Happy 3rd Birthday, MRZ!

Over the past weekend, my sister and brother-in-law hosted a "camping themed" Birthday party for their oldest son.

It was too adorable not to share!

Her attention to detail is impeccable, and I really think she should be a professional party planner. She made really cute goodie bags with iron on camp themed icons ( which I forgot to get a photo of), filled with flashlights, glow sticks, stickers and S'mores trail mix made of golden grahams, marshmallows and chocolate chips.

Throughout the yard were camping signs, like you would find in the great outdoors. I helped out with these by using my silhouette cutting machine to cut out each of the icons, and she modge-podged them to her wooden stakes to create signs.

Special thanks to my sister, Stephanie for creating the cupcake tower and cupcakes which were all adorned with camping themed fondant pieces. There were campfires, camp signs, tents, axes and logs and fishing poles.

Here are a couple of photos from the day:

[S'more pops, Cupcakes & the Sweets Table]

[Camping sign to lead guests into the backyard, Tent Campground setup]

It was a wonderful party, on yet another beautiful Southern California day.

Hold Yer horses

WARNING: This is 100% pure honesty here..

I recently met another pregnant woman who is due 2 weeks after me, with her first child. She's a newlywed, in school, and will graduate just 3 weeks before her baby is due, and then her life will go on Happily ever after as a stay at home mom. She's a sweetheart, this girl...but following our exchange of details, I couldn't help but think to myself, " Hold Yer Horses, girl..You have no idea what could be ahead." I am so glad that I didn't succumb her to my negativity about what the future could hold, nor did I steal her sunshine.

But there is something deep inside me that aches when I hear other pregnant women declare with assumed certainty that they in-fact-are-having-a-baby on such and such a date, and have everything planned out to the nanosecond.

Is it jealousy? I don't know. I hope not.

Is it mourning the loss of my own naievety? Maybe.

So, how do I get over it?

How do I get over the fact that I do not want to look too far ahead and make plans on things that we most certainly do need to plan out before hand?

Hospital bag? the clothes on my back are fine, thanks. Worked for us last time, it can work again.

Birth plan? Uhm, yeah, right. How bout, get this baby out of me alive, by any means necessary. Will that work?

Nursery Theme? Does it matter? The baby will just sleep in our room. No need to decorate a nursery. ( Where as last time, I had bedding ordered the day after we found out the sex of our baby girl)

Finding out the sex? Let's be honest. I just want to hear and see that little heart beating away.

This is not like me. I am a planner. I like to be prepared. So why won't I let my guard down on one of the most important things to come into our lives? I keep hoping that at some magic date ( right now I claim 30 weeks) I will feel confident and certain that come end of December, beginning of January we will be bringing that pink white and blue hospital blanket home with a baby in it, rather than as consolation prize.

Is that too much to ask?

EIGHTEEN weeks & catching up

[August 22]

Since there's not a whole lot of changes since my last update, I'm going to write about something else reallllly cool that happened in Santa Barbara over the weekend (No , I didn't attend the Kardashian media circus, I mean... the Kardashian wedding).

I got to reconnect with women that I haven't seen since we were teens.

Word got out that my first gymnastics coach that I had, was going to be in town at the end of August. Thanks to the connectivity we all had through facebook, one of my old teammates organized a reunion for all the gymnasts that were available, and we got together last Saturday. It was the first time I had seen my coach & former teammates in (gasp!) 18 years!

It was an awesome afternoon. I went to Santa Barbara and braved the whole hulabaloo about the K wedding to visit my granny (Granny & mom's houses are about a mile from the Estate where the K wedding was held) so that my granny could meet my belly. Granny did not get to meet any of my previous bellies, and with the nerves I have been having lately about viability, I just had to let her meet this one ...As expected, she was thrilled. After a visit with Granny which included stealing a few kit kats from her snack-stash, I grabbed m

y mah and we were off to the reunion.

I bet you're thinking....You took your mom to a gymnastics reunion???

You bet I did.

