Hospital bag.... Check!

I may just be the worst procrastinator when it comes to certain things. Back in high school, I never put off a paper or homework but I dreaded folding a load of laundry (who am I kidding? I STILL dread folding laundry). I will scrub the kitchen and play room from top to bottom three times a day, but leave my closet a disaster for a good week. Some things I jump on the ball with and others, not so much. My hospital bag happens to be one of those things. 

When I was pregnant with Easton, I shopped and packed my hospital all on a Sunday; and good thing I did because I went to the hospital that Tuesday. This time around I am slacking. My doctor told me two weeks ago that I should start getting prepared. I have done a ton - moved Easton's car seat over and loaded our infant seat and base into my car, put together the new dressers and crib, pack and play is set up, swing is in the box in the living room ready to go (I would have put it together already except I have a curious yet wild toddler and the swing was a pretty penny), clothes are all washed and put away, diapers and wipes are purchased and stocked up, and rhen some. I really have a lot done. But every.single.day Jake comes home and asks me "did you pack the bags yet?" And every.single.time I say "I will tomorrow". I know, I know, horrible. I did go to the store this past weekend though and I bought everything I needed. Packing the time around is so much easier since this isn't our first time at the rodeo. The first time, I didn't use half of my stuff and ended up calling my mother in law to bring me certain stuff from our house. This time - we will be ready. 

Here's what I have in our bags and some major necessities that we've learned to make sure not to forget! I also just want to say that some of this stuff (certain outfits or makeup and what not) you might not want or need which is totally okay! We are hiring a photographer to capture our birthing story, and while I completely understand that I shouldn't care what I look like during labor or birth, I do care. So I do have some extra things that I wouldn't necessarily need if we weren't having pictures taken non-stop. But here ya go!

My bag:

- Socks / slippers : Even though hospitals are sanitized non stop, germs are everywhere. Cover those toes!

- A comfy outfit (sweats/shorts/zip up/sweatshirt) : I labored a long time before I got my epidural which means I didn't have to stay in one spot. Stay in comfy clothes until you HAVE to be in that ugly hospital gown. 

- Comfy undies for after delivery : I personally like the brand Gilligan & O'Malley from target. They're super soft and stretchy so they especially work during the madness of "post-delivery".

- Robe : my mom bought be a super comfy short knee-length robe from Kohls from Sonoma and it was a savor for me in the hospital; especially when I would nurse. This time around I really wanted to order a silk hospital gown but I waited to long and it takes 6-8 weeks to be made and shipped so that will have to be for next time. But if you have the time then I would definitely do that.

- Two outfits (1. "everyone's going to show up at the hospital to see the little bundle of joy so I should probably look somewhat decent" outfit and 2. "I have to now drive 35 minutes home from the hospital after giving birth so I need to be comfy" outfit.)

- Nursing bras or tanks. No explanation needed.

- Nursing pads : I have disposable ones and cloth ones. I usually use the disposable ones until we get our nursing schedule down, then once I'm home I switch to cloth for convenience. 

- Shampoo / conditioner / body wash / shaving cream / face wash / razor / lotion / tooth brush / tooth paste / deodorant : Even  though the hospital will offer you all of this stuff, it's best to have your own. It's like a little luxury once your in that tiny room for awhile. I use Clinique face products so I picked up my duo in a nice travel size kit so I don't have to bring all my big bottles from home. 

- Extra bathroom goodies (Qtips, toilet paper, nail clippers/file, hair brush, hair ties, hair products, make up, make up remover clothes, Chapstick) : these are just things that are nice to have. 

 * I personally didn't pack any feminine products this time because I packed a ton last time and didn't use any of them because the hospital sends you home with a bunch of stuff and that stuff is free!

* I will also have my regular necessities that are kept on me all the time; my phone, glasses, wallet with my insurance and license and what not. But that is stuff that I'll obviously need before hand so I can't pack it away just yet. 

* I used a Vera Bradley overnight bag and packed my stuff along with the babies stuff in it, and we still have room to spare in there! 

Jakes bag:

- Comfy sweats

- A good pair of tennis shoes (he's a pacer and likes to walk laps)

- A nice outfit for when people come to visit 

- Bathroom goodies : shampoo, body wash, face wash, shaving cream, razor, after shave, lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste. 

