WIWW- 24 weeks

Wednesday's What I Wore.

another week flew by, now that I live my life by weeks I feel like they go so fast I mean it was just yesterday we got to do the big "we are prego" announcement - and by that i mean, my sweet husband let me share the info with everyone (we were together when we did it) but I suddenly turned into this  16 year old girl all shy and embarrassed to say "I am pregnant" I pretty much just blurted it out to my parents and hid my face. Of course they cried and it was a great moment but it never got easier for me to tell people, I am not sure why that is.  I am crazy.

But the weeks have been good to me, a little less acne, a little more bloating and puffy faced Nicole walking around but all in all we are doing good. my goal of trying to stay relaxed and not so busy hasn't really played out, but i am blaming that on the holiday season and someone needs to get things done. ;)  Although , Husband and i are headed out Jan 2nd for a babymoon!!! YIPPEE. we rented a cute little one bedroom, with fireplace and kitchen cabin up by Mt. Bachelor in Bend OR and we will get to spend 3 glorious days just the two of us, doing NOTHING. I have been needing one of these for months and with him starting his new job Jan 7th we have a full week off TOGETHER...this has not happened since last year! No job stress, no worries, just US.

As we bring clothes home for Baby Reagan, hound dog has been fascinated with smelling them and then licks them with her approval (then they get washed) its a good little cycle we are doing these days, as a family .

Sweater- White House Black Market, Shirt- Target, Belt- ?? ,

Pants- Old Navy Maternity, Shoes- Macys

 Hat- Urban Outfitters, Sweater- Target,

Basic Tee & Leggings- Nordstrom Rack, Boots- Kathy Jean

 Cardigan- F21, Shirt- JC Penney's, Belt- Urban Outfitters,

 Leggings- Nordstrom Rack, Boots- Kathy Jean

 Sweater- H&M, Leggings- Nordstrom Rack, Boots- Kathy Jean

 Happy 6 Months Baby in there! Who has beginning to love my ribs and weighs enough to smash my bladder at all times, who loves to bury herself in my back and pinch my sciatic nerve. But feeling those little feet, and the little jabs and her hiccups I wouldn't trade for anything.

our Creator is truly amazing that He puts all this together!

Sweater & Pants- Old Navy, Shoes- Target

 

 

I ordered 3 pairs of pants from Old Navy (huge online sale with free shipping = awesome) and I was super nervous , I like to try on my clothes before I purchase and since this entire new concept for me of elastic around the waist and its your size but a little bigger thing is happening in my jeans now.... and I HATE WAITING for them to come in the mail, I chanced it for a good deal!!!

  I am super happy with them, they all fit great and I can breath in them !!! I would however pay a little extra money and get the faster shipping, you know me and waiting it doesn't go very well :)

 

I am linked up with these Great Ladies today:

 

The Pleated Poppy

 

and

 

Rae Gun Ramblings

 

Happy Wednesday.

 

Nicole 

WIWW

My Head Returned, at least for now.


I feel much better then my absentee mind last week...I didn't forget a single thing this week! :) (pat on the back for me) although, I did have to make an unplanned trip into the doctor on Monday night....This weekend was a busy one, I helped my mom at a bazaar all day Saturday and this funny thing happened I had a braxton hick contraction , in fact I had 4 that day. I knew what they were and I wasn't worried, I felt funny but kept my head on. And if you know me, I am a control freak, I like to know whats going on at all times and for this to happen at only 22 1/2 weeks is a little abnormal, I should have been panicking, but I wasn't!!!
Then on Monday the in laws were staying with us and we did a spontaneous trip to the Clackamas Mall to Christmas shop and spend some gift cards they had brought us for Baby Reagan. *love free things!!!! Jim & Kathy are just the best ever. We ended up spending 4 hours shopping on top of me already having worked in our church' coffee shop that am and substitute taught for Kindergarten! So at this point my body was not happy with me, I had 6 contractions in a matter of an hour so I called up the doctor they had me come in.....so here we are sitting in the exam room I am trying to remain calm but I am a little freaked out, husband was such a rock (I don't expect anything less from him, he is so strong ALL THE TIME) he laid his hand on my belly and prayed and i could see  him processing this new event and as I looked at him I knew no matter what, that we would be okay, she would be okay.  The love I see come from him for his daughter is breath taking.
So turns out WE ARE GREAT. Baby R is growing like a champ in fact she has helped me gain a whopping 7 pounds this last month (on top of the other pounds I gained the first 4 1/2 months) !!! Nice right?! They just told me to take it easy and drink more water then I already am and just keep my eyes on things. And that I probably will have them the rest of my pregnancy. Awesome!!!
 What made me laugh the most was my that my new doc ( who does not know me and does not  know I am a freak and can handle self control) was a little worried that I was 3 pounds over my scheduled weight gain....and said "you know a lot of first time moms eat what ever they want to during pregnancy" I smiled and said "Ya that's not me! I have discipline"
** for example on Sunday when a maple bar was screaming my name at church I informed my sweet friend Holli to sell all of them so I can not have one!" and she did! High Five the  Joint effort in this keeping Nicole eating correct.
Long story I do apologize for that, but this is my life now, one long story after another.

