Healthy Lunch Tips

I love lunch. Mostly because I love food. Now that I'm home [almost] full time I'm trying to find clever ways to make lunches that are quick but full of healthy benefits [& have minimal clean up time]. Here are a few ideas for you - & that you can eat at home or in the office.

1. Add hummus: This stuff is great [especially when it's on sale 2/$6 at Meijer!]. & if you think you don't like it, try Sabra brand supremely spicy or sweet red pepper. So. Stinkin. Good. 

        -I use hummus on my sandwich instead of mayo & mustard - the calories from hummus

        are MUCH better than in mayo & adds some protein to your diet. 

        -I usually hate raw baby carrots. But dip those bad boys in hummus & I could eat a 

        bag! Really ANY raw veggie is great in hummus - carrots, broccoli, celery, cucumbers,

        bell peppers... A great side to your lunch [and SO quick to pack!].

2. Enhance your sandwich: This is the most classic of all lunch items. But it also has the most potential to make you snore with boredom. Again with the hummus, add it on there & enjoy. I also LOVE adding veggies galore to my deli meat. Spinach [much better than plain ole lettuce that has no nutritional value], tomatoes, onion, cucumber, bell peppers... all of it. Add some cheese slices [it's most economical to buy block cheese & slice it yourself, rather than pre-sliced cheese... we like to keep things cheap around here] Also, keep the bread whole wheat. Don't be fooled by "enhanced" or other fancy words on the packaging. If the first ingredient isn't whole grains/whole wheat, you're being tricked. Or, if you're sick of bread or want to cut down on carbs, use whole wheat or spinach wraps. So tasty.

3. Leftovers: Purposefully plan dinners so you have yummy extras for the next day. This is especially easy with soups & chili. It's also easy for us since we only cook for 2 & usually have leftovers. 

4. Fruit: Bananas, apples, & oranges are the easiest thing to throw into a lunch box & have with your lunch. We purchase ours at Aldi [we never get the red apples, they taste like wax] & it's so economical! Add a little peanut butter to your banana or apple & make it more filling. Other fruit is great too, just more time consuming when you have to chop it up. 

5. Add some crunch: Chips. Yum. Instead of doritos, or my favorite Lays sour cream & chedder, choose kettle chips. If my mother-in-law eats something, I have no guilt indulging as well [she is the healthiest lady I know. She NEVER eats sugar. & makes EVERYTHING from scratch. Even her bread. What a woman]. Anyways, she LOVES kettle chips. We also get these at Aldi for half the price of the bigger chain stores & they're delicious! Our favorites are jalapeno & BBQ. Put your chips in a small baggy or bowl so you don't accidentally eat half of the bag. Trust me, it can be done. 

6. Make a super salad: We try & put super salads into our dinner menu a couple times a month [& probably should do it on a weekly basis]. For ours, we just load it up with lots of stuff. Our salad base is spinach leaves & romaine lettuce mixture [because I love the crunch of romaine & the health benefits of spinach]. Then we just pile on the veggies & sometimes meat. Like chicken? Cook some up the night before with a few herbs on the stovetop, shred it, & throw it on top to make the salad a little more filling. Tuna is also great to add. Even some deli meat is good. Also tasty to add - apples & nuts. It makes the salad more filling & also adds more health benefits. You'll feel better throughout the day if you give your body the best fuel possible.

7. Skip dessert: You don't need it. If you need something sweet, suck on a peppermint or chew gum [your colleagues or children will thank you]. Adding cookies or other treats to lunch every day is nice, but is adding a lot of unwanted yucky calories to your diet. Just don't buy it & you won't eat it! 

One last benefit to making your own lunch - it saves money. Serious money. The assumption is that produce is expensive & it's not economical to eat healthy. False. We buy most of our food at Aldi & spend about $60 a week on food [depending on the type of food we buy].  & that includes breakfast, lunch, & dinner food. Eating out for one meal a day, 5 days a week [for one person] & eating a meal that is $5 would spend $25/week...$100/month... $1200/year yikes. I'd rather use that money to buy some cute clothes. Or things for my baby. Or pay bills.

Those are only a few ways I've thought of for having a tasty, QUICK, & healthy lunch - anyone have any additions to the list that you love for your lunch menu?

Jori Update:

-35 weeks today! whoa. This baby is around 5 pounds & 20 inches long. What a mini woman! 

-The nursery is NEARLY done! Only a few more touches & organizational things... & you'll be treated to a full post of nursery goodness.

