It took me months and months and months to finally commit on a diaper bag – I’m not sure this one is 100% “the one” either…but it will be for now! Not to mention, Vera Bradley for 75% off and basically everything I was looking for, I had to pull the trigger. It’s SO lightweight, has outside pockets and an plastic inside lining. I’m not thrilled with the pattern, but I’d say it’s a win win. I bought a second one, a bigger one which I plan to use for longer trips – here.

I (think) plan to travel light with the diaper bag and keep things in the trunk for backup. I’m new at this so if anyone has tips, tricks or other suggestions I would love to hear them! The bag came with a changing pad in the backside compartment. I have a few diapers and a Huggies Wipe Clutch. In the inner side pocket a small powder, diaper rash tubes and a pacifier. Similac and Enfamil have been sending me tons and tons of samples..so I stuck some single-use formula packets in there as well. Clearly, the bag is overrun with toys at the moment.

*Other things to add – burp cloth, blanket, change of clothes, bib, socks….anything else at the moment?

Now, onto the hospital bag. There’s barely anything in our suitcase, yet it’s SO full. What’s going on! I have changed some of the items as it seemed like too much to pack for 2-3 days.

As much as I love that little camo moose, I decided to leave him home and only pack my Grandma’s blanket to keep over the carseat on the way home.

I also thought there were far too many onesies and sleep sacks so I had to edit this as well. I’m taking the “Just Born” onesie which was a gift from my girlfriend and the onesie with animals all over. I figure two would suffice.

I decided to keep all of the above little one piece, feet in outfits. With the addition of one more hat.I packed one Aden + Anais Swaddle and two little socks.

Aside from the baby items, I packed two cami’s, a couple bras (one nursing bra), socks, big underwear (which are from my hip surgeries), VS Sleep Shirt, a pair of loose fitting sweatpants, comfy lounge shorts and a sweatshirt. I packed super light and very comfy. Kevin has some comfy shorts, pj pants, a bathing suit (for helping me labor in the shower or tub), and a couple shirts, etc.

I threw in a bag of snacks, hospital paperwork in case my online registration didn’t go through and an extra tote bag for coming home. We have to still pack the camera, Bose speaker, headphones, car seat (bases are installed already), money for the vending and bathroom items.

We didn’t pack a lot but it still seems like too much!

The nursery is officially ready – no more showers, no more gifts! We cleaned this place and put things where we want them – like the pack and play and bouncer. The more we do now, the less we have to do later. I put together a basket of items to keep downstairs so we don’t have to run upstairs to change the baby, or grab a toy/blanket or anything else. I’ve said it before…but NOW baby can officially come!!!

And remember, you have until February 28 (Saturday) to join our baby pool and win some money! The link is at the top of the page and on the right. Good luck!

How far along: 37 Weeks. I can’t believe how far we are!
Baby is the size of:  A Honeydew
Gender:  Getting so close to knowing!
Weight gain: Up around the 28lb mark.
Maternity clothes: Tops mostly, or just anything oversized.
Stretch marks: Nope.
Belly button in or out:  In. It’s getting a little “flat” looking but it’s still definitely not out.
Sleep: Still totally hit or miss. Rolling over is the absolute worst at this point.
Best moment this week: Getting another sneak peak of the little one on the ultrasound to make sure they’re head down. Doctor appointments getting more serious and important.
Worst moment this week: Strep swab and cervical exam. Those were definitely not the best feeling in the world. Baby has not dropped yet, no dilating yet. Still cooking in there. Maybe it’s a good sign that when the baby is ready, it’ll just go quickly!
Miss anything: Getting excited for Winter to end! Missing my jacket fitting at the moment.
Movement: Still very calm.
Cravings: Nothing really.
Queasy or sick: Nope, doing pretty good.
Labor Signs: Some Braxton Hicks but nothing too crazy.
Symptoms: My ankles are SOOOO swollen it’s kind of gross looking.
Wedding rings on or off: On.
Looking forward to: Meeting this little babe!!! We had Kevin’s 30th Birthday Party yesterday so I can now kick back and officially relax and ride out the next few weeks with my feet up. I’m looking forward to those first contractions that will make these last 9 months worth it. Getting anxious and excited. Cleaning the house today, organizing the nursery once and for all and looking forward to bonding with the little one!!

