Internship, Pregnancy, and Nursery

Well summer has officially come to a close and I'm not going to lie but I am so happy!! I miss school so I'm going to try really hard this semester to get the best grades, stay healthy and active, and just try to have a good rest of the pregnancy. Ben had his first day at his internship at the Behavioral Health Center down in Idaho Falls. He can back pretty excited because they will get to shadow counselors and psychiatrists around. There is an adolescent wing and also a wing that has people with severe mental illnesses such a Schizophrenia. He said that it really isn't anything like the movies portray and most of the people are relatively normal (no straight jackets). He's also Ben working really hard at Freedom and has kicked some major butt in the sales department, bringin home the BACON! He'll cut his hours back a lot because now he usually works 50 hours a week so that's going to drop to like 25. I'm also cutting my hours down to 20 and I'm only working 3 days a week so it isn't bad at all. 


School starts on Monday! We went on campus to fill out the last of his internship papers and for Ben to get his TB test and it was like a zoo, and since everything has moved we had NO idea were anything was so we looked like total newbies. It was kind of fun!  We are really excited to get back to going to school every day, the only thing that I'm not looking forward too....Waddling up that giant hill, it's still so stinking hot out and my back really hurts. 

I'm in my last week of my second trimester! 26 weeks! My weight is completely on track and I'm been exercising a lot. I usually do Cardio ever other day and weights every day. I feel really good whenever I exercise and it's making me think more about what I eat. I haven't completely cut out the bad food ;) I doubt I ever will! Life is short, but I definitely eat in moderation meaning Taco Bell once a week. My midwife told me that I should cut out some carbs and eat more protein (story of my life). I eat eggs with bell peppers almost every day with a small cup of all natural yogurt with grapes, blueberries, and raspberries. It's delicious! So I've gotten used to having to plan out my morning so I have time to eat a good breakfast, then I usually have and apple or banana as a snack. Then either a salad or sandwich with some vegetables. Then usually more vegetables before dinner. And dinner is some form of chicken with either brown rice or whole grain pasta and more vegetables. I eat a lot of vegetables throughout the day haha. But I give myself some leeway because I really do enjoy food. My back pain has been getting a little bit better, but I still wake up every night around 3am to go to the bathroom. It is driving me nuts! 

The nursery is coming along really great! I've really enjoyed getting everything ready for when Sadie arrives, it just makes me so excited to go into her room. We've got a ton of stuff for her and I still have a few more months. Ben's awesome parents got our crib for us as a baby shower gift and we are completely in love with it! It's so nice and sturdy but still really easy to move. 

Tons of DIY nursery decor

Well since deciding on a color scheme for the nursery. I have been putting together a list of DIY projects that I would really like to get done this summer before school starts.  Since I know that a lot of people who read our blog our expecting or already have children I thought that I would share these.

Embroidery Hoop Wall Art

http://elegantpaws.blogspot.com/2011/02/embroidery-hoop-wall-art-tutorial.html

Reasons why I want to try:
1.  I LOVE PATTERNS! Yes, they brighten up rooms and add variety to some very plan walls.  I already have a few fabrics picked out...take a look
2. SUPER CHEAP! Well kind of the embroidery hooks cost at most $2 for the larger ones and I don't need more then a yard of each fabric, and I will have leftovers so I use them to make headbands :)

Chevron Rug

http://www.thehouseofsmiths.com/2011/04/chevron-painted-rug-from-ikea.html

Reasons why I want to try:
1. Already have the rug all I need is the paint!

Lamp Shade Cover

http://www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/decor/articles/2010/09/03/20100903DIY-easy-home-decor-projects.html?page=2

Nursery Ideas

I  LOVE looking at nursery ideas,

I can't wait till we start putting together Sadies room, sadly it won't be for another few months.  So right now I am trying to just keep everything organized by putting things in cardboard boxes and labeling them.  It really is a lot better then the system that we had before...which was NONE! I'm completely in love with this bedding, and it's on sale!

I'm really leaning more towards the top one because I love bright colors, and they actually stimulate the babies eyesight.  See babies can't see pastel colors at all for a while.  And I just like that it has hints of turquoise in it. We want the color scheme to be pinks and reds with turquoise We wouldn't get the sheets though just the bumper and skirt and do a turquoise crib sheet. I found an awesome pair of turquoise curtains at....Wal-Mart! Who would have thought!

 
I got these awesome white lamp bases and shades too! I'm actually going to get some fabric and cover the shade with a pattern and I might keep the base white or paint it.

We really lucked out with our family, because they want to help us with some of the big purchases like a crib, changing table, a small dresser, and a glider. We're kind of weird so we actually have all our furniture picked out that we would like to get!

