Sees ya, 2010!

I'm pretty psyched that it's almost a new year, and 'cause Britney's new single comes out in a week. B is dreading January 7 for the same reason.

Have you read The Hunger Games?  You need to, seriously.  I read the trilogy in 3 days (on my fancy new eReader, woop!) which is a feat with a bitty baby.  If you imagine Peeta as Chord Overstreet it is six times better.

Welcome. (link)

More awesome that 2011 will hold:

-Homeeee!  And playing with fab nieces.

 (Even just the continental United States would be good.  I need out of this tundra!)

-Losing the baby weight!  Yay, willpower!

-Being Blonde again!

-Dunkin' Donuts.  I haven't had real DD in 11 months.  Tragic.

But, on the flipside:

B is legit deploying.  Ugh.  And it's a bit too close to ignore anymore.  Nastynastynasty. 

But tonight we'll have wine and cupcakes and celebrate 2011 on EST.  Which is 8pm here and usually around our bedtime...  Ha!  

Happy New Year!

Pre-Holiday Sick and a List

It is the opposite of festive in this house.

(Lies.)

BUT, I am the sick one.  Colds and sinus infections make the baking and shopping and wrapping quite minimal.  No fun.

So, here are some things that are making my December merry:

Aden + Anais Blankets

These were rockin' when she was teeny, but are big enough to keep Miss Lu's arms swaddled tightly now, getting us all through this fun 3 month sleep regression phase.

amazon.com

Cool Mist Humidifier

Super awesome for a baby, especially in a dry climate, but extra-awesome for a sick mum, when baby still shares a room!

JoyfulJessica on Etsy

Little Miss has lots of hair, and her head is too big for headbands, but these bows are awesome!  The perfect size and they always stay put!

Mad 'cause I got her hands out of her mouth for pictures... NO SMILES!

BearPaw Boots

Purchased in preparation for Alaska wayyyy back when we were in Texas, these are the perfect amount of warm for the 4 seconds that I spend outside.  Cozy toes are my favorite!!!!

Polka Dot Riesling

I'm definitely planning on indulging in a glass during my wrapping marathon on December 24th.

Hand-Me-Downs

Having two nieces just a bit older than Louisa has made for an awesome baby girl wardrobe!  I just recently re-discovered a box, and Little Lu is quite the stylish girl!

Cloth Diapers

Way back when she was a teenyweeny...

Admittedly, it took me quite awhile to warm up to them!  They do a good job against leakage and she never gets diaper rash with them!  I have a bunch of BumGenius3.0, but definitely need to invest in some more.  We still use 'sposies at night though, and when we go out.  Baby steps..

Officially lists are my most favorite kind of blog to post.  And when I write bunches I feel like most people don't read them so much.  (I don't always read when people get so wordy.  Sorry.)

Also, I'm considering getting a Nosefrida.  Yikes.?. 

Happy Week of Christmas!  Hope your days aren't too craycray!

Sweeter than a Swisher

So, I was just telling Brian yesterday that I wish I were sixteen so it would be appropriate to use song lyrics as facebook statuses, and then this song comes along and my name totally works!  Dang 25!




Anyway, Christmas is almost here! I'm mostly done shopping... Kinda. I rocked it out getting the stuff that needs to be shipped, but I'm kinda struggling when it comes to Lulu. So far we got a bumbo, which:

Yea, bad at saving. So, she'll get a tray for it- yay. And that's it. Oh, these:

babysteals.com
(not Lulu, in case that wasn't clear)

Cuuute! She officially rolls over now, and sometimes when she's on her belly she scoots her legs up and acts like she's trying to crawl. Um, you're three months old (friday). Please don't. I'm kind of hoping she'll be one of those babies who just sits and relies on me for transportation for the first year. I mean, she has the whole rest of her life to be all mobile and independent. Can't I at least have the first year to keep you mine?