Week 23 today, we are the size of a Grapefruit (I feel like she should be bigger cause I feel huge but that is coming or so I am told) She now can hear sounds and will begin to recognize voices and noises! how cool!!!

                                        Holy Stripes Batman....I saw this picture and was like
                                      umm maybe we are done wearing stripes for awhile!
                                                              Scarf- Made by my mom
                                                              Sweater- Old Navy
                                                              Shirt- H&M

                                                 

                                        Shoes: Macy , Jeans: Silvers, Sweater: Love Culture

                                          Shoes: Nordstrom Rack, Jeans: Silvers, Shirt: American Eagle
                                                         Belt: Urban Outfitters Necklace: Gifted



I am linked up with these blogs today:

the pleated poppy

Rae Gun Ramblings


Have a great Wednsday!

Nicole

WIWW

REDO, Please?!!

Have you ever had one of those weeks, where life is only on a certain day but you are truly living a day ahead....whelp that is me this week. All week in fact i have been a step ahead but a dollar short, for example,(because who doesn't want to hear the rants of a crazy prego woman and her weird moments ??! Right!) As I started todays blog out I started it as "Awesome and Awkward THURSDAY" !! anyone see a problem here?! I completely typed out a blog about all the awkward things that now make up my life and was smiling and laughing and really thinking i had a great blog today, THEN I remembered in fact it is not Thursday and instead of saving the blog entry for tomorrow, I deleted the entire thing!!! So we start fresh.
 Here is another one, Monday I completely forgot a meeting and a prayer meeting....how does one do that you ask?! Good question.
Tuesday rolls around I am getting ready for work and got a sweet text message from my Friend asking if I forgot about our coffee date 45 min ago.....not only did i forget meeting with her,  I only shaved one leg in the shower that morning! It happened again....two birds one stone?!
See I am a normally put together, I pride myself in being on top of my appointments and not forgetting, I use my phone as a planner and am good at it. Well I think I need a redo week,  a start over, because I have failed a few too many times already and its only WEDNESDAY....
I truly never understood Pregnancy brain, but I am going to 100% blame that because this is not cool!

So after that long rant of a GREAT start to my week here is what I wore Wednesday at 21- 22 weeks prego....(don't hold your breath I am at the point of no return in my clothing.....nothing fits and I have thrown a tantrum and threw all my clothes out of my closet and insisted husband lets me buy some pants that don't make me look like I am squeezing the baby' brain out or that makes me look like I am wearing a diaper,...so fingers crossed my pants in the mail will fit for at least a month, because the way this belly is growing I don't think my pants stand a chance!)

                                                            The hound dog on a walk with us

                                                                      Date Night

                                                     Happy Birthday Husband Date Night

                                                 Brittingham Family Christmas Card 2012

                                               Watching our College Football Civil War Game
                           -when all else fails, yoga pants, and a too small shirt will do the trick

                                                      Saturday Signing Christmas Tree - week 21



Have a great Wednesday and if you are living a day ahead Thursday!

I am linked up with :
WIWW - The Pleated Poppy

Rae Gun Ramblings

Nicole

A BIG announcment

20 Weeks.

I have realized that its been a few weeks since I last wrote and that may have left questions in your minds, but have no fear, baby and me are GREAT! The sweet and very fashionable Leah shot me an email to check in with me, so here I am! Thank you for being so nice and checking in with me, my blogger friend!!  