- Back up phone charger

- Socks / flip flops / crocs

- Laptop with charger : When I was in labor with Easton, we watched 4 different movies on Jakes laptop. This time we will for sure be taking it again. 

- Coffeemate 2 Go : our hospital has a super nice "family" room located in the delivery wing that is specifically for family members to use who are there supporting loved ones in labor. It's basically unlimited coffee. But Jake likes flavored coffee creamer so we picked this up since it's great and you don't have to keep it refrigerated. 

- Teavana traveling tea kit : this isn't necessary for most but for us it is. We are both big tea drinkers. We've had this for a couple years now and it wasn't cheap but it's great! It carries your loose tea and has a tea steeper in it, all in a nice little pouch. 

- Pillows, one for each of us. 

- Phone chargers. 

- Snacks : our hospital has a cafeteria and vending machines and the family room, but sometimes you just need your own snacks. 

* I packed all of Jakes stuff into his North Face backpack since that's what he prefers to use. 

Extras: 

- Easton's gift : I am very nervous and worried about the initial transition from one-to-two. My current little man is a complete Mamas boy and I don't want his feelings hurt at all! So I went shopping and spent a pretty penny on some gifts for him. A couple toys, some books, chocolate and cookies that he's usually not aloud to have, and a custom made new blankey. I also "helped" his little brother out by writing him a sweet card and signing all the gifts from him. Hopefully this will help with any jealousy we might run into while we're at the hospital when they meet each other for the first time. 

- Our photographers gift : A very close friend of mine just so happens to be branching off into her own photography department seperate from her husbands, and she will be doing our birthing shoot. Since life is crazy and hectic (and she has two little ones of her own), I know how much of a commitment this is for her and I wanted to do something nice. Plus, I know how crazy it's going to be getting a random phone call who knows when and just having to pick up and go to a hospital to sit around and wait. Not too much fun for her. So I made her a nice little gift bag filled with snacks and treats and what not to help pass the time and so she knows how thankful I am that she's doing this. 

Baby Necessities:

- 2 white receiving swaddle blankets

- 2 extra swaddling blankets

- 6 outfits : let me explain. Two outfits for the following sizes; premie, newborn, 0-3 month. This is because you never know the size of your baby. I only packed newborn stuff the first time and my mother in law had to go shopping for premie outfits and bring them to us since Easton was so tiny. This time, we have lots of options just to be safe. 

- Pacifier : I knew from the start that I didn't want Easton to have one of those hospital pacifiers and that's because they're impossible to find once you leave the hospital. We bought Easton the Tommee Tippee brand that matched his bottles and it's still the only pacifiers he will use. He's used it since day one. I sanitized it out of the package at home and packed it in bag. We're going the same route with this baby. 

- Pump with a bottle : I use a Tommee Tippee electric breast pump along with the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bottles. I sanitize everything at home so I know it's clean, then we can use them at the hospital if need be.

- Hats, mittens, socks.

- Bath soap and lotion : We use Aveeno Baby Calming Lavendar Vanilla bath soap and lotion. The hospital will also give you a bottle of soap if you would like. 

- Towel and washcloth: I just like baby to be comfy with his own stuff so I bring a nice, fluffy, washed towel for him to use after his first bath!

- Burp clothes / Bibs

* Our hospital gives you tons of Pampers diapers and wipes in the size you need while you're there and when you head home so I don't worry about bringing that stuff since that's the brand we use. 

* I washed everything in Dreft baby detergent and then organized and labeled outfits and stuff in ziplock bags. I sanitized our bottles and pacifiers. Tommee Tippee names "formula" pods that are suppose to fit one serving of formula in it for easy on-the-go traveling. Well they came in a gift set I got awhile back and I quickly learned that pacifiers fit in them perfectly! 

We do have a couple things that aren't packed (pillows, Jakes computer, and a couple other things) that we can't really pack away just yet. They are things we will grab when we're headed out. Hopefully this is a good guide to any new moms out there who might be worried or stressed about packing their bags! I know I was, but not anymore!

Xoxo,

Christine 

JuJuBe Diaper Bag Review!

Hey!

