Year 2

What a busy second year! I thought the first year of being a parent was going to be busy, but I tell you what, the more mobile they are, the more mobile you are! We were so lucky to have a blessed year 2 with Haley, and watch her personality develop. 

We learned she's a girl on the move, loves to jump, Princess Sofia is her favorite show followed closely by Star Wars Rebels, pink is really her favorite color, she is independent and thinks she's a teenager, loves the water and again thinks she can already swim without our help, has a huge heart, wants to be chased all the time, and has the best giggle in the world! (I'm completely biased)

Here's to trying to blog more before she turns 3! Here are just a few of my favorite photo's from the past year:

How to Make a Tissue Banner

Making a tissue banner is great for adding that extra something special to a focal point during any festivity. These banners can range anywhere from $12-$50 on Etsy depending how intricate they are. For Haley's birthday, I decided to give this DIY a try. I have to say it was extremely easy to do but very time consuming! If you don't want to be spending an hour or two for a few days working on it, I would recommend buying.

What you'll need:

• Pack or two of tissue paper (Depending on how many colors you want to use)
• Scissors
• String

 Step-by-step:

1. Fold a tissue paper in half as many times as you'd like. Keep in mind, the top of the tissue paper should be only folds and not open ends. 
2. Cut from the bottom up, leaving about 1 1/2" to 2" inches from the top. 
3. Unfold and lay tissue out with your newly cut strips on both sides. 
4. Start twisting up. Note: You may have to take a few opportunities to neatly untangle the end strips.
5. Once the tissue is all twisted, take your string and tie a know around the middle of the tissue. 
6. Fold both tissue sides down and twist the top of both sides around.  
7. Repeat until you have achieved the length you desire.

Haley Turns One!

Haley's birthday party was so much fun! I spent weeks preparing, creating a custom invite, and working on my favorite Pinterest projects, and it was all worth it. I'll follow up with a few DIY projects throughout the week!

Haley (and our home) was decked out in pink, gold, and all that sparkles and shimmers. We made our own taco bar and ordered a cake from Just Baked. That cake was amazing and came with a free smash cake that was as beautifully decorated as the main one. Haley just loved it! And who wouldn't with all that delicious frosting? She devour the complete cake!

She opened presents from family and we were overwhelmed with everyone's generosity. I was so surprised too that Haley stayed interested the whole time, and was not a bit cranky that we wouldn't let her run wild.

Rob and I also spent time putting together a video of her pictures from the year, and it is so hard to believe she's grown so quickly. It was only one year ago that she was so, so tiny! Every day she does something new to amaze me, make me laugh, and make me so proud!

Happy Birthday Haley Grace!

New Year, New Goals

You always hear mixed messages about New Year's resolutions. You read one article and if you set a resolution you are ten times more likely to accomplish this goal then someone who doesn't set a resolution. You read another article and the life span of a resolution is two weeks. Regardless about what people say, I like the tradition! I mean, hey, two weeks is better than nothing. So, here we go!

My New Year's Resolution:

Lose the last of the baby weight.

I'm almost there but not quite. I've been hovering five pounds to go for the last few months, but haven't been putting in the work to making it happen. Last Monday marked day one of getting up before work to exercise. Getting up was hard but doing the exercises, made me feel on the top of my game and ready for the rest of the day. It also gave me a little bit of alone time, which is hard to come by as a new mom! I am hoping to alternate between before work and during lunch at our work gym. Tone It Up has some great strength exercises which are easy to do at home and definitely make you sore the next day! P90x Abs Ripper X is another one of my favorites, and it is a quick one to do. I hate to admit it but I think I've memorized most of the guy's commentary....I hate it, but I love it!

Spend more time in my Bible.
My faith is extremely important to me. This has been an on-going goal that has been paying off in full in both my spiritual growth and stress level! Every night I am trying to spend time reading. I just need that quiet time with the Lord to restore my soul and rid my mind of all the day's chaos. In the time that I have been doing this, I have already noticed a difference in my racing mind before bed and quality of sleep!

