What I'm Loving

It's been a few weeks since I've linked up with Jamie, but today's a great day to share everything I'm loving on this cold February day.

{1} I'm LOVING that I had a great birthday! Thanks for all of your comments, emails, etc. It was low-key but all in all a great day. The only thing I would change would be to take a personal day and have spent it with my little man.

2.07.12

{2} This birthday was all about food! I had delish Houchin's doughnuts for breakfast. Susie's (a local bake shoppe with yummy rolls and butter!) for lunch and Lamberts (more yummy rolls) for supper. When I stepped on the scale this morning, I was surprised to see my weight is the same as it was last Wednesday - I'm guessing I lost a bit but gained it all back yesterday and Super Bowl Sunday.

{3} I'm LOVING that hubby is taking me clothes shopping this weekend. That is what I requested for my birthday :)

{4} I'm LOVING this little snowman. His aunt Jessi bought this shirt for Christmas and I just love how cute Mr. Cooper looks in it :)

2.06.12

{5} I'm LOVING that I have a haircut this Friday! I haven't experienced any postpartum hair loss yet and it's just growing like crazy!

{6} I'm LOVING that Cooper is participating in a children's book exchange. We have sent one book and he should receive 36! If you are interested in joining, let me know :)

{7} I'm LOVING that my sweet hubby came to the office Friday and got everything hung for me. Now, I'm just waiting on a bookshelf and the office will be complete - although I really want and need some new furniture. I'm trying to raise around $5 million for a capital campaign, I need a desk that isn't older than I am for appearance sake!

What are you loving today? 

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on birthdays

For 27 years, I've always looked forward to the next birthday.

I never felt satisfied with where I was. I was always looking for the next thing.

But not today. No, today, I embrace my age and am happy right where I am.

{image}

I am 27 years old. As of 8:12 p.m. :) One year ago, I was freaked out about being 26. But guess what? It ended up being the best year of my life.

For the first time, I feel content on a birthday. I am so blessed and feel like I am exactly where I thought I would be at this age. I am married. Have a beautiful, healthy baby. Got a GREAT new job this year. Hubby and I own (or are paying the bank) for our home. We have our own vehicles.

Being a mom changes you in so many ways. Now, I don't just see my birthday as a day to celebrate Michelle - although it is a national holiday, you know. It's a day to be so grateful for my parents. They're the ones who got me here and continue to support me from one year to the next. My mom is the one who carried me for nine months and birthed me. More than ever this year, I am thankful on my birthday.

I know that, this morning, I wasn't thinking about going out with all my friends drinking and dancing as in year's past. No, I wanted more than anything to stay home with my little boy - that's a real treat for me know.

I'm not really sure what God has in store for me this year. I know there isn't much that can top 26, with all the amazing things that have happened. I hope and pray that this year will mean getting to my son's first birthday and him continuing to grow and be healthy and happy. I hope to continue growing in my marriage, my friendships, and everything else. But most of all, I hope to embrace every day and live to the fullest.


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sporty weekend

This weekend was all about sports in our house! With a few other things mixed in :)

Saturday night, my alma mater, Mizzou, played kU in basketball. Typically Mizzou dominates in football and kU in basketball, but the two teams have SUCH a rivalry. Here is a good article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the rivalry.

One of my facebook friends posted this and it cracked me up!

It seems to be even more heated now, since Mizzou will be in the SEC next year so this could be the last time the two teams played at Mizzou Arena. So of course, we had to get pizza and be all decked out to watch the game. Cooper is a Mizzou fan, of course :) I would do the M-I-Z chant and he would just smile.

The game sure was a nail biter and I almost turned off the TV when we were down by 9 with about two minutes to go, but my Tigers ended up winning 74-71!

The college bookstore is selling some super awesome victory shirts and I've asked for one for my birthday :)

Of course, the Super Bowl was this weekend too. I don't really care for either team but cheered for the Patriots because I feel like others love to hate them. Ha! Honestly, I wasn't much into the game until the final couple of minutes (a crying baby will do that to you!) but thought it was a great finish.

We ate leftover pizza, mini pigs in a blanket and summer sausage with cheese and crackers. Yummy... don't want to think about how many calories I consumed. Speaking of, I read somewhere that the average American consumes over 4,000 calories on Super Bowl Sunday ... yikes! Once my birthday is over, I've got to get serious about eating healthy.

This little guy enjoyed the Super Bowl, but conked out at the end.

As for my favorite commercials, I loved both Doritos, the VW one, all Budweiser, the Bud Light one with We Go (too cute!) and the promo for the Voice. I big hear Betty White.

So of course, after the Super Bowl, we watched The Voice. I didn't think I would, but I really liked it. I may have to add it to our DVR line up.