I promised a review of our new diaper bag and here's the post! I'm so excited! When we were expecting with Easton, I didn't really care (more or less, I didn't really know how important my diaper bag would be) so I basically told Jake he could pick it out. I wanted a bag that he would be comfortable carrying and using even when I wasn't with him. So he picked out a very nice Oakley bag that we used as our diaper bag. Now don't get me wrong, it did the job, but it wasn't made to be a diaper bag. Therefore, it didn't have all of the nice features that a diaper bag has. Plus it was bag and inconvenient so I always ended up leaving it in the car and just shoving what I needed out of it into my purse.

If you know me, you know I have a problem when it comes to bag. Purses, wallets, over night bags, hand bags, you name it. I have seriously way too many. So my Michael Kors purse that Jake bought for me almost three years ago was my baby before Easton came along. But, with a baby, I quickly learned that my prized possession bag would take one hell of a beating. So when we found out we were expecting baby number two, I knew that a good diaper bag was a MUST! Especially having two in diapers and with how much stuff I will have to drag around with a toddler and a newborn.

So I began my hunt for a diaper bag. It was not a quick and easy hunt, might I add. I did a ton of research, read a zillion reviews, and spent countless nights scrolling through other mom blogs and reading their opinions. I went to a couple different stores and checked out a bunch in person. I finally had my heart set on a JuJuBe bag. The company JuJuBe is a company that makes mom-friendly bags I'm beautiful styles and prints. They pride themselves for being "the bag designed by a mom - for a mom". They are wonderful! I will warn you, before you go any further, they are a tad but pricey - but completely WORTH it! 

I originally purchased my first JuJuBe bag in the "First Lady" print. When I did my research, I immediately knew I wanted a bag in the "First Lady" print. It's black and white stripes, very clean and neutral, and I knew it would go with everything. At the time, I decided on the JuJuBe "BFF" bag. Here's a picture of it:

The bag was beautiful! The kind of bag that you wanted to set on your night stand at night to admire when you first wake up the next morning. It comes with a shoulder strap and two backpack straps, which is nice to use when you have your hands full. It has two separate insulated bottle holders on each side and another two on the inside. All JuJuBe bags come with their own matching diaper changing pad that's made of memory foam, and is super soft and comfy. It also has a "mommy pocket" which is one of the BIG things that steered me to JuJuBe bags. The "mommy pocket" is a double zip down pocket in the front with tons of great compartments for all of your "mom" stuff and it is meant to "eliminate" your everyday purse - so now you only have to carry one bag! Knowing that I was going to have two kids, this was very important to me.

Back to the bag! I loved it! But after having it for a couple of weeks, I knew it wasn't meant for us. It wasn't going to be big enough to hold everything I was going to need for two babies and my whole reasoning of needed a new bag was initionally needed more room. So, with a very big sad face, I returned my bag. But don't worry, the sad face only lasted a very short couple of minutes. We did an upgrade - with another JuJuBe bag! 

Say hello to the JuJuBe "Be Prepared"! This bag was specifically designed for a "mom-of-2" which exactly what we need needed! It has a HUGE center pocket that zips all the way down for easy access, bottle spots on the inside, two seperate insulated bottle compartments on the outside, a nice, big diaper changing pad (that will even hold my big, crazy toddler) and a huge "mommy" pocket. It has tons of zippered pockets on the inside for all my little needs. It's great! The only downfall I've come across is that this bag does not have the backpack strap option. I completely understand why; it's a big bag and would just be too bulky and heavy to be used as a backpack and I don't think the top part of the bag could support it enough to be used as a backpack. But I don't mind it! It fits into our stroller nicely (that review will be up shortly) and it's so stylish. I did choose a different print though. I know, I know, I swore by the "First Lady". But here me out. The black and white stripes are thick stripes (as the picture shows above). The white looked "dirty" after a short amount of time. And even though most of it came out clean with a Magic Eraser and some elbow grease, it's not my first choice anymore. I love my bags, like I've said before, and I take excellent care of them. But with two babies, I can't spend an hour a week scrubbing a bag - that's just not realistic. This time, we went with the "Queen Of The Nile" print - which is equally as beautiful. It's fine print stripes, so it's more of a "grey" shade, which hides the dirt so much more! (And in mommy world, that means less time cleaning it and more time enjoying it). I love it! Here's a picture:

JuJuBe also makes TONS of great accessories for their diaper bags too. I got sucked into that portal. I purchased one of the "Paci-Pods" which is a cute little zippered pouch that holds two separate pacifiers for safe keeping. I bought mine in the "First Lady" print when I initially bought my first bag, and I chose to keep it even when I returned my BFF First Lady print. I also have a key fob in the First Lady print that I love too! There's tons of other little zippered bags and compartments for things, and I'm sure I will end up buying more, but for now, this is what we have - and I swear by it all! 

