12 Days of Christmas

I am doing a 12 days of Christmas goals list... these are things I WILL accomplish in the next 12 days!

1. Work out for at least 8 days out of the next 12
2. Paint 2nd bedroom(baby room)
3. Finish the master bath (Steven's help)
4. Finish ALL laundry
5. Complete shopping and have all presents wrapped by Sunday Dec. 19th
6. Paint 4th bedroom (play room/office)
7. Organize all bills/papers
8. Pick a mural out for the baby room
9. Design and set up baby room
10. Have a date or two night with Steven
11. Take a drive and look at lights
12. Enjoy Christmas

Pasta Sauce Recipes

I recently have been going to the local farmers market when I can. Every time I go I have purchased a pasta (so far I have 3 different ones). I am now trying to figure out how I should make them. What kind of sauces should I use with the different flavors: sun-dried tomato, pepper blend, and a garlic blend. Also, what meats and veggies should I add. So far I have found:

• Lemon Sauce- http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemon-Pasta-Sauce/Detail.aspx

• Tomato Sauce- http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tomato-Cream-Sauce-for-Pasta/Detail.aspx

• Mushroom/Zucchini Sauce- http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pasta-with-Mushroom-and-Zucchini-Sauce/Detail.aspx

• Rosemary/Garlic Sauce- http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Rosemary-Pasta-in-Roasted-Garlic-Sauce/Detail.aspx

I want to make dinner more exciting! Not over done or fancy, just different. I don't like doing the same recipes all the time and I want to mix it up a bit. I need to prepare for making child friendly foods. Granted I have a while but it never hurts to start early.

Gift Registries

I have finally finished up my registries. It took awhile because I put a lot of thought and did a lot of  research before deciding what we needed/wanted. I am very happy with my end results but I have been watching (for quite sometime) how many items actually get purchased off of a registry. In the past 3-4 years I have been to over 15 bridal and baby showers. Recently, I went to a bridal shower and noticed that she did get quite a few items off her registries (50 of 130). I also have gone to three baby showers in the past few months and have noticed that most of the items given are NOT on the persons registry. I went back and looked over each registry to verify... 1st shower only 26 of 123 items were purchased, 2nd shower 23 of 90 items were purchased, and the 3rd shower 20 of 106 (5 of which I know were me!).

So here are my questions: Why bother with registering if people are just going to give you what they think is best? Why put so much time into it, especially if you have to buy everything yourself anyway? I understand straying a little bit (like baby clothes) but to give something completely different (ex. you register for Born Free bottles and someone gets you Avent)? I am not sure I get that.

I am not trying to complain or sound mean, I just honestly want to know. I remember getting most of what I registered for when I got married but its seems to be different with baby showers and I want to financially prepare myself for the possibility of  having to go back and purchase what I need. I have not had my own baby shower yet so I will keep you posted but I was just curious. Please feel free to tell me what you think.

Update

Steven and I went to our first baby class a Winnie Palmer. It was a class based around the second trimester. The class went over preterm labor, nutrition, exercise, planning for birth, and infant care issues. We actually learned quite a bit. I learned that the pressure I feel on occasion are Braxton Hicks contractions. We learned about at home remedies for pain and ways to distract from the pain. It was a long class but good.
I also had a check up last week and decided I am primarily going to see the Midwife, whom I have met and think is awesome. Some of the doctors in the office seem to be very tradition and I am looking to mix it up! This will definitely be interesting! Everything looks good with our baby girl. She is growing like she should and is moving like crazy.

Top Ten Goals

I got this idea from another blog and decide that have a goals list is a wonderful idea. Now, my blog is primarily based around my pregnancy so I am going to do a Top Ten Goals for my pregnancy, with some parenting goals thrown in.