The long awaited post. A glimpse into the nursery that is about 98% complete! Right now it looks nothing like this as I had a shower at work yesterday and the room is full of stuff again! Where oh where to put everything!

The room basically centered around the Changing Table which is actually a Kitchen Buffet I found on Craigslist back in August! I had plans to paint it white, but after determining it probably wouldn’t accept paint very easily we decided to keep it black – this was the main item the nursery was built around!

Since this room used to be our spare/guest/work room, there was alread a  built in desk which Kevin made when we first moved in. Instead of ripping it off the wall and having to do more work than necessary, we decided to use it as our “dresser” and hold baskets for clothing and any other item we find would work. It doubles as a nice space to store things underneath as well. Currently, we’re storing the Rocker/Walker and the Baby Einstein Activity Table. The diaper cakes were from my shower and I plan to break those apart as I need them before opening any packages.

The area on top of the desk will be used for storage…here I have small size onesies and pants in one, burp cloths and swaddles in the middle and blankets/crib sheets in the third. Baskets came from Pier 1 about two years ago and have been in the linen closet for organization. I think they work perfect in the nursery!

For the life of us, we could not decide on a proper rocker/glider and I just can’t see spending upwards of $300 for one that I may not even like! This came from my Grandma’s house and, with the help of Kevin’s Uncle, they restored it and I like it just fine. I just need to find a nice cushion and ottoman for it. Ellie the Elephant was one of my FIRST purchases for the Baby when I found out I was pregnant. I knew I wanted Grey walls and I thought it would be so cute on the floor in the corner. This little guy came from Pier 1 over the summer! Canvas tote – found at TJ Maxx I am currently using for extra blankets at the moment. I have one on the other side of the room to hold toys and stuffed animals once our collection grows! Bins and baskets are the best way to keep organized in my opinion. I purchased these in January and I am so glad I scooped them up! The afghan was handmade by my Grandma MANY years ago before she passed away. I have stored it away waiting for the day I finally get to use to for my little one! I wish everyday she was here to see her Fourth Great-Grandbaby come into the world!

Crib / Mobile / Elephant Crib Sheet (Burt’s Bees from Zulily) – similar here

My very talented Cousin sent me these adorable Kevin and Danielle dolls that she made for my shower. They are just absolutely hysterical and I just love them. Afghan pictured is another handmade beauty from Mem (Kevin’s Mom). She made this and gave it to us at the Baby Shower. I love the Grey portion and the subtle little pops of color – Zoe likes this one too!

Changing Pad / Changing Pad Cover (no longer available) / 1, 2, 3 Buckets / Tray / Curtains

The canvas buckets were another item that I KNEW I wanted in the nursery for storing things. I love Maika Goods and have mentioned them in other posts. The wicker cart, also from Pier 1 many moons ago, was at my parents house until my Mom decided she didn’t want/need it anymore. Finders keepers! Table on the other side of Changing Table from Pier 1 as well a few years ago! Right now we have a tiny lamp on it.

As mentioned, we don’t have a dresser nor do we have room for one so we must rely solely on baskets and shelving! Here’s our former bookshelf/collect-all turned baby storage. I purchased the grey chevron baskets at Kohl’s a few months back and the brown baskets were given to me at my shower! Lots of little goodies shoved in the baskets from bibs and burp cloths, to rattles and teethers, larger clothes and jeans, washcloths/towels, and loads and loads of books! The cute little grey cat on the second shelf was also a handmade up-cycled item from another one of my VERY creative cousins and the little beige creature next to it as well. Canisters came from Macy’s and Star basket came from a second hand store in Ocean City over the summer.

The closet looks like a hot mess but it really is pretty organized. The top is stuffed with diapers and wipes. Anything over a size 3 we’re storing at my parents house for now. Hamper was a very early purchase as well at Kohl’s for mere pennies! The changing pad and crib wedge are also stored here so Zoe doesn’t ruin them (oh wait, she already put her nails through the changing pad!). I have three matching Baby Things baskets from my shower which fit nicely on the shelf we installed from Walmart. Clothes are hung by size with these clothing size dividers!

