Nursery Update: Prints & Wall Inspiration

Two weeks ago, I decided that I wanted some chic and classy art for the nursery. I wanted something that we could keep in her room as she grew up. Something that I could tell her I bought for her back when she was still so tiny, in my belly, as I sat and thought about who she'd be, what she'd look like, and what name we'd be calling her. 

When Hubs and I talk about her, we always envision her as a toddler. Bright blue eyes (I want her to have his color blue, he wants her to have mine...), a sprinkle or two of freckles when she has a slight tan, and light brown or blonde hair. By this point, she's talking, and like her parents, is full of whit and spunk. We assume we'll have frequent moments of looking at one another mouthing "Did she really just say that?!" I want her to grow up smiling & happy, knowing that her dad and I love her, and want the most perfect life for her. 

But one of the traits that I want her to have more than anything, is confidence. I've struggled with confidence for a lot of my life. I've been blessed to have a large, loving family and an amazing best friend who I've known since the day I was born. I imagine that without them, I wouldn't be as confident as a I am today. But there are still some things that I struggle with that I hope to change. And then there's Hubs. Dude can literally talk to anyone. He will try anything once and is not afraid of failure. He used to eat at a restaurant by himself when he traveled (and I'd cry when I got off the phone with him because I felt so bad that he was alone). It's probably why after throwing him to the wolves (aka my entire extended family) at my sisters engagement party nearly 6 years ago, he's still around. 

I love that man and his confidence, and want nothing more than for our baby girl to acquire all of that positive energy from him. 

Anyway, pregnant hormonal rant over. I bought the following prints for her nursery and can't wait to see them in person. They're from SSPrintShop and I think we'll end up doing the three over her crib or by the glider/rocking chair. We'll likely frame them in white, to make them pop next to the pink walls. 

Since I'm loving the gold accents, I think I'm going to start adding gold details throughout the room. 

I'm not sure if these decals will go with the room or not, so we'll have to see, but it's a little inspiration for the  gold accents if not. Either way, love Land of Nod and I can't believe they're only $25!

Lottie Dots Decals 

Lastly, I want a round, gold mirror to put over either the changing table or dresser. I like the crisp lines of this one, and the darker gold color. In my opinion, I think it looks richer! 

Howard Elliott Grisham Round Framed Mirror

Baby Brine Style: Swimwear Edition!

I know, I know. It's way too early to think about swimsuits and summertime, but yesterday, my Godmother and I were out shopping and stopped by Janie and Jack to see their adorable spring and summer lines. They have THE cutest swimwear for babies. I've poked around Target and only could find bigger sizes. I figure our little one will be in 0-3 months come summer vacation, so that just won't work! 

Here are some of my favorite swimsuits and matching cover-ups (sun safety, people!).

Don't the terrycloth cover-ups just make your heart melt?? Also, I wouldn't ever put the swim cap on our little one, but I think it's hysterical that they offer one at all! All styles found at Janie & Jack.

Gap and Gymboree also have some really cute, and more affordable, swimwear for babies. These are some of my favorites, but I love the cheetah one the most. If you know me, this doesn't come as a surprise! 

26 weeks!

Oh what a weekend we had at the Brine household. Friday afternoon we had a really bad snow storm hit, so I left work early and after 2.5 hours, arrived home. Hubs and I went out to dinner, and everyone must have been at home because the place was pretty empty! 

On Saturday, Hubs, my dad and our contractor neighbor continued the demolition in the basement. Around 3:30, I was upstairs napping, and the power went off. Someone (who was apparently texting and driving) knocked down a telephone pole on our street. Needless to say, the guys couldn't do much work in the basement without electricity. We headed to my parents for pizza and then came home around 9:30 and the power company must have JUST finished putting up the new pole (or heard be whining about wanting to sleeping my own bed....) because we had electricity! 

Sunday morning we woke up to no internet or cable. We went to church, had breakfast, and then visited a car show where my father-in-law's car was being showcased. We came back home, and Hubs decided to start back at the basement. Power-tools and all, I managed to squeeze in a small nap. We were still without power, so when I got up, I put on a fire, had some roasted marshmallows for dinner, and laid on the floor and read a book. Not going to lie, I felt like I was back in the olden days!

Verizon Fios was scheduled to come to the house yesterday morning between 8-12. Well, 12 rolls around, and I was told the technician was still on his first job of the day and would be running late. Apparently he was working his way down our street and we were the 7th house on the block that needed help since the accident. 