My morning (all day, who are we kidding) sickness subsided about week 17, that was a beautiful day seeing as I was in tears and hated being pregnant at that point. I am now in the "honeymoon" stage of pregnancy, where i don't need naps, I am sleeping better, I can keep food down, and although smells still get to me i can eat food, all except Chicken and spinach. About week 18 I started to feel our baby move, and kick me and that was one of the  most incredible feelings EVER, it went from "yes I'm prego" to "oh wow there is a tiny person inside me kicking me" This last weekend, the husband got to feel a big powerful kick and some little ones after that!  this pregnancy has caused me to get a vocabulary and slang talk, that of a high school boy, I say things like "you mad bro" "home skillet" "what up?" just random things like that. Awesome I know!

We had our big ultrasound 2 days ago, and as any new mom and a complete control freak I NEEDED to know what we were having so I could plan and paint and just know! Baby had its legs closed at first and of course was face down so we didn't get to see a real good profile picture, but we are right on schedule, all measurements are good, nice and healthy, (a big sigh of relief for me) and we are happy to say we are having: 

 

A Girl!!!!
Baby Reagan will be arriving April 10th 2013 (or a few days sooner ;) )

As they told us to look at the screen and then said that's your daughter, tears streamed down my face (kind of out of fear, for raising a girl, its hard work) and because we couldn't be happier. I have had countless dreams since I got pregnant that it was a girl so that was fun to see it actually come true. All my life I only ever imagined having boys, so this is a big change of mind for me, but i am ready for the challenge.

The next few months will bring a lot of change, including i have officially "popped out" there is no hiding this baby bump or sucking in and squeezing in between chairs and walls, or sleeping on my back!!

                                                                      Week 20

                                                   Hello Cute Thomas & Nicole

                                                                      Week 18

                                                                         Week 19


Thanks for checking in Leah, and everyone else! i will try to be better about getting on here!

Love ,
Nicole

Same Pants Everyday.

Between fighting a cold and pregnancy I have been drained of all my energy. So this weekend i spent most of my days on Pinterest and of course re fell in love with it and found yummy food I might actually eat and ideas for the baby's room and what I want my house to look like and organizational ideas that look good in theory but not actually getting off the couch or bed to do them at this point! I did however get up and get dressed a few times this past week. Hurray me!!! But our church prayer groups and Bible Studies start back up and I actually get to go to them for the first time in my adult life so I will be getting in actual picture taking quality outfits soon...!

 My friend gave these to me on "Borrow" status. They are one size bigger and they are so comfortable and stretchy and actually super cute, I wear them almost everyday!!

American Eagle Jeans, Top-Romey, Jacket- Nordstroms

 

 

 

And can any one help a girl out with Blogger, did they change a few things...how come I cant enlarge all my uploaded pictures..it will either let me do the first one and that's it or none! Starting to make me frustrated.

Happy Monday!

Nicole

Awesome & Awkward

What do you get when you mix a bright orange shirt and a pregnant girl.....

Orangesicle. :)


We hit 10 weeks today, well okay actually it was yesterday and the baby is the size of a kumquat ,embarrassing enough I had not a clue what that was, so google came in handy.  Apparently it is a fruit and i hear its good! Next step going and finding one!!!!

Here is a Kumquat in case you have never seen one like me! 

Awkward:
-how easily I can cry at a drop of a hat, and literally if a hat drops I might cry.
-Gagging in bi mart today when I walked passed the canned chili isle....
-Gagging while I read about foods I should be eating while prego
-Dry heaving every time I open my fridge.GROSS
-ordering an all meet omelet and still needing and wanting more sausage after! Its really weird and I feel like a giant T-Rex yelling "wheres my meat??"
-falling asleep on the couch, the bed, actually anywhere and sleeping for multiple hours at a time and still needing to go to bed at 9pm.
-run through Isles because I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE while grocery shopping.....ugg so gross!!!


Awesome:
-The Office, although I have seen every episode I still laugh out loud every time.
-my new decorated living room that is now cozy, warm and inviting!
-knowing that in 8 short weeks I get to find out if its a boy or a girl.
-Watching The Husband learn and read books about the baby with me and laugh together at my reaction to what is going to happen in 6 short months.(im a little freaked)
-Maternity pants....they are truly an amazing invention, I have only worn them once because I feel a little ashamed to have them on, but it is so nice not squeezing into jeans that are snug and uncomfortable!!!!
-Wearing my boots and scarf the the other day, hello FALL!!!!