I wanted to do a video review of what is packed in our bag, but being this far along and we have so much going on, especially with a busy toddler, it's just not going to happen anytime soon. But eventually I will I promise! 

Also, be sure to check lots of stores for your JuJuBe bag before ordering from them direct. Our nearest Buy Buy Baby carries them and they have weekly coupons, and they also take competitors coupons. I used a "20% off one item" coupon from Bed Bath and Beyond and that saved me a ton! So remember to check for deals mamas! 

Xoxo,

Christine 

Back in action!

I'm back! 

I know it's been forever, and I'm sorry but life has been complete madness. And now that I finally have a grip on things, my blog game will be back on point. Since I've been away, here's some things you guys should know (be prepared, this will be a long, catch up post)

1. We're having another BOY! We are so completely and utterly thrilled about this and couldn't be more blessed! We're so happy that Easton will have a built in best bud and partner in crime! 

2. This pregnancy has been complete and utter madness. As most of you know, my pregnancy with Easton was a walk in the park, that is, until I hit 33 weeks and Preclampsia hit me right smack dab in the face. I ended up getting admitted to the hospital indefinitely due to extremely high traces of protein in my urine, uncontrollable high blood pressure, and lots of swelling. I ended up getting induced early, and after three days and over 60 hours later, we welcomed Easton into the world. After I delivered though, we discovered that my placenta had detached and began to deteriorate during labor, and that when easton made his (very early) grand appearance, he had very little blood left in his cord. Therefore, we couldn't bank his cord blood like we had planned. All of this has caused lots of caution with my current pregnancy. It's proven that if you are diagnosed with Preclampsia during your first pregnancy, you are naturally predisposed to get it again, and earlier on. Right now, I'm seven months (exactly 29 weeks as of yesterday) and the signs are already showing. I failed two seperate one-hour glucose tests and had to fast for three days and took a three-hour glucose tolerance test yesterday. I now have to check my blood pressure daily at home, and the past week it has slowly started creeping up. I saw my doctor this past Tuesday, and will see him again next week for weekly appointments from here on out. My urine tests are beginning to show traces of protein and my feet are starting to swell. I am now in the beginning stages of Preclampsia. Although my original due date isn't until August 22nd, my doctor has confidently reassured me that he will be shocked if I make it to the end of July. People might think I'm crazy but I pray to get induced again. The thought of going into labor naturally, at home (or anywhere for that matter) scares me. Sign me up for an induction time and let's do it! With how bad my Preclampsia got in the middle of January, I could only imagine how it will be in Michigan in the middle of the summer. The heat does crazy things to your body. But we will see. This pregnancy is giving me a run for my money, but it's a beautiful thing! 

3. My dad is doing much better! He is still on dialysis three days a week but I can tell he is feeling much better. His vision is getting better (thankfully) after all of his surgeries, and he now has glasses. It's not back to 100% and he can't read small print, but it's getting better and we are taking it day by day. 

4. Easton is getting so big! He's now 16 months, and wild! He's over the charts for his height, but he's still my tiny guy weighing in at only 20.6 pounds. He now says "mama, dada, youse (juice), puff (for puff snacks), baba, ilk (milk), up, hi, and oggie (doggie)". He is almost at a full-blown run but sometimes his legs are quicker than the rest of his body. He can now crawl up the stairs, so baby gates are in full force. He gets up and down on the couch and chairs all by himself, and sometimes he tests my patience by running from one end of the sectional to the other. He loves food! Especially steak, ham, sausage, yogurt, cookies, tomatoes, animal crackers, pasta, pickles, pancakes, and so much more! He eats so well! He loves playing with any kind of truck or car, and he recently got a new ball pit that he's obsessed with! He also got a power wheels four wheeler and he loves that too! He likes playing outside and loves going for walks! He still loves Mickey Mouse, and lately he's been obsessed with 101 Dalmations. As much as I would like to say a dog isn't in our near future, I have a feeling that won't be the case because this kid LOVES dogs! He sleeps through the night in his crib (one side is down and is pushed against our bed - so "technically" he's still co-sleeping but he goes down in his crib and sleeps on his side the whole night) and he takes two naps a day. He's "talking" and learning and growing so much; we're so proud! 