Long story short, don't text and drive, kids!! You will create a very bored, unhappy neighborhood if you do :)

And now for this weeks bumpdate- last week in the 2nd trimester! 

How far along?: 26 weeks

Weight gained?: 12+ pounds

Showing yet?: Yep! 

Clothes?: Maternity pants, mostly maternity tops, loving my leggings more and more...

Cravings?: I've been wanting a donut like it's nobodies business. Last night I wanted a milkshake. Weird.

Adversions?: Nothing...

Sleep?:  Much, much better! 

Gender?:  Girly girl

Movement?: Yes. I'm convinced she's going to be a piggy because every time I eat, she kicks and moves and my belly shakes from (what I assume is) her excitement! Baby girl is part Italian, after all!

Symptoms?: Stuffy nose and back pain when I lay the wrong way

Miss Anything?: My simple bedtime routine. What used to be a 5 minute event now takes much, much longer. 

Wedding Rings on or off?: On

Belly Button in or out?: In

100 Days and Dresser Reveal!

Today marks 100 days until my due date! I can't believe we're creeping into double digits. I feel like I just saw the days drop below 200, and now here we are. I am so thankful and blessed that we've had a smooth ride up until this point. 

On Wednesday, my doctor called to let me know that I passed the Glucose Tolerance Challenge (GTC), however the labs showed low levels of hemoglobin, which indicates I'm mildly anemic. He asked that I start a 325 mg Iron Supplement to help. When I started researching mild anemia in pregnancy, I was excited (yes, excited!) to learn that it can cause shortness of breath, increased heart rate, and extreme tiredness. So THIS was the cause of my way-to-soon zombie-like nature over the last few weeks. 

I picked up the supplement on Wednesday, even in single digit temperatures, just so I could get it started that night. I slept amazingly well both Wednesday and Thursday nights, and I wasn't ready to pass out at my desk come 2:00! 

I'm not sure if they'll request updated labs at my next visit, but I'm hoping this continues to give me that second trimester boost. 

On a more fun note, I have some pictures of the refinished dresser for baby girl's nursery!

                                        Before                                                                     After

To start, the guys sanded the stain off of the dresser.  Then they filled in some of the exsiting holes with wood filler since we decided to do all knobs instead of some knobs and some pulls. 

We used two coats of Bull's Eye 1-2-3 Primer, which actually allows you to skip the sanding entirely, but my dad is old school so they did it anyway. This primer dries in an hour, so they were able to do two coats in one morning. 

Next, they did the two coats of the Valspar Honeymilk paint, in semi-gloss. 

The drawers with the glass knobs on them had original holes that we didn't fill in. The others still need holes drilled, which is why it isn't completely finished. 

Overall, I'm really excited with how it turned out! I think it completely changes the piece and it we saved some money on a dresser by refinishing one that we already had. Here is the breakdown of cost: 

Primer: $20

Quart of paint: $12

Knobs: $63

Labor: Free! 

Total: $95  

2nd Trimester Maternity Style

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Since my last post here on crappy maternity clothes options, I have done some research, online shopping, and retail therapy to get a relatively large and diverse selection of maternity clothes. 

When I first went pants shopping in November, I got a pair of skinny black pants and skinny dark wash jeans (#5 and #6 above). These have been my go-to pants during these cold winter months. I love that I can wear them tucked into boots, dressy or casual, and stay warm and dry. 

I wear them both more than my boot/flare jeans, only because of the amount of snow and cold we've been having. 

For my birthday, my mom and I headed to Macy's to check out their selection of Motherhood Maternity and A Pea In The Pod items. We got some great deals on a few staple pieces, including #1 and #2, which I love because they are form fitting. 

We splurged on a few dresses, including the cute peplum dress (#4) that definitely allows some room to grow into! I also got a Jessica Simpson Maternity black lace dress, but I can't find it online. It's super cute, and again, I have some room to grow into it. I wore it out for my birthday and felt extra dolled up, considering the bump! 

I got a couple of other dresses and tops that are no longer available online, including a dress similar to #7, but in magenta. This really has room to grow, and I'm exciting about pairing it with tights during the winter, and (hopefully) sandals in the spring. 

