Here's a picture of the crib that we bought (This picture is what was posted on CL. We haven't put it up in our nursery yet because we are getting the carpet cleaned in August.)
This is a picture of the dresser/changing table that matches the crib. :)
Well after I found such a good deal on Craig's List with the crib and dresser I decided to keep looking EVERY day for everything else we needed.:)
Luckily my in laws live in Georgia so that has been helpful in being able to search for things on CL. My next find was a bit of a drive for us from my in laws house in Georgia, but my mother in law and sister in law were happy to take me to pick it up when Nick and I came in town. It seems like almost every picture of a little girl's nursery that I've seen there is a chandelier soooo I had to have one in Lillian's!!:) Here is a picture of the one that we got for $30!! It is in the process of having some work done to it before we are ready to hang it up. A special thank you to my aunt Jan for helping me get it *Princess room ready*.:):)
Our next purchase from Craig's List was this corner shelf...it was only $60! I put some trinkets on it just to make it look sweet for the picture, but not all of them will stay on there.:)
A few things that I bought next were not on Craig's List, but still were good deals...
This was a Marshall's Home Goods find for $50!!
I got these pictures at Old Time Pottery for $4.99 each! My mother in law got us the bird cage that is laying down on the dresser. :)
Here's a bird cage that we got from Michael's! I can't remember what we paid for it, but they had all of their spring and summer items marked down 70%!! We got a lot of good deals on different things there and Hobby Lobby, too!!
Now, back to Craig's List.... this is the glider/chair and ottoman that we drove 3 hours away to get!! But remember it only cost $150.:)
It's super comfy, too!!! We got the pillow at Hobby Lobby... regularly $24.99 and I got it for like $6!
The bedding and drapes were ordered this week! I can't wait for them to come in!!:):)
This is the link for the bedding...you can see it better on there:)
Okay, Craig's List came through again for our last 'big' piece of furniture that we need...a glider. Found this one on there for $150, but offered $100.
These are the lamps that I think are my favorite purchase from Craig's List. We got them both for $25!! Thanks again Kayla and Daniel for risking your lives for the sake of Lillian's nursery!;-)
I'm not sure yet where they are going to go...still got a ways to go before everything is figured out.:)
The bedding came in this week! YAY!!!:):)
I put the skirt against the chair to see what it would look like. It matches perfectly! The same exact colors that are in the pillow are in the bedding, too!:) I can't wait to see it all come together!!
(In case you were wondering:))
Monday was another laaazy summer day. It rained all day so I didn't feel that guilty just laying around. Plus, I keep reminding myself that pretty soon these lazy all about me days are going to be non-existent!!:) I ate some oatmeal for breakfast around 8 then laid back down and woke up around 11. I had a bowl of Special K Protein cereal for lunch and Nick ate some tuna. I have to admit I kind of miss being able to eat a tuna sandwich. Oh well...only 81 days until her estimated arrival.:) I'm sure she likes my protein cereal better anyway.;-)
Dinner was Taco Casserole. Since I've been pregnant I've been trying to be very consistent with cooking and eating healthy/clean. Here's the link this recipe came from... http://melaniemitro.blogspot.com/2013/08/clean-eating-taco-casserole.html
She has a lot of other good recipes on there, too. So, Taco Casserole for us wasn't exactly "tacoy"...somehow I forgot to put the pack of taco seasoning in the meat and let it simmer before I started layering everything into the dish. After it was in the oven it dawned on me...oh yeah...the seasoning. OOPS! Nick blamed it on my 'baby brain'...yeah I will go with that.:) The rain finally stopped and mom and I got to go on our nightly walk. I came home and took a bath then went to bed:) I woke up around 2:15 for my nightly call to the potty...It's always so hard to fall back asleep once I've been up because she starts moving around and all I want to do is just feel her moving!:) So, I laid there for about an hour before I dozed back off.
This morning I tried to fix a new breakfast dish that I pinned on Pinterest. Since we have been 'eating clean' we have found a HUGE love for Quinoa. So, I attempted to make Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Bake. (Here's the link: http://www.fitsugar.com/Apple-Cinnamon-Quinoa-Breakfast-Bake-32210316?utm_campaign=default_hp&utm_source=hover_pin ) Looking at the picture it looks scrumptious! Not to mention I spent $10 on ground cloves at the grocery store..so I was GOING to like this dish! Hmm..not so much. I think my mind was thinking yuuum this is going to be like a healthy breakfast CAKE (according to the picture of the slice on the website). However, it was not that at all. Nick ate his helping and mine and claims he could eat the whole thing. Maybe it will taste better tomorrow morning?!?
