2011 to 2012

I am so excited for New Years this year because I know that we are going to have so many changes in 2012!

Our daughter will be here in 6 weeks...

In the last two weeks, I have had 4 friends/relatives get engaged (so lots of weddings)!...

We will be refinishing our basement (once we discover where the water is coming from)... and then turning it into a playroom for our daughter

We are planning a cross-country drive, and I cannot wait to introduce Ben and our daughter to new, wonderful places...

I have a few New Years Resolutions for this year.

1) Read at least one book each month

2) Travel to at least one new city in 2012

3) After the baby is born, lose the baby weight

4) Enjoy my new life as a mother and wife

5) Become more involved at our Church


What are your New Years Resolutions???

34 weeks

I am 34 weeks pregnant...

and all baby!

Baby girl is the size of a honeydew this month.  She weighs about 4 pounds right now.

This week baby girl started to recognize and react to my voice and music that I am singing. 

Weight gain: 23 pounds

Time left: 6 weeks (42 days)

Christmas with the Novaks

This year, we hosted Christmas at our house because I cannot travel because baby girl will be here SOON!

My mom came in last Wednesday night and my brother came in Friday night.

Playing Hand and Foot...

Ben and I won Hand and Foot...

Christmas Eve before Church

Dining room table for Christmas Eve dinner

Ben making dinner.

Second course of dinner.

Yummy.

Christmas morning.  Santa came and brought us some goodies!

Our tree full of presents.

Mom, Andy, and Ben all got Chick-fil-A calendars!

Michael's gift card and Reese's... what more do I need?

Merry Christmas!

33 weeks

I am 33 weeks pregnant!

Baby girl is the size of a honeydew! 

She weighs around 4.2 pounds and is about 17.2 inches long.

New this week: She keeps her eyes open while awake.  Her bones are starting to get hard.  She is also working on her breathing.

Time left: 7 weeks or 49 days

Raves and Rants

I've read on several blogs over the past few days and combination of rants and raves, praises and complaints, thanksgivings and gripes, etc.  So... I thought I would do my own.

I have to say I absolutely love Clinique and it is the only thing I put on my face- Clinique sunblock, powder, blush, eye shadow, lip gloss, you get the point.  But for the past two years I have also been using the All About Eyes.  It is a wonderful moisturizer for the delicate skin around your eyes and helps with puffiness, dark lines, and wrinkles. 
Since I just turned 30, taking care of my skin in additional ways to the things I was already doing is something I have been considering a lot.  All about eyes is my little secret.  That and large dark sunglasses.



As a woman, I have been sensitive about my weight.  As a pregnant woman that sensitivity has skyrocketed.  I have a few close friends that have had children and lost all their pregnancy weight in what seemed like over-night speed.  I myself have been watching my weight when I step on the scale at the doctor's office and even go as far as to wear the same outfit every time, take off my shoes, and any jewelry I may have on.  That all being said, I cannot express enough my disdain when people comment on my size as a pregnant woman.  All of a sudden people think it's socially acceptable to comment on a women's weight because she is pregnant.  When did this happen?  I was raised to never comment on a women's weight, especially when she is pregnant.  Now some people are being all out rude while others and expressing their joy in my pregnancy in a poor choice of words.  However, I still find it socially unacceptable to comment on a woman's weight.  And for my last tidbit on this matter- aren't women supposed to gain weight when they are pregnant?




Christmas cards.  I. LOVE. THEM.  We have received 20 or so cards this year and I love seeing what people have decided to put on their cards to represent their families (or themselves) for this holiday season.  I save all the Christmas cards we get every year and they are on the top of the box when we pull out holiday decorations.  I am not sure if it is a "Southern tradition" as my husband claims, but I especially love the cards with pictures of families on them.  I thoroughly enjoy the "awkward family photos" (which I haven't seen too many of) and the pictures of the kids in matching outfits.  I find it is a wonderful keepsake for the year and a great way to track how my cousins that live 29 hours away change over the years.  Thank you to everyone that sent us a Christmas Card!  I love all of them!
 
 
 
Reese's.  They are hands down the. best. candy.  EVER.  My new favorite student (that shall remain nameless) gave me Reese's today for Christmas.  Thank you to my new favorite student!
 


I get highly irritated by slow drivers.  Does anyone have any recommendations for dealing with non-ideal behavior from my fellow drivers?  I feel as Christmas is getting closer that I am in a hurry up and happen mode and then I get on the road and the 374 people in front of me are driving 15 miles under the speed limit.  Is it because it's the holidays?  Is it because I am from Atlanta and everyone drives 80, everywhere?  Or, is it that I am highly over-estimating the number of slow drivers blocking my path to the grocery store/manicure/subway?

What are your rants and raves?

32 weeks and cookies!

I am 32 weeks pregnant (and 2 days)!

Baby girl is still the size of a squash.  I think she weighs around 3.5 pounds and is about 16 inches long.

