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Do you love me? Come on, you know you do. All the cool kids are doing it, add my button to your blog!Saturday, September 27, 2008
Do You Love Me?
Do you love me? Come on, you know you do. All the cool kids are doing it, add my button to your blog!
Links I Love
I'm not going to lie, I love surfing the web. I love intelligent websites, funny blogs and browsing through things I clearly cannot afford. Below are some of the sites I go to most often.
Disclaimer: So, I have a pretty long blogroll of blogs that I read on the left hand side of my homepage, but these are the blogs that I just keep finding myself going back to time and time again. And by time and time again I mean on a daily basis...ok, hourly...fine, I admit, every 5 minutes. I basically blog stalk them...is there anything wrong with that?
Blog Favorites:
My go-to sites for "green" info:
My go-to parenting websites:
My indulgences:
Causes I Support:
Disclaimer: So, I have a pretty long blogroll of blogs that I read on the left hand side of my homepage, but these are the blogs that I just keep finding myself going back to time and time again. And by time and time again I mean on a daily basis...ok, hourly...fine, I admit, every 5 minutes. I basically blog stalk them...is there anything wrong with that?
Blog Favorites:
- Baby Rabies
- Maybe If You Just Relax
- Chicky Chicky Baby
- Is There Any Mommy Out There?
- NieNie Dialogs
- OhDeeDoh
- Petit Elephant
- Petunia Face
- Simple Mom
- Stacey's Random Thoughts
- The Meanest Mom
- Mommy Wants Vodka
- Design Mom
- Cool Mom Picks
My go-to sites for "green" info:
My go-to parenting websites:
My indulgences:
Causes I Support:
Who Am I?
Who am I? I'm Beverley. Wife, Mom, writer and ... Human Resources Administrator (begrudgingly).
What defines me? I'm devoted to being a mother to Lucy and wife to Rob. I'm passionate about anything green, organic, local and sustainable. I love writing and love blogging which gives me a creative outlet that I haven't found anywhere else.
Why do I write? When I started this blog I began writing it as a coping mechanism after three years of being birth control free and a year and a half of actively trying to become pregnant. This year we were blessed with our darling Lucy, who was born January 2nd, 2009. I continue write because I love the idea of a written record of my venturing into motherhood and am using it as a virtual baby book for Lucy. I also write because I love to read about other mom's experiences -- what they love, what they hate, what they've been surprised by and what they will never forget. I love the fact that I can share my own experiences with others, with the hopes that readers enjoy my chronicles of motherhood as much as I enjoy theirs.
This brings me to the present, where I have become a cloth diapering, breastfeeding, organic baby food making, attachment parenting, semi co-sleeping, attempting to be crafty, full time working mama who is loving every minute of it (ok, maybe not so much the working part). So, with all that being said, I formally invite you to stick around and join me the adventures of parenting my maybe baby.
What defines me? I'm devoted to being a mother to Lucy and wife to Rob. I'm passionate about anything green, organic, local and sustainable. I love writing and love blogging which gives me a creative outlet that I haven't found anywhere else.
Why do I write? When I started this blog I began writing it as a coping mechanism after three years of being birth control free and a year and a half of actively trying to become pregnant. This year we were blessed with our darling Lucy, who was born January 2nd, 2009. I continue write because I love the idea of a written record of my venturing into motherhood and am using it as a virtual baby book for Lucy. I also write because I love to read about other mom's experiences -- what they love, what they hate, what they've been surprised by and what they will never forget. I love the fact that I can share my own experiences with others, with the hopes that readers enjoy my chronicles of motherhood as much as I enjoy theirs.
This brings me to the present, where I have become a cloth diapering, breastfeeding, organic baby food making, attachment parenting, semi co-sleeping, attempting to be crafty, full time working mama who is loving every minute of it (ok, maybe not so much the working part). So, with all that being said, I formally invite you to stick around and join me the adventures of parenting my maybe baby.
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Stroller...
