10 things to love about pregnancy {plus 1 bonus!}

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1. No more weekend mornings spent hungover. Nauseous 24-7 maybe...but hangovers are worse, right? Riiiiight?!?!

2. When you do something stupid at work, you can always blame "placenta brain!"

3. You have an excuse to buy new clothes. So what if they're maternity? They could also double as next Thanksgiving's post-feast garb.  Plus, at least now you don't need feel awkward browsing around the maternity section of Target, muttering things like "Hmmm these maternity jeans are ca-ute!"

4. When you and your husband are starting to have a fight, all you have to do is look at him with tears welling up, rub your tummy, and sniffle, "Upsetting me will only upset the baby." He will hug you and forget whatever the dumb argument he was about to make was.

5. Baby names become an interesting date conversation. Hint: Let him think he has some control over this decision. Try not to dry heave when he suggests weird names that will get your kid beat up, like "Sly" or "Soothe." 

6. Whenever you hear someone's kids screaming in Target, you can smile, rub your tummy and think, "My kid will never be like that..." as you delusionally browse for cute high heels you'll probably never wear again.

7. People like to feed you. For the first time you do not (and should not!) feel guilty accepting food from anyone. It is for the baby, after all.

8. Whipping out a package of Saltines and hurriedly eating 4 in quick succession mid-conversation with someone is suddenly not rude. Or maybe it is, but you don't really care.

9. You save money on belts.  They have become an irrelevant accessory, as your waist is now a nonexistent body part.

10. Speaking of...now it is considered kosher to spend all day with your pants undone. Sure, this fact is disguised cleverly by the genius invention called a "belly band," but...you know.  Pants.  Undone.  Yep.

11. Suddenly someone kicking you sharply in the uterus is a beautiful moment.  

:o)

G

{there will be books!}

I love books.  

The feel, the look, the smell -- the complete and utter escape you experience when being lost in a good story.   It is only natural that I have a not-so-secret hope that my unborn babe also loves books.  

As I plan the nursery, whether we have a rambunctious little boy or a girlie girl, I dream that baby is surrounded by books placed on pretty shelves, like this one:

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 Or perhaps with books that have adorable polka-dots and flowery patterns on their bindings, like these:

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Maybe there will be old, lovely gems with titles like Dancing Star and Elizabeth Captive Princess {can you even imagine the tales?}, tied with a gorgeous white ribbon, like these: 

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I've been slowly building my "kiddo library" over the years.  My recent additions are these pretties from Anthropologie:

The rest of the books are not as pretty.  Some are old and tattered, and were well-read throughout the childhoods of myself and my three siblings.  I cannot wait to read the same stories my dad would fall asleep reading read to us.

More nursery additions to come...including...

the crib!

Can't wait to share our fabulous Craig's List gem!

Time for me to go fall asleep reading read.

G

meatless monday: margherita pizza!

I can give up meat, for the most part, but I can never, EVER, give up pizza.

{Don't even ask.}

Lately, I have discovered the joy of making my own pizza.  I like the crust to be thick.  I like the cheese to be plentiful.  I like the toppings to be fresh.


One of my favorite pizzas is margherita pizza.  This is my go-to when I am out and have to order something that does not involve meat.  So many restaurants have amazing flatbread versions that are so amazingly delish!


Last night I made my own, simple, thick crust version, using these four ingredients:


can of pizza dough
basil pesto
mozzarella cheese
thinly sliced tomato


I simply rolled out the dough on a pizza stone (seasoned with cornmeal), spread on a layer of basil, sprinkle as much mozzarella as desired, and add my slices of tomato.  Season with salt and pepper...

 Bake for 12-15 minutes at 425F.

Slice and indulge...while watching The Bachelor!  

  {Won't give that one up either.}

G


PS: Do you have a good homemade pizza recipe?  I'd love to hear!

baby bump alert

I will confess...

I have always been pretty obsessive about working out.

I love the gym.  Running is a passion.

I used to do an uncountable amount of crunches per day.

Then I got pregnant.

Now the thought of crunches makes me tired...and a little nauseous.

Now my jeans don't fit.

Now I realize why flowing, loose-fitting shirts are so dang great.

Now I have people staring strangely at my tummy in wonder.

Now I get asked if I'm having twins.

Now I'm lucky if I can muster the required thirty minutes daily of exercise.

Now my stomach growls every two hours.

And reader,

I have never been happier.

(I also used to tan a lot.)  

:o)

G

{anthro dishtowel art!}

I love to wander through the store Anthropologie.

I write "wander through" and not "shop at" because I cannot realistically afford to shop there.  Occasionally I buy a book.  Or a candle.  Or a dishtowel.

I write "dishtowel" because that is what I bought today.  I couldn't resist!  As soon as I saw it I knew what I wanted to do with it.  {No, not dry dishes.  Definitely not.}

I wanted to frame it, and put it in our {future, beautiful, re-done} master bedroom!  