I met my friend Tonya at Fatz for lunch. Our history is somewhat crazy seeing how we are still good friends after the story behind how we met. We both dated "Cowpens Boys" who were best friends. Both of our relationships lasted 7 years. She actually got married, but it wasn't in God's plan for them to remain that way and now she is engaged and on her way to Happily Ever After.:):) It's just funny to me how we met through two people who are no longer apart of our lives anymore and we are still very good friends.:) Anyway...we ate and talked at Fatz for an hour and a half! I texted her after I left telling her how thankful I was for her friendship. I don't have many friends who I can just talk and talk and talk with. We always have a great time when we finally make time to get together!!
At 6 I went to church for our annual VBS Women's Event. It was a lot of fun!:) My sister-in-law, Kelly was there and her friend Kennedy and also Nick's stepmom, Joy, and her mom, Laine. We ate some really yummy food...they had a variety of different types of salads and then for dessert Caramel Cheesecake! So, so good!! After that it was praise and worship time...first we sang some songs. Here is one of the songs that we sang. :)...
Then, we listened to several speakers. My friend, Haley's mom is the women's counselor at our church. She's the one that puts the event together every year and she also teaches part of it. At the end of her message, she shared about Haley giving birth to Banks 10 weeks early. Of course I know the story because Haley and I are friends, but just hearing her mom tell it gave me cold chills. Listening to how God protected Haley and Banks and had them be right where they needed to be up until she had her was just incredible. I love how God uses us! I sent this to Haley the day before she had Banks. I knew in my heart that she needed encouragement, but I had no idea what God had planned the very next day.
Since Haley had preeclampsia her life was in danger, almost if not more than little Banks. The longer she stayed pregnant the worse she got and the danger of something fatal happening to her increased. God deserves all of the glory! He knew when Banks' birthday would be and He knew how it would all turn out. Definitely thankful for the way things turned out and praising Him for keeping them both safe and healthy!! Here is little Banks praising Him!:)
The title of the VBS event was "Sacred Whisper" and it was about hearing God's voice speak to us. The story from the bible they taught from was 1 Kings 19. I loved hearing how Elijah was at such a state of desperation...enough to ask God to take his own life...and God so empathetically sought him out and revived him. He filled him with not only food and drink for the journey that lay ahead, but also with encouragement that what he was doing was worth it. As Christians it's so easy to feel defeated especially when our circumstances are so extreme and exhausting and it feels like our prayers are not being heard or answered. I think because our world so easily consumes us it's also hard for us to see the blessings God sends us despite the storms we are in. He doesn't promise us it's going to be easy, but He does promise never to leave us or forsake us. God definitely spoke to me and reminded me to come to Him and just be still so I can hear His voice. He will always give me what I need. I just have to come to Him.
When I got home around 10 Nick and I climbed into bed. He wanted to read Lillian a story from her book of bible stories. I picked out the story that we read about at VBS. Then, I read the same story to her from my bible. After that it was sleepy time!:) Thank you God for a day filled with so many blessings! Your love, your grace, your mercy is endless and I'm so thankful!
Nick had to drive to Georgia this morning to go to work in the office today...so he was up around 5:30, which meant I woke up, too. After he left I laid in the bed...prayed and talked to Lillian. Then, I dozed back off until about 8:00. Then, I ate some cereal...Special K Protein cereal with strawberries. YUM!:) Kimberly came over around 10:30 and we got ready. We went to run some errands...Target...Lillian got some white shorts for next summer that were on clearance. :) Then we went to eat lunch at Jason's Deli...yummy salad bar and then of course ice cream for dessert! I think she really liked the ice cream!! After that we went to Christian Supply and then to Kirkland's. Nick got home around 6. We went to Samantha and Travis' house to get a stroller and car seat that they were selling us.:) Such sweet friends!!
Jonah had to give the stroller and car seat a sniff test.:)
Well it started out like a 'normal'
Thursday...then...I don't know what happened. I woke up and started
cleaning...sweeping, mopping, bathrooms, dusting...typical day so
far. Then at 8 and fixed some oatmeal and drank some orange juice.
Typical day so far. Well I noticed that I wasn't feeling her moving
at all. I laid down in the bed and jiggled my belly trying to get her
going, but nothing. Fear. Worry. Doubt. It all began to consume me. I
prayed. God please speak to my heart. Take away my fear. I only want
to hear from you. I went on with my morning without feeling her much.
Just wasn't normal. I am used to feeling her bounce around like a
little 'jumping bean'. I called the doctor's office at 12 and left a
message for the nurse. Then at 1 I decided to go up there. When
I got there I sat in my car for a minute still trying to decide if I
was overreacting or not. What happened? She started moving around. I
sat in my car for about 30 minutes feeling her move and I decided to
leave. I headed over to my Aunt Jan's house because I was supposed to
be there at 2:00. I called the doctor's office again and talked to a
nurse this time. She told me to monitor the movement because I should
be feeling her an average of 5 times an hour. UGH. That definitely
hadn't been how my day had gone. I stopped by Chic-Fil-A and did
something that I hadn't done the whole time I've been pregnant. I got
a kid's meal with a lemonade and a cookies n' cream milkshake. Surely
that would get her going.