So I picked up the book Baby Bargains at the bookstore this last week and I just cannot say enough good things about it. I carry it around in my purse, which is weird, but turned out to be a very good thing on Thursday night. If you're having a baby, buy it!
Here's a little background on me, I'm an obsessive, compulsive bargain shopper. I scour sale racks and shop at Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack at least once a week...each. Being pregnant has made buying baby things into a whole NEW obsession for me. Yes, I should wait for my showers but honestly, I like buying things for Lucy and get so excited when I find cute stuff for super cheap. So I may have gone a little overboard in the buying stuff department, but I've mainly stuck to clothing so far and my Fleurville Diaper Bag I ordered online for a steal at $70 last week. Below is my stash of baby clothes (from newborn to 12 months, so I feel like it really isn't THAT much) and my new diaper bag. Notice the lack of pink, neither Rob nor I like pink!
But I digress, back to the book and the stroller. Ever since I bought the book I've been pouring over the stroller section. There are just SO many choices! After reading the stroller chapter about a million times, I had narrowed it down to the Urban Single Mountain Buggy or the BOB for joggers and Peg Perego Pliko for a more lightweight option. I had remembered that the BOBs had been on sale at Costco last month online, so I checked there first...damn, of course they're all gone by the time I decide. Well, I still had plenty of time.
So on Thursday I got off work pretty late and decided that I didn't feel like going home just yet, and instead went to my usual I'm-bored-so-I'm-going-to-shop haunt, Marshalls. Of course I make a beeline straight for the baby items where lo and behold, there was the Peg Perego Pliko P3 in this adorable bright, flaming red! There was only one and it was only $159.99! I'm pretty sure it was a 2007 model, but who cares? Not me! What a STEAL! So I bought it, of course.
So that is usually where the story would end, with me triumphantly savoring the victory of yet another bargain found, however, the stroller was fully set up. All the tags were on it but it was open. No biggie, I thought to myself, I'll just take it out to the parking lot and figure it out. It can't be that hard, right? Um... why didn't anyone tell me it takes a freaking master's degree in physics to figure out how a stroller folds up? There I was, struggling with this thing for 30 minutes at dusk in the Marshalls parking lot. When I couldn't figure out how to fold it, I decided I would try and shove the whole thing into the back of my (compact) car. Then, to my dismay, it proceeded to get stuck half in, half out of the car. ARGH!!!! People were walking by me and staring at the crazy pregnant lady wrestling with this fully open stroller stuck in the backseat of her car.
When I finally got it back out again, at this point I was sweating, cursing and panting, I decided that to hell with it, I wasn't even sure I was going to keep the thing, but I was going to open up the sealed baggie with instructions. When I did I saw that there were about 25 diagrams, starting with how to put the damn thing together, and ending with how to attach the car seat. Somewhere in the middle there was a couple diagrams that looked like they might be indicating how to close it, but they weren't exactly crystal clear AND did I mention it was getting dark and I couldn't see a thing! After 5 more minutes of fighting, I finally turned the pages of the book some more to see that they had written out the instructions as well, indicating a diagram number. I read the instructions part and matched it with the picture. I am a genius! Finally, click this, pull that and VOILA!! the stroller is closed. I throw it in the car and get out of there!
So, after our initial misunderstanding, I have decided I really like this stroller. A lot! I think it was fate that brought us together and now that we've been through our rough spot it'll be smooth sailing from now on. Rob loves that it is a sporty red and made in Italy, and my mom offered to buy it for her house if I decide I want something else since she liked it so much. So all in all I'm really satisfied with the purchase. It is so darn cute and lightweight, and after you read the damn directions, it is pretty darn easy to close. I'll probably buy a BOB as well when they go back on sale at Costco, for jogging, but I won't need that for months after Lucy is born, so I can wait for my second deal on a stroller! YAY!
Here's the stroller:
Pretty, right? And it totally matches my new diaper bag. HA!
Also, since it has been so long, here are some belly pics...although forgive me for the poor quality, it was right when I got home from work, on the self-portrait setting, in not my cutest outfit. I'll have to get Rob to get some better ones this weekend.