Sounds weird, maybe.  But with a very excited burst of inspiration I plunked down $18 and felt like I was committing robbery!  $18 - expensive for a mere dishtowel, scandalously cheap for art!

Here is the towel, listing the traditional gifts for wedding anniversaries:

I immediately felt it might make a cute little bedroom art piece.  The Tiffany-blue and black on white linen color scheme is chic, the design is pretty, and I found the concept rather romantic.  {Plus...nice reminder for hubby as to what he might shop for each year...}

Now I needed a 16x20 frame.  I envisioned simple and black, to go with our modern bedroom style.  However, frames can be pricey (even at Target I would end up paying $30) so I was off to Goodwill.

Here is what I came out with, for $3:

Yes, this is very ugly, goose print, circa 1986; however,  is a sturdy, simple 16x20 wood frame!  So I removed the horrendous print, washed the glass, wiped down the frame and sanded it...

...painted it black - using paint I already had...

...ironed the dishtowel {shhhh...don't tell my loving hubby I can iron!}...

Even the dog looks amazed I can iron!

...and voila!

um, might have to re-iron 

Lovely little art for only $21!  This will go in our new master bedroom suite (not on the hamper, like in this photograph)...whenever the master suite actually gets done.  The walls will be a pale gray...and can you guess what my accent colors will be?

Well, my creativity is sapped for the day!  

Time for a nap.

:)

Happy Friday, blogosphere!

G

{top five: weird cravings!}

"Have you had any weird cravings?"

This has to be one of my top-asked questions since becoming pregnant.  (Well, lately it has been: "Are you having twins?") So to answer this very pressing questions, I have compiled this handy list of five food items that have been crossing my mind a lot.  No ice cream and pickles.  Mostly just really fatty, really greasy foods...which I suspect is my bad karma for eating annoyingly healthy for the past 2 years.  

The things I used to love (salmon, veggies, rice, coffee) have been replaced with more, um, high calorie grindage.  So without further ado...

1. Corn dogs

This is weird, considering I avoid meat and corn dogs contain God-only-knows-what kind of meat.  However, I have ate corn dogs for dinner at least 4 times in the last month...because {right now} they are just darn delicious.

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2. Rainbow sherbert

Ice cream really isn't doing it for me.  Nope.  But rainbow sherbert?  OH YES.  That perfect combo of lime, orange and raspberry...e-gad gimme a bowl right now.

{so good}

3. Sugary chinese donuts

Okay, so this was an instance where I forced hubby to get me some -- asap!  I usually only eat these on rare occasion at super-unhealthy chinese buffets, but one night we were ordering Chinese and I had to have some.  So that was all I ordered:  one box, containing 10 sweet, sugary donuts.  Ate every one.

{yum-o}

4. ANY donuts!

I had all but given up on these sweet treasures!  But one day, while driving home from work, I just had to have one frosted, sprinkled cake donut.  There is still frosting on the steering wheel to prove it.

{happy things}

5. Blueberry pancakes

Okay, this one required a special trip to the grocery store last Saturday morning for a carton of yummy blueberries {healthy, right?} and some real butter {not the calorie-free spray stuff I usually use!}  Then my Hubby, who happens to make THE best ginormous pancakes ever made me a plate of yummy, juicy blueberry pancakes.  Mmmmmm just writing about them makes me crave more.... {cue Homer Simpson-like drooling.}

{foodiesfavorite}

So those are my top-most crave-worthy items for the moment.  I am really hoping to start craving some veggies soon!

So Mamas...what did you crave while preggo???

G

kitchen re-do: {a room to cook in}

Considering that before I got married I did not cook at all, it may seem strange that three years later I feel the most important room in a home is the kitchen.  The fact is...

 I fell in love with cooking

{and I'm trying my best to like baking as well.}  

Therefore, when we moved into our current home a year and a half ago I pushed pretty hard for a kitchen makeover!  Our shotgun-style home has pretty small rooms, but even so, the space in the kitchen was NOT being maximized.  I knew we could design better.

Here is a look at the {BEFORE}

I wasn't a big fan of the mustard-colored walls, white countertops, white appliances, white floor tiles...so we ripped it all out!

 And here is the {AFTER}

Pretty much we replaced everything: dark cherry, more visually interesting cabinets, granite countertops, natural stone floor tiles, stainless appliances...oooooh and do you spy my potfiller???  Yes, I do actually use it. :)

{BEFORE} : a strangely-placed refrigerator (you had to walk sideways to get between it and the tiny center island.

 {AFTER} : We instead did a peninsula, allowing for more counter space, and put the sink in a spot where I could look in on the dining room...instead of facing a corner full of cabinets!

Uh, the TV above the Ikea metal shelf (aka pot rack, $15) was completely my husband's idea.

I never always watch it. Hey, I spend a lot of time in there.

:)

So that is my kitchen...a place I love to cook in - or at least spend a lot of time trying!

Happy Monday!

G