My mom was an integral part of my life as a gymnast. You see, my mom was a gym parent. The best kind out there. The quiet kind. The kind that did whatever was needed to help the program run smoothly,not just for myself, but for others as well. She befriended my coaches, and made them feel supported. I love the involvement my mom had in my years as a gymnast. Other gymnasts loved my mom because of her leotards. Mom started a leotard business in the early 1990's and carried it through my collegiate career.

She suited up many a gymnast and I was touched to see her name on the invite to the reunion, and also thankful she wanted to go as my security blanket (=

[Mom, Julie & me]

photo by Kristen Lunceford of http://www.kristenluncefordphotography.com/

The reunion was great. We all got to catch up on one another's lives, and meet each other's children. Talking to some of them was like we never missed a beat, and I walked away from the afternoon with a smile on my face. One of the girls is a fantastic photographer, and I am anxiously awaiting her to post the images she captured of the day.

[L-R: Kristen, Stacy, Jamie, Coral, Vanessa, Julie, Melissa, Brie, Mary, Lisa]

I can only hope, as I get closer to the reality of motherhood, that I can be as supportive of our future children's endevours as my mom was/is. I'm sure there were times she'd rather have stayed home than to sit through a 4 hour gymnastics meet session, or to be out gardening rather than fitting gymnasts for leotards, but she did it..because she loved me.

That woman set the bar high--but it gives me a good place to aim.

Love you, mom!

The big question...

The question of the week seems to be whether we will find out the sex of the baby or not.

The answer has gone from no to yes, to no, to yes...to no..and it's bound to go back and forth a bit more before our next chance to find out. I opted NOT to find out at my most recent ultrasound for a two reasons, one being that it was scheduled during my "not-going-to-find-out" stage and more importantly, NZ wasn't able to attend the appointment with me.

Right now, with just over a week to go until our next ultrasound, I'm still standing on the "not finding out" side of the line, but feel my toes inching towards the other side of the fence. In fact, today, I'm pretty sure I have one foot over the line.

What's the ol man want to do? We've talked about it..and he says we'll just decide when the day comes.What's important is not whether it's a girl or boy, but that it's HEALTHY and NORMAL, more than anything else. Who am I kidding, I want to hear that it's ALIVE. Seriously..every single ultrasound, even if I can see the heartbeat, and the baby moving, I still ask the tech, "Is it alive?"

I'm a planner by nature, and can be a little OCD about things..especially on minute details of things that are really not all that important. So, finding out the sex would probably send me into a shopping frenzy for gender specific clothing & fabrics, since I'm far from being a fan of the whole green and yellow, baby ducks and bears stuff.

My goal for this pregnancy is to buy the least amount of items necessary, and to wait until I'm at least 30 weeks before making any of the must-have purchases ( car seat, etc.) ..Knowing what I am having will challenge me to use self control, which I admittedly only have when it comes to diet and exercise. Other things in life?? NO SELF CONTROL. Sorta backwards from the average person, but I broke the mold, I guess.

Not finding out until birth adds another element of surprise, which sounds cool in theory, but will I drive myself ( and NZ) nuts in the meantime with all of my back and forth, it's- a- boy, it's- a- girl, it's- i- don't- care- what- it- is..because it's a baby! talk? Probably.

See, I'm already driving myself ape$h!t crazy with a decision that doesn't have to be made yet.

Cost of Livin'

I have fallen in love with yet another song.

Pulls at the heartstrings, and I admit to welling up with tears the first few times I listened to the lyrics.

Why?

Just listen to the words.

Happy Camper

I spent some quality time with my nemesis, my silhouette machine. The learning curve on this machine is a slow one, but I think I am finally getting the hang of it. I even tried an iron on transfer with it.

I'm getting wild and crazy, I know!

My sister and I downloaded free camping webdings a while back, and I played around with my silhouette cutting machine yesterday afternoon to make a gift tag for a little boy's birthday present, as well as an iron-on decal for a t-shirt that has a camping theme.

First I found a webding of a camper, and enlarged it to a 4x4 size.

Then I put yellow cardstock on my feed sheet, and let my silhouette do it's thing...

