30 Weeks

It's absolutely hard to believe we're already at week 30! We're in the single digit count down!!

We got lots done around the house this past weekend in preparation for Mr. Hatcher. His closet is fully organized as well as his dresser & now we're just ready to start hanging stuff on the walls. We also are getting ready to make room for baby stuff in the kitchen. We bought a large storage rack for our storage room so I can put some of the items I don't use very often out there so I have more room for Hatch's stuff in the kitchen. It's nice to make some progress & get stuff done! Gotta say this nesting thing is sort of fun! :)

We had a great check-up at the doctor today & things are looking great! We'll know in the next few weeks if they doctors feel it's best for me to deliver via c-section or not. For those of you who don't know, we were in a terrible car accident 6.5 years ago & I was ejected through the sunroof. I had 5 breaks in my left arm & broke my hips & shattered my pelvis. The doctors are reviewing my old medical records & then they'll decide what they feel is best. I'm praying that they'll help us determine the best birth plan for us & that we'll all feel comfortable with the outcome.

Hatcher had a strong heartbeat at 145 & was busy moving all around! He's head down & I'm measuring right on target.

Below is the 30 week "bump" shot & update.

How far along? 30 weeks, 2 days

Total weight gain/loss: +20 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes. The blue jean top is not maternity, the tank is Old Navy Maternity & the pants are as well. They're actually a loan from my sweet friend, Amy! 

Stretch marks? Nope! :)

Sleep: Crazy dreams have taken over!!  

Best moment this week: Hearing H's heartbeat...it never gets old! 

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Being able to sleep in on the weekends! I mean I realize my body is preparing me now for a lack of sleep but it seems like during the week I could sleep till noon if I could but Saturday & Sunday my body wants to rise with the sun! I think my body just knows how much I still have to do before H makes his debut!

Movement: Lots of movement & I love every minute of it!!

Food cravings: Blueberry waffles & peanut butter cookies with milk.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not at this point.

Belly Button in or out? In

Have you started to show yet: Yes

Gender: Boy

Labor Signs: No

Wedding rings on or off? On...but my wedding band is getting very tight.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: Our 4D ultrasound next Wednesday with our families! Can't wait to see what he looks like!!

29 Weeks

I feel like I say this every week but last week was another super busy week for us! With traveling for work & getting things done around the house our week was packed full. However, we were able to fit in some fun too!

Over the weekend, we were able to have maternity photos taken in my hometown. The fabulous Tracy Thompson of Photography by Tracy T did our shoot for us. It was so much fun & though the weather didn't want to cooperate with us we were able to get some wonderful shots! I've seen a sneak peek so far & cannot wait to see the rest. Tracy is so talented & I love her work. I absolutely cannot wait to have Hatcher's newborn pictures taken with her shortly after his arrival. Below is my favorite shot I've seen so far! :)

This picture completely sums up just how happy I am to bring this sweet boy into the world! My cup runneth over! :)

Below is the 29 week "bump" shot & update.

How far along? 29 weeks, 1 day (currently 29 weeks, 3 days)

Total weight gain/loss: +17 lbs. 

Maternity clothes? Yes. The top & capris in this picture are from Motherhood Maternity. I live in these capris for work. I have them in khaki, white & black. 

Stretch marks? Nope! :)

Sleep: Still having hip pain & peeing about two times a night at this point. 

Best moment this week: Having our maternity pictures taken & spending some with friends & family. 

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Being able to sleep in on the weekends! I mean I realize my body is preparing me now for a lack of sleep but it seems like during the week I could sleep till noon if I could but Saturday & Sunday my body wants to rise with the sun! I think my body just knows how much I still have to do before H makes his debut!

Movement: Lots of movement & I love every minute of it!!

Food cravings: Back on a fruit kick...it's been fresh peaches the past week or so!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not at this point.