Lastly, if anyone from Portland reads my blog we're going to the Green Sprouts Fair tomorrow, (Saturday, September 13th) in North Portland. It's a fair with information on how to be organic and eco-friendly during pregnancy and within your family. Here's the link if any of your Oregonians want to take a peek: http://www.redirectguide.com/greensprouts/about.htm.
Fun fun!
Here's a little background on me, I'm an obsessive, compulsive bargain shopper. I scour sale racks and shop at Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack at least once a week...each. Being pregnant has made buying baby things into a whole NEW obsession for me. Yes, I should wait for my showers but honestly, I like buying things for Lucy and get so excited when I find cute stuff for super cheap. So I may have gone a little overboard in the buying stuff department, but I've mainly stuck to clothing so far and my Fleurville Diaper Bag I ordered online for a steal at $70 last week. Below is my stash of baby clothes (from newborn to 12 months, so I feel like it really isn't THAT much) and my new diaper bag. Notice the lack of pink, neither Rob nor I like pink!
But I digress, back to the book and the stroller. Ever since I bought the book I've been pouring over the stroller section. There are just SO many choices! After reading the stroller chapter about a million times, I had narrowed it down to the Urban Single Mountain Buggy or the BOB for joggers and Peg Perego Pliko for a more lightweight option. I had remembered that the BOBs had been on sale at Costco last month online, so I checked there first...damn, of course they're all gone by the time I decide. Well, I still had plenty of time.
So on Thursday I got off work pretty late and decided that I didn't feel like going home just yet, and instead went to my usual I'm-bored-so-I'm-going-to-shop haunt, Marshalls. Of course I make a beeline straight for the baby items where lo and behold, there was the Peg Perego Pliko P3 in this adorable bright, flaming red! There was only one and it was only $159.99! I'm pretty sure it was a 2007 model, but who cares? Not me! What a STEAL! So I bought it, of course.
So that is usually where the story would end, with me triumphantly savoring the victory of yet another bargain found, however, the stroller was fully set up. All the tags were on it but it was open. No biggie, I thought to myself, I'll just take it out to the parking lot and figure it out. It can't be that hard, right? Um... why didn't anyone tell me it takes a freaking master's degree in physics to figure out how a stroller folds up? There I was, struggling with this thing for 30 minutes at dusk in the Marshalls parking lot. When I couldn't figure out how to fold it, I decided I would try and shove the whole thing into the back of my (compact) car. Then, to my dismay, it proceeded to get stuck half in, half out of the car. ARGH!!!! People were walking by me and staring at the crazy pregnant lady wrestling with this fully open stroller stuck in the backseat of her car.
When I finally got it back out again, at this point I was sweating, cursing and panting, I decided that to hell with it, I wasn't even sure I was going to keep the thing, but I was going to open up the sealed baggie with instructions. When I did I saw that there were about 25 diagrams, starting with how to put the damn thing together, and ending with how to attach the car seat. Somewhere in the middle there was a couple diagrams that looked like they might be indicating how to close it, but they weren't exactly crystal clear AND did I mention it was getting dark and I couldn't see a thing! After 5 more minutes of fighting, I finally turned the pages of the book some more to see that they had written out the instructions as well, indicating a diagram number. I read the instructions part and matched it with the picture. I am a genius! Finally, click this, pull that and VOILA!! the stroller is closed. I throw it in the car and get out of there!
So, after our initial misunderstanding, I have decided I really like this stroller. A lot! I think it was fate that brought us together and now that we've been through our rough spot it'll be smooth sailing from now on. Rob loves that it is a sporty red and made in Italy, and my mom offered to buy it for her house if I decide I want something else since she liked it so much. So all in all I'm really satisfied with the purchase. It is so darn cute and lightweight, and after you read the damn directions, it is pretty darn easy to close. I'll probably buy a BOB as well when they go back on sale at Costco, for jogging, but I won't need that for months after Lucy is born, so I can wait for my second deal on a stroller! YAY!
Here's the stroller:
Pretty, right? And it totally matches my new diaper bag. HA!