5. This upcoming Monday will be our last day of Easton's first swimming class! He loves it! He does so great and has made so many new friends! We won't be able to take the next series of class's because of my current pregnancy state, but we will be starting back up again in September. 

There's probably so much more to fill you guys in on but pregnancy brain is getting the best of me! Hopefully tomorrow and early next week, I will be doing some video reviews of our new double stroller, our new double diaper bag, our new baby swing, and some other things! So keep an eye out for that! Surprisingly, I just wrote this whole post while we're driving to run errands so as you guys can tell, I am finding creative ways to write in my crazy, everyday life! Family pictures and maternity pictures will be an upcoming post too! We have a wedding tonight but tomorrow I'll be posting more! 

Tune in! 

Xoxo

Christine :)

Spring has arrived; Mom of 2 Advice & Baby Update!

It's been a little while since I've posted. A viral tornado swept through our house and took myself and Easton out for a solid two weeks. Easton was admitted to Mott's Childrens Hospital and at one point, I was at St. Joes down in Ann Arbor - it was that bad. I wouldn't have wished that sickness on anyone. But thankfully we're over that, the weather is getting much better, and spring is finally here! Our house got a much deserved deep cleaning and disinfecting after our nasty cold battle, and things are looking promising for this upcoming summer. Don't get me wrong, I love a good snowfall. When you look outside your front window and the snow is falling perfectly and it glistens in the street lights. But if it were my ideal world, snow would be gone after January 1st. With the kind of winters we get here in Michigan, I am GLAD that spring is here and the snow has melted. Even though it looks brown and dirty and nasty outside, I'll take it!

It's a couple minutes past 8pm and dinner has been made and ate, dishes are done, bath time is completed, pajamas are on, two more loads of laundry have been done, and a bottle has been warmed up waiting for little man to drink himself into a full-tummy-slumber. It's been one of those days where nothing goes as planned. Easton wanted to be held the entire day, and when he wasn't being held or sleeping, he was screaming to be held. During breakfast, he continued to test me by picking up pieces of food off of his tray, looking right at me, and throwing them on the ground. Then when I would tell him "No" he would cry for three minutes. Then, stop crying and do it all over again. He cried while attempting to go down for a nap, tears streaming and his voice yelling, as his eyes are closed and he's fighting it. He insisted on standing in between my legs screaming while I prepped dinner until I would pick him up, which I had to do in order to even get dinner made. In that moment was when I decided it would be an early night. Right from his high chair after dinner, he went straight into the bath where he then insisted on standing up, and getting mad and yelling every time I told him he had to sit down. He fought like crazy when he had to get his pajamas put on. And now, well he insisted on sitting on my lap and screaming until I would pick him up and put him there. Tonight is a night where I will thank the inventor of TV and Disney for allowing me to have DVRs of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse saved. Today was a day where it was exhausting being a mommy. Although I wouldn't ever even think about trading the job for the world, today was tiring and testing. I have learned the hard way that when it comes to parenting, there will be battles that you should fight, and battles to just let go. If you fight every little thing, you will be a crazy person! Tonight during dinner I thought to myself "why won't you just eat your green beans? Or your watermelon? Why do you only insist on eating your hamburger that is coated in ketchup?????" and then I reminded myself, this isn't a horrible battle, it isn't going to kill him to only eat his hamburger, and he will be fine. Before I actually became a parent I would tell myself "I won't make three different meals for all of my kids, they will eat healthy, there will be no "ifs, ands, or buts" about it. But tonight, I let go of the battle. It just wasn't worth it today. Maybe tomorrow will be different. Maybe tomorrow he will want to eat the good foods, but today just isn't that day. Now, when he refused to sit down in the bath tub, that was a battle he would not win. We must of spent a total of 15 minutes, doing the same thing over and over. He would look at me, throw his duck over the bath tub ledge, I would bend over and out it back in, he would stand up on the side of the tub, I would him "No Easton, you need to sit down", he would look at me and yell, and I would sit him back down, and he would cry for 30 seconds of so. And the whole thing would start all over again. He finally got it because he went to stand up, I said "No, sit down" and he looked at me for a second and sat back down and then carried on playing. Not once did he try to do it again. I've learned that repetition works with my child. He gets it, after awhile, I just have to be consistent and patient. Today, there was a lot of consistence and patience. And lots of prayers.