I was at my Aunt Jan's until around 6. We went over
nursery ideas and what all she has done so far to the chandelier and
the mobile. They are both going to be beyond beautiful!! I CANNOT
wait to see it all finished!! I am soo grateful for her craftiness
and her willingness to help me have the *perfect* nursery for Miss
Lillian.:) I called the doctor's office again at 4:45 because she
still wasn't moving much..if at all. The nurse told me to go to Labor
and Delivery at the hospital so they could monitor me. I laid
down on the couch and what happened? She moved around! Aunt Jan felt
her and so did I. OK. Another sign. Forget about it. Stop worrying!!
I called in a baked spaghetti from Capri's to bring over to
Christopher and Haley's house. When I got home to get Nick, I laid
down on the bed for a few minutes to see if we could feel her and we
both did a little bit.
Here are some little birdies that my Aunt Jan has decorated. They're going to be a part of the mobile that she's making!:):)
Here are some little birdies that my Aunt Jan has decorated. They're going to be a part of the mobile that she's making!:):)
We headed over to see our friends. We ate dinner and
spent time catching up with them.:) Such sweet, sweet friends that we
are so grateful to have!! They showed us a preemie diaper that their
little Banks is wearing in the NICU right now. It was SO tiny. It is
amazing to me that she is doing so well! Definitely in God's hands!!
Too precious!! Haley talked about how hard it is to leave her every
night when they leave to go home. I cannot imagine leaving my baby
there either and I haven't even met her yet. She talked about how
crazy they both are about her and how they love her so much it hurts.
Too sweet! She said they both just stand there and stare at her when
they get to see her. They have no idea what their life was like
before her. How incredible! I can't wait to experience that level of
love for our little Lillian!!
We left about 8:30 so they could head to the hospital and see Banks. Nick and I sat outside for a little bit talking and then we came inside to do our nightly T.V. watching. Nick likes to watch Cheers and I will watch it with him until I doze off. He read Lillian a bible story before we got too sleepy...it was about the Widow and the Oil. It taught a good lesson on how God will always provide.
We left about 8:30 so they could head to the hospital and see Banks. Nick and I sat outside for a little bit talking and then we came inside to do our nightly T.V. watching. Nick likes to watch Cheers and I will watch it with him until I doze off. He read Lillian a bible story before we got too sleepy...it was about the Widow and the Oil. It taught a good lesson on how God will always provide.
I woke up around midnight for my nightly potty break.
I laid there and felt her move around for about an hour. Of course I
was analyzing every movement...was it one I was use to or was
something different?1? Still worrying. Silly me.
Also, exciting news today for our friends Brooke and J.P...their sweet baby Ace was born!!:):)
Thank you God, for your wondrous works! Ace is just perfect!:)
Also, exciting news today for our friends Brooke and J.P...their sweet baby Ace was born!!:):)
Thank you God, for your wondrous works! Ace is just perfect!:)
Worry got the best of me again today...I woke up
around 6ish and laid there feeling her kick for about an hour. She
was pretty active which made me feel good. I had eggs and a glass of
orange juice for breakfast. I thought I would feel her move some
after the O.J., but nothing really. I tried to stay occupied so I
wasn't dwelling on it again, but I just kept thinking maybe if I went
to the doctor I would feel better...leave with a peace of mind.
So...Nick kind of pushed me out the door too.. I think he was tired
of hearing me go on and on about being worried. ;-) I went to the
doctor at 10:15...the nurse checked my blood pressure and all of that
and I told her what was going on. She hooked me up to a machine for
20 minutes that monitored her heartbeat and movements. I sat in a
comfy recliner and they gave me a little clicker to click when I felt
her move. I loved being able to hear her heartbeat and I could tell
when she moved because a muffled sound came from the machine, too. So
sweet! Now, if they would just let me take that little machine home
with me then everything would be GREAT!! The nurse said that everything
looked great and normal! She even said that the results showed that
my baby was doing something that they don't normally see on the
results...it was showing that her heart rate increased when she was
active and then rested at a normal rate when she wasn't moving
around. What a proud mommy I was! My little overachiever!! HAHA!
The doctor signed off on the results from being monitored and I was
on my way home. Ahhh...a BIG sigh of relief. Thank you Lord for a
great report...definitely a blessing to get good news!! When I was
there being monitored a woman came in to be monitored, too. She sat
in another chair that was in the room that I was in. The nurse was
hooking her up to the machine and I heard her tell the woman "I
know you haven't felt her move, but when you do click this button."