I glued the cutout to blue cardstock..

and voila! A gift tag for a little boys gift!

For my second, and more adventurous project, I used my silhouette to mirror the camper image, and then inserted a mirrored font in "Rustler" to read, " Happy Camper". I used an orange paint fill tool to fill the negative space, and then printed it on my regular HP c4750 printer onto iron-on transfer paper that I already owned. I then cut around the image, and followed the transfer instructions, pressing a high heat iron to the backside of the image sheet for 3 minutes with firm, steady pressure.

A shirt fit for one of the Happy Campers in my life.

SEVENTEEN weeks

[August 13..excuse the lack of make-up..]

How many weeks? 17

Showing? I am indebted to my sister-in-law, Charlee and one of my BFF's, Dawn for the maternity clothes they sent my way. I've worn nothing but their clothes for the past 2 weeks, and I am much more comfortable and really like my new wardrobe. Both ladies have good taste, and have saved me from having to enter the over-priced maternity store here in town--at least for now..Last time they put me on mailing lists and things kept coming even after our loss..which royally sucked..so, to keep that from happening again, I am avoiding maternity stores as long as possible.

How am I feeling? Fatigued, but happy. Have been having some moments of nervousness & uncertainty since "coming out" with the news--I think that is to be expected given what we've been through. Once people know, it's this pressure that I put on myself to produce! This however, is something that I just have to go with, and hope for the best, and know that everyone who supports us through this, loves us regardless of the outcome. I just get fearful of letting not only myself and NZ down, but our families and friends as well. I don't want to be the girl that cries wolf, and then there's no wolf--Yes, I just compared announcing a pregnancy ( a tangible thing) to crying wolf--totally not comparable, but see where my head's at? Losing babies screws with your head!

Doctor’s Appointment? I've had 2 in the past week, got to hear the baby's heartbeat both times, and it was awesome. The OB I saw last Thursday is Chinese and predicted a boy based on the heartrate, but she said that is just an old wives tale. I told her that I think it's a girl, so she said, we'd see who's right pretty soon! I like her better than my regular OB, and since they are in the same clinic, I may make the switch.

Workouts? No, but feeling more like I should start walking again. I miss getting sweaty and feeling the rush of a good workout.

Sleep? Tossing and turning, but still trying my best to get as much sleep as I can. ..I wake up with sore hip joints every morning. I never had growing pains ( insert short joke here) but I imagine them to feel similar to what my hips have been going through.

Weight Gain? Apparently, 2 lbs in the last week! Grow baby, grow!

Baby Preparation? Dare I admit, I looked into carseat carriers, and strollers. I need one that can be used with its base, and in some instances, strapped in without a base...that's a hard combination to find, but it is going to make my life a WHOLE lot easier come next Winter. I refuse to buy any baby items till after 30 weeks, but I have the Peg Perego Viaggio 30/30 on my shortlist.

Likes/Dislikes? Likes: I love hearing NZ talk to the baby ( I read that their little ears work at this stage) and kiss my belly goodnight.

Dislikes: The heightened anxiety as we inch towards the halfway mark. Once we get to 25 weeks and uncharted territory, I may breathe easier, but for now, I am just waiting to hit 18 weeks which marks half way to our probable delivery date.

I try not too look too far ahead and plan, since as fellow blogger Ashley wrote, "It's hard when people tell you 'Everything is going to be fine, it HAS to be because all you have been through'. But how do we know that? We don't. Heartbreak doesn't give you good luck, promise or happiness no matter how much you go through. I wish it did." So true, my friend, so true. So for now, I muddle my way through the hours, days and weeks till we can hopefully meet our baby under planned circumstances ( hear that baby? PLANNED! No surprises). Gone is the naievity that I so wish I could have back.

FIFTEEN weeks

[photo 7/29/11]
How many weeks? 15

Showing? Totally. Although I made it through an entire lunch with my father-in-law who didn't suspect a thing..That same day, back at the office, I had two patients ask me when I'm due..so, cat's out of the bag, so to speak..however, still not making a proclamation to the world that we're expecting. Just letting it play out the way it does. My father-in-law learned two days later that we're expecting, and we also called my mom to let her know, since she will not be around to see me next weekend when the rest of the family sees me and my belly for the first time at my Grandpa's 90th (yes, he's 9-0 this year!) Birthday celebration.