I still haven't sold Ben on this so we probably won't be getting it haha but a girl can dream right!

And it's even practical, look at the hooks! 

 and we will definitely be getting some of these in pink and turquoise! We have to have some color with all these white walls!

I'm one of those people who love having sayings on the wall, Yes I know typical Mormon. And I absolutely love  this in a matted frame

and this 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/70963699/you-are-my-sunshine-5x7-inch-print-by

and I have already made up my mind that when she is born we will be ordering this announcement to frame in her room.  How cute!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61864580/star-is-born-baby-birth-announcement

We're Having A..........

GIRL! 

Sadie Theresa Stanly

So after a very long time of waiting we are officially going to be the proud parents of a little girl! The doctors appointment was AMAZING! I'm pretty sure this was so far the second best day of my life (1st being marrying Ben).  When we got there I was getting so excited and anxious that I was pretty much giddy. My mid wife is seriously amazing and was so sweet when we we're checking the baby out it blew my mind how big she had gotten since the last time we saw her.

8 week ultrasound

20 week ultrasound

It was awesome hearing her heart beat as well. It was at 160 and she's a pretty active baby! It was so cool seeing her kick me to and move her arms! I think seeing her and how much she has developed as made me even more excited! She was a little on the small side but my mid wife said it's really nothing to worry about at this point and that she measured everything and it's all in proportion to her body. It doesn't really surprise me either because both me and Ben aren't very big people.  

I am so HAPPY that we are having a girl! She is going to be so cute, and my niece has decided that she is naming her Sass-a-frass.  Which will probably fit her perfectly if she is anything like her mother, she will definitely have some sass to her! 

We have already started gathering a lot of baby items including a bassinet, monitor, a few packages of diaper, enough baby lotion and shampoo to last us for a few months (I love buying bulk haha), nursing cream, diaper cream, and plenty of clothes.  I feel so prepared! I had a a dream the other week that she came early and our apartment was a construction site! And we couldn't find any of the things we've already had.  Let's just say that I was very stressed when I woke up.  I told Ben my dream and he just started laughing saying that the only thing a baby needs is love, diapers, and a boob.  If it was up to Ben we probably wouldn't have all this stuff already. But I can't help it! I'M A PLANNER! It all works out in the end though as long as she is happy.

Tasty Planner and Baby Names

We had a wonderful 4th of July we spent it with some of Ben's family that came up from Utah and had a yummy dinner and watched the fireworks.  Last weekend we went down to Idaho Falls to deliver some of Ben's 4G devices he sold people.  Work has Ben insane for him! But it's nice to have a little extra cash in the paychecks coming up :) One night he worked from about 1pm to 12am...in addition to getting paid hourly he made a commission of over $200 in one night!! WOWOO Way to go Ben! you just bought us a crib :) We actually have a list of things we will need to buy and a timeline so we don't get overwhelmed with everything.  My work has been good, busy, but stressful. My morning sickness is virtually gone so that has been very pleasant!

Because my morning sickness is gone I have really decided that we needed to start planning out our meals for the week.  We were spending so much money on groceries but I felt like we didn't have anything to show for it.  Thankfully we finally listened to the BILLION of people that told us we needed to go down to WinCo in Idaho Falls for grocery shopping.  I was very skeptical but I am completely converted.  WinCo is amazing! We literally got our groceries for two weeks for less then the cost of one week if we would have gotten them here in Rexburg.  It is definitely worth the 30 minute drive down there! So a little over a week ago I made a goal that I was going to plan out all of our meals for the week and make sure I make every one.  I am happy to say I DID IT!! Yes, Ben has been very well fed once again.  But it's seriously all thanks to Tasty Planner  I kept all my recipes there, they have a handy little planner so you can see your week, and get this once you add a recipe to the planner it automatically adds it to a grocery list for you.  So all I had to do edit it to take out the things that we already had.
Weekly Menu w/ links to all the recipes:
Saturday:  Chicken Supreme
Sunday:  Italian Chicken and Potatoes and Cookies and Cream Parfaits
Monday:  French Toast with bacon, eggs, and hash browns
Tuesday:  Penne all'arrabbiata and Garlic Bread
Thursday:  BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches and pasta salad

T MINUS 2 weeks and 3 days till we head on over to the Dr's and find out if we are going to be parents to a hilarious little boy or a cute baby girl! We have a list of 20 names, yea I know we are crazy.  But picking out a name is the funnest part.  I'm going to be keeping them a secret though until we are completely decided on one so ya'll are going to have to wait till we find out! :)

School

So one day I was browsing online what classes I needed to finish my degree and then I was like maybe I should just try to add them, I honestly didn't think that registration for Fall classes had even been opened up.  Well apparently they did.  And I was about a week late.  So I got most of the classes that I needed but there was one that is a pre-requisite for another 3 classes so I couldn't take any of them.  I'm going to try to add it at the beginning of the semester, and since I know the teacher and have taken 2 classes from him and see him just about every week at T-bell I'm not to scared.  I can always bride him with tacos!