I'm half done getting Brian's things, and boycotting gifts for grown-grownups, 'cause really?  You're over 50.  Lulu needs presents more than you.  Fortunately the same does not apply for my side of the family b/c there are only a few and they are way fun to shop for, even if I'm not going to be there when they open their gifts. (Also they only count as grownups kind of.)

Ooooh, also, Louisa met Santa!!  The real one from North Pole, not one of his lame copycats around the US!!  She wasn't too concerned about the whole ordeal, but was a bit too tired to smile.

(Yes, she is dressed as an elf and her suit says 'B'Jolly'!  I'm in love. )

In major domestic news, I'm attempting my first crock-pot chili today!  We've already had one minor setback, but it smells really good so it can't be all bad, right?

And, 'cause pictures are the best:

Swaddle Renegade!

Pompoms!
(I look weird. Ignore it.)

Chatty girl!

Festive Fam at the Christmas party!

Naps w/o heat!  Brrrrrr!

Another domestic fail, just to get you excited about chili stories. 

Ha!

I'm pretty sure this is the most silly baby accessory I've seen!  Christian Dior pacifiers!  Funny!

photo credit

I was getting to that.

It seems I have a blogstalker and her name is Meg.  Yea, I got lazy and left out all the fun stuff...  whatevs.

So, the best stuff:

Brian & Lulu

Thanksgiving 2010

She LOVES to sit up!

Major Bedhead!

Party on the floor!

This past week the temps went from 30s to -30s!  SO cold!  And the worst part is that we didn't have heat on the first floor...

Yea.  I knew it was cold, but just kinda figured it was because it was so cold outside.  Today I finally called maintenance because I figured we had a thermostat issue (there are 4 in this house; I still don't know what they each control...)  But the guy came tonight.  Apparently the whole building has been having issues, not just us.  At least it's fixed now!

My loneliness is killing me...

Ha!  I've totes had Britney in my head allll day long!  For serious though, B is gone for his 5th week since Louisa was born, eleven weeks ago.  

Not awesome at all, ARMY. 

 Especially when I go to your dang FRG meetings and you throw out words like 'pre-deployment leave' and 'upcoming' within the same sentence... Ouch!

But then you butter me up with awards and coins like I'm a superstar.

Touche.

Eeeeeek x 768765765!!!

William and Kate might be my newest favorite thing!  I feel like I totally called it because I dvr'd TLC's special about them a couple weeks ago...  So there Brian!  ('cause he totally rolled his eyes at me when I set it!  Psh.)

Other awesome things:

Louisa!  She had her two month appointment and took those shots like a champ, with some tears, of course.  The guy who administered them was some young SPC, which made me so nervous, but he was really sweet and apologetic about the crying.  He wasn't specifically a pediatric shot guy (whatevs, you get it.), so I was excited that it was minimally traumatic (because lots of our experiences with army healthcare have been fairly traumatic thus far, just sayin'...)

Thigh bandaids :(

Anyways, she is 12 lbs., 22 in, and 90th percentile for head circumference...!  Whaaaat!  She totes gets it from Brian, but maybe it's for all the smarts that she gets from me?  Probably.  But the doctor said head control would take longer 'cause her head is heavier than most.  So, we got serious about tummy time!

...mostly.  Haha, she does do a good job, really.  (My 6 week postpartum appointment was yesterday too, but was mysteriously cancelled, so I have to wait 'til week eleven.  Awesome.)

Also, Little Lulu has been sleeping 6-7 hours a night, every night!  It is such an amazing feeling!  I think that Brian (who crazysnores) has been in Anchorage for the past couple weeks training has certainly been beneficial to this phenomenon.  I'm a bit nervous that he'll be back this weekend!

Also, MODG.  I'm kind of obsessed...

And, Mint M&Ms.  Its no wonder I still have 22.5 lbs to go!

Google images

Today the forecasted high temperature was negative four degrees. The high.  I think it's pretty awesome that we don't have to worry about heating oil. (Even though cost of living up here is ridiculous, and therefore BAH is ridiculous.  It's still pretty exciting.)