I really like how everything has turned out in the nursery. I feel like we started early enough so that we could enjoy the experience and not feel rushed. A little at a time is what wins the race. Luckily, my Mom could come down and help finalize some of the organization when I felt a little overwhelmed with it. We have a few more things to find homes for. Obviously we have a swing, bouncer, pack-n-play, high-chair, stroller and a couple car seats spewed around the house but no need to see that clutter just yet! Kevin installed the bases into both vehicles…now we just wait!

Hope you enjoyed our little nursery tour! We really like how everything turned out and hope it stays nice and organized for many, many months! 🙂

Here’s a few little ones from our Maternity Photo Shoot last week when my Mom was in town. I plan on ordering one or two and frame them for the nursery.

Hope you enjoy the little peak and love them as much as we do. Fun way to enjoy the last few weeks of having Baby on the inside and memories to last forever.

I have lots of posts in store for you this week between maternity photos, diaper bag goodies, nursery tour..etc! I am going to start off with a Valentine’s recap as well as this weeks menu! Hope you enjoy.

Even though there was a threat of snow this weekend, Kevin and I decided to take a drive to Stew Leonard’s and get some real goodies! We have SUCH a busy week that I really focused on easy, quick meals to get us through so there’s no bad choices being made.

Monday: Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken! This is a newbie – throw chicken breasts, chili’s, jalapenos, salsa, corn, black beans and broth into the Crock Pot and cook on low 6-8 hours, shred the chicken and enjoy by itself, in a wrap or in a taco! I prepped on Sunday so I can just throw the insert into the base first thing in the morning and set the timer.

Tuesday: Ham, Zucchini and Cheese Panini’s

Wednesday: Black Bean Burgers. These will be easy enough to prep the night before and put in the fridge for dinner after my Dr. Appointment.

Thursday: Most likely leftovers, or something quick with shrimp or chicken – since we always have that in the freezer!

Friday: Dinner out for Kevin’s 30th Birthday!!

Kev and I decided to stay home for Valentine’s Day and make a special meal in our PJs! Dressing up right now is pretty difficult and I can’t eat much anyway…so I’d rather save money and cook something scrumptious! Enjoy!

Originally, we thought surf and turf with Filet and King Crab Legs…that was pushed to the side when we saw the delicious Lamb Chops at the store. And, because seafood isn’t top on my list lately, we settled on Scallops in a brown butter sauce with capers. I couldn’t resist having SOMETHING festive, so I made heart-shaped roasted potatoes with heart-shaped homemade butter. This was a fun and delicious meal to spend with my Valentine and rest before becoming a family of 3!

I hope you had a day full of lots of love and chocolate and only a little snow if you live in the Northeast! <3

How far along: 36 Weeks. Yup, 9 months! Now is when the fun starts…4 weeks to go!
Baby is the size of:  A Papaya
Gender:  Getting so close to knowing!
Weight gain: Probably still around the 25lb mark, I go to the doctor on Tuesday.
Maternity clothes: Officially given in to yoga pants and leggings from here on out, no makeup and oversize sweaters.
Stretch marks: Nope. WINNING!
Belly button in or out:  In. It’s getting a little “flat” looking but it’s still definitely not out.
Sleep: OH to be able to sleep through the night. Or at LEAST get comfortable! I can’t wait to be sleeping on my stomach again.
Best moment this week: Getting closer to D-Day and knowing my Dr. appointments are more and more important from here on out. 🙂
Worst moment this week: This week absolutely dragging by! Being so big nothing is easy. Also, Zoe thinking the bassinet is hers and driving us nuts!
Miss anything: Being 25lb lighter. So glad Winter is coming to a close.
Movement: Still very calm.
Cravings: Nothing really.
Queasy or sick: Nope, doing pretty good.
Labor Signs: Some Braxton Hicks but nothing too crazy.
Symptoms: Congested…sore ribs…difficulty sleeping..fat (really fat) ankles as of lately..apparently snoring now too. Mouth breathing is the WORST at night.
Wedding rings on or off: On.
Looking forward to: Yoga, followed by my Doctor appointment, Pediatrician appointment, Kevin’s Birthday and his Party! This week is SURE to fly by and I can’t wait. I’ll be cruising into week 37 in a blink. That’s scary and exciting all at the same time. My shower at work is this coming week and that’s giving me anxiety already! Maternity photos and nursery pics should be arriving momentarily! The carseat bases are in the vehicles…all that’s left is to wait for Baby.