There is more good news.  My major is sociology so there are NO online classes available.  However my minor is business and they pretty much offer every class online.  So instead of deferring when our lil' bebe is born I'm going to be a full time student and do online classes.  I'll be able to finish up all the classes for my minor that semester.  So thankfully I will be FINALLY graduating in April 2013.  It took me a year longer then it should have but I didn't exactly know what I wanted to do, and just took classes that I didn't need and couldn't be used in my degree audit.

So yea being able to take online classes is just such a blessing! I know it will still be hard especially with a newborn baby, but I really want to graduate as soon as possible.  It works out pretty nice because I will be home all Winter semester, and Spring I'm off track.  I'm planning on not working for at least 3 months after the peanut is born.  But Ben works during the day (as soon as he get's out of class Monday-Friday 1-6) So when I go back to work it will only be at night time.  I've been reading a lot of books and I just really want to bond with my baby.  We've also been going back and forth on whether I should get an epidural.  I've heard some positives, like your not as exhausted and it's easier for you to breastfeed and there is a quicker recovery.  And I've heard the negatives- some people say that you don't really experience the euphoria that comes after birth (In my own opinion though people who assume this may never have had a child or an epidural, because everyone I have talked to has said that they were completely coherent).  Honestly we're probably going to get an epidural because being able to nurse my bebe is SO IMPORTANT to me.  Who knows really though, we have plenty of time till D-day.

The BIG DAY is scheduled! July 22 we will be able to put a name to this little one inside of me when we find out if it's a boy or a girl.  I say girl- Ben says boy.  We bet a foot rub for whoever wins.  So everyone cross your fingers because my feet are ACHIN'.    

Update

So really being off track has been quite boring for me!  I cut back on my hours at work because standing all day long on my feet smelling taco meat is not my favorite thing to do.

Really it's been a really quiet Spring.  Ben's in school and keeping BUTT! And he's working super hard at his new job.  He can proudly say that he no longer works at Wal-Mart and has a cool new job at this company called Freedom.  It's a third party sales company that provides internet, cable, and phone services.  He's done some sales (which is a plus because you get commission) but he works a lot in the office billing customers and following up with services.  He really enjoys it and has a great group of co-workers.  It's a really small business and they only have 4 office workers and like 20 sales employees.  Funny thing is that all the guys who work in the office (including the owner) there wives are all pregnant.  I bet work sometimes seems like a relief! :)

Other then work I've just had BABY on the mind.  All the time!  I have convinced myself that we are going to have a girl but we can't find out until the first week of August.  Feels so far away!  We have a few neutral onesies, and then I have bought a few girly clothes too (nothing so far for a boy).  The closer we get to finding out the more excited we get! A girl would be adorable and so fun to dress and I only have sisters, and pretty much have only babysat girls lol so I think I would feel a little bit more prepared if we may a girl.  BUT A BOY! Oh he would be so MUCH FUN!  I can only imagine a little Ben and that just makes me crack up.  Little boys love there moms and it would be so fun!  Either way we are excited for either one!

I got to thinking the other night that we should probably start buying the essential baby items slowly now before we are far into the pregnancy.  Today I went onto Amazon Mom and we got some diapers, bulk baby wipes, bulk baby cream, a first year book, and bulk nursing cream.  The nice thing about Amazon Mom is you actually save money! They have free 2 day shipping which is pretty nice, after I did the math we saved a little over $20.  So you have to research some items to see if you will actually save money.

So I spent almost 2 hours today all on different websites researching what exactly a newborn needs and the little things that you don't realize it until you bring the baby home, and what some people said that they couldn't live without.  I made a huge wish list on Amazon and slowly every two weeks we are going to get stuff.  That way we are paying as we go and not just dropping a huge amount of money at once.  It's a little easier on our bank account and allows us to budget better for the expenses.

This is what we are going to be getting in 2 weeks.  I'm so excited!! Isn't it adorable! It has awesome reviews and was recommend by Fit Pregnancy and American Baby and one of the best swings of the year.  Even better, right now Amazon is selling for $80 less then retail.  It has an electric swings that can swing head to toe or side to side.  Two sound effects and 14 songs, 6 different soothing lullabies and 8 musical tracks.  The swing is one of the items that everybody has told is worth a little extra $