Take time to do things that make me, well, me.
The first year after having Haley has been a whirlwind of amazing memories and new discoveries as I work my way through figuring out how to balance being the best mom I can be, a good wife, and a business woman. It's easy to get lost in the middle of everything. At this point I feel much more settled, and I know it's time to get back to my own hobbies, like writing my blog and my book. I need to remember that taking time to myself isn't selfish, it's needed in order to do everything else to the best of my ability.

Now, with these resolutions written down as evidence, let's see how long I can keep it up!

2013 In A Flash

Forget about me? Well, I am back! And with a whole year passed since my last update, a lot has happened!

5 days after my last post, Haley Grace Boss was born into the world, January 23, 2013! And what a blessing she has been! It is amazing how much more love you are capable of then you could ever imagine. Haley is the center of Rob and my world and we love it that way! 

In the past year, Rob and I have grown a lot as a couple. After surviving six months of sleep deprivation, I think I can say confidently that we can handle anything that comes our way together.

I'm currently in the process of planning her first birthday party and have big plans! It is going to be a pink and gold party for a princess.

Here's some pictures to catch you up:

 

Pink & Perfect - Haley's Room!

Haley's reading nook! I know we will spend lots of time here !

Sorry for the long delay in blog posts, but this has been such a busy time of year for both Rob and I. Over Christmas, both Rob and I suffered from the flu, but luckily both of us have returned to full health! 

I can't deny that I am extremely exhausted at 39 weeks pregnant, but I feel so bless to know that I will get to see my little girl so soon! 

I do feel as prepared as I can be with our house prepped and clean. Rob and I also now finally have Haley's room completely put together! Most of it has been done for a long time, but with the help of some of our best friends, Rich and Molly, we were able to put the finishing touches on the space. 

I'm not sure if I should have titled this post Haley's Room, or Mom's Pink Room She Always Wanted. I couldn't be happier on how it turned out and I can't wait to bring Haley home! 

Here are a few pictures:

Haley already has more clothing & shoes than Mom! Plus there's more in her dresser!

Haley's crib!

She has her sport balls and headbands! Sporty and girly :)

How far along? 39 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: about 37 lbs 
Maternity clothes? Trying to finish with the clothes I have! 
Stretch marks? Belly is still clear of stretch marks :)
Sleep: With my cold passing, I am actually sleeping really well minus the 5-6 bathroom trips
Best moment this week: Finding out that I am already 3cm dialated and 90% effaced...on my way!
Miss Anything? Being petite! 
Movement: Haley is still fairly active kicking me in the ribs
Food cravings: Red meat, cinnamon toast crunch, and dairy queen blizzards
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!
Gender: It's a Girl! <3
Labor Signs: Yes and No....dilation and effacement, back pains, braxton hicks, but no real contractions yet
Belly Button in or out? As out as it is going to get ha, but still technically an innie
Wedding rings on or off? Promise ring is on my wedding finger, and engagement/wedding ring is on a necklace
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy but very anxious
Weekly Wisdom: It's worth the wait, even if the waiting is longer than you want it to be! Haha
Looking forward to: Meeting Haley! :)

Handling the Holidays Pregnant

Holiday's can be a wonderful and fun time to spend with friends and family, but they can also be a source of stress and exhaustion for even those not pregnant. Thanksgiving happens to be one of my favorite times of year, for many reasons- family, decorations, beginning of the Christmas countdown, and of course number one is all the delicious foods!

This year, Rob and I have taken part in three Thanksgiving's and have played different roles in each. During the first, we hosted a friend's Thanksgiving and were so excited to have many of our closest college friends come in from out of town to eat, catch up, and watch some Michigan football. I cooked the Turkey, stuffing, and made the gravy, while everyone else brought in a lots of the classic dishes to pass. We stayed up late chatting and playing games and can't to do this again next year!

At our family Thanksgivings we played less of a critical role in the baking, making green bean casserole at both and helping with the cooking of the turkey with Rob's family. The best part is the game playing with the different levels of competitiveness, funny answers and responses, and laughs all around. I can't think of anything better than family coming together and making memories, especially during this special time in Rob's and my life.