1. Read the Bible/Do a devotional.There are many reasons to do this but when you are in the word consistently you tend to listen to what God has to say and follow the plans He has for your life. I can't expect to grow in my spiritual life or represent God the way I should if I am not daily seeking Him. I want our baby girl to see God in me and that requires more then I have been doing lately. 2. Work on my marriage.I want to make sure we have such an amazing foundation that nothing but God himself can shake it. I am not saying that Steven and I are in a bad place, in fact we are doing amazing, but it never hurts to want more or to be even better. I know I can be a better wife and it is something I am constantly working on.  3. Create a cleaning schedule.This really means, clean the house and keep it clean! I am the worst house keeper. I hate laundry and dishes! I know, two things that are extremely important in running a house but I just have the worst time with them. I think I have also brought down Steven. He was never good at putting laundry away (he lived out of baskets) and now I have started doing the same. With the dishes I try to use one and wash it but if you don't follow through even one day, you can become overwhelmed. 4. Breastfeed. There are so many benefits to breastfeeding. Were to begin... bonding, it helps burn off the pregnancy weight, better for babies health, helps prevent obesity in you and baby, I can go on forever (here is a good website). I have a great support system and I already have a breast pump (thanks Randi); two amazing thing some women don't have. I am also not afraid to ask for help so with God on my side I know I can breastfeed! 5. Make my own baby food.Not only is this extremely cost effective, you can also regulate what your child is eating. I am not saying this is going to be a breeze but it is something I would like to do. A friend of mine gave me this idea (her blog page here) and she recommend a website that looks great. Babies are expensive and I want to do whats best for us financially as well as keeping baby healthy. 6. Exercise: before and after.Something that is totally feasible! I know this will help with those up/down pregnancy hormones and it will keep me on track weight wise but I am not motivated at all. Because of the time change, it gets dark at 6:00pm and Steven doesn't get home until 6-630ish most nights. I hate working out by myself because its hard to stay accountable. I want so much to be motivated but honestly I'm just not. If anyone has suggestions let me know!! 7. Be consistent and follow through.When it comes to parenting, I hear these are HUGE. As someone who is certified to teach and works for a high school, I see what happens when you are inconsistent. When being consistent there are clear cut "yes" and "no" categories. This lead to the "follow through," when you stay consistent your child knows what happens when he/she misbehaves (clear consequences).  8. Read daily.This is something Steven and I can do together or separate with our baby girl. I want to read to her daily, it can be a bible story or a fun book. My main goal is one story before bed and while I am breastfeeding Steven can read a story.  9. Reach for the stars.This applies to me as a person and a soon to be parent. I have two quotes for this:  Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you. ~Robert Fulghum It's not only children who grow.  Parents do too.  As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours.  I can't tell my children to reach for the sun.  All I can do is reach for it, myself.  ~Joyce Maynard  10. Be Content.God has blessed me in so many ways and more often than not I find myself wanting more things. Sure it would be nice to have more clothes, but my closet is full. I need to enjoy what I have and not worry about what I don't have or what I think I should have.

Cloth vs. Disposable Diapers

This is something I have started debating. I know when I go back to work that I would be unable to continue with cloth diapers because almost all daycare's won't allow them. So the question is: Is it worth using cloth diapers for only 4 months? Also, are cloth diapers harder to use (for Steven of course)? I have done some research about the subject and these are the main points I found...

    * Skin Care & Health concerns: Cloth is generally better for two reasons, you can tell when your child needs to be changed (therefore less rashes) and because they do not use any weird by products (EPA). Also, babies are more comfortable in cloth diapers.
    * Convenience: Disposables, no question! Also, disposable diapers do not leak as much as cloth diapers.
    * Environmental: Disposable diapers make up a huge part of the garbage we dump in our nation's landfills every year but on the other hand laundering diapers uses up a lot of energy and water, and the detergents used pollute the nation's waters. So you can decided whats more important to you.
    * Cost: This depends... cloth has a more expensive start up rate (but not if you get them second hand), if you use a laundry service cloth diapers can be more pricey. If you wash them yourself or the laundry service provides everything, cloth diapering can be less expensive.

In conclusion, as a first time mom who plans on going back to work and will have to use disposables anyway, if only for daycare, whats the best option? Personally, I am "on the fence." Stevens cousin said she would help me get started with cloth diapers but the convenience of disposables is hard to pass up!

Note: This is intended to be an interesting discussion, not a war!

Website used:
http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/diapers.htm
http://life.familyeducation.com/diapers/baby/50452.html

Anatomy Ultrasound

Yesterday was my anatomy ultrasound, It's where the sonographer measures everything on the baby to make sure everything is normal. The sonographer checks the heart, stomach, lungs, legs, arms, head, spine, etc. and I got a few awesome shots of my baby girl...

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Heart Rate: 162BPM

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Foot!!