How to talk to a pregnant woman

Apparently when a lot of people see a pregnant woman, the part of their brain that filters out dumb and rude comments malfunctions.  I'm not sure why this is, but after going through 2 pregnancies and getting the same comments, I thought I'd put a public service announcement out there in case you or someone you know suffers from this brain filter malfunction.

What NOT to say to a pregnant woman:

• "Wow you're huge!"  (It's never ever polite to say this to anyone, but especially a pregnant woman.  Trust me, we feel huge enough, there's no need to have it pointed out to us repeatedly) 
• "You look like you could go any day now!"  (This is BIG TIME brain filter malfunction.  Please don't ever say that to a pregnant woman.  There's nothing worse than getting this comment everyday when you're no where near your due date.  If you think that's how a pregnant woman looks, please keep it to yourself)
• "You aren't going to make it to your due date."  (Really?  Are you my OB?  Have you been examining me?  Do you know what my uterus/body are capable of?  No?  Ok then kindly keep your opinion to yourself.  I personally carried a 10lb 2oz baby to 39wks and 5days and let me tell you, had they not done a scheduled c-section, that baby would have probably stayed until 42 weeks.  Besides, preterm labor and preemie births are not something a mother wants for her child.  We like them to bake as long as possible.)
• "Are you having twins?" or "Is there just one in there?"  (Ugh, this is my 'favorite' brain filter malfunction.  Seriously, why on Earth would you ever ask this?????  If a woman is having multiples, she will more than likely offer up that information.  You do not need to EVER ask this.
• "You're really carrying your weight in your *insert specific body part*"  (I don't care if I look like Shamu, please don't tell me I look swollen or where I'm carrying my weight.  Pregnant women are well aware of how their body has changed and where they've gained...you don't need to point it out.  You wouldn't say this to a regular person, why say it to a pregnant woman???)

Things that are appropriate to say to a pregnant woman:

• "You look beautiful!"  (I honestly don't care if you're lying through your teeth, hearing that can make the worst days amazing.)
• "Look how cute your tummy is!!"  (This is a subtle way of commenting on the size of someone's tummy but remaining tactful and kind.  This is always a safe comment to say to a pregnant woman.)
• "Not too much longer!!"  (Even if a woman has 6 months to go, this is just a sweet way of being encouraging.)

To sum things up: Please think before you speak.  Please think about what you're asking/saying.  To constantly have people tell you you're big and fat is very annoying and hurtful.  You really shouldn't ever comment on someone's size...same rules apply to a pregnant woman.  Think about what you would like said to you if you were pregnant. And if you're a guy, just stick with the simple "Congratulations" and "You look great" and you're golden.  If you think a pregnant woman looks just awful and you think she's huge...that's fine.  You're entitled to your opinion...just keep it to yourself and don't tell her. 

In honor of this post, here is a little picture of something I'm VERY tempted to order...because I know I'm going to continue to run into the brain filter malfunction people and continue to get the same questions.  Just to save everyone time:

Progress in the big girl room!

It's been a battle (with myself) trying to decide whether to leave it blue and touch up rough spots or paint it green.  I thought we had some blue paint left to do touch ups but we didn't.  It worked out well though because upon further inspection, those poor walls were in serious need of repainting.  I decided to go with the green walls that I originally wanted and they look amazing!  The trim in that room looked pretty sad too so I painted it the same antique white as her furniture.

The pink and green ladybug bedding has been ordered...just waiting impatiently for it to arrive!  I'm still looking for drapes, which has not been easy.  I need 4 panels and that can add up BUT Pottery Barn Kids has a great sale on their gingham drapes right now.  When the quilt gets here, I can take it up there to make sure they match.  If that doesn't work out...I think I'm going to make them.  I just haven't found any simple, soft pink drapes anywhere, other than PBK and those are pricey.

Her room is so close to being finished and I'm SO ready to be done with it.  It's been a LOOOOOONG process of finding furniture, clearing out the guest room/office (wow we had a lot of junk in there!), painting the furniture (which I could only do while she napped so that took several days), deciding on colors and bedding and then painting the room.  It's so close now and it looks so good so far!

Here is a little mock up of what the room will look like:

I can't to move her into her new room.  I think she knows it's going to be hers and she's getting excited!

HELP ME with a bedding decision!!!

I don't know how obvious it is on here how pathetic I am about making decisions so here I am officially stating that I am HORRIBLE about making decisions.  I had an original plan for Kenley's big girl bedding but that has gone out the window.  I still love the fabric but I've just got too many projects going on I just don't feel like making bedding too.

I had found an alternative bedding set with an adorable ladybug theme.  (I'm not a 'theme' kind of girl so there aren't going to be ladybugs all over the room...just on the bedding)   I thought this would be the perfect solution so I wouldn't have to make the bedding...so problem solved, right?  Well stupidly I started surfing the net again for bedding b/c the ladybug pattern I originally found is on backorder EVERYWHERE.  What happened?  Oh I found another ladybug print.  Again, problem solved, right?  Nope.  Here I am with another stupid decision to make and yall...with the amount of stress this is causing you'd think it was a life and death decision...and I can't make one. 

So here we are.  The original ladybug bedding should be in stock beginning of April.  The new ladybug bedding is in stock and ready to ship.  They are about the same price, so there's no help there.  I need your help, please!!!  Will you help me choose the bedding?!?!  My mom and husband love the original (the ladybug with the blue) but I feel like I'm leaning toward the newer one (pink & green).  Here are the pictures...which one would you pick????

*Note: The walls are a pale blue and furniture is antique white*

We'll call this "Blue Ladybug"  (ie the original ladybug bedding.  )

 

We'll call this "Pink & Green Ladybug"  

(I would have to paint the walls a pale green but that isn't an issue)



Thoughts?!?!?!?!?