-Cloth diaper supplies came in - the pre-washing process began & I can't wait to put these on our little girl!

-Feeling SO good & working out 5 days a week. Bam.

Looking Ahead:

-The Nursery

-Vaccine Research Update

Vaccines/Immunizations

This is a very touchy subject that I hope to approach in a respectful, informative manner. Many times when this topic comes up it's very uncomfortable as opinions on what is best can be at two different extremes.

For us - we are choosing to not vaccinate our little girl [we still need to do more research & may find a few that we believe will be beneficial]. We are making this choice after many conversations with informed people, doing some research, & prayer. Please read this post with an open mind & a kind heart towards us if you disagree with our decision. My hope to is encourage discussion & longer consideration on such an important decision that has a huge affect on a child's life.

I won't go into all the vaccines & why we aren't choosing to give them to Jori because that would be an obnoxiously long post that no one would care about. Instead, I'm just giving the general reasoning behind our decision in hopes that other parents & future parents can at least take the time to research for themselves the pros & cons of immunizations rather than simply taking their doctor's word that it is necessary for a healthy, protected child.

1. There is an incredibly strong correlation between the increase in vaccinations given in recent years & the increase in autism during those same years [the numbers are something like 1/50 children now have some form of autism]. There are many stories of children who were happy, healthy, & "normal", but then had dramatic changes in personality & cognitive development/growth after a mega dose of vaccines. There probably are cases where vaccines were not the culprit of a child's autism developing - but the statistics & graphs showing this correlation are very discouraging & one reason we have chosen to avoid them.

2. There are "mega doses" of vaccines given to children that contain multiple types of immunizations - then the parents are expected to watch for signs of allergy... So if there is an allergic reaction, how can it be determined which vaccine caused the allergic reaction? I just don't like the idea of putting a lot of drugs into a tiny body that doesn't even have a fully developed immune system... talk about overload!

3. Some can cause allergies to develop to various things that were otherwise not there before the vaccine was given.

4. There is a link to SIDS.

5. Breast milk provides immune system building properties for babies naturally. Lord willing, I plan to nurse Jori girl for at least a year & will build up her immune system in that way.

6. God has a plan for our little girl. This idea was shared with me by a close friend who also chose to not immunize their baby at all. As morbid as it might sound -  we feel better about keeping her un-vaccinated & susceptible to potential illnesses that vaccines claim they protect against than to put those drugs into her body, being responsible for any poor reactions she may have to them, including death. God has a plan for her life & we trust him to protect her & feel we are putting her at unnecessary risk by doing vaccinations.

One example of unnecessary vaccines I want to share is about Hepatitis B. This vaccine is given to babies as early at 12 hour after they're born & the third dose by the time they're 18 months old. Hep B is contracted through blood/bodily fluid & is associated with a risky lifestyle of drugs [sharing needles] & unprotected sex. Why are babies be given this vaccine only 12 hours after birth when their immune systems are still weak [making them more susceptible to bad reactions] & the chances of them doing intravenous drugs or having sex is none... The interesting part of this is that in a study, the Hep B vaccine was shown ineffective in many kids by the time vaccinated babies reached their teenage years where this behavior is more likely to occur. According to the article, there are 60 Diseases and adverse reactions associated with this vaccine - yet it isn't even effective for what it's supposed to prevent.
Follow this link for the full article [article will open in a new browser window] & more in-depth info on this specific vaccine.

I understand people wanting to trust their doctors & think that they have what's best for the children they treat in mind. Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world & money is power. Drug companies have unimaginable amounts of money & therefore have influence over what doctors do/give to patients. I'm not implying all doctors are puppets of big drug companies, & many probably do believe vaccines are best for children - but not all doctors are pushing vaccines on parents & claiming they're harmless. This is part of what encouraged us to do our own research & make our own decision.

I want to encourage my friends to do research before they take their doctor's word as ultimate truth. I am not judgmental to any parent who has vaccinated their child - I was vaccinated & I think I turned out ok :] I don't think you're a bad parent or think any less of you. I wrote this post as an encouragement to dig a little deeper into the drugs that are being put into our children's bodies & to make an educated decision, not an ignorant one, on whether or not the risks of the vaccine outweigh the benefits.

& who knows - after all our research is complete, we may find a vaccine or two that we decide to give to Jori girl :]

PS: the argument that schools won't allow students to enroll if they're not vaccinated is simply not true. The process is different by state, but there are forms that can be filled out to work around an unvaccinated child.

