed Rhett mostly on my bed lying down and got spoiled doing so, but in this room we unfortunately don't have the space or the money to put in a bed - plus it's overkill. The bedside table we already own - it was a wedding gift also from Pottery Barn and adds a rustic, yet warm element to the space. The pouf also gives it that rustic feel... If we have a girl, we can't have her being a softy - thus not a lot of pinks and flowers. Perhaps one of my favorite elements in the room is the Panda Artwork from Restoration. I absolutely love this piece and think it provides the perfect fit and feel for baby's nursery. That said, this item is a little outside our pricepoint so I am trying to find a way to get something similar for a fraction of the cost.
Anyways, stay tuned for our final nursery reveal! Knowing me, this plan could totally transform and be something completely different, but as for now, mama is happy :)
xx,
ILA
The overall feel of the nursery is bohemian and rustic, which is the overall tone of design we are going for in the entire house. To get to the specifics of the items in the photo... the drapes are Restoration Hardware - no surprise there. They are a Belgian Linen Cross Weave which gives the space some textures and warmth. The crib was purchased from buybuy BABY, which mimicks the design of the Babyletto crib, but for half the price. I also got it on sale. The sheet set is a Morrocan/Bohemian print, also from Restoration Hardware. I am still up-in-the-air about the pattern of the crib sheet because there are so.many.options out there, but at the end of the day, I have to make a decision :) The chair is also coming from my parent's ranch home in Colorado and is something I think'll be nice for nursing and relaxing with baby in. I nursed Rhett mostly on my bed lying down and got spoiled doing so, but in this room we unfortunately don't have the space or the money to put in a bed - plus it's overkill. The bedside table we already own - it was a wedding gift also from Pottery Barn and adds a rustic, yet warm element to the space. The pouf also gives it that rustic feel... If we have a girl, we can't have her being a softy - thus not a lot of pinks and flowers. Perhaps one of my favorite elements in the room is the Panda Artwork from Restoration. I absolutely love this piece and think it provides the perfect fit and feel for baby's nursery. That said, this item is a little outside our pricepoint so I am trying to find a way to get something similar for a fraction of the cost.
Anyways, stay tuned for our final nursery reveal! Knowing me, this plan could totally transform and be something completely different, but as for now, mama is happy :)
xx,
ILA
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