How am I feeling? Fatigued. I think my low BP is to blame. I make it through the work week with nothing more than a sore back ( dang heels! I can't give them up..I'm not ready for flats yet!), but by Saturday I am pretty much looking for a soft spot to lay and vegetate. Lately, that spot has been a lounge chair in the backyard.

Doctor’s Appointment? Saw my Endocrinologist last week for a check-up, and we upped my thyroid meds, and talked about my low BP some more. I also saw my OB and I liked her much better this time around. I just about had a coronary the night before, as I opened my mail to find an authorization from my HMO group for an amnio-fricken-tesis, that I was never informed about. I tossed and turned and cried a little wondering why my MFM office never called to tell me that I had abnormal NT/1st tri screen results, and had the audacity to schedule an amnio without our consent ( for the record, I would continue this pregnancy regardless of what any test results told us). A quick call upon daylight the next morning, and the nurse assured me all my results were normal, and that the girl in charge of authorizations always requests an auth for amnio in case results would have come back abnormal. Phew! We also talked to my OB, and she too had our 1st tri screen results and said they were absolutely normal. Her only request is that I eat more, and try to gain a lb or two before my next appointment. Sure!!!!

NZ made it out to my appointment ( we have a 20 min drive to get there) just in time to hear the heartbeat by doppler. Man that thing beats fast! He also caught on to the baby moving away from the doppler, and the Ob laughed with him about the kid saying "get that thing the hell away from me". All in all, my 15 week check up was a success, despite my freak-out moment on Tuesday night.

Workouts? If lifting the spoon to my mouth while eating bowls of cereal count, then yes. Otherwise, no.

Sleep? Sleeping like a baby. Still having WILD dreams though.

Weight Gain? Yes. 2 lbs since my 6 week visit, but it feels like much more!

Baby Preparation? Nope..But we did renovate our living room and hall way this past week. I joked with NZ that every time I have been pregnant, we have remodeled a room..It's pure coincidence, but still sort of funny.

Likes/Dislikes? Fruit Loops are a huge hit this week...and fresh apricots don't stand a chance when I am around. Dislikes? Some days nothing sounds good at all. I have had a few of those this week. We had a houseguest this week, and I made the guys lasagna...it smelled delish..but two bites in and I wanted nothing to do with it..I'm italian, it isn't supposed to work that way! LOL.

THIRTEEN weeks..finally!

[July 19]

How many weeks? 13, phew..out of the first tri, but still a long way to go.

Showing? Those around me aren't shy in asking if I am expecting. So do I a) fib and tel them I'm just getting fat? or b) give in and tell the truth? I was hoping to just let people figure it out on their own.
How am I feeling? Stellar. This week has been one of happy moments, accepting that we might REALLY be bringing a breathing, living, full term baby into this world. Heartburn has subsided a little bit, and my appetite has increased. A few little aches and pains, but definitely nothing to complain about. Still nervous, but happy.

Doctor’s Appointment? I got to meet my MFM ( perinatologist/maternal fetal medicine) specialist this week. I walked into the office, to find it was standing room only, and they had a full length movie ("Hitch" for those who are interested) playing in the lobby...I thought it would go down as one of the longest waits in history, but to my surprise, I was in and out within an hour.

The tech that did my NT test was fabulous, and explained what she was looking for and what she saw every step of the way. The second sac has finally been reabsorbed, so that's a good thing..plus the MFM was very reassuring, letting me know that although I am still considered hi-risk, I am at a considerably lower risk of complications this time around due to the surgery I had last year, as well as the fact that our baby seems to be thriving with plenty of real estate in the newly remodeled uterus. Next check up with my MFM is in 6 weeks for an anatomy scan.

