Vintage Baby/Modern Baby

Last Tuesday I had a blast thrifting with one of my favorite thrifting buddies, Lydia. We were actually able to find a semi-artsy side to Charlotte, and surprised ourselves with some genuine vintage thrift stores. We had a ball. Lyd was all over the high-waist shorts and lace blouses, while I looked with delight through every piece of children's clothing. For $1.00 each here is what I found:

I know they won't work for a boy, but they were too sweet to pass up. Someday I hope to have a daughter, even if it's not this time around.

Lydia and I also made a stop at a big Value Village around here, and I found two sweet layettes for a buck each. I love seeing the little pile for Baby slowly grow!

More on the other things I found later!

25 Weeks!

Before pregnancy weeks used to seem so short. They also seemed uneventful. Things used to go in months - "this month we are..." "last month we did..." "next month we might..." you know how it goes. Now, everything is measured in weeks, and I cannot believe how long each week is! I hear they only get longer, too. 

I also thought, "There's no way I'll take a belly shot every week. How can a bump grow and change that fast?"

Ha.

They do. Seriously. Sometimes I think my bump grows by the hour. (And depending on what I have or have not eaten it actually might.)

So, here we are. Week 25. This is the first week of Month 6, and for the next 4 weeks baby will be around the length and size of an eggplant. :) In English units, that's somewhere around 13.5 to 15 inches, and 1.5 to 2.2 pounds. And eggplant seems huge. 2.2 pounds seems tiny.

Today at the grocery store the lady behind the deli counter asked, "Is this your first?" I think my eyes got twice their size, "What?!" "Is this your first?" "O, um... yes. You're the first one to actually notice!" Haha. Turns out she was 15 weeks pregnant, and noticed me and wondered, then she saw me rubbing my belly while waiting in line. I was beaming for an hour afterwards! LoL.

 How far along?: 25 weeks

Total Weight Gain: somewhere between 10-15

Maternity clothes? Pants, yes, unless they're stretchy waist. Some shirts. Maternity clothes have helped me feel a lot more comfortable with this changing body, and a lot more happy with it! :)

Stretch marks? no

Sleep: I think my husband likes the body pillow more than I do. I tried to put it on my side of the bed one night, and he asked if I could put it back in the middle! ;) Sleep is pretty good.

Best moment this week: Worked a bit on organizing and arranging things in the nursery. So excited to get the furniture at Christmastime! O, and I found 4 new outfits while thrifting this week! (pictures soon)

Movement: Movement slowed down a little this week ... Nothing too concerning though. Still most active at night.

Cravings: Not really

Gender Predictions: Still thinking girl - that's two weeks straight

Labor Signs: no

Belly Button in or out? half and half

What I miss: My sister - O, is this supposed to be pregnancy related? 

What I am looking forward to: Being pregnant over Christmas!

Weekly Wisdom: Be kind to your un-pregnant husband. He doesn't have the urge to rearrange every piece of furniture like you do.

Milestones: Reached 6 months!

Let me not...

to the marriage of true minds admit impediments.

Love is not love

which alters when it alteration finds,

 Or bends with the remover to remove

O, no!

It is an ever-fixed mark,

That looks on tempest, and is never shaken.

It is the star to every wandering bark

 

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken. 

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his binding sickle's compass come;

Love altars not with his brief hours and weeks

But bears it out

even to the edge of doom.

If this be error, and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor man ever loved.

William Shakespeare ~  116th Sonnet

Today marks three years  that I have been blessed to call this man mine. Read  about what was happening in this period of our lives three years ago in Parts IX,  X, XII, and XIII of Our Story (I seem to have skipped a Part XI).

Thanksgiving

Today while we enjoy friends and family (through Skype), food, football, and fellowship (I seriously did not try to illiterate)this Psalm of thanksgiving is in my heart. Thanksgiving is in its truest sense an act of worship.

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

² Worship the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

³ Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Honey Ginger Chicken

Well, our menu planning is in its second month, and still going strong. I love the order it gives to dinner preparation and grocery shopping, and Daniel and I both like the variety. Not as many recipes as I anticipated carried over from last month though. We just weren't crazy about too many of the new ones. We found one this month that we both loved, though! Even though it was a little more time consuming than most of the meals I make, Daniel told me several times how much he loved it, so that made it more than worth the effort.

I also want to note before I give y'all the recipe, that I realized I did something wrong that effected the final results. I don't remember now what it was... but the glaze was supposed to turn out differently. So, keep that in mind when you look at my pictures. :-P

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” chunks)

Oil (for deep frying)

Batter-

4 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup water

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 egg white

Sauce-

1 ½ tablespoons oil

2 teaspoon ginger (minced)

3 tablespoons garlic (minced)

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

½ cup water

1 teaspoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 teaspoon water)

Sesame seeds (for garnish)

Recipe:
First, cut the chicken into large chunks. In a large bowl mix all the batter ingredients until smooth. Toss chicken in batter to coat.

Heat deep fryer to 350 - or cover bottom of skillet with oil and heat to 350

  Add chicken, and cook for 5 or 6 minutes, turning gently until cooked thoroughly. Let rest on paper towels.