Happy Thursday, may your days be a little less awkward then mine !!!

Love Nicole and the baby!

Toe injury of 2012

Fruit Make Up My Weeks.

Its a fun little tradition we have of taking pictures of how big the baby is compared to fruit. As stated in previous blogs I cant visually see 2 1/2 cm big or half an inch but I can tell you how big a raspberry and Grapes are.

I had to look up (google is my best friend most days)for how big other pregnant people are at 8 weeks, because i feel like I am showing already and popping out and its awkward and I don't like showing it off yet. I feel like I am trying to be that "pregnant woman" so i don't fit my clothes much anymore, pants are all getting a little tighter and my shirts...well those look terrible on me. I luckily have an amazing mom who keeps getting me bigger shirts to wear and bring them over on a daily basis and friends that loan me the next size up in jeans, and this amazing invention of a belly band to keep my unbuttoned pants up... yes some days I am that girl with my zipper down and button undone on purpose! My yoga pants and socks have never felt soooo good i actually dream about wearing them all day and to all events. My "I have had for  7 years skinny jeans"....gone, I wore those for the last time probably in my life as my hips are expanding a little now....my body here i come.

you may notice my big bandage on my toe in the next picture, I like to refer to it as the toe injury of 2012. Long story short, I got onto the escalator at work, someone called my name I spun around and went to just walk back off the escalator (the wrong way) caught my toe in the next coming step, and boy those things are sharp and painful, I was in instant pain, my toe was cut open in multiple places, blood all over the sales floor, I had an er trip and stitches, along with a tetanus shot that hurt like a hole in the head, they starved me for 6 1.2 hours and i had no water or couldn't go to the bathroom, i was the pregnant crying woman in the back of the er where they forgot about me and finally when a nurse came in I broke down and asked for them to just let me go home I didn't care I was bleeding everywhere but I was starving. He grabbed me some food from a party there were having and water and fixed me up, at this point my numbing meds wore off and i could feel everything he was doing but I didn't care i wanted to go home, I ended up slightly fracturing the inside of my foot and limped around for weeks!!! Lame I know! Brutal to be a gimp and in pain for weeks and walk around with a giant toe! I was a big hit with the little kids and dogs, they just wanted my bandage!

                                                                          8 weeks
                           Jacket & shorts- F21, Shirt & Shoes- Target

                                                                          9 Weeks
                                 Pants- Silvers, Scarf- Gifted, Shirt- Target

 The Baby at 8 weeks, its looking (facing) left and if you look real close you can see little ears and cheeks and facial features. Husband swears its a boy and says he can tell from the picture, we went in thinking i was almost at 9 weeks and found out I was only really 8weeks and 1 day, so not really but kind of had to redo week 9 and that was a big bummer. But the baby is healthy with a strong heartbeat and this mamma cant wait to see more picture of him/her. As soon as they turned the speakers up laying there on the bed watching the screen not sure what to really expect since the only time I see this scenario is on TV or movies, and that heartbeat that sounds like a washing machine came on it took my breath away....tears pooled out of my eyes and my heart felt like a mom for the first time in my life. I feel in love with this baby and I know I have so much more to experience and hear and see and a new love but if its anything like what I felt hearing my baby's heart I am in for the time of my life. I got to watch my husband see his first child on that screen and it was just this amazing overwhelming experience and i am so honored to get to do this with him.

                                                   My baby hound dog! Love this girl.

We are headed into week 10 I will try to take more outfit pictures that is if I get out of my yoga pants!! NO promises!

Nicole

7 Weeks.

Sweet Blueberry.

Our Journey to get here has been a crazy one, we really (I mean me), am a planner, I have it all worked out in my head how its going to be and when its going to happen. So we started on this "lets have a baby train" and I full on expected (like most woman) it would happen in that first month! Well here is how it really turned out, One month turned into 2 which lead to 4 then here comes 7 and then 9 and more... and those months are hard, the constant disappointment, the fear that grips you and keeps you awake at night all the "what ifs" go through your mind day after day, when you are growing up you never think oh that's going to be me "the one who cant have kids" or "that will take almost a year or more to have them" and it had started to become my life...Disappointment was evident and i didn't know how to make it less of a big deal.

