LBD (and all other dresses, really) with a big Belly

Holy moly, I'm a blogging freak! Granted, I'm writing up all of these posts in one day, so that's why you're getting a bunch in one week. ANYWAY.

Anyway. Remember that one time I told you I was going to do a sort of "series" on how to make your pre-pregnancy clothes last longer? Well, I have pictures on my phone that I don't think I will EVER make it through, so I'm gonna throw some at you now.
First, we have the little black dress. Recognize this one? No? Well, I wore it here. Let me begin by saying this: Not all LBD's will work with a pregnant belly (duh?). Mine is a flowy cotton (wonderful, wonderful cotton) with an empire waist. Pop on some leggings, add a scarf, sweater, and boots, and VOILA! Perfect pregnancy outfit.

Moving on... 
Second, we have any pregnant woman's best friend - the maxi. If you don't recognize this one, it's the one I made and wore here. Super easy to make - takes about 30 minutes, and I highly recommend it. ANYWAY. Pop on a belt with that sucker to emphasize your growing belly, and you will get all sorts of compliments. A maxi dress can work for you up until the end, my friends.

So. Dresses. YAY!!! Let me tell you what, people - dresses can (and should) be your best friends throughout your pregnancy. Whether it's the middle of summer or the dead of winter, you can wear a dress! In the winter, just add a pair of maternity leggings (like I said, the only necessary maternity clothing item) and some boots, and you are good to go!

Any questions? 

**Linking up here

Three. 3. Drei. Tres. Trois.

Three years ago today, I met my husband (don't judge, that's like an eternity in Mormon years).
Yes... that's me on the right - the twenty-one-year-old with the braces. 

And if you're wondering, the second I saw him across the dance floor (quite literally - we were a head taller than anyone else there), I thought to myself, That guy who looks like he's fifteen - that there's mah future baby daddy... mmmmmhhhmmmm. 
See how mesmerized I was by him? Yeah, we were cool.

Okay, so I didn't really, but it sounded like a good thing to say.

Love you, baby daddy! :)



Grow, Baby, GROW!!


Hola! 

I know, I know... more than one post in a week. I bet you're amazed, right? Well, enjoy it while it lasts, because I'm not sure what's come over me!!

Anyway... Today I'm officially 33 weeks pregnant. Like, where the crap did the time go? Who knows, right? Anyway. I realize that I have been slacking majorly on the belly pictures and bumpdates, so I've compiled my Sunday pictures from the last eight weeks (excluding yesterday's). Yay.
So, what can I tell you about being 33 weeks pregnant? Not too much, actually. I'm ready to bring this little girl into the world. I'm not nervous about labor and delivery (thanks to the hypnobirthing technique... I'll tell you all about it if you are interested. Sue used it for her labor, and her story is absolutely beautiful). I haven't yet started walking with the pregnant woman swagger (read: the waddle), and for that I'm thankful. Still don't have any stretch marks, and my belly button has yet to "pop." I'm up 34 lbs, and can definitely feel it (don't believe me? watch me try to do a pushup). Still, things are going well, and I am so thankful for that.


Sunday Confessions Link-Up

What's that?!?!? An actual blog post? 

Pick your jaws up off the floor, grab a button, write up some juicy confessions, and link up.
 
1. I'm absolutely sick of all the negativity surrounding labor. It has been thrown at me from every direction, and I've had it. Guess what, guys?! I'm not an idiot, I know that a human coming out of my hoo-ha is not going to be the most comfortable feeling in the world. You know what, though? It is natural. It is beautiful. It is what God intended women to do, and I'm pretty sure that, since He wants us to "multiply and replenish the earth," He did not think to Himself, "I'm going to make this as painful and horrible as possible!"

So do me a favor, people with whom I come into contact on a daily basis - do NOT tell me that I can't handle it. Do not tell me that labor is "sooo hard" and "sooo painful" and if I don't get an epidural I will kick and scream and want to die. Okay? Because, NEWS FLASH: women have been giving birth since the dawn of time, and epidurals have only been around for a little while. Am I saying I don't want drugs if I have to have a C-section? Heck, no. I'm not letting someone slice me open without being knocked out first.

What I am saying is this: It is my birth and my choice. Keep your opinions and your negativity to yourself, please and thank you.
2. I've been a bit of a grumpy-pants lately. I don't know if it's because I'm toting around an extra 34 pounds and have to rotate through 5 outfits or because I'm always hungry/tired, but things that normally would have just been mildly annoying make me want to punch babies (not mine, of course).

3. My baby is going to have friggin' Rapunzel hair. Or at least she will if that old wive's tale is true (you know, the one that tells you that a momma with heartburn = a baby with hair), because let me tell ya something - I take 2 Zantac 150s each day and STILL wake up 3-4 times a night in order to pop some TUMS. I've also taken to eating ice cream and milkshakes every night (it helps, seriously) a couple of hours before bed.
4. I'm selfish. Seriously. Soooo selfish. I am so excited for this little girl to make her appearance (mostly because I'll have a few broken ribs if she doesn't get her butt outta my belly pretty soon), but holy balls. I am just not ready to give my life to someone else. I never thought I was that selfish, but now I find myself a little sad when I can't buy something just because I want to, or when I realize that Mike and I can't go on a "babymoon" because, well... we're having a frickin' baby and she's costing us thousands and thousands of dollars. I get a little sad when I realize that, as soon as she's born, it's not all about just Mike and I anymore. Our whole world is about to be flipped upside-down, and I'm just not sure I'm ready for that.