She has been kicking a lot this week.  The book says she is probably head down, but I don't think so.

Weight gain: 21 pounds (as of Friday)

New this week: Went to my primary care physician on Friday because I have been having a pain in my rib cage for about a month.  She thinks it is my gall bladder and so I spent all afternoon on Friday getting blood work and an ultrasound of my upper right quadrant.  I am supposed to find out tomorrow if it is my gall bladder or if my muscles are just spreading.

Time left:  8 weeks or 54 days.  Ben and I both think baby girl will come late, but hopefully not too late.

Tonight I made Granny B  sugar cookies:

There were 4 dozen, but Ben and I ate some.  :)

Christmas tour of our home!

Kelly's Korner Blog is hosting a Christmas tour of homes that I wanted to link up to.  Now we had our basement set-up for Christmas as well with our family tree, stockings, and decorations everywhere... and then our basement flooded last week.  So, this is a partial tour of our home since the other part of our home is under renovation.

The outside of our home.

Our banister from our living room up to the third floor.

Our "pretty" tree, it is red and green ornaments only.

One of our Nativity scenes.  Ben's parents gave this one to us as a wedding present.

The nativity scene I set-up in our China cabinet.

Our stockings.

31 weeks

I am 31 weeks (and 2 days) pregnant!

Baby girl is about 15.2 to 16.7 inches long and weighs about 3 pounds.

At 31 weeks, baby girl is going through major brain and nerve development.

Eye development too!  Her irises are now reacting to light.

All five of her senses are working.

Weight gain so far: 22 or 23 pounds is my guess.

Time left: 9 weeks or 61 days

BTW- I think my hair looks funny in this picture.  Is the part in the right place???

Have a great week!

30 weeks

There is a baby girl in my belly!

I am 30 weeks (and 3 days) pregnant!

Baby girl is the size of a squash and weighs around 3 pounds, she is about 15.5 inches long.

New with baby girl this week: Her brain is getting wrinklier - to make way for all of her essential brain tissue.  She is now strong enough to grasp a finger and her skin is getting smoother.

Weight gain so far: 21 pounds

New for me this week: I failed the 1 hour glucose test, so Wednesday I get to take the 3 hour glucose test.  Wish me luck.  I really do not want to give up my sweets, I just started liking them again.

Time left: 9.5 weeks or 67 days

Sunday Savings

It's been a few weeks since we have couponed and done a savings trip.  But today I hit up CVS and Harris Teeter for a few items for our Christmas party and food for lunch for the week.

At Harris Teeter...
They were having an awesome sale on coke products!  Buy 3, get 2 free with a limit of 10.  I bought 6 and got 4 free, mostly for our party and my family coming for Christmas in a few weeks.

Continuing on my trip to Harris Teeter, we got 10 yogurts, 4 bananas, 2 toothpastes, 2 tooth brushes, milk, salami, and mints.

Total before coupons: $93.57

Total spent: $64.05

At CVS...
I purchased 2 bags of coffee, 2 cans on mixed nuts, 2 bags of Reese's, 2 bags of Chex Mix, 1 box of tea, and I received for free a $10 gift card to Macy's

Total before coupons: $48.95

Total spent: $23.22



Weekly total before coupons: $142.52

Total spent: $87.27

Thanksgiving

We went to Greensburg for Thanksgiving and a relaxing weekend.  Sally Anne made a fabulous dinner that we enjoyed with Ben's Aunts and Uncle and cousins.  The boys played football in the afternoon while the ladies snacked and relaxed.

Al and Uncle Bob

Abby and Aunt Stacy

The boys playing football

The dinner table.

Good game!

All the food!

My plate, the sweet potatoes are my favorite!

Happy Thanksgiving!

All the pies.

I ate peanut butter pie and apple pie.  Yum!

29 weeks (and 6 days)

I am 29 weeks (in this picture) and 6 days pregnant!

Baby girl is the size of a large squash (the round kind).

She is about 15.2 inches long and weighs about 2.5 pounds.

Weight gain so far: 21 pounds

New this week: When baby girl rolls around I can now see her little body move across my stomach, kinda weird and kinda cool all at the same time.  I have been told that in about 4 more weeks I will be able to identify her hands and feet (we shall see).

DC Baby Shower!

I am so behind in updating so I am trying to catch up.  We have been so busy with the contractors here, traveling for Thanksgiving, working, and everything else.  Anywho- my friends in DC threw me a baby shower on November 19th.  It was so wonderful of Pari and Kelly and I am so happy so many people came and brought beautiful things to baby girl.  Ben and I are so truly blessed to have such wonderful friends.

Tons of delicious food!

And a very tasty cake!

Presents for baby girl...

Our friend Debbie made this for baby girl. 

I absolutely LOVE it!

Opening my last gift.  Johnson & Johnson products for baby girl!

Thank you to all my friends that came out for a wonderful afternoon.  I had such a wonderful time and I love all the gifts for baby girl.  Yay for baby showers!!!