Workouts? I beged NZ to let me tag along to the gym one night (he rather I stay home and "bake" this baby), so he obliged and I did some light leg curls and extensions and some upper arm weights..then about 45 minutes on the treadmill. Apparently that was too much, as I was out cold on the couch about a half hour after we got home.

Sleep? I honestly think could sleep Anywhere. Anytime. Anyhow.

Weight Gain? Still just 1 lb. Hard to believe with the food I have been consuming and the drastic drop in my activity levels!

Baby Preparation? Discussed with my boss the proposed timeline to filter me out of the office. I will not be returning to my job ( more to come on that later) once the baby arrives, so it will be a big change for both the office and myself since I have been there for 6 years, and they will need to train someone to take over my position.

Likes/Dislikes? Still diggin' the sugar-free Slurpees. Fruit, carrot sticks ( yes, finally a vegetable I can stomach!) and anything cheese related have been my standbys this week. I dreamt of a Ruths' Chris Filet last night, but I doubt I can talk my ol man into driving to the Valley midweek to indulge with me..Perhaps the grill master himself can grill me a store bought filet some evening in the near future.

TWELVE

[July 12]

How many weeks? 12

Showing? Yes, but still camoflauge-able.

How am I feeling? Hello, heartburn. Everytime I eat anything at all, I feel like I have just completed the "biggest-gorge-fest-EVER-in -the -history- of- all- mankind". Okay, so that's overreacting( just a little). But seriously, I've never felt so full after eating a piece of string cheese or an apple, for that matter... in my life.

Doctor’s Appointment? Yes, we had an appointment with my new OB this past week. Jury is still out on whether I will like her or not. I fruited out ( thank Goodness NZ was there) on her when she attempted to locate a heartbeat with a doppler ( even though at 11.5 weeks it is sort of a long shot to pick it up by doppler alone) and couldn't. Her response, "Oh well. Don't worry."

That didn't go over well with me, since I learned our last child was no longer alive by means of a doppler that couldn't locate a heartbeat. Major faux-paux, Dr. K. Anyways, after what seemed like an eternity of waiting for the U/S room to open up ( and NZ calming me down), she performed an U/S that put my mind at ease. NZ and I both got to see the little italian squirming, waving and hiccuping away. I was really excited he got to be there for this appointment, as I think he really liked seeing this little person be-bopping around. As a mom, I will get to know our child by carrying him/her, but for dads, it's a bit different...I just want him to feel included in all of this.

Workouts? I hit up the treadmill for an hour to finish out my television series "Make it Or Break it"..and I cried. I walked and cried at the same time. Thank goodness no one was home to listen to me or watch me on this sad display of behavior. I love that show more than I should probably admit to.

Sleep? Napping less & staying up a tad bit later.

Weight Gain? 1 lb so far. My OB felt the need to share this with me as I'm lying on her exam table, and she adds, "you're so little, you don't even look pregnant"..Yet again, more words that do not soothe my soul. C'mon lady, tell me how HUGE my belly is for 11.5 weeks. LOL.

Baby Preparation? Zilch.

Likes/Dislikes? Slurpees are a big hit this week, as are white nectarines and apples with peanut butter. Hey, 2 out of my 3 must-haves for the week are healthy, so I'm not doing all that bad. And oh yeah- NZ made a tri-tip again this week, and I ate some. And it didn't make me barf. So that's good too.

TEN

[June 27]

How many weeks? 10

Showing? More each day. It's getting hard to find clothes to camoflauge the ever thickening waistline. I did unpack my maternity clothes and the maternity clothes that one of my besties and sis-in-laws (and two of the only people to know about this baby so far) sent my way. I may bust into the stash as soon as next week.

How am I feeling? Cautiously optimistic. Still fighting fatigue and low blood pressure ( diagnosed with hypotension last week after a fainting episode that was entirely embarassing--while standing in on a procedure at work, I fainted in front of the patient and my boss! Guess I was in the right place to have something like that happen, at least!). Also getting that "just ate thanksgiving supper" feeling after just a few bites of food. Really nothing to complain about--just hoping that my next OB visit brings more good news, because I'm still playing the daily headgame of "this could end at any moment" which I have about mastered.