Jori Update:
-33 weeks & 4 days - about 4 pounds & 18-20 inches long! [that's the "average" at this stage]
-had my bi-monthly check up with the midwife yesterday: up 30 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. Nothing to sweat though - midwife says I started kind of small so I have a few extra pounds to add without harm. phew!
-otter girl is measuring at 32 weeks, but growing at a consistent rate so she is right on track to be a healthy 6 or 7 pound lady. hallelujah.
-i have been plagued with heartburn finally
-starting to get asked if my due date was yesterday. ha ha. this is going to get old REALLY fast. [word to the wise, don't tell a pregnant woman she looks like she is about to have a baby... it makes her feel huge. & we already know we are. ]

Looking Ahead:
-quick & healthy lunch ideas
-3rd trimester workouts

Stewardship in Pregnancy

I get a little nervous writing posts about being a good steward because there is a chance someone could be offended. Please don't be. But this is something that's been heavy on my heart since that little pee stick said positive. 

Being a mother is a huge responsibility that involves mega sacrifice. I never realized how great that sacrifice was until becoming a mother myself & life for the Owens' changed dramatically [and Jori isn't even here yet!]. The first realization I had - my body will never be the same. Selfishly I cried about it for about twenty minutes after we realized we were pregnant, instead of doing a happy dance. I'm over that now... mostly. Then, it occurred to me that I am no longer eating food solely for my own health, but for the health of a seed-sized baby without any means of giving itself the best nutrition for growth & development. I've written before that I started hearing things like "you're pregnant! you can eat what you want! enjoy your cravings!" & that bothered me a little. Sure, I CAN eat what I want... but SHOULD I eat what I want? If I had it my way I would eat Reese Eggs with ice cream for every meal. It's not just food that I considered, but how active I stayed even when I was tired & the kinds of things I put into my mind & soul. 

I think of it this way... God has entrusted me with the innocent, tiny life of HIS daughter. He has given her to us as a gift & that is not something to take lightly. Like the parable with the talents found in Matthew 25:14-30, to the one God entrusted much, much was expected. I want to do the best with what God has given me - that being the life of my daughter. 

What does it look like (to me) to be a good steward of my pregnancy & little Jori girl? 

-Healthy Diet: Bye caffeine [which is safe in low amounts, not as much in the first trimester, but why give a 3 pound person an energy rush?], Bye sugar [as much as possible... I still LOVE my ice cream & Reese Eggs], Hello veggies, fruits, whole grains, & protein. This should be part of a normal diet, but is even more important for my growing lady. Do the research, see what babies needs, & see what foods are best for that - i guarantee McDonalds is not on that list. 

-Regular Exercise: This is a little bit more for me than Jori, but an active body just feels better. The weeks I have been more lazy with exercise are the weeks where my body is achier. Exercising during pregnancy helps promote steady & healthy weight gain [good for mom & baby], helps with labor, helps shed the pounds post-partum quicker, & will be VERY beneficial when I'm carrying a growing girl up 4 flights of stairs. yikes. Our bodies were meant to MOVE, even if it's just a 20 minute walk. Or some push-ups & squats a few times a week. 

-Spiritual Growth: I am responsible for the spiritual development & growth of my babe. I want to be an example of a godly woman to my tiny lady & that means I need to be more absorbed in God's Word & living out the life He called me to live. When she is old enough to ask questions regarding faith & God, I want the knowledge of God's Word to be so engraved in my heart that I can answer confidently & correctly to whatever she may ask. I want her to see her parents loving God & living a Christ-centered life so boldly that she desires the same. 

-Emotional Stability: Full disclosure: I've cried. multiple times. & not about cute babies on tv commercials but full on laying in bed crying because it can be so dang hard being pregnant! [if any pregnant woman says this did not happen to her, she has to be lying. I don't care how strong you are.... pregnancy is SO hard! and amazing]. It can also be so dang overwhelming to know that things will be changing for our growing family once our Otter arrives. [to make myself feel better I sometimes blame hormones]. I recognize that the first few months of being a family of three will be so difficult, exhausting, overwhelming, & unpredictable. I want to be as confident in myself as a woman & mother during those times that I am still emotionally strong for our girl. Even when my body is recovering from labor & I don't have my glorious 6 pack [if I ever get that back] & I haven't done my hair in weeks, I will want to feel confident in myself. When she is crying all night for no reason other than she is just needing a good cry [who doesn't need that sometimes!?], I want to be confident in myself that it's not because I suck at being a mom. As she gets older, Jori needs to have a mom who is sure of herself, happy, laughing, & positive. I haven't quite made a plan on how to be all those things to her [I'm sure just being around her will make me feel that way] but it's a goal. 