Have you started to show yet: Yes

Gender: Boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly measurement: 37 inches around

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On...but my wedding band is getting very tight.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: Our 30 week appointment next Monday! :)

The beginnings of the nursery! :)

This past Sunday we started painting & decorating Hatcher's nursery. If you know me well, you know I've been making plans for this baby's room since the moment I found out he was coming! I love decorating so this has been super fun for me. I wanted to share my finds & the pictures of how it's all coming together.

Johny & my dad painted the nursery covering up this bright neon green that the previous owners had painted. They painted the room a Valspar color called Oxford Blue. It turned out even better than I had expected. While the boys painted, my mom & I did what women do best...we shopped!! We found Hatcher a coming home outfit & then bought curtains & a lamp for the changing table. It was a wonderful day & of course when it was all complete...I did shed a tear of excitement!! :)

Below are pictures of our day as well as where I found each item in his nursery.

My hubby covering up the bright green with primer! 

My dad putting on the first coat of blue! :)

The color turned out even better than I expected. So glad we went with blue instead of the khaki I had originally picked out. 

Another angle showing how pretty it is up against bright white. 

Mommy with her safety mask on! haha! I wasn't in the room often but when I was I totally played it safe. Gotta protect my sweet boy! 

Hatcher's crib & bedding! The crib was bought from Giggle Moon in Macon, GA. I bought it when they were closing their store location so it was a floor sample. I got it for half the original price. Such a deal! The bedding is from a website called Polka Tot Designs. They do AMAZING work! They were recommended to me by a friend & I'm so glad I used them. They have lots of fabric choices to choose from & are very easy to work with. It takes about 5 weeks to receive your order but totally worth the wait. 

The glider rocker & ottoman were borrowed from my sweet friend, Amy. The chair color & fabric couldn't have been a better match & saved me hundreds of dollars! The monogrammed pillow was purchased from Monograms & More in Milledgeville, GA. The table is from Bed Bath & Beyond & was less than $20. The white curtains are a Target find. Two panels for $35. 

Probably my favorite piece of the nursery is this beautiful white antique dresser. We found it right after we found out we were expecting at Payne City Antique Mall in Macon, GA. I love the character it adds to the room. The lamp & shade are from Target & together were less than $20. The black frame & letters are from Hobby Lobby. We'll be hanging this on the wall above the dresser. You know us southern girls love a good monogram! :)

I am so pleased with how everything has turned out! I'll post more pictures as we hang more decorations on the wall in the coming weeks! 

28 Weeks

Well, the past week in the Ricks house has been quite a busy one! As most of you know, I sell mattresses for Sealy Mattress for a living so big holidays are a huge retail event for us. I worked quite a bit last week including July 4th but did find some time to relax & enjoy some time with my hubby! We had a great time on Saturday at the lake with great friends & truly enjoyed some fun & relaxation after our busy work weeks.

On Sunday, my parents came over & helped us start the nursery painting & decorating! We had a great day & are so excited that the nursery is nearly complete. I'll update the blog soon with pics & details of the day.

Below is the 28 week "bump" shot & update. Please excuse my appearance but it had been a long day & I didn't want to forget to take the picture.

I love when Dooley wants to join in the weekly shot! :)

How far along? 28 weeks, 3 days

Total weight gain/loss: +17 lbs. 

Maternity clothes? Yes. The tank in this picture is from Old Navy maternity. I bought two colors because I found it on sale & I wear them all the time! 

Stretch marks? Nope! :)

Sleep: Still having hip pain & peeing about two times a night at this point. 

Best moment this week: Seeing Hatcher's nursery come together! I just love going in there & sitting in the rocker imagining what it will be like when he arrives!! 

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? People's politeness. Just recently, I've had several people at check-out counters ask when my baby is due & when I tell them I still have 3 more months they say..."wow are you expecting twins" or "wow you're big so I'm sure you're going to have a big baby!!" Honestly, I've tried to be healthy throughout the pregnancy but I know every pound I gain is for this sweet boy so I don't care but I do wish strangers would keep their thoughts to themselves sometimes!!! 

Movement: Lots of movement & I love every minute of it!!

Food cravings: Still fruit loops, anything with peanut butter & fruit.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not at this point.