One item from A Pea In The Pod that I feel is worth the "splurge" are their basic ruched 3/4 sleeve shirts (#3). I got these as a BOGO, free style. I LOVE the fit of these. They are super soft and really accentuate the bump! One of my biggest pet peeves has been the lack of fit where my "waist" is. Everything seems to tent over what is left of my waist, and frankly, I like to show off what is left! 

25 weeks!

Here is a bumpdate from this morning, sans my photographer since he had already left for work. 

How far along?: 25 weeks

Weight gained?: 12 pounds

Showing yet?: Yep! 

Clothes?: All maternity pants, mostly maternity tops

Cravings?: Sweets. I think because I had my GTT today, I told myself to cut back, so I craved them. Of course! 

Adversions?: Nothing...

Sleep?:  Much better since Hubs and I switched sides of the bed. It's getting harder to get in bed with all my pillows, though! 

Gender?:  GIRL!!!

Movement?: Yes! Love when I'm laying down to sleep or get up in the AM and she gets moving, since Hubs can feel her moving about! 

Symptoms?: Stuffy nose, tired/sore legs, and being tired. I asked the Dr. about this weird leg pain, and he said that your body is straining itself in every way possible, and your legs have to carry it all around. Going to start propping my legs up at night to help relieve the pain. 

Wedding Rings on or off?: On! 

Belly Button in or out?: In

Happy Tuesday!! Hubs and I got a lot done this weekend, along with a lot of help from my parents. Saturday morning, the ladies in my family got Mani/Pedi's. It was so nice to have a leg/foot massage, especially since I've been having some leg pain lately (more on that lately). 

We went out for lunch and poked around some local boutiques and a children's consignment shop. I got our Baby Girl some really cute, barely worn outfits for much cheaper than at the regular store! 

My dad came over to help Hubs sand, prime and paint the dresser for the nursery. Meanwhile, my mom cleaned our bathroom, bedroom and hardwoods. We're so blessed to have extremely helpful parents! I haven't had much energy during the week to do smaller housekeeping items when I get home from work, so this was a huge help. 

On Sunday, Hubs had our contractor neighbor come over to discuss refinishing our basement. We've always wanted to refinish it, but were putting it off. Apparently now is the right time to finish it, 6 months pregnant and all! 

I was off on Monday and my mom came over so we could start cleaning out the basement. We boxed up all of our junk so that my dad and Hubs could take it to the garage. 

This morning I had my Glucose Tolerance Test, followed by my 4-week prenatal visit. 

I will say that the juice isn't as bad as many people make it out to be. Fingers crossed I don't need to do the 3-hour test...

Baby girl had a healthy heart beat and after my next appointment in February, we start our bi-weekly appointments. So crazy!! 

DIY: You Are My Sunshine Subway Art

I love the look of subway art. I think it's such a simplistic way to display quotes, lyrics, or favorite sayings. When I was little, my parents would Since "You Are My Sunshine" to me before bed. It always, and still does, make me cry, but now that we're about to have our own little sunshine, it seemed fitting to make some subway art with the lyrics. 

I don't have a tutorial, per say, but I used Picasa to create each print. 

I downloaded a high resolution white jpeg image so that when I go to print out these images they come out clear and crisp. 

I edited that image and typed out the lyrics, changing the font, size and color on each until I had the finished product! 

I ended up with 4 pictures, two landscape and two portrait, which I think will look nice either over her crib or changing table. 

Feel free to print your own for your little one's nursery! 

Dresser Makeover Inspiration

I love the look of old, antique furniture that's been modernized. Whether you update the paint, knobs, pulls, or add Mod Podge to it, I think it can make such a statement! As I've mentioned before, our house is a colonial. Lots of window trim, chair rail and crown molding. Even though our home is more traditional as far as the structure goes, our (well, my) decorating style is very modern. 

Here is the dresser that we're going to be refinishing for Baby Brine's room:

We're going to paint it a white to match the crib and changing table. After looking at knobs and pulls online, I think our best bet is to fill in the old holes where the current knobs and pulls are, and replace all of them with knobs. 

I found these knobs and love all of them, so I'm not sure how we're going to choose! 

Gem Keepsake Knob-Cabinet Carat Knob-Pipeline Handles-Pressed Flower Glass Knob-Round-Cut Glass Knob-Depression Pink Glass Knob

And for more decor that I love....aren't these adorable?? I spotted something similar at a boutique in D.C., although much bigger. These probably wouldn't frighten her as much since they're smaller! 