I guess 50% of this blog is written for myself - to remember what I truly desire to accomplish & be during this pregnancy season & beyond. But also 50% for my pals who are also growing little cuties in their belly to try & make the most of it. Your child depends on you for everything so why not give them the best? Be a good steward of your own life & of your unborn, but soon to be born, baby.

Jori Update:

-this little girlfriend is a kicking machine. especially in my ribs. I sure love her. But I don't love when she does that. Future soccer player? :]

-I'm up 23 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. Average weight gain the last two months is a pound a week - putting me at 31 pounds gained [if i stay on track] & hallelujah that is in the 'ideal range' of 25-35 pounds. 

-She is HEAD DOWN!! no breach baby here! She is facing forward, so eventually her little tush needs to be along the front of my belly, but she has plenty of time to get switched around.

-Jori weighs around 4 pounds now. whoa. & could be around 20 inches long. whoa. Although she is measuring at 30 weeks when I went for my appointment Monday & I was at 31 weeks & 4 days [a little on the small side]. Midwife Erin says she could be a 6-7 pound baby. again, Hallelujah. 

-Officially starting my 8th month of pregnancy, 2 months to go!

Looking Ahead:

-Vaccinations 

-Quick [HEALTHY] lunch ideas

Jori Update

It's been far too long since I've been in the blogging world. Sometimes I forget. Sometimes I don't feel like it. & sometimes there just isn't much to report. So after a few weeks of silence, here are some updated stats on our little lady for anyone who is as obsessed with my daughter as I am :]

-29 weeks & 5 days! She is about 15 inches long, almost 3 lbs [according to all those baby websites & apps I obsessively read every morning]

-at my last midwife appointment [Monday] I was up a total 18 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight & still on track for the glorious 25-35 pound weight gain!

-passed my glucose test with flying colors - scored 65 & the goal is to be under 140. hallelujah.

-Jori girl is measuring at 28 weeks [she's been measuring a week smaller ever since this belly got big enough for the tape measure technique of keeping track of her growth] & I don't mind that one bit. I'll take a tiny healthy baby. In fact, I had a vivid dream she weighed 6 lbs 9 oz at birth. Now it's on record & we can see how accurate my dreams are.

-i've started having more serious braxton hicks contractions. They're real contractions, but just don't lead to full-on labor. Basically like my uterus is warming up before the big game. It's just starting it's warm up a little sooner than I'd like because these things are NOT comfortable. [I've also been told this could mean short labor. let's see how accurate THAT statement is in 10 weeks & then maybe I won't be minding these as much]

-we are starting the process of finding a pediatrician for our little girlfriend that is accepting patients, as well as accepting patients who will not be having any immunizations before they are 2 years old [that is for a different post so don't harass me before you hear our reasoning behind not getting her immunizations. I know it's a touchy subject]. & also insurance [since I'm still enough of a babe to take advantage of my parents' family plan that has amazing coverage] [anyone know where to start on baby insurance for people who are not making millions of dollars a year?]

-the nursery crafting has stalled. Mostly because I'm working too much. But when it starts up again you can bet there will be posts galore of all the little things I'm making for Jori.

That's all :] A very short post for you all, but I'm sure many of you have been on the edge of your seats waiting to hear an update, so this is for you [probably just my mom. & maybe a friend or two].

Looking Ahead:
-to immunize or not to immunize
-stewardship during pregnancy

Working Out & Pregnancy

Even before the discovery of Otter girl, working out was a priority in my life. Now, I value it even more & believe it is a necessary component of a healthy & enjoyable pregnancy. I've been thinking a lot recently about the variety of benefits that working out has & try to encourage other mommy's-to-be to get moving [because it feels so good!].

I should also be more specific on what I would consider a workout. A workout doesn't have to end with you soaked in sweat and short of breath. I would actually discourage that during pregnancy as it isn't wise to push yourself to exhaustion. Any activity that gets the heart rate up a little bit for an extended period of time is an appropriate workout for the pregnant gal. A 20 minute quick walk, a [stationary] bike ride, the elliptical machine, doing some light weight lifting, yoga, or body weight workouts can all help prepare the growing body to carry & support increased weight throughout daily activities & for post-partum activities as well.