Then in July Something cool happened, we had some visiting pastors come in from Mexico which I have known them for 7 years now and after the service they heard we were having some trouble getting pregnant so they laid hands on us and spoke life to our womb and spoke a baby into our life, that week we got pregnant! This is our little prayer baby, our miracle that was spoke to us, for us! For all those times people said to me "Gods time is perfect time" and I hated it then, it truly is the truth, and i am so thankful we get this blessing.

So we are happy to announce that we are pregnant and are 7 weeks and the baby is a size of a blueberry right now, its heart is beating and getting stronger by the day, it gives me heartburn like no ones business and constant nausea, but I already love this blueberry more then I ever thought was possible and with that came a love for my husband that I haven't experience before, to watch him through this last year and now is amazing and the way he sees all of this, its perfect.

Dear Baby,
So out of all the millions of little blueberries out there I am proud I get to be your momma!

                                            How cool to know blueberry farmers with a
                                                        huge field for us to use!

These are some great websites about the babies size and growth, because if you are like me CM and inches dont mean a thing, but a blueberry and lemon, now that I can picture!!!

BabyCenter- baby size
Carolee Beckham


Nicole~

a little of everything

Nut Shell...

-Retail hours= brutal...midnight just does not cut it!! lets face it I have a husband and I am involved in things and am missing out and i am just not that young anymore that I can stay out that late working!
-Summer is truly amazing and wonderful!
-I cry at the Olympics, it might have to do with how patriotic i am but still its ridiculous that I cry every story I heart about an USA athlete and watch them get their gold...tears!
-Vacations are truly amazing, Brittingham Family Vacation is always awesome.
-Traveling to Montana for the first time, even if it is just to cross the boarder to say "I have been there" The husband is truly great for putting up with my "ideas" which I seam to think they are always awesome until I actually stop and think them through....
-my  mother in law always makes me feel amazing when she says things like "look at this hair it is just perfect, its got to be your natural hair color" little does she know (until I told her) that my hair has not been its natural color since i was 15 and just that morning I had pulled out 2 grey hairs...! awesome I know!
-And there is no pictures because I am impatient and the Internet is slow not because I don't have a billion of them!

Happy Thursday!

Nicole

Monday Confessional...on Saturday

Oh the busyness we call LIFE.



I wake up I think "Ohh I should blog" and then the dog goes crazy and wants food (go figure), there are 4 miles (or more) to be ran staring me in the face, the husband is calling my name to drink coffee with him and read, there are books to be finished, oh and the umpteenth time to watch some FRIENDS episodes (love).... oh and maybe one day during the week I can actually lay out in the sun and get burned, BBQ and Friends to host and hang out with... I love being a host its probably one of my favorite things to do these days ,house projects, sewing projects that are just laying there half finished…with no energy to finish them because a few of the seams are crooked, grocery’s to be bought, and this is all on a Monday morning! J

Gladiator Sandals- Payless / Jeans- Target / Tank- Urban Outfitters / Glasses- Sunglass Hut

I feel like My alter ego super hero has come out and she is ready to save the world !!!!

Happy Saturday!

Nicole

3rd June 12th

What I Wore Wednesday.

It was our 2nd anniversary last night! So that meant flowers, cards, candy, gifts and a surprise date to the Portland City Grill...which happens to be my all time favorite and where we went on our 1st stage of our honeymoon. Then  we got to walk around downtown for a bit and finished the night with a little Starbucks! Pure BLISS for this girl!
I got this little shirt on a whim at a thrift store- so glad I did
Pants - Forever 21
Jacket and Shoes- Target
Belt- Urban outfitters

My Husband, best friend-
What a whirl wind the last few years have been, we meet, dated, fell in love, planned a wedding, got married, bought a house, got a dog, quite jobs, started new adventures and have grown everyday in love and friendship. No one knows me like you, no one understands me like you do. And all I want to do for the next 60 + years is get to know you better, to be your very best friend the love of your lifetime and stay deeply, passionately in love with each other!
Thank you for the last 2 years you have given me, although sometimes challenging and crazy i wouldn't trade them for anything ! I am more in love with you then ever.  And know that only greatness and passion lie ahead of us!

Forever yours,

Nicole Renee


I am linked up with:
the pleated poppy
And
rolleduppretty