5. I have written enough. No number five because I've already written a novel.

What do you have to get off your chest today? 

Sunday Confessions Link Up

Happy Sunday

Grab a button, link up your confessions, and visit some other people while you're at it.
 
My one and only confession for the week: 

I am a craptastic blogger. There, I said it. I think admitting this is the hardest part of recovery. When will I recover? Oh, probably when I'm on maternity leave and am no longer working full time. Then I'll have tales of poopy diapers, baby barf, and cute little baby toes to share with you. And I'll probably overwhelm you all with pictures of my alien baby.

I'll have on mommy goggles, so even if you think my monkey child is weird-looking, I will think she's the cutest thing ever, and I'll take millions of pictures that look exactly the same to prove my undying devotion to her. And then I'll cry about tacos while I'm posting the pictures because I'll be hungry, super tired, and I won't want to cook. And I'm not sure how this post turned into me crying about food (again), but I think now is a good time to end it.

What do you have to confess? 

Decisions, Decisions.

Happy Tuesday!! 

So this post is a bit overdue, but last week I mentioned that I made the switch from doctor to midwife at 29 weeks, and holy cow, do I wish I had done it sooner!

Let me make one thing perfectly clear - I made the choice that was right for me. Would I recommend a midwife to all of you? Of course! Would I judge you for choosing a doctor instead? Of course not. I did what was best for me, and you should do what's best for you.

For those of you who are pregnant now, thinking about having kids soon, or are just curious, let me tell you why I chose to switch from a hospital and doctor to my midwife and birthing center.
1. Price. The cost for prenatal care, labor, and delivery with my midwife is $2800. This doesn't include lab work or the hospital stay, but is still significantly cheaper than my doctor was charging. Additionally, I spent $180 on a trans-vaginal ultrasound that my midwife never would have done. It wasn't even necessary when I got it, and it took a total of about 45 seconds. Most expensive 45 seconds of my life, that's for sure! Even better - my insurance will cover it (after deductible and co-insurance, of course).

2. Support and individualized care. My midwife has made an effort to get to know me and what I want. She spent an hour just talking to me and getting to know me at my first appointment, and encouraged me to ask questions about pregnancy, labor, and delivery. When I was with a doctor, I spent maybe an hour total with her in six appointments - questions weren't ever really encouraged, and it wasn't very personal.

My midwife will be with me for the entirety of my labor and delivery. She will not just show up to catch my baby. Because of this, I will not need as many vaginal exams. When the doctor isn't present, the nurses have to check how dilated you are, because that's all the doctor has to go off. Because my midwife will be by my side the entire time, it is very likely that she will not need to check me - she'll be able to monitor in other ways to help me know when to push. More importantly, she will be there to support me through the difficult (but rewarding!) process of giving birth.

3. Birthing options. This has more to do with going to a birthing center rather than a standard hospital. My "birthing center" is actually inside a hospital, which is pretty much a win-win (especially if things don't go perfectly). I want a natural water birth - the hospital I was originally going to give birth at does not allow water births, and has a 95% epidural rate. The nurses there are not as experienced with natural childbirth, and they tend to push the epidural. In addition to not wanting an epidural, I don't want to be induced (both epidurals and induction increase a person's chances of needing a c-section). If I didn't want a water birth, birthing centers offer lots of different options, and are much more flexible than hospitals.

4. It's less invasive. Like I said before - my midwife would not have done an unnecessary trans-vaginal ultrasound, she will not measure me at my weekly appointments (those start at 36 weeks), and she will not measure me during labor. As someone who doesn't exactly love showing my nether regions to the world, I really appreciate this approach.

5. She'll be there, no matter what. This is specific to my midwife, but if you can find a midwife like her, do it!! She will come as soon as I go into the hospital, even if she's not on call. Whether she's just finished a 12 hour shift, or just gone to bed at one in the morning, all I have to do is call and she will be there. Amazing, right?!

Moral of the story: I chose a midwife because I wanted someone who will support me and my choice to have a natural waterbirth. I wanted someone who would be open to alternative pain management methods, someone who doesn't push inducement, and someone who understands that this is my birth and my baby. 

Sunday Confessions Link Up

Happy Sunday!! 

Yes... you know the drill. Grab a button, write a post full of juicy confessions, link it up, then visit some of the other blogs!
 
1. Husband and I are addicted to scramble with friends. So... if any of you have it, start a game with me! My username is Alyxgarner.

2. I didn't forget about Sunday Confessions this week!! Okay, so that's not a confession, but it IS pretty amazing, considering the fact that I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached to my shoulders.

3. I broke down and dyed my hair. Please, nobody ask me, "Is that safe when you're pregnant?" I'm not trying to kill my baby. Sheesh.

4. I'm too lazy to put pictures in this post. Last Sunday there was no post. This Sunday there are no pictures. Maybe next week I'll finally get it right.

5. I'm back to doing a little bit of design work. I'd taken a break once I started the full-time job and found out I was pregnant, but just started getting back into the swing of things last week. I'm currently working on Libby's blog, and am taking things one blog/project at a time. My turnaround time is not 2 days like it was back in the days where I didn't have a full-time job, but it's still something I enjoy doing, and if people are okay with waiting a week and half for their designs, then, by golly, I'm okay with doing their designs for them.