Also, since it has been so long, here are some belly pics...although forgive me for the poor quality, it was right when I got home from work, on the self-portrait setting, in not my cutest outfit. I'll have to get Rob to get some better ones this weekend.
Lastly, if anyone from Portland reads my blog we're going to the Green Sprouts Fair tomorrow, (Saturday, September 13th) in North Portland. It's a fair with information on how to be organic and eco-friendly during pregnancy and within your family. Here's the link if any of your Oregonians want to take a peek: http://www.redirectguide.com/greensprouts/about.htm.
Fun fun!
"Shopping is a woman thing. It's a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase."
-Erma Bombeck
Ultrasound Story...
Well it's about time I posted my BIG ultrasound story... over a month and a half later. Bad me!
Let's go way back to our big US back in the beginning of August, Rob had taken the day off for the occasion and I was only working half day. He picked me up for work in the afternoon, it is lucky I only worked that long that day because I just could NOT concentrate on work!
I had decided I needed to drink three glasses of water, a juice and a Hansen's Strawberry Cream soda to ensure my bladder was full enough, but even by the time we got to the doctor's office, I still didn't have to go. Hmmm... maybe I should drink more water? So there I go, drinking more out of those little cone shaped cups they have in the waiting room. Still no need to pee... drink more.
So finally we get called back. This is IT, the big moment! We were both so excited, and I was so sure it was going to be a Patrick! The ultrasound nurse got us all set up and checked my bladder so she could do the part of the U/S that you need a full bladder for...and now I'm starting to feel the need to go, but she announces, NOPE, you're not full enough. WHA?? Three glasses of water, one glass of juice, a soda AND all those little cups and still not enough? What am I, a camel? So she tells me I'm going to have to do the whole ultrasound (about 45 minutes) and then we'll go back and take a look at the end.
Me:" Um, are you sure it isn't full enough, because I could definitely pee right now?"
Nurse: "Nope"
Me: "But I had so much to drink, I swear!!"
Nurse: "Sorry. Gonna have to wait."
So you all know that when you're told you CAN'T pee and have the slightest inkling that you might WANT to pee, well then you automatically HAVE to pee right that very second. But I was good, I sucked it up, took a deep breath and let her go on.
So right away she asks if we want to know. Of course! So she said, with not much fanfare, it's a girl. Yep, definitely a girl. We are both shocked, we totally were expecting a boy. But a GIRL! A Lucy!! YES! Rob immediately talks about how she's going to be a ju-jitzu champion and I elbow him and tell him she's doing ballet and riding ponies. That's the agreement, girls: I choose the sports, boys: he chooses the sport.
We're so thrilled about the news that I barely notice the nurse pointing out body parts, and is going along her merry way with the rest of the ultrasound. For a minute I look over at the nurse and she is not looking so hot. She's sweating, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand and breathing pretty hard. All of the sudden I think, "OMG. She is going to have a heart attack while doing our ultrasound!" She sees me wide-eyed, staring at her and assures me that she's only having a hot flash. I laugh because it is funny that I know exactly how that feels (see posts in reference to the evil fertility drug Clomid. Clomid = hot flashes way before you're supposed to know what one feels like).
Apparently the hot flashes has made the nurse a little cranky, and also apparently the soda and juice I drank made little Lucy a little hyper, so the nurse is getting so frustrated at Lucy flipping around in there that during the U/S she often grabs my stomach and shakes it. Um, and YES at this point I REALLY need to pee, so the shaking of the tummy and the pressing of the ultrasound machine are getting ridiculous! I have to pee so bad at this point it isn't even funny. I was so distracted by the need to pee that I almost missed this little gem: As the nurse was going over body parts, Rob was learning forward and scrutinizing the screen and nodding.
Nurse: "And here are the lips..."
Rob: :: turns head, frowning, and nods like he knows what she's pointing out:
Nurse: ::continuing: "...of the vagina."
Rob: "Wha?!" :: immediately looks down, up, sideways anywhere but the screen::
I swear she did it on purpose, there was a definite pause. Poor Rob!