The nurse could not find the baby's heartbeat. I just sat there as a
feeling of sadness came over me. I know what she was feeling all too
well. A little over a year ago that was me. Waiting patiently to
hear my baby's heartbeat, but hearing nothing but a muffled sound as
the nurse moved the monitor over my belly. I prayed for that
woman...for God to give her strength and comfort. The nurse brought
in another monitor and tried it. I couldn't tell, but it seemed that
they heard something. The doctor's office only had one ultrasound
machine that was working and I think they must have decided to take
her in there to check on the baby. A few minutes after she left the
room I was in, I heard a loud scream from across the hall. I just
knew it had to be from her. How devastating... As I left the
doctor's office that day with my good report I kept being reminded
that somebody else wasn't feeling the way I was. I will be praying for that woman. I know
God has a plan and as hard as what she experienced today was He
will bring good from it.
I came home and fixed Nick and I a tomato sandwich
for lunch! YUM! ONE of the many reasons I love summer. It is
definitely a symbol of summer time to me! From as far back as I
remember my Gram would fix us tomato sandwiches. She always added
salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar..so of course when I make
mine...that's exactly what I do. My Gram will live through me in
everything that she taught me!! *HUGS*
Nick and I got ready and went to a daycare that I had called about getting Lilly started at in January when I have to go back to work after my maternity leave. We were going up there to 'tour' the place and find out more information. My friend Haley, who just had Baby Banks is planning on keeping Lilly for us, but I also want her to be enrolled in a daycare in case there are days where Haley or Banks is sick or have doctors appts., etc. So, the 'tour' was great! The ladies were super nice!! I think it also made everything seem even more 'real' to us...knowing that we will have a baby who someone will be taking care of! It was another sweet, new memory for Nick and I to make together as we prepare for her to get here.:)
I fixed Balsamic Chicken and roasted veggies for dinner.
Here are links for the recipes (we really liked both of them!!)...
Nick and I ate then we decided to go to the mall. He wanted to look at workout stuff at Dick's and I wanted to go by Ross. I had started packing the night before and I knew I was over packing, but I wanted to bring any and everything that fits right now! I also wanted to go by Ross to see if they had anything else that would be cute and pass the 'preggo comfy' test.
When we got home my mom came over to walk. It was good to see her before we leave for the beach in the morning for a week.
We watched a little T.V. and then finally fell asleep.:)
What a day...what a day...what a day! I woke up around 6:30...took a shower then ate some oatmeal for breakfast. Our first set time to leave was 9...however that's not what ended up happening. We took Jonah to the kennel around 10:30. I HATE leaving him there...I cry every time. He is my baby!! I can only imagine what it's going to be like when I have to leave Lilly!! After some unplanned things came up we were probably on the interstate around noon.:) Traffic was not fun at all since we ended up leaving so late. :(:( I fell asleep for a little bit and then when I woke up we were pretty much stopped in traffic. YAY for being 6 months pregnant and loving car rides!! We stopped to eat at Fatz in Orangeburg and then we were on our way again to finish the last bit of our drive.:)
We finally made it to Kiawah and got to our house for the week. After getting settled in we went to eat dinner at Gilligan's. After a delicious meal that just happened to include some Fried Pickles...we were on our way to do our grocery shopping for the week. Never a dull moment with this crew! We had 10 minutes before BI-LO closed...10 minutes to shop for meals for 8 people for one week. Luckily the lists were already made...everybody took one and off we went to get what we needed.:) When we got back to the house we unloaded the groceries and then spent time hanging out. We downloaded Catch Phrase and played it for awhile! It's funny how a silly game can get so intense...especially with the guys!!:) Around 1 A.M. we officially called it a day!:)
Traffic=No fun.
Sunday started off pretty early for me...I was up around 9 A.M...I slept in a little later than my usual 7 A.M. What are vacations for anyway?!?;-) Everybody else woke up by 11 A.M. and we all ate as we got up. We just hung out at the house talking and watching T.V. before we finally made our way to the beach around 1:30. We stayed out there for about an hour or so before we all agreed that the wind was blowing the sand just a little too much to enjoy being out there. So, we headed to the pool. We swam there for a bit before heading in around 5. Most of us took a nap after we took a shower. We had ribs, salad, and potatoes for supper and brownies for dessert. After dinner we took a bike ride around the island then came back for Round 2 of Catch Phrase.:) Another intense game that despite their hard work and efforts ended in the girls winning once again! Bed time was around midnight. Another long, but great day at the beach!:)
Look what happened this morning after I was washing dishes. Lilly sent us some hugs and kisses.:):) Too precious!!