Here are some tips that helped me get through the Thanksgiving holiday without succumbing to the stresses while being pregnant:

1. Get plenty of sleep the nights prior. If you go into the holidays on little sleep, the small dilemmas and comments will be a much bigger deal than they need to be. 
2. Laugh off the comments about your belly size or eating for two. Comments aren't meant to be mean, just joining in the topic of the little one on the way.
3. Pace yourself! Take breaks in between cooking, eating, and game playing. You deserve some time to put your feet up...and you'll need it so your feet don't swell to the size of the turkey!
4. Dress comfortably or bring another outfit for after eating. You have the perfect excuse to change, you're pregnant for goodness sake! I like to look nice for the beginning and for any pictures, but if you want to enjoy the rest of the evening and not be uncomfortable then bring an outfit of loose clothes for later in the day. 
5. Don't think of the calories, but don't overdo it. If there is any time to indulge in this feast, it is now, but just make sure you aren't gorging yourself. That's not good for you or the baby!

Happy Holidays! 

On a side note, sorry for the delay on Haley's room! Just finishing some details before I post any pictures!

How far along? 31 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: about 25 lbs 
Maternity clothes? Only my flowy non-maternity shirts can make it over my belly!
Stretch marks? Not yet, but using lotion on my belly to avoid the after effects of the stretching.
Sleep: Starting to wake up more often to use the bathroom. Funny thing is I'm always so thirsty when I wake.
Best moment this week: Both Thanksgivings with family!
Miss Anything? Moving around easily.
Movement: A ton. Haley is definitely a mover and shaker. ;)
Food cravings: Green bean casserole.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Luckily not!
Gender: It's a Girl! <3
Labor Signs: No, but starting to feel Braxton Hicks
Belly Button in or out? In but expanding
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Emotional, cried over a Walking Dead episode a week or two ago...Ha
Weekly Wisdom: Take things slowly and don't overdo it. Even though you want to do everything you could do before your pregnant, don't do things your truly aren't comfortable with, and take breaks to rest!
Looking forward to: Seeing Rob hold Haley!

The Not Top 10 Joys of Pregnancy

Most of my posts have been related to the fun and exciting things relating to my pregnancy. As I hit the 28 week mark and the beginning of my third trimester, I just want to shed some light on some of the things that my not yet pregnant friends have to look forward too! ;)

1. Swollen legs and ankles. My newly purchased over the calf boots have to be worked on to be zipped up. There was no issue at the time of purchase.

2. Back pain. Make sure that you don't find yourself letting your belly slouch out, your lower back won't appreciate it farther into your pregnancy.

3. Bloody nose. Don't be alarmed if you go to blow your nose and blood comes out instead. It's just wonderful. Keep tissues near by.

4. A 9 pm bedtime. I'm not sure if this is a not so much joy or a real joy, but when it hits 9 pm, it is a battle for me to stay awake.

5. Rumbling stomach. I can't go more than 45 minutes before I think about the next time I can eat. Keep snacks in your office drawer before your stomach speaks up.

6. "Charley horses." Occasionally in the middle of the night, I'll forget I'm pregnant and point my toes when stretching. It's immediately followed up with a "charley horse." Keep water by your bed! :)

7. The smallest bladder in the world. I remember one day that I made myself wait an hour between bathroom breaks. That was tough!

Work Snack! Hot chocolate & Nature Valley bar 

8. Not being able to put socks on easily. I can still do it, but let me tell you, it is difficult to bend over the belly to get socks on my feet!

9. Pregnancy brain. For all you out there who doubt this, it does in fact truly exists. Keep a notepad with you and make lists before you head to the grocery store!

10. A lack of gracefulness. With the expanding belly, you really do lose your balance more often. Sadly, I'll admit that I have already fell down on my butt a couple times. Don't worry though, everything was fine...but my pride!

Although these are really some of the more annoying things about pregnancy, this list is all in good fun. If you can manage these few inconveniences, there are plenty of good times along the way (And at the end of 9 months) that make it all worth it. I have been so blessed to have an easy/healthy pregnancy, and I can't believe I only have less than 3 months to go!

Next post will be about Haley's room (Including lots of pictures)! In a couple weeks I'll share the real Top 10 Joys of Pregnancy that I have experienced so far!