Holidays!!  We're doing a pot-luck Thanksgiving with friends since we're all way too far to celebrate with family.  I'm attempting several recipes, but I'm not going to share because I'm pretty sure they won't all turn out very well!

I'm so excited that Brian will be here for Louisa's first Thanksgiving and Christmas!  He's likely going to miss lots next year, so we're going to try and make the most of festivities this year!  And, as frustrating as it is to be in the Arctic, we will certainly have a white Christmas!  Yay!

Not awesome: calorie counting during the holiday season... Wish me luck!

It's so crazy to think that one year ago...

I wasn't even pregnant!  Having a baby was a hope of mine, but not a plan.  I was looking forward to Thanksgiving alone in Texas, and Brian's homecoming shortly thereafter...

Oh how things have changed!

Miss Louisa is almost two months, and I can honestly say that being her mum is more amazing than I could have imagined.  She has quickly caught on to the smile thing, and loves to practice at 2am when she is up for a bottle. It's SO hard to not smile and coo back when she is such a cheery little cherub!

Eating her hands is another new favorite, and waving arms is tons of fun too!  Except, maybe, when she gets too exuberant and thumps her little hand into her face...  The expression she makes is a bit pitiful!

Last night she slept for seven hours straight, and then went to sleep for a few more!  Honestly, every day gets less stressful and more fun.  Now she is in her gym, yelling at it!  So funny!  And if the music runs out and the lights stop flashing -- she cries!  Little girl has so much personality, and I'm afraid that she's just as crazy as me!

Monday we have her 2 month appointment, and I'm really not looking forward to the shots!  Hopefully it'll be over quickly...

Miss Louisa!

She's finally here!!  After a harrowing 31 hours in labor, an alarming ambulance ride, and a 4-day stay in the NICU, Miss Louisa Violet Francis is finally home!!

Still all goopy, but I love it!

These past seventeen days have been the most amazing and crazy of my entire life.  Little Lulu is the sweetest baby, except for when she's hungry.  She most certainly inherited her appetite from her dad, as well as her toes and her eyebrows!  When her belly is full though, and she isn't sleeping, she is content to cuddle and look  around.  She has dark hair and light brows and lashes, beautiful blue eyes, and perfect cupid's bow lips.  

Trying to sleep with a newborn is exhausting!  Her longest stretch has been about six hours, and I'm not clever enough to sleep when she does during the day, so I'm more tired than I've ever been, ever.  It certainly doesn't help that Brian is back at work and out in the field already, so I don't have any help.  I honestly don't know how single moms do it!!  These five days are just a test though, 'cause he has a longer school coming up next month!!  Hopefully by then Louisa and I will have a bit of a schedule...

Smiling while she sleeps... so sweet!

My pretty little Lu

Brian and Louisa!  He looooves to hold her!

Hopefully I'll get better at posting, but likely not -- this little miss is pretty time consuming!

Bright and early...

Tomorrow morning I'm heading in to the hospital to be induced!  I'm so excited!!

Nesting frenzy!

Today I am officially 41 weeks pregnant!  Tomorrow morning I have an ultrasound and non-stress test to make sure little Lulu is still doing okay in there.  If she isn't they'll induce right away, but if things look good they'll let me go a bit longer, until Friday probably.

I have to say, being overdue isn't nearly as miserable as I thought it would be.  I feel kind of content, like I made it to 40 weeks safely, and now she could really come any day.  That isn't to say I'm super impatient to meet this girl (and not be pregnant) but I don't feel pressure for it to be riiiight now, I'm okay with being pregnant for a few days longer.

So, I've taken advantage of this long weekend and had a bit of a nesting frenzy!  I've swept and mopped, vaccumed and dusted, done more loads of laundry than I thought our machine could handle, rearranged and reorganized all of our cabinets, taken down and re-hung wall decor, invested in new home fragrance and fall hand soaps, set up our new super-fancy coffee maker (can't wait for caffeine!), washed and organized all the new things for Louisa, even managed to sweep all the debris and cobwebs from our front door!  I realized I'd gone a bit overboard as I was sweeping my way down the sidewalk in my purple plaid pajama pants...  The neighbors are all used to the craziness though... I hope!