 Encased Elephant Hook

View From Here Hook

24 Weeks!

Happy Monday, all! Here is this weeks bumpdate. I forgot to have my photographer (Hubs) take a picture last week, so that's why there wasn't one. 

Anyone else think I look smaller this week than I did two weeks ago?! That's the holidays for ya! 




How far along?: 24 weeks
Weight gained?: 10 pounds as of Wednesday
Showing yet?: Yes, looking smaller this week than I did 2 weeks ago, though! 
Clothes?: All maternity pants, mostly maternity tops (thanks to my mom for taking me birthday shopping this weekend for some new things!)
Cravings?: Nothing...
Adversions?: Nothing...
Sleep?:  This past weekend was bad in the sleeping department. Hubs and I switched sides of the bed and I'm trying to use the Boppy pillow as well as prop myself up so I don't roll onto my back. Still trying to find what works best! 
Gender?:  GIRL!!!
Movement?: Yes! She LOVES when I sing, which is ironic because she's probably the only one who does! I also feel her kicking when I eat. I think she likes the boost of sugar haha
Symptoms?: Stuffy nose, and feeling exhausted. I think it's due to lack of sleep, though. I also have to take breaks and I can't tackle my to-do lists like I used to! 
Wedding Rings on or off?: On! 
Belly Button in or out?: In, although it's looking shallow! 

Gliders & Rockers

Hubs and I are ready to finish up our registry this weekend, so in preparation, I have been researching gliders & rockers. Like most baby gear out there, these can get pretty expensive. Our biggest challenge is that most of them are pretty large and wide, and baby girl's room doesn't allow for a large chair. 

Since I'm going to be breastfeeding, I want one that is comfortable, easy to rock and/or glide, and won't damage our hardwoods. 

Nurseryworks Sleepytime Rocker-  I love the modern structure to this chair, but the white does concern me. I'm also wondering if it would provide enough neck/head support since it looks short in the back. 

Babyletto Madison Glider- This chair would fit the size criteria that we're looking for, but I wonder if I'd even fit into, let alone Hubs. The dimensions online don't look small and the reviews are all positive, plus the cost isn't bad for a modern looking glider. 

Nurseryworks Glider with Plywood- More out of our price range, but I love the look of this, plus it's narrow and sleek with a high rise on the back side. 

Dorel Rocking Chair- I can't believe Walmart sells a chair that looks like this. I love the look of this chair and there are options for slipcovers if you want one. I think we'd go with the Butter slipcover color if we got one. This chair also has a matching ottoman, so depending on size and space, we would probably end up ordering one to coordinate. 

Enchanted Coronado Glider- Another Walmart find, and this one reminds me of some of the Pottery Barn gliders. I like the Taupe Weave fabric, and I think this chair would be great to fall asleep in. It looks comfortable, and isn't that what you really need when it comes to a nursery chair?

Enchanted Cherish Glider- More sleek than the Coronado, I like this one but question it's comfort. Both Enchanted gliders have rave reviews, and with .97 cent shipping at www.Walmart.com, it might be worth it to see these in the flesh. 

I'll keep you posted on the final decision and any trail and errors that we come across! 

Maternity Fashion Woes

I've always loved clothes and fashion. Trying different stores, brands, styles, etc., has always been so much fun for me. One of the biggest "issues" with pregnancy are the heinous maternity clothes out there. I did a post back here that included a few small items that I'd purchased since I started to show. I feel as though the selection of maternity clothes just plain stink! 

Here are my chief complaints:

1. I have a naturally long torso, so adding a bump makes it even harder to wear pre-pregnancy shirts.

2. I've tried to add longer pre-pregnancy tops to my wardrobe, however nothing seems long enough to withstand my growing belly. Should I scope out Gap's tall section?? I NEED some insight on this before I spend too much money.

3. Winter maternity clothes are horrendous. Weird sweaters, awkward cardigans and unflattering long sleeve tees just top the list. I don't know if it's because my boobs are seemingly growing faster than my belly, but the space between the two seems to gather up all the extra fabric, and it certainly doesn't help accentuate what waist I have left. 

4. The "basic" maternity shirts are super thin and unlike most pregnant women, I am FREEZING cold, and end up wearing an ugly fleece over a majority of these shirts. 