Doctor’s Appointment? Not till next week. I should be 11.5 weeks by then. I look forward to meeting my OB, since last time I just saw her nurse. I had one a week and a half ago where I graduated from my RE's office..It was bittersweet, as Dr. Hubert was the one to finally diagnose my problem and worked with us every step of the way. However, our insurance doesn't cover anything from that office, so at $200 per ultrasound, it was time to move forward..After a big hug and a promise to send him a birth announcement, I was off into the land of being just a regular -pregnant-Jane again ( enter: shameless plug for FASC).

Workouts? Nada. I came down with a sore throat midweek and took it easy.

Sleep? Still can't get enough. I have been going home on my lunch hour just to catch a 30 min snooze. My dreams have been WILD though. Usually work related, which is very much on my mind since I did tell my employer about my pregnancy last week.

Weight Gain? I hope so.

Baby Preparation? We discussed our immediate needs for when the baby arrives, and what the timeline might be after arrival in terms of some other changes we have brewing.

Likes/Dislikes? I *heart* Eggs! Not just the whites, but the whole dang thing. With toast. Yum! I also opened up to broiled ham and cheese on an open pita pocket for supper.

Trying to work meat back into the rotation. I made tri-tip for NZ and the thought of eating my favorite cut of beef caused a major forcefield of aversion. And oh yeah--I may or may not have stopped at 7Eleven more than once this week for a Slurpee or three.

SIX weeks

Here we go with the catch up posts..this one originally written at the beginning of June.

[June 2011}

How far along? 6 weeks.

How am I feeling? Pretty good. There are days that I feel like I have deja vu from my early twenties. It's like waking up hungover and knowing I should eat something, but nothing sounds good at all, but most days, I feel pretty stinkin' awesome. I mean, c'mon. I'm pregnant again, right?! How could I not be cautiously optimistic that we get another chance at parenthood?

Doctor’s Appointment? I had two this week. The first one was with my RE, on Tuesday, in which we found out we had one viable fetus. We did conceive with two, but one turned out to be a blighted ovum, or empty sac. Which was totally okay with us, as there will be enough anxiety with just one, let alone twins! My second appointment was with the CNP at my new OB's office. She also did an u/s and went over my history. I haven't decided if I like her yet or not, but my next appointment in their office is with the actual OB, so I still have high hopes for a good connection.

Workouts? I've been walking on the treadmill a few times a week, and went to the gym for light weights with NZ one night, but overall, I'm pretty tired.

Sleep? I'm tired all the time, no matter how much sleep I get.

Weight Gain? Not sure. I weighed in at 110 at the OB office,.

Baby Preparation? None. Spent most of the week just hoping that I was actually pregnant with a viable fetus. We have had names picked out since my very first pregnancy back in 2009. And haven't waivered from them one bit. And no, family & friends, we won't be sharing them with you until after il bambino di zentil arrives. Guess as you may, but our lips are sealed.

Likes/Dislikes? It changes from day to day. Taco Bell bean burritos have treated me kindly, as have bagels and cream cheese. These are not typical-Brie-foods so the healthy side of me kicks in when packing lunches and throws in greek yogurts, green beans, and other nutritious foods that by lunch time sound so disgusting that I have been a regular at the TBell drive thru.

Catching Up

Although we've flown under the radar with this pregnancy up until about last week ( our families just found out..below is a picture of my 90-year-old gramps finding out..and my aunt crying happy tears), you know I've been documenting every awesome step of this opportunity. Stay tuned while I get my blog up to speed over the next week, I will be posting pre-written posts every day until we get caught up to current.

Part of me is super nervous having the cat-out-of-the-bag, as I am really superstitious this time around. There is very little to compare this pregnancy to my previous ones, which is a GOOD thing, but I still catch myself trying to compare. It's a funny little argument that goes on inside my head, and it drives me nuts. The important part is that I know there is nothing I, or NZ can do..( or anyone else for that matter) to say with 100% certainty that we will have a baby in the end of this all. We just have to try and enjoy the ride, and hope for the best.