Have you started to show yet: Yes

Gender: Boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly measurement: 37 inches around

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On...but my wedding band is getting very tight.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: Having our maternity pictures taken this weekend by the talented Tracy Thompson of Photography by Tracy T. We'll also be spending some quality time with my family & some old friends while in LaGrange! 

Nesting has begun...

So I think it's safe to say that nesting has definitely begun for me. I have this intense need to get every aspect of my home in order & organized before Hatcher arrives. I started by cleaning out our closet & trying to get rid of some old stuff. I donated some old clothes to a yard sale a friend was having & it felt so nice to throw things out. The closet is more organized but still has a little ways to go.

Like many people today, I'm obsessed with Pinterest. I recently found a pin where a woman had completely re-organized her laundry room. For me, I've never had a real laundry room until we moved into our home last summer. I love doing laundry but for some reason my laundry room became a catch all for junk! So I took her ideas & made them a reality in my laundry room. Below is how it look before & after.

As you can see, I had plenty of shelving perfect for organization but instead they were filled with junk!

I found these cute matching baskets at Michael's. I totally lucked out because the day I went they were having a 40% off sale on all baskets!

All cleaned out!

Here's the after shot! Perfectly organized. Top shelf has old towels/rags for cleaning, all extra sheet sets & pillow cases and beach towels. The second shelf has cleaning supplies, batteries, light bulbs, etc. The third shelf is for laundry detergent, lent rollers, fabric softener & the iron. The little basket on the dryer is for all the fun things I find in Johny's pants pockets! :)

I even bought this wall art decal & it matches perfectly. 

Now, I'm totally motivated to get my kitchen cabinets, bathrooms & guest bedroom closets organized before September rolls around! I gotta say this nesting stuff is pretty fun! :)

27 Weeks

This week was our 27 week doctor's appointment where I had to do the 1 hour glucose test. Honestly, I was freaking out about this appointment because everyone says the glucose drink is terrible! For those of you who have never been pregnant, this test is to see if you have gestational diabetes. You have to drink a very sugary drink which I would compare to Orange Fanta without the carbonation. It's very sweet & you only have 5 minutes to drink. Then you have to wait 1 hour & have your blood drawn. They'll test your sugar levels & if they're not where they need to be you have more tests to do & a more strict diet throughout the rest of the pregnancy.

I gotta say...I didn't think the drink was bad at all & I got it down in less than 2 minutes. The bad part for me was the blood work which I always dread...I hate a needle! I'll know tomorrow (Thursday) if I didn't pass the test & have to go back for the 3 hour test. 

Our next appointment is on July 23rd & after this appointment we start going every 2 weeks until week 36. At that point, I'll start going weekly until Hatcher makes his appearance! I just cannot wait!! :)

Below are a few pics from the last few days & my 27 week "bump" picture! 

My sweet Dooley loves laying his head on my belly! :)

I washed my first load of baby clothes & it was so fun! :)

How far along? 27 weeks, 2 days in this picture; currently 27 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain/loss: 17 lbs. I was up 4 lbs since my last dr's appointment 4 weeks ago.

Maternity clothes? Yes. Both the top & pants in this picture are from Motherhood Maternity. I live in these white capris & I also have them in black. Super comfy & lightweight in this hot weather!

Stretch marks? Nope! :)

Sleep: Still having hip pain & peeing about two times a night at this point. 

Best moment this week: Hearing Hatch's heartbeat at the dr's visit. 

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? I miss the feeling of not feeling hungry all the time. My appetite has picked back up & I feel like I could literally eat all day long. Choosing healthy snacking options as often as possible though. 

Movement: Little Hatcher loves moving all around! I can tell now where his head & bootie are. So cool! 

Food cravings: This week it's been Fruit Loops! 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Strong odors.

Have you started to show yet: Yes

Gender: Boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On...but my wedding band is getting very tight.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: Painting the nursery this weekend with the help of my parents! Can't wait to post pics of everything all decorated.