Fingers crossed that the next update will be full of baby pictures!

Due!

Well, maybe a bit overdue really...  Yesterday was my official date according to the hospital, and it seems little Louisa is going to take her sweet time!

At my 39 week appointment I hadn't progressed much from the week before.  I've spent the past week walking, bouncing on the yoga ball, eating spicy things and pineapples, even trying some wii fit exercises (Brian thinks my hula-hooping skills are entertaining!), and all that has gotten me is some super-uncomfortable Braxton Hicks.  Hopefully my appointment tomorrow will show some progression...  If not, it's just a matter of time!  At 41 weeks my hospital will do an ultrasound to ensure Lulu has enough fluid and is still thriving in there, and if everything looks good they'll wait a few more days to induce!

I'm just so excited knowing that within the next two weeks we'll finally be able to meet our sweet baby Louisa!

Progress! And Pictures!

SO, I had my 38 week appointment yesterday, and am officially dilated and effaced!! Not tons, and I know it still means it could be awhile, but - I'm still crazy excited, and plan on doing everything in my power to move this little lady along!

Also, we finally finished the nursery!! Now it's not magazine style amazing, but it is certainly cozy and sweet and perfect for our little miss!

(And that is what 38 weeks pregnant looks like.  I know, Yikes!)

"Here's a little thing I don't think that you know..."

That was my husband's intro this morning, and then he treated me to a fun fact or two about where Muslims build Mosques. Quite hilarious, eh? I promise, it really was! I married such a goober!

Really though, I have to tell you about my new favorite thing, Gap lounge pants. I used my birthday money for a few splurges, and I figured what I'll need most in the weeks following Louisa's arrival will be soft, comfy clothes. They arrived yesterday, and I didn't want to try them on 'cause I knew I wouldn't want to take them off...! I was totally right, and am planning on buying as many more as I can fit in my drawers. Online they don't look like much, but they hide my pregnancy cellulite like nobody's business! I'm almost dreading the day that I can fit into jeans again and don't have any excuse to wear them to the grocery store.

Speaking of Miss Babycakes, she is officially head down!! I'm so happy to be only 23 days away from my due date, and just two days until she is officially full term! I'm starting to be less 'grumpy pregnant lady' and more 'super excited mum to be'! I so can't wait until she is here!!! The nursery is soooo close to done, we just have to figure out the curtain situation. Honestly though, I'm not too worried that it be done before she gets here. She likely won't be sleeping in there for a while.

Unfortunately, the Army isn't so concerned that Lulu will be full term. Brian is spending most of next week in the field, and the week after. He'll bring his phone with him just in case, but that doesn't ensure that he'll have reception. A friend up here offered to be my emergency support, just in case. Likely though we have nothing to worry about; I'm pretty certain Louisa will be a September baby. Hopefully not too late though, I'm so anxious to meet my sweet girl!

25 and feelin' alive!

Woohoo! I have to say, turning 25 was a lot less scary than I thought it would be! Fortunately, my day was on a Monday this year, so Brian and I decided to have a Birthday Bender weekend! Not quite the same as a bender in college, but we had tons of fun!

Sunday, my incapable-of-waiting husband talked me into having my 'party' early. I'm not in much of a party mood as of late, considering I'm the size of a rhinoceros and in a constant state of hormonal rage, so I was nervous to say the least.

While I was (banished) upstairs waiting for Brian to prep, I found my new anthem! Haha! It makes me so happy, and like there may be hope for me once this pregnancy is over! Lulu must like it too, as she dances every time I play it!

So after a bit Brian called me back downstairs for this:

Wrapping skillz may leave something to be desired, eh?

Ah! So pretty! This is officially the first birthday of mine that he has been here to celebrate (of the 5 I've had!), so he went wayyyy overboard!