Waiting for June

I was ready to meet Kenley when I was pregnant with her but I feel even more ready to meet this little one.  I think b/c we know just how awesome Kenley is and cannot wait to do it all again.  We cant' wait to see her sweet face and hold her and watch our girls interact with each other.  This little one is VERY active and moves almost constantly...I can't wait to see those precious kicks and stretches on the outside!! 

The first part of pregnancy FLEW by...even with all the terrible nausea.  Now it feels like it's dragging and June will never get here. 

I recently bought some clothes for baby girl at a consignment sale and holding all those little outfits just made it all seem real and made me more eager.  It's so hard to be patient!!  I can't wait to pull out all of Kenley's old clothes and start preparing the nursery for baby's arrival.  We're really not doing much in there though.  It's going to be so weird to move the crib back to it's old position...it's been on the lowest level for over a year and was converted to a toddler daybed back in Dec.  I need to finally hang some pictures on the walls...I'm terrible at that!  I will also need to order her name letters for the wall...but that will be awhile still b/c we are no where near a name!

I know that the newborn stage is going to have it's challenges especially with a toddler this time around...but I still can't wait!!! 

And it's weird...while I'm SO ready for June to be here so we can meet our sweet baby, I don't want to rush it because that means Kenley will turn 2!!!  When did my baby girl get to be so big?!?!  June is going to be such a big month!!  I can't wait  :o)

Couponing: Week 1 & Week 2

My poor husband has been trying to get me on board with the whole couponing thing for months.  I'm embarrassed to say he is the one that got us going on this...I should have been on board the whole time.  Well we have now done the couponing for 2 weeks now and I have to say I'm hooked!!!  It's like a game to see how much we can save, all while shopping at Publix!

Now there are some people out there who rock at couponing...I'm still getting started but SO excited about how much we've saved these past 2 weeks...while shopping at PUBLIX!!!  Publix is my favorite store but they are a little more expensive than Wal-Mart.  When you're on a budget, and every dollar counts, sometimes you're forced to shop at the "W" word.  We would much prefer to take our business to Publix...for MANY reasons that I won't bore you with.

So, here are pictures of our first 2 weeks of couponing.  Again, I'm new at this and still 'learning the ropes' but totally stoked about my savings!!

This is Week 1...Spent $62.75 - SAVED $58.52!  WOO HOO!!!!

This is Week 2...Spent $66.46 - SAVED $50.65!  WOO HOO!!!!

 

Here is Miss Kenley showing off our finds!!  She's so happy too!!

Free cars for life

I've mentioned Dave Ramsey on here before and I just love what he's trying to teach our country.  We have lived above our means as a nation for quite sometime and we all saw it catch up with us with the recent fall of our economy. 

Here is a GREAT video talking about how you can have free cars for life.  Please do yourself a favor, and watch it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIgLyl66QxQ

Kenley's Big Girl Room

I am SLOWLY making progress for K's big girl room.  To say I am indecisive would be an huge understatement.  There are so many colors and patterns out there that I just love, it's so hard to choose only 1.  Plus trying to do all this on a budget kind of limits some options.

Originally we were going to buy her a new bedroom suite.  Then I thought...my husband and I have been married almost 5 years, in our home for 4 and we don't even have a bedroom suite.  So I told him that selfishly, if anyone was going to get a new bedroom suite, I wanted it to be us.  (I know that sounds bad but really...what does a not even 2 yr old need with brand new furniture?)  Well a) that was all unrealistic b/c that does not align with our financial goals and the Dave Ramsey plan we're trying to follow and b) my husband's transmission died a couple of weeks ago and my car required new rear brakes this past weekend.  SO, yeah...no one gets a new bedroom suite.  But that's ok!  We can definitely make it work.  There are several plans and ideas in motion and once they've been decided on and completed, I will definitely be sharing!!

So the plan for her room is, she will be moving into what is now the guest room.  We already have a full size bed so she will be getting that.  It doesn't have a headboard though so I'm looking for a cute headboard that I can sand and paint antique white.  We already have a nightstand in there and it will be painted to match the headboard.  The walls are a pretty pale blue and will probably stay that way.  Part of me wants to paint the walls green BUT I can save approx $50 by leaving the walls blue.  We're going to be looking for an inexpensive dresser that we can fix up and paint.  We found her current dresser at the thrift store awhile back for $20.  It is a darling dresser and was in great shape...just needed to be painted.  So we'll be going that route again.  (I love giving 'new life' to old furniture!)  I also plan to build some bookshelves/toy storage for her.

Originally I was going to use some Pottery Barn gift cards to get her bedding.  Unfortunately, the GCs weren't going to cover the pillow shams and I just cannot bring myself to spend $68 PLUS shipping on 2 shams.  So I'm trying to sell the gift cards and I'm going to make her bedding instead.  I've found some beautiful fabric that I'm 95% sure will be 'it.'  It just so happens to match the blue walls beautifully...which is why I'm struggling with not leaving them blue.

Here are some pictures of what we're thinking so far:

 

This will be the main fabric for the duvet cover.  I already have green euro shams that will blend nicely!

Haven't decided where/how I will use this.  Maybe as the bedskirt or the regular pillow shams.

Again, not sure where this will be used but every little girl needs some polka dots in her room  :o)

I think this is the bookshelf design we're going to go with.  I have a plan courtesy of Ana at Knock Off Wood that my husband and I will be using to build this piece.  I can't wait to get started on it!!!  We only have room to build one piece but I'm hoping this will be a great solution for storing her toys and books in her room.

I'm so excited to get started on her room...especially since we aren't redoing the nursery.  I get to pour all my time and energy into creating her big girl room.  I hope she loves it and pray she will transition beautifully.  Knowing her...she's going to be ecstatic!