So, as I said before, stay tuned while I catch you up....

Top that, Santa!

I have stumbled upon the best birthday present, Ev-ER for my husband's next Birthday, which happens to fall just 15 days after ol Santa Claus stops by our house each year.

[disclaimer: The man above is not NZ...but I am pretty sure he'd be stoked with a case of Budlight]

Add to the proximity of Christmas, the fact that my ol man also tends to buy himself whatever he wants ( I see a quiver of surfboards taking over our garage wall) before I have a chance to come up with something. I'd love to send him with a few friends on some all expense paid surf excursion, out in the boonies, where no wife in their right mind would want to hang--you know, like-- camping....in the dirt...with no bathrooms...lots of beer and sketchy locals...in Baja, or somewhere like that.

I know he'd be over the moon if I gave him something like that, but until we win the lottery, I have to be a little more frugal...This year, I've decided to go home-made...I've come up with a fantastic present for my ol man, and couldn't be more excited about it.

But before you go telling me that men don't like home-made gifts, just spare me, okay?

He's gonna like this one...

Besides, I was so excited that I already spilled the beans to him, so he totally knows what he is going to be getting...

..

..

..

..

..And we're both quite excited about it...

Yep, it's what you think it is.

il bambino di zentil

Pretty freakin' awesome, right?

Estimated delivery date: Mid January 2012 ( Nick's Birthday!)

**This post was written Memorial Day weekend, 2011, shortly after learning we'd be expecting again. We opted to zip our lips about this pregnancy as long as possible because our only experience with pregnancy is related to loss. We are thrilled at the opportunity to get another chance at parenthood, and hope that those around us support our decision/reasons behind not sharing the news sooner.

Damn, He's good!

Growing up, my grandpa's infamous saying was, " Damn, I'm good", and now at 90 years old, my family got together with over 50 of his friends and relatives and celebrated 90 years of his awesomeness yesterday at his home in Santa Barbara.

[photo belongs to Sweet Creations]

We all had a wonderful time, and a special thank you to my sister, Stephanie at Sweet Creations by Stephanie for the beautiful cupcake stand and cupcakes, and my auntie Cheryl for organizing the entire thing and making it happen.

[My cousin Jared & grandpa Jimmie]

[ Gramps & sis]

[ My sis & me]

[My dad & uncle sharing a funny moment with childhood friends]

All in all it was a wonderful day, and I was so happy to be able to make it up to SB to spend an evening with family, lots of hugs and conversation.

Jeans fit for a smurf like me

I recently inherited some much needed pants, including a few pairs of jeans from a couple of my close girlfriends. Unfortunately, at 5-foot tall, I have shorter legs than both of them, and I plan on returning some of the pants in the future, so I was looking for a temporary fix, that would allow for me to shorten the hemline, but also let it out later, if need be.

I have always hemmed my own jeans. I have never purchased a pair off the rack that did not need to be drastically altered (at least 3-4 inches on every pair!), and have tried a few different ways of hemming, from the easy hack and sew with navy blue thread ( then I get the raw hem stragglers that i have to cut off every so often when they peek from inside my jean leg), to serging off the raw edges of hacked pants and then using the same seam thread ( orangey brown heavy duty thread) as used in most jeans, to using iron on hem tape inside the pants ( epic fail!). And most of the time, despite my good intentions, they end up just a tad shorter than I wish they would be.

Not too long ago, pinterest had a pin on "No-cut-hemming" for jeans, which I had intended to try some day, but never got around to. I was recently reading one of my BFF's blogs, A crafty B, and she had used the "no-cut-hem" method and posted a step by step tutorial on how to do so..I followed it and like magic, I have the original hems on my borrowed jeans, at just the right length for my smurf-length gams.

[Navy blue thread sewn from the inside right next to original hem, then, excess fabric is folded up into pant leg, and ironed down]

For anyone else in need of a fairly straight-forward hemming technique, easy enough for beginners, check out Liz' "hemming jeans, using the original hem ( no cutting)"tutorial over on her blog.