Since I was so sick with that horrible viral infection, I completely lost track of time. I'm already 18 weeks and a couple days along in this pregnancy. It's flying by and I wish the days wouldn't go so fast, but they are. My mom and I went to a wedding shower this past Sunday for my cousin and the food was delicious. It was one of the first times where I really had a full appetite and I actually ate like a pregnant girl. I've continuously lost some weight from the beginning this time around, just like I had with Easton, but in my first pregnancy I had gained it all back by now. I'm not quite there yet because the infection really took its toll on me and I ended up in the hospital because I couldn't keep anything down and I was so dehydrated. But if my appetite stays the way it was on Sunday, I should be in good shape. Here's a pregnancy update:

18 weeks, 2 days

Liz Lange Navy & White Striped Maternity Dress from Target

This dress is so comfy and soft, and fits great! I love it so much I just might go back and get a couple more in different colors for this summer! A pregnancy must have!!!

How far along? 18 Weeks

Total weight gain: I'm still down a couple pounds but my appetite is back in full swing so that should change soon.
Maternity clothes? A couple shirts and a dress! My normal pants and yogas are still good though!
Stretch marks? Only the ones I have from before.
Sleep: It's getting harder and harder to get comfortable and I've noticed I'm getting up more often to go pee.
Best moment this week: When Easton fell asleep on my stomach.
Miss Anything? A spiked lemonade sounds pretty good with spring approaching, but that won't happen for awhile.
Movement: Oh yeah, especially when I lay down for bed at night.
Food cravings: Pasta, pasta, and more pasta this week.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope.
Gender: Unknown.
Labor Signs: None.
Symptoms: Last weekend I had a couple braxton hicks that we're no fun at all.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy now that this cold is over with.
Looking forward to: Finding out if we're having a boy or girl in two short weeks!

Since I will be a mommy of two under two, there are a couple of things we will be changing. Summer is approaching, which means lots of exercising, playing at the park, outside activities, and the zoo!!! Since we are constantly on the go, and my stroller is my life savor right now, I know a double stroller will be a necessity with baby number two; as well as an upgrade on our diaper bag. I think I must of looked up strollers online at least once a day for the past couple of weeks, but I just can't decided. Do we want a front-to-back or side-by-side? What are some things that are a must have in a double stroller? What should I expect out of them? And the same with a diaper bag? I use my diaper bag all the time, still, with Easton. The last thing I want to do is carry around 2 diaper bags so I know I will need to upgrade to a bigger one so I can fit everything for both little ones into it. What's the best one? What brand? What should it include? I'm just so lost. For all of you moms of two or more little ones, what kind of stroller do you use? Diaper bag? Any advice? Have you found one you absolutely love and couldn't go without? Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated! You can leave it in a comment below or feel free to contact me on here or on my facebook if you'd like!!! Coming up soon here I will definitely be doing some reviews on baby products, so keep watch!