Benefits to working out while pregnant:
 1. Prevents lower back pain - As baby grows & weight increases around the abdomen, posture can be affected & the strain of carrying that weight can cause back pain. Also, having tight muscles & ligaments from a lack of movement also causes lower back pain. Even a simple 20 minute walk, 5 days a week, can help the body build muscle to support the baby & prevent the back from over-arching, which causes pain. Stronger muscles help maintain better posture; something I've seen that can go out the window during the last couple months of pregnancy [shoulders hunched forward & too much lower spine curve].

2. Controls weight gain - It is suggested that women gain 25-35 pounds during the 9 months of pregnancy. Gaining too much weight increases the chance of developing high blood pressure or gestational diabetes [which puts the baby at a higher risk of developing diabetes later in life]. Other problems can include a large baby, which complicates labor, & premature labor. It also helps post-partum to lose the weight quicker because there is less weight to lose [mostly the weight of the baby, placenta, & water retained which is gone just after birth].

3. Relaxation - There are many things to be stressed about during pregnancy, & wacky hormones don't help either! I find that after I take the time to workout, I feel better emotionally. Even when I'm tired, but choose to workout, I feel much more energized & refreshed than before. There is scientific proof that working out boosts emotional well-being...  endorphins are released during a workout, which are "feel-good" hormones & provide a natural "high".

4. Prevents late night leg cramps - I've been warned that now is the time [starting the third trimester] that leg cramps can start haunting me in the middle of the night. I haven't had one. Cramps are caused by fatigued muscles [& other factors, like dehydration]. Spending a day on your feet with extra baby weight can be exhausting for muscles that aren't used to doing that kind of work. By working out, legs will become stronger & daily activities won't be as exhausting for the muscles. End result = less likely to be woken up with agonizing leg cramps.

5. Self-confidence boost - I want to feel good about myself & how I look while my belly continues to balloon.  Becoming a mother isn't an excuse to "let yourself go" but an even better time to really take care of your body [for yourself & your baby!]. I'm not scared of getting a puffy face or ankles during the last couple weeks of carrying around Jori girl because water retention is just part of the last phase of pregancy. But I do care that I don't put on excess pounds & fat that will affect how I feel about myself.

I could list even more benefits, but will save that for another day.

[disclaimer: it is never my intention to offend or seem as if I'm passing judgement on someone who isn't "doing pregnancy" the same way I am... My goal is to just give out ideas to consider for a healthier life & easier pregnancy]

Healthier Food Alternatives

Here is a small list of some of my favorite foods: french fries. bread/pasta. ice cream.

& if I wasn't careful I could easily be packing on some extra pounds now that I'm a washed-up, former college athlete that will never do a dead-lift or burpee again. & pregnant. It makes running tricky now that I'm belly heavy.

I've come up with a small list of suggestions on how to still eat some of your favorite foods, but in a better version of them. It's not all about weight loss, but about putting food into your body that keeps in functioning & feeling its best [but also a little bit about weight management].

1. French Fries: Choose sweet potato fries &/or red potato wedges. French fries sure do taste good. but are also fried. & don't have much nutritional value. Sweet potato fries are taaasty & so so easy to make! Lightly coat in olive oil, add some paprika [just a little, that stuff has a kick of spice!], and cook them up for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees... yum. Even good dipped in a little ketchup [which is good for fulfilling ketchup cravings]. Sweet potatoes are cheap, full of vitamins, are a good source of potassium & iron, & contain kerotins=good for eyes. Red potato wedges are also a better option; slice them up, lightly coat in olive oil, add some salt/pepper, & cook them up in the oven. These also contain significant vitamins & minerals good for the body.

2. Bread/Pasta: This is simple. Get the white out & switch to wheat/whole wheat. Be aware of sneaky bread companies that claim their bread is whole wheat, then the first ingredient they list is not whole wheat but "enriched wheat flour". You're not getting what you think you are, so look for 100% whole wheat [& double check that label]. Pasta also comes in the wheat option. It may take a couple tries to get used to the different texture, but your body will thank you for switching to a better carb. & it still tastes amazing with some spaghetti sauce & parmesan cheese.

3. Ice cream: [notice I did not cross this one out. because I love it. & still eat it.] Oh sweet sweet goodness I love ice cream. Especially with peanut butter. The key to this, in my own little opinion, is portion control. We have adorable polka dot dishes that are meant for ice cream & don't allow me to fill up a cereal sized bowl with 800 calories. We also don't buy it on a regular basis, maybe once a month. [Now that Jori girl gives me unstoppable ice cream cravings I've given in a few more times a week than I normally would. I justify it by claiming she needs more calcium. I just need my vanilla & peanut butter goodness]. An alternative to ice cream is smoothies. Cold, sweet, & creamy. But with natural sugars & a lot less calories! We buy extra fresh fruit sometimes & just freeze it up. We found this to be more economical than buying frozen fruit. Add a little low-fat vanilla or plain yogurt to the fruit in a blender & mix away. Use bananas, cocoa powder, & peanut butter for an amazing treat & a massive boost of vitamins & minerals.