How far along? 28 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: about 22 lbs 
Maternity clothes? Just bought myself a few more basic tops to make it through winter
Stretch marks? Not yet, yay!
Sleep: Been working through some back pains that keep me up, but it's been getting better.
Best moment this week: My second shower and putting together the room!
Miss Anything? Sleeping on my back
Movement: Haley is doing laps and working on her back handsprings in my belly. 
Food cravings: Turkey dinner <3
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not this week :)
Gender: It's a Girl! <3
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Hiding in, trying to get my expanding stomach to forget about it.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: A little emotional...Ha Maybe I should let Rob do this question
Weekly Wisdom: Be so grateful to all the woman in your life that help support you and your family. I couldn't express enough how thankful I am for everyone involved in the baby showers that Rob and I were blessed with! Haley will be loved by so many, and that makes a mother happy! 
Looking forward to: The three thanksgiving meals we have planned this month!

Yuck Glucose Tests!

Update: Passed the 3-Hour Glucose Test meaning NO Gestational Diabetes!

Thank you for all the prayers.

Everyone who knows me, knows that I am a girl who enjoys her candy. Knowing that I am a sweets girl, I thought that I wouldn't have a hard time taking the required glucose test. Oh Haley, was I wrong or what! 

I'll start with the first test. During my last prenatal office visit the nurse informed me that I would have to take a glucose test, between the 26-28 week mark during pregnancy, to check whether or not I had gestational diabetes. Being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, would mean that I will need to be more careful about my diet so that the baby won't be too big when born. I think if Haley is anything like her dad, and makes it close to her actual due date, that no matter if I have gestational diabetes or not, she will be big. But I guess you never know what will happen when you mix someone 5'3" and 6'7"!

The test consists of drinking 50g of glucose and then getting your blood drawn and tested. My doctor's office only had the orange flavor, but assured me no real orange is used since I have a orange allergy. (Weird, I know). I took the drink home, not thinking much of it until I reached the 26 week mark and had my next doctor's visit. 

I woke up early to drink the stuff so that I could get my blood work done before my office visit. Luckily, Rob had already left for work. The first few sips were fine. In fact, I remember thinking, this isn't that bad, it just tastes like sweet Gatorade. Half way through the drink, I was regretting my optimism. Oh and I forgot to mention, you have to drink the whole thing in fifteen minutes. The time limit probably isn't an issue for most people, but for me it was. Getting down to the last few minutes, I still had a bit to go, and when I tried to drink it quicker, the rest ended up in the toilet. YUCK!

At this point getting blood drawn was easy, even with a history of fainting, but for the rest of the day I was pretty sick and extremely nauseous  In fact, it was hard for me to eat much at all. Rob thought the orange flavoring may have played a factor into how sick I got considering I haven't had anything orange since I was a kid. To make things worse, the next day, I received a phone call from the office. I failed...meaning I could possibly have gestational diabetes and that I'd have to endure the 3 hour glucose test. 

At first I thought that every time my blood was drawn that I'd have to drink more glucose, but likely you just have to drink a higher concentration of glucose in the beginning, 100g. This time I had Lemon Lime flavoring based on a friend's recommendation. The test went the same way. First sips fine and then with a third to go the struggle began again. This time only a few sips still ended up in the toilet.  Thank you God, I didn't get nearly as sick! I had to sit in the office for the next three hours, and each hour I felt progressively better instead of worse. 

I'm still waiting on the results of this test but will be sure I let everyone know! 

Prayers for a healthy baby Haley are appreciated!

How far along? 27 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: about 21 lbs 
Maternity clothes? Trying to avoid buying more! 
Stretch marks? No! Feeling lucky about this!
Sleep: Waking up a little more frequently during the night for no reason
Best moment this week: Having my first shower
Miss Anything? Feeling in shape
Movement: Tons! Haley is really starting to move my belly around!
Food cravings: DQ
Anything making you queasy or sick: Glucose!
Gender: It's a Girl! <3
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Amazingly still in, but stretching out
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Weekly Wisdom: These glucose tests were the only time I ever wished I knew how to take a shot. Women who can do this will probably have more success downing the icky glucose drinks! (However I don't suggest taking up drinking just to make this test easy! :) )
Looking forward to: My second shower! <3 Yay!