Dispose of oil in pan. Keep 1 1/2 tsp reserve for sauce. Add garlic and ginger, and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add salt, honey, vinegar, water. Mix well. Combine 1 tsp corn starch with 1 tsp water, mixing well. Add to sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.

Coat chicken in sauce. Serve with white rice and your favorite steamed veggies.

24 Weeks!

 How far along?: 24 Weeks - my, o my, how time is flying by!

Total Weight Gain: +10

Maternity clothes? Sometimes - love my maternity pants. So comfy.

Stretch marks? none

Sleep: Still OK here.

Best moment this week: One night Daniel got three big kicks out of Baby when he had his hand on my belly. So sweet! <3

Movement: This baby likes to move it, move it!

Cravings: not really

Gender Predictions: Every day this week I've thought "girl" 

Labor Signs: no - maybe some Braxton Hicks, though?

Belly Button in or out? Still being stubborn and staying mostly in. :/

What I miss: Nothing too much this week

What I am looking forward to: Everything?!? :-D

Weekly Wisdom: Dr's Office scales lie. :-P

Milestones: Slow and steady progress ... Our little one will be here before we know it!

Knock Knock Joke

So, this is totally trivial, but my six-year-old sister called to tell me this joke the other morning before she left for school. I've been laughing about it all week long. :-D

Knock Knock?

[Who's there?]

Centipede

[Centipede who?]

Centi - pede on a kid's lap!

Get it? Get it??

Here's a clue in case you don't. (now we really know why I was crying.)

New Find for Baby

Less than a month ago some friends of ours had a sweet baby girl. When we went over to visit them, and meet her, I was impressed by this adorable basket that they kept her in while she slept. It almost looked like a Vera Bradley purse in bassinet form. I loved it. It was so practical, and completely adorable. They used it as a sort of play pen, than they could carry around from room to room, or simply as a safe-haven while they had dinner and she slept.

So, I made a mental note: Register for one of those cute basket things.

Well, before I could get to registering for one, I found this beautiful thing at a resale shop here in Charlotte. I thought about it for a day, and then decided to it was too good to pass up.

Can I just say I am beyond excitement thinking about putting my sweet baby in this beautiful thing?

  

The same basket is selling new on Amazon for around $50, so the fact that I got a hardly used one for less than half (paid $20) also makes me smile. 

I think it will be just perfect for some precious newborn shots, too.

Pregnancy Update - 23 Weeks

A day late, but here it is. :) We've made it to 23 weeks!

I think that both of these "bump" pictures make the bump look much rounder than it appears "in real life." People I see everyday have yet to comment on it, and I've had no strangers say anything yet. Needless to say, this bump is growing! Remember week 15 where I was wondering where it was? :)

 How far along?: 23 weeks! Only 119 days til the Due Date!

Total Weight Gain: about 8lbs 

Maternity clothes? The Bellaband is just not making the cut anymore. I bought two pairs of maternity pants this weekend. So comfy! Most tops I can still get away with, but I'm beginning to feel "awkward" in normal clothes because I am obviously "larger" without a distinctive pregnant look. 

Stretch marks? nope

Sleep: Pretty good. Crazy dreams again. Funny story: One night I dreamt Daniel growled in my face, and I woke up and screamed. He then leaned over me, just as he had done in the dream and asked what was wrong. I covered my face and said, "Why would you growl at me?!" He was rather confused. "You growled in my face. I heard you!" Needless to say, he didn't even remember anything in the morning, when I was laughing about myself.

Best moment this week: Daniel felt Baby kick for the first time this past Wednesday. It was really sweet. He didn't want to press too hard on my belly in case he would hurt Baby. And after a bit when he didn't feel anything he said we shouldn't bother the baby incase he/she is sleeping. :) Concerned Daddy already.

Movement: I usually feel a little bit of something everyday. Especially mid afternoon and late evening.

Cravings: Nothing has changed here in 3 weeks. I could eat a whole meal and be starving again in an hour. Sometimes, even if I'm not starving, I have this intense desire just to eat. Ha! Been trying to balance that by exercising regularly and choosing my calories wisely.

Gender Predictions: Most days a boy... or a girl. I really don't know! I want both. :)

Labor Signs: no

Belly Button in or out? Ooo! Exciting news here! My belly button is "half popped." I am very excited. It's like a miracle, considering my belly button is as deep as the grand canyon. ;)

What I miss: To be totally honest... lately this new body has been getting to me. A thought that immediately follows that is, "I want to work out hard." Then, I know I can't. Never thought I'd miss those things...

What I am looking forward to: Everything?!? :-D

Weekly Wisdom: Have patience... with your bump that doesn't want to grow, with your tired-ness, with your hormones, with all the people who have two-cents to give... just have patience. :)

Milestones: Daniel feeling the baby move, really needing to wear maternity pants.

When I think of...

... children laughing...

... full of wonder...

... and families reconciled...

...I think of the joy that's found in answer prayer...

...And it makes me smile...

... makes me smile!

And I think of You. For redemption's now the story of my soul.

For it was You who paid the highest price, for broken jars of clay.

And You still choose to use my life for Your glory displayed!

And I think of You...

(Lyrics by Laura Story I Think of You)