Besides watching sporting events and eating way too much, we took our tax information to the accountant, went to a home & garden show and did some cleaning around the house this weekend. Did y'all do anything interesting?

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Tidbits

• Thank goodness it's Friday! This has been one long week.
• It's sorta hard to believe it's already February. Wasn't it just last week I was wishing for November to get here?
• Have you heard of GroopDealz? It's a daily deal site, but focuses on boutiques. One of today's deals are customized notepads for $2.50 each! I love anything with my name on it, so I've ordered some sets :) I'm also thinking ahead, that these might be great stocking stuffers.
• If you don't follow Leslie, you should seriously check out this post. It definitely got me to thinking ... I shouldn't compare myself, my husband, my kid to anyone else, and I definitely think I do this more because of social media, whether it be blogs or facebook! I love hearing others' stories and using social media to document these things, so it's a very fine line between sharing/learning and bragging/feeling inadequate.
• I'm OK with the groundhog seeing his shadow and us experiencing six more weeks of winter if the temps continue to be in the 60s like they have been all week. I'm just afraid that March is going to be a cold month ...
• This weird Missouri weather has made evident that Mr. Cooper has his mommy's allergies. The poor kid has been so snotty this week and I think it's beginning to affect his appetite. Not that I blame him - milk mixed with all that congestion? Yuck. This really sucks because there is NOTHING I can do but suction it out and run a humidifier at night :(
• When looking at my calendar the other day, I realized that we have no work holiday this month :( Since I began this job, we've had at least a day off every month but August, so it's weird. However, we have a three-day spring break in March and get two days off in April for Easter, so I won't complain *too* much.
• I'm ready for the Super Bowl on Sunday. GO PATRIOTS!
• I love to watch football, but of course I'm ready to see the commercials too. I absolutely LOVE the etrade baby. I wonder how I can get an audition for Coop?
• My birthday is on Tuesday. And all I really want is to go eat at Lamberts. And Olive Garden. And Shoguns, a hibachi grill about 30 minutes north of where we live. Food is clearly my love language.
• I have successfully completed the first two days of Fab Ab February. I didn't think it would be too hard but man, my abs are already tight! Doing 15 situps last night about killed me.
• Bio Oil is amazing. I've been using it about a month now and my stretch marks are healing/fading very well. Next pregnancy I'm using it. Twice a day. Every day. From the minute I find out I'm expecting.
• I'm considering training for a 5K at the end of March. I should. I'm just not sure how ... it's cold outside and getting dark by the time I get home and we live in BFE where I'm scared to run alone. Too cold for the jogging stroller. No treadmill. To cheap for a gym membership I probably wouldn't utilize due to time either. Sigh.
• Happy weekend!

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a new month

Now that I have a 10-week-old who is, for the most part, sleeping through the night and have been back at work for a month, I figure it's time to get a few other things in line. And what better time to start than at the beginning of a new month?

{health}

Source: imgfave.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I found this pin yesterday and decided it came at a great time - my abs are seriously nonexistant and I hate looking at my belly. Totally do-able in terms of time and being able to do it upstairs. And the hubs plans to to it with me.

Other than my birthday next week and Valentine's the next, I'm going to make a real effort to eat healthier, too. I LOVED all of your healthy snack ideas. And while I may still rely on things like Hamburger Helper for dinner, I can measure out portions, like hubs and I did last night, rather than eyeball it and eat SO much more than needed. 

This morning I stepped on the scale and was surprised to see the number is still about what it was when I got pregnant. I can't believe I'm about to put it out here, but I weighed 159.2 pounds. I'm 5'8". So I could definitely stand to lose some weight. I'm going to aim to lose 4 lbs this month.

{wealthy}

I really need to do a better job at saving money. So this month, my goal is to get caught up from Christmas, new car, etc. I'd also like to put at least $200 in savings.

{organized}

our house is SUCH a mess. I really need to get the spare bedroom cleaned. We need to buy a file cabinet to get all the paperwork that was formerly stored in our desk organized. Then maybe I can remember to pay all the bills on time.

{clean}

I've long since given up on having the house clean. But it would be nice to have it at least presentable - it honestly makes me so anxious in the mornings when I am sitting in the living room and pumping to see the mess. So I'm going to make a goal to spend 10 minutes picking up in the living room every night and see how that helps. The kitchen used to be the bane of my existence, but since I have to wash bottles and pumping supplies every evening, it's not so bad anymore.

{live in the moment}

I spend WAY too much time watching TV and playing on my iPhone. While I doubt I can get hubby to just turn off the TV more often, I can make an effort to do more multi-tasking, like folding laundry, while the TV is on. And at night, I don't need to be checking Facebook - I need to be engaged with my son who is growing SO quickly. So I'm going to TRY and put my phone down from the time I get home until my bathtime every night, unless someone calls me.