These are only a few of multiple ways to replace the foods you love with healthier, but similar options. Got any other tips? I'd love to hear them :]

Jori Marie Update:
-25 weeks [26 weeks on Friday & a week away from the third trimester]
-Tiny girlfriend is the size of an eggplant, almost 2 lbs, & over 13 inches long! what a woman.
-She is kicking my bladder. a lot. but I haven't peed my pants yet [I hear this could happen!]
-Weight gain weight gain :] At my appointment Monday, the scale showed that I gained 8 pounds since my last appointment 4 weeks ago. Which is SO good. The last time I had lost 3 pounds. So I'm now within the 11-19 pound gain suggested for 25 weeks that keeps me on track for 25-35 total gain. [my total is now 14 pounds!]
-A couple instances of mild cramping... hoping this goes away & not that I'll have to end up on bed rest before my due date. How boring.
-I love her more than I could have ever imagined.

Nursery Update

It has been busy for the Owens the past couple of weeks - AAU bball tourny for my husband's 6th grade team & I worked a couple 50+ hour weeks. However, I still found some time to do some crafting & Craigslist browsing for nursery furniture. My plan is to create Jori's nursery with as many home-made things as possible to save some cash but also because I just love having reasons to make things. The first two projects I took on were an adorable little owl pillow [not an owl themed nursery] & a banner to hang over our little girlfriend's crib [that we don't have yet].

I found my inspiration for the owl pillow from a Pinterest. I've never made a pillow before, or even put together anything out of felt, but it didn't seem too complex so I just 'winged it' & am super happy with the results!

I started with the face - eyes first, then layered under it to get the right portions. I lightly drew out the shape I wanted with pencil on the felt & eyeballed it the rest of the way while cutting. 

Next I used the size of the head to cut a proportionate body shape & top head feathery thing [I really have no clue what that is for on real owls... extra feathers? it just looks cute.] 

Before sewing the owl to green fabric, I hand sewed the individual pieces of the owl together to add a little dimension to it. After all the pieces were together, I sewed around the outside of the owl to the green fabric square.

This is the back of the pillow, & the main colors of her nursery :]

The other project I've completed [& so far my favorite] is our Jori girl's name banner. I made a banner that says "Mr. & Mrs. Owens" for our head table at the wedding & it now hangs above our bed. How perfect that our tiny girlfriend will have one too above her crib :]

I cut the banner triangles & letters from fabric I purchased from Hobby Lobby with their wonderful 40% off coupon. The letters are the same fabric as the back of the owl pillow. 

I sewed the banners to a string of twine [with the extra light green triangles, same as the green fabric on the front of the owl pillow & some cute mini ones between each flag]

I just can't wait for her crib to be under the banner [sure would love it if it was gifted off our registry!] & to have our sleeping girl cuddled up & cute in her bed.

Another area we've started to set up is her book/reading area. I bought a bright pink trunk my freshman year of college & my husband really couldn't think of an appropriate place for it to sit in our grown-up apartment pre-baby. Now I can pass on this cutie trunk to our little girl & encourage her to be a baby genius :]

I picked up the metal bird book ends at a garage sale for $2 a couple summers ago - they even made an appearance at our wedding. The trunk sits on the floor between two, 10 foot windows, & are considering putting mini shelves above the trunk, between the windows, for more books. 

& lastly, here is the beauty of a Craigslist treasure we purchased a couple weeks ago. We originally wanted a simple dresser that would double as a changing station because these things are expen$ive - we found this glorious changing station/dresser/shelving unit for $130 & it's basically new. There is one tiny scratch. Bonus: The top piece comes off for when we want it to look more like a dresser & not the place we used to wipe her butt :] I cannot wait to put little baskets multiple shapes & sizes up top & possibly put different/fun knobs on the drawers.

& that's the nursery so far :] Current projects include a heart garland that is basically done, just needs a home for hanging, a little wall decor with some letters & fabric-filled cross-stitching rings, & curtains. 

Looking Ahead:

-25 week appointment update

-Small eating habit changes that make a big difference