Hope everyone has a great Valentine’s Day! I asked Zoe to be my Valentine…whether she likes it or not. <3

Thanks be to Daddy for taking part in this weeks photo and Grandma for being photographer for the day. #nomakeupdontcare

How far along: 35 Weeks! Time is ticking. <3
Baby is the size of:  A bunch of Carrots (which sound delicious right now.  Baby’s estimated size is 5lb13oz, 77th percentile. Baby is a porker. Heartbeat was 158.
Gender:  Haven’t a clue…
Weight gain: As of my appointment on Thursday, officially up 25lb. BP was 130/80 – higher than normal but my appointment was in the morning so maybe that’s why.
Maternity clothes: Same stuff – leggings and yoga pants from here on out…open cardigans and sweaters that don’t need to be zipped. I really wish I was pregnant in warmer weather. This winter thing is nonsense. Jeans in the photo are pre-preg and fit everywhere except the waist. Happy about that.
Stretch marks: Nope.
Belly button in or out:  In. I have more maternity photos coming soon and you’ll be able to see the awkward looking belly button we have going on. I’ve taken my ring out – although putting it through every so often to keep the hole from closing. Don’t judge.
Sleep: Solid until about 2am..then toss and turn until 5am then solid again until the alarm at 6:30am. Makes for a rough day.
Best moment this week: Feeling baby move is always the best moment. Even though I’m over this pregnant thing, it’s been so great and so easy! And Yoga, I love my Prenatal Yoga class. We got the stroller (thanks Mom and Dad)…next step is installing the bases into the vehicles and packing the hospital bag!!
Worst moment this week: Getting full and uncomfortable very easy after eating. Getting sick of bundling up for the cold.
Miss anything: My body. My clothes. Beer. Beer.
Movement: Still very calm, most active time is after lunch or before/after dinner.
Cravings: Nothing really.
Queasy or sick: Nope, doing pretty good.
Labor Signs: Some Braxton Hicks but not as much as I was getting before.
Symptoms: Congested…sore ribs…difficulty sleeping..fat (really fat) ankles as of lately.
Wedding rings on or off: On.
Looking forward to: My doctor appointments are starting to be a week apart which makes it go quicker. Mom is here this weekend helping do laundry and organize the nursery. We got a lot done and I feel better with everything if baby comes early. We have the hospital and coming home outfits all set. This is real. Making my hospital list. Yikes…I am very much ready to meet the little critter!

And then…there was this, couldn’t resist.

How far along: 34 Weeks! So close yet so DAMN FAR.
Baby is the size of: Cabbage
Gender:  Guess what? We still don’t know.
Weight gain: Not sure, we go to the doctor on Tuesday.
Maternity clothes: Same stuff – belly is getting exponentially larger so I’m sticking to maternity shirts or nice stretchy tanks.
Stretch marks: Nope.
Belly button in or out:  It is very much IN still.
Sleep: Mostly crappy…I’m so tired during the day too.
Best moment this week: The fact that I’m one week closer to the end. I did some baby laundry today! Oh yeah, and I had a massage yesterday which was SO lovely.
Worst moment this week: Getting uncomfortable, tired, annoyed….I’m ready to be not pregnant. Yoga and Ultrasound were canceled due to the “blizzard” we never got. So that was sad. But makeup this week.
Miss anything: My body. My clothes. Beer. Yea, it’s Superbowl Sunday and the Patriot’s are playing…throw me a damn bone here.
Movement: Still very calm, most active time is after lunch or before/after dinner.
Cravings: Nothing really.
Queasy or sick: Last two nights I’ve been feeling a little blah.
Labor Signs: Not yet.
Symptoms: Congested…sore ribs…difficulty sleeping.
Wedding rings on or off: On. No swelling in the hands
Looking forward to: Yoga classes. Doctor appointments. My Mom coming next weekend to help do laundry and fold and organize. Be one week closer to the end.