What are your goals for this month?

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pack your bags!

It would make sense that now my son is almost 10 weeks old I am finally wrapping up my posts on pregnancy/before he was here. Like several of my other posts, this is something I want to reference for my next pregnancy. Plus, I have some preggo blog friends and know posts like this were super-helpful to me.

Anyhow, here's what we packed and my notes on some:

• Camera. Duh. And batteries/the charger. We did use our iPhones a lot and they do take great pictures, but of course we still wanted the big one.
• All the number of people who need to be called/texted programmed in your phone :) Although not all text messages may go out. Sigh.
• Slippers/flip flops. I took both, but next time I'll just do flip flops. For the most part, I was burning up while in the hospital. But I'm not big on wearing shoes/socks either.
• Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, loofah. The hosptial does provide these, but I'm picky.
• Lotion
• Ear plugs - didn't use.
• Fan. My mom bought me one of those battery operated ones that you can also use to squirt water with, but it never came out of the bag. I will pack it again next time though, because labor could be much different.
• Magazines/cards/books - didn't make it out of the bag. We watched TV and played on our phones when bored, but honestly, pre-baby, we just slept. (LOVE epidural/catheters :))
• Snacks/hard candy. Hubby LOVED having snacks in the room. And as a breastfeeding mom who wanted five meals a day, it came in handy for me as well. Our hospital did have a room for patients/spouses with juice, water, sodas, jello/pudding and lunchables however, so we probably could have survived on those as snacks - especially the cracker lunchables as my late-night snacks :) Also, our hosptial provides three meals a day for the patient and hubby too. It was so nice to not have to leave!
• Quarters - for the vending machine. Again, not something we needed :)
• Notebook - to keep track of things for the birth story! I LOVED this. Although we probably could have used the notes app on our phones as well. It's nice to have while you are learning things like how to bathe, take temperature, etc.
• Insurance and ID cards. We were pre-registered and actually did not need these.
• Prenatal vitamins/iron pills (I was anemic). Didn't use.
• Baby onesies, hats, socks, mittens. YES!!! I hated seeing my little nugget in the generic hospital stuff. Next time, I'll probably have it sitting out so he can be put in that immediately rather than the plain white onesie. Of course, you'll also need an outfit to come home in. We bought a 3 month at Carters and even though Cooper was 10 lbs, it was HUGE! Definitely will buy newborn next time.
• Swaddling blanket. Mine didn't come out, we used the hospitals because we actually really liked it. We don't really like any of ours, next time I'll get some of the muslin ones that everyone raves about - they are similar to the hospital one I wish I would have brought home :(
• Hair clips, pony tail holders, head bands - because you won't fix your hair and need it to be pulled back during labor at least.
• iPod - stayed in the bag. Had I done the natural thing though, it would have been nice, so it will go again next time.
• Phone charger
• Makeup - didn't come on until our last day.
• Straightener - only used last day (but nice for that coming home picture)
• Hair dryer - our hospital had them in the room, so it didn't come out of the bag.
• Car seat - of course!
• Clothes for mom:
• I thought about taking my own gown, but decided I didn't want to spend that money for something that would be ruined. It was a lot easier to wear a gown at first though, but I was totally ready to get into real clothes on day 2. (I didn't get out of bed other than to use the restroom that first day.)
• I lived in black yoga-style pants and nursing tanks with easy-access shirts on top. Like I mentioned, I got really bad hot flashes in the hospital and the nursing tanks made it SO much easier when learning to breastfeed.
• I took clothes that I could wear at about six months to wear home - and I was EXTREMELY swollen. I intended to wear mat jeans but just got lazy and decided not to change.
• If you plan to nurse, you shouldn't need any breastfeeding supplies like pads or the pump. I actually got lots of samples. And soothies became my best friend once my milk came in, but we were home by then.
• The baby book (if you're doing one) so you can get the footprints :)
• Dad's things - clothes and toiletries. I intended to bring a blanket and pillows for hubby, but the hospital provides those and he isn't picky, so we left it at home - less to drag.
• Folders for info: I took a couple (because you get LOTS of paperwork) but didn't use them, as our hospital provides a binder. But I would have if it weren't for that binder.
• Boppy - once again, our hospital provides one to take home. But I LOVED this and think it would be helpful even for a mom who doesn't plan to nurse, because baby feels super heavy on the belly after just giving birth.
• Birth plan. As I mentioned, it never came out of the bag. Even if you don't have one, make sure the nursery knows if you prefer the baby doesn't get a pacifier - I verbally told our nurses, but Coop ended up with one :( They say it should be posted somewhere on the bassinet.
• A robe. Nice in case you are walking the halls (as I did when we went and was release the day before Coop was born) to help move things along. Those gowns aren't too attractive!
• "Big girl" panties and other feminine products. I didn't pack any as a friend who delivered at the same hospital told me her nurses wouldn't allow any of that. My nurses would have OKd it, but I actually LOVED the mesh hospital panties and figured I was paying for all that, so I may as well take advantage of it. But to each his/her own.
• Things to have once you get home: hemerrhoid ointment (just in case), witch hazel pads, Motrin (for the pain), stool softeners (to keep things moving, especially if you have hemerrhoids). I didn't think of any of this but luckily my cousin owns a pharmacy just a mile or so from the hosptial and came to my rescue!
• Also, I didn't take one, but next time around would do garbage bags for dirty laundry, and a tote. You will get gifts in the hospital, and it's nice to have something to put them in, instead of making your husband have to carry them all to the car in several trips :)