5. The COST. The market for maternity clothes is outrageous. The only reasonable items that I can find are from Gap, Old Navy and Motherhood Maternity, and reasonable means on sale. And by on sale I mean only available in Size XL or XXL. 

6. Combine all of the above, along with the fact that you're gaining weight, going up 2 cup sizes in bras, and are hormonal, and you have an unhappy mama-to-be. I hate complaining, and if fashion is my only woe this pregnancy I consider myself damn lucky. I just wish there was a way to look good while being pregnant without breaking the bank! 

Any suggestions or help would be appreciated, otherwise, Hubs might be taking me for a shopping spree this weekend! ;)

Baby Brine Style: Nursery Edition Update!

Happy Monday, all! This weekend was a busy one in our household. Friday night, Hubs and I started painting the nursery! You can see the color pink we picked below (Tulip Petal, by Valspar)! We both had a mini panic attack when it first went up. The light yellow that was in the room made the trim look like hot Barbie pink. Hubs was even singing Barbie Girl....not exactly the look we were going for, but once dried and finished, we love it. We finished up on Saturday morning, and went to pick up the crib, mattress, and changing table in the afternoon. Sunday, we put together the crib and changing table. Now all we need to do is paint the existing dresser white, and we'll be kinda sorta ready....The crib, mattress and changing table are from Walmart, which offers even lower prices than Amazon on these pieces. They're Graco Sarah Classic 4-in-1 Convertible Crib, and I was a little skeptical of the quality until we put them together. They both are really nice pieces, and much larger than we imagined! Hubs and I have two complaints, though. 

1-2-3-4-5

1. Both the crib and changing table had some pieces that came in contact with a red waxy string, used to help pull out the hardware box. This left a light pink stripe on the wood, and it was  impossible to get off. We tried a Mr. Magic Eraser, soap and water and alcohol, with no luck. We decided not to return the pieces since we're getting a matching paint color for the dresser anyway, so we can use it to touch it up if need be. Fortunately, the back side of the changing table isn't visible, so you can't see it, and the crib is marked up but underneath the bed spring, so again, no biggie. All in all, I'd say for the price, definitely worth it! 

2. The nuts and bolts are huge, and there are quite a few of them that you use to hold together the crib. The crib doesn't come with any type of plug to cover these holes, so you can either leave them exposed, or find them at a local hardware store. We're going with option B- fingers crossed we can find them in the right size! 

The only thing we haven't purchased is the rug, as seen below. I'm glad I waited to do so, since after putting all the furniture in her room, I think we need a smaller one than I thought! 

Here are some pictures from our weekend, including the preliminary nursery layout. Enjoy! 

 Painting while pregnant = face mask....

Finished product- only took one coat! 

Changing table + dresser on the left that we need to paint

Crib- you can see the holes from here! 

22 Weeks: Happy New Year!

I can't believe that it's 2013. The year we'll get to meet our baby girl and become a family of three. This Saturday marks 4 months until my due date. While it seems like January, February, March and April will slowly roll on by, I think we'll be hitting D Day in the blink of an eye.

Sunday we hit 22 weeks. I enjoyed some much needed time off with Hubs, but getting back to work has been a struggle. I can't imagine how hard it'll be after taking off 12 weeks with our baby girl!

Last Thursday I had my monthly prenatal visit. I have to schedule my Glucose Screening for the 22nd. I hear some crazy things about the orange drink you have to consume before doing the test, so fingers crossed it goes smoothly and I don't need to do the 3 hour test...

Anyway, here's a bumpdate from Sunday. It's the same Steeler tee that I wore in my first post from when I was 17 weeks. It's amazing what 5 weeks does to your belly!

How far along?: 22 weeks

Weight gained?: 8 pounds as of last Thursday's appointment

Showing yet?: Yes, I am trying to decide if it's from the holidays or baby girl.... 

Clothes?: All maternity pants, still in some regular sweaters, though!

Cravings?: None, really...  
Adversions?: Nothing...

Sleep?:  Much better since my parents got me a Boppy body pillow!

Gender?:  GIRL!!!

Movement?: Yes! She's very active at night. The doctor kept finding and losing her heart rate last week because of how much she was moving around!

Symptoms?: Back pain, stuffy nose, and feeling like I'm already slowing down...

 

On another pregnancy note, I found this simulator that shows what happens to your organs once your uterus and baby grow. No wonder you get indigestion :)