xoxo,

Christine

Baby Andrews #2 - Weeks 15/16

Hey there!
Last week I was pretty sick with a horrible cold that hit our house and not only knocked myself out, but it took Jake and Easton out for a couple of days as well. My dad got lucky and was the only one who didn't get it, but the rest of us were pretty rough so I didn't do my weekly pregnancy post. I'm not going to fill out two different questionnaires, I'll just do one combined. This past week I have been feeling a lot of movement! YAY! We had a doctors visit at the beginning of this past week and everything looks good. Babies little heart beat is coming in strong at 154 beats per minute. We couldn't get an ultrasound yet to check the gender, but we did schedule it for April 8th! It seems like forever away but I know it will go by fast. I have to get some blood work done this upcoming week so hopefully that comes back fine. I have been feeling sick randomly this past week, and of course, I started feeling nauseous about an hour ago and it still hasn't gone away. This pregnancy has been completely different from when I was pregnant with Easton, which has lead me to believe that this time around it may be a girl. Jake has a "gut feeling" it's a girl too and he's even had a dream that it was a girl. But, who knows, every single pregnancy is different and either way, we will adore and love this baby that God has gifted us with. 4 months down, and a long hot summer to go! I don't have any good pictures because I've been feeling so yucky and, well, they wouldn't be flattering at all lol.

How far along? 16 Weeks

Total weight gain: I'm still down 4 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight, but I've gained 2 pounds since my last visit so we're slowly making progress.
Maternity clothes? I've been wearing some of my maternity shirts from before because it seems like my stomach is growing twice as fast as everything else. But all of my usual pants and jeans fit just fine.
Stretch marks? None yet, and I'm still doing my daily cocoa butter and bioskin oil treatments.
Sleep: It might be time to get a pregnancy pillow soon because I can't seem to get comfortable or stay comfortable at night. I used one of my friends last time because I didn't want to spend all of the money on one if I wasn't going to like it. This time around I think I'll buy one and I'm sure it will be totally worth it!
Best moment this week: When we had discussions about baby names! So exciting!
Miss Anything? Spicy foods! I used to have a high tolerance for spice, but this time around, baby isn't having it. I can't even eat Mild wings from Buffalo Wild Wings :(
Movement: It's like there's a circus going on in there!
Food cravings: Jake had to go to the store to get me not one, but two boxes of Choco Tacos this week. None of them are left. Whoops!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not anything particular, but a lot more sick feelings this week then the past couple of weeks.
Gender: Not sure, but I have a weird feeling there's a mini-me in there!
Labor Signs: None.
Symptoms: Yucky feeling. If this snow would melt and it would warm up, that might make me feel better ;)
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Because I'm happy; clap along if you feel like there's a baby in your belly!
Looking forward to: Finding out if I can unpack all of Easton's baby clothes, or if our budget is going to take a hit with all the new pink and cheetah print stuff I'm going to just haveeeeeeee to buy!

xoxo,

Christine

Kale Chips - Done 2 Ways!

Hey everyone!

Sorry it's been a little while since I've posted, I know I promised a recipe. Last week I had a pretty nasty cold that took forever to kick, but I'm finally healthy again! Before I got sick, I was on a recipe kick. And it just so happens that Jake came home from work and told me about how a coworker of his made some homemade Kale chips and Jake actually tried them... and actually liked them! Since I've been trying to get everyone in the house to eat healthier (including me!), I figured I would take a stab at it and attempt to make my own. I read a ton of different recipes online, but all of them were different so I just decided to wing it, and to my own benefit, they came out great!

I decided to make two different kinds because I am a crazy person when it comes to BBQ potato chips so I thought, if I could make some kale chips that were just as yummy, I'd be set. Well, Jake isn't as crazy about BBQ as I am so I did some more milder ones for him, parmesan and garlic. Personally, I think they both came out delicious and I will definitely be making more! I know they are good because I made all of our friends and family try them, over and over again, to reassure myself, and none of them complained! So here's the recipes, this time, equip with pictures!

Parmesan Garlic Kale Chips & Barbecue Kale Chips

* I had one large bunch of Kale and made that one bunch into two different flavor batches. The first couple of steps of prep are the same for both, since I made everything together up until that point, and then separated them into different batches. * One large bunch of Kale, split into two, makes about 1-2 cups of each flavor, so 3-4 cups total. You can use more or less Kale if you'd like, this recipe is pretty easy to "eye-ball" so you can add or subtract the other ingredients by using your "gut-instinct". *

Ingredients:

One large bunch of Kale 
Olive Oil - I used an Extra Virgin/Canola Oil Mix
Minced Garlic
Parmesan Cheese
Salt
Pepper
Barbecue Seasoning


Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with baking or parchment paper (this isn't necessary but it makes for a very easy clean-up). Wash your Kale. Dry it - and make sure it's REALLY dry. If you have a salad spinner, that would work great. If not, be sure to dry it very well with a towel and let it sit out for a little while to make sure there is no more water on it. Once your Kale is washed and dried, cut it up into large pieces. The pieces don't have to be small, because the Kale will shrink a lot while baking. Place the Kale into a large bowl. Here's what mine looked like after cutting:

Next, pour on your Olive Oil. I used 5 heaping tablespoons, but you can be the judge of it if you think you need more or less. Also, add in 3 tablespoons of minced Garlic. Now, mix well. Get in there with your hands and make sure all of the Kale is coated. Now split up your Kale mixture onto both baking sheets, Making sure there is enough room on each for proper baking and make both sheets even with Kale.

For Parmesan and Garlic Kale Chips:

Once your Kale/Olive Oil/Garlic mixture is on your baking sheets, sprinkle a generous amount of Salt, Pepper, and Parmesan cheese over all of them. This is what mine looked like:

For Barbecue Kale Chips:

Once your Kale/Olive Oil/Garlic mixture is on your baking sheets, sprinkle a generous amount of Salt, Pepper, and the Barbecue seasoning over all of them. This is what mine looked like:

Next, cook in the oven for 8 minutes. Remove both trays and toss them around, but be gentle, they are fragile.

This is what the Parmesan Garlic chips look like at 8 minutes:

And this is what the Barbecue chips look like at 8 minutes:

Once you've tossed them, place back in the oven for another 8 minutes. Toss one more time, then cook for an additional 2 minutes. Then remove the trays and allow them to cool fully. The longer you let them cool, the crispier the chips will get.

Here is what the Garlic Parmesan chips look like once they are done:

And here is what the Barbecue chips look like once they are done:

As most of you probably know, I sell Tupperware products. We carry a line called Modular Mates, they are air-tight containers, and that's what I used to store my Kale chips in!

I loved these! They were very easy to make, I mainly eyeballed everything, and they are so healthy for you so it's a "win" all across the board. You can try other seasonings and what not too! Next time I am going to try some of the Hidden Valley Ranch Packets on them and see how that turns out! I hope you try these and they are just as yummy for you as they were for me! Enjoy!

xoxo,
Christine

Last Weeks Craziness / Baby Andrews #2 - Week 14

Well, as most of you know, last week was complete chaos over here. My father got very sick, and actually ended up in the hospital. So most of our days started very early with a drive to Ann Arbor, lots of time spent in the hospital, and late nights with long drives back home. He did finally get released and is feeling much better now. So many friends and family members came through with such nice and kind words, thoughts, and prayers and we were so thankful for that. With that being said, the madness of attempting to entertain a toddler in a very small family waiting room, since he wasn't aloud in the intensive care unit at all, was a battle in itself. Surprisingly he did so well, and I'm so grateful to my husband who called of numerous days of work to go with me and to help out with our little man. The week was hectic and crazy, and I took this past weekend to finally get caught back up with our normal lives and daily routines. I had a messy house to clean, too many loads of laundry that needed to be washed, dried, and put away, and too many other things I was dreading. It was a busy weekend, but we got everything done. I made a new snack, be sure to check out my next upcoming post to see what it was! Here's a picture at 14 weeks:

How far along? 14 Weeks

Total weight gain: Last time I checked I was down 10 pounds, but judging by how I look and feel, I would say that's changing quickly.
Maternity clothes? Not yet.
Stretch marks? None yet, just the couple I have still from Easton.
Sleep: This week I was especially tired, but I think that's understandable.
Best moment this week: Easton was watching tv and fell asleep while he was laying on my tummy.
Miss Anything? The feeling of having energy. 
Movement: Every once in awhile I feel movements, mostly at night when I lay down and attempt to relax.
Food cravings: This week I wanted stir fry. I made some at home and it was yummyyyyyy!!
Anything making you queasy or sick: I have some sinus drainage that has made me feel pretty crappy, but nothing related to foods or smells.
Gender: We don't know yet.
Labor Signs: None.
Symptoms: Good to go.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.
Looking forward to: Our appointment next week!! 

Thanks for reading! Don't forget, I'll be posting a new recipe soon so watch out for it! 

Xoxo,

Christine