Monday was tons of fun too, even though Brian had to work. I found a fantastic pedicure place, got to spend as much time as I wanted at Barnes&Nobles, skyped with sisters and opened two big boxes of fun from Maine!! My house will officially never be free of sparkles and confetti again, but it's all totally worth it!

Babywise, I'm 34 weeks pregnant, --35 tomorrow!!! CRAZYYY! I'm so freakin' excited for BabyLu to get here! The nursery is mostly done, but I need to finish up some decor. I'll post pictures eventually...

Brian comes home today!

YAY! Granted, he's only been in the field for a week, but it turns out that I revert to my twelve year old self while I'm home alone.

So, no giggly phone calls to boys, but crazy stuff goes down. Namely:

-surviving solely off of Starburst and lemonade

-watching way too much crappy tv (Hello E!)

-staying awake until the wee hours of the morning, which isn't helped by the fact that the sun never goes down

-and potentially one or two impulse purchases from Sephora for pretty things I don't need due to the sugar-induced craze

Brian's return has already caused me to vaccuum today and change the garbage, so HA party week of ridiculousness. Also this weekend we're going to be parents and get a few more things for Lulu's room.

Speaking of babies, I'm 30 weeks and some days and officially huge! I can't believe I still have two more months, 'cause I'm pretty sure little Lu isn't going to fit much longer.

Here in Alaska we're having a superfun 'heat wave' and with all the heat my toes are starting to look like sausages. It's pretty tragic, as they weren't picturesque to begin with. Trying to pedicure them myself is starting to be an Olympic event also, so likely I'll have to hit up a nail salon here shortly... Wish me luck!

Happy Friday, lovelies!

28 weeks, so this + bigger! Yikes!

Today I...

...Rediscovered circus peanuts!

YUM!

We're in the homestretch!

Third trimester!!!

I'm so excited! Twelve more weeks and our little lady will be here!

Speaking of which, Brian and I have finally decided on a first name... Louisa! I absolutely love it. So pretty and sweet, feminine without being too fussy, and classic but not so common. Her middle name is still under consideration, but I'm not too worried.

Also, my sister has a blog! Woohoo! You can find Miss Margarita here, and read about all the fun stuff in Maine that I'm missing.

In other creepy blog stalker news, have you heard of Cupcakes and Cashmere? She is apparently a superfamous style blogger, so famous that Coach invited her to design a bag! Anyways, I stumbled upon her during an Alias marathon last weekend, and I'm in love. She has the prettiest hair and the most enviable shoe collection that I've ever seen, seriously. I'm debating on spending our savings on Yves Saint Laurent platforms instead of diapers and baby baths... And the best part is that she's 27, so that means I still have a couple of years to get it all worked out!!

This is our Sweet Lulu a few weeks ago... Smiling! I love that she is such a happy little thing already! Likely though, it has lots to do with all the marshmallows and little else! 82 days until we get to meet our pretty little lady!

Hey, Stranger!

Today I'm 24 weeks, 4 days pregnant, and babygirl is the size of an ear of corn! I'm feeling every bit of it and counting down the days until she can be here and healthy. (I'm in love with her bumps though. She is so gentle and sweet, bouncing about to Stevie Wonder, until she hits the bladder... !) Her nursery is not even close to done, and we still don't have a name picked out! But, I made her a pretty quilt, so that counts for something, right?

The empty nursery. We do have some furniture in there now though.

Lately the sun is up all the time. It sounds nice, but makes midnight less exciting. They tell me it won't last forever though, so I'm soaking up every bit I can.

This weekend is the post-wide yard sale, and I'm on the hunt for a rocking chair! The husband is hoping to drag me to see Robin Hood (he swears he'll see Sex and the City 2 - twice - if I go!), and I plan on making him suffer through vacuum shopping... Fun for all!

19 weeks! Picture this plus a soccer ball...

Rockin' neices! Aren't they the cutest?!?