Another Week in Paradise

It’s been a few (long) weeks since we’ve been back from our annual family vacation at the beach and I’m finally getting around to posting some of our photos.  Better late than never, right?  The Emerald Coast, was absolutely breathtaking, as it always is, and captured our hearts the same way it does every year.  We were happy to leave behind our normal routines in St. Louis and live a week of the beach life, with no set bedtimes, nap times, or mealtimes, and just going with the flow and whatever felt best.  Everly, just as we suspected, proved to be quite the little fish we thought her to be and spent every spare second she could swimming in the pool or with us in the ocean (she did NOT care for the sand, however).  We can’t believe we’ll have another little guppy in tow with us next year!  I am 25 weeks pregnant in these pictures and here I am 25 weeks pregnant with Everly.  Enjoy these pictures – we’ll be looking at them all year til we get to go back!

2010 in Review

Wow, 2010 has come and gone faster than the blink of an eye and it’s most definitely been the best year of our lives.  While we are totally looking forward to all the surprises and new experiences that 2011 will bring, we realize that 2010 would not have been as special without the people who lived it with us.  You all know who you are.  We are so lucky to have had each and every one of you by our side throughout every waking minute of the year.   Thank you for being the best family and friends that anyone could ask for.  Without you, 2010 would not have been the same.  Here’s a look back at some highlights from our year:

January
Surprise! We’re pregnant!  I started this blog and began gearing up and dreaming about becoming a Mama.  I had no idea this little online space of mine would be admired by so many.

February
I’m still barely showing and wishing I looked more pregnant than I actually do.  We start taking belly pics anyways.

March
You’re hired! Marty and I both take new jobs and major career strides with two of the best companies St. Louis has to offer.  And… we find out we’re having a GIRL!

April
Not sure what happened in April.  I’m sure I was eating my weight in cheeseburgers and Pappy’s Smokehouse.  Anyways, here’s a picture of my hot husband.  Isn’t he handsome?

May
The Loo.  Yup.  Month One of our Bathroom Renovation project.  Being as I am 7 months pregnant, we decide gutting/remodeling our bathroom during this time is not the smartest idea.  Live and learn, right?  We also clink glasses to celebrate 4 years of marriage.

June
Hello Baby Showers.  We get ready for this little girl with our family & friends and have a blast setting up  her bedroom.  And the bathroom is finished!

July
Holy hell it’s HOT outside & what happened to my feet/ankles?  I am as big as a whale and I’m due this month.  My family goes on the beach vacation that we were supposed to attend and there’s nothing left to do but eat popsicles and float around at the lake.  Despite my HUGENESS, I rock an old yellow bikini since I refuse to spend money on a maternity swimsuit.  Marty is quite amused by this, though make him promise never to speak of it again.  I start writing letters to Everly to share with her when she’s older.

August
… And then our life began.  Happy birthday Everly Grace Buehler.  I’ll never forget the moment when we first laid eyes on each other and how completely vulnerable I felt.   Marty and I are reborn are parents and life has never been better.

September
Still sleep deprived and adjusting to our new life with baby, I return to work and begin juggling life as a working, breastfeeding/pumping Mama.  Holy shitballs this is hard!  We also start venturing out more with Ev.  I learn to do all sorts of crazy things – like how to change a poopy diaper using your lap as a changing table while in a tiny 3 ft by 3 ft restaurant bathroom.  Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

October
30.  Despite the stigma with this age, I feel amazing!  I’m right where I want to be & have never loved more.  After having a baby, I appreciate my body more than I ever have in life, even with a few extra pounds to lose.

November
So much to be thankful for!  Babies, husbands, families, friends, the grace of God, the air I breathe, the good times & even the bad.  Everly sees snow for the first time and we embark on her first Christmas.

December
Promoted!  And we’ve only just begun.  I start a new position and get a fat raise – Holla!  Everly gets baptized.  We celebrate our first Christmas with Buggie and Santa brings us a fancy red Kitchenaid mixer.  Everly starts solid food. She loves her rice cereal and sweet potatoes.  And this New Year’s Day, we woke up with a smiling baby in our bed instead of a hangover.  Life is great!

Thanks for making 2010 such a fantastic, memorable year for us and here’s to 2011.  Happy New Year!  Cheers!