So finally she lets me pee, after more no-so-gentle jiggling of my belly. We got some great pictures and were so excited to get out of there and share the news with our friends and family.
Here is Miss Lucy Elizabeth's latest photo shoot:
Let's go way back to our big US back in the beginning of August, Rob had taken the day off for the occasion and I was only working half day. He picked me up for work in the afternoon, it is lucky I only worked that long that day because I just could NOT concentrate on work!
I had decided I needed to drink three glasses of water, a juice and a Hansen's Strawberry Cream soda to ensure my bladder was full enough, but even by the time we got to the doctor's office, I still didn't have to go. Hmmm... maybe I should drink more water? So there I go, drinking more out of those little cone shaped cups they have in the waiting room. Still no need to pee... drink more.
So finally we get called back. This is IT, the big moment! We were both so excited, and I was so sure it was going to be a Patrick! The ultrasound nurse got us all set up and checked my bladder so she could do the part of the U/S that you need a full bladder for...and now I'm starting to feel the need to go, but she announces, NOPE, you're not full enough. WHA?? Three glasses of water, one glass of juice, a soda AND all those little cups and still not enough? What am I, a camel? So she tells me I'm going to have to do the whole ultrasound (about 45 minutes) and then we'll go back and take a look at the end.
Me:" Um, are you sure it isn't full enough, because I could definitely pee right now?"
Nurse: "Nope"
Me: "But I had so much to drink, I swear!!"
Nurse: "Sorry. Gonna have to wait."
So you all know that when you're told you CAN'T pee and have the slightest inkling that you might WANT to pee, well then you automatically HAVE to pee right that very second. But I was good, I sucked it up, took a deep breath and let her go on.
So right away she asks if we want to know. Of course! So she said, with not much fanfare, it's a girl. Yep, definitely a girl. We are both shocked, we totally were expecting a boy. But a GIRL! A Lucy!! YES! Rob immediately talks about how she's going to be a ju-jitzu champion and I elbow him and tell him she's doing ballet and riding ponies. That's the agreement, girls: I choose the sports, boys: he chooses the sport.
We're so thrilled about the news that I barely notice the nurse pointing out body parts, and is going along her merry way with the rest of the ultrasound. For a minute I look over at the nurse and she is not looking so hot. She's sweating, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand and breathing pretty hard. All of the sudden I think, "OMG. She is going to have a heart attack while doing our ultrasound!" She sees me wide-eyed, staring at her and assures me that she's only having a hot flash. I laugh because it is funny that I know exactly how that feels (see posts in reference to the evil fertility drug Clomid. Clomid = hot flashes way before you're supposed to know what one feels like).
Apparently the hot flashes has made the nurse a little cranky, and also apparently the soda and juice I drank made little Lucy a little hyper, so the nurse is getting so frustrated at Lucy flipping around in there that during the U/S she often grabs my stomach and shakes it. Um, and YES at this point I REALLY need to pee, so the shaking of the tummy and the pressing of the ultrasound machine are getting ridiculous! I have to pee so bad at this point it isn't even funny. I was so distracted by the need to pee that I almost missed this little gem: As the nurse was going over body parts, Rob was learning forward and scrutinizing the screen and nodding.
Nurse: "And here are the lips..."
Rob: :: turns head, frowning, and nods like he knows what she's pointing out:
Nurse: ::continuing: "...of the vagina."
Rob: "Wha?!" :: immediately looks down, up, sideways anywhere but the screen::
I swear she did it on purpose, there was a definite pause. Poor Rob!
So finally she lets me pee, after more no-so-gentle jiggling of my belly. We got some great pictures and were so excited to get out of there and share the news with our friends and family.
Here is Miss Lucy Elizabeth's latest photo shoot:
She's got my nose in that first one. The second she's waving at mom and dad!
Lastly, here's a picture of my new niece, Guiliana Joy M, or Gigi for short, in Connecticut.
"A son is a son till he takes him a wife, a daughter is a daughter all of her life."
Irish Saying
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