I think that wraps it up! Obviously, things will be different for each labor, but for anyone else reading this, I hope I did a good job of explaining WHY we didn't use certain things. Definitely ask during your hospital tour what they provide so you aren't hauling a bunch of needless things!

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miscellany monday

Linking up @ lowecase letters.

{1} The hubs and I went out for a bit on Saturday night. Some friends went to Buffalo Wild Wings for a birthday dinner and my parents always more or less beg for time with Coop, so we went out to eat. Delish. Our local franchise was also celebrating five years in business on Saturday, so we came home with some new T-shirts (yay pajamas!), Budweiser hats, and I won a cool Bud Light UFC octagon-shaped cooler.

Mister Cooper did well and they got him to bed just before we got home (around 11). He had A LOT to eat, so hubby and I were shocked when he woke up crying around 12:30 a.m. - Coop never wakes up and is that loud. I went in Cooper's room to rub his stomach and kiss him and he was OK a couple minute then started in again, so I sent hubby to do the same. After that, Coop was fine. I thought it was sweet but sad - like since we weren't home to put him to bed he still wanted his good night loves.

{2} Coop is growing so quickly and I hate that he's outgrowing clothes. NB to 0-3 didn't really bother me, because he only had a handful of newborn clothes, but now that he's too tall for the 0-3 sleepers with feet, I am very sad. I kinda refuse to pack them up. I am, however, excited to get him in some of his super cute 3-6 month clothes. This is what he wore while we went shopping yesterday ... oh my cuteness!

{3} I've mentioned before how much Cooper loves his swing, AKA the magician. Well, yesterday he was just a swingin' and hubby came to get me. Coop was looking in the mirror, making faces and smiling at himself. Too cute! Of course when I moved a bit closer to get a picture, he turned and smiled at me. Melts my heart.

{4} This morning I heard the song "In My Daughter's Eyes" by Martina McBride and it made me think of Coop. He really does make me want to be a better person.

When he wraps his hand around my finger,

How it puts a smile in my heart,

Everything becomes a little clearer,

I realize what life is all about,

It's hanging on when your heart is has enough,

It's giving more when you feel like giving up,

I've seen the light,

In my son's eyes.

(Changed to he/his :))

{5} I LOVE the Prime country station on XM. I'm really going to hate it when our complimentary subscription expires next month. 

{6} I tried out a couple of new Pinterest recipes over the weekend.

Source: kalynskitchen.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: stamps4fun.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

These were SO good. I'm actually considering doing the egg muffins every weekend so we'll have quick, easy and wholesome breakfasts for the week. I used sausage yesterday, but think ham and bacon would be delish as well ... gotta mix it up :)

{7} I am still on the payroll at my old job at the newspaper as a liaison/freelancer. Well, one of my former coworkers had hand surgery so they've asked me to help out however possible. So last week I clocked about 14 hours. (But five of those weren't in full - I stop at the local police station to look through the incident reports every morning and claim a full hour, although it's typically only 15 or so minutes a day.) I'm going to love the extra money, but it's rough doing it! Especially when I'd rather spend all my time with a cute little boy who likes to smile :)

{8} I'm wearing a dress today because I have no clean work-appropriate pants that fit. Ugh.

{9} Life is kinda blah. I really wish there were some holiday/time off work between now and March 14, when our spring break begins. I guess my birthday is next week, but it hasn't been made into a national holiday yet.

{10} Speaking of my birthday, I have no real idea what I want. I had the same problem with Christmas. I think it would be nice to have some new clothes though. Shirts for my post-baby body. Because things are still pretty lose. I'd love a treadmill, but that's a HUGE investment that we honestly cannot afford right now.

So ... how was your weekend?


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