Love,
E

Baby it’s HOT Outside – 35 Weeks & Counting

95 degrees and carrying around a watermelon, no big deal…  We’re not in Kansas anymore and this baby is not quite the little peanut she used to be.  Surprisingly, things have been going pretty great – I’ve been keeping cool with lots o’ air conditioning, ice cream, and popsicles.  Cannot believe we’ve made it this far!  Here’s a little update on what’s new with me, Marty & baby:

How far along: 35 weeks, 3 days
Sleep: Let’s just say I’m getting up quite often to use the loo
Favorite moment this week: Painting the nursery & seeing everything come into place! (Don’t worry, pics are on the way as soon as a few finishing touches are complete.)
Movement: Oh yes, crazy things are happening in there
Weight gain: Let’s just not go there anymore, m’kay?
Looking forward to: Our best friends are throwing us a baby party tomorrow! We are stoked – we have THE most amazing friends and they know how to party.  Also, Marty will finally be able to partake in some shower-like activities with me!
Craving: Cold, seasonal fruit – peaches, nectarines, blueberries – YUM! I eat them with yogurt every day
What I’m missing: sushi, the occasional glass of wine or MARGARITA.  A bikini.  My normal workout routine.  I can’t wait to kick things into gear again.
Excited about: She could come at any moment – it’s crunchtime!

33 Weeks & Smuggling a Beach Ball

Ok, so the front view is not that bad, right?  Then you get to the side view picture and it’s like “Hello!”  I can’t believe we’re this far in the game and yet still have soooo much to do.  Here’s a quickie update on all things baby:

How far along: 33 weeks and 2 days

Weight gain: Not sure, around 30 lbs but I’ll find out for sure next week at the Dr.

Craving: Lemons & lemonade!  Also, I’ve been loving me some pink grapefruit juice too.

Next on the list: Baby E’s room – trying to pick paint out tonight so look for an update soon.  I will post pics, I promise!

Excited about: My baby shower on Sunday with the Devine’s!

Side project: Gettin’ crafty this weekend and going to make her some flower headbands and maybe some baby blocks for her room decor.

I’m over: Maternity clothes & being sleepy all the time.

Dreaming about: Seeing her for the first time and what an unforgettable moment that will be.

31 weeks – only 9 weeks left!

Linneman Shower Fun
I had my first baby shower this past Sunday with the Linneman’s and had SUCH a great time!  It was about a 90 degree day in May and I’m so lucky that my fantastic Aunts Mary and Clare hosted such an amazing shower.  Everything was great – from the drinks (Halley’s signature cocktail was the Peach Penguin – which was a huge hit) to the food (mini pita wraps with delicious chicken salad and pork tenderloin crostinis with berry horseradish cream among many other tasty treats) to the game (cutest baby shower game EVER that had everyone laughing out of their chairs) to the extremely good company that day!  It was so great to share the excitement and anticipation of this baby girl with you all and I’m just tickled to death at all the well wishes and thoughtful gifts I received.  Thank you to everyone who came and shared this day with me – and a very special thank you to my Aunts for hosting such a fun shower.    Aunt Ann – I miss you and can’t wait to see you soon!  Hopefully, I’ll be a Mama by then and will be introducing you to my little one!  I’m really so blessed to have the BEST family. 🙂

By the way, the picture above is Marty testing out the Baby Bjorn (one of his favorite gifts that I received at my shower) with one VERY good girl.  Lucy was right at home in it!

And the picture below is my 31 week bump pic. And yes, that is a bowl of strawberry shortcake that is balanced on my belly.  Could have killed Marty for taking the picture but then thought it was kind of funny and perfect for my blog.

29 weeks and counting – 74 days to DD

Baby is now: 29 weeks, 3 days (7 1/4 months)
Total weight gain: 26 lbs.
Baby Update: She is beginning  a rapid growth phase and will put on about a half pound per week and triple her weight by my due date.
Due date: Still July 28, although my doctor says that I’m measuring 3 weeks ahead.
Cravings: Yogurt, cereal & ice cream 🙂
Belly button: It’s out.  Yep, I’m officially an outie and there’s no hiding it.  I feel like its my pregnancy badge everytime I wear a tight t-shirt.
Movement/Kicking: She’s a maniac.  Especially at night and after spicy food like Indian & Thai.
What I’m looking forward to: Setting up her room & my upcoming baby shower!

I know.  I’ve been a bad blogger and neglected to post for weeks, but things have been very busy at the Buehler Baby Farm.  Besides growing this this little lady inside of me, I’ve been very busy with spring cleaning and dealing with a poorly scheduled (but extremely necessary) bathroom remodel.  Marty, myself, Roxy, and Leyla Jane had to move in with my parents (plus sister, three dogs, and a cat) for about a week while our shabby, crumbling ’50s bathroom was completely renovated/updated.  We’re back home now & just finishing the final touches on the bathroom (don’t worry, I’ll post pics soon!)  HUGE Thank You! to my parents & sis for letting us stay with them taking such good care of us for a whole week, Marty’s Mom Lin for all of her help and expertise with painting, and Brother-In-Law John for rewiring the lighting and doing the electricity.  We are forever indebted to you all!

Anyways, back home and back to normal this week and I’ve vowed to put more time and energy into blogging as we spend these last 10 weeks (I KNOW – 10 WEEKS!!) preparing for the arrival of our little girl.

Check out my 29-week bump pic above, this was taken on Mother’s Day at Marty’s mom’s home on Lake Serene.  This one doesn’t really do any justice for the major bump I’m sporting these days, so the picture below will give you a good idea of what I’m carting around these days.

Aside from the hustle and bustle of renovations and our busy lifestyles, Marty and I just can’t help but catch ourselves in full nesting mode and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little Miss.  We can’t wait to look into her little eyes and try to comprehend how she is truly a product of the both of us – it’s just the most mind-boggling thing.  We know that our world is about to be turned upside down in a way that we can only dream about and won’t fully understand until we get to meet her.  We just can’t wait!

Almost 25-Weeks-Along Update

Hi there!  Sorry it’s been forever since I last posted, things have been quite busy at the Buehler household.  We’ve been hit with spring fever & I rarely pick up my laptop unless I have something work related to do in the evenings.  Marty & I have been spring cleaning, gardening, taking the girls on long walks at night, and giving our grill a good workout these days.  Bring on the warm weather!  Here’s a little update on what’s new on the pregnancy side of our lives:

How far along: 24 weeks & 4 days (6 months!) Only 15 weeks and 3 days until my due date.

What’s baby up to these days: Kicking and moving around like crazy!  First time movement this past week includes both bladder and rib kicks that get stronger and stronger everyday.

How I’m feeling: Holy heartburn! Me and Tums are good friends these days.  I often wonder about the old wives tale that frequent heartburn is a sign of a full head of hair.  Guess we’ll see…

Foods I’m craving: Eggs (Gotta get those Omega 3’s for optimal brain and organ development) and ICE CREAM.

What I’m missing & bumming about: A glass of wine with dinner, my waistline, and knowing I won’t be able to rock a bikini like I did last summer.

Belly Button: Still in, but pushed out to the max! (Stay in there please!)

Workouts: My energy level is f-a-d-i-n-g FAST, but I’m still trying to keep up my game with cardio 3 times a week and weekly prenatal yoga sessions.

Milestones: My pregnancy is now considered viable outside the womb.

Looking forward to: Getting the little ladies room set up – we can’t wait to get started!

Week 24 Belly Pic

22 Week Belly Pic – There’s definitely a baby in there

There she blows, round, in-the-way, and expanding by the minute.  This week I was greeted with a red, itchy belly, which only added to my growing paranoia about getting stretch marks.  Not to worry though, Mama is slathering up 3-5 times a day with cocoa butter and a blend of cocoa/macadamia/almond oil.  Needless to say, I smell like a tropical island.  Little miss is gonna come out and be really surprised when she realizes she’s in the Midwest and not somewhere exotic.  I’m already getting a sense of her personality based on her movement patterns – she likes her food (like me!) and gets pushy when I haven’t had anything to eat in a while.

Belly Bump at 19 Weeks, 2 Days

19 weeks, 2 days

OK, so this is obviously not the best picture to show off my bump, but I like my outfit and wanted to post it anyways.  We took this Friday night on our way to Chez Leon.  Marty and I decided to celebrate our new jobs and little girl with some decadent French food at the Clayton restaurant where two of our best friends work.

When you’re nearly 20 weeks pregnant and you just spent the day trying on maternity clothes (Ugh, don’t EVEN get me started) and you get to dress up and hit the town with your husband, it’s always a good thing.  Plus, not one but TWO people told me that I was “very tall and beautiful” on my way to and from the restroom at Chez so I was feeling pretty darn good by then. 🙂

For all the foodies out there like us, here’s what we had for dinner:  Marty had the Pates Maison (country pate and chicken liver mousse) and to start and I had the Lyonnaise salad.  The salad was A-MAZ-ING, but what isn’t amazing with cubed warm bacon and a poached egg on top of it?  For my entree, I chose the seared tuna with peppercorn cream sauce (The little girl can’t have sushi, so this is the closest thing) which was insanely delicious.  Marty had the strip steak, medium rare, which he topped with the most fantastic Roquefort cheese and drank with a lively Pinot Noir (I can’t wait to have wine again, have I mentioned that?).  For dessert, we shared a zesty limon tarte that has the tastiest shortbread cookie crust served with fresh raspberries, along with the Tart Tatin, a caramel apple tart baked and served with vanilla ice cream.  Need I say more?  Mom, Dad, and baby